Sunday 3 February 2013

STAR BLUES on 3rd February 2013 at 22:00

Wish I'd thought of it before: a two hour show with a First Hour and a Vinyl Hour, the only rule after eleven pm is the track we play must have already been issued on vinyl (ideally 45 or 78). Even BBC Radio2 has cottoned on to the enthusiasm for vinyl, though theirs is the album form.

So we've jiggled, we've tweaked, we've rustled and we've jostled the regular features (PIANO, GOSPEL and so on) to give us a free run at such a marvellous treasure trove of blues. Not that our first segment has been down-graded.

Ann Rabson didn't have that photogenic glamour of her contemporaries Bonnie Raitt or Rory Block but she was easily their equal in terms of ability and influence. Her first axe was guitar but she was best known for her piano gifts - played for over 25 years with Saffire! the Uppity Blues Women. Their final project together has a fabulous photo of Ann in the middle of a full throated hearty laugh while Andrea and Gaye beam widely - no doubt cooking up some delicious mischief over their coffee. She was universally loved and she loved everyone right back with great generosity of both time and spirit. Her final project was a two hander piece with Bob Margolin called "Not Alone" which captured two seasoned players just enjoying each others company. Ann's death on 30th January has left a huge hole in the blues community which will take some filling.

We also took time to wish two other artists well in their recovery from very serious health issues: Finis Tasby and Eddie C. Campbell (who is in Germany while the care he needs is Stateside). Jody Williams' birthday was yesterday and we'll celebrate that next Sunday as the time thief caught me again. It was the anniversary of Johnny Guitar Watson's birth too - he was Jimi Hendrix before Jimi Hendrix with guitar showmanship and a wild extravagant approach to plying reverb to his Fender guitar on the 1954 piece "Space Cowboy". His "Three hours past midnight" had a memorable solo that Frank Zappa later claimed as a life changing event. Watson enjoyed success in the 70's as a disco icon but he'd already been one of the 50's best singers, writers and guitarists. Bobby Robinson at Fire and Fury knew how to record his stars at high volume, he had success with Elmore James and Jimmy Spruill just listen to any of their sides cut during that era. One of our internet correspondents tipped us a wink on a couple of singles Eddie Burns did for the Harvey label and showed why he's regarded as one of Detroit's finest.

Not that everything was about high octane guitar last night, we had Ernestine Allen with Cliff "King" Solomon and we had Ruth Brown bring powerful vocals; Essex' own Jackson Sloan is a name to watch for mining the same R&B vein with exceptional arrangements and delivery, he kindly sent us a two-track EP ahead of his up-coming album on Shellac.  Mike Sanchez found some tapes on his shelf that came from 2004  sessions with Imelda May. (At that time she was over from Ireland, not  yet the household name she deservedly now is). Agreement was reached to put out the songs on Mike's own Doopin' imprint. In my (less than) humble the 14 tracks are the best either has done. (Did I also mention two hidden bonus bands?)

Before air-time we boldly claimed to raise the bar on what passes for guitar playing these days. Did we do it? Dave Kelly with Sonny Black acted as one on the "Slide Guitar Rag" and there was sweet and graceful tones off Tommy Emmanuel and Martin Taylor as "The Colonel and The Governor" to preview next month's tour and album. Then in a trice it was time to pack up and head for home; you made me very welcome with your kind invitation round your place, I'm available next Sunday at 10pm for another bundle of trivia, tomfoolery and vinyl blues. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you

Track.TitleTrack.ArtistSortIndexAlbum.TitleAlbum.ArtistSortLabel






Damn Right I've Got The BluesBuddy Guy1Damn Right I've Got The BluesBuddy GuySILVERTONE
Pride & JoyOtis Rush9Any Place I'm GoingOtis RushHOUSE OF BLUES
Border Town BluesMannish Boys, feat. Finis Tasby1Big PlansMannish Boys, TheDelta Groove Prod
everything's gonna be alrightEddie C. Campbell6everything's gonna be alrightEddie C. Campbellicehouse
you know i knowjackson sloan1you know i knowjackson sloanshellac
Slide Guitar RagDave Kelly w. Sonny Black17We Had It AllDave Kelly - Family And FriendsHYPERTENSION
lets get drunk and truckann rabson w. bob margolin2not aloneann rabson w. bob margolinvizztone
since you been gonesaffire the uppity blues women6havin' the last wordsaffire the uppity blues womenalligator
music makin' mamaann rabson1music makin mamaann rabsonalligator
Lovin' JimLittle Mickey Champion1Bam-A-Lam: the R&b Recordings 1950-1962Mickey ChampionACE
Every Night In The WeekMike Sanchez And His Band7Almost GrownMike Sanchez And His Band feat. Imelda MayDOOPIN
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feeel To Be FreeTommy Emmanuel w. Martin Taylor1The Colonel And The GovenorTommy Emmanuel w. Martin TaylorBLUE MOON
Oh Pretty WomanAlbert King3King Of The Blues GuitarAlbert KingAtlantic
Don't You Know You're WrongEarl King19Earl's PearlsEarl KingWESTSIDE
Hard GrindJimmy Spruill9The Fire And Fury Of Bobby RobinsonVarious ArtistsRPM
space guitarjohnny guitar watson19gangster of lovejohnny guitar watsoncharly
three hours past midnightjohnny guitar watson11mojo workingvarious artistsace
Square Dance BoogieCliff 'King' Solomon30Okeh R'n'b Story 1949-1957Various ArtistsCOLUMBIA
Daddy DaddyRuth Brown2Atlantic Rhythm And Blues 1947-1974: Volume 2, 1952-1954Various ArtistsAtlantic / Wea
Spike Driver's BluesMississippi John Hurt18The Greatest Songsters (1927-1929)Various ArtistsDOCUMENT
Dark And Stormy NightTampa Red37Bluebird RecordingsTampa RedRCA
this may be the last timestaple singers2-25gospel celebritiesvarious artistsfantastic voyage
i'm in the moodjohn lee hooker2-1Let Me Tell You About The Blues: DetroitVarious ArtistsFantastic Voyage
Orange DriverEddie Burns1The Harvey SinglesEddie BurnsHARVEY
Down On Bending KneesJohnny Copeland1An Introduction To Johnny CopelandJohnny CopelandFUEL 2000
Every Night About This TimeMagic Sam14West Side Guitar 1957-1966Magic SamFLYRIGHT
Lovin' TouchLowell Fulson19New Breed R'n'bVarious ArtistsKent (U.K.)
Created: 03/02/2013 23:51:06 

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