Serendipity was hard at work yesterday to ensure prompt arrival of the new project from Johnny Rawls on Catfood Records calleed "Remembering O V". Otis Clay adds further vocal gravitas on three tracks of the album celebrating Overton Vertis Wright. It would have been O V's 74th birthday during the week and we already planned to play his version of the classic song "Ace Of Spades". Done deal to go to Johnny and Otis' cover of "A Nickel and A Nail". Rawls is a master craftsman: singer, guitarist, writer, producer.
Similar soulful voice and tasteful understated guitar came from Kenny Neal (who has a birthday today, Monday). His 2010 outing on Bling Pig shows some maturity and unforced elegance compared with the upfront power he showed on earlier Alligator albums. The lush guitar solos were down to Larry Lamkin last night during "Cable Man" from his debut album; we eagerly await more from this man.
Lou Pride died earlier this year, his work for Ichiban was top-notch and we chose a song from his "Twisting The Knife" to note how deftly his soulful voice could be put into a blues guitar setting. Father and son team, Carey and Lurrie Bell, were in Chicago in 1988 for a set originally put out through John Stedman's JSP imprint, but taken last night from the series of fortnightly Blues Collection magazines which came out 20 years ago. (as an aside who would you add to an extension of the series if you were doing it today?)
Star Radio's Day-time jock O-J and his producer Adam skillfully bested all comers in the Great Potato Race in Ely on Saturday. Had to play Robert Brown's "Diggin My Potatoes", didn't we? In 1949 with the growing popularity of electric blues and the onset of rock'n'roll Washboard Sam (because it's him) fell out of favour and became a policeman in the Chicago force. I will resist the obvious remarks about peelers ...!!
It would have been Wade Walton's birthday yesterday (90 years) and he was known as the signing barber (he had his own haircutting shop in Chicago). There was a little curio he recorded with Richard Curtis Jones for Arhoolie where you hear him keep rhythm by sliding his cut-throat razor along the strop.
We were asked to play some more Furry Lewis, which is never a hardship, and our gospel feature went to Chicago outside a shop to sample Rev. Louis Overstreets amplified guitar and stomping bass drum with gear perched on a car bonnet (or should that be hood). He was issued by Chris Strawicz on the Arhoolie label, as was Melvin 'Lil Son' Jackson who brought us an early version of "Cairo Blues" which if memory serves the Ripley Kid did on his "Old Sock" album. Piano was on offer from Charles Brown and Floyd Dixon somewhat later in the running order than we normally do those 88s.
We were actually spoiled for guitar mastery last night with Jody Williams' debut single as a solo artist (aka Little Papa Joe) and fascinating interplay caught betwixt and between Taj Mahal and Etta Baker. The album first came out on Music Maker. Phillip Walker never disappointed and his artistry was balanced by a somewhat ragged performance BB King did at Tuff Green's house in Chicago c.1952 which had Johnny Ace on piano.
Next week I plan to play something from a vinyl album newly out on Vee Tone Records, compiled by Mark Lamarr from the R&B section of the Motown Vaults. If there's more lunches to pack, or work clothes to iron on Sunday at 10pm we'll be back at your place to help as best we can, as only we can. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.
| track.title | track.artistsort | index | album.title | album.artistsort | label |
| I Got a Mind to Go to Chicago | Jackie PayneSteve Edmonson Band | 5 | Overnight Sensation | Jackie PayneSteve Edmonson Band | Delta Groove Music |
| Cable Man | Larry Lampkin | 2 | When I Get Home | Larry Lampkin | Kaint Kwit |
| Cadillac Assembly Line | Carey BellLurrie Bell | 8 | Second Hand Man | Carey BellLurrie Bell | ORBIS BLUES COLLECTION |
| I Smell Smoke | Johnny Winter | 3 | I'm A Bluesman | Johnny Winter | Virgin Records Us |
| Bitter With the Sweet | Kenny Neal | 2 | Hooked On Your Love | Kenny Neal | BLIND PIG RECORDS |
| I Didn't Take Your Woman (You Gave Her to Me) | Lou Pride | 13 | Twisting The Knife | Lou Pride | ICHIBAN |
| Ace of Spades | O. V. Wright | 9 | Soul Of O. V. Wright | O. V. Wright | MCA |
| nickel and a nail | johnny rawls and otis clay | 4 | remembering o. v. | johnny rawls and otis clay | catfood records |
| Build Myself a Home | Hans Theessink & Terry Evans | 6 | Delta Time | Hans Theessink & Terry Evans | BLUEGROOVE |
| Madison Street Blues | Etta Baker & Taj Mahal | 4 | Etta Baker With Taj Mahal | Etta BakerTaj Mahal | MUSIC MAKER |
| Hello My Darling | Phillip Walker | 3 | The Best Of Phillip Walker | Phillip Walker | HIGH TONE |
| I Got a Gal | B.B. King | 10 | Ace's Wild! | Johnny Ace | Fantastic Voyage |
| You Make Me Feel So Good | Tarheel Slim (Aka Alden Bunn)Little Anne | 24 | Uk Sue Label Story, Vol. 4 | Various Artists | Kent (U.K.) |
| goion' home | rosco gordon | 25 | Uk Sue Label Story, Vol. 4 | Various Artists | Kent (U.K.) |
| Calling All Blues | Junior Wells | 21 | Junior Wells 1957-1963 | Junior Wells | Chief |
| Steal Your Heart Away | Bobby Parker | 9 | Uk Sue Label Story, Vol. 4 | Various Artists | Kent (U.K.) |
| lost in a dream | buster brown | 10 | Uk Sue Label Story, Vol. 4 | Various Artists | Kent (U.K.) |
| Looking for My Baby | Little Papa Joe | 1 | Early Singles | Jody Wiiliams | Various |
| Diggin' My Potatoes | Washboard Sam | 16 | Sweet Home Chicago | Various Artists | INDIGO |
| Cairo Blues | Melvin 'Lil Son' Jackson | 4 | Journey Of Chris Strachwitz (40 Years Of Arhoolie Records) | Various Artists | Arhoolie Records |
| barbershop rhythm | wade walton / richard curtis smith | 5 | Journey Of Chris Strachwitz (40 Years Of Arhoolie Records) | Various Artists | Arhoolie Records |
| Falling Down Blues | Furry Lewis | 9 | Roll And Tumble Blues : History Of Slide Guitar | Various Artists | INDIGO |
| believe on me | rev. louis overstreet | 17 | Journey Of Chris Strachwitz (40 Years Of Arhoolie Records) | Various Artists | Arhoolie Records |
| let the good times roll | shirley and lee | 1 | Aladdin Story | Various Artists | EMI |
| Lost in a Dream | Charles Brown | 21 | Sing My Blues Tonight - Ace (Ms.) Blues Masters Vol.1 | Various Artists | WESTSIDE |
| Call Operator 210 | Floyd Dixon | 8 | Aladdin Story | Various Artists | EMI |
| Royal Boogie (Take 1) | Gene Phillips & His Rhythm Aces | 16 | Beating The Petrillo Ban. The Late December 1947 Modern Sessions | Various Artists | ACE |
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