Sunday 26 October 2014

STAR BLUES on 26th October 2014 at 22:00 saying farewell to British Summer Time

With sad local news that Jack Bruce has died, we hear him at his pliant best on bass for Cream's memorable cover of "Crossroads" - he was a fine jazz musician who acted as catalyst for many fellow travellers.

track.title track.artistsort index album.title album.artistsort label
crossroads cream 1 cream of clapton (sampler) eric clapton misc.
Dance For Me Baby Billy Boy Arnold 12 The Blues Soul Of Billy Boy Arnold Billy Boy Arnold STONY PLAIN
Too Much Voodoo Kevin SelfeRobert Cray 8 Long Walk Home Kevin Selfe Delta Groove Productions
Too Much Weekend Blinddog Smokin', Bobby Rush 10 Decisions Bobby Rush With Blinddog Smokin'  
Too Old A Cat Iceman Robinson 3 I've Never Been Loved Iceman Robinson FEDORA
My Dog Can't Bark Kim Wilson, Mud Morganfield 2 For Pops Mud Morganfield  
when the gateswings open soul stirrers 1-23 get your soul right various artists fantastic voyage
Two-Fisted Mama Katie Webster 19 Katie Webster On Alligator Katie Webster Alligator
Pinetop Johnny Jenkins & The Pinetoppers 25 Right Now: Atlantic Club Soul And Deep Cuts Various Artists Fantastic Voyage
Good Time Woman Memphis Eddie 5 No More Doggin': The Rpm Records Story Volume 1 1950-53 Various Artists ACE
Trouble And Heartaches Ike Turner 5 No More Doggin': The Rpm Records Story Volume 1 1950-53 Various Artists ACE
It Might Not Be Right William Bell, Ruthie Foster 7 Promise Of A Brand New Day Ruthie Foster  
Old Fashioned Justice Travis Haddix 5 Ring On Her Finder, Rope Around My Neck Travis Haddix  
I'm Gonna Stop You From Givin' Me The Blues Z. Z. Hill 8 Bluesmaster Z. Z. Hill MALACO
life is a struggle johnny adams 2 ric and ron vol. 2 Various Artists ace
Teasin' You Willie Tee 18 Cracking The Cosimo Code • 60S New Orleans R&b And Soul Various Artists ACE
My Baby's Comin' Back Home Champion Jack Dupree 18 Just For A Day: The Apollo Records Story Various Artists one day
Gray's Bounce Henry Gray 15 Swamp Blues Various Artists ACE
I Wanna Hug Ya, Kiss Ya, Squeeze Ya Bull Moose Jackson 4 The Last Shout Various Artists Fantastic Voyage
Fool Mule Dossie Terry 25 The Last Shout Various Artists Fantastic Voyage
Thirty Days Clyde McPhatter 15 Right Now: Atlantic Club Soul And Deep Cuts Various Artists Fantastic Voyage
Should I Ever Love Again ? Wynona Carr 20 Chills & Fever Various Artists Jasmine Records
Hully Gully Callin Time The Jive Five the jive five 2-8 Doo Wop Various Artists Jasmine
hide and go seek bunker hill 1 Chills & Fever Various Artists Jasmine Records
has anyone seen spider arnold brussard 18 boppin by the bayou various artists ace
It Isn't Right Clarence Garlow 18 Bluesin' By The Bayou - Rough 'N' Tough Various Artists ACE
Gambling Woman Rod Piazza And The Mighty Flyers 1 Emergency Situation Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers  
Created: 26/10/2014 23:47:28

Monday 20 October 2014

STAR BLUES on 19th October 2014

Our planned celebration of 50th year since Sonny Boy Williamson's final UK visit on the AFBF tour had to be postponed until later this year. All being well I'll be back in the starting blocks again next Sunday at 10pm (BST), until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you

Sunday 12 October 2014

STAR BLUES on 12th October 2014 at 22:00 Beware! Mississippi Critters on the trail

The newly delivered bumper sized edition of Living Blues has a list of a dozen blues themed on animals from Mississippi. As the entries covered a range of blues styles we put the selections at the heart of our vinyl hour. Pick of the crop was probably Sonny Boy Nelson's go at "Pony Blues" and as far as I'm aware we've never played anything by William Harris. Neither Jessie Mae Hemphill nor Big Lucky Carter get played enough hereabouts but we hope to put things right after their critters came out to play on STAR BLUES.

Sleepy John Estes had a wire thin voice and Honeyboy Edwards positively growled in comparison. John Lee Hooker's step-father did "Crawlin' Kingsnake" (though the date shown in the Living Blues list seemed later (1951) than the first cover attributed to the Hook? (1950))

The central theme for hour number one was the song "Walkin' Blues". It's best known since 1960 in its guise on Robert Johnson's big selling album "King of the Delta Blues Singers". That album had the 1936 version of something done six years earlier by Son House - though Robert did change some of the words. No matter because House inserted whole stanzas into his own re-interpretation in a band setting captured by Lomax and Work in 1941. The legendary Willie Brown got a name check at the session. Robert Lockwood Jr used the song to kick off his 1995 project on Verve, the time signature suited his jazz tinged playing.

Though Eric Clapton's Unplugged rendition easily out sold them all combined, our stellar piece was Muddy Waters' stinging slide he cut solo. We intended closing the show with Robert Johnson's version but technology conspred against us - at least it proves STAR BLUES is done live. as it will be again this upcoming Sunday when we review the 1964 AFBF tour that came to these shores exactly 50 years ago. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you.

track.titletrack.artistsortindexalbum.titlealbum.artistsortlabel
Low Down And DirtyLuther Allison1Crucial Chicago BluesVarious ArtistsAlligator
Walkin' BluesEric Clapton9Mtv - UnpluggedEric ClaptonREPRISE
blues at sunrisealbert king3-6deep feelingvarious artistsfantastic voyage
Chicago BoundWillie 'Big Eyes' Smith11Blues From The HeartWillie 'Big Eyes' SmithJuke Joint Records
DamperJohnnie Morisette1-11soul city - los angelesVarious Artistsfantastic voyage
lookin backJohnny guitar Watson2-6soul city - los angelesVarious Artistsfantastic voyage
You Can Run But You Can't HideSolomon Burke8This Is ItSolomon BurkeSHOUT!
i'm bamboozledsister monica parker1live in europesister monica
i'm wisemike sanchez10babes and buicksmike sanchezdoopin
Chic-A-BooLloyd Glenn7Blues For The PeopleVarious ArtistsFATBOY
Walkin' BluesMuddy Waters27Baby Please Don't GoMuddy WatersINDIGO
Walkin' BluesRobert Lockwood Jr.1I Got To Find Me A WomanRobert Lockwood Jr.VERVE
Rooster BluesLightnin' Slim13Rollin' StoneLightnin' SlimFLYRIGHT
Bad Luck And TroubleJimmy McCracklin5The Cava-Tone StoryVarious Artists
Roomin' House BoogieAmos Milburn16Booze Babes Blues And Boogie - EssentialAmos MilburnINDIGO
Working Man's Blues (Bonus Track)Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee17Cripple CreekSonny Terry & Brownie McGheeNOT Music
She-WolfJessie Mae Hemphill5She-WolfJessie Mae HemphillHigh Water Music
Booga BearBobby Rush2Lovin' A Big Fat WomanBobby RushWALDOXY
Shaggy HoundJimmy "Duck" Holmes6Get Old SomedayJimmy Duck Holmes
Bull Cow BluesDavid 'Honeyboy' Edwards8Crawling KingsnakeDavid 'Honeyboy' Edwards
Pony BluesSonny Boy Nelson37Mississippi BluesVarious ArtistsCATFISH
Bumble BeeMemphis Minnie22Let Me Tell You About The Blues: MemphisVarious ArtistsFantastic Voyage
Walking Blues (rec. 1941)Son House5Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: [Son House]Son HouseColumbia Legacy
Crawlin' King SnakeTony Hollins35Down Home Blues ClassicsVarious ArtistsBOULEVARD VINTAGE
Diving Duck BluesSleepy John Estes12Drop Down MamaSleepy John EstesORBIS BLUES COLLECTION
Bull Frog BluesWilliam Harris24Guitar BluesVarious ArtistsABM
Black PantherJohnny Shines Band, The9Masters of Modern BluesJohnny Shines Band, TheTestament
Monkey TongueBig Lucky Carter6Lucky 13Big Lucky CarterWESTSIDE
they call me lazylazy lester3lazy lesterlazy lesterflyright
Walking Bluesrobert johnson1Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: [Son House]robert johnsonColumbia Legacy
Created: 12/10/2014 23:52:23

Sunday 5 October 2014

STAR BLUES on 5th October 2014 at 22:00 new music, birthdays and a whopping great helping of West Coast Blues

We also had chance to send positive thoughts to B B King whose recent illness has meant he's had to cancel some gigs - almost unheard of from a man whose dedication is legendary. We chose the first band off his 1990 album to go with our best wishes.

Billy Branch showed off his control for the instrumental piece off his new project and Albert Collins' confident solos marked what would have been his 81st birthday. Duke Robillard is supremely gifted in the swing and grace departments and his new album is already pencilled in for most folks best-of-year reviews. Grady Champion is on Malaco these days, with all that entails, on listening to his new project he will be a worthy addition to the roster. Otis Clay is from a different era, he exudes warmth across all the songs on "Truth Is". The remaining new release is the live set from Eddie "the Chief" Clearwater.

Our other guests either came from the West Coast or had very close ties to the Bay Area scene and so on. We dipped out on a gospel piece (though Joe Louis Walker's first group was The Spiritual Corinthians) but all being well there were enough gems to make up for it: Little Willie Littlefield and Floyd Dixon on piano,  Helen Humes and Fluffy Hunter on vox, Saunders King, Lowell Fulson and Johnny Fuller on guitars. Johnny Heartsmen was typical of the big sound and Eddie Vinson and Roy Milton brought class to our party.

The two hours were over far too quickly, our show next Sunday brings back the feature "You Me and 1001 Blues" which lets us look in depth at a forgotten blues song or artist. 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
Back Alley Cat Billy Branch 7 Blues Shock Branch & The Sons Of Blues, Billy Blind Pig
brick albert collins 1 iceman cometh albert collins music club
movin' on b b king 1 there is always one more time b b king mca
Blues Beyond the Call of Duty Duke Robillard Band, The 4 Calling All Blues Duke Robillard Band, The STONY PLAIN
even when i win otis clay 8 truth is otis clay echo records
Slow Down G T O Joe Louis Walker 1 $He's My Money Maker Joe Louis Walker JSP Records
Too Old To Get Married Eddy 'The Chief' Clearwater 10 soul funky Eddy 'The Chief' Clearwater
Don't Waste My Time Grady Champion 3 Bootleg Whiskey Grady Champion Malaco Records
What's The Matter With Thev Mill Olga 5 Now Is The Time Olga 219 Records
shake hake mama Toby Walker 1 Shake Shake Mama Toby Walker ltw
Livin's Too Close To The Edge Sonny Rhodes 1 Livin' Too Close To The Edge Sonny Rhodes Wild Dog
Endless Johnny Heartsman 13 The Touch Johnny Heartsman Alligator
Bad Luck Overtook Me Johnny Fuller 8 Jimmy Norman; Lee Shot Williams; Johnny Fuller And More Various Artists Gary-Blue
My Love Is Real Litle Johnny Taylor 17 Diggin' Gold - A Galaxy Of West Coast Blues Various Artists ACE
It’s Midnight (No Place To Go) Little Willie Littlefield 8 Let Me Tell You About The Blues: West Coast Various Artists Fantastic Voyage
Sad Journey Blues Floyd Dixon 24 Let The Good Times Roll - The Aladdin Story Various Artists One Day Music
Whats The Reason Joe Liggins 36 Shuffle Boogie King Joe Liggins PROPER
Be-Baba-Leba Helen Humes 8 California Blues Various Artists ACROBAT
Slip-In Mules (No High Heel Sneakers) Sugar Pie Desanto 5 Go Go Power • The Complete Chess Singles 1961-1966 Sugar Pie Desanto Kent
The Walkin’ Blues Fluffy Hunter 25 Let Me Tell You About The Blues: West Coast Various Artists Fantastic Voyage
New Worried Life Blues Jack McVea 12 California Blues Various Artists ACROBAT
Stinkin’ Drunk Gene Phillips 16 Let Me Tell You About The Blues: West Coast Various Artists Fantastic Voyage
Every Day I Have The Blues Lowell Fulson 21 Let Me Tell You About The Blues: West Coast Various Artists Fantastic Voyage
S. K. Blues Saunders King 13 Diggin' Gold - A Galaxy Of West Coast Blues Various Artists ACE
Louisiana Hop Pete 'Guitar' Lewis 2 Let Me Tell You About The Blues: West Coast Various Artists Fantastic Voyage
Gold Digging Man Joe Johnson 19 Diggin' Gold - A Galaxy Of West Coast Blues Various Artists ACE
Groovy Blues Roy Milton & His Solid Senders With Camille Howard 12 Let Me Tell You About The Blues: West Coast Various Artists Fantastic Voyage
Old Maid Boogie Eddie Vinson 4 The R'n'b Years 1947: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1947 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
Created: 05/10/2014 23:38:22