It's the Birthday of Ali Farka Toure

Ali Farka Toure Savane

Click image for Amazon.com

Ali Ibrahim “Farka” Touré (October 31, 1939 – March 7, 2006) was a Malian singer and guitarist.

According to Wikipedia;

Ali Ibrahim “Farka” Touré (October 31, 1939 – March 7, 2006) was a Malian singer and guitarist, and one of the African continent’s most internationally renowned musicians. His music is widely regarded as representing a point of intersection of traditional Malian music and its North American cousin, the blues. The belief that the latter is historically derived from the former is reflected in Martin Scorsese’s often quoted characterization of Touré’s tradition as constituting "the DNA of the blues". Touré was ranked number 76 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time."

1968 song

Why Can't Johnny Dance?

Johnny can't dance cause he's got a paper in his shoe

I ain't studdin' ya

i would love to see him live just after reading the LastFM review

Rush’s live shows are without parallel, replete with costume changes and comedic sketches acted out with the assistance of his lovely female dancers. In addressing a broad range of matters of the heart, Rush adopts various onstage persona-the adoring lover, the cuckold, the boastful stud-delivering all with a knowing wink that assures the audience that he’s in on the joke.

Standing The Test of Time

Canned Heat was launched by two blues enthusiasts, Alan Wilson and Bob Hite, who took the name from Tommy Johnson’s 1928 Canned Heat Blues, a song about an alcoholic who has desperately turned to drinking Sterno, generically called “canned heat”.

On the Road Again - a classic


Going Up The Country - PEACE!


Let's Work Together - yes, yes


Amphetamine Annie

Keep a knocking....but you can't come it

This is Geno Delafose and French Rockin Boogie

Ghost Song: Rory Gallagher - Ghost Blues

GHOST BLUES

Came home this morning,
Looking half-way like a ghost.
Walked in this morning,
Feeling half-way like a ghost.

Face looked like marble,
My blood burned just like toast.
Face looked like marble,
My blood burned just like toast.

Yeah...yeah

If I had some sense,
I`d tear that building down.
If I had some sense,
I`d tear that building down.

No more gin house,
Just smiles instead of frowns.
No more gin house,
Smiles instead of frowns.

Came home this morning,
Found her crying by the door.
Came home this morning,
Found her crying by the door.

Make my promise,
Won't barrel-house no more.
You've got my word,
Won't barrel-house no more.

I can see the ghost,
Feeling like a ghost.

Came home this morning,
Looking half-way like a ghost.
Came home this morning,
Feeling half-way like a ghost.

Face looked like marble,
My blood burned just like toast.
Face looked like marble,
Blood burned just like toast.

Yeah....



Ghost Blues by Rory Gallagher
From the Album Fresh Evidence

The Things I Used To Do

"The Things That I Used to Do" is a song written by Guitar Slim (aka Eddie Jones) and his 1953 recording of it in New Orleans, was arranged and produced by a young Ray Charles. It was released on Specialty Records in 1954 to become a bestseller, staying in the rhythm and blues charts for 42 weeks'. I can't find that version but Buddy Guy discusses him here

Wikipedia

Ray Charles's arrangement and piano accompaniment emphasizes the religious tone of intense but philosophical regret in the singer's voice, giving the song a gospel-influenced feel.

I would be interested of course in friends comments - which version is the 'best' and why?

The song has been covered by many artists, including

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Albert Collins

Junior Parker, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, Big Joe Turner, The Grateful Dead and Buddy Guy

A Rare version by Jimi Hendrix


Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry - The Things I Used To Do
Uploaded by Red_Chuck. - Explore more music videos.

A very, very good version by Earl King

Ghost Songs: Bringing Mary Home

Here is one of my favorite ghost songs. It is a country bluegrass song that I love to hear during this time of year.


Bringing Mary Home

I was driving down a lonely road, on a dark and stormy night
A little girl by the roadside showed up in my head lights
I stopped and she got inside and in a shaky tone
She said my name is Mary, please won't you take me home

She must have been so frightened, all alone there in the night
There was something about her, her face was deathly white
She set so pale and white in the back seat all alone
I never will forget the night, I took Mary home

I pulled into the driveway, where she told me to go
Got out to help her from the car, opened up the door
I just could not believe my eyes, the back seat was bare
I looked all around the car, but Mary wasn't there

A light shone from the porch, someone opened up the door
I asked about the little girl was looking for
Then the lady gently smiled, brushed the tears away
She said it sure was nice of you to go out of your way

But thirteen years ago today, in a wreck just down the road
Our darling Mary lost her life, how we miss her so
Thank you for your trouble and the kindness you have shown
You're the 13th one that's been here bringing Mary home^^


Bringing Mary Home by The Country Gentlemen (MP3 Download)

Murder Ballad's; Graveyard Train by Creedence Clearwater Revival

As we get closer to Halloween my mind turns more and more towards the murder ballad, not necessarily a blues form, but I think closely related. There are quite a few blues rock renditions of some of the classic Murder Ballads. Let's see what I can dig up between now and Halloween.

First up are a couple of tunes, one "Graveyard Train" by Creedence Clearwater Revival and the second one, by a group called The Graveyard Train doing their song "Ballad for Beezelbub". How cool is that?

The Graveyard Train by The Graveyard Train (Audio CD - April 13, 1993)

Graveyard Train by Creedence Clearwater Revival (MP3 Download)

Like a Pilgram

Sometimes I feel just like a pilgram.

This is Jim Byrnes.

It's the Birthday of Blind Lemon Jefferson

It's the birthday of "Blind" Lemon Jefferson (October 26, 1894 – 12 December? 1929)

Black Snake Moan - Blind Lemon Jefferson


Blind Lemon Jefferson mp3s @Amazon.com

Blind Lemon Jefferson @Hype Machine

Blind Lemon Jefferson mp3s @Elbos Music Aggregrator

Blind Lemon Jefferson @Amazon.com

Tired of My Tears

Girl, you better go back in your mind
Try and find yourself a brand new life
I love you but you're toying with me
So if you can't change, go on, let me be

CHORUS
Well, I'm sick of your lies (sick of your lies)
Tired of my tears (tired of my tears)
Girl, if you want me, better tell it like it is

Oh, when a boy meets a Girl he likes
He starts to dream
Before he know it, he's caught buyin' his scheme
Now, I used to believe every word you say
But realize now, that was yesterday

CHORUS
Solo
CHORUS

When I'm with you, I lose control
That's why I'm offering you my heart and soul
You better take it now 'cause when it's gone
I won't even answer my telephone

CHORUS (x2)

Susan has the most familiar version but the original Ray Charles version is on this album
Sweet & Sour Tears

Rocking

Sharrie has been around for a while and is certainly a presence - a fairly effusive fanzine states

Sharrie sings the blues because she lived the blues, mental, physical and drug abuse, poverty stricken, most would say what’s the use. Homeless, battered, and even beat death, as a Motherless child, the blues is what Sharrie knows best. By Gods grace she made it out alive and on the rise. Tina Turner, Etta James, KoKo Taylor and Billie Holiday help form her unique style, she has an awesome energetic band in tow, The Wiseguys, they hit you hard and they won’t let you go!

A couple of enthusiastic/gutsy performances here - I'd like to hear more - if anyone knows of other tracks/performances/CD's/vids then do tell please

Malian master

LastFM

Taj Mahal describes him as a genius, a living proof that the blues comes from the region of Segu. Bassekou Kouyate is one of Mali’s best-known Ngoni players. He has collaborated with many important traditional musicians of his country as well as international such as Carlos Santana, U2 among many many others

I saw him on Jools this week - joyous

I Feel Like Going to Church - Shout, Sister, Shout - Tribute to Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Shout, Sister, Shout!: A Tribute To Sister Rosetta Tharpe

1. Nobody's Fault But Mine Joan Osborne 4:03
2. My Journey To The Sky Bonnie Raitt 4:07
3. Rock Me Toshi Reagon 5:11
4. Two Little Fishes And Five Loads Of Bread Odetta 3:25
5. This Train Janis Ian 2:43
6. Shout, Sister, Shout! Angela Strehli 3:03
7. Beams Of Heaven Phoebe Snow 3:54
8. Precious Memories Sweet Honey In The Rock 5:01
9. I Want A Tall Skinny Papa Marcia Ball 3:16
10. My Lord And I The Holmes Brothers 4:25
11. Stand By Me Rory Block 2:51
12. Up And Above My Head Maria Muldaur 3:48
13. Don't Take Everybody To Be Your Friend Joanna Connor 4:08
14. That's All Angela Strehli 4:02 $0.99
15. I Looked Down The Line And I Wondered Maria Muldaur 4:16
16. Didn't It Rain Marie Knight 3:44

One reviewer at Amazon.com said;

The truth is...to my ear... this album is an excellent demonstration of the interrelationship of Gospel, Blues and Jazz. And the performers! Simply the best available today. For those that are not familiar with some of them, you may find some new "friends." I was especially pleased to see that Angela Strehli was included.

And to my way of thinking this hits it on the head

Transcendental Blues

Whether this is country or blues or a mixture of a number of genres I don't know or care - fine music I hope you'll agree. A sound bloke as well - as we say here

1. Trancendental Blues - excellent title track.

2. Everyone's in Love with You
3. Another Town
4. I Can Wait
5. Boy Who Never Cried

6. Steve's Last Ramble
7. Galway Girl
8. Lonelier Than This

9. Wherever I Go
10. When I Fall
11. I Don't Want to Lose You Yet
12. Halo 'Round the Moon
13. Until the Day I Die

14. All My Life
15. Over Yonder (Jonathan's Song)



Amazon UK
Transcendental Blues

Harmonica

Kim Wilson (born 1951) is a U.S. blues singer and harmonica player. He is best known as the lead vocalist and frontman for the The Fabulous Thunderbirds on two hit songs of the 1980s; "Tuff Enuff" and "Wrap It Up". He continues to perform up to 300 dates per year at blues festivals and clubs in America, Canada, and Europe, both as leader of The Fabulous Thunderbirds and with the Kim Wilson Blues Revue.



This is foot tapping stuff


Wrap It Up Live

Sonny Boy Williamson I - Southern Dream Lyrics

Southern Dream Track #22 2:44
Sonny Boy Williamson I (John Lee Williamson)
Chicago, November 12, 1947
with Blind John Davis - piano, Big Bill Broonzy - guitar
Ransom Knowling - sbass, Judge Riley - drums
Album Complete Recorded Works Vol 5
October 19, 1945 - November 12, 1947
Document Records DOCD 5059

Well now, I've gotta girl
A-sweet sixteen
Her mother wouldn't listen
To her dreams

I know she was a-dreamin'
She dreamed them old southern dreams
She was the dreamest girl
The dreamest girl I most ever seen

Now, she dreamed I was kissin' her
A-down by the mill
She'd dream that she'd taken me from
The girl on the hill

I know she was a dreamer, now
She dreamed them old southern dreams
She was the dreamest girl
The dreamest girl I most ever seen, yeah

(harmonica & instrumental)

Now she dreamin' I was kissin' her
Hold her close to my breast
She told that much a-dream, but
She wouldn't tell the rest

I know she was a dreamer, now
She dreamed them old southern dreams
She was the dreamest girl
The dreamest girl I most ever seen

Well, she know'd about lovin'
From huggin' on down
She was the dreamest girl
From miles around

I know she was a dreamer
She dreamed them old southern dreams, yeah
She was a dreamest girl
The dreamest girl I most ever seen

Well, she tried to tell her mother
A-what she did
She talked so much
She couldn't hardly l keep it hid

An I know she was a dearmer
She dreamed them old southern dreams
She was the dreamest girl
The dreamest girl I most ever seen.

(harmonica & instrumental to end)

Pearl River

Track List from what seems to be a really good album. Music reviews seem to suggest that he shows great promise that need age and experience to fully bloom.

Dirty Blonde


Pearl River

Big Mouth
Change My Ways
Eyesight To The Blind
One Step At A Time
39 Days
Shoes Blues
The Dead Of Night
Sugar Sweet
Natural Born Lover
All Last Night

C'mon Baby


Amazon UK Pearl River

London Blues

Their my space presence is here

A couple of tracks to demonstrate their honest performances.

Blues DVD: M for Mississippi

M for Mississippi This DVD and accompanying CD are the brainchild of, two young blues fans, Roger Stolle and Jeff Konkell. They capture the blues culture that exists in Mississippi today. Which for the most part goes unseen by most people.

The DVD lets the viewer see the land scape and people of Mississippi, and focuses on what truly makes it a unique place for blues music. The music of T Model Ford, Pat Thomas, Robert Belfour, Terry 'Harmonica' Bean and many others is presented here.

M for Mississippi @Amazon.com

Mississippi @SqueezeMyLemon

Blues Before Sunrise

Such a good track - but who do you prefer?

John Lee Hooker - sublime


or Eric Clapton - technical genius


one of our friends suggests Elmore James which can be found
Amazon UK mp3 Blues Before Sunrise

or Amazon US here

It's the Birthday of Elvin Bishop

Happy birthday to Elvin Bishop who was born on October 21, 1942 in Glendale, California. He is an American blues and rock and roll musician and guitarist.

Elvin Bishop - Don't Let The Bossman Get You Down


Elvin Bishop @Amazon.com

Elvin Bishop @SqueezeMyLemon


Juke Joint Jump/Struttin' My Stuff

Folk Blues

Pete Molinari is a folk blues singer/songwriter from Chatham, England, of Egyptian/Maltese parentage.

Reminiscent of Bob


Well worth a couple of listens

50 Cent and John Lee Hooker Mashup

If the above video does not load please go here >>> Ill Doctrine.com

I am a believer that Hip Hop is a direct decendant of Blues music. I firmly believe that if the Bluesmen of days gone by were alive they would be rappers and that if the rappers of today lived in the 40's or 50's they would have been Bluesmen.

One of the common themes of both kinds of music is money. This mashup shows how Blues and Hip Hop intersect.

As Jay Smooth of Ill Doctrine.com points out; "Probably makes more sense if you've already watched the 50 video."

A really soulful singer

Oh wow



This is worth posting again

Languid

Class

I Feel Like Going to Church - Nobody's Fault But Mine - Nina Simone

"If my soul be lost, its nobody's fault but mine." Man those lines are haunting me on this Sunday. Please join with me and a few of my favorite blues and rock musicians as they contemplate the immortal words of the good and righteous Blind Willie Johnson.

The song has a very interesting history, see Wikipedia's entry;

"Nobody's Fault but Mine" is a traditional blues song that has been covered by many musicians since the late 1960s. A gospel under the title "It's Nobody's Fault but Mine" is listed in the 1924 Cleveland Library's Index to Negro Spirituals. The first known recording of this song, under the title "It's Nobody's Fault but Mine", was made by blues-gospel guitarist Blind Willie Johnson; the sides were recorded over the period 1927-1930. It is unknown if he was the writer of the track, or simply covering a traditional song. Currently Johnson's version is not registered with any copyright association and resides in public domain. A cover of this song was played intermittently by Jerry Garcia with the Grateful Dead throughout their career, sometimes with lyrics, sometimes without. Earlier versions crediting "traditional, arranged Grateful Dead", while later versions crediting Blind Willie Johnson.

Nobody's Fault But Mine by Led Zeppelin (MP3 Download)

Nobody's Fault But Mine by Blind Willie Johnson (MP3 Download)

Nobodys Fault But Mine by Nina Simone (MP3 Download)

Nobody's Fault But Mine [Live At Curtis Hixon Convention Center, Tampa, FL, December 19, 1973] by Grateful Dead (MP3 Download)

Nobody's Fault But Mine by Dread Zeppelin (MP3 Download)

Nobody's Fault But Mine by Joan Osborne (MP3 Download)

Delta Blues

Super Chikan (James Louis Johnson) is a Delta Blues musician from Clarksdale, Mississippi. He was born February 16, 1951 in Darling, Mississippi. His uncle, Big Jack Johnson is also a blues musician.

A raw video showing fun, fun, fun


Swinging his hips!


Struttin' his stuff

Little Willie John - You Hurt Me

According to Wikipedia;

William Edward John, better known by the stage name Little Willie John (November 15, 1937 – May 26, 1968) was an American R&B singer of the 1950s and early 1960s, best known for his hits "All Around the World" (1955) and the much-covered "Fever" (1956), a tune copied by Peggy Lee and made famous in 1958.

He did not get the great press that Sam Cooke, Clyde McPhatter, and James Brown got but, Little Willie John ranks up there in my mind any way as one of R&B's most influential performers.

And the below clip is pure Blues gold!


The Very Best of Little Willie John




Little Willie John @Amazon.com

Baton Rouge Bluesman

Sounds like good fun


How true - an adage for a peaceful life

Psychedelic Blues

LastFM

Poncho Sanchez (born October 30, 1951) is a Latin jazz artist, salsa singer, band leader and conguero (conga player). In 2000, Sanchez and his ensemble won the Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album for their work on the Concord Picante album Latin Soul. A jazz great in himself, Sanchez has performed with artists Cal Tjader, Mongo Santamaria, Hugh Masakela, Clare Fischer and Tower of Power, among others

This man is real cold - Watermelon Man

Latin, non-blues but....


and another calm one




Psychedelic Blues

Juke Boy Bonner

The late Juke Boy Bonner, one-man trio, was a bluesman right up my alley. He only lived to be 46 years old, but he left us some excellent recordings. Here he is on Swiss TV


Here's Running Shoes


The first tune I ever heard by him was called Life is a Nightmare and it had chilling lyrics:
Life is a Nightmare
that's just the way it seems
so many ups and downs
valleys filled with empty dreams.

Life Gave me a Dirty Deal
Ghetto Poet
discography

Chicago Blues player

A man not appreciated fully in his own time?

King of the Swing Guitar

He began playing as a teen, under the names “Cleanhead” and “Joe Willie James”, alongside musicians such as the first Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin’ Wolf, and Robert Johnson.

This is so distinctive - I haven't thought about it for a long time though.


Twang


It does

Been here... Done That

Sometimes you just come across a really good find. A reference to Bob Dylan threw Spider John up - I'll have to listen to some more.

Ray Charlsean tones?

You're all that matters to me

On the up....

WINNERS of the 2009 Pitch Music Awards "Best Blues Band"
WINNERS of the 2008 International Blues Challenge
WINNERS of the 2008 Albert King Award
WINNERS of the 2007 Kansas City Blues Challenge

Sassy or Badass?

UK female Blues

A real foot-tapper



I do like her voice here!

All trains go to Memphis Town

If you ever have a chance to attend one of John Hammond's shows, don't pass it up. He puts on a unique, personal and passionate show. Here's Mother-in-Law Blues


Time to Move on Up the Line


By the way, for anyone here who reads my other blog, Mister Anchovy's is now at 27th Street. I'd like to invite you all to come by for a drink, share some music, tell a few lies...

Portico Quartet Line

An esoteric/exotic performance - very enjoyable.

Harmonica Blues

Chicago Blues veteran

"Jones again demonstrates his masterful sense of timing and authority." - Living Blues Magazine

As a member of the Mannish Boys and on his own Delta Groove CD, Jones is for the first time in his career singing nothing but what he calls “straight-up blues.” And with the enthusiastic reception he’s been getting from concert and blues festival audiences and from radio programmers and record reviewers, it appears that Jones, at age 69, is finally finding the wide acclaim that for so long had largely eluded him.

“In the blues,” he observed, “you can stand forever. Long as you can sing it, it’ll pay you.”

KEBB (UK)

Made up of former Mungo Jerry members - good honest and enjoyable

Young , Gifted and British

The Blues is safe in the hands of a younger generation including these - myspace here

The trio's sets are, true to early rock history, heavy on covers that should thrill any 78 rpm record nerd. The band's take on rockabilly singer Johnny Horton's "Mean Mean Son of a Gun" is a fiery but sweet-tempered rocker driven by fleet guitar and drumming, and the group's take on Moon Mullican's "Honolulu Rock-a-Rolla" is a winsome bit of vintage Polynesian novelty pop.

Kitty, Daisy & Lewis are a three-piece band comprising the teenage siblings of the Durham family. Their music is influenced heavily by R&B, swing, jump blues, country and Western, blues, Hawaiian and rock 'n' roll. They are all multi-instrumentalists playing guitar, piano, banjo, lapsteel guitar, harmonica, double bass, ukulele, drums, trombone, xylophone and accordion between them.
When performing live, their parents, Graeme Durham and Ingrid Weiss play guitar and double-bass. Graeme Durham is a founding member and mastering engineer at The Exchange recording studios in London, and Ingrid Weiss is the former drummer of The Raincoats[1] and was encouraged to play the double bass by Kitty Daisy & Lewis.

Kitty, Daisy & Lewis

Slow Down

Jesse Dee is an R&B and Soul singer/song-writer and professional artist from Boston, Massachusetts.He has played as the opening act for Gospel/R&B/Soul legends Al Green and Etta James.

I love this



and this

Blues Harp Maestro

Rick Estrin ranks among the very best harp players, singers and songwriters in the blues world today.

Good happy stuff! Fresh!

Estrin is known for his signature look — beautifully tailored 1940s-era suits, pencil-thin moustache, immaculate pompadour and tinted glasses. The visual image makes such an impression, you can miss the substance of his music.
"When you talk to any of the top harmonica players, they will immediately name Rick as one of the best guys in the world,” says Bruce Iglauer, owner and founder of Alligator, the premiere blues record label.

"The showmanship has sometimes taken people’s focus off what a great musician he really is,” Iglauer says.

Rick Estrin And The Nightcats

Hunk

Buddy Guy and Junior Wells


I saw these guys play a couple times in the early 80s at a place in Toronto called Albert's Hall. One time Junior Wells seemed really messed up. He just kind of teetered on stage and Buddy Guy pretty much carried the show. The other time, they were both in fine form and the show was great.

We saw a Junior Wells show shortly before he died. I guess he was trying to play to the end. The band warmed up and Junior came out but couldn't get through more than a couple songs and the show ended early. We didn't know what was going on. It was not long after that we heard he passed.

They made some fantastic blues together, at times really magical. These days Buddy Guy plays to larger houses. We were at his show at Massey Hall a couple years ago. He's like an elder statesman for the blues these days, and a real crowd pleaser.