Two Men With The Blues

So I have another cool album from the Petit Library today. Many of you may know (and actually many of you may not) that I love Willie Nelson. He's got an awesome voice, is a fine songwriter and just seems like a super cool dude. Plus one time he was on an episode of Monk!

Wynton Marsalis I am a little less thrilled by, but I certainly can't let that affect my views on this album.

Two Men With The Blues is a collaboration between Willie and Wynton and it has a great feel. It's got some great classics on it like Caldonia and Georgia On My Mind (seriously this song has been covered so many times). And, it's got vocals by Willie with a really awesome Jazz vibe provided by Marsalis and his band.

Here is a song from the album (Caldonia):



Also, here are songs from each of the artists solo careers, as I think it is a nice way to compare their separate sounds and their joint sound. Red Headed Stranger by Willie Nelson



And April In Paris by Wynton Marsalis



So listen enjoy and check out this album!

Two Men With The Blues

Keb' Mo'

So a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to take Claire to a great concert in Buffalo. It was by bluesman Keb' Mo', and is just happened to be the day before his 60th birthday! Which was actually pretty hard to believe seeing the way he danced and jumped around on stage!

Either way, I figured--what better to post about than our experience at the concert? Keb' Mo' has been making music for almost his entire life. He actually started by playing steel drums in a calypso band. For those of you not familiar with steel drums please watch this video that will show you what they're all about:



Now that we've got that taken care of... While Mo' is certainly a student of classic blues greats, and a respected keeper of the blues tradition, I really feel like his music provides a fresh take on a lot of what blues is.

His music is upbeat, positive, and tends to have much more band interaction than traditional Delta blues, or really even Chicago blues. His songs often had deep messages about our responsibility and what it takes to be a family man. It was wonderful to have such happy, light music combined with such amazing guitar and vocal talent!

I think one of the nicest parts of his show was how eager he was to interact with the audience. He played for us what he referred to as "the only song I know that mentions Buffalo," and frequently made jokes and entertained us with stories from his life.

Since this blog has never been particularly wordy, and I have no intention of it becoming so, let's get to some music. Here is "Tell Everybody I Know" from Keb's self-titled album:



The whole album is great, and he even has a very good version of "Come on In My Kitchen" a great blues standard.


And here it is! (Keb' Mo')

Blue and Sentimental

So recently I found an incredible album. I was perusing some Jazz reviews, and I stumbled on an article about great Texas Jazz Sax players. After a few listens I was lucky enough to encounter "Cobb's Blues" by Arnett Cobb.

Cobb lived in the early to mid 20th century, and was born and raised in Houston, Texas. He played with a number of smaller bands, but eventually found himself in Lionel Hampton's band (where he replaced Illinois Jacquet, another Texas Tenor!)

His sound is astounding. He has a throaty full sound, but often comes across sweetly and smoothly so that few should be put off by his style. The album I'm featuring today has a number of Jazz standards, inluding "Georgia on my Mind," and "Willow Weep For Me." The latter is a favorite of mine, whether it is Art Tatum, Clifford Brown, or Cobb, I love the feel and classic swing of "Willow Weep For Me."



This is off the album Blue and Sentimental by Arnett Cobb and the Red Garland Trio, but Cobb's playing is certainly the shining star.

Cobb with Lionel Hampton(left)

Here is the Album (Blue and Sentimental)

Saxophone Colossus

So there are a lot of wonderful Jazz saxophonists out there. And, if you asked someone for a list you would probably see some familiar names: Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, etc. I feel like one artist who tends to be overlooked by those who are just starting to look into jazz is Sonny Rollins.

Rollins has been making great tunes since before 1950, and today I feature his sixth album as a leader. The album was cut with several great musicians, including Max Roach, an astounding drummer who I recommend everyone check out.

Rollins' contributions to the genre are immeasurable. He pioneered the "pianoless trio" along with simply giving generations of great players something to strive for.

One of the most awesome things about Sonny Rollins was an homage to him written into a Simpsons episode. If any of you remember Bleedin' Gums Murphy, at one point he appears playing his Sax late at night alone on a bridge. This is an homage to Rollins who, for 3 years, took a break from jazz and disappeared from public, until a fan discovered him playing alone in the middle of the night on the Williamsburg Bridge in NYC.

Anywho, here is "Moritat", of Saxophone Colossus. For those of you familiar with Louis Armstrong, you may recognize the tune as "Mack The Knife"

If you don't think this dude is the coolest, get off my site!

And here is the album! (Saxophone Colossus - 1956)

Oh by the way.

Oh I forgot to mention...

I haven't posted recently because I've been busy taking prelims and then starting school. Just wanted to let everyone know I passed both my preliminary exams! Granted they may not have been slam dunks, but I chalk that up to way too much goofing off in the office and not a lack of understanding on my part!

Hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day weekends!

Sir I need your John Hancock here. DUH!? It's Herbie Hancock!

If you recognize that line congrats, if not it's from Tommy Boy--a movie I definitely suggest you check out! Today I have one of the hippest dudes ever. Herbie Hancock has been making great jazz for the better part of 70 years. He was part of Miles Davis' "second great quintet" as during his tenure there, helped to redefine the role of a rhythm section.

I love Hancock for a few reasons: first, his album "Maiden Voyage" is great smooth piano jazz; second, he has continued to make great jazz although often pushing the style and merging it with other genres (Funk, hip-hop, etc.); third, he's a Buddhist.

Today I am uploading "Maiden Voyage," Hancock's fifth studio album. I would like to post more about Herbie, but I think to truly appreciate him you need to move through his work and see the changes in his style. Here is the title track:



But, to give you a little idea of what he has gone on to produce, here is a version of perhaps his most famous song: "Watermelon Man" initially from the album Takin' Off, but this is a version from Head Hunters that is drastically redone.



Check both out and see the incredible changes in his style. We're sure to see more from him!

Dude doesn't look bad for 70!

And here is the album - Maiden Voyage (1965)

1 Part B.B., 12 Parts Amazing Blues Musicians.

So I love B.B. King. He is incredible. He plays the guitar like a god, he wears the coolest outfits, and he loves performing with others. My favorite thing though, is his ability to pair with other artists. Today I am featuring a whole album of duets featuring King and some of the biggest names in the Blues world. For proof of my first assertions, though, check out this clip of King, Clapton, Buddy Guy, and Jim Vaughn (Brother of Stevie Ray).



He just makes everything cool. He is an amazing bluesman, and really embodies the spirit of a modern blues giant. I love his shout-out to Muddy Waters and just how awesome his dancing is. He is playing with Guy and Clapton (two of the greatest blues guitarists to have ever lived) and he just makes rocking look so effortless.

It just doesn't get cooler than that.

The album I am sharing is actually pretty incredible itself, and even has a version of Rock Me Baby with Clapton and King. It is a bunch of great blues numbers with King and other greats. His signature tune, "The Thrill is Gone," features Tracy Chapman who brings a touch of class and soul to the song. All the other artists on the album do King's incredible talent justice, and they all shine just as much as he does. For a sample here is "If You Love Me," featuring Van Morrison.



I love Van Morrison too, and this collaboration is just remarkable. Take it in, listen to the whole album, it is worth it, and enjoy.

Deuces Wild (1997)

Back to something Bluesy

So I know lately I've been posting a lot more jazz than blues. I've been listening to a lot more jazz recently, and I just had to get some of the great ensembles I've been hearing on here. But! Today I have a very authentic Texas Bluesman.

Lightnin' Hopkins was born and raised in Texas and performed for the most of his life there. He recorded tons and tons of songs, somewhere on the order of 800-1000. He has a great style. His guitar work is amazing, not to mention very, very influential.

The following song, "Katie Mae Blues," is a personal favorite. And the lyrics are simply great. I'm actually going to post them because I think they're so awesome.


Yeah, you know Katie Mae is a good girl, folks, and she don't run around at night
Yeah, you know Katie Mae is a good girl, folks, and she don't run around at night
Yeah, you know you can bet your last dollar Katie Mae will treat you right
Yeah, you know I try to give that woman everything in the world she need,
that's why she don't do nothing but lay up in the bed and read
You know she walks just like she got oil wells in her backyard
Yes, you'll never hear that woman whoop
and holler and cry and talking 'bout these times being hard
You know some folks say she must be a Cadillac,
but I say she must be a T-model Ford
Yeah, you know some folks say she must be a Cadillac,
but I say she must be a T-model Ford
Yeah, you know she got the shape all right, but she can't carry no heavy load
I say goodbye, goodbye poor Katie Mae, these are the last words that I got to say
I say goodbye, goodbye poor Katie Mae, these are the last words I got to say
Yes, if I don't see you tomorrow I hope I'll meet you early the next day





So please give this a listen. If you like Stevie Ray Vaughn, you should know that he was very much influenced by Hopkins' and to say the blues world would be different if he had never picked up a guitar would be an exercise in understatement.
The Complete Aladdin Recordings (disc 1)

If you don't like Ray, you better stop reading.

So in my final post of library albums, I have one a little less jazzy and a little more blues/soul/pop-rocky. Today I am featuring "Ray Sings, Basie Swings" an album I originally thought was a performance of Ray Charles and Count Basie's Orchestra. But alas, I had been duped!

The album is actually a number of unreleased vocal performances from Charles, which the producers asked the contemporary Count Basie Orchestra to play on. For those of you who don't know what that is; Basie died in 1984 and a few of his long-time band members continued the Orchestra touring under the name they had been using for decades. The biggest change in the band is their shift from pieces granting ample space for soloists (they used to have Lester Young, one of the grandfathers of great sax jazz), but now tend to focus on whole arrangements as a band.

The CD is actually great. While I was a little disappointed to hear that this wasn't an actual collaboration between Charles and Basie, I enjoyed the album no less. It is a great early summer morning listen. Put it on, have some breakfast, hit the market. This album puts a spring in my step every time. So I suggest you check it out. Then check out more by Basie and Charles, they both have legacies that scream for attention, and you should pay them their due respect.

Here is a song from the album, conveniently on youtube!



And here is the album! (Ray Sings, Basie Swings)

Lastly, I would just like to tell you that on the album cover it is printed:

"Ray Charles + Count Basie=Genius²."

Could someone verify this identity for me?? Maybe I need mathematica or something.

Library Pick-ups cont'd

So Today I have another of my albums from the library, and it is a great one. If you know anything about Jazz, you have probably heard of Bill Evans. The pianist is one of the most influential performers in the history of the music.

His style and skill influenced scores of artists who came later, including McCoy Tyner, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, and Herbie Hancock. He has a wonderful sound, and spent years touring with his trio, featuring the very famous Scott LaFaro, an incredibly influential jazz bassist in his own right.

Today I have one of the most famous live albums ever created. After a two week stint at the Village Vaguard in Greenwich Village in NYC, Bill Evans Trio performed their last sunday night show, and this album is the recording of this monumental night. It is regularly ranked as one of the best live jazz albums in history.

I recommend you listen to the whole album. Don't put it on while you're working or reading. Put it on, lay down, and listen. Evans' piano work with LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums is a great combination. Evans' work is rather understated, and the brilliance isn't apparent unless you really listen. Unfortunately, I can't post a song from the album since it's in the wrong format, but here is a youtube clip to satisfy.



And since I think Evans was a cool dude, here is the album cover so you can check it out yourself.

Unfortunately Evans and LaFaro are no longer with us. Evans due to a life-long battle with drug addiction and LaFaro to a car accident just ten days after this album. But please enjoy the great work they did in their short time on this earth. RIP.

And here is the Album! ( Sunday at the Village Vanguard)

My Favorite Things

So I recently checked out the Petit Library just off Westcott St. here in Syracuse. It's actually not to bad, sure I have access to the HUGE SU Bird Library, but I kind of dig smaller public libraries.

I got a couple books (one of which was Anthem by Ayn Rand, and was actually really good), and three new albums. I want to post each of these albums, and the first is "My Favorite Things: Coltrane at Newport" by John Coltrane. This album finds Coltrane at the Newport Jazz fest, playing in a quartet. I started listening to the album and thought, my god, that piano is stellar. Low and Behold...it's McCoy Tyner, one of my favorite Jazz pianists! Tyner was actually at the festival with his own trio, and they managed to schedule Coltrane, Tyner, Jim Garrison on bass, and ROY HAYNES on drums!

For those of you who don't know who Haynes is, here is a video of him being awesome at 85 years old:



But, this post isn't about Haynes, it's about Coltrane. So here is a sample from the album; a clip from his very famous "My Favorite Things". The song is 17 minutes long, so I couldn't upload the whole thing, but if you'd like to check it out get the album below!





My Favorite Things: Coltrane at Newport

Time to Confess

So I know it's been a while. I apologize, but I have been trying to study for a few exams, just started teaching some summer students, and have been jamming to my new stereo. That's right, I got a sick receiver and have been blastin' great tunes ever since!

If you're interested I got a Harman Kardon HK-3490 3 channel receiver. Right now it's just hooked up to a pair of my buddies speakers until I can save some extra money to buy new ones. But...the sound is insane. This is my unabashed, shameless endorsement of this receiver. It is so clear, and loud, and wonderful. I am hearing new things in the music I've been listening to for years. If you're ever in the market for a stereo, check this one out; you won't regret it!

Now, on to some music. Today I have a wonderful Rolling Stones number. I think people group blues so closely with the American South that they forget these Brits put out some great blues tunes. This soneg "Confessin' the Blues" is arguably the best British blues cover of all time (although we will hear many, many more..Eric Clapton and John Mayall anyone?).



With Mick Jagger on Vocals (duh!?), Keith Richards on Guitar, Bill Wyman on Bass, and the rest of the Stones, what's not to love. The song was written by Jay McShann and Walter Brown and is a blues standard. This is off the album 12 x 5, and I recommend you all check it out below!

And Here is the Album! (12 x 5)

King of Slide Guitar

Today, as I drove to the local market, my buddy Dann and I were cruising through town listening to Elmore James. James has a very distinctive style and voice, and he is known as the King of Slide Guitar.

Here's the man himself.

The music just made the ride perfect, it couldn't have been selected any better. Here is "Got to Move"



And here's the Album! (I Need You - 1967)

I can't wait to post this.

Below is a sick jazz tune by Woody Herman (Clarinet). He is accompanied by Buddy Tate and Al Cohn on Sax, John Bunch on The Ivories, Steve Wallace on Bass, and Jake Hanna on the drums.



I actually dig the song a lot and give a lot of props the the performers. But, come on, let's be honest....could they look any less like awesome jazz musicians? I die once they put the shot on the pianist. He's great and I really can groove to his sound, but I feel like he could also be teaching me Earth Science.

I just want this to show you guys that you can't judge a performer by his look. Jazz and blues are on the inside, not outside (even though Miles Davis is pretty much the definition of cool).

Rockin' Pneumonia

So I am in a new house, I finally moved out of where I was and now am living with a fellow Math Grad student named Dann. It's really nice; we live in a great house in a great location. We've got about a fifteen minute walk to campus and about a 10 minute walk to one of the really hip happenin' spots in Cuse.

But, the downside is Dann knows a lot about blues and I find myself regularly at a loss for what he's talking about when he mentions old blues tunes and it makes me feel inadequate. He mentioned a song at a bar-b-que yesterday that absolutely not a single other person had ever heard of; and when he showed me it actually existed I told him I'd put it on the blog to vindicate him. So without further adieu, here is "Rockin' Pneumonia and Boogie Woogie Flu" by Huey "Piano" Smith and the Clowns:



And here is a much better version by Johnny Rivers:



And now on to something a little more satisfying. I Think today I will post this concert, available for listening on the NPR website.

Joey Calderazzo and Branford Marsalis at the Newport Jazz Festival 2009

This is Joey Calderazzo (Piano) and Branford Marsalis (Saxophone). Marsalis had actually already performed a gig at the festival with his whole ensemble, but this is just him and Calderazzo, and from what I hear, it is pretty fantastic.

And lastly, a hot blues tune to get you moving on this Saturday morning.



Peace.

The Man Comes Around

Today is a rainy day. I haven't been having a great couple weeks; my dad had surgery, my girl broke her collarbone, and I've just been busy trying to hold on to everything. When I get feeling this way, I often turn to the blues to let off some steam. Today, though, I'm listening to Johnny Cash.

I don't need to talk much about Cash. If you've listened to his music, watched Walk The Line, or like me, just remember your dad talking about Cash like he was the greatest American musician to have ever lived, you should take a day now and then to remember his voice and the power of his songs.

I couldn't choose any one song to post, so I am posting a couple of my favorites. Two are from American IV: The Man Comes Around, and the others are just older tunes, I'm not sure from which albums.

First we have Give My Love To Rose:



Next is another from that album, I Hung My Head:



The next is actually a cover by Cash of a Soundgarden song, Rusty Cage:



And lastly Highwayman, which is actually a song by "The Highwaymen" a group comprised of Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson (probably best known for playing Whistler in the Blade film series), Waylon Jennings, and Cash. This is a great song:

Piano Blues

For some reason, when I started getting into blues, I found that Piano blues was what really got me grooving. I found this guy and thought to myself, "Yep, I've found it, this is the blues." And oddly enough, the title of the album I have to share attests just that!

Otis Spann was a Mississippi native, who became known as a solo performer for a unique piano style. But, before forming his own band in 1968, he was a member of Muddy Waters' band for 16 years. He also played with a huge number of greats during his solo career: B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Big Mama Thorton, etc.

Unfortunately Spann died at a very young age of 40 from Liver Cancer, but not before recording a number of great albums, and today I have the first of his solo recordings, "Otis Spann is the Blues." This album is great, this guy really was a fantastic blues artist. I have the song "Worried Life Blues" from the album for you to check out, and if you dig it the album for download down below.





Otis Spann Is The Blues

Do You Hear?

So Today we come back to some authentic blues. I've been talking about jazz and other nonsense too long, and I know that it is high time I put something on here that really brings us back to that great blues sound. I found just that. Carey Bell is a prime example of a bluesman. Born in Mississippi, his family was too poor to afford the saxophone he wanted, so they bought him a harmonica instead. Soon he was interested in the music of Little Walter, and both Sonny Boy Williamsons. He was quite proficient at an early age, and became a fantastic harpist in the same tradition that he grew up listening to.

Today's tune is "Do You Hear?," it is more laid back and a little mellower than most of the true blues numbers I've posted, but I really dig it, and the harp featured is great. So listen to it and jam. I've got the album for you down there below. I've got a bunch of Bell's Albums and they are sure to be featured later on, too.

Second Nature

Not quite blues today

So today my post is not about blues. I know, I know, I leave you hanging for several days then I come back with some folk-glam-femme shit, but listen, this is one of my new favorite albums. A few years ago I found a couple awesome tracks by a dude named Ben Sollee. He plays the cello and sings, and I just thought that combo was awesome. Well he kind of fell to the wayside as other things became more important...until recently. I have recently acquired an album by Ben and a young guitarist named Daniel Martin Moore.

They are a great duo, with Sollee on the cello and Moore on the guitar, and I really dig their sound. I don't think this is for everyone, but this is not everyone's blog, it's mine. So give it a listen, then decide whether you like it or not. I find it particularly nice while reading a book or just chilling. I have the album to post, but I think this is a nice video also, please forgive the long introduction, they really hate Mountaintop removal. This is a song called "Flyrock Blues," and it's actually only Moore, but it's the only song with blues in the title so I wanted to share it.




Sollee also has some great solo stuff, which is actually what I was turned onto first. Here is "How to See the Sunrise" Performed by Sollee alone:




And I actually do have an album here for you to download, but these guys are just starting out. And please, if you like them, buy their next CD. They're just trying to make a living like anyone else.

You could probably get any of their collaborative or solo stuff here: Subpop records

But either way, I'm not one to keep good tunes out of the hands of good people, so here it is:  Dear Companion (2010)

Hot Koko

So I have a lot of music I want to share, but just not the time to get an album up here everyday. I do, however, want to get back to women in blues. While some women have sweet mellow voices like Irma Thomas, or even unmatched guitar prowess, today's woman is the roughest, gruffest voice on the block. She makes Howlin' Wolf sound like this guy:






Koko Taylor, known in some circles as "Queen of the Blues," is a Memphis born lady who made her way to Chicago and hit it big when none other than Willie Dixon heard her singing in a club. Her first, and biggest, hit was the song I have for you today, "Wang Dang Doodle." It is actually a Dixon tune, and was performed by Howlin' Wolf five years before Taylor ever performed it. Now I'm not sure what a Wang Dang is, or who wants a doodle of one, but this is an awesome song, and KoKo Taylor is just plain rockin'.

Enjoy: