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)