Category Archives: Jazz

‘Stormy Monday’ Double-Dip

Posted on September 26, 2011 by admin

No blues tune has been as abused by mediocre blues bands as T-Bone’s Walker’s signature 1947 hit, “Stormy Monday”. That said, his ‘blues box’ guitar solo and vocal styling on this cut inspired such greats as B.B. King, Freddy King, … Continue reading →

Posted in Blues, Jazz, Rock, Video | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“The Thrill is Gone” by B.B. King and…Luciano Pavarotti (?)

Posted on September 25, 2011 by admin

I’m not sure what inspired this combination, but a hat-tip to Pavarotti for trying and B.B. for letting him try. Still think it’s weird, though.

Posted in Bizarre But Real, Blues, Jazz, Music, Video, WTF? | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Lightnin’ Hopkins in the Early ’60s

Posted on September 21, 2011 by admin

Texas bluesman Lightnin’ Hopkins (b. Sam John Hopkins in 1912) doesn’t get a lot of notoriety these days, but listen to the guitar licks and the rhythm on this video and you can hear the same patterns used by modern rock and blues … Continue reading →

Posted in Blues, Jazz, Music, Rock, Video | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Rag, Mama, Rag” by Blind Boy Fuller

Posted on September 20, 2011 by admin

Blind Boy Fuller (b. Fulton Allen) was a contemporary of Robert Johnson and popular in his day, but he never received the adulation and respect Johnson has. Here he is playing “Rag, Mama, Rag” recorded in 1935.

Posted in Blues, Jazz, Music, Video | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Last Words of Lee Hays

Posted on September 18, 2011 by admin

Shortly before he died in 1981, Lee Hays, the poet and writer, and bass voice of The Weavers folk group, composed his own last testament. Here it is: In Dead Earnest By Lee Hays If I should die before I … Continue reading →

Posted in Blues, Humor, Jazz, Music, Politics, Video | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Use Me’ by Bill Withers

Posted on August 29, 2011 by admin

Bill Withers, a native of the pastoral West Virginia hellhole of ‘Slab Fork,’ was working on an aircraft company assembly line in L.A. in 1970 and submitting demos of his music to record companies. A small company named Sussex Records … Continue reading →

Posted in Blues, Jazz, Music, Rock, Video | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Two by Wes Montgomery

Posted on August 25, 2011 by admin

What can you say about Wes Montgomery (born John Leslie Montgomery in 1923) except that he’s a jazz genius who influenced everyone from jazz masters Kenny Burrell to George Benson to rock-blues virtuosos like Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn … Continue reading →

Posted in Blues, Jazz, Music, Rock, Video | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Compared to What? Les McCann and Eddie Harris

Posted on August 23, 2011 by admin

Jazz greats Les McCann and tenor saxman Eddie Harris had an unexpected Billboard hit with this one back in 1969 and it still grooves today, both lyrically and musically. ‘Tryin’ to make it real, compared to what?’ could have been … Continue reading →

Posted in Jazz, Music, Video | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Mose Allison Double Dip: ‘Parchman Farm’ and ‘Everybody’s Cryin’ Mercy’

Posted on August 21, 2011 by admin

For a half century, Mose Allison has defied the usual classifications — he’s blues, jazz, beat poetry, social commentary, what have you — but his mellow vocal style is unmistakable and he’s an impeccable instrumentalist. Never a huge star in … Continue reading →

Posted in Blues, Jazz, Music, Video | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Howard Roberts — Star Eyes

Posted on August 20, 2011 by admin

Though mostly unsung while he was alive and nearly forgotten by most guitarists today, Howard Roberts’ bluesy approach to jazz guitar rivals that of Kenny Burrell and his lines are as clean and cogent as the best instrumentalists in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Blues, Jazz, Music, Video | Tagged , , | Leave a comment