Reviews of books that have held my interest. And things that happen along the way.
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And let's not forget my friends at the Public Libraries!Most of my selections come from the Libraries listed on my sidebar. They are a great resource and a wonderful use of our tax dollars.
Have you hugged a Librarian today?
This book is yet another stone in the path of musical history in the
United States. New Orleans may have been the point of entry for much
of the music which came from Africa and the Caribbean, but Memphis is one of the
towns in which it was reshaped into its own unique form. The Memphis Blues is different
than let’s say Chicago Blues, or Delta Blues. They may all have begun at the
same place, but the journey up the Mississippi left its own mark on the music
with each town it passed through.
Just as in his earlier book “The Chitlin’ Circuit and the
Road to Rock and Roll”; which I reviewed here in 2011, Mr. Lauterbach brings to
life the tumult of post-Civil War Memphis and the interracial society which
sprang up there in the days before Jim Crow. Memphis was a virtual Mecca of the way things
should be regarding race relations. There were African-American lawyers,
barbers, accountants, newspapers, hotels and everything else you would expect
in any community in the 1870’s.
Politically the town was also seemingly color blind, and with
the guidance of Robert Church, a mulatto steam boat Captain, the town continued
to thrive. As a matter of fact, in many ways it was the exact opposite of other
Southern towns. In many ways the African-Americans were prospering, and even
leading, in the areas of finance and entertainment. Interracial marriage was a
common thing and African-Americans enjoyed most of the privileges of their
white neighbors.
With a deft hand and a keen style of writing, Mr. Lauterbach
charts the course of change in Memphis from the riots after the Civil War to
the time when it was the gem of the South around the turn of the Century. At that
time it was said that any white man who spent even one night on Beale Street
would never want to be white again.”
But, with the advent of the First World War came the first
harbingers of change. Just as in New Orleans, the authorities clamped down on
the music and the prostitution, and strengthened miscegenation laws to keep the
races apart.
The story of Memphis, Robert Church and W.C. Handy; along
with scores of other musicians; is widely known, but Mr. Lauterbach has taken
the politics of the time and melded it with the cultural and criminal elements
which made Memphis the place it was then, as well as today, and turned it into
an all-encompassing history of Beale Street and the blues in Memphis .
For a review of Mr. Lauterbach’s “The Chitlin’ Circuit” hit
this link;
This is the story of Reverend Gary Davis, the blind preacher who gave up blues and jazz to play gospel music on the streets of New York City. He lived in Jamaica,
Queens in the 1960’s when I was growing up. Along with Moondog; the Viking poet of 6th Avenue; he was an iconic figure in the life of the city.This is the story of how he came to
be there and his influences upon modern folk music and even bluegrass.
If you
are a Jorma Kaukonen fan then you are already familiar with Reverend Davis’
work; though you might not even know it. His guitar style was completely his own and his delivery of contemporary classics such as "Hesitation Blues" is a spontaneous romp. While the rest of the country was "discovering" many of the old Delta Blues players like Sun House and John Hurt, Reverend Davis was championing the old time gospel music of his youth.
Instead of the usual review of the book by me, here’s Reverend Davis; let him tell you
the story in his own way.
One of my favorite R&B songs is "Maybe", which was recorded by the Chantels in 1957. The song was written by Arlene Smith and producer Richard Barrett. It went on to become a huge hit for the group, selling over one million copies, which made them the first "girl" group to accomplish this feat. They are considered to be one of the earliest of the "all girl" groups, which would eventually spawn acts such as The Cookies, The Supremes, and The Shangri-Las, to name only a few. The influence of these goups also spread into the Rock and Roll genre, with artists like The Beatles covering songs such as The Cookies version of "Chains", which had been written by Carole King.
By the late 1960's even Janis Joplin was covering some of the best songs of the 1930's through the 60's. "Summertime" by Cole Porter comes to mind, as does "Little Girl Blue" by Rodgers and Hart. But one of my favorite covers by her was when she did "Maybe" on the "I Got Them Ol' Kozmic Blues Again, Mama" album. She infused that song with the blues, pure and simple. I have both versions on my flash drive, back to back, and sometimes even I have to stop and marvel at the two interpretations of this great song. There is also another live version of this song, by Janis Joplin, from the Dick Cavett Show, which left the audience near tears. This version is from Germany in 1969.
And this is a link to an interview with Arlene Smith, which I hope you will find interesting;
James Carr was born June 13, 1942 in Coahoma, Mississippi.
His father was a preacher and church was young James first stage. He began his
recording career in the mid 1960’s just as traditional soul music a la James Brown;
was transitioning to a “funkier” sound. His first label was Goldwax Records in
Memphis.
“You’ve Got My Mind Messed Up” was the first record which
actually made the charts. 1966 was the year he began to be noticed with the release
of his most enduring recording “The Dark End of the Street”, written by Dan
Penn and Chips Moman. James remained with Goldwax until they closed in 1960.
Health wise, Mr. Carr suffered from both mental as well as
medical problems. The former affected his career more than the latter,
sometimes resulting in panic attacks which left him speechless in front of an
audience. Anti-depressants only worsened the problem for him. For most of the
1970’s and 1980’s he was almost forgotten. It was Peter Guralnick’s book “Sweet
Soul Music” which brought him back into the public spotlight in 1986.
In January of 2001, at the all too early age of 58 years
young, Mr. Carr passed away from lung cancer. He was living in a nursing home
at the time. His voice is so reminiscent of Otis Redding’s that I mistook this
song for one of Mr. Redding’s when I heard it the other night in the film “Cold
in July.”
For more about this artist use this link to the blog "The B Side";
Did you enjoy the film “Cadillac Records”? Wonder how much
of it was real? Well, if you did you will love this book written by a man who
was there. No, Muddy never painted the studio as shown in the film. If anyone
would have been painting it would have been Buddy. Muddy was too busy making
Leonard Chess money to be painting.
Told in a natural cadence which reflects Mr. Guy’s speaking
style, this book is like a bridge between the early years of rock and roll, and
the later days, after the British invasion. Mr. Guy has played with everyone
under the sun; from Muddy Waters and Hubert Sumlin, to more contemporary
musicians like Jimi Hendrix; who simply took Buddy’s music to the next level;
and Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton; not to leave out his musical
friendship with Keith Richards and the Rolling Stones.
Lonnie Johnson was his original musical inspiration, but he
soon fell under the spell of performers such as John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon and Lightnin’
Hopkins. But it was his exposure to Muddy Water’s recordings which propelled
him to want to become a professional musician. The record “Rolloin’ Stone” literally
burned inside of him, forcing him to move to Chicago where the “blues was.”
While driving a tow truck by day, and playing by night in
some of the seediest clubs in Chicago, he quickly became a fantastic guitarist
and was gigging with some of the best musicians on the scene. But the money
wasn’t enough to pay the bills and it would be a long, colorful struggle until
the day he could quit that tow truck job and pick up his guitar full time.
Many people remember Junior Wells and Buddy Guy as musical
partners; and they were. But the story of their often stormy relationship is
one that will interest, entertain and inform you all at the same time.
The stories here which he tells will have you writing letters
to movie producers for an encore of Cadillac Records. This is a quickly read,
yet highly informative, book about the American music scene and the influence
it had upon the world of music.
If you have never seen BB King live, then this is as good
as it gets!
The nickname "B.B." - which is short for
"Blues Boy" - was first bestowed upon him in Memphis on Beale Street.
It stuck. And the sound that he created has spawned a generation of guitarists,
some equal to, and some even surpassing, this legendary musician.
This is a very personal performance, one in which B.B.
seems a little nervous as he gets ready to field requests for any one of the
hundreds of songs he has written and recorded over the past 60 years. And aside
from the music, the stories he relates between phone calls and requests are
gems; some of which appeared in his autobiography, and some that didn't.
The story of his guitar, named Lucille (he is currently
on Lucille 18, though this film from 2003 has him playing Lucille 16) began in
1949 in a town called Twist, Arkansas. It was in a "juke joint", with
a 55 gallon drum filled halfway with kerosene for heat. Two guys fighting over
a woman knocked it over, burning the place down. BB ran back to get his guitar,
(he claims to have been the first one out the door) and almost got killed. The
next day he found out the 2 guys were fighting over a woman named Lucille, and
so he named his guitar for her, as a reminder to never do that again!
Between each number he explores the impact that his music
has had upon 3 generations, with particular emphasis on "The Thrill Is
Gone" in 1969, which was on my first B.B. King album. That was the song
that opened up the whole world to him, thanks in part to the "British
Invasion", which had its roots in American rhythm and blues. Due to that
influence, he went on his first world tour in 1970. And he hasn't stopped
since.
Jeff Beck takes stage with B.B. for 2 numbers, "Rock
Me Baby" and "Key to the Highway", and also helps him close the
show with "The Cost to Be the Boss." With his inimitable style of
playing, he is proof of the impact that B.B. King has had on so many musicians
over the years, and by extension, us.
Calls for requests came from everywhere! All over
America, North and South, even as far away as Argentina. One man called,
relating how he met his wife 25 years ago at a B.B. King concert. In between
playing and taking requests, B.B. also offered his advice on going to school,
graduating, majoring in something that you like to do, while learning something
you can make a living at. He also advises that young folks stay single until
they're 40.
B.B. even had a story to tell about meeting Pope John
Paul II, he gave him a guitar as a gift. Though you are never to directly touch
the Pope, instead of handing the guitar to the Pope's aides, he offered it
directly to the Pope, who took it. He was strumming it when B.B. left.
Packed with some of the best songs he has ever done, and
playing with his long time band, B.B., who had a real problem playing during
the '90's due to the constant pricking of his fingers to monitor his diabetes,
has never sounded better.
This DVD came to me through the courtesy of George
Peterson, one of the librarians at the Cornelius branch of the Mecklenburg
County Public Library. We are both Buddy Guy fans and he bought this DVD in
from his personal collection for me to see. That's what I love about the
libraries; not only are they are a refuge for the soul, but also a place where
ideas are exchanged and friendships are formed.
If you are an Eric Clapton fan then you are a Freddy King
fan. You just might not know it. Quickly scanning the first 3 decades of Eric
Clapton’s career will give you some proof of that. From “Hideaway” with John
Mayall in the 1960’s; to “Have You Ever Loved a Woman” in the 1970’s; and even
on into the late 1980’s cover version of “Tore Down” on his “Journeyman” album;
Clapton has never been shy in giving credit to those who came before him.
All of the songs represented here were recorded between August
1960 and July 1961 in King’s own studio in Cincinnati, Ohio. He used a house
band instead of his usual working band based in Chicago. I don’t know why he
did this. But the result is a collection of some of his all-time best work done
in a clear and sharp style.
A native of Texas, King was born in 1934 in Gilmer. At 16 he
moved to Chicago and worked in a saw mill. He spent nights working in the
nightclubs, at first playing with 2 harmonica players; Little Sonny Cooper and Earl
Payton. He cut his first record at age 22 in 1956. By 1958 he kissed the saw
mill goodbye and began working full time as a musician.
At about the same time as this he was introduced to Sonny
Thompson, a piano player who would go on to co-write most of King’s hits with
him. 11 of the 25 songs on this CD were co-authored by King-Thompson. And, with
the exception of 3 tracks his name appears in some capacity; even solo; as the
composer of all the rest.
Peter Green of the original Fleetwood Mac was another huge
fan of Freddy King and he recorded many of the same songs as Clapton did. The
two were both products of the John Mayall music machine which seemed to spout great
guitarists non-stop throughout the 1960’s. And while they all had somewhat different
styles; they all had one big thing in common; they were all influenced by
Freddy King.
To my mind there has never been a good book yet about Janis
Joplin’s life on the road; from Big Brother and the Holding Company through the
final days of the Full Tilt Boogie Band. Now there is. John Byrne Cooke was the
road manager for all three incarnations of Janis’ career and he was taking
notes; and filming some of it on his 8mm. And because he did that we have a
great record of what Janis; and the 3 bands she fronted; were doing from early
1968 until her death in October 1970.
Written in the present tense and against the backdrop of the
Vietnam War and the attendant election of Richard Nixon in 1968, this book is
almost animated in its presentation. The 1960’s were lively, to be sure, which
can make them difficult to capture on paper. No such problem for the author
here. He has done a great job of melding the two into a very entertaining, and
yet informative, account of one of the most vibrant stars of the decade.
Along the journey you will hear the story behind some of the
stories which have become legendary since Janis Joplin’s passing. The Jim
Morrison and Janis fight; in which she smashed a bottle on his head while
playing pool and he told her she couldn’t sing the blues worth a shit; or the slapping of Jerry Lee Lewis, who slapped
back; are two great examples of the raucous side to Janis. But there are softer
moments, too.
A bit of rock and roll history gets thrown in; the situation
which existed in NYC that literally made Bill Graham feel as if he had to open
a decent musical venue on the East Coast is explored. The Anderson Theater was
right across the street from another old Yiddish Theater. Bill Graham had it up
and running in about 8 weeks flat. Big Brother and the Holding Company were the
headliners on opening night.
My own memory of “Cheap Thrills” did not include the fact
that within a few weeks of the album’s release and ascension to number 1 on the
charts in November 1968, the band dissolved by the end of November. Janis was
going to front a new band and they were already booked for engagements
beginning in January. Many fans were upset with the breakup. Big Brother seemed
to embody the San Francisco scene and the album, with its cover by Robert
Crumb, quickly became an icon of acid rock and hung on the walls of many
bedrooms across the country.
This new band became the Kozmic Blues Band and featured a
horn section for the first time. With this album’s releaaseI began to think of
Janis as the female version of James Brown. Listen to, and watch, some of the
performances and her introductions on You Tube and you’ll see what I mean.
Still not happy with the sound she was searching for led to
the Kozmic Blues Band going through many changes in personnel. Mr. Cooke has
supplied a listing of personnel associated with each band at the front of the book
which comes in handy for reference on several occasions. Just keeping track of
the horn section is a chore. They underwent 3 changes in that department before
getting it right. Still, they produced a magnificent album with the release of “I’ve
Got Them Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama.”
The author also adds a nice touch to the book by showing the
dates of almost all of the shows Janis performed with the band during his time
as road manager, which was pretty much her entire recorded career from before “Cheap
Thrills” until the very end. This lends an air of immediacy to the narrative as
you can actually see the hectic touring schedule as you read about what the
band was up to in between shows and cities.
With Full Tilt Boogie Band being formed and a new album
waiting to be recorded Janis ventures back home for a high school re-union in
1970. I always have felt that this visit; along with the lack of any real
acknowledgement of her success by her peers; contributed to her spike in heroin
use which finally killed her a few months later. Instead of just giving her a
dozen roses and making her feel welcome, she was summoned to a meeting of the “clique”
and asked what she “wanted”.
What can you say to that? So, she replied that she was just
there to enjoy herself and they took that a license to basically ignore her.
That; along with the fact that her parents were away at a wedding for someone
else’s daughter; had to have hurt her. You can see it in her face when watching
the film of the press conference.
The Full Tilt Boogie Band had recorded about 10 songs for
the new, as yet unnamed, album when Janis died. The numbers ran from a Capella
to raw vocal tracks and even an acoustic version of “Me and Bobby McGee”, the
song written by Kris Kristofferson. If you look at the material you get the
sense that Janis was trying to lay out all of her musical influences and styles
in one album. This is a woman who was influenced very early on by Jean Ritchie
and her dulcimer; which she often played using a feather. She was also a
devotee of Bessie Smith; a la “Turtle Blues.” And she also enjoyed country
music, hence her acoustic version of “Bobby McGee.” With her death came the
unique problem of what to do with these recordings.
The outcome was a posthumous album which would have made
Janis proud; “Pearl.” It was named using the nickname she had bestowed upon
herself while on the road. It was a way for her friends not to have to call her
Jains Joplin. When Kris Kristofferson was invited to the studio to hear the
demo of Janis singing “Me and Bobby McGee” he was only able to listen to the
first 2 verses before leaving in tears.
This is still my favorite version of the song. It’s exactly
the same length as the overdubbed version on “Pearl”. I have included a link to
it here; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5EArR3Qnzg
If you like Janis Joplin you will find this book very
enjoyable. If you are interested in the 1960’s there will be much to interest
you. And if you enjoy learning about the history of making music this book will
fit the bill nicely.
But the best part of reading this book is that it was
written by someone who enjoyed what he was doing then, and is still finding
satisfaction in it all these years later. His enthusiasm for his subject is
palpable and easily transferred to the reader.
Today is Nina Simone's birthday. I first became aware of her in 1967. I was 13 years old at the time and living in Brooklyn, New York. The radio behind the lunch counter was tuned to a jazz station and the sound of Ms. Simone's voice seemed to pierce right through my teenage reverie. Not only was her voice interrupting my thoughts, but also the words were grabbing my attention as she searingly sang an indictment of racism and strife born of the Civil rights struggle.
That song, "Backlash Blues", was the work of Langston Hughes; the poet of Harlem Renaissance fame; who was on his deathbed even as Ms. Simone sang his words. His last request to her was that she never stop singing it. And, as far as I know, she never did. I also know that I have never stopped listening to it. It's on my I-pod and even on a CD in my car. It is as important a song as "Bitter Fruit" by Billie Holiday; or even "Black and Blue" by Louis Armstrong. It also marked Ms. Simone as an activist in the struggle for Equality then sweeping the nation. This is the version of the song that leapt from the radio that day;
But before that, Ms. Simone was already a major artist in jazz, blues and even pop circles. Even her 1959 rendition of "Little Girl Blue" would be covered over a decade later by Janis Joplin. The woman was a triple threat; she sang, wrote, played piano; all while covering genres which ranged from classical to Jazz, Blues, Folk, R and B, Gospel and even Pop music. She literally knew no boundaries.
Born in Tryon, North Carolina on February 21, 1933 as Eunice Kathleen Waymon, she was the 6th child born into a Preacher's family. Her original goal was to be a classical music pianist but her goal changed when she was denied a scholarship to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. That denial was based purely on race. It was while singing in local clubs in Philadelphia to make up that deficiency of funds that she began to sing.
By 1958 she had begun her recording career with the single "I Loves You Porgy" and an album called "Little Girl Blue." She made nothing off of these recordings beyond the initial $3,000 for which she asked at the time, releasing her royalties forever. Those recordings went on to make millions.
Her recording career lasted from 1958-1974. Most known for her fusion of blues and gospel with clasical music, Ms. Simone was an enigma at first. She never fit neatly into any of the "slots". Her recordings almost all have a classical element in them somewhere. If not in the composition itself, then in the vocals arrangements.
Her early years playing gospel in church helped her to have an instinctive feel for her audience. She knew which crowd would understand her more jazz like renditions of her hits, and which ones wanted to hear the record. She measured them all up with a discerning eye, sometimes being mistook as too much of a "purist." But whatever label you put on her, you could never deny that she was a force to be reckoned with.
By the early 1960's she was embracing the Civil rights Movement openly, which was still a risk until the later part of the decades. Careers could be smashed over this divisive issue. Her earliest taste of racism came when she was 12 years old and her parents were asked to move to the rear of the concert hall where she was making her first recital. We can only imagine how much that must have hurt. Ms. Simone refused to pay until her parents were restored to their seats. Imagine the courage which that took! This is a woman who would never know stage fright!
Her mother was the preacher in the house; she was a Methodist Minister and a housemaid. Her father worked as a handyman, after having tried his hand in business. His health was not always the best, making Ms. Simone's mother the main wage earner. Her mother's employer actually set up a fund for Ms. Simone to continue taking piano lessons, having heard something of promise in her. With some of that money she was able to attend Allen High School for Girls in Asheville. She then went on to the Curtis Institute where she was rejected. It must be noted that the Institute had already begun accepting African-American applicant as early as the 1940's. The first such graduate was George Walker in 1945. He would go on to earn a Pulitzer Prize. Ms. Simone went to New York and studied at Juilliard.
It was while attending school in New York that she became "Nina", performing in Atlantic City to pay for school. She took the last name Simone for Simone Signoret, the French actress, whom she admired. In later life Ms. Simone would go to live in France, where she was even more highly regarded than here at home.
Another signature Civil Rights Era song which Ms. Simone wrote has become almost an anthem, "Mississippi Goddam" which she wrote in response to the killing of Medgar Evers and the bombing of the church in Alabama which left 4 children dead. It was widely banned; as was to be expected; down south.
She opposed the war in Vietnam and refused to pay her taxes in protest. When she left the United States for Barbados she left her wedding band behind. Her husband/manager took this as a sign that she wanted a divorce. When she returned to the United States she found that a warrant had been issued for her arrest concerning the taxes. She quickly returned to Barbados, where she lived for many years before relocating to Liberia. From there she moved to Switzerland and the Netherlands before finally settling in France.
Her recording career was up and down during the decades she was moving about, but took an unexpected upturn in the late 1980's and 1990's when she recorded several well regarded jazz albums, as well as a collection of varied songs called "Baltimore." Her last recording was in 1993, with an album called "A Single Woman." Her autobiography; published the year before; is called "I Put a Spell On You."
By far her most well regarded recording is the album "Montreux Jazz Festival" for which she will always be remembered. That album is also available on film.
In 1993 she settled in Aix-en-Provence in France. She died in her sleep on April 21, 2003. Her ashes were sent to several African countries. She left one daughter, Lisa Stroud, who uses the name Simone. She has appeared on Broadway in "Aida."
While one of the more controversial artists of her time she has become one of the most well loved since her death. She was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009. And, in 2010 a statue in her honor was erected on Trade Street, in Tryon, North Carolina, the place it all began.
I was very pleasantly surprised to find this on You Tube, my
favorite place to hang out. All of the other “live” versions I have heard of
this classic song by Janis Joplin are really hard to listen to. She is either
too stoned, or the band is way out of tune with one another. The Jefferson
Airplane had the same problem. I always called it the San Francisco sound. But
this version, live from German television in 1969, just one year after the
songs release, really shines.
Ms. Joplin is often portrayed as being way out of touch with
her career, being “led” by handlers and promoters. Nothing could be further
from the truth. Ms. Joplin was in firm control of both the direction of her
career, as well as the material she chose to record, right up until her death.
A quick listen to her original “demo” of “Me and Bobby McGee”
by Kris Kristofferson will confirm my assertion. She merely arrived at the
studio, whipped out her acoustic, and played the song the way she felt and
heard it. Here is the link to that “demo”;
With the new tribute show, "A Night with Janis" making the rounds, it's quite a treat to watch the real thing from the archives of my old friend You Tube.
When I was about 14 this song was one of my favorites. I
didn't really think it was about the soda, but I did like to hear it on a
summer’s day while knocking back a bottle of Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda. If you've
never had one, well, you’re missing out on one of life's treats. It's Kosher, too. By the way, the inverted title is not a mistake, it's a joke.
Cream Soda is somewhat akin to a cola with a shot of vanilla
in it. It was a staple of my misspent youth, though I’m sure that, even without
it, my teeth would have gone to crap anyway. I was a regular at the “candy
store”, and even had a job working at Ruben Arkin’s Luncheonette on Avenue U
for a couple of years when I was about 15. Tons of sugar went past my lips.
I was never really a big soda drinker, but somehow, Dr. Brown got to me at an early age with his Cream Soda. Eventually I became a lifelong iced tea drinker; brew it myself; plain water never passes my lips unless I am in the shower. Everything has changed over the years; but cream soda is still basically cream soda. However, you’d be hard pressed to
recognize Fleetwood Mac for what they once were.
I love this cartoon for its musical ensemble; composed of
various critters; most notably the frogs, and their wonderful harmonies; as
well as the humans, in this Cab Calloway inspired performance. It’s reminiscent of
Cab’s swinging, storytelling style of delivering his particular brand of music,
which by the time this cartoon was released, had overrun America and even
Europe. It was the era of the big band and the sound of swing, be-bop, and
jazz; all of which would coalesce into rock and roll in about 15 years after
this cartoon was first seen.
Also of note is that this is a Walter Lantz cartoon, which
is evident the moment you see his hand drawing the opening of the feature,
which is kind of a trademark of his work. Later on, after the advent of Woody
Woodpecker, this is the same hand which occasionally would stuff Woody back in
the ink bottle when he got too wild to control. I always loved that mixture of
reality and the cartoon. The Oswald Rabbit series was a definite attempt to
compete with Warner’s new cartoon characters, which included a fellow named
Bugs Bunny. Bugs won, but Oswald lives on, with a good many fans of his own.
I know this cartoon has a politically incorrect ending for these times, perhaps anytime for that matter, but it is only a cartoon and not in any way a suggestion on how to solve your differences. It seems sad that I must point this out.
Check out all of the crazy characters and their swinging
dance moves. The turtle is very good as he slides his partner beneath his
shell; only to have her fly from her own shell; as the dogs dance, and the octopi
become entangled in their own arms. Only the cuckoo in the clock has enough
sense to finally call an end to the evening’s festivities when the clock
strikes twelve.
The cartoon was a combination of winning ideas from an
in-house contest Walter Lantz ran in his studio with the rest of his crew to
furnish gags for the production. The prizes ranged from $2 to $10, which was
pretty good for 1939! Actually, the cartoon was begun in September of 1938 and
released in January of 1939, just a little less than 4 months’ time. Try that
with today’s animation! You might get the credits done.
The “Cartune” series predates the “Swing Symphonies” series which
came out in the early 1940’s. The music in this cartoon was inspired by the
Ella Fitzgerald smash hit of 1938- “I’m Just a Jitterbug.” You can listen to it
here;
I was watching an old Matlock the other night when I heard a
familiar guitar sound. Looking at the credits I saw the name Joe Seneca and
this old re-run became instantly of more interest to me. For lovers of the
blues Joe Seneca is a legendary name. Many people will be familiar with his
work in the film “Crossroads”, and some even with his guest appearance on
“Matlock” with Andy Griffith.
In the 3rd season episode titled “The
Blues Singer”, Mr. Seneca plays an old guitar picking legend named Eddie Haynes,
who has fallen on hard times, and finds himself accused of a murder he did not
commit. When Ben Matlock takes the case he gets Joe released to his custody
and they share Ben’s house for the duration of the trial. Naturally, the two
wind up doing a bit of picking together, to the delight of the viewer. At the
end of the show there is actually a little “jam” session with Andy, Joe, and
Brownie McGhee.
Coincidentally, Joe Seneca was born Joel McGhee, but apparently
changed his name, possibly to avoid confusion with the legendary Brownie. Also
of note is that they both passed away in 1996, within 6 months of one another.
Brownie passed away in February, and Joe Seneca in August.
One of the hallmarks of The Andy Griffith Show, and later
the Matlock series, is the presence of music in so many of the shows. Andy was
a very gifted guitar player and singer whose tastes ran from gospel to folk and
even some jazz. And he never lost an opportunity to showcase other musical
talents on his show.
The Darlings, who in real life were the Dillard’s, are a
perfect example of the tradition Mr. Griffith started on his first show while
playing Sheriff Andy Taylor. That group enjoyed several decades of success in
real life after the Andy Griffith Show ended its run in the 1960’s.
I was a stranger to the Matlock series until recently, but
have found them to be well written and full of surprises. In many of the shows
Mr. Griffith manages to feature some of his old buddies from The Andy Griffith
Show, and in several episodes even plays the role of his own father in
flashbacks.
Joe Seneca was an original member of the group The Three
Riffs, and wrote “Talk to Me” in the late 1950’s. The record was performed by
Little Willie John. Joe Seneca drifted more and more towards television and
film roles in his later years, but always kept up with his music.
This is Warren Haynes performing at the 2011
King of the Blues Finals with Joe Bonamassa at the House of Blues in Los
Angeles on September 1st 2011. I ran across the video on Facebook in a posting
by a mutual friend, Charles Calloway. The video immediately blew me
away. The interplay between these two fine guitarists will mesmerize you as
they work around one another, creating tension in a musical duel, and then wrapping
it all up together in tandem.
While reminiscent of many fine guitarists; and remaining
true to the roots of blues; these two have managed to create a unique style of
their own. Being totally unfamiliar with both of these artists, I immediately
turned to google to find out what I could about them.
Individually they have both been pushing the boundaries of music
since very early ages, with Joe receiving his first guitar at age 4, and
playing Stevie Ray Vaughn riffs by age 7. Meantime, future fellow guitar player
Warren Haynes received his first guitar at age 12. His preference is the ’58 Gibson
Les Paul, most likely because of the influence of Duane Allman, who played the ’58
model, rather than the ’59 usually employed by other musicians such as Eric
Clapton and Jimmy Page. There is actually a tonal difference in these two
models of the Les Paul, primarily due to the wood used in their
construction. I’ll have to look into that one a bit further.
In terms of age, the two are separated by 17 years, with Joe
being the younger of the two, born in 1977. Joe was raised in a 4th
generation musical family. His parents owned a music store in the town of New
Hartford, New York. He credits his great-grandfather and grandfather with his
talent and love for music. They played trombone and guitar. So, he comes by his
talents naturally. It’s in the genes. He has played with B.B. King, Eric
Clapton, Beth Hart, Paul Rodgers, Leslie West, Jon Lord, Vince Gill, Sandi Thom
and Glenn Hughes, to name a few. A founding member of the group Bloodline, he
has been active in the music scene for almost 2 decades.
Warren Haynes was born in 1960 and has been a longtime
guitarist for the Allman Brothers Band, as well as a member of the group
Government Mule. Originally from Asheville, North Carolina, he has spent many
years performing with artists as diverse as Dicky Betts, David Allan Coe, and
the Phil Lesh Friends group. His preference in guitar is the Gibson Firebird
and Gibson ES-335, although he sometimes plays a Les Paul.
Just a short bit of biography on these two fine guitarists. Music
is multi-generational, and a constantly evolving process. As technology changes
musicians are able to push the boundaries of sound further and further,
creating newer and more exciting sounds with each passing year. When that
technology is used to further a long established genre; such as the blues; the
results can take the listener, as well as the musician, to greater and greater
heights. This performance by Mr. Haynes and Mr. Bonamassa is a fine example.
Thanks, Charles!
The creative process behind the music we listen to has
always fascinated me. The interaction between the musical artists; who can hear
in their heads the sound they are attempting to create; and the
producers/engineers, who are attempting to understand the artists creative concepts can sometimes be fraught
with peril. Witness Phil Spector’s famous shooting of a pistol while working;
for the last time; with John Lennon, over some difference of opinion in the
studio.
So, I was delighted to run across a piece of video, on
You Tube of course, of Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company,
recording “Summertime” for their upcoming album “Cheap Thrills”, which would be
released in the late summer of 1968. This video was shot at CBS Recording Studios
in New York City.
The video; which was too large for the video player here, according
to blogspot; runs a little over 10 minutes. In the video, Janis is clearly in
control, while at the same time displaying a unique quality to compromise with
both the band and the engineer/producer John Simon. The band felt that he did
not understand their psychedelic sound. Manager Albert Grossman was in agreement
with Mr. Simon, and pressured the band to change some of their arrangements on
several songs. Their reaction to this is evident in the video, as they attempt
to talk music with a technician and businessman.
As the video begins, the band is rehearsing, sounding like
the best garage band on earth, as Janis enters the studio dancing. This would
be their first album for Columbia, and the band is clearly excited. The album
would not be released until late that summer/ early fall, and so the band
worked on the record on their off days.The “Lenny” who Janis refers to in her story about the “bust” in
Vancouver is Henry McCullough, who would later play with “Wings” and Paul McCartney.
Janis is clearly pissed about the whole incident, particularly the way in which
“Lenny” was being used by his record company, as well as his band mates and manager.
But, she is able to put all that aside in an instant to begin recording her
iconic rendition of “Summertime” from Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess”.
The band is summoned into the control room to listen to the
playback, and a very technical discussion begins between the band members and
Mr. Simon, who is clearly not in touch with the vision the group has for the
song. This is one of the most interesting parts of the video, as the band
shifts, seamlessly, between the music and some gossip about a party the night
before. It seems that James Gurley, the group’s guitarist, had put on quite a
load the night before, and his band mates just can’t resist ribbing him about
it.
The cover for the album was supposed to be a black and white
photo of Janis, alone. This was the suggestion of Mr. Grossman. His working
motto was always to conquer and divide the artists with whom he worked. But, Janis
would have none of it, opting instead for the brilliant cover art of cartoonist
Robert Crumb, who was a staple of the psychedelic scene in San Francisco, where
the band was based. He had already done several posters advertising gigs for
most of the bands in San Francisco at the time, including Big Brother’s shows
at the Avalon Ballroom.
The album, which was to be recorded live; and actually
states that on the inside cover; contained only 1 song, which was recorded at Winterland
in San Francisco; “Ball and Chain”. And, even that version was altered, with
James Gurley overdubbing a new intro.
Originally named “Sex, Dope and Cheap Thrills”, Columbia
nixed the title, allowing the band to retain only the “Cheap Thrills” portion.
It went on to 8 weeks at number one, though not in succession. The biggest hit
on the album was “Piece of My Heart”, which went on to become a classic of the
era. It’s still played daily on most “classic rock” stations. By October 15th
the album had already surpassed $1 million dollars in sales. Shortly after that,
the album sold over 1 million “units”, or copies.
I still have my original vinyl copy of the album. The cover
is in excellent condition, and I have been thinking of framing it as a way to
capture a bit of the past. Here is the link to the You Tube video which
prompted me to write this short article;
Memphis Slim is one of the great artists of the blues-jazz genre.
His piano style is unmistakable, somewhere along the lines of Pinetop Perkins, with
only an imperceptible pause between chords separating the two musicians. This
footage, from an untitled German TV show, dates from about 1964, and features
Memphis Slim on piano, where he belongs, with fellow musicians Matt Murphy on
guitar, Bill Stepney on drums, and Sonny Boy Williamson on harmonica.
Memphis Slim was one of the first of the American blues
artists to see the value in performing in Europe; which he eventually made his
home; appearing on German, French and English TV specials devoted to American
Blues. These shows really helped to propel the revival in blues music that had
already begun with the so-called “British Invasion” of the 1960’s, when white
America was hearing rhythm and blues being beamed back at them from the myriad
of English bands, all of whom had been mining the music of black American
artists for several years already.
Some of the finest blues recordings of the era were made in
Europe, where the African-American artist didn’t have to worry about the Jim
Crow laws of the American South. Those restrictions kept them from eating and
sleeping properly on the road at home, while in Europe they were free to pursue
their passion with vigor. And the results of this relaxed atmosphere; in which
they were treated as fellow travelers on the road of life; were sessions like
this one, where they felt free to play their standard numbers with abandon.
This freedom even allowed them to push the envelope a bit further,
experimenting with new sounds and redefining blues and jazz, eventually
culminating in a jazz-blues fusion.
A remarkable piece of film courtesy of You Tube, this video
represents the entire TV performance. Ideally, you will be able to view it all
at once, as it was intended to be. But even if you only listen to a few songs
at a time, this performance has definitely stood the test of time.
This is a really great clip from You Tube of Janis Joplin on
the Dick Cavett Show from July, 18, 1969. She is singing her own arrangement of
the Bee Gees “To Love Somebody.” It was probably several years before I
realized that she was singing a Bee Gees song. She really made this song her
own, much as Joe Cocker did with “With A Little Help From My Friends.” It’s not
an easy thing to do; taking an established hit song and turning it into
something more. As a matter of fact, it’s an art. Hendrix did well with other
people’s songs, most notably Bob Dylan’s stuff, like “All Along the Watchtower”,
and “Like a Rolling Stone.” The better the song is, the harder it is to “re-invent”
it. Innovation is something that I have always held in high regard.
Daytime TV used to be a varied place. When I was home from
school, for whatever reason, there were always old movies to watch, and if you
could avoid the “soaps”, there was actually some very interesting stuff
happening on the tube. And at 4 PM there was a “sea change” in the programming,
with shows like Dick Cavett and Mike Douglas highlighting some of the best
music of the era. You can still watch them all on You Tube and they have not
lost any of their charm, or edge.
After the performance there was always the obligatory
interview between the host and the performer, in this case Janis Joplin. And it
was always kind of amazing to see and hear these icons of rock talking and
joking in such a “normal” manner. It was so at odds with the image we had in
our heads of the typical stoned out, unintelligible rock star, whom we expected to see. And it
was always a source of pride if your Mom, or Dad, said something along the
lines of, “Well, she’s not so crazy.” It was like a personal compliment, or
stamp of approval, both of the artist as a person, as well as the music in
general. These shows broke down a lot of walls between generations.
Here is the interview portion of the show immediately
following the performance above;
For the rest of this interview, including the portion with Michael Thomas, hit this link;
Back in the early 1970's Johnny Cash had the most unusual variety show on television. Each week, like Ed Sullivan did on his show, he featured a popular musical act, or musician; but with one major difference; Johnny Cash was a musician and songwriter himself, and so he managed to get out there with his guest stars and perform with them. It was quite a treat for the viewer, and I suspect, for Johnny Cash as well.
This performance of Jimmie Rodgers "Blue Yodel #9" is really unusual at first glance, but when you look a bit further into the history of country music and blues, it's really not.
Here's an audio link of the original July 16th, 1930 session which Mr. Armstrong refers to in his conversation with Johnny Cash;
This is a song that I first heard in the early 1960's, once again on WOR-TV in New York. It was in a musical called "Sing, Baby, Sing" from 1936, written by Richard Whiting and Walter Bullock. The song has been recorded by scores of artists over the years, including Big Bill Broonzy, Louis Armstrong, Pat Boone, Bob Dylan and even Jools Holland from Squeeze. My favorite is the unreleased version by Eric Clapton.
Here is a video link, courtesy of you tube, with Eric Clapton singing these lyrics on a train in 1978, while crossing America on tour. The embedding was disabled so I can only post the link;
This is Michelle Malone live @ Blue Ridge Concerts on March 11th. Sue and I just picked up tickets last night to see her here in Charlotte next Friday. An accomplished musician, guitarist and singer, Ms. Malone has been hard at it for over 20 years now. She plays every conceivable venue, from house parties to baseball stadiums. Her guitar abilities are unequalled, and her voice doesn't shatter glass- it's so pure that it passes through it. With a repertoire of songs ranging from folk rock to gut wrenching blues and rock, she is the master of slide guitar, and can make you cry with a simple ballad.
The song above, "Flagpole", is a great example of Ms. Malone's versatility. I have seen her do this with a band, both acoustic and electric. Now here she is doing the same song solo, with a wonderful acoustic break reminiscent of a bass solo!
The last time I saw her live I asked her for a used pick, hoping to tap into her creative DNA. She gave me the pick, and I went home confident that I now had the key to her super powers. It didn't work, and all I got was a sore arm. But my ears are doing great, and I'm ramping up for next Friday night here in Charlotte at the Evening Muse in NoDa. If you have never seen her perform, you need to get on You Tube and check her out. Then you can go to her website and buy some of her albums.
