:: Saturday, April 03, 2004 ::

2 Janis Joplin biopics on way

Pink is going to play Janis Joplin in a forthcoming movie but she has a rival — Renee Zellwegger. There are two Janis biopics on the way.

Pink will play Janis in Penelope Spheeris' 'The Gospel According To Janis' and Renee is believed to have signed on as Janis for the bigger Hollywood production 'Piece Of My Heart'.

Penelope's previous films include 'Wayne's World' and 'The Beverly Hillbillies'.

Pink was previously seen in a minor role in "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle." Renee starred in "Cold Mountain." Before 'Piece of My Heart' reaches out screens sometime in 2005, we will see Renee reviving her role as Bridget Jones in 'Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason' due later this year.

This isn't the first time the story of Janis has made its way to the big screen but it is definitely the first official time. In 1979, Bette Midler played the lead role in The Rose. The movie had almost an identical storyline to that of the life of Janis Joplin and started out as a Janis pic but failed to get approval for the Joplin estate. Instead, Bette ended up playing the fictitious Mary Rose Foster, a star who lived the life of sex, drugs and rock and roll and died at the age of 27.

:: Les Coles Saturday, April 03, 2004 [+] ::

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GUSSOW wins gold for work on blues

I have a blues-related piece in today's Daily Yomiuri:
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20040404wof2.htm

:: Les Coles Saturday, April 03, 2004 [+] ::

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Another hall of fame claims Rev. Al Green

In February, the Gospel Music Association inducted the Memphis singing legend into its Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Now the Songwriters Hall of Fame is todo the same.

Green will join fellow inductees Daryl Hall and John Oates (as a team), Don McLean, Charles Fox and Motown's Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, it was announced Thursday.

The 35th annual induction ceremony will take place on June 10 in New York.

Among a list of 20 nominees who didn't make the final five, as listed on the Songwriters Hall of Fame Web site, www.songwritershalloffame.org, were Stax songwriting team Isaac Hayes and David Porter as well as Steve Cropper. Green also beat out David Bowie, Rod Stewart and Fleetwood Mac.


The latest honors come on the heels of his best secular record in decades, the Blue Note release I Can't Stop, which paired Green with his onetime Hi producer Willie Mitchell for a sleek set of new tunes that more than hold their own against a golden back catalog.

Green, who has ministered for decades at his Whitehaven church, the Full Gospel Tabernacle, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and has received lifetime achievement awards from the Grammys and the Rhythm & Blues Foundation.

The Songwriters Hall of Fame was cofounded in 1969 by famed tunesmith Johnny Mercer with music publishers Howie Richmond and Abe Olman. Others with regional connections in the hall include W. C. Handy, Otis Redding and Roy Orbison plus Elvis Presley hit writers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, and Otis Blackwell.

:: Les Coles Saturday, April 03, 2004 [+] ::

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Eric Clapton Five-Minute Video Clip

In conjunction with his latest album, Me And Mr. Johnson, Warner are providing a five-minute Warner Brothers video clip of Eric Clapton explains Robert Johnson's influence on his life and discusses the new album (in Windows Media below):

Dial-up
http://www.warnerreprise.com/asx/ec_mjsv_56-v.asx

Highspeed / Broadband
http://www.warnerreprise.com/asx/ec_mjsv_100-v.asx
http://www.warnerreprise.com/asx/ec_mjsv_300-v.asx
http://www.warnerreprise.com/asx/ec_mjsv_450-v.asx

Read my review of Me and Mr. Johnson in The Daily Yomiuri online.

:: Les Coles Saturday, April 03, 2004 [+] ::

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Zombies Guitarist Dead At 58

SANTA MONICA, Calif., (April 2) — Paul Atkinson, an original guitarist for 60's Brit band The The Zombies, one of the first and most original of the British Invasion bands of the 1960s, died from cancer Thursday at the UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center.

Atkinson, who turned 58 on March 18, had been suffering for some years. He had two liver transplants and failed kidneys due to dialysis.

In January, his friends and colleges gathered to pay tribute to him at a dinner in Hollywood. It was the first time in 30 years the original Zombies were together.

The dinner was hosted by Shadoe Stevens and featured performances by the Zombies, Bruce Hornsby, Richard Page of Mr. Mister, Michael Penn, Patty Smyth, Mickey Thomas of Starship, and Brian Wilson.

A frail Atkinson rejoined his old band on stage in the evening.

After the break-up of The Zombies, in 1967, Atkinson made the rare transition from artist to executive. He signed ABBA to Colombia, Bruce Hornsby, Mr. Mister, Michael Penn, Judas Priest and Patty Smyth.

Born in Cuffley, England, Atkinson lived in Los Angeles for the past 20 years. He is survived by his wife Helen, their two children, James and Lucy, and son Matt by a previous marriage

The Zombies had a short but successful career, forming in the U.K. in 1962. Their three biggest hits were 'She's Not There' (also later a hit for Santana), 'Tell Her No', and 'Time of the Season'.

Related Blues Blog article:
"Former Zombie & Top A&R Exec Paul Atkinson To Be Honored"
Sat Sep 06, 01:27:23 PM

:: Les Coles Saturday, April 03, 2004 [+] ::

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New outfit offers old musicians new deal

LOS ANGELES (Billboard)-—Five music-industry veterans have established Sovereign Artists as a self-defined "artist-friendly" independent label aimed at upper-demographic listeners.

Santa Monica, Calif.-based Sovereign bows in late June with Jupiter's Darling, the first studio album by Heart in 11 years, to be followed in late July by a tribute to Buddy Holly's band the Crickets, which will include tracks by Eric Clapton, Phil Everly, Graham Nash and the late Waylon Jennings.

The founders of Sovereign are: seasoned vocalist and Soverign principal, Tommy Funderburk, former Warner Bros. Records VP of national sales Charlie Springer, former House of Blues in-house counsel Geoff Cline, Ken LeMunyon, who previously held key finance positions at Hollywood Records and Warner Bros. Records, and Internet marketing specialist Paul Angles

An album and DVD by jazz keyboardist and bandleader Don Grusin is set for mid-August.

"We're trying to be genre-agnostic," Funderburk said. "We would like to just concentrate on good music."

"The focus of the music business today is really more of a teenage core audience," Springer said. "We recognize that the generation that invented rock 'n' roll is being underserved." Adding that the new outfit plans to release five albums in 2004.

"We are setting ourselves up to make less money than the artist in all of our deals. We are offering higher royalty rates, and we are also licensing records, as opposed to owning them outright," Springer said.

Sovereign licenses its titles for a seven-year period, after which rights to the masters revert to the acts.

:: Les Coles Friday, April 02, 2004 [+] ::

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Michigan DJ to shoot blues documentary

FLINT, Mich.—Local blues DJ Terry Houston is behind a documentary on the local blues scene. Fans and others interested in the subject are invited to give testimonials for a camera crew from noon-4 p.m. April 17 at the Music Planet.

They'll be used with footage from Southern blues vet Vernon Garrett, whose performance that night at the Ramada Inn will be filmed for a live DVD.

"We wanted to maximize his coming up here, so why not do a history of the blues in Flint while we're at it?" said Houston, who DJs blues nights at local clubs and hosts the "Blues You Can Use" program from 4-8 p.m. Saturdays on WOWE-FM (98.9).

Contact:
Music Planet
517 W Carpenter Rd, Flint, MI 48505
Phone: (810) 787-0099

WOWE
URL: http://wowe989fm.netfirms.com
E-mail: wowe989fm@aol.com

Postscript
"The Blues on Tour," with Ruth Brown, Chris Thomas King, Ike Turner, Lil' Ed, Duke Robillard, Howard Tate, Pinetop Perkins, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Little Milton and others, will be pulling into Flint at 8 p.m. April 24, Hill Auditorium, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. $20, $36.50, $59.50. (734) 763-8587.

See post below (probably quiet a way below as I've gone to weekly archiving) for details of The Blues Tour

:: Les Coles Friday, April 02, 2004 [+] ::

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Michael Paloma and His New York Blues

PHOENIX, BUSINESS WIRE; (April 2)—Red Rock Entertainment Corp. and Michael Paloma announced today the completion of principle photography on their latest music video and CD, titled, "Michael Paloma and His New York Blues."

The production consists of two music videos, both directed by Richard Grieco, of "21 Jump Street" and "If Looks Could Kill" fame. Both videos were shot on location, in Las Vegas and Phoenix. There are 13 songs on the CD, and the release date for both the CD and the videos is set for June 1, 2004.

The songs that were made into videos are "Sugar Daddy" and a remake of an old blues favorite, "Cell Block #9." Both videos feature Grieco.

PR BLURB:

You've heard of Chicago Blues and New Orleans Blues — now, there is NEW YORK BLUES — Entertains audiences with a high energy live stage production featuring a wonderful cast of singers and dancers punctuated with sizzling costumes and sets. This show highlights the best in Blues music with a touch of Jazz and Rock n' Roll. Music from this show will be the driving force behind the soundtrack for the upcoming feature film "CONCRETE COWBOY". We took some of New York's best songs and turned them into up tempo blues and rock and roll songs.

New York Blues


On the Net:
A sound bite and short preview of the video can be viewed on the Red Rock Entertainment Web site at www.redrockentertainment.com

:: Les Coles Friday, April 02, 2004 [+] ::

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Music Maker Relief Foundation 10th Benefit Bash

Playing the blues might be fun. It might be fulfilling. It might entertain folk. But it probably won't put much of the green & crinkly in your pocket.

In recognition of this harsh, but true fact. And in recognition of the men and women who have contributed to the cultural fabric of America, the Music Maker Relief Foundation was established to help blues musicians in need.

The foundation has given a lot. Now it is asking for something, not for itself, but for those it supports.

Commemorating 10 years of keeping the bluest of the blues alive by illuminating and lifting up the forgotten pioneers of the blues, Music Maker is asking supporters to host a year of fundraising parties.

Please consider hosting a Music Maker 10th Birthday Bash in your city or town.

The idea is based on a fundraising party series that Tori Amos has successfully set into motion for RAINN in recent years. Music Maker is a non-profit organization and presently takes no government funding or endorsements. So, small individual donations and grassroots events like the Birthday Bash are the lifeblood of the Foundation. Without the help of supporters, there wouldn't be any way for Music Maker to continue providing the essential financial help to all of its valuable artists, many of which can't survive on social security alone from year to year.

The basic idea of the Birthday Bash is for supporters to organize and throw individual birthday parties raising money for the Foundation. We encourage supporters to make this a late spring and all summer fun-time event, but it certainly can extend into autumn or winter. We expect most supporters to hold parties in their homes, with some bigger parties in restaurants, clubs, coffeehouses, and the list could go on... the more creative you get in the planning, the greater your results will be. There are no limits.

Another determining factor in your success will be the organization that goes into the event. There is a lot of information in our online Host Pack to get you started . Each organizer will set a fundraising goal and ticket prices for their party. Music Maker hopes that each party will shoot for a goal of at least $1,500, though any amount raised will certainly be welcome. Music Maker will be offering incentives to anyone who meets their goal.

Sharing the love of the music and bringing people together has been what has kept Music Maker alive these first en years, we hope that these events will allow more folks to share that joy.
We hope these parties may become annual gatherings that people will come to look forward to.

If you are interested in sponsoring a party, you can contact Amy Nolan through e-mail: info@musicmaker.org or via telephone: (919) 643-2456. You'll receive a packet of information giving you all the specifics and also generating fundraising ideas for your party.

Web site: http://www.musicmaker.org/

:: Les Coles Friday, April 02, 2004 [+] ::

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L.A. Jones in Tokyo

W.C. Handy Award nominees, L.A. Jones & The Blues Messengers have been tearing up the floorboards in roadhouses all over the world for the last two decades, touring constantly and playing over 200 gigs a year and thrilling Blues fans where ever they perform.
Despite this grinding schedule they have still found the time to record with and back up some of today’s greatest Blues stars like pianist Pinetop Perkins, guitarist Otis Rush and saxophonist Joe Houston.


L.A. Jones and The Blues Messengers represent a new breed from the old school of the blues; crossing racial. spiritual and musical boundaries and pioneering a style that is all their own, blending the ever popular jump swing of the great Texas and West Coast traditions. At the same time they have not forgotten to remain deeply and firmly rooted in the 1950’s Chicago Blues traditions.


APRIL 3
At the Someday Club in Nishi-Shinbashi
Show starta 8 p.m.
Tickets: ¥3,000 (advance) ¥3,500 JPY (door)

APRIL 4
At the Fiddler in Takadananobaba
Show starts 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: ¥2, 000, (Includes one house drink)

For more info contact Blues Alive @ (03) 3503-8606, The Someday Club @ (03) 3506-1777, The Fiddler @ (03) 3204-2698.

:: Les Coles Friday, April 02, 2004 [+] ::

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3rd Annual Hampton Acoustic Blues Revival

The Natchel' Blues Network is presenting on April 24, The 3rd Annual Hampton Acoustic Revival, at Thomas Nelson Community, Hampton VA.

Admission is free.

Performers include:
Cephas & Wiggins, Terry Garland, Gregg Kimball, Michael Ingmire's tribute to Robert Johnson, and Shelly Craig-Potter

:: Les Coles Thursday, April 01, 2004 [+] ::

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:: Les Coles Thursday, April 01, 2004 [+] ::

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1st Bronx Organ Festival

:: Les Coles Thursday, April 01, 2004 [+] ::

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16th Burnley Blues Festival

April 9 - 11

In 1989, Burnley Mechanics launched the 1st Burnley National Blues Festival with the aim of bringing to the U.K. some of the major U.S. and European blues artists available, including Buddy Guy, Pinetop Perkins and Willie Kent.

Another great line-up heads your way for 2004 including, festival stage venues, Blues Cruise, Late Night Blues Shack and Padiham Town Hall.

The 2004 festival, being held April 9 - 11, is to be opened by legendary, veteran soul-surgeons, The Cal Batchelor Band.

Other artists include:
Jody Williams, Little Freddie King, Lou Pride, Big Bill Morganfield, Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat, Memo Gonzalez & The Blues Casters, Roscoe Chenier, Jan Harrington, Earl Thomas, Kate Pereiar, The Cat Pack

On the Net:
Official site: http://www.burnleymechanics.co.uk/blues.html
Tickets: http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?agency=BURNLEYMEC&organ_val=21098

:: Les Coles Thursday, April 01, 2004 [+] ::

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April Fool

OK. Time to fess up, the "30th Robert Johnson recording found" story yesterday was a hoax.

Some people got fooled by it. Some people saw through it at once.

An ad hoc committee of fellow journalists at work all agreed that the requiste criteria for a "fair hoax" had bee met and that there were enough pointers and clues in the story to identify it as a hoax.

Would have been nice if it were true though, eh?

:: Les Coles Thursday, April 01, 2004 [+] ::

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Music PR Vet Cary Baker Launches New Firm

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. &mdas; Cary Baker, a music industry publicity executive for more than 20 years, has announced the launch of his new music publicity company, Conqueroo. The new Los Angeles-based company will represent such artists and projects as J.J. Cale, Gingersol, Robert Earl Keen, Anne McCue, James McMurtry, Vernon Reid, Chris Stamey, Tres Chicas, Ponderosa Stomp and the Americana Music Association Conference plus more to follow.

Baker leaves The Baker/Northrop Media Group, where he was a founding partner. He previously served as VP of Publicity at Capitol Records, I.R.S. Records, Discovery Records and Morgan Creek Records. He has spearheaded publicity campaigns for R.E.M., Bonnie Raitt, Shelby Lynne, Delbert McClinton, Caitlin Cary, Susan Tedeschi, Anne McCue, Willard Grant Conspiracy and many more.

Baker has also worked as a music journalist and album annotator, and has instructed the "Publicity in the Music Industry" course at UCLA Extension since 1987. He has been a voting member of the Recording Academy since 1979, and has served on the Los Angeles and Chicago chapters of the Board of Governors. He sits on the Board of Directors of both the Americana Music Association and Blues Music Association, and on the Music Industry Executive Steering Committee of City of Hope.

"This is an opportunity for a select few great recording artists and companies to work directly with a senior-level music publicist in order to achieve maximum results. I am very excited to offer this service," Baker said.

Contact information:
Cary Baker
conqueroo
13351-D Riverside Dr. #655
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
(818) 501-2001
cary@conqueroo.com
http://www.conqueroo.com

:: Les Coles Thursday, April 01, 2004 [+] ::

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4th Annual Jamaica Rock 'n' Blues Jam

Don't know about you man, but I could use a holiday in Jamaica, and this blues cruise sounds cool—I could use a little hedonism right now as I've just found out I have to work today, which puts me on a 13-day fortnight (to use the Britishism) after coming off a six-day week. The Fourth Annual Jamaica Rock 'n' Blues Jam is a festival for musicians and fans at Hedonism III resort in Runaway Bay, Jamaica. Guests are invited to participate in a week-long event that includes daily jam sessions, nightly concerts, and private parties with the host artists.

Crowley, TX; PRWEB, (April 1)— From Sept. 5-12, music fans will travel to Jamaica for the Jamaica Rock 'n' Blues Jam at Hedonism III. This annual event, in it's fourth year, attracts some of today's favorite jam bands and fans from around the world.

The Jamaica Rock 'n' Blues Jam offers all your typical all-inclusive resort amenities: all-you-can-eat dining at five restaurants; all-you-can-drink at six bars; toga and pajama parties; all land and water sports with instruction, plus pampering service and luxury accommodations. "Unlike a music-themed cruise", explains Jon Cooley, Lead guitarist of the Blind Dog Cooley Band, "there is no tab at the end of your stay. Everything you eat, drink and do is included in one upfront price. There are no surprises."

The Jamaica Rock 'n' Blues Jam forgoes the typical resort entertainment, opting instead to make music the focus. The Jam has confirmed some of today's favorite jam musicians to perform in a number of locations, including the main stage, atop the Jamaican restaurant, poolside at the nude beach, and on a fountain. Guests can choose to enjoy any or all of the nightly concerts, plus participate in daily jam sessions with the host musicians. The show admission is included the package price. Musicians confirmed so far include Roy Robbins & Tuffy Burkhart of the Other Band; Steve Springer of Count Blue; and Jon Cooley, Mike Green and Blake Throckmorton, of Blind Dog Cooley fame. Additional acts will be confirmed soon.

"This is an incredible opportunity for jam band fans to party with their favorite artists," said Roy Robbins, Production Coordinator. "Fans can get on stage and jam with rock and blues' rising stars. Since the inception of the Jam in 2001, we have had fans from as far as Alaska and Singapore, and jammers from across the United States."

Fantastic Voyages Travel is coordinating the resort accommodations for the event, as well as any flight needs attendees may have. Jamaica Rock 'n' Blues Jam will accommodate 450 guests. Prices begin at $1,015 per person, all-inclusive and include admission to all events. Airfare is additional. Contact Fantastic Voyages at 817-568-8611 or visit http://www.jamaicarocknbluesjam.com for information and reservations.

:: Les Coles Thursday, April 01, 2004 [+] ::

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2004 Vibe award nominees announced

NOMINEES for the third annual Canadian gospel people's choice awards, the 2004 Vibe Awards, were announced March 31 in Toronto.

Nationwide fan voting for the winners begins on Friday, April 2 over the Internet at www.vibeawards.ca and through approximately 80 Christian retailers across the country. A random draw of gospel music fans from throughout Canada selected 128 fans to choose nominees. A full list of nominees is listed at the website.

British Columbia singer-songwriter Jill Paquette leads the list of 80 Christian artists nominated for the awards, with a total of five nominations. Eight months after releasing her debut CD, she is nominated for Artist of the Year, Female Soloist of the Year, New Artist of the Year, Contemporary/Pop Album of the Year and Song of the Year for the opening track, 'Come To Me'.

Two other worship-oriented artists have four nominations each, including Laurell Hubick of B.C. and Sean Dayton of Ontario. Five artists from five different provinces are three-time nominees, including the Saskatchewan-founded downhere, Ontario's FM Static, Manitoba rapper and Grammy nominee Fresh I.E., Alberta inspirational/world music artist Lianna Klassen and New Brunswick's pop quartet The LaPointes.

This year's Vibe Awards ceremony will be held at Toronto's 3,800-seat Queensway Cathedral May 15. Local football legend Mike 'Pinball' Clemons and his wife Diane will emcee the show, which will be taped for national broadcast over Global's Prime TV network, CTS, The Miracle Channel and NowTV in Vancouver.

It will be the culmination of a Vibe Gospel Music week (May 11-15) that will include a four-day showcase of emerging gospel music talent, artist seminars, a media/industry breakfast and a gala awards banquet.

Tickets are available through TicketMaster and all Blessings Christian Marketplace and R.G. Mitchell Family Books locations in the Toronto area.

More info:
Contact: 403-590-1574 or www.vibeawards.ca

:: Les Coles Thursday, April 01, 2004 [+] ::

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30th Robert Johnson recording found

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, NOTA Press Agency (April 1)—In what blues scholars and record collectors are hailing as the fmd of the century, a female San Antonian construction worker has announced that she has found a hitherto unknown Robert Johnson master labelled "Fool For You."

Johnson, regarded as the most influetial Delta bluesman in history, died in 1938, aged 27, leaving behind a slim legacy of 29 recordings. Leastwise, that is what has always been believed until ThursdaY's shock announcement.

Abril Inocente, 33, said she came across a metal cannister in a building being demolished next to the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, in which Johnson had his first recording session, during which he recorded 16 of what would become some of the most influential recordings in history.

Johnson was born in Hazelhurst, Miss., on May 8,1911. In performance, Johnson played his own songs as well as those of other bluesmen and generally popular music by performers such as Bing Crosby. When he made up his mind to record, in 1936, he approached H. C. Speirs, a white record store owner in Jackson, Miss.

Speirs sent Johnson to Ernie Oertle, an American Record Company scout. Oertle and Johnson went to San Antonio on Nov. 23, 1936.

On Monday, Nov. 23, Johnson recorded eight songs: "Kindhearted Woman Blues," "I Believe I'll dust My Broom," "Sweet Home Chicago," "Ramblin'on My Mind," "When You Got a Good Friend," "Come on in My Kitchen," "Terraplane Blues," and "Phonograph Blues." Also recording in the makeshift studio that day were Hermanas Barraza and a western vocal group called The Chuck Wagon Gang.

Later that night, Johnson apparently ran into trouble somewhere in downtown San Antonio. No one knows what happened, but as the story goes, Law had to bail him out of jail during his stay in San Antonio, and it may have been that Wednesday.

On the following day, Thanksgiving, Johnson returned to the studio, but for some unknown reason recorded only one song: "32:20 Blues." His voice sounds tired on the recording, perhaps because of little sleep he had gotten behind the bars of the Bexar County cooler.

He returned on Friday morning, apparently refreshed, and recorded "They're Red Hot," "Dead Shrimp Blues," "Cross Road Blues," "Walkin' Blues," "Last Fair Deal Gone Down," "Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped the Devil)," and "If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day."

Johnson returned to recording in Jume of 1937, this time in Dallas. He did two takes each of "Hellhound On My Trail," "Little Queen of Spades," "Malted Milk," "Drunken Hearted Man," "Me and the Devil Blues," "Stop Breakin' Down Blues," 'Y raveling Riverside Blues," and "Honeymoon Blues," and three takes of "Milkcow's Calf Blues," and four takes of "Love in Vain."

For years, these have been believed to be Johnson's total volume of recodings, altough rumours of a missing Johnson master have circulated for years, but music historians have dismissed them as wishful thinking.

"This certainkly changes our view of that," musicologist Tother Lomax said.

"I didn't know what it was at first," Inocente said. "But after I brushed the dust of the metal cannister, I saw a handwritten label saying: R. Johnson 'Fool for You'."

"Opening it up, I saw what looked like a large wheel of black cheese with mold on it," Inocente added.

Recordings of the era were recorded on large wax masters, that fit the description given, according to Parlaphone Record sound engineer Mizzen Shellac.

Johnson died after being poisoned by a jealous husband at a juke joint on Aug. 13, 1938, in Three Forks, just outside Greemwood, Miss., at which the bluesman had been playing.

:: Les Coles Wednesday, March 31, 2004 [+] ::

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Arlo Guthrie plays concert for Gibson Montana luthiers

Folk artist/political activist Arlo Guthrie performed a private concert on Friday, March 26, for the craftspersons from the Gibson Montana division (in Bozeman, Mont.) at the historic Gallatin Gateway Inn near Yellowstone Park. Guthrie made good on a promise he made over a year ago that he would return and play especially for the talented men and women who created the Gibson Woody Guthrie Father & Son guitar set. The guitars are a reproduction of Woody's 1945 Southerner Jumbo and Arlo's LG-2 ¾ that he received as a child in 1953 from his legendary father.

Luthiers Jim Davies and Sue Ehret presented Arlo with a J-200 Custom Vine, which he used for several songs during the evening. His two-hour set included the whimsical favorite, "The Motorcyle Song"; "Comin' Into Los Angeles," which was a highlight of Arlo's performance at the Woodstock festival in 1969; Steve Goodman's classic train song "City of New Orlean," a Top 40 hit for Arlo in 1972; and his father's timeless anthem, "This Land Is Your Land," which had the captive audience singing along.

It was in the rustic ballroom at the Gallatin Gateway Inn that Arlo told the story of his first guitar, the one he calls "a friend for life," to Gibson Montana's Robi Johns a few years ago. The wheels were set in motion that night for the Woody Guthrie Father & Son set, which was introduced by Gibson Montana in early 2003 as part of the Woody Guthrie 90th Year Celebration in Nashville, presented by Gibson Guitar and Baldwin Piano to benefit the Woody Guthrie Foundation and Archives. The ballroom was the setting for Friday's concert event as well, so the project has now come full circle.

:: Les Coles Wednesday, March 31, 2004 [+] ::

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Godfather to play land of Middle Earth

N.Z. gives James Brown special visa

New Zealand has granted James Brown a special visa to play there despite its policy barring convicted felons from entering the country.

According to the New Zealand Herald, the 70-year-old Sex Machine's past criminal record and legal woes—including a charge of criminal domestic violence in January for allegedly shoving his wife in a dispute—would normally have prohibited him from being allowed in.

But lucky for him, the government's Associate Immigration Minister Damien O'Connor felt good enough about Brown's situation to okay a special event work visa so he can get up and do his thing in a one-time only gig in Auckland on Wednesday night.

A spokesperson for O'Connor said such exceptions are not unusual, just so long as the convicted criminals aren't superbad and present no problems.

"In deciding to approve a special visa for Mr. Brown, the minister felt that the benefits of allowing Mr. Brown to visit New Zealand outweighed any conflicting concerns associated with his visit," Immigration Service spokesman Brett Solvander told the Herald.

A rep for the music legend was unavailable to comment on the visa. Brown will bring the funk to New Zealand after performing in Australia.

:: Les Coles Wednesday, March 31, 2004 [+] ::

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April Blues Events-1

Nothin' but the Blues 2004 : "Memphis Soul"

Atlanta History Center presents: Nothin' but the Blues 2004. The winner of the 2003 Blues Foundation "Keepin' the Blues Alive" award, continues the annual tradition of bringing together blues fans and musicians to celebrate this popular genre of music.

Celebrate Memphis blues with Georgia Music Hall of Fame inductee William Bell and international blues musician Trudy Lynn. This series is designed to entertain as well as communicate the history, evolution and impact of blues music on popular culture.

Thursday, April 1 and Friday, April 2
Doors open 6 p.m. ; Concert begins 7 p.m.

Single concert tickets are $20 for Members, $25 for Nonmembers. Reserved seats for single concerts are $30 for Members; $35 for Nonmembers. To charge tickets by phone, please call 404.814.4150 or purchase tickets online.

Support: Nothin' but the Blues is presented in partnership with Blind Willie's and True Blues productions. Presenting sponsor is Charles Schwab with additional support from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Publix Super Markets.

:: Les Coles Wednesday, March 31, 2004 [+] ::

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Blues fans honor Sonny Boy legacy

Jackson, TN (March 31)—The wail of Sonny Boy Williamson's trademark harmonica mingled with guitar and vocals on Tuesday in honor of what would have been the blues musician's 90th birthday.

About 15 people gathered at the Jackson Center for Independent Living to celebrate the life of Williamson, a Jackson native. JCIL Executive Director Glen Barr, a life-long blues fan, organized the event.

Mike Baker, audio-visual librarian at Jackson-Madison County Public Library, presented his research on the life and career of Williamson. Following that, James ''Shine'' Wilbourn on harmonica and vocals and George Hickerson on guitar gave their rendition of some of Williamson's songs. Their performance also featured other blues tunes, including one Barr wrote - ''Happiness is Technicolor, but the Blues is Black and White.''

Sonny Boy Bio
John Lee 'Sonny Boy' Williamson was born March 30, 1914, eight miles south of Jackson.

His mother gave him a harmonica, or blues harp, when he was a child.

Williamson was one of the first musicians to incorporate a harmonica into blues music. Before that it was considered a novelty item in the same category as the jug or kazoo.

Williamson played his new style of blues in St. Louis before moving to Chicago in 1934, where he became one of the founders of modern Chicago blues.

While in Chicago, Williamson formed a band and played at several clubs. One of the members of his band was blues legend Muddy Waters.

Williamson wrote the song 'Good Morning, Little School Girl,' which has been redone by artists such as Muddy Waters, Rod Stewart, the Grateful Dead and Johnny Winters.

A song by Williamson, 'The Jackson Blues,' incorporates Jackson.

Williamson was killed after being mugged on his way home from a gig. He died at age 34 on June 4, 1948. No suspects were caught, and the murder is still unsolved.

Williamson is buried in Blair's Chapel Cemetery on Old Blair's Chapel Road in Jackson.

Quotables
Sonny Boy was a great, great harp player. Without Sonny Boy, it would be hard to be able to imagine what a band structure would look like. The harp wasn't even included in the music union before Sonny Boy. He was the starting point of a style of music.
Mike Baker,audio-visual librarian at Jackson-Madison County Public Library

He's the one that first used the harp as an instrument (playing the blues).
Thomas Utley,Williamson's younger brother

He's a great blues singer from Jackson-Madison County. He's right up there with Muddy Waters and the rest of the great blues singers. I think without him we probably wouldn't have had rock and roll.
Glen Barr,executive director of the Jackson Center for Independent Living

Source: Jackson Sun

:: Les Coles Wednesday, March 31, 2004 [+] ::

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STONES ROLLING AGAIN?

THE ROLLING STONES are rumoured to be working on their first new album in seven years following a mysterious posting on their Web site.

An ambiguous statement on rollingstones.com has led to speculation that the ageing rockers have started working on their first studio album since 1997's Bridges To Babylon, reports LA's KIIS FM.

The statement reads: "The band's members are working on an unspecified project that necessitated the cancellation of drummer Charlie Watts' plans to tour Europe in the summer."

The announcement follows recent reports that the band will be touring next year and the news that the first of three singles box sets will be released this spring.

The Rolling Stones Singles 1963-1965 will come out this May on Abko Records followed by The Rolling Stones Singles 1965-1967 in summer 2005.

:: Les Coles Tuesday, March 30, 2004 [+] ::

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NOLA-The Frenchmen Fest

Somebody backstage at the Papa Grows Funk gig last night at Club Quattro Shibuya—might have been Papa John Gros himself— mentioned the gig below as a good one to get the booty to, if'n y'all in NOLA of course.

If'n y'all in Osaka tonight, or Kyoto tomorrow, then the places to be are Big Cat (Tel: 06 6258 5008) and Taku Taku (Tel: 075-351-1321), respectively, to catch PGF. Their performance last night was outstanding, I saw dead people get out of their grave to get up and bop. Really.



Meanwhile, back in NOLA

Frenchmen Block Party
Saturday May 1st

Cafe Brasil - 2100 Charters NOLA
New Monsoon 10:00pm
Vinyl 1:30am
Addison Groove Project 4:20am
DJ Motion Potion doing tweener sets all night


Blue Nile - 534 Frenchmen St.
The Soul of John Black 9:30pm
Kermit Ruffins 11:30pm
Tea Leaf Green 2:00am
Fantasyland Jam 5:00am
Featuring members of Tea Leaf Green, Fuzz, Papa Mali and more!
Megan Jacobs doing tweener sets all night

Tickets $15 ADV, $20 DOS

Contact Info:
Red Underground
5717 Arapahoe Ave., Ste201
Boulder, CO 80303
Web site: http://www.redunderground.com/frenchmen/
E-mail: info@redunderground.com

:: Les Coles Tuesday, March 30, 2004 [+] ::

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Fat Possum Chooses Neumann Mics

Oxford, MS (March 31)—Just over a dozen years old, Fat Possum Records was started by Matthew Johnson to seek out and record local Blues artists in the North Mississippi area. Bluesman like Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside were their first signed artists with seminal records recorded live in local 'juke joints.' Bruce Watson, who’s engineered and co-produced all of Fat Possum’s releases, and Johnson opened a studio as critical acclaim and financial reward came to Fat Possum, where nearly all the mics are either Neumann or Sennheiser.

Watson took over and converted an old school building in Water Valley Mississippi into the studio he calls The Money Shot. "My first Neumann mics were a pair of KM 184 cardioids," recalled Watson. "They were incredibly flexible. I like them for drum overheads, piano, acoustic guitars and for string basses, it's the best overall mic we own."

When asked how long it takes to do a Blues album, Watson exclaimed, "We've done them in three hours or in a whole year. Our basic Blues record top to bottom takes on average about three weeks. Ninety percent of the time we record everybody live all together and then sort it out afterwards. Most of our artists are two piece: electric guitar and drums with vocals--or just two guitars. You'll find that a lot in the hill country music--just two pieces. There is nothing that sounds like North Mississippi Hill Country Blues."

According to Watson, the miking set-up at the studio is fairly simple. "For electric guitars I use the Sennheiser MD 421 II dynamic and a single Neumann TLM 103 drum overhead with maybe a kick and snare mic--that's it. We record straight into our Studer A-80 two-inch 16-track and transfer to Digidesign Pro Tools. I only use Pro Tools for editing and mixing back to my MCI console."

A few years ago Watson bought a pair of TLM 103s and they quickly became his main vocal mics. "On vocals the 103 makes the singer jump out of the mix," Watson continued. "I run the 103 through a Neve 1073 pre-amp and add a little compression from an old Gates tube compressor and that's it. On drum overheads, the 103 is smoother on the top and fuller sounding. It picks up more of the kit. A lot of times I'll use the sound from just one 103 for my whole drum sound!"

Recently a new Neumann TLM 127 arrived at The Money Shop and it has already seen use on three sessions. The TLM 127 is a multi-pattern mic with a K 27 capsule derived from that used in the TLM 103. Watson said, "I last used the 127 on an R&B-flavored song where the acoustic had to be full and out front and the 127 was perfect. It sounds very comparable to the 103." Watson has started using the 127's omni mode even though all the musicians are playing and singing in the same room. Watson added, "I make a deal with the leakage, since there are virtually no overdubbing or fixing later in this music. We edit from take to take. My Neumann mics always sound consistent all session long. I'm set with omni mode on the TLM127 that's great for acoustic guitars and the TLM103 for vocals and drum overheads. Both these mics let me record this authentic American music the best it can be."

Neumann Web site: www.neumannusa.com
Fat Possum Web site: www.fatpossum.com/home.html

:: Les Coles Tuesday, March 30, 2004 [+] ::

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2004 W.C. Handy Music Festival

Mark your calendars and start making your travel arrangements for the W.C. Handy Music Festival, scheduled for July 25 through 31, 2004. Sponsored by the Music Preservation Society, this event is held annually in the Shoals area of Florence, Alabama.

(PRWEB) March 30 —A weeklong tribute to the "Father of the Blues," W.C. Handy. Festival visitors come from all over the U.S. as well as internationally, providing an economic tourism boost to northern Alabama. The first music festival dedicated to W.C. Handy was held in 1982 in the Shoals.

W.C. Handy, known as the "Father of the Blues", was born in a simple log cabin in Florence, AL on Nov. 16, 1873 and lived there until he was nineteen years old. Handy composed the famous tunes "St. Louis Blues," "Memphis Blues," "Yellow Dog Blues," and "Beale Street Blues".

Watch the official website of the "Handy Fest" for updates; including a calendar of events, sponsors, musicians, local maps and accomodations. Contact Nancy Gonce of the Music Preservation Society, Inc. for more information.

Phone: (256) 766-7642
Email: info@wchandymusicfestival.org

The official Web site of the W.C. Handy Music Festival: http://www.wchandymusicfestival.org



Contact Nancy Gonce of the Music Preservation Society, Inc. for more information.
Phone: (256) 766-7642
Email: info@wchandymusicfestival.org

The official Web site of the W.C. Handy Music Festival: http://www.wchandymusicfestival.org

Stay tuned to The Blues Blog for details as I get them

:: Les Coles Tuesday, March 30, 2004 [+] ::

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:: Les Coles Tuesday, March 30, 2004 [+] ::

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5th Kansas City Blues Festival

WHAT:
5th Kansas City Blues Festival

WHEN:
June 25th , 2004 Friday, 2 P.M. – 8 P.M.
June 26th, 2004 Saturday, 11:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M.

WHERE:
In front of Club Paradox on 3rd Street between Garfield and Parallel

WHO:
Friday June 25
from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m.
lineup includes:
   ◊ Blue River Ordonnance
   ◊ Levee Town
   ◊ Green Card
   ◊ Lawrence Wright and the Starlighters Memorial All-Star Show
   ◊ D.C. Bellamy, with special guest Ernie Johnson

Saturday June 26
from 11 p.m. until 8 p.m.
lineup includes:
   ◊ Jaisson Taylor
   ◊ Linda Shell's Blues Thang, with KC Kelsey Hill, and Richard Townsend
   ◊ The Scamps "70th Anniversary Celebration"
   ◊ Jay McShann "88 Years at the 88s Birthday Celebration"
   ◊ Tommy "Tuttie" Gadson, "Special Homecoming", with Eugene Smiley and Frank "Iron Jaw" Oakley
   ◊ Millage Gilbert our 2004 "Living Heritage Tribute King" of the festival

And celebrating the centennial birthdays of Count Basie and Jimmy Rushing

ADMISSION FREE — DONATIONS APPRECIATED

CONTACT:
Web site: http://www.kckstreetbluesfest.com/
Dawayne Gilley, President
Kansas City Kansas Street Blues Festival
816-247-2316
dawaynegilley@yahoo.com

Marvine McKeithen, Executive Director
Kansas City Kansas Street Blues Festival
913-328-0710

Jerry Thompson, Assisant Executive Director
Kansas City Kansas Street Blues Festival
Webmaster, www.kckstreetbluesfest.com
jt@kckstreetbluesfest.com
913-530-6332

Mailing address;
Kansas City Kansas Street Blues Festival
PO Box 171861
Kansas City, KS
66117

:: Les Coles Tuesday, March 30, 2004 [+] ::

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Carolina call to arms

Received this call to arms from friend John Amberg, seeking volunteers to help out at the the 18th annual Carolina Blues Festival (see posts below for details)

Dear Blues Friends:
No, the subject matter does not relate to orange and white Vols of the University of Tennessee,
but to VOLUNTEERS for the 18th annual Carolina Blues Festival!
(although if you are a Tennessee Vol and would like to volunteer, that's cool!)

We're still looking for volunteers to help us out in a few areas (beverage sales, door, etc). There are two easy ways to let us know you want to help:

A) go to www.piedmontblues.org, click on the blues festival, and then go to the volunteer page. You can do it electronically.

B) call us at (336) 275-4944 and leave a message letting us know that you're available.
Just leave your name, a way we can reach you, and how you'd like to help us.

Thanks!

John Amberg

jamberg@piedmontblues.org

:: Les Coles Monday, March 29, 2004 [+] ::

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The West Road Blues Band w/ June Yamagishi at Jirokichi

The folks at Jirokichi out in Koenji weren't joking went they put sold out next to the schedule listing for March 28.

The placed was PACKED with a capital S—as in sardine can.

It was more crowded than a Yamamote Line train at rush hour.

Even armed with a pass identifiying me as a member of His Imperial Majesty's Press Corp and a steel-bodied company (as in I don't pay for the repairs) Nikon, it took me 10 minutes to work my way up to the front of the stage to grab these shots.

The occasion?

The West Road Blues Band was playing a 30th anniversary special with
June Yamagishi.

Great gig.

After getting the shots I went over and joined the members of Papa Grows Funk at a Korean BBQ across the road.

The guys are playing tonight, and I serously advise you to get yo booty down to Club Quattro Shibuya to funkify yourself. You owe yourself a night out. Make it tonight and make it there.

Check out the preview here,
and a review of PGF's latest CD, Shakin' here.

By the by, I learned from Papa Gross that a line I wrote in the review is being used as a pull qoute on posters PGF are using.

:: Les Coles Monday, March 29, 2004 [+] ::

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Clarkesdale inaugural Juke Joint Fest ready to rock in April

The bands be booked, the pigs be ready to race and the posters are going up. Yes folks, spring has sprung all over the Mississippi Delta, and Clarksdale is ready to celebrate with its first-ever Juke Joint Festival & Planter's Celebration April 17.

"We'll have a petting zoo and train rides for the kids, music for the adults and racing pigs for the whole family," according to Bubba O'Keefe, festival chairman and president of the Downtown Development Association, lead sponsor of the event. "We're hoping to bring in plenty of out-of-town folks as well as give Clarksdalians something to be real proud of."

"We've got a ton of great music scheduled. The bands are excited and ready to go," said Roger Stolle, the event's music coordinator. "From Super Chikan's (see Feb 15 post for piece on Super Chikan) down-home blues to Bruce Brewer's retro rock, we'll have something for everyone. We expect the juke joint crawl at night to be an especially big hit."

The nighttime music venues range in capacity from 25 to 200 people. They include Clarksdale Station, Club 2000, Ground Zero Blues Club, Hopson Commissary, Jacqueline's Blues Bar, Red's Lounge and Sarah's Kitchen.

For the price of a $10 wristband, music fans can enjoy all seven venues plus take advantage of a Blues Bus shuttle that will circulate between the clubs, Visitor's Station and hotels.

For music lovers in search of a full day's entertainment, the festival will have that, too. "There will be street musicians playing around the old downtown, plus I'll have 'live' blues from 10 am to 5 pm at my blues record store, Cat Head on Delta," said Stolle. "Then, from 5 to 7 p.m. the Delta Blues Museum's main stage and from 7 to 9 p.m. Delta Amusement Cafe will both have blues." There will also be history tours given by bus, he says.

This will be the first major event organized by the non-profit Clarksdale Downtown Development Association, the group which runs the downtown Visitor's Station in the old Greyhound Bus Station. Pre-sale wrist bands can be charged by phone at Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art, 662-624-5992. They can be purchased in-person at Clarksdale's Visitor's Station, Cat Head, Bluestown Music or Miro's Music. In addition, festival posters, T-shirts and caps that benefit the non-profit event are available for purchase at the Visitor's Station and Cat Head, plus they will be sold at the festival itself.

Organizers are also looking for additional volunteers to ensure the day and nighttime events run smoothly. "We'll provide them with all they need to know plus some complementary gifts for helping out," according to organizer Nan Hughes. "We are also renting booth space to appropriate area vendors."


Additional event information and the musical line-up are available at www.jukejointfestival.com or by calling 627-4593.

To volunteer or rent booth space, contact Shanna Mayes at 627-4593 or e-mail info@jukejointfestival.com. "We've received several phone calls and emails from out of town," said festival organizer Carrie Ledbetter. "And our local support has been wonderful so far. We are really looking forward to a fun event."

Lineup (to date)
10:00am - 5:00pm -- Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art
Anthony Sherrod & Lee Williams (20-year-old bluesmen from Deep Cuts and Big T's bands), Steve Cheseborough & the Mississippi Spoonman (Sonny Boy Blues Society contest winners), Bill Abel & Cadillac John (76-year-old blues singer/harp player and his guitarist), Big T & the Family (tough Clarksdale blues trio) and more TBA! All FREE!

10:00am - 11:00am -- Club 2000 (small juke)
Mr. Tater a.k.a. "The Music Maker" ... highly original, local blues musician. FREE!

1:00pm - 2:00pm -- Clarksdale Visitors' Station (restored Greyhound Bus Station)
Bill Durham ... Americana roots music. Free!

2:00pm - until -- Delta Amusement Blues Cafe
Open Mic

TBA -- Delta Amusement Blues Cafe

TBA -- Bluestown Music
Marshall Drew and Friends ... FREE!

5:00 - 7:00pm -- Open Air Stage next to Delta Blues Museum
Barbara Looney and Mickey Rodgers Blues Band (strong, energetic vocalist backed by veteran Greenville, Mississippi blues band, including ex-Willie Foster & Bobby Rush guitarist Mickey Rodgers) FREE!

***Schedule Change***
James "Jimbo" Mathus was scheduled to play at this time; however, Jimbo was just hired as the full time guitar player for Buddy Guy.

7:00pm - 9:00pm -- Delta Amusement Blues Cafe
Terry "Harmonica" Bean ... one-man blues band from Pontotoc, Mississippi. FREE!

Night Events
9:00pm until ... - $10.00 Wristband (21 and older only)
Live music at the following local Juke Joints/Venues:

Hopson Commissary
(on grounds of old plantation ... lots of memorabilia and history)- Bruce Brewer and Friends ... rock and roots music.

Ground Zero Blues Club
(actor Morgan Freeman's Club)- James "Super Chikan" Johnson ... locally-based international blues star.

Red's Lounge
(30-something juke joint)- Wesley Jefferson Southern Soul Band ... real-deal juke joint blues band.

Sarah's Kitchen
(juke w/occasional food)- The Deep Cuts Blues Band ... hot band plays Delta blues and soul.

Jacqueline's Blues Bar
(named for this performer)- The Jaqueline Gooch Band ... blues and originals led by 12-year-old guitarist.

Clarksdale Station
(where Muddy Waters caught the train to Chicago in 1943) - Rock 'n Roll Band TBA

Club 2000
(small juke in the New World District)- Big T & Family ...local blues guitar hero and his band.

Juke Joint Shuttle ...
There will be a shuttle circulating among all the venues and hotels.

:: Les Coles Sunday, March 28, 2004 [+] ::

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Bluebird says Happy Centennial Fats

On April 20, Bluebird/RCA Victor Group will celebrate the 100th birthday of jazz, film and Broadway legend Fats Waller with a specially priced CD/DVD package Fats Waller: The Centennial Collection.

The specially priced package features a 21-track CD of Waller's vocal and instrumental recordings, plus a bonus 20-minute DVD of rarely seen "Soundies" film shorts as well as performance footage.

The newly remastered CD features pianist Waller leading his sextet, The Rhythm, through his greatest hits, including "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter," "Tain't Nobody's Business," "The Joint Is Jumpin'" and "Your Feet's Too Big".

Called "the greatest pianist jazz has ever known" by the All Music Guide to Jazz and "one of the great showmen of jazz" by MusicHound Jazz, Waller was truly an exuberant presence on the popular music scene of the 1920s, '30s and early '40s. He delivered buoyant performances steeped in stride piano, the blues and swing and enjoyed a lengthy recording career with Victor.

He began making records for the label in 1926 and hit the pay dirt in the '30s when he signed an exclusive contract with Victor that yielded such classic songs as "This Joint Is Jumpin'" and "Your Feet's Too Big."

:: Les Coles Sunday, March 28, 2004 [+] ::

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Guitar, Bluegrass Fans Get 'How-To Shows'

Fans of vintage guitars and bluegrass music are getting their dream construction shows on cable channel DIY: Do It Yourself, a sister network of Home & Garden TV.

DIY's "Handmade Music" and "Handmade Guitars" will look at how to build vintage-style guitars step by step.

"Handmade Music" is an eight-part series that premieres at 10 p.m. ET April 2. Ted Davis and John Arnold, known for making guitars from sought-after red spruce wood, are featured in the series.

The show also spotlights Lynn Dudenbostel demonstrating how to build guitars from scratch, including a look at the "gold standard" for bluegrass pickers, the D-28 from Martin Guitars. Dudenbostel is the exclusive crafter for Nickel Creek guitarist Chris Thile. Bluegrass group Kentucky Thunder also appears for a jam session.

"Handmade Guitars" is a one-hour special that focuses more on constructing a D-28 guitar. That show premieres at 6 p.m. ET May 23.

For more information, visit diynetwork.com

:: Les Coles Sunday, March 28, 2004 [+] ::

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All Songs Considered

I'm sure most Blues Bloggers will be familiar with NPR's excellent All Things Considered, which frequently contains musical interludes. As an expat in Tokyo, the program is certainly one of my lifelines to "the world."

But I've just learned there's a sister program called All Songs Considered that is pretty much what you'd think, and the great news is that you can listen to it over the Internet.

All Songs Considered has a tremendous archive you can access, here's a selection:

The Band, Count Basie, Blind Boys of Alabama, Solomon Burke,
R.L. Burnside, David Byrne, John Coltrane, Ry Cooder, Elvis Costello,
Cowboy Junkies, Rev. Gary Davis, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, Ginger Baker Trio,
Emmylou Harris, Alan Lomax, Wynton Marsalis, Medeski Martin and Wood, Charlie Musselwhite, Aaron Neville, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Robert Plant, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lou Reed, Django Reinhardt, Jimmy Smith, Patti Smith,
String Cheese Incident, Joe Strummer, Taj Mahal, The Talking Heads, Tarbox Ramblers, Linda Thompson, Loudon Wainwright, Tom Waits, Doc Watson, Carl Weingarten,The White Stripes, Hank Williams,Neil Young, Youngblood Brass Band

All Songs Considered is a multimedia, on-line music program. You can listen to music while viewing images of the artists. You can also read text about the music as it's playing. It's a great way to discover and learn more about artists who often don't get airplay.

Here's a sample episode listing:

Episode 58
From March 16, 2004: Contra music from the Portland Selection; Hawaiian ukelele master John King; Music of the Smiths by The Ukrainians; Glasgow's art school band Franz Ferdinand; Good news/bad news from Modest Mouse.

Featured Artist: Bob Dylan.

But wait! There's more:

You can submit original music for possible use on All Songs Considered. Just follow its submission guidelines.

You can also submit music for All Songs Considered Open Mic, which is a forum for music that is not widely known or available. It is not a second-string show; the program looks for material that is original and different from what one usually hears.

Full details on the All Songs Considered Web site: http://www.npr.org/programs/asc/about/index.html

:: Les Coles Sunday, March 28, 2004 [+] ::

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