:: Saturday, September 17, 2005 ::

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On the Web:

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Taj Mahal to play Rococo

NYC (Sept.18)—They call him a legend. They call him one of the greatest and most influential blues artists ever. But Taj Mahal doesn't necessarily buy it.

"That's what the books and journalists and reviewers say," he said. "I'm a man who gets up and puts his pants on just like any other man."

Mahal has never been one to buy into the mainstream. In the 37 years since the release of his first album, he's consistently shunned big deals and sales numbers for musical integrity and authenticity in his folk/roots/world blend of blues.

He brings his extensive and diverse catalog of music to Lincoln Wednesday for a 7 p.m. show at the Rococo Theatre, 140 N. 14th St.

Mahal's tendency for diversity in style and discovery of new sounds comes from a childhood filled with musical variety.

Born Henry St. Clair Fredericks in 1942, Mahal grew up in Massachusetts.

His father, a jazz pianist and composer, and his mother, a gospel singer, taught him to respect and celebrate his musical roots. As a child, he learned to play piano, clarinet, trombone, harmonica and guitar.

Intrigued by the roots of musicians from across the world that visited his parents, he began serious studies of African-American roots music.

While at the University of Massachusetts in the early '60s, he changed his name to Taj Mahal after the idea came to him in a dream.

Under the new moniker, he left New England for Los Angeles in 1964. He formed the blues group Rising Sons and landed opening spots for Otis Redding, Sam the Sham and the Temptations.

In 1967 he released his first album, a self-titled blues record that finally put to vinyl his extensive musical knowledge.

It was the beginning of a career that would lead him through experimentation with Caribbean, African, Latin, folk, jazz, gospel, pop and soul music and eventually earn him two Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary Blues Album for 1997's Señor Blues and 2000's Shoutin' in Key.

But even after two Grammys and more than 40 records, Mahal said he's not even close to putting down his guitar.

"I'm still in full flight," he said.

In addition to recording his own music, Mahal is helping other young artists find their way in the music industry through his label, Kandu Records.

He said Kandu exists to educate independent musicians about the music business and promote music that might not get heard if produced by major record labels.

"If you consider the music business is a $40 billion a year business, and 25 percent of it is independents, we hear those big guys, but where the hell is the independent stuff going on?" he said.

Mahal said he wants Kandu's artists to educate themselves on all aspects of the music industry and learn the value of work and self-dependence.

He doesn't want them relying solely on Kandu for exposure and success as some bands on major labels do.

"There's no sense in giving them some false sense of security that the big guys upstairs are going to take care of them," he said.

Mahal is a strong critic of major labels, which he said exercise too much control over their artists and promote music with weak messages and little social value.

"That's why you see big-bottomed girls and rappers with bling-bling not talking about anything political," he said. "It has to be in context, man. If guys are talking about something that happened to them in the streets, that's fine. That's their story.

"But they don't have to be talking about the gold they got and ‘I'm better than you,' and ‘I've got beef with you.' That ain't what (Kandu) is about."

Mahal said he likes to see musicians make a statement with their music. It's all part of participating in the political process, he said.

"Otherwise you're just another wanker out there whining," he said.

As for his own music, Mahal continues to explore new sounds and styles. He recently finished an album showcasing the music of Zanzibar, and this month Mahal starts his tour as the Taj Mahal Trio, the first tour of its kind for the blues musician.

"What was happening in larger orchestrations, there's not room for me to play parts," Mahal said. "I'm essentially a guitar player and I'm interested in moving forward with my music. I wanted to have more opportunity to play out."

But the trio format, which includes Mahal, bassist Bill Rich and drummer Kester Smith, isn't as new as people think, Mahal said.

"It's new to you all," he said. "These two guys are the rhythm section that's played with me since back when. They've officially been my rhythm section in anything I've done."

Mahal said the trio creates more opportunities for "playing out" as if in a jam session.

"We kind of go into a jazz situation," he said. "The solos make sense."

Those who attend Wednesday's performance shouldn't expect to sit silently through the show.

"It's been a long time since I played there (in Lincoln)," he said. "People should come ready to dance and communicate with the people on stage."

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INFO:
What: Taj Mahal Trio, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Where: Rococo Theatre, 140 N. 13th St.
When: Wednesday, doors open at 6:30 p.m., music at 7:30 p.m.
Admission: $46 for floor seats, $37.50 for orchestra and lower level, $28.50 for balcony; ages 18 and over

Source: JOEL GEHRINGER / Lincoln Journal Star

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Aretha Desperate to Lose Weight

(Sept. 17)—Soul queen Aretha Franklin is on a desperate mission to lose weight and she has been so inspired by TV star Kirstie Alley's drastic slim down, she's signing up to join Jenny Craig.

The singer faces a constant struggle to lose weight, but now she's getting serious about shedding the pounds.

She says, "Jenny Craig is real high on my list of priority."

Franklin admits her biggest problem is not being able to eat healthily while touring.

She adds, "When I'm at home... I've got it going on and then you have to leave town and everything changes and it just disrupts all of the good work that you've done."

Source: WSUS / World Entertainment News Network

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B.B. King turns 80

Celebrate the King's birthday by sending a B.B. King e-card


WASHINGTON (Sept. 17)—They came to see B.B. King. But before the night was over, the hundreds who lined up at a bookstore in Washington D.C. could be forgiven for thinking the blues legend had really come to see them.

As the line snaked toward a table where he recently signed copies of his book, King held court, telling one fellow he wished he was still as young and handsome as he was. To a young woman he said, "There's nothing prettier than a woman with dimples." Others got a handshake or a smile as they thanked him for a song or performance that meant a lot to them.

And each got an autograph on their newly minted copy of "The B.B. King Treasures" (Bullfinch Press).

Around his neck hung his latest honor: a medallion from the Library of Congress proclaiming him a "Living Legend." Though deserving of the title, King seems more resigned that proud.

"At 80," he says, "I'm not really ashamed to hear people say it."

King turned 80 on Friday. He still performs, has a CD in the works, and a museum dedicated to his life is to open next year in his native Mississippi.

For a man who has met four sitting presidents (both Bushes, Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton) and one Pope (John Paul II), King says it was his home state that gave him the biggest thrill of his career so far.

On February 15, the Mississippi Senate and Gov. Haley Barbour honored him with B.B. King Day.

"I cried, because I never believed that yours truly or any black person like myself would ever be honored there as they honored me."

Despite the state's troubled racial past, King says Mississippi has gone through "quite a change," and these days he feels at home there.

His close ties to the Gulf Coast region has King worried these days, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. But unlike some celebrities like the rapper Kanye West, King doesn't believe the slow response reflects a lack of sensitivity for the mostly poor and mostly black victims.

Administration officials "are doing the best they know how to do," he said. At the same time, he allows that if he were among those affected, he might feel differently.

As for those who say New Orleans shouldn't be rebuilt, King takes a page out of history for his response: "Galveston (Texas) was devastated just like New Orleans is today ... it was built back and better."

"New Orleans will be built again, and better."

Though he remains popular and is widely viewed as the man who epitomizes the blues, King is not without his critics. Some detractors say he performs a derivative form of the blues; others say his brand lacks the depth it should have.

King has heard them all, and isn't fazed. He says all the naysayers do is make him feel "like I've been black twice."

While he has a ready answer for critics, King draws a blank when asked why so few African-Americans appreciate the blues. He shakes his head slowly and chuckles: "When you find out, you let me know and we'll talk about it."

At 80, one thing King does talk about is his mortality. He has diabetes and other health problems, and his walk is a slow shuffle. Asked what he'd like people to think of when they hear his name, he sees the question for what it is, an attempt to coax a comment that can be used, if needed, for his obituary.

And he obliges.

"When I pass on I would like people to think of me as a guy who loved people and wanted to be loved by them. I'd like for people to think of me as a next door neighbor, one that they could trust."


Source: By Oscar Wells Gabriell II Associated Press

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Rock Hall Snubs 1980

(Sept. 16)—Apparently, 1980 just wasn't a rockin' year.

In the way of the music world, acts that have seen 25 years elapse since the release of their first record become eligible to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

However, the Rock Hall nominating committee snubbed the newly eligible class of 1980 entirely, seemingly unable to find a band worthy of putting on the ballot sent out to voters this week.

That left room for perennial nominees such as Black Sabbath (now on their eighth bid), Lynyd Skynyrd (seventh bid), the Sex Pistols and the Stooges (five bids apiece).

Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Fivewhich last year became the first rap act nominated to the Rock Hall, has another chance this year to become the first rap act inducted.

Other holdovers from previous years include the J. Geils Band, John Mellencamp, the Patti Smith Group, Chic and Joe Tex.

First-time nominees to the eclectic ballot include Miles Davis, Cat Stevens, Blondie, the Paul Butterfield Band, the Dave Clark Five and the Sir Douglas Quintet.

The 2006 induction ceremony will be held in New York, though no other details have been released. Inductees will be announced before the end of the year.

Davis, known for his jazz mastery, may seem an odd choice for the Rock Hall. However, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame CEO Terry Stewart, who also sits on the nominating committee, said that Davis influenced many rockers musically and in terms of his attitude.

The trumpet player was born in Alton, Illinois, and raised in St. Louis. From the 1940s until his 1991 death from pneumonia, respiratory failure and a stroke at age 65, he pushed the limits of jazz, experimenting with everything from bebop to jazz fusion and beyond.

Stevens, who is now known by the name Yusuf Islam, sold scads of his gentle folk ballads in the 1960s and '70s, including "Moonshadow," "Peace Train" and "Wild World."

In 1977, the singer abandoned his musical career and became a Muslim. Last fall, he was deported from the United States after his name popped up on a federal no-fly list while he was on a plane bound from London to Washington D.C.

New wave rockers Blondie, led by Debbie Harry, topped the charts in the late '70s and early '80s with hits such as "Heart of Glass" and "Call Me."

The Paul Butterfield Band, led by harmonica-blowing singer Paul Butterfield, earned a place in musical immortality when the blues band backed Bob Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. Butterfield died of a heroin overdose in 1987.

Disco scenesters Chic scored their first massive hit in 1977 with "Dance, Dance, Dance." Frontman Nile Rodgers later went on to produce hits for artists including Madonna, Debbie Harry and David Bowie.

The Dave Clark Five was a wildly successful British Invasion band in the 1960s with 24 hit records Stateside, including "Over and Over" and "I Like It Like That." In the height of the band's fame, the Dave Clark made a record 13 appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show before breaking up in the early 1970s.

The J. Geils Band came together in Boston in 1967 and scored hits such as "Must of Got Lost" and "Give It to Me" in the '70s before rising to the top of the charts in 1981 with the catchy teen-obsession anthem "Centerfold." Other hits include "Freeze Frame" and "Love Stinks."

Heartland singer Mellencamp, known for his numerous Top 10 singles such as "Jack and Diane," "Hurts So Good" and "Pink Houses," released his first album in 1976 and cofounded Farm Aid with Willie Nelson.

The Sir Douglas Quintet was formed in San Antonio in the 1960s and scored a 1965 hit single, "She's About a Mover." Frontman Doug Sahm died in 1999 of heart failure.

The Patti Smith Group was signed to Arista by Clive Davis and released its first album, Horses, in 1975. The group's no-frills approach to rock paved the way for the punk movement that followed.

Tex was a soul singer, who scored his biggest hit with 1972's "I Gotcha." He converted to Islam that same year and changed his name to Joseph Hazziez . He died in 1982.

Nominees are picked by a 70-member committee of rock 'n' roll historians, journalists and label execs, with ballots then mailed to an international voting body of 700 music industry types for the final decision. The five to seven nominees that receive the most votes will be inducted into the Rock Hall next year.


Source: by Sarah Hall E! Online

2005 Inductees
performers
Buddy Guy
The O'Jays
The Pretenders
Percy Sledge
U2

lifetime achievement
Frank Barsalona
Seymour Stein

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On the Web:
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

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Send a Dr. John e-card

Click to send a Dr. John e-card

Dr. John & Lower 911 Japan tour

Lineup: Dr. John & The Lower 911
Dr. John: piano, organ, vocals
David Barard: electric bass, vocals
Herman Ernest III: drums, vocals
John Fohl: electric guitar, vocals

Dates/venues
Sept. 16-21 Tokyo Blue Note (2 Shows per night)

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On the Web:
Dr. John's Web site

Blue Note Tokyo

Mo Tokyo-Blues e-cards

Dr. John's blues for New Orleans
My article for The Daily Yomiuri (Sep.15)

Earlier exclusive interview with Dr. John

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Bluebird Blues Festival

The 13th Annual Bluebird Blues Festival will be held from 1-6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, 2005.

NBC4 has joined forces with Prince George's Community College to produce this event on the college's campus.

It will feature some of the best-loved blues performers who have performed at the festival in the past. Blues music lovers and those who just want to have a wholesome, good time will join together as blues music resonates on the campus grounds.

This year's event will take place at a new location on campus. It will be held on the grounds outside of Novak Field House and Queen Anne Auditorium (301 Largo Road, Largo, Md.)

Performers will include Dr. SO Feel Good, Tom Larsen Band, The Jewels, Bobby Rush, Daryl Davis, Barry Pearson, Blue Rhythm Boys, Cephas and Wiggins, and Eddie Day and Denise.

Free admission to the event also provides attendees access to children's activities, food, giveaways and a variety of vendors wares.

The Festival is a valuable cultural experience for all ages with live performances, blues workshops and children's activities.

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On the Web:
Bluebird Blues Festival

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Dr. John opens at Blue Note Tokyo

Lineup: Dr. John & The Lower 911
Dr. John: piano, organ, vocals
David Barard: electric bass, vocals
Herman Ernest III: drums, vocals
John Fohl: electric guitar, vocals

Dates/venues
Sept. 16-21 Tokyo Blue Note (2 Shows per night)

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On the Web:
Listen to Dr. John's New Orleans Sound on NPR's World Cafe

Dr. John's Web site

Blue Note Tokyo

Dr. John's blues for New Orleans
My article for The Daily Yomiuri (Sep.15)

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Floyd Lee, Clara E Delta Blues Project Tour Japan 2005

Floyd Lee, Clara E., Mitsu

Floyd Lee (a.k.a. Ted Williams) and Clara E are playing Japan Sept.15-25 with Mitsu and The Delta Blues Project, Blues Brother Mitsu informs me.

Floyd Lee biography
Born in August 1933 and given away by his mother when only a few months old, Floyd spent the first 10 years of his life growing up in Lamar, Mississippi near Holly Springs. During the summer, he would often hear his adopted father sing blues songs while working in the cotton fields.

Going to school in Memphis during the winter months living in a house located in Webbs Alley, Floyd would sneak out at night to watch his father, who was known in the local blues scene as Guitar Floyd, perform with other bluesmen such as young Guitar Slim. Inspired by his father Floyd would play his guitar when he wasn't looking. He remembers the guitar neck being too big for his hands. "Back in Mississippi, I remember a bluesman that would go from house to house, selling his 78 and would let you listen to it on a wind-up victrola, which he would carry with him. You'd hold up a tin can to your ear that he had hooked up to it and you could hear what he recorded. I don't remember his name." Floyd also recalls, "In Memphis my school was right on Beale Street. There was a park close to the school with a piano in it and there would always be this guy playing it. I would go watch him as much as I could. Then I'd also go down to the New Daisy (movie theatre) and me and my cousins would sneak in the side door."

Floyd left the South early on, put on a bus at the age of 10 and sent on his own, with a sign around his neck that simply read "Chicago".

Staying with relatives briefly, "right up there under the L train", he earned a living by shining shoes on 43rd and Indiana. "I was always a working man." He spent some time in Flint Michigan before moving on to Cleveland Ohio in 1947.

One of his early memories of living in Cleveland was winning a contest by selling the most newspapers (Cleveland Plain Dealer) to be a batboy for the Cleveland Indians for two weeks. "They won the world series that year. That was 1948. I still remember the lineup."

Floyd sang in the church choir where his talents as a singer were recognized. The preacher thought so highly of him that he gave Floyd his first guitar (a Gibson T125 electric with one pick up in the middle). Floyd converted the pulpit's PA system into a portable amplifier by hooking it up to a battery. This allowed him to play anywhere outdoors where electricity wasn't available. This was quite a novelty in the 1950s.





Cutting his teeth on Nat King Cole songs and later moving into Jimmy Reed material, Floyd made a name for himself around town as a singer and a guitar player at various gigs and rent parties using his portable system. Word got around, eventually landing him some regular gigs with Jimmy Reed, sitting in for Eddie Taylor when he couldn't make it (Eddie was Jimmy's main sideman). One of the more prestigious gigs was a show that included Stevie Wonder, The Supremes along with Jimmy Reed on the bill. "Jimmy would swing by the house and pick me up." While living in Columbus one memorable gig was opening for Wilson Pickett at the Club Regal.

Floyd moved to New York in the early seventies finding work in Spring Valley, eventually settling down in Harlem. Working for twenty-seven years as a doorman at the Normandy Apartments (86th & Riverside Dr.). Floyd continued to play the blues whenever he could and has made himself known around New York City as a true blues original. Floyd Lee has been there and done that. Retiring a few years back, he has been pushing himself harder than ever in keeping the blues alive. He is a self-driven bluesman who follows his own path. He has a distinct style all his own. Known locally as the "King of Harlem" or "Mississippi Delta Blues" or simply "Bluesman", Floyd has played constantly in NYC for the past 30 some years.

He was a founding member of the Music Under New York program in the mid 1980's and has performed at such events as NYC Mayor Dinkins Inauguration and entertained visiting dignitaries such as Nelson Mandela. Yet for all these years keeping a low profile... until now when Floyd is ready to take on the world.


A bit about Mitsu:
I first met Mitsu at the Hoochie Coochie blues club in Daikanyama, Tokyo, when I stopped in for a beer on the way to see Pamela MacCarthy, who was playing at Tableaux, just down the road.

I was immediately taken by Mitsu's raw, burning passion for the blues. A commodity not often encountered in young bluesmen. He has a passion for the blues that couldn't be beaten down with a three-foot stick. I got proof of this later that night when, inbetween sets,he told me that he had played the Appollo Theater in Harlem not once—but twice.

And that takes a big pair of brass ones.

When Mitsu lived in New York for three years where he played with Floyd Lee (a.k.a. Ted Williams), who is the cousin of John Lee Hooker.

"He taught me a lot of things, about Mississippi, about Soul Food, how to live in Harlem... whatever," Mitsu says.

Since coming back to Japan, Mitsu has continued to play the blues, putting together The Delta Blues Project.

Mitsu is a real bluesman. The blues course thru his veins like the Mississippi course thru the Delta.

To get his message out, Mitsu has assembled The Delta Blues Project, comprising himself on guitar and vocals, Takezoo on guitar, Hide on Drums and Meidai on bass.

Check 'em out below

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DELTA BLUES PROJECT Vol.1
1. Red Dress
2. Chameleon
3. Oborotsukiyo (Music & Lyric / Mitsu)
4. Annie had a baby
5. Senjou no tsuki (Give me one drink,just before I go) (Music / Mitsu)
6. Walkin' like a Dog (Music / Mitsu)
7. I remember our Soul (Music & Lyric / Mitsu)

Distributed by COMPOZILA .INC
a.e.records AECA-10010
Price ¥1,500
Available: HMV, TOWER RECORDS,Virgin MEGASTORE, DISC UNION, TSUTAYA and SHINSEIDOU.

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Floyd Lee, Clara E Delta Blues Project Tour Japan 2005

Lineup:
Floyd Lee (Gt. & Vo), Clara E (Vo.), Mitsu (Gt.),Takezoo (Gt.), Meidai (Ba.), Hide (Dr.)

Tour Schedule:

--TOKYO--
Sept. 17 (Sat)
Nostalgic BAR "PA TRUSH"
(near JIYUGAOKA station on Toyoko Line)
START 20:00 DOOR 2000yen
First 30 reservations only, e-mail pa-trush@sacrasac.com or phone 03-3724-7355
http://www.pa-trush.com/

--SAITAMA--
Sept. 18 (Sun)
SAITAMA, KUMAGAYA-SHI
JAZZ & BLUES Festival Heat Breeze Festival 2005
Location: KUMAGAYA-SHI SPORT BUNKA PARK (KUMAGAYA-SHI, SAITAMA-KEN)
Advance: ¥4,000 DOOR: ¥4,500
more info/Phone : 048-529-1745
http://www.heatbreeze.com/


--TOKYO--
Sept. 19 (Mon)
CLUB HOT SHOT
MARUYAMA Bldg. B1F, 1-17-7 HYAKUNIN-CYOU SHINJUKU-KU, TOKYO
PHONE : 03-3366-8681
OPEN 19:00 START 20:00　
DOOR ¥2,500
http://homepage2.nifty.com/hotshot/


--SENDAI--
Sept. 21 (Wed)
BLUES CLUB HEAVEN
YAMASHITA Bldg B1F, 3-1-12 KOKUBUN-CYOU AOBA-KU, SENDAI-SHI, MIYAGI
PHONE : 022-268-2771
OPEN 19:00 START 20:00　
DOOR ¥3,000
http://www.blues-heaven.com/index.html


--FUKUSHIMA--
Sept. 22 (Thurs.)
BLUES　CLUB NAMAZU-TEI
(NAMAZU means CATFISH in Japanese)
SAKAE-MACHI Bldg 3F, 11-10 SAKAE-MACHI, FUKUSHIMA-SHI, FUKUSHIMA
Phone: 024-522-7013
OPEN 19:00 START 20:00　
DOOR ¥3,000

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On the Web:
DELTA BLUES PROJECT
http://www.floydlee.org/
http://www.floydlee.com

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Steve Gardner's September gig guide

9/17 (Sat) Ebisu: What the Dickens (Band)
Free 8:30
http://www.towncryer.jp/


9/20 (Tue) Roppongi: Bourbon Street (solo) free 9:00
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　http://www.bourbonstreet-tokyo.com/


9/27 (Tue) Roppongi: Bourbon Street (solo) free 9:00
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　http://www.bourbonstreet-tokyo.com/


9/29 (Thur) Shinagawa: Tribeca (Band) 800yen 6:45
JR Shinagawa Station, "Atre" 4F
http://tribeca.cc/

9/30 (Fri) 　Takadanobaba: The Fiddler (Band) Free 9:00
http://www.thefiddler.com/

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Send a B.B.King e-card

Celebrate the King's birthday by sending a B.B. King e-card

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At 80, B.B. King still works for the blues

Still on the road, the music icon describes his struggle to succeed


Music legend B.B. King, shows one of his CDs during a ceremony Monday at the Library of Congress in Washington. He was given a Living Legend award, more proof of his profound role in American music.
Credit: Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP


ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (Sept. 15)—Now that he's a beloved musical icon, turning 80 and embraced by both blacks and whites, it's difficult to understand that B.B. King comes from a time when there were two Americas.

Before the 13 Grammys, induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Kennedy Center honors, the eponymous night clubs, even before he picked up a guitar, the blues singer picked cotton, drove tractors and sawed wood. He never finished high school.

And despite all the fame, the worldwide accolades and the records with rock kings like Eric Clapton and Bono, he has never forgotten growing up in the segregated South, where they just opened the B.B. King museum in Indianola, Mississippi, near his birthplace on a plantation.

"We went through some hard times," King, who turns 80 Friday, recalled. "Let me tell you this, if we didn't have good white friends during that era when I was growing up, there would be no blacks in Mississippi. At that time, a white person could kill you any time they wished and nothing would ever be done about it.

"But there was a lot of white people who didn't believe in that and wouldn't allow it. So I was lucky."





Sitting in his tour bus before a House of Blues gig in Atlantic City, King talked in an interview about life on the road, of his 30 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, of his love of flying and nature and old cowboy movies. But mostly, he talked about the blues, that music, which like King himself, grew out of the suffering and hardships of plantation labor.

"I think of blues this way: It's life as we've lived it in the past, life as we're living it today and life I believe we will live tomorrow. Because, to me, it has to do with people, places and things," he said.

"Now this old bus here may be OK, but 10 years from now there's no telling what buses will look like, it's the same with blues."

But considering that a majority of his audiences are boomer-generation whites and young blacks have turned their back on the blues for rap, isn't the music irrelevant now?

"No," he said. "I don't think it's the same as it was and ever will be because each generation bring their own people.

"Think of it this way: Beethoven and Brahms and all those guys, the music hasn't changed, the people have. But you still hear it and it's still good. I think of the blues the same way."

Working for the blues
Asked about his punishing 300-plus days-a-year touring schedule, King said: "I only had three months off in 60 years.

"I haven't been lucky like some of the rock 'n' roll players. A lot of them go out for three or four months and then they stop for two or three years. I've never been able to do that, I'm a blues singer."

"Blues singers, blues players, we haven't been popular," said King, a bear of a man laid low now by diabetes that forces him to sit on stage with his guitar "Lucille" across his lap.

But it is obvious that King, who had a big hit in 1970 with "The Thrill is Gone," still gets a thrill from performing.

At age 80, doesn't he ever consider retiring? "I couldn't afford to do it," King laughed. "I have days off, but we don't get airplay like other styles of music, so I learned at an early age that unless I go out and carry music to the people, it sure don't come to them by air."

He harks back to the plantation in Itta Bena, Mississippi, where he was born on Sept. 16, 1925. "I never thought I'd make 80 years, even 50 seemed very old, because where I grew up in the country there, we didn't have the medicines, the doctors, the hospitals, like people in the city have.

"The Bible says three score and ten and here I am a bit older than that," he giggled. "I've been in 18 automobile accidents, but I've never had one myself ... it was always someone else!"

Always busy
King said he was driving at age 13. "I was a truck driver, a tractor driver. I picked cotton, I plowed (with) mules. I did most of the stuff people do on a plantation, your work is never done. You survive."

And survive, he has, to become probably the last of the blues greats after the deaths of two Mississippi contemporaries -- R.L Burnside this month and John Lee Hooker in 2001.

The break came after the war when King hitch-hiked to Memphis and got a job as a disc-jockey at radio station WDIA. People heard his guitar-playing and singing and he recorded with the legendary Sam Phillips, who later founded Sun Records.



King's first break came when he landed a spot on radio station WDIA
in Memphis. Circa 1948 photograph: Michael Ochs Archives.com. Used by permission.



It was in Memphis where Riley King won the nickname "The Beale Street Blues Boy," which was shortened to just "Blues Boy" and then B.B.

King's first record was cut with the Nashville label, Bullet, and typically for a musical pro, he remembers the tracks. "There were four sides. I was married at the time -- so one was called 'Miss Martha King,' the second was 'How Do You Feel when Your Baby Packs Up to Go,' the third was 'Take a Swing with Me' and the fourth 'I've Got the Blues.'"

[Download a 329k, 42 sec .wav file sample of "Miss Martha King"]

Hundreds of recordings later, King's career is being feted, with Virgin putting out a double album of his early hits and Geffen/Universal releasing B.B. King and Friends - 80" which features him playing with the likes of Clapton, Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, Elton John and Sheryl Crow.

Also there is a book, "The B.B. King Treasures," from Bullfich Press, which is full of facsimiles of memorabilia --notes, photos, programs -- from King's life.

As for his 80th birthday, what was King doing to celebrate at his home in Las Vegas? "I haven't planned to do anything. Not a thing at all." he said.

Source: Reuters / MSNBC

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On the Web:
Read an exclusive BB King Interview on tokyo-blues.com

:: Les Coles Thursday, September 15, 2005 [+] ::

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Dr. John on NPR's World Cafe

CYBERSPACE (Sept. 14)—As the nation witnesses the trials of New Orleans, World Cafe offers a show dedicated to the music of Louisiana and Mississippi. David Dye has a classic session with New Orleans icon Dr. John, focusing on the incredible music and culture of the Big Easy.

The two spoke on the occasion of Dr. John releasing his album N'Awlinz: Dis Dat or d'Udda. Of the music, John says, "I was trying to take people on a spiritual journey -- show a little bit of the spiritual side of New Orleans, and my pictures of the streets, and then take them back to the spiritual side."


Source: NPR

Set List
Songs Dr. John plays for 'World Cafe':
"When The Saints Go Marching"
"Walk On Gilded Splinters"
"You Ain't Such a Muc

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On the Web:
Listen to Dr. John's New Orleans Sound on NPR's World Cafe

:: Les Coles Thursday, September 15, 2005 [+] ::

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Happy Birthday B.B.!

B.B. King, The King of the blues, turned 80 Friday, Sept. 16

:: Les Coles Thursday, September 15, 2005 [+] ::

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No Cover News--September

This in Blues Brother Mike Boulan:

Hello from No Cover Productions, here is the news for September


Benefit CD for New Orleans & others effected by the Hurricane
No Cover has decided to open up our studio for three days.(Sept 21st, 22nd, & 23rd) Any Bands who want to help the victims may come by and cut 1 song for the 2 CD's we are planning. Blues For Katrina will benefit all the victims and Blues for Katrina & the McDowell Family will benefit the familys of the three sisters of local bluesman Odell "Bluesboy "D" who lost everything in the Hurricane.

09/22/05 (Thursday) 2005 Detroit Blues Challenge/Motor City Breakdown continues with round two of the blues band competitions at Memphis Smoke, 100 S Main at 11 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 248-543-4300. There is no cover charge to attend. Scheduled to perform are; The Chris Canas Blues Revolution, Frog and the Beeftones, The Bluescasters, and The Sax Maniacs. Band names will be drawn for order of appearance at 7pm. The Competition begins at 8pm.

09/24/05 (Saturday) Celebrate Uncle Jessie White's 85th Birthday at the Attic Bar (9pm), 11667 Jos. Campau, Hamtramck, MI 313-365-4194. Uncle Jessie White & the 29th Street Blues Band will be on stage and there is a $5 cover charge.Everyone is invited to bring a food dish to share if they wish to do so. Many special guests are expected to be there. The list of blues musicians who have jammed at Uncle Jessie's house or worked gigs with him would fill volumes. This legendary blues man is indeed a Detroit treasure

Other Events
2005 Motor City Breakdown Band Competition Round #4 is October 13th
Detroit Blues Society Meeting & Concert is October 27th
Detroit Blues Society Meeting & Concert is November 17th
2005 Motor City Breakdown Finals is November 27th

Thanks to all who came to the 10th annual Heatstock festival on July 29th and 30th this marked 10 years of blues and BBQ.

August's Release:
We have finished the sessions to record the great John Sinclair - Poet & Writer.

The resulting CD titled Country Blues - Fattening Frogs For Snakes Vol. #2" is a collection of pieces from John's Book "Fattening Frogs For Snakes" John is a legend in Detroit, among many accomplishments, he was the manager of the MC5, founder of the White Panther Party, organizer of the first Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz festivals and he also wrote the book, "Guitar Army", which spawned 2 great concerts of the same name in the 80's. No Cover President Mike Boulan attended both shows and thought they were incredible. We are honored to work with such a great activist.

July's Releases:
Lonesome Dave Paul Has released his first CD ever! At the 10th annual Heatstock Sit Down Bluesman became available for the first time. also released at Heatstock: The Best Of Heatstock 04 a compilation Cd. This is the 4th Cd in the best of Heatstock series.

This one features the best of the 2004 heatstock show.

Junes Releases:
Bobby Murray has two releases coming out, the long
awaited live CD Live & Lowdown!, recorded here in Detroit, and we arere-issuing Bobby's first Cd previously issued on the Viceroots label
The Blues Is Now Bobby also plans on starting a new studio project in the near future.

Also The Blues Challenge Finals CD is here. The Detroit Blues Society & No Cover Productions have released a CD featuring two songs from each band who played at the finals of the Blues Challenge, November 28th, 2004 at Tenny Street in Dearborn Mi. The list of bands includes: The Billy Davis Rhythm Machine...The Crossroads Blues Band...The Bob Halverson Blues Band...Crossing X...Lady Sunshine & The X Band...Mojo & The Boogieman...Leonard Moon...and Travelin' Blues.

We have issued the No Cover Samplers (a 2 CD set) The First 14 - 14 songs from the first 14 cds and The Next 14 - 14 songs from the next 14 cds (we now have over 40 CDSto choose from!)

Other upcoming projects include, The Flatrock Riverfest new studio release from Bobby Murray, a studio CD reissue from Walin' Inc., and Mystery Train live with Motor City Josh.

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On the Web:
No Cover Productions
Detroit Blues Society

:: Les Coles Wednesday, September 14, 2005 [+] ::

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New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Having just posted news of the New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band upcoming appearance at the Koh Samui Music Festival, here's an update at what's happening at Preservation Hall.

New Orleans (Sept. 8)—We are happy to report that we have made contact with the following musicians of Preservation Hall. John Brunious, Joseph Lastie, Rickie Monie, Carl LeBlanc, Ralph Johnson, Lester Caliste, Lucien Barbarin, Ben Jaffe, John Royen and we have been assured that other are well. Please get in touch with us to let us know where you are.

Please Make A Donation
Please donate to the New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund.
This fund is established by Preservation Hall to provide musicians with financial support during this tragic time. All of the proceeds raised through this fund will go directly to New Orleans musicians. Thank you for your continued support.

You can currently only donate by calling 1-888-229-7911 and providing your credit card info over the phone or by sending a check to:
New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund
PO Box 9081
Miramar Beach, FL 32550

Donation by phone is preferred at this time.

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On the Web:
Preservation Hall

:: Les Coles Wednesday, September 14, 2005 [+] ::

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Thai music festival welcomes Gulf artists

BANGKOK (Sep. 14,)—Three musical acts from the Hurricane Katrina-devastated Gulf Coast are among the reggae, rock, jazz and blues legends to perform on a Thai resort island for a music festival starting Sept. 23, an event spokeswoman said Wednesday.

New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Ike Turner from Mississippi are scheduled to perform during the 10-day Koh Samui Music Festival. Also from New Orleans is blues and jazz musician Chris Thomas King, whose home was badly damaged by the hurricane, said festival spokeswoman Lisa McWilliams.

The Koh Samui Music Festival will also feature Jerry Lee Lewis, UB40, and popular homegrown bands Tee Bone and Modern Dog.

McWilliams said organizers expect the festival to attract more than 100,000 people this year. Last year, tens of thousands of visitors came to Koh Samui island during the event.

Koh Samui is a world famous resort island located 280 miles south of Bangkok in the Gulf of Thailand. It was not affected by the December tsunami, which hit the Andaman Sea coast on the opposite side of the Thai peninsula.

Source: AP

Lineup
International headline acts and some of the World's leading performers like world famous UB40 and the legendary Jerry Lee Lewis including (courtesy of The John Lee Hooker Tribute) Zakiya Hooker (daughter of the great man), UK's Jools Holland & His Big Band, U.K.'s Blues immortals The British Blues All Stars, British Ukele, Canned Heat, U.K.'s Laurence Cottle Big Band & New Orleans jazz from the Preservation Hall Dixieland Band, Big Brother & The Holding Company as well as tropical Big Band sounds from Da Lata. Thailand’s burgeoning Blues scene contributes with Sek Loso, The Soi Dog Blues Band, Cannonball and FLOW.

In addition there's tons of contemporary music from Thailand's premier ensemble, Fong Naam, and cutting-edge Thai rock legends, Modern Dog.

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On the Web:
Koh Samui Music Festival

:: Les Coles Wednesday, September 14, 2005 [+] ::

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Blues Matters! for U.K. blues fans

A South Wales-based specialist blues music magazine and record label venture is tuning up for further growth.

Blues Matters Ltd has built up a strong reputation as the official voice of blues in the U.K. through its popular bi-monthly magazine of the same name. And with 25 blues artists on its books it is also the UK's fastest growing independent blues label.

The Bridgend-based business was established in 1999 by Alan Pearce as a fanzine for legendary blues band Savoy Brown.

However, since then the magazine has gone from strength to strength with a global readership of 25,000 and growing. The majority of its sales are through subscriptions, but it is now looking to drive retail sales.

The company's recently appointed marketing manager, David Hopkins, said the magazine had a loyal and expanding readership.

"The majority are based in the U.K. (87%), but we also have a significant number of subscribers in the U.S. (6%)," Hopkins said.

"Some 82% of our first-time subscribers have remained on board, which is a very positive statistic. We are currently distributed through selected music stores, including HMV and Virgin in the south-east of England and other independent music stores. As 86% of our magazines distributed to retailers are sold we are looking to further exploit what is potentially a lucrative market," he added.

Blues Matters! magazine features the best of old, new and traditional blues. The aim is to promote the blues music scene both within the UK and internationally.

Blues Matters! regularly features a diverse range of artists such as Eric Clapton, the White Stripes and the 22-20s. Its blues record label features artists such as Dave Berry, Roadhouse and Lights Out by Nine.

Pearce said, "We have some super blues talent in the UK but no one shouts about it. Considering that many US acts owe their fame and fortune to the Brit boom of the 1960s and they admit it readily, the British blues scene does not have the profile that American artists enjoy.

"I created Blues Matters!, both the magazine and the record label to give our home-grown blues talent the opportunity to showcase their talents to blues fans throughout the world."

Blues Matters! has been receiving the backing of enterprise support agency Business in Focus. The agency recently helped the company to secure an Assembly Investment Grant of £25,000 towards the cost of new staff and equipment.

Source: Sion Barry, Western Mail

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On the Web:
Blues Matters Ltd

:: Les Coles Wednesday, September 14, 2005 [+] ::

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Music Maker Foundattion--September News

Posting so much on Hurricane Katrina--coupled with a general election in Japan--has kept me run off my feet, so some things have slipped through the cracks a bit. Penality of being a one-man-band. Mea culpa.

This in from Blues Brother and Sister Timothy & Denise Duffy over at The Music Maker FOundation

Dear Friends,

As we write to you all we know is that Katrina has left a wake of destruction. Much more will be known about the tragic events and the aftermath by the time you receive this letter. New Orleans is America's greatest musical city, the place where visitors from all over the world come to experience roots music and Southern culture. Music Maker has many recipient artists throughout Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. At this time we have not yet heard from any of them, including our dear friend Little Freddie King, but on the news we see his neighborhood in the 9th Ward is completely underwater.
We pray that all our friends are safe, yet it is clear that our recipient artists will suffer tremendous loss of property, and the ability to work in their hometown until who knows when. Some artists may have to relocate while their city is rebuilt.



Slewfoot and Cary B. by the river, Little Freddie King in front of his house


Music Maker artists Slewfoot and Cary B. have been visiting Cary's parents in West Virginia this summer. During their visit Slew went to the emergency room with chest pains and soon after had triple bypass heart surgery. Last week after he got out of the hospital, he and Cary were planning to go back home to New Orleans where they make their living as street musicians. Now, they don't know what will be left of their home and worry about the fate of their cat. They are extremely concerned about all of their musician friends that had no means to evacuate. Their future is in limbo and so they join the thousands of people who find themselves refugees.

Slew and Cary are coming to our headquarters this weekend, where we have offered them our guesthouse. Music Maker will help them recuperate and rebuild their lives. Perhaps they will relocate to North Carolina if it is not feasible for them to return to their beloved city.

New Orleans is a city with a great many musicians and they are going to need help. Instruments will need to be replaced as well as clothing and sound equipment. They will need assistance to keep up with the expenses of housing, food and medicine while gigs are scarce. These are some very difficult times and we hope that you will all reconfirm your membership to the Music Maker Relief Foundation as we will need funds to help these artists and others.

Your donations will help musicians from New Orleans during these hard times. Please consider making a donation to this cause. For a gift of $50 or more we will send you a copy of Slewfoot and Cary B's recent 'Rainin in New Orleans' CD.

We thank-you so much for your great help! Over the last 11 years MMRF has raised over $3 million dollars to support our programs helping well over 100 musicians throughout the United States.

With warm regards,
Timothy & Denise Duffy


We will have a Benefit Concert September 24, 2005 at the Cat's Cradle, in Chapel Hill, NC. Stay tuned to musicmaker.org for more information.

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Events in September
Sept 15 - Cool John, Captain Luke and Macavine Hayes, American Tobacco Campus, Durham, NC 5:30-8pm Join us at the American Tobacco Campus, on Blackwell Street across the street from the new Durham Blues stadium. This concert series is sponsored by the American Tobacco Campus, and will go on rain or shine. This is free and open to the public.
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Sept 16 - Lightnin' Wells, George Higgs, Warehouse Blues, Durham, NC 6-8pm at the West Village Courtyard, 604 West Morgan Street (near Main) in Durham, NC. Rain Location George Watts Hill Pavilion for the Arts managed by Liberty Arts at Durham Central Park, 502 Foster Street
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Sept 23 - Skeeter Brandon, Warehouse Blues, Durham, NC 6-8pm at the West Village Courtyard, 604 West Morgan Street (near Main) in Durham, NC. Rain Location George Watts Hill Pavilion for the Arts managed by Liberty Arts at Durham Central Park, 502 Foster Street
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September 23, 2005 - Join Cool John Ferguson and band at Tir Na Nog Irish Pub, 218 S Blount St, Raleigh, 27601 - (919) 833 -7795. Click on tirnannogirishpub.com for more inforamtion.
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Sept 30 - Pura F and Cool John Ferguson, Warehouse Blues, Durham, NC 6-8pm at the West Village Courtyard, 604 West Morgan Street (near Main) in Durham, NC. Rain Location George Watts Hill Pavilion for the Arts managed by Liberty Arts at Durham Central Park, 502 Foster Street

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On The Web:
Music Maker Relief Foundation

:: Les Coles Tuesday, September 13, 2005 [+] ::

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Greater Philadelphia Rock Rhythm & Blues Fest

Greater Philadelphia Rock, Rhythm, and Blues Fest October 7, 8, and 9, 2005 World Café Live, 3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia The Partnership CDC presents its annual festival of live Blues and World Music on two stages, featuring Shemeika Copeland and The Campbell Brothers, a free Peanut Butter and Jams Kids' Show on Saturday afternoon, a late night dance party on Friday night, and a Gospel Brunch on Sunday morning. Visit www.thegreaterphillybluesfest.com or www.worldcafelive.com for tickets and performance details.

:: Les Coles Tuesday, September 13, 2005 [+] ::

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Beverly Guitar Watkins recovering from surgery

CYBERSPACE (Sept. 10)—Beverly Guitar Watkins is back home and recovering from her July 29 surgery for lung cancer at the Atlanta Medical Center. Doctors feel confident that the procedure was a success. Now Beverly faces months of rehabilitation and therapy. She may not be able to return to gigging until spring, 2006. Like most other blues artists, medical insurance is inadequate.

Beverly Watkins played rhythm guitar in the early '60s in the band of Piano Red ("Dr. Feelgood & The Interns"). Together they waxed such immortal numbers such as "Right String, Wrong Yo Yo", "Dr. Feelgood", and "Mr. Moonlight". During the past few years, Beverly has toured on the Winston Blues Revival, and performed in Europe and Australia.

Get-well cards, donations can be forwarded to:
Beverly Watkins
526 Magnolia St.
NW #55
Atlanta
GA 30314

Benefit concerts are now being organized for Charleston and Camden.

Source:

Blues-L

:: Les Coles Tuesday, September 13, 2005 [+] ::

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B.B. King Awarded Congressional 'Legends' Medal

WASHINGTON (Sept. 13)—Now when you call B.B. King a legendary blues performer, there's official proof.

The Library of Congress has awarded the veteran guitarist its Living Legend medal. After receiving the medal Monday, King sported the large medallion as he signed copies of his new book at a Washington book store.

So, does King think he is a legend himself? He said he's getting comfortable with the idea. He said now that he's on the verge of being 80, he is "not really ashamed to hear people say it." King turns 80 on Friday.

Source: Associated Press



B.B. King Turns 80 this Friday

:: Les Coles Tuesday, September 13, 2005 [+] ::

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West Michigan Blues Society Katrina benefit gig

This in from Blues Sister Peggy Ott of the West Michigan Blues Society:

Delta Blues Benefit
GRAND RAPIDS, MI (Sept 12, 2005)--

A stellar lineup of Grand Rapids area blues musicians is banding together to support the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. The Delta Blues Benefit will connect the hearts of the local blues community to the hurt being experienced by the residents of the gulf coast. The Benefit is planned for 2:00 p.m until 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 23rd at Billy's Lounge. A suggested donation of $20 per person will be received at the door.

"New Orleans has such a rich music tradition. Having musicians donate their time in response to this disaster is just a natural fit," noted Stan Greene of Tailshaker. Stan was motivated to act as he considered the plight of blues artists he's met during recent trips to New Orleans. He floated the idea with his bandmates, called other musicians and blues lovers "for a reality check", and decided to plan the event.

The musical lineup for the Benefit currently includes:
Tailshaker, Junior Valentine and the All-Stars, Jimmie
Stagger and James Reeser and His Hot Blues Quartet.

Proceeds from the Benefit will go to the Music Maker Relief Foundation and the American Red Cross. The Music Maker Relief Foundation provides food, shelter,
medical care and other assistance to elderly and poverty-stricken pioneers of traditional American music. The American Red Cross, through its Hurricane Katrina Relief operation, provides emergency services to victims of this disaster.

The people of West Michigan have such large hearts and area blues musicians have hearts no less large. The West Michigan Blues Society is more than pleased to join with these fine musicians who are organizing this special Benefit.

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On the Web:
West Michigan Blues Society

:: Les Coles Tuesday, September 13, 2005 [+] ::

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Upcoming festivals I wish I was at

San Francisco's Jazz Festival unfolds Oct. 19-Nov. 6 with Abbey Lincoln opening the event and Etta James, Poncho Sanchez and Toots Theilemans among the performers. Go to www.sfjazz.org or (800) 850-7353 for more information.

Telluride Blues & Brews Festival features Al Green, The Black Crowes, The Robert Cray Band and others -- along with a variety of microbrews. Sept. 16-18, www.tellurideblues.com or (866) 515-6166.

Tranquility Jazz Festival is being hosted in the Caribbean, by Anguilla, Nov. 9-13, with Marlena Shaw, Stefon Harris, David Sanchez and Ravi Coltrane on the program. Details at www.anguillajazz.org or (877) 426-4845.

Bermuda's Music Festival takes place Oct. 5-8, featuring Al Green and Patti LaBelle as well as local artists; details at (800) 237-6832 or www.bermudatourism.com

The Grand Bahama Island Jazz, Rhythm and Blues Festival is scheduled for Oct. 27-30, with Lou Rawls, The Stylistics and other. For more information, visit www.grandbahama.bahamas.com or call (800) 224-2627.

:: Les Coles Monday, September 12, 2005 [+] ::

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Opening of the Vaults Reveals Forgotten Pinetop Perkins Recordings

SWANZEY, NH (Sept. 12)—In conjunction with Deluge Entertainment, 95North Records has re-released two forgotten Pinetop Perkins releases long out of print. The scheduled re-release date is September 27, 2005. "On Top," recorded in 1992, features an all-star cast of Blues greats including Jerry Portnoy, Paul Rishell, David Maxwell and Ron Levy. Award winning blues producer Randy Labbe worked on these memorable sessions, adding "This is arguably some of Pinetop's best work... this recording was received with great critical acclaim when it was released for a short time in 1992."

Label President Bill Hurley said, "Pinetop Perkins is one of the few remaining great Mississippi blues men, at 92 he is enjoying some of his best critical and commercial success, he is finally being recognized by the music community for his importance and many contributions to the blues."

The second recording, "Live Top," is scheduled for release the same day, September 27, 2005. "Live Top" was recorded at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME in 1994. Backed by the Blue Flames and keeping in the traditions of blues music it is an entire live set of recorded music and features some classic Pinetop moments. As a bonus there is a twelfth track recorded live the night before the event at the legendary Trade Winds Blues Club in Rockport, ME.

Review copies are available as well as airplay copies by contacting 95North Records at 1.866.357.3666 or by writing to info@95northrecords.com. For sales inquiries contact Dann Cotter, 95North Records VP of Sales at djc123@comcast.net or by phoning 781.640.9266. Label president Bill Hurley is available through email at bill_hurley @ 95northrecords.com or by phone at 1.866.357.3666.

95North Records, 217 Old Homestead Hwy. Suite F, Swanzey, NH 03446. www.95northrecords.com

Source: Press Release

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On the Web:
95North Records

:: Les Coles Monday, September 12, 2005 [+] ::

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Tokyo blues/jazz musicians planning New Orleans benefit

TOKYO (Sept. 13)—
Just heard from Blues Brother Doug Allsop over at Buffalo Records that a benefit gig for Hurricane Katrina is slated for Sept. 24 in Tokyo.

I'll keep you posted.

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On the Web:
Buffalo Records

:: Les Coles Monday, September 12, 2005 [+] ::

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Les Pauls to go under hammer at Christie's

Rare and highly-coveted guitars will strum the start of Christie's New York sale of Fine Musical Instruments on October 14, 2005, with the most desirable vintage Les Paul guitars ever to come to auction, and 16 guitars from the collection of Tony Mottola, a venerated composer and jazz guitarist who accompanied Frank Sinatra for decades. The sale also offers a classical selection of violins, cellos and bows, leading with a 1687 violin by Andrea Guarneri.

Guitars
In the history of American guitars, not a more desirable solid-body electric guitar exists than the Les Paul Model made by the Gibson Company between the years of 1952 to 1960. This period of guitar making revolutionized the future of rock and roll and this sale offers three opportunities for collectors to own some of these collecting legends. From the first year of its production, and therefore with no serial number, the 1952 Les Paul has all the hallmark qualities, with its mahogany body, a single cut-away, and laminated maple top finished in gold colored lacquer (estimate: $8, 000-12, 000). A similar and later model from 1954, now exhibiting the stud tail piece-bridge is also offered (estimate: $7, 000-9, 000). The 1959 Les Paul Standard represents the pinnacle design made within this golden guitar period — with its cherry red sunburst maple design, a.k.a. ‘flame top’ finish, its impeccable condition, and its first appearance on the auction block, this rare guitar is a collector’s dream (estimate: $100, 000-150, 000).

More chances to own a piece of American music history are present with 16 guitars from the Collection of the Late Tony Mottola (1918-2004). In his 60-year career, this New Jersey native accompanied Frank Sinatra on his only solo guitar recording, It’s Sunday. Mottola was an original band member in The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and he also arranged, accompanied and composed with other stars such as Perry Como, Rosemary Clooney, Johnny Mathis, Billie Holiday, among many others. Highlights from his personal collection include: a Gibson arch-top guitar, L-5, circa 1940, with a case bearing numerous Sinatra concert venue labels and accompanied with a photograph of Mottola on the set of The Tonight Show, (estimate: $7, 000-9, 000); a Gibson arch-top electric guitar, style L-5P, 1940 the primary electric guitar Mottola used throughout his career (estimate: $10, 000-15, 000); and the 1979 classical guitar by Jose Ramirez that he played to accompany Sinatra on It’s Sunday (estimate $4, 000-6, 000).

The invention of the Byrdland in 1955 marked yet another historic moment in guitar making when two musical pioneers, guitarist Billy Byrd of rock-a-billy fame and Nashville session player, Hank Garland, were asked by Gibson for their guidance and expertise in creating a new instrument. The result was a new, sleek, and smaller breed of electric guitar that allowed players comfort, speed and agility. A contraction of the last names Byrd and Garland, Gibson christened it the Byrdland. This example, made in 1959, was a custom instrument to Garland’s specifications. It was his primary guitar before the 1961 automobile accident that ended his career, and it is sold with the original shipping invoice from Gibson as well as other documents relating to the provenance (estimate: $10, 000-15, 000).

Violins
Harking back to the Italian lineage of violin history — from the Cremonese master, Andrea Guarneri, comes an exceptional violin made in 1687 (estimate: $120, 000-160, 000). A contemporary and rival of Stradivari, Andrea Guarneri was the patriarch of a family that spanned three generations of Italian violin making. His style and design remained faithful to the training he and Antonio Stradivari received from the first master of Cremona, Nicolo Amati. Other splendid examples from the Italian makers include: a violin by Annibale Fagnola, Turin, 1929; a violin by Giovanni Floreno Guidante, Bologna, circa 1733; and a violin from Naples by Ferdinando Gagliano, circa 1780 (each estimated at $50, 000-70, 000).

Auction: Fine Musical Instruments October 14 at 10a.m.
Viewing: Christie’s Galleries at Rockefeller Center October 8-13

More information about Christie's sales of Fine Musical Instruments can be found on www.christies.com. All lots from the sale can be viewed online along with full catalogue descriptions on Lotfinder®, which also allows clients to leave absentee bids. www.christies.com provides information on more than 80 sale categories, buying and selling at auction, complete auction results, and Christie's international auction calendar.

Top left photo:
Sale 1562, Lot 26
Gibson Incorporated
A Solid-Body Electric Guitar, Les Paul Model, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 1959
Estimate: $100,000-150,000

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On the Web:
Christie

Les Paul Lagniappes

Click on the thumbnail for a high-quality 577 px x 759 px high-quality JPEG of a '58 Les Paul		Click on the thumbnail to send an e-card of 16 Stunningly Beautiful Les Paul Flame Tops From '58 -'60 which went mainly to Japanese customers

:: Les Coles Monday, September 12, 2005 [+] ::

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Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown dies

Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown
as photographed by Robert Barclay

I've been away from my computer for the past couple of days, so just heard of this sad news....

BATON ROUGE, La. (Sept. 11)— - Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, the singer and guitarist who built a 50-year career playing blues, country, jazz and Cajun music, died Saturday in his adopted hometown of Orange, Texas, where he had gone to escape Hurricane Katrina. He was 81.

Brown, who had been battling lung cancer and heart disease, was in ill health for the past year, said Rick Cady, his booking agent.

Cady said the musician was with his family at his brother's house when he died. Brown's home in Slidell, La., a bedroom community of New Orleans, was destroyed by Katrina, Cady said.

"He was completely devastated," Cady said. "I'm sure he was heartbroken, both literally and figuratively. He evacuated successfully before the hurricane hit, but I'm sure it weighed heavily on his soul."

Although his career first took off in the 1940s with blues hits "Okie Dokie Stomp" and "Ain't That Dandy," Brown bristled when he was labeled a bluesman.

In the second half of his career, he became known as a musical jack-of-all-trades who played a half-dozen instruments and culled from jazz, country, Texas blues, and the zydeco and Cajun music of his native Louisiana.

By the end of his career, Brown had more than 30 recordings and won a Grammy award in 1982.

"I'm so unorthodox, a lot of people can't handle it," Brown said in a 2001 interview.

Brown's versatility came partly from a childhood spent in the musical mishmash of southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas. He was born in Vinton, La., and grew up in Orange, Texas.

Brown often said he learned to love music from his father, a railroad worker who sang and played fiddle in a Cajun band. Brown, who was dismissive of most of his contemporary blues players, named his father as his greatest musical influence.

"If I can make my guitar sound like his fiddle, then I know I've got it right," Brown said.

Cady said Brown was quick-witted, "what some would call a 'codger.'"

Brown started playing fiddle by age 5. At 10, he taught himself an odd guitar picking style he used all his life, dragging his long, bony fingers over the strings.

In his teens, Brown toured as a drummer with swing bands and was nicknamed "Gatemouth" for his deep voice. After a brief stint in the Army, he returned in 1945 to Texas, where he was inspired by blues guitarist T-Bone Walker.

Brown's career took off in 1947 when Walker became ill and had to leave the stage at a Houston nightclub. The club owner invited Brown to sing, but Brown grabbed Walker's guitar and thrilled the crowd by tearing through "Gatemouth Boogie" -- a song he claimed to have made up on the spot.

He made dozens of recordings in the 1940s and '50s, including many regional hits -- "Okie Dokie Stomp," "Boogie Rambler," and "Dirty Work at the Crossroads."

But he became frustrated by the limitations of the blues and began carving a new career by recording albums that featured jazz and country songs mixed in with the blues numbers.

"He is one of the most underrated guitarists, musicians and arrangers I've ever met, an absolute prodigy," said Colin Walters, who is working on Brown's biography. "He is truly one of the most gifted musicians out there.

"He never wanted to be called a bluesman, but I used to tell him that though he may not like the blues, he does the blues better than anyone," added Walters. "He inherited the legacy of great bluesmen like Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker, but he took what they did and made it better."

Brown -- who performed in cowboy boots, cowboy hat and Western-style shirts — lived in Nashville in the early 1960s, hosting an R&B television show and recording country singles.

In 1979, he and country guitarist Roy Clark recorded "Makin' Music," an album that included blues and country songs and a cover of the Billy Strayhorn-Duke Ellington classic "Take the A-Train."

Brown recorded with Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt and others, but he took a dim view of most musicians — and blues guitarists in particular. He called B.B. King one-dimensional. He dismissed his famous Texas blues contemporaries Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland as clones of T-Bone Walker, whom many consider the father of modern Texas blues.

"All those guys always tried to sound like T-Bone," Brown said.

Survivors include three daughters and a son.

Source: By DOUG SIMPSON, Associated Press Writer

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On the Web:
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown Discography

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Hurricane Katrina
Help Support the Relief Effort



The New Orleans Musicians Clinic
Jazz Foundation of America

If you're trying to find out about New Orleans musicians there is a list of known survivors at http://www.
wwoz.org/

If you know of any surviving musicians not included

:: Les Coles Monday, September 12, 2005 [+] ::

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Jeremy "Bug" Young

Jeremy "Bug" Young plays the blues because he has to.

At the age of 27, this Rochester resident is somewhat of an anomaly to the SouthCoast music scene. He is a student of America's original music style -- the Delta Blues -- a form of music that grew out of the cottonfields of Mississippi in the 1920s and was originally played in the bars and roadhouses of that time.

Some of the earliest performers of the blues were Robert Johnson, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters. These players eventually inspired such popular guitarists as Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck.

"It's the only outlet I have for my sense of loss," Mr. Young says. "It's just pure emotion -- it's what art and music are all about.

"I had a hard adolescence and I identified with the feeling and the emotion."

Mr. Young has been writing his own songs for the last year. He can be found at area open mic nights and blues jams four to five nights a week. He plays an open-tuned slide guitar. His songs have lyrics and chords but each performance develops uniquely based upon Mr. Young's interpretation at the time. He often works himself into a frenzy, intensely thumping the strings and giving a vocal wail. He always performs wearing his trademark green bandanna.

"I get up there and it just comes out," Mr. Young says. "That's the only way you can perform the blues, to have no inhibition, just let it all go. These feelings are all inside of me."

Mr. Young began writing his own songs when his guitar skills caught up to his poetry skills. His biggest writing influence is Shakespeare. His modern musical influences are Bob Dylan and Tom Waits.

"I've always read a lot, but at the age of 15 I was really into Shakespeare. When I was 16, I bought my first album -- 'Real Folk Blues' by Muddy Waters.

"It struck me as music at its purest," he says. "It had a feeling that I'd never heard before."

Mr. Young also plays harmonica, another traditional blues instrument.

"It comes naturally for me," he says. "I started when I was 16 years old. I threw myself into it and I found I was good at it. Now I have freedom and control over it."

Art Tebbetts runs an open mic every Thursday night at the Cafe Arpeggio in downtown New Bedford. Mr. Tebbetts has been an area folk musician and performer for more than 30 years.

"There aren't a lot of players like him in this area," Mr. Tebbetts says. "He doesn't have the sweetest voice or the best guitar skills, but he's got a spirit that grabs people."

Mr. Tebbetts comments on how closely Mr. Young plays to his predecessors.

"For a young man, he's got the soul of a 1920s bluesman inside of him," he says of Mr. Young. "His songs sound like they were written back in the '20s and '30 s. He's got a lot of life wisdom. He plays with a lot of heart, and he's got a good bag of tricks. He's proficient at what he does.

"He's always a favorite at open mic nights."

Mr. Young points out that the blues have had an impact on modern rock acts such as The White Stripes and Aerosmith.

"The purity of emotion is really what it all comes down to," Mr. Young says. "You can have all the technology in the world but you need the emotion."

Source: South Coast Today / The Standard-Times

:: Les Coles Monday, September 12, 2005 [+] ::

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Books 'n Blues in the Mississippi Delta

Greenwood, MS—
Deserving kids in the Mississippi Delta are getting a "hand up" toward a better education, and a brighter future through Books 'n Blues (www.booksnblues.org), a series of musical performances, book signings and a silent auction to be hosted at Viking Range from 6 to 9 p.m., Oct. 1 in Greenwood, Mississippi.

Chaired by Ms. Myrna Colley-Lee, Books 'n Blues benefits the Communities in Schools of Greenwood-Leflore (www.communities-in-schools.org) which serves approximately 2,500 court-involved students ages 12 to 17 through artist residency and arts education programs for schools, after-school programs and Adolescent Offender Programs.

"The work done by Communities in Schools gives these students a vision of a broader, richer world and boosts their ability to create a better life for themselves through academic achievement," said Ms. Colley-Lee who is married to actor Morgan Freeman.

"It is not unusual to see participants on our creative writing program improve their reading levels from two to four grade levels," said CIS Executive Director Linda Whittington. Colley-Lee and Whittington are backed by a remarkable group of dedicated volunteers who represent the entire Greenwood community. The entire event is a volunteer affair. Even the authors and blues musicians are paying their own way. Authors will be donating their royalties on books sold. Musicians will be performing at the event for free and donating royalties on any CDs sold. Blues events held at cafes and clubs after the main event will donate 100 percent of their cover charges to Books 'n Blues.

The silent auction, featuring items donated by people from across the United States, will be held at Viking Range's training facility situated by the Yazoo River levee. The main event will be preceded by an afternoon writing seminar for aspiring writers in the community. Books 'n Blues is the brainchild of Greenwood native and New York Times best-selling author Lewis Perdue who got the idea while conducting research for his newest book, Perfect Killer, (www.perfectkiller.com) much of which is set in the Delta.

Perdue, who now lives in California's wine country where people spend rather freely for entertainment that has a charitable beneficiary, felt that the Delta could benefit from an event where people could "have fun while doing good." Tickets to the event are $25 and available through local merchants listed on the web site

Source: Cat Head Update

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On the Web:
Books 'n Blues

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Related Blues Blog Post:
Books 'n' Blues Festival Oct. 1 to benefit CIS (8/16/2005)

:: Les Coles Monday, September 12, 2005 [+] ::

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Aretha, Blind Boys of Alabama to fete Sam Cooke

Aretha Franklin, Elvis Costello, the Dixie Hummingbirds and the Blind Boys of Alabama are among the artists set to sing the praises of Sam Cooke during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's American Music Masters salute to the quintessential soul man.

They'll celebrate Cooke's pop music in concert at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, at Playhouse Square's State Theatre. Also on the bill are former J. Geils Band frontman Peter Wolf, Taj Mahal, Cissy Houston, Otis Clay and William Bell.

Most of those performers -- including Franklin -- will be joined by Lou Rawls for a second show at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6, at the State Theatre, with the focus on the gospel side of Cooke's career.

"It's fairly courageous to do two concerts," says Warren Zanes, the Rock Hall's vice president of education.

"But with Sam Cooke, you can't not give his gospel music as much attention as his pop music gets. It's appropriate for him."

Cooke, the son of a Baptist minister, was among the first performers inducted into the Rock Hall in 1986. Three years later, the hall also enshrined the Soul Stirrers, the gospel group in which Cooke got his start before he became a solo superstar on the pop charts.

He scored his first No. 1 single in 1957 with "You Send Me." More than two dozen other Top 40 hits followed for the native of Clarksdale, Miss., including "Chain Gang," "Twistin' the Night Away" and "Another Saturday Night."

The Rock Hall expects to line up additional artists for both concerts in Cooke's honor.

The performances are part of "A Change Is Gonna Come: The Life and Music of Sam Cooke," the 10th annual installment of the Rock Hall's American Music Masters series, presented in conjunction with Case Western Reserve University.

The weeklong event commences Monday, Oct. 31.

Also on the agenda is an academic symposium Saturday, Nov. 5, at Case's Ford Auditorium, with appearances by Cooke's brother L.C. Cooke, Leroy Crume of the Soul Stirrers and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chairman Julian Bond, among others. Peter Guralnick, author of "Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke" (to be published next month), will deliver the conference's keynote address.

Cooke was shot dead in 1964 at the age of 33. A motel manager in Los Angeles said she killed Cooke in self-defense after he tried to attack her. It was ruled a justifiable homicide.

Tickets for both Cooke tribute concerts go on sale Friday through Tickets.com outlets, or charge by phone, 1-800-766-6048 or 216-241-6000. Rock Hall members can buy tickets starting Monday by calling 216-515-8427.

Tickets for the Saturday show are $20, $30 and $40. Tickets for the Sunday show are $15, $25 and $35.

If you purchase a ticket for the Saturday concert, you can buy a ticket to the Sunday concert for half-price.

Group discounts for parties of 20 or more are available for the Sunday show. Call 216-515-1228.

Tickets for the symposium, $30, go on sale Friday at Ticketmaster outlets, or charge by phone, 216-241-5555 (Cleveland) or 330-945-9400 (Akron).

source: John Soeder, Plain Dealer Pop Music Critic

:: Les Coles Sunday, September 11, 2005 [+] ::

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