'Xanax Blues' - Jam by Ali Sleeq & Turk

Recently I had an awesome jam with my buddy Tarek 'Turk' Kabbani of Jaybird Studios (@turkhimself on Instagram) and we recorded a song of mine called 'Xanax Blues'.

As per the usual procedure, this track was all done in one take. I played the guitars and Turk did the drums and production. Hope you all enjoy this raw blues.

Obscure Blues: 'You Told Me' - Gus Jinkins

Gus Jinkins was a blues pianist from Alabama who got some recognition in the early 50's with his intrumental track 'Tricky' got to no. 2 on the R&B charts, but he never got to huge acclaim as an artist.

He recorded songs in the 50's in Chicago under Chess and others, and I found the below song called 'You Told Me' which the type of raw blues I love, released on the Flash label in 1956:

Rocksmith Adds Four Tracks by Muddy Waters

Rocksmith is a music video game played with a guitar peripheral, and this week it will add four tracks by Muddy Waters, to be purchased as additional content.

The four songs will be:

• Honey Bee 
• I Can’t Be Satisfied 
• Mannish Boy 
• Still A Fool

This isn't the first time they added blues to the game; in 2014 they released a blues pack as well. Nice to see games try and spread the music of the blues, given it's influence on rock!

If you want to watch a video of someone playing it, check it here:

Watch live video from ElisaRockDoc on www.twitch.tv

Speakin' The Blues Makes it to Top 30 Blues Music Blogs/Websites

I started this blog back in 2008, but started seriously blogging in 2011, with the sole message of spreading the blues to the region, and not only trying to share news but also coming up with my own type of content to separate myself from others.

It looks like it has paid off.

I have made it to Feedspot's Top 30 Blues Music Blogs & Websites at number 18, putting me in the same list of excellent and influential blues websites like American Blues Scene, The Blues Foundation (of which I am a member of), and many others.

As much as I know my uphill battle is with such a niche genre, and my obsession with it to the point people think I'm crazy is, my sole intention is to share the love that is the blues. And like I said in my upcoming song 'Gonna Die With The Blues':

I don't care what you think babe

Cuz I done paid my dues

and whenever I die

I'm gonna die with the blues

Thank you to all my readers and I hope I will increase my output for the remainder of this year. And remember, keep listenin' to the blues.

Rough Treatment: The J.O.B. Records Story - Brilliant Blues Collection

J.O.B. Records was started in 1949 by bluesman Jimmy Oden; and while it only lasted until 1972, it had a lot of great bluesmen under it's arm, including Eddie Boyd (who's song 'Five Long Years' got him and the label fame), Sunnyland Slim, Johnny Shines, Snooky Pryor, and Floyd Jones to name a few. 

In 2001, Westside Records released a compilation called 'Rough Treatment: The J.O.B. Records Story' of some of the tracks from the period between 1952-1962, and features some of the rawest, meanest Chicago Blues.

I promise you will NOT be dissapointed. It has 54 (!) tracks on 2 CD's. 

Here's one of the tracks, the song used as the title of this compilation, 'Rough Treatment' by Little Hudson: