Someone's Pissed Off John Coltrane

Found this on the internet. There's always something new to discover.

The Blues Collection by Tarek Chemaly

Continuing the collaboration with Tarek Chemaly of Beirut/NTSC, I present to you another four graphic arts, inspired by (in order) Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, BB King, and John Lee Hooker. 

 The play on words with Lebanese humor really adds to these great works of art. 

Here we go!!

Fender Vintage Hot Rod Basses Unveiled!

Another new unveiling from Fender, this time American made 'Vintage Hot Rod' series, which are already available in the guitar variants years ago.

The 60's Precision and 70's Jazz basses feature vintage looks, pickups and necks, with modern appointments such as P/J pickup configurations and graphite support rods. You can check the specs of both [here] and [here].

Fender have been on a roll with the new models (check out my previous posts) and these are great for players who want the best of both worlds!! I already have 4 Fender basses but I can't stop wanting more!

Vintage Hot Rod 60's Precision Bass

Vintage Hot Rod 70's Jazz Bass

Happy Birthday Memphis Slim!

Today in 1915, John Len Chatman, AKA Memphis Slim, was born in Tennessee.

His piano and vocal skills were what made him one of the most prolific bluesmen, having over 500 recordings made and dozens of albums. He is also remembered for the great live music sessions in Europe in the 60's and 70's where all were performed and recorded for the whole world to enjoy, as one of the leading blues ambassadors. 

He was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame in 1989, one year after his death.

Here's his most known song, "Everyday I Have the Blues" live in 1962. Here's to you Memphis!

Exclusive Art: 'Fishing in Muddy Waters' by Tarek Chemaly

Click for Hi-Res

This blues graphic art, complete with a vintage Lebanese twist,  was designed for Speakin' The Blues by renowned artist Tarek Chemaly. A talented creative artist, writer, and university lecturer, Tarek also runs the blog Beirut/NTSC (Never Twice Same City).

Old Lebanese ads from the 60's and 70's had a certain feel and design to them. Tarek and I were talking about infusing this retro/vintage style with a blues theme. I recommended Muddy Waters, the king of Chicago Blues. From his side, this is what Tarek had to say about his concept:

"Fishing in muddy waters or "الاصطياد في مياه عكرة" is an Arabic expression which means that whatever you cannot fish in regular water due to the low speed of the muddy water, you can end up fishing while it is in it's worst conditions. So the expression eventually means "abusing someone's situation" or "taking advantage of someone's bad situation".

Thanks to Tarek for creating this great piece of art, and look out for more upcoming collaborations with other Lebanese artists soon!

Son Bonds Was Shot and Killed 66 Years Ago

On this day in 1947, Son Bonds, a country blues guitarist, was accidentally shot on his porch by his short-sighted neighbor, who thought he was another man. Definitely, those days were very dangerous.

He was from Brownsville, Tennessee, and from the early 1930's until his death, recorded blues and also backed up Sleepy John Estes.

One of his famous songs is called "A Hard Pill To Swallow".

New Fender Bass Reissues: Coronado & Starcaster Basses!

Fender Coronado Bass

Fender Starcaster Bass

I'll admit, I didn't see this coming.

The Coronado and Starcaster basses are being reissued by Fender. The Coronado was released in the mid-60's and didn't last that long. The Starcaster was a prototype and only a few were made in the mid-70's, which makes any original very rare.

They aren't based on any "Fender" designs like the Precision or Jazz, rather more like Gibsons.

I honestly wouldn't buy one but it seems that they won't be very expensive, so for you bassists out there who want a Fender with a twist, then try one of these. They will be out sometime later in the coming months.

Check out the specs for the Coronado [here] and the Starcaster [here].

What is a Jazz Musician?

Blues Sung in Spanish!

The blues is most associated with American music and culture. Surely one of it's best exports.

But how often do you hear it being sung in another language other than English? Well, Adrian Costa, a Spanish blues guitarist, shows us just how it sounds! He even explains that the blues is universal, and no matter where you are from, damnit you still get the blues.

My 2nd Article '10 Blues Songs About Drugs' Up on Project Revolver

After my first [article] on Project Revolver last month, I'm happy to announce the second article is now up on their website!

Thanks again to the team at PR for helping spread the message of the blues. Please check them out and support music!

Check out the new article, '10 Blues Songs About Drugs' [here]. And don't forget kids, drugs are bad. To a certain extent.