'Stool Pigeon Blues' - Lightnin' Hopkins

Lightnin' Hopkins  is one of the blues' greatest heroes. His low down and gritty blues style has sent the story of the blues across the USA and the world.

This solitary lonesome blues hits the soul so hard you can feel the pain of Hopkins. 

'Old Vets Blues' - Poor Boy Burke

I discovered a new blues artist today called Poor Boy Burke. I could not find a bio and just a tiny photo of his only (?) hit song, Old Vets Blues, which might not even be one of the gents in the picture.

How bluer can you get? The song in itself is a simple piano blues, where Burke discusses how old he's become and he changed his young and wild days.

I used to be jealous back in my younger days;

Women don't excite me;

and I have changed my ways. 

For A Rainy Day: 'Tupelo Blues' - John Lee Hooker

A severe thunderstorm has hit Kuwait and the Gulf States, with Saudi Arabia experiencing great floods.

I recommend spending the day at home, while having John Lee Hooker's song, 'Tupelo Blues' playing non-stop.

Tupelo, Mississippi, was hit by a severe tornado in 1936 and caused hundreds of deaths, and John Lee's song is a homage to the hard-hit town.

This blues is very befitting of the current scenario.

Steven Seagal Sings the Blues (I Shit You Not)

Yes, THAT Steven Seagal.

The C (or D?) list action movie star has expanded into music, much like other actors, but he went to the blues.

He released his first album 'Songs from the Crystal Cave' in 2005, and somehow it was successful enough that he released another album called 'Mojo Priest' in 2006.

Is it good? You be the judge!

Here's the Muddy Waters classic performed by Lord Steven:

'Standin' in My Door' - Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King

Smokin' Joe Kubek is a modern Texas blues guitarist, and Bnois King is an old school Lousiana blues guitarist. Put them both together and you get some smokin' grooves going on, one hot like Dallas, one cool like New Orleans.

They released an album in 2003 called "Roadhouse Research" on Blind Pig Records, which is one of the biggest blues labels, to much acclaim.

Here's one of the tracks off the album, called 'Standin' In My Door"

'I'm a King Bee' - Slim Harpo

Slim Harpo, real name James Moore, was an influential blues harmonica player. In 1957, 'I'm a King Bee' was released to much acclaim, becoming Slim's most famous song. In 2006, the song received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award for it's legacy.

The Rolling Stones covered this song on their debut album in 1964, and dozens of artists from Led Zeppelin to The Grateful Dead to Muddy Waters (his final album was named after this song) covered it.

The call and response tune with the sexual innuendo makes it raunchy and fun. Take a listen and get pumped!

'Come On In' - R.L. Burnside's Blues Meets Electronica

R.L. Burnside was one of the blues greatest heroes, who had his career noticed only in the early 90's. Before that, he was living by blues... he killed a man in Mississippi, did some jail time, had some family members killed in Chicago, was distant relatives with Muddy Waters, and lived a county away from 'Mississippi' Fred McDowell.

He's a big family man too... he has 13 children, 35 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.

In 1998, 'Come On In' was released, which featured Burnside's blues remixed with electronica by Tom Rothrock, to a great deal of success. There have been many attempts trying to fuse blues with other genres (see the Putamayo example), but this one largely stays true to the sound of the blues while giving us a different perspective.

I actually liked the idea; for those of you who like blues or electronic music, you might wanna check this album out.

Here's the blues standard 'Rollin' & Tumblin" from the album with a twist:

More Dubai Jazz Fest Fail: Stone Temple Pilots & Colbie Caillat

I don't know how many articles I have to write about this issue. But yes, I'm still pissed off.

Two new acts have been announced to this 'jazz' concert:

And then of course, there's the obligatory PR crap:

‘By popular demand, the alternative classic rock band Stone Temple Pilots with Chester Bennington will headline the opening night. Just like the Dubai Jazz Festival, the band is upholding their legacy while keeping up with the new age,’ said the co-founder and CEO of Chillout Productions, the promoters behind the festival.

Unless they haven't been following the online rants and hate, I don't see where by' popular demand' that these were the bands the fans wanted to see. I mean, AT FUCKING LEAST if you're gonna get Stone Temple Pilots, bring Scott Weiland on board!

So far, NO JAZZ FUCKING ARTIST has been announced. 

Maybe it's just better to let this matter go and just move on. RIP Dubai Jazz Fest 2014. 

Halloween Blues: 'Blood Thirsty Blues' - Victoria Spivey

While many or most of you will be dressing up as pirates, prostitutes, or the ever so cliche zombies, while asking people for sweet delicious candy, Victoria Spivey sings about the true horrors of love, more fitting to this dark festival.

I can tell you, if you're in love with a blues woman and you treat her wrong, you're gonna get what's coming to you.

John Coltrane's 'Love Supreme' in Graffiti Art

Made by German artist MTO in Paris a few years back. 

Author Tony Whyton had a few words to say about this artwork. You can read the full text [here]. Below is an excerpt:

 "MTO’s image is inspired by Coltrane but also acts as an alternative to everyday representations of the icon. This is not an official reading of Coltrane’s masterpiece and, arguably, it conveys a certain politics: the graffiti artwork itself can be read as an act of subversion. Similarly, some of my research interests involve challenging official or dominant narratives that have become associated with Coltrane, trying to seek out underlying agendas which might play a role in the changing representation and interpretations of his music, and offering an alternative means of understanding the Coltrane legacy."