Even The Beatles Sang The Blues

The Beatles, during a troubled time of the band in 1968, released what is now known as The White Album (it's actually a self-titled album). In that album, is one (for me at least) standout track, called 'Yer Blues'.

Written by John Lennon while the band was in India, the song came about as Lennon put it: "trying to reach God and feeling suicidal". 

The song is pretty much your standard blues, but with a twist near the end where slow tempo picks up and George Harrison plays the slide guitar solo. Also, it's noted that this was one of the few times Paul McCartney played the Fender Jazz Bass on record.

The lyrics are also your standard Lennon too: 

The eagle picks my eye
The worm he licks my bones
I feel so suicidal
Just like Dylan's Mr. Jones
Lonely wanna die
If I ain't dead already
Ooh girl you know the reason why.

Hope you enjoy this jem!

Low Down Dirty Blues: 'Cold Lonely Nights' - Lonnie Brooks

Lonnie Brooks, currently at age 80, is a pioneering blues guitarist and vocalist from Louisiana; having started his career in Texas before moving to Chicago in the early 60's. He has performed with dozens of musicians including BB King, Jimmy Reed, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, and many others.

Here's a cut from 1988 called 'Cold Lonely Nights', featuring hard-hitting guitars and gut-wrenching vocals:

The Blues Map of The USA

We talked about the many regions of the blues; but now, I have created a visual representation of it, otherwise known as a map (and we all love maps don't we!)

So with my superior MS Paint skills (shrug), I present to you The Blues Map of the USA! Thank me later!

(click for larger image)

Voodoo and the Blues

Voodoo is a religious belief which combines African, Caribbean, French and other national traditions,  and while it is mostly based in Haiti (and is considered an official religion) it has deep roots in New Orleans, Louisiana, where almost 15% of the population admit to practicing it. Voodoo was brutally repressed by slave-owners, yet its powerful beats, ethics and aesthetics endured. Since New Orleans has a distinctive place in blues and jazz; and we draw the origin references to voodoo from it. 

Some, especially in the Arab world, view Voodoo as an evil cult, with gruesome descriptions of human sacrifice and black magic; a perfect match with the music that is the Blues.

Much of the lore of voodoo in the blues comes in the form of using magic spells, seeing gypsy women (fortune tellers), and putting curses on others who were treatin' us bad, mostly as a sign to show the mysterious and sometimes mystical side of the music. 

Here are a few voodoo references in blues music: 

I Got my Mojo Workin' - Muddy Waters

"I'm going down to Louisiana to get me a mojo hand; I'm gonna have all you women right here at my command"

Mojo Hand - Lightnin' Hopkins

"I lay down thinking, Buy me a mojo hand; I did wanna fix my woman so she can't have no other man." 

I Put A Spell On You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Speaks for itself really!

Hoodoo Lady Blues - Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup

"Now, Miss Hoodoo Lady, please give me a hoodoo hand;
"I wanna hoodoo this woman of mine, I believe she's got another man."

And there's a compilation album you can buy containing several voodoo related blues music

 (Disclaimer to the idiots: IT'S NOT SATANIC)

Standard of the Week: 'Born Under a Bad Sign'

This week, we will delve into one of blues most famous standards, 'Born Under a Bad Sign', by Albert King.

Recorded and released by the legendary Stax record label, 'Born Under a Bad Sign' is considered the quintessential Albert King song. It was recorded with the Booker T & The MG's as the backup band; which is a winning combination.

It's listed in the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame as one of the '500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll', and is was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in the "Classic of Blues Recording, Singles or Album Tracks" category . 

The original 1967 album version.

The riff is what gives the song wide appeal to both blues and rock fans. Dozens of musicians covered it, 

such as Cream:

Jimi Hendrix (as an instrumental)

Robben Ford: 

and.... HOMER SIMPSON (seriously)

Stay tuned for more standards, hope you liked the little tidbits for this song this week!

'Hand Me Down My Walking Cane' - Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup

Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup was an influential delta and Chicago bluesman; and was highly active in the 40's and early 50's.

His smooth soft voice and superb guitar playing made him one of the main pillars of the blues; even Elvis covered his songs, particularly 'So Glad You're Mine'.

He started out performing in the blues Mecca, Clarksdale, Mississippi before moving to Chicago in the late 1930's where he recorded and performed. His career fluctuated up and down, due to royalty disputes, and went back to Mississippi, where he returned to normal work. He did record in the mid 60's however, and died in 1974.

Here's 'Hand Me Down My Walking Cane', recorded in Chicago sometime between 1946-1949:

Flamenco Guitar Genius Paco de Lucia Dead at 66

The great flamenco guitar virtuoso Paco de Lucia has passed away in Mexico today. He was 66.

de Lucia, from Spain, was a very influential guitarist, and was known as an ambassador of flamenco music. He also played flamenco jazz and fusion music. He has performed with dozens of musicians, including Chick Corea, Al di Meola, John McLaughlin, Eric Clapton, Brian Adams, and many more.

It's a sad loss for music today. Rest in Peace Paco.

Here's a video of Paco performing in a recent jazz festival:

Cairo Jazz Festival Returns

The Cairo Jazz Festival is back and is set for March 13-16 at the Azhar Park.

The festival features several international and regional artists, including Lebanon's Mashrou' Laila.

Here's the full lineup:

- Jakub Urban Trio feat. Noha Fekry (Czech/Egypt)

- USS w Lazq (Egypt)

- Kaz Okumura Trio feat. Michelle Rounds (Japan/ Australia)

- Massar Egbari (Egypt)

- OUM (Morocco)

- VEIN (Switzerland)

- Yuri Honing Quartette (Holland) 

- Sylvain Beuf Electric Eccentric (France)

- Soweto Kinch feat. Arab Rap All Stars (UK/Egypt)

- Daerr-Bica-Stick (Germany)

- Soopar Lox (Egypt)

- Nabil Khemir (Tunisia)

- Holler My Dear (Austria)

- Rami Attalla Group (Egypt)

- Mashrou Leila feat. Soweto Kinch (Lebanon/UK)

 - Omar Khairat (Egypt)

- Andre Carvalho Group (Portugal)

- Christine Kisilewsky (Austia)

 The official site is [here] and check out the teaser video below:

The Fender Custom Shop Muddy Waters Tribute Telecaster

Muddy Waters is mostly associated with his candy apple red Fender Telecaster (which he called "The Hoss"). It wasn't always red though; it started out as a 50's color white blonde, maple neck Telecaster. Later he got new neck from Fender, this time in rosewood, and got the color changed to a 60's candy apple red, and changed the standard knobs to amp knobs.

Ever since the late 50's until his death in 1983, Muddy only used this guitar (with one major exception being when he played a Guild briefly for advertising purposes).

The Fender Custom Shop released a tribute to that guitar, in 2000:

MUDDY WATERS TRIBUTE TELE 2000 As a salute to the brilliant artistry of the godfather of the blues, Muddy Waters, and the lasting impact his music has had on guitar players around the world, the Fender Custom Shop is proud to unveil the Muddy Waters Tribute Telecaster 2000. If you've thrilled to the classic sounds of Chicago blues, the Fender Muddy Waters Tribute Tele is for you. The Muddy Waters Tribute Tele is an exact replica of the late '50s Telecaster that was Muddy's signature guitar for more than 30 years. Now hanging in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, Muddy's Tele is as distinctive as the man himself, but also as simple and direct. The emphasis here is squarely on tone and vibe. The authentic specs give you the tone; the exact replication of 40 years of wear and tear give you the vibe. To recreate this classic artist's classic axe, Custom Shop R&D man George Blanda flew out to Cleveland and, with the permission of the Hall of Fame, took rulers, calipers and gauges to Muddy's Tele. Every ding, scratch and eccentricity, even the amp knobs, has been faithfully recreated by the people who craft our popular Relic guitars. But don't just hang it on the wall. With its girthy neck and its classic pickups and electronics, this Tele's tone and feel give you all the legendary mojo the name Muddy Waters implies. MOJO MAN ACCESSORY KIT As a premium bonus, each Muddy Waters Tribute Tele comes with an accessory kit that will remind you what the Mojo man was all about. The Mojo Accessory Kit includes slide, capo, fingerpicks, thumb-pick, Muddy Waters: The Lost Tapes CD and a signed and framed poster of Muddy by famed Chicago blues photographer Raeburn Flerlage.

After that, Fender released a standard version (Made in Mexico) for about over 10 years, and it was sadly discontinued sometime in 2008/2009.

Here's a video of Muddy playing his unique slide guitar on his Telecaster, (solo starts at 2:25)

Paul Rodgers feat. David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) Cover Muddy Waters

Paul Rodgers, of the band Free and Bad Company, released an entire album dedicated to the legendary bluesman Muddy Waters in 1993. 

The featured artists are: Jeff Beck, David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), Buddy Guy, Brian May (Queen), Steve Miller, Gary Moore, Trevor Rabin (Yes), Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi), Neal Schon (Journey, Bad English), Brian Setzer, and Slash (Guns n' Roses, Velvet Revolver).

Now that's a great list of musicians, for which they all have a lot to thank Muddy Waters for. There are 15 tracks, including songs like 'I Can't Be Satisfied', 'Hoochie Coochie Man' and 'Rolling Stone'. 

Here's 'Standing Around Crying' and features David Gilmour; enjoy!