'Hold That Train Conductor' - Byther Smith

Byther Smith is a great Chicago bluesman, who still tours and plays until today. He found his success late, however since the 80's he's been releasing albums and performing live constantly.

He's well known for his gritty blues guitar and soulful voice. Here's 'Hold That Train Conductor':

Blues Sketch on 'In Living Color' (with Jim Carey)

In Living Color was a comedy sketch show back in the early 1990's and featured the young Jim Carey, Jamie Foxx, the Wayans brothers and many more.

Here's one sketch about a fictional bluesman named Calhoun Tubbs (played by David Alan Grier) trying to teach Jim Carey's character (with a bad English accent) about the blues. Hilarity ensues!

Block Party in NYC Celebrating 'Miles Davis Way'

A few month back I posted that New York City's 312 West 77th Street will now be renamed 'Miles Davis Way'. In celebration, the Miles Davis Estate has invited everyone to go celebrate this occasion at a block party:

Join us Monday, May 26 from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. EDT on Miles Davis' 88th birthday

At 312 W 77 Street (between Riverside Drive & West End Ave.) in New York, NY

This event will be FREE and OPEN to the public, hosted by Cheryl Davis, Erin Davis and Vine Wilburn, Jr.

If you live or are near New York City, you owe yourself to go and check it out!

'Morning After Blues' - Sonny Stitt

Sonny Stitt was one of the great jazz sax players, a staple of the bebop and hard bop subgenres. He recorded over 100 albums, and played with the greats like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey and many more.

In 1959 he released 'Sonny Stitt Blows the Blues', and is a collection of some great jazz blues tracks, one being 'Morning After Blues', a mellow song that closes the album:

Review: 'Sweet Giant of the Blues' - Otis Spann (1969)

It is hard to not write about the great blues pianist Otis Spann; he was a pillar of the classic Chicago blues. Indeed, he was in Muddy Waters' band from 1952 until 1968... in the blues world that's almost a lifetime, as many session players would often leave a band to pursue solo efforts. Muddy Waters always chose the best of the best to play in his band, and he also encouraged them to find their own success. 

Otis Spann, called a brother by Muddy, was the leading blues pianist of his time. His unique playing and soulful voice propelled him to the top of the pack very quickly, and he is included on many of the classic blues standards of the 50's and 60's. He released his first solo album in 1960, and until his early death in 1970 released several more and performed with other bluesmen such as Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy, Peter Green, Eric Clapton, and more.

2 Year Old Kid Sings The Blues (No Joke)

This kid is going places... he ain't even old enough to have the blues but he's already wailing on it like he's a dog without a bone.

Thanks Zaid and Tarek for the link!

'Who's Gonna Love You Tonight?' - Deep Blues by Sam Chatmon

Sam Chatmon was a delta blues singer and multi-instrumentalist, who was part of the blues group The Mississippi Sheikhs. Their music was highly influential from the 1930's onward.

Sam died in 1983 but his musical legacy lives on; here's Who's Gonna Love You Tonight? It's a version of several blues songs from Blind Lemon Jefferson and Arthur Crudup.

Feel the blues!

Swamp Blues: 'Cadillac In The Swamp' - SmokeHouse

There is a sub-genre of the blues called Louisiana Blues, with it's music center being New Orleans. Within this subgenre lies a variation called 'Swamp Blues'.

Swamp Blues is a lot more gritty, laidback and for lack of a better term, loose. The beats are a heavier version of the standard blues rhythms or boogie riffs of Chicago and mixing the Cajun sounds the South, taking you to the depths of the swampy, misty Louisiana bayou.

A nice modern example comes from the band Smokehouse. In 1996 the band released an album called 'Cadillac in the Swamp', which features this type powerful sound; a great story along with eerie blues imagery in the video.

Hugh Laurie (AKA House) Covers Muddy Waters' 'Louisiana Blues'

Hugh Laurie (best known as House from the TV show of the same name) is a lover of the blues; previously I reviewed his debut album 'Let Them Talk'. His newest album 'Didn't It Rain' was released last year. Both albums heavily feature blues music among other genres.

One of the album surprises on that album is a cover of the Muddy Waters 1950 classic 'Louisiana Blues', with his own twist.

Here's the video, and the original below it for reference:

'Beefsteak Blues' - James 'Son' Thomas

James 'Son' Thomas lived the blues; he was a gravedigger, was shot by an ex-wife, worked the fields, and lived down in Mississippi most of his life. He started recording in the late 60's till the 80's, however he remains obscure outside of the blues circles.

His Delta blues style is very gritty and deep like the muddy Mississippi river. This song called 'Beefsteak Blues' was recorded sometime in the 80's and he sings:

'Beefsteak when I'm hungry, whiskey when I'm dry;
 Beefsteak when I'm hungry, whiskey when I'm dry;
Good lookin' woman when I'm livin', and heaven when I die

Worry I'ma leave you; worry you off my mind;
Worry I'ma leave you; worry you off my mind;
Way you keeps me worried; bother all the time

Some folks say I'm worried, worried the blues ain't bad
Some folks say I'm worried, worried the blues ain't bad
Well that's the worst old feelin' I most ever had.'

(That last line is taken straight from Muddy Water's 'Country Blues' from 1941.)

This is some hard drinkin' blues music: