A few months ago, HBO released a TV film called 'Bessie', starring Queen Latifah.
It's a biofilm about 'The Empress of the Blues' Bessie Smith, who was one of the top female blues artists alongside Ma Rainey, Victoria Spivey, and dozens of others.
I'm not a movie critic but the film captured the spirit of the depression era, how she rose to fame, generally everything feels right and the performances are spot on.
I watched it on OSN, so you can look for that now, or if you can get your hands on it somehow, because it's a great movie about blues history, which we lack so far (see this post about some blues films).
Here's a song from the movie, 'Down Hearted Blues' (cover):
The last remaining OG bluesman Buddy Guy has spoken about the future of the blues in a recent interview with NPR (full interview here):
I wonder if there aren't as
many young black musicians devoting themselves to the blues. Do you worry about
the future of blues music?
I worry about the future of blues music whether you are
black or white. If they don't hear it like I did and listen to it and don't
know about it — you ever been to Louisiana
where they cook all this gumbo?
I have. I love it.
I do, too. [Laughs.] So if you never tasted it, you
wouldn't love it. That's what's happening with the blues. Now, the young people
don't know nothing about it unless — I know satellite [radio] do play blues,
but we need more than that. I tell everybody I would love to hear Muddy Waters
twice a week. I'm not telling you to play him all day, all night; just play
him. Let the young people know where it all started."
His new album, 'Born to Play Guitar' has been released and I'll be reviewing it soon.
Here's a song off the new album; no embed is available sorry:
In 1960, legendary blues pianist Sunnyland Slim and jazz pianist Little Brother Montgomery got together and recorded a full length album full of blues and jazzy pieces, showcasing each person's background. Jump Jackson appears on drums on a few tracks.
Here is the full vinyl, conveniently placed on Youtube, perfect for your work commute or your way back home:
Just released, 'Muddy Waters 100' is an officially authorized tribute album featuring many artists, including former bandmate Joe Primer,Billy Branch, Gary Clark Jr., Shemekia Copeland, James Cotton, Bob Margolin, Keb’ Mo’, Derek Trucks, Johnny Winter,
with Vincent Bucher, Leanne Faine, Tim Gant, Khari Parker,
James Teague, Steve Gibons, Keith Henderson and
the Living History Band: Matthew Skoller, Billy Flynn, Johnny Iguana, Felton Crews, Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith.
This album is a tribute to 100 years of the great bluesman Muddy Waters, whose musical legacy lives on today.
To buy this album digitally or physically (including a deluxe 48 page booklet) go [here].
In light of the recent debacle in Lebanon, about trash not being picked up and is currently filling up the streets, I'd like to dedicate this blues by Muddy Waters to the Lebanese people and the government.
Although it technically is about a cheating woman leaving her husband for the garbage man, ideally we can use it as a metaphor for being screwed by politicians instead.
My baby, she run off With the garbage man Yeah my baby, she run off With the garbage man Well, I need you so bad little girl So you can empty my garbage can I don't know where she been And I don't know why she goin' Yeah, I don't know where she been And I don't know why she goin' Please come back to me My garbage can is overflowin' Yeah my baby, she run away With my hard earned cash Well my woman, she run away With my hard earned cash Well I don't need your money I don't need your money girl I need you so you can empty my trash
In 1966, CBS Corp. recorded a live blues session with some of the best Chicago blues players. It features Muddy Waters, Sunnyland Slim, Willie Dixon, Otis Spann, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, and many more.
If you want a great piece of musical history, which hasn't happened again for some time (getting master blues players together for a summit), including an encore performance by everyone, don;t miss this classic showcase!
Now almost forgotten, Clarence Samuels was a blues singer who was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on October 30, 1923 and died on May 21, 2002. Samuels made his first recordings for Aristocrat (Chess) in Chicago in 1947 and 1948. He recorded for a number of labels and made his final recording in 1966.
He started performing live again after a long haitus, touring the US and Europe.
His most famous song is called 'Chicken Hearted Woman':
So far in 2015, these are the top 10 most selling vinyls according to Nielsen Music:
1. Taylor Swift, 1989
(34,000)
2. Sufjan Stevens, Carrie & Lowell (32,000)
3. Arctic Monkeys, AM (27,000)
4. Alabama
Shakes, Sound & Color (26,000) 5. Miles Davis, Kind of Blue (23,000)
6. Sam Smith, In the Lonely Hour (23,000)
7. Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon (23,000)
8. Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack (22,000)
9. Father John Misty, I Love You Honeybear (22,000)
10. Hozier, Hozier (21,000)
My my.
We already know that this seminal jazz album by trumpeter and legend Miles Davis is the best selling jazz album of all time; but to still be this relevant in 2015? It seems it's relevance is still paramount, even after almost 60 years since release.
