Eid Blues Roundup

So it was a long break, and I've been slacking on the blog lately (i know, forgive me). I expect things to pick up by October.

I've gathered up some tidbits about some blues / jazz (and me, plugging shamelessly) for ya:

1) Radio Blues

Yep, I was on the radio (Kuwait FM 99.7) yesterday morning for some live blues and discussion on the Eid Special with Maha and DJ Aki. Props to them and 99.7 for the support and love!

Songs played:

1- Key to the Highway

2- You Don't Have to Go

3- Rollin' Stone

2- Jazz for Cows

It's not really a new video, but it just came across my feed again and thought it was cute. Bovines love jazz it seems!

3- Happy Birthday John Coltrane!

It was the legendary jazzman's birthday over the holiday, so mad props to the man who reinvented music with his nonstop search for enlightenment. Here's the full Blue Train album for your pleasure:

4- Dudley Taft's album confirmed for October

Blues-rocker Dudley Taft will release his new album 'Skull & Bones' on October 16! Here's a snippet of some hard rockin blues to come:

5- The Hurt Project releases EP

Marlon Hunt from the Hurt Project contacted me and informed me of their new EP release 'After the Storms' and features some old-school blues I'm sure you guys will enjoy. Their bandcamp site is [here] and you can hear the music below:

Standard of the Week: 'You Don't Have to Go'

Alcoholism and personal problems left bluesman Jimmy Reed a bit less popular than his other blues compatriots, but later his legacy has proven itself to be highly influential. 

In 1954, the bluesman he released 'You Don't Have to Go', which was a big hit. Reed was signed for Vee-Jay Records and this song led to many hits later on in his career. It features the infamous Chicago shuffle with a harp melody (that Reed played himself while playing guitar as well.)

Since then, many blues artists covered this song, and it became a standard in modern blues music. 

Some of the cover artists include:

MUDDY WATERS

FREDDY KING

ANDREW ODOM & The Gold Tops

Jerry Lee Lewis & Pinetop Perkins

Grant Dermody & John Dee Holeman (acoustic)

Rare New Footage of John Lee Hooker 1970 Performance Unearthed

A  set of rare footage of a John Lee Hooker performance in Detroit has been found and uploaded.

This is from a 1970 TV music show called Tubeworks. This is some deep blues right there! Dig the organ!

Songs: 

1st Video:

1- Can't Get out of These Blues Alive

2- Maude

3- It Serves Me Right to Suffer

2nd Video:

1- Hobo Blues

I

'Wild, Wild Woman' - Johnny Young

Johnny Young was a seasoned Chicago blues veteran who found success in the 40's and 50's. He went to retirement around 1958, until he came back to music after the folk and blues boom in the 60's.

He was also known to be one of the few popular blues mandolin players. He died in 1974.

This track from 1965 features the harp and piano of James Cotton and Otis Spann respectively, of Muddy Waters' blues band.

My Interview with Studentalk is Now Available!

Recently, I had the pleasure to be interviewed by leading Kuwaiti magazine Studentalk, where I talk about my love for the blues!

You can pick up a free physical copy at Starbucks, or alternatively, check the below links :)

Thanks to Ali Al-Hassan and Tarek Kabbani from Studentalk for their support and great work!

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'Good Morning Mr. Blues' - Otis Spann

Most of you listen to Fairuz with your morning coffee; I present you a chill alternative!

Otis Spann was one of the pillars of Chicago blues piano until his untimely death in 1970. He also had a souldful voice to boot.

Slave Man Blues

I might not be in Beirut to support the Tol3et Re7etkom cause, however I have donated to the Indiegogo campaign and signed the petition, which you can too! I'm sending you my blues support, stay safe everyone!

'Personal Manager' Live - Albert King

In 1967, Albert King released his first album on Stax Records (2nd overall), 'Born Under a Bad Sign', to widespread acclaim, featuring several songs that would eventually become standards, like the title track, 'Crosscut Saw', and 'Personal Manager', which you can see below in an extended live version at the Fillmore in 1968. 

Truly electrifying, with the added soul horn section, and Albert's distinctive guitar style.

'Too Much Alcohol' - JB Hutto

JB Hutto was a bluesman who was inspired by the work of Elmore James; in the late 50's he became disillusioned with music and quit for a while. 

He worked as a janitor to make ends meet, until he was picked up to record some music for Vanguard.

This song is a product of that session, and he kept playing until he died in 1983.

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'Bessie' - a Blues Film Not to Miss

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):

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