Friday, December 9th
sounds of Independence*
R.L. Burnside (1926-2005), “Poor Boy a Long Way from Home,” live, 1978
*Mississippi.
music clip of the day
jazz/blues/rock/classical/gospel/more
Category: blues
2016
2016
Tuesday, December 6th
two takes
“Ride ‘Em on Down”
Rolling Stones, 2016
***
Eddie Taylor, 1955
**********
lagniappe
reading table
The announcement [that he was the president-elect’s choice to lead HUD] was delayed as Mr. Carson, who once had planned to learn to play the organ in retirement, gave himself several days to mull it over.
—Trip Gabriel, “Trump Chooses Ben Carson to Lead HUD,” New York Times, 12/5/16
2016
Saturday, November 19th
passings
Mose Allison, singer, songwriter, piano player, November 11, 1927-November 15, 2016
Talking, singing, playing (Mississippi Blues Commission, 2015)
***
Pete Townsend, Georgie Fame, Elvis Costello talking about “Parchman Farm”
***
“Parchman Farm” (M. Allison), 1957
***
NEA Jazz Masters Tribute, 2013
2016
Friday, November 11th
two takes
“I Hate to See You Go” (AKA “Hate to See You Go”) (W. Jacobs)
Rolling Stones, Blue & Lonesome, 2016
***
Little Walter, 1955
**********
lagniappe
art beat: other day, Art Institute of Chicago
Vasily Kandinsky (1866-1944), Painting with Green Center, 1913
*****
reading table
BRIDGEPORT, CT—Thinking back on how happy and untroubled he had been during that time and how different he feels in the present day, local man Jason Moulton, 52, reportedly paused Wednesday and nostalgically recalled the simpler era of 20 hours ago. “Everything seemed so much brighter back then before 9 p.m. last night—nothing like the way things are now,” said Moulton, wistfully reflecting on how, back before yesterday evening, things had seemed to make sense and the future appeared to hold endless promise. “America was a different place all those hours ago. Things were safer then, and the economy was strong—it was just a better time. But it’s all gone downhill ever since. We just don’t have the same values anymore.” Moulton then reportedly shook his head and said that while he would love for the country to get back to the good old days of November 8 and earlier, realistically he knew that would never happen.
—The Onion, “Man Nostalgic For Simpler Era Of 20 Hours Ago,” 11/9/16
2016
Friday, October 14th
Bob Dylan, “High Water (For Charley Patton)” (B. Dylan)
Live, Irvine, Calif., 2013
No matter how often he changes styles, he keeps coming back to the blues.
**********
lagniappe
baseball
Javy Baez (Chicago Cubs infielder), defensive highlights
2016
Thursday, September 15th
sweet soul music
William Bell, “This Is Where I Live,” “The Three of Me,” “Born Under a Bad Sign,” live, Washington, D.C., 2016
**********
lagniappe
art beat: other day, Whitney Museum of American Art (New York)
Danny Lyon (1942-), The March on Washington, August 28, 1963 (Message to the Future, through 9/25/16)
2016
Thursday, September 8th
two takes
“Death Letter” (aka “Death Letter Blues”) (S. House)
Cassandra Wilson, live, Spain (Vitoria-Gasteiz), 2005
***
Son House (1902-1988), live (TV show)
**********
lagniappe
random sights
other day, New York (Harlem)
2016
Friday, June 10th
voices I miss
Albert Collins (1932-1993), live, Switzerland (Montreux), 1979
**********
lagniappe
art beat: other day, Art Institute of Chicago
Aaron Siskind (1903-1991), Chicago 28 1957 (Abstractions, through 8/14/16)
*****
tonight in Chicago
The Chicago Blues Festival celebrates the 45th anniversary of Alligator Records, where, in the ’70s, barely out of college, I had the good fortune to co-produce recordings by Albert Collins, Koko Taylor, Son Seals, Fenton Robinson, Jimmy Johnson, Carey Bell, et al.
2016
Saturday, April 23rd
passings
Lonnie Mack, guitarist, singer, songwriter, July 18, 1941-April 21, 2016
“Memphis” (C. Berry), 1963
***
“She Don’t Come Here Anymore,” 1966
***
“Farther on Down the Road,” live (with Albert Collins, Roy Buchanan), New York (Carnegie Hall), 1985
2016
Monday, March 14th
sounds of 1926
Frederic Chopin (1810-1849), Prelude No. 15 (“Raindrop”); Ignaz Friedman (1882-1948), piano, 1926
*****
Bessie Smith (1894-1937), “Young Woman’s Blues,” 1926
**********
lagniappe
reading table
Whatever it is,
I cannot understand it,
although gratitude
stubbornly overcomes me
until I’m reduced to tears.—Saigyō (1118-1190), translated from Japanese by Sam Hamill
music clip of the day 