Phil Guy

Phil Guy - Say What You Mean - 2000 - JSP

The late Phil Guy never reached the legendary status of his older brother Buddy, although many people regarded Phil and Buddy as equally talented. Phil was part of the Chicago blues scene from the late sixties until his death in 2008. During the ’70s, he was a member of both Buddy’s band and Junior Well’s band. He backed great blues artists like Albert Collins, Son Seals, Memphis Slim, Big Mama Thornton, Koko Taylor, and John Lee Hooker, and for many years he had his own great band, The Chicago Machine. "Say What You Mean" is a great Chicago Blues album from this sometimes forgotten bluesman. Check out his great "Bad Luck Boy" album.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Lonesome Blues Feiner, Rawls 7:18
2 Fixin' to Die Guy 8:04
3 Help Wanted Blues Feiner 7:07
4 Is It Him or Me? Feiner 5:15
5 I'm Leavin' Right Now Feiner 6:20
6 Last Time Guy 8:05
7 4 A.M. Blues Feiner 4:11
8 Say What You Mean Feiner, Rawls 4:01
9 Have Mercy Feiner, Rawls 7:00
10 Last of the Blues Singers Guy 6:08
11 You at My Door Feiner 5:38

MUSICIANS

Phil Guy Guitar, Vocals
Johnny Rawls Guitar
Mike Nunno Electric Bass
Marty Sammon Hammond
Reggie Barnes Drums
Bruce Feiner Tenor Saxophone [from The Nutmeg Horns]
Robert Feiner Baritone Saxophone [from The Nutmeg Horns]
Jamie Finegan Trumpet, Synthesizer Strings [from The Nutmeg Horns]
Burt Teague Shaker on Track 8
Alvin Carter Snr. Conga Drum on Track 8

SHORT BIO (Wikipedia)

Phil Guy (April 28, 1940, Lettsworth, Louisiana[1] - August 20, 2008, Chicago Heights, Illinois, was an American blues guitarist. He was the younger brother of Buddy Guy. Guy played with the harmonica player Raful Neal for ten years in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area before relocating to Chicago in 1969. He played with Junior Wells in the 1970s, and recorded extensively under his own name in the 1980s and 1990s. Phil died of complications from pancreatic cancer on Wednesday, August 20, 2008.

MORE ABOUT PHIL GUY

Phil Guy didn't eclipse his older brother Buddy's status as a blues superstar, and in reality, Phil's funky brand of blues was not captured correctly for posterity. But he remained an active attraction on the Chicago circuit, following in his sibling's footsteps and patiently waiting for his own star to rise up until his death. Like his sibling, Phil Guy played with harpist Raful Neal (for a decade) before leaving the Baton Rouge scene for Chicago in 1969. There he played with his brother's high-energy organization as well as behind harpist Junior Wells (Phil handled guitar duties with Sammy Lawhorn on Wells' underrated mid-'70s Delmark album On Tap). Phil Guy cut albums of his own for JSP; they were generally lacking in originality if not spirit. Phil Guy lost his battle with liver and kidney cancer in August of 2008. © Bill Dahl, allmusic.com

DETAILED BIO

Born on April 28, 1940, Phil Guy was the fifth child and third son of his sharecropping parents, Sam and Isabell Guy. Along with his parents, sisters (Annie Mae and Fannie Mae), and brothers (Buddy and Sam, Jr.), Phil grew up picking cotton and pecans on the Lettsworth, Louisiana plantation – about 60 miles northwest of Baton Rouge. The Guys were very poor. They had no electricity or running water for most of Phil’s youth. Yet, the Guys were a proud family.When Phil was nine years old (and oldest brother Buddy thirteen) the family made enough profit from their crops to obtain electricity. Besides the one light bulb that lit up their home, their daddy splurged on a radio and an old phonograph. They were intrigued with the sounds of Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Little Walter, Howlin Wolf and John Lee Hooker. Buddy started down the music road first with a guitar he made from screen wire and a lighter fluid can, and then progressed to a $2 guitar with two strings to eventually a Harmony f-hole guitar when he graduated from the eighth grade. Phil was not allowed to touch Buddy’s guitar. However, when Buddy moved to Baton Rouge to attend high school and live with Annie Mae, he left his old guitar hanging on a nail on the wall of their country shack. Completely left handed, thirteen year old Phil stared at it mesmerized. He took the guitar down and tried to figure out how to play it. Upside down and backwards didn’t work so he forced himself to play right handed. Soon he began taking the guitar out on the levee. His cousin Ervin Hartford would join him playing harmonica. Even though Phil’s influences were Lightnin’ Slim, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Albert Collins, he said, “I didn’t know but one song, just a rhythm line of a Jimmy Reed song.” The echo on the levee captivated him, and so he’d play that one line over and over. One weekend evening, when Phil was fifteen, musician Lightnin’ Slim stopped by Johnny McGlitcham’s Club in nearby Torres with his amplified guitar. Phil had never seen anything like it. Phil said, “Slim’s amp was the size of a radio. He said he was just going to play for a little while, but when people kept throwing money into the hat, Slim ended up staying for a week. It was Slim who gave me my first chance to play an electric guitar.” In the meantime in Baton Rouge, after years of listening to Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Howlin Wolf and B.B. King, Buddy joined harp player Raful Neal’s band. They performed at many of the local joints including the Dew Drop Inn and The Rock House Buddy yearned to see and learn from his idols, so on September 27, 1957 at 21 he moved to Chicago where they were. Before he left he told Raful that his younger seventeen year old brother could also play the blues. Phil cut his musical teeth in Raful Neal’s band replacing Lazy Lester as rhythm guitarist. “From then on, I just started learning more and more,” Phil said. He stayed with Raful’s band until Buddy summoned him to come to Chicago. Phil ventured north in April 1969 and began working immediately with Buddy in his bands. Often, they played in the basement at Theresa’s Lounge on 48th & Indiana. At that time, Phil’s (29) and Buddy’s (33) musical styles had gone different directions. Phil was more into funky songs by Jimmy Reed and James Brown. His method was a deep picking, penetrating and searing style like Albert King. Buddy’s approach was skilled Chicago blues like Muddy Waters, straight picking yet mixed with electrifying Guitar Slim style showmanship and powerful vocals. However, whenever these two blues brothers jammed together, their styles complimented each other exquisitely.Soon after his arrival in Chicago, Buddy invited Phil to join his band on a trip to Africa sponsored by the U.S. State Department. “The trip was a huge success,” Phil said. “The Africans had heard of James Brown and Muhammad Ali but knew nothing about the blues. They were so amazed with the music they thought Buddy’s strings were magic and stole them right off his guitar!” Following one performance in Africa, Phil put his guitar on top of the equipment truck. Driving miles and miles over the bumpy, pot hole laden roads, his Fender Telecaster fell off. When they finally realized what had happened 30 or 40 miles down the road, they backtracked and retrieved it. To this day Phil continues to play with his beloved guitar, "Ludella." The Guy blues brothers and Junior Wells had several high profile gigs in Europe, including opening for the Rolling Stones in 1970 and jamming with Eric Clapton. Buddy, Phil, and Junior Wells were much better known across the ocean than in our homeland where blues took root. A year after Woodstock and Altamont, in the summer of 1970 Buddy and Phil Guy joined a collection of future rock and roll superstars, including Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, The Band, and the Flying Burrito Brothers and others, on the infamous Festival Express. The Festival Express was a train that rock and rolled, jammed and partied, day and night across Canada – making concert stops in Toronto, Winnipeg and Calgary. It was a multi-band, multi-day extravaganza that captured the spirit and imagination of a generation and a nation. Long lost film, never seen before of the ride was found in the 1990’s and made into a documentary nearly 35 years later. Speaking of the rare footage of Phil and Buddy jamming on the train and performing in Winnipeg, Phil chuckled about his wild afro, beard and clothes recalling, “It was a great musical experience . . . I was a hippie back then.” Phil spent quite a few years as a backing musician. Besides playing with Buddy, Raful Neal, and Junior Wells, he backed up Son Seals, Albert Collins, Koko Taylor, Memphis Slim, John Lee Hooker and Big Mama Thornton. “Big Mama Thornton was wild! She was kind of like a female Junior Wells!” Phil explained. During the mid 1970’s and into the mid 1980’s disco, rock and roll, and pop were what audiences wanted to hear. There was no money in playing the blues. Phil needed to support his family, so he picked up whatever work he could. Occasionally, good things happened in the dry blues years. In 1979, Phil and Buddy were on tour in France. Out of the blue, promoter Didier Tricard asked Buddy if he wanted to record an album. Buddy thought it was a joke, but insisted that if he was serious, he would only record if the label was named after their mother, Isabell. From that, right in the middle of the disco craze came, Stone Crazy. Phil struck out on his own in the 1990’s and formed his band Phil Guy and The Chicago Machine. His albums include: Tina Nu (1994) JSP label, All Star Chicago Blues Session (1994), Breaking out on Top (1995), Chicago’s Hottest Blues Session, Vol. 25 (1998), Track 16 – A Selection of the Best Modern Blues (2000), and Say What You Mean (2000) – JSP label. *** 2006 Phil's newest CD "He's My Blues Brother" - Black Eyed Sally's Music label. Phil’s highly praised Say What You Mean CD showcases his exceptional penned lyrics in “Fixin to Die,” “For the last Time,”and “Last of the Blues Singers.” Coupled with Phil’s intense tone and soul vocals and mixed in with his emotion-filled guitar playing, his performances are Chicago savvy, his audiences always wanting more. Phil Guy has become one of Chicago’s most rock solid and legendary blues performers. Not afraid to tackle anything or any genre, he mixes his performances with R& B, rock-and-roll - and hip-hop - entertaining people of all ages. Phil acknowledges that “the 1990’s are gone, and now in the 2000’s, everybody’s back on the floor dancing.” Phil Guy is always ready to boogie and give the people what they want – whether it’s some down home Louisiana blues, Sweet Home Chicago Blues, Funky James Brown tunes, Rolling Stones “Missing You,” or today’s hip-hop – Phil delivers more than what audiences expect. “Fun” should be his middle name. Unfortuneately Phil was diagnosed in January of 2008 with stage 4 prostate cancer, which means it had already spread into different areas of his body. Prior to his diagnosis he had no symptoms, other than being tired. Phil lived on and survived this devastating disease until August 20th, when it just took him. He lived life fully this past year as he had all his 68 years. He was a remarkable man. In his last days he asked God to have mercy on his soul. He's up in heaven now with God and all the musicians that passed before him - reflective in his song - Last of the Blues Singers. © www.philguynothrmule.com

Capability Brown

Capability Brown - Liar - 1976 - Charisma

Capability Brown was a versatile British rock band of 6 very talented multi-instrumentalists who played a mixture of soft rock, and progressive rock. However, unlike many pop and soft rock bands, CB were a very creative band, who also played original, and complex music, very much in the progressive rock style of the early seventies. It would be easy to classify Capability Brown's music as the West Coast soft rock variety. Indeed, some of their music is reminiscent of early Eagles, Poco, and CSN&Y. However, the band's music had a "harder" core, and although the band never really hit the big time, they received critical acclaim for both their musicianship, and original songs. Their second album, Voice, from 1973, included a 20 minute opus, "Circumstances" , a really inventive progressive rock tune, in the musical style of the great Camel, which featured stunning keyboards, mellotron, synth, acoustic guitar parts, some amazing, electric guitar, and incredible vocals. The track was very much in the Canterbury Rock vein, and similar to tracks recorded by bands like Caravan, Hatfield And The North, and Gentle Giant. "Liar" is a compilation of their first two albums, "From Scratch", and "Voice", from 1972 and 1973, As well as the band's own compositions by Tony Ferguson , and Dave Nevin , Capability Brown also covered songs by Rare Bird (Sympathy) and Lindisfarne (Wake Up Little Sister). Other covers include songs by Rare Bird (Redman), Steely Dan (Midnight Cruiser), Russ Ballard’s Liar, an Argent track recorded by Three Dog Night., and Lindisfarne's Alan Hull's ""I Am and So Are You". This track was also recorded by Affinity with Linda Hoyle. "Redman", "Midnite Cruiser" , "I Am and So Are You" , and "Liar" are on this album. It's a pity that "Circumstances" wasn't included, but that is always the "problem" with compilation albums. Check out the band's second album, "Voice".

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

01 - Midnight Cruiser - Walter Becker, & Donald Fagen
02 - No Range - Dave Nevin
03 - I'm & So Are You - Alan Hull
04 - Sole Survivor - Tony Ferguson
a - Escape
b - Sole Survivor
c - Cosmic Ride
d - Time Machine
05 - Keep Death Off T he Road (Drive On The Pavement) - Dave Nevin
06 - Redman - Curtis, Gould, Hall, Kaffinetti, Kelly (Rare Bird)
07 - Sad Am I - Tony Ferguson
08 - Liar - Russ Ballard

BAND

Tony Ferguson - Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Dave Nevin - Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals, Bass
Kenny Rowe - Bass, Vocals, Percussion
Grahame White R.I.P - Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Joe Williams - Vocals, Percussion
Roger Willis - Vocals, Drums, Keyboards

SHORT BIO

Capability Brown had and still have a cult following in UK music history as a "progressive" band, ultimately based on an outstanding piece from their second album, Voice. But largely their range covered mainstream pop music, treated in an "arty", alternative fashion. The band was a six-piece in which everyone sang and played instruments. The line-up consisted of Tony Ferguson (guitar, bass), Dave Nevin (keyboards, guitar, bass), Kenny Rowe (bass, percussion), Grahame White (guitar, lute, balalaika, keyboards), Joe Williams (percussion) and Roger Willis (drums, keyboards). Ferguson and Nevin wrote the majority of the band's material, and the band also excelled in covers of obscure material (Rare Bird's Beautiful Scarlet and Redman, Argent's Liar, Affinity's I Am And So Are You and Steely Dan's Midnight Cruiser). Capability Brown's forte was vocalizing. Together they sounded not unlike The Association: a massed choir of voices, ranging from baritone to high clean falsettos. Their first album, From Scratch, which included Liar, was average and unexceptional. The second album Voice, released in 1973, was their claim to fame, incorporating an over-20-minute richly melodic piece called Circumstances (In Love, Past, Present, Future Meet) - a stunning piece of music incorporating keyboards, a cappela voices, synthesizers and mellotrons, solo vocals, delicate harpsichord-like acoustic guitar sections, powerful electric guitar chords and massed vocal choirs. The band did not manage to record again after this, and in 1974 Tony, Roger and Graham were recruited by friend and Christie member Roger Flavell to join his group, Christie for a tour of South America. Thus Capability Brown was no more. © Prog Archives, All rights reserved

Sinnerboy - down & out in hammersmith (a tribute to Rory Gallagher)

Sinnerboy - down & out in hammersmith (a tribute to Rory Gallagher) - 2003 - Independent Pressing

Barry Barnes first saw the legendaryTaste band in 1969, led by the late, great, Irish bluesman, Rory Gallagher. Forty years later, the music of Rory has continued to be Barry Barnes' driving force to play music. Barry, and his band, Sinnerboy, from Manchester, England are regarded by many Rory Gallagher fans, and blues fans, globally, as the ultimate tribute band to Rory's great music. The band has played all over Europe and is regarded by Donal, (Rory's brother and manager), as "the definitive Rory Gallagher outfit". When Sinnerboy headlined ‘The Rory Gallagher Day’ at the Ulster Hall, Belfast, in December 2006, they were introduced by Rory Gallagher's brother and manager, Donal Gallagher who said of them: "Here is the proof that Rory’s music lives on". Barry, who plays acoustic and steel guitar and mandolin, has a voice that uncannily resembles the late Rory's. Barry, and Sinnerboy bring some of Rory Gallagher's great acoustic and electric numbers back to life. Musicians like Barry Barnes and his band deserve the highest accolades for preserving Rory Gallagher's music, and keeping the blues alive. It is important to remember that musicians like Rory Gallagher were influenced by great bluesmen like Son House, Leadbelly, and many more. So in their own way, Sinnerboy are not just paying a tribute to Rory Gallagher, they are also preserving the precious origins of blues music in general. Just one point about this album - It is raw, "rough and ready", and the guitar playing cannot be compared to Rory Gallagher's. At times, some of the guitar solos "lose their way" a bit, and a few bars go astray at times, but then we can't all be Jan Akkerman or Robben Ford. So don't expect too much. Barry Barnes is a competent, and well respected musician, and deserves nothing but praise. Buy Sinnerboy's "Live At The Spirit Store" CD. Check http://www.sinnerboy.co.uk/ to see if the album is still available. If you get time, try and listen to Rory Gallagher's sensational "Calling Card" album which remains one of the greatest blues albums of the seventies. Jimi Hendrix was once asked in an interview, "What does it feel like to be the World's Best Guitarist", he replied "I don't know, ask Rory Gallagher." Fair comment from the modest Jimi! Search this blog for other Rory Gallagher/Taste related releases

TRACKS

SIDE 1

Shinkicker
Cradle Rock
Big Guns
I Fall Apart
Souped-Up Ford
Walk On Hot Coals
Laundromat

SIDE 2

Follow Me
Too Much Alcohol
Tattoo'd Lady
Going To My Hometown
In Your Town
Bullfrog Blues

All songs composed by Rory Gallagher, except "Too Much Alcohol", and "Bullfrog Blues" by William Harris

BAND

Barry Barnes - Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals
Dave Burns - Bass
Steve Tansley - Drums
Paul Westwell - Harmonica (Guest Musician)

ABOUT SINNERBOY

Sinnerboy, the top international Rory Gallagher Tribute Band, hail from Manchester and comprise of Barry Barnes (guitar/vocals), Dave Burns (bass) and Steve Tansley (drums), the three members of Sinnerboy are devoted to keeping Rory’s music and memory alive. They have built a huge reputation for the sheer energy and excitement of their live performance and are regarded by seasoned Rory fans as uncannily close to the original. Sinnerboy have played a huge role over recent years in the revival of Gallagher’s music, headlined every major Gallagher tribute festival in Ireland, England and on the Continent and been endorsed by the great bluesman’s brother and manager Donal who has said of them “here is the proof that Rory’s music lives on”! Rory Gallagher was one of the greatest electric guitarists of all time and a prolific composer of great blues and rock music. The extensive Sinnerboy repertoire captures every period of his career. Hear “What’s going on”, “Tattoo’d Lady”, “A million miles away”, “Going to my hometown” and many more as they pay homage to their hero. Sinnerboy will also be promoting their newly released CD “Live at the Spirit Store” which superbly captures their stage performance and shows just how vibrant the late Rory’s music is more than twelve years after his untimely demise. Rory Gallagher sadly passed away in 1995 but his legacy lives on. Sinnerboy will show just how great Rory’s music really was. [ from https://www.therobintickets.co.uk/ticketshop/ordertickets.asp?TicketID=1916 ]

MORE ABOUT SINNERBOY

Sinnerboy are simply the best Rory Gallagher tribute band in the world- and that's the official opinion of Donal Gallagher, Rory Gallagher's brother. Lasy year';s gig at The Bullfrog Blues Club drew near record crowds for a blues gig, and since then the band's prifile has sky-rocketed - they've played Rory Gallagher conventions all over Europe, and the ultimate accolade - in Rory's hometown in Ireland. Guitarist and singer Barry Barnes is one of Europe's most active enthusiasts working to keep alive the music and memory of Rory Gallagher. In 1996 Barry organized the first annual U.K Rory Gallagher tribute gig, now as longest running Rory Gallagher tribute in the world and one of the main events on the Rory Gallagher calendar. It has continued to grow and now attracts crowds from throughout the UK and abroad every year to "the Rory gig" at Sheffield . The same impetus to celebrate Rory's genius led Barry to form a tribute band with two like-minded musicians - bassist Dave Burns and drummer Steve Richardson. Both Dave and Steve are lifelong Rory fans, not just some rhythm section that Barry has cobbled together, and it shows! Together as Sinnerboy and driven by belief, enthusiasm and passion, the bands have become the best Rory Gallagher tribute acts in the world. [ from http://www.barkingspider.abelgratis.com/artists/sinnerboy.shtml?functions ]

Snowy White & the White Flames

Snowy White & the White Flames - Keep Out - We Are Toxic - 1999 - BMG

Snowy White, the ex-Thin Lizzy and Pink Floyd session guitarist released this album to mixed reviews. Some critics have onsidered "Keep Out - We Are Toxic" to be one of SW's most powerful albums. However, it is hard to deny that most of the tracks simply do not live up to SW's usual high standard. There are nine tracks, including two instrumentals. "Naharia" is a weak fusion type instrumental that goes nowhere. "What Would I Do" is a good track, and most of the tracks are pleasantly listenable. There is no faulting the musicianship, but for a better idea of the band's creativity, listen to their "No Faith Required" album. Check out Snowy White & The White Flames' "Live Flames" album @ SW/LIVFLAM

TRACKS

Keep Out - We Are Toxic (all guitars and vocals)
What Would I Do (all guitars and vocals)
Flamingo Lake (Acoustic guitar, electric guitar and vocals)
Silence in the Valley (all guitars and vocals)
Naharia (shimmering slide guitar)
A Piece of the Action (all guitars and vocals)
Time Waits for No Man (all guitars and vocals)
Precious (lead guitar and rhythm guitar)
When the Rains Don't Come (all guitars and vocals)

All songs composed by Snowy White, except "Precious" by White, Latupeirissa, & van Emmerloot

BAND

Snowy White (Guitar (Acoustic), (Guitar (Electric), (Vocals), (String Arrangements)
Walter Latupeirissa (bass)
Juan van Emmerloot (drums & percussion)
Thomas White (bongos)
Paul Lily, Mick "Tinkerbell" Smith (strings)

SNOWY WHITE BIO

British-born blues/rock guitarist Snowy White first became interested in music at age 11, when he heard urban blues performers like B.B. King, Otis Rush, and Buddy Guy, and was inspired to create his own clean, hard-edged style of British blues. After moving to London in the early '70s, White spent the decade forging his sound and playing with like-minded artists such as Pink Floyd, Peter Green, and Thin Lizzy. In 1979 Thin Lizzy asked White to join them as a full-time band member; he did, touring and recording Chinatown and The Renegade with them. In pursuit of different musical directions, White left Thin Lizzy in 1982. Joined by drummer Richard Bailey, bassist Kuma Harada, and keyboardist Godfrey Wang, he recorded his solo debut White Flames. Its single "Bird of Paradise" became an international hit, reaching number three on the U.K. charts. Not content to be known as a singles artist, White rethought his approach to music. After deciding to focus on his guitar playing, he formed a touring blues band in 1986 with Harada, drummer Jeff Allen, and vocalist/guitarist Graham Bell. For three years the band toured and recorded, releasing Change My Life and Open for Business. In 1990, however, White's old friend Roger Waters offered him a supporting slot in his epic Berlin performance of The Wall. White performed a memorable solo during "Comfortably Numb" atop the 80-foot high Berlin Wall, alongside other guest artists like Van Morrison and Bryan Adams. Waters also called on White the following year to play with him at the Guitar Legends concert in Seville. At this point, White decided to re-enter the music mainstream, and recorded songs he had collected over the past few years. The result was 1993's Highway to the Sun, his second solo album, featuring guests like David Gilmour, Chris Rea, and Gary Moore. His next album, Goldtop, was a retrospective piece, covering White's work from the early '70s to the '90s. 1998 saw the release of Little Wing, recorded with drummer Juan van Emmerloot and bassist Walter Latapeirissa as White's new backing band; Melting followed a year later. © Heather Phares, All Music Guide

BIO (Wikipedia)

Terence Charles "Snowy" White (born 3 March 1948, in Barnstaple, Devon) is an English guitarist, primarily known for having played with Thin Lizzy (permanent member from 1979 to 1981) and with Pink Floyd (as a back-up player; he was first invited to join the band through Europe and the United States, in 1977, and during The Wall shows in 1980) and, more recently, for Roger Waters' band. He is also known for his 1983 solo effort "Bird of Paradise", which became a UK Singles Chart Top 10 hit single. White grew up on the Isle of Wight, completely self-taught as a guitarist, having received his first guitar from his parents at the age of ten. He moved to Stockholm in 1965 at the age of seventeen, spending more than a year there playing in a trio called The Train. In 1968 he purchased his signature guitar, the Gibson Les Paul Goldtop. By 1970 he made his way to London and found work as a session player and as a member of Heavy Heart. During this time he was also to meet guitar legend Peter Green and the two would form a lifelong friendship (White later appeared on Green’s album In The Skies ). White had been recommended to Pink Floyd by Kate Bush’s former manager Hilary Walker, as they were looking for an additional guitarist for the live band on the “In The Flesh” stadium tour of 1977. White’s solo on “Pigs On The Wing,” although ultimately not used for the Animals album version (it appears on the 8-track version), was his very first time playing for the band (as David Gilmour did not require an audition). During the tour, White started off the show himself by playing bass on the song “Sheep,” as well as soloing during “Have A Cigar” and “Shine On You Crazy Diamond part XIII.” Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham saw White play with Pink Floyd in New York City during the In The Flesh tour and approached him about joining Thin Lizzy in 1979. White accepted as he appreciated their more melodic approach to hard rock and felt their styles would be complementary. The collaboration with these two bands was very complicated; the invitation to rehearse the live show of The Wall for Pink Floyd happened at the same time he was invited to become a full-time member of Thin Lizzy, with whom he recorded/co-wrote their Chinatown and Renegade albums. White's connection to Pink Floyd continued in later decades. White was invited by the then former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters to perform in another take of The Wall, in 1990, by the ruins of the Berlin Wall, along with other guest artists. Also in 1991 for the 'Guitar Legends' concert, in Seville, and with David Gilmour as the guest on Snowy's 1994 album Highway to the Sun, appearing on the track "Love, Pain and Sorrow", with Gilmour playing his Fender Stratocaster which was recorded at Gilmour's houseboat studio The Astoria. Apart from guest appearances by Chris Rea, David Gilmour and Gary Moore, it also introduced two new Dutch-Indonesian musicians, Juan van Emmerloot (drums) and Walter Latupeirissa (bass and rhythm guitar). Kuma Harada also played bass and rhythm. White's next album project was entitled Gold Top, after his well-known Gibson Les Paul Goldtop Standard guitar. It features material in which White has been involved from as far back as 1974 right up to 1996, including two tracks from Thin Lizzy, jams from the Peter Green In the Skies session (with Peter on 2nd guitar), Al Stewart Live in Philadelphia (1974), and the only complete version of the Pink Floyd song "Pigs on the Wing" featuring White's original guitar solo. White has recorded five albums with his White Flames band. The first three were fin 1996, Little Wing in 1998 and Keep Out: We Are Toxic in 1999. In 1999 White joined Roger Waters for his band's In the Flesh U.S. tour, which was so successful that, in the Summer of 2000, Waters again toured the U.S., this time recording a live album and making a film of the show. Once again, from February to July 2002 White toured the world with Roger Waters. Another White Flames album (as a three-piece), entitled Restless, was released in May 2002. Spring 2005 saw the release of a new White Flames album, entitled The Way It Is, with a basic four-piece outfit consisting of Richard Bailey (drums/percussion), Walter Latupeirissa (bass) and Max Middleton (keyboards). A DVD, 'The Way It Is...Live!' has been completed of the promotional tour. White is touring with Roger Waters in the current The Dark Side of the Moon Live tour since June 2006, having played in Europe, North America, Australia, Asia and South America. He also performed with Waters at Live Earth.

The Reels

The Reels - Bare-Bone - 2000 - Blue Raven Records

"This is top class album by a power trio that deserve wider coverage. It shows what is out there if you can just be bothered to go out and look". - David Blue, NetRhythms.co.uk

"This Cali trio, fronted by singer-guitarist-harp fiend Lanny Ray...turns out loud, greasy blues with authority and panache"..."If you dug "Riding with the King," give the Reels a spin." - HITS Magazine.

A brilliant album from The Reels. "Bare-Bone" is an amazing collection of twelve blues rock somgs of the highest quality. There are ten original songs, and also covers of Chester Burnett's "Who's Been Talkin'", and Robert Johnson's "Walkin' Blues". These three guys are unbelievable musicians. The songwriting is superb. All the somgs are memorable. The vocals are top class, and the playing id stylish, tight, and clean. There is also a great jazz and soul touch to the album. Albums as good as this are rare, and "Bare-Bone" is VHR by A.O.O.F.C. Buy the band's great "Reelin" alnum. It's a crying shame that bands like The Reels are not better known. Support the "little guys", and buy the albums or go see them in concert.

TRACKS

1. Jet Black Ruby Red
2. Who's Been Talkin'
3. Me and My Baby
4. Movin' Up To Malibu
5. Baby Don't Worry
6. Soul Blue
7. I Want You
8. Everybody's Got The Blues
9. Early In The Evening
10.Walkin' Blues
11. Hold On
12. Baby, Baby

All songs composed by Lanny Ray and The Reels, except Track 2, by Chester Burnett, and Track 10, by Robert Johnson

BAND

Lanny Ray - Guitar, Harp, Vocals
Pat Anthony - Bass
Dylan Sardo - Drums

REVIEW

This opens with the high volume R&B of Jet Black Ruby Red and is as good a start to an album that you could wish for. Lanny Ray gives it his all on vocals and guitar with pounding drums from Dylan Sardo and thumping bass from Pat Anthony. An atmospheric cover of Howlin Wolf's Who's Been Talkin' follows and Me & My Baby shuffles along with more stunning guitar work from Ray. Movin' Up To Malibu is a slow, earthy blues paying much homage to Muddy Waters and the afore-mentioned Howlin' Wolf. The majority of the album is self-written and Baby Don't Worry is a fine example of the bands craft whereas Soul Blue is a slow electric blues to die for. Fuzz and distortion are the order of the day for I Want You and Ray is on howling form. I'm not surprised to be so taken with him as a guitarist when I see that he has played for Big Joe Turner, T-Bone Walker and Jimmy Reed. This guy has got class. Everybody's Got The Blues is slinky and just glides over you and Early In The Evening will bring you back to earth with its Stray Cats style execution. Robert Johnson's Walkin' Blues is the only other cover on the album and this is the second best (sorry boys) version that I've heard, closely beaten by Scotland's own Radiotones (check them out). The bass-led Hold On is a standard blues-rock song and maybe would have been better placed in the middle of the album rather than as the penultimate track and the final song is a strange one to finish with after all the high-powered electric blues. Baby, Baby is slow, acoustic and laid-back, not what I've become to believe what The Reels are all about. The guitar solo is excellent as you would expect and I suppose they are just showing their range so I should not be too critical. This is top class album by a power trio that deserve wider coverage. It shows what is out there if you can just be bothered to go out and look. © David Blue © 2003-2004 The Reels and PacificSol, LLC. All rights reserved

BIO

Fronting The Reels, Lanny Ray started playing guitar, writing and singing at age 12 in Houston, Texas. Dallas born, his earliest days were in Detroit, Michigan…By the age of 14 L.R. had organized his first group, "The Pictures" drafting his best friend Mike Edworthy to play bass and his brother Ritch to play drums. This group was L.R.'s first trio and first performances with his own band… The break up of the first group came two years later when his family moved to L.A. so his father could pursue his career. Several groups sprung up that L.R. started, too many to name. For some years those groups included his brothers Ritch & Tom and many friends… By age 17 he began recording and soon found himself playing more and more blues…in a short time he was playing guitar for Big JoeTurner and being managed by Pat Carlin…T-Bone Walker,Wilbert Harrison and Jimmy Reed all had Lanny Ray on guitar… Next we find L.R. on guitar & vocals, Ken Murray on bass & vocals and brother Ritch on drums& vocals. This heavy-handed blues trio was known as Fate; another group that was managed by Pat Carlin… Pat brought L.R. & James T back east to New England shortly after the death of brother Ritch…L.R. and James T. formed the James-Ray Group & rocked all through New England for several years… L.R. has recorded for James Brown, Chet Mc Cracken, Tombu ; toured with Albert Collins, Chuck Berry, played with Taj Mahal , Margie Evans (Jonny Otis Show), Hutch Hutchinson (of Bonnie Raitt's Band), Albert Lee, Nils Lofgren and John Mayall. Soko Richardson (Mayall's Drummer) left Mayall w/ L.R. to form Lanny Ray & The Strangers with brother Tom on keys & vocals, D.A. Bookman on sax & vocals, Lucinda Chatfield-sax & vocals and Bob Mair on bass. Lanny Ray & The Strangers was a tight working six piece band that also played and recorded around Los Angeles… The Albert Collins touring days were around the same time. Soko Richardson brought L.R. into the Albert Collins Band… L.R. then formed The Lanny Ray Group with L.R.-guitar & vocals, Peter (Smith) McGowan-bass & vocals and Nick D'Virgilio-drums. The band took it’s turn playing and recording around So. Cal… The second “Lanny Ray & The Strangers” took form with with the same line-up as the first but this time with Peter Mc Gowen-bass & vocals and Josh Eagan behind the drums… L.R. continued branching out playing clubs and various venues on guitar , vocals & harp while writing and playing with his band… In the late 90’s L.R. hooked up with Pat Anthony-bass & vocals and Dylan Sardo-drums & vocals to form one of So. California’s best trios-The Reels… once again, a trio that rocks the blues. This trio really had great chemistry from the beginning. The trio started playing more and more around So. California. L.R. wanted to get the band into the recording studio. He had material that he had written and this was the rhythm section he'd been looking for to record it. As a direct result of efforts by entrepreneur Angela Pierce, The Reels began to rehearse at Leeds in No. Hollywood, CA. These efforts would result in The Reels working with producer/engineer Charlie Bouis of Le Mobile and the recording of the critically acclaimed CD album BARE-BONE. BARE-BONE came into being by further collaboration between L.R., Angela Pierce and John Robinson for Blue Raven Records. The Reels then toured with George Thorogood & The Destroyers from No. Cal to So. Cal. They went on to do the California Easyrider Tour along with The Kentucky Headhunters…Last summer the world famous D.J., Rick Dees introduced Lanny Ray & The Reels as the best New-Blues trio on the west coast…Currently L.R. is recording and performing solo gigs ( this man can get the whole room on the dance floor; just him, his guitar and harp), gigs with The Reels and even the big band (Lanny Ray & The Strangers)…BARE-BONE is available world-wide wherever music is sold and getting air play around the world…and BARE-BONE caught the ear of Bill Wax at XM Satellite Radio… as well as the attention of The Big Dog , Pat St. John at Sirius Satellite Radio… Listen for The Reels on XM Satellite Radio, (Bluesville and Stone Blues, Exit 74) and Sirius Satellite Radio,(Blues29) … A new album is currently in the works...tentatively titled " "The Blues" … Stay Tuned … … © yanga.ru 2006

Slapp Happy

Slapp Happy - Sort Of - 1972 - Polydor

In a review of The 40th Anniversary Henry Cow Box Set (2009), critic John Kelman at All About Jazz wrote that "the kinds of intervallic leaps and harmonic sophistication required of a singer [in Henry Cow] make Krause an undervalued and underrated singer in this history of modern music."

Slapp Happy made this very underrated album in 1972. Slapp Happy's music was always very difficult to categorise. It has been called art rock, avant garde experimental rock, and even progressive rock. In fact, music critcs over labelled this debut album. The music was best described by Peter Blegvad when he described the songs as "simple, primitive pop", and "naive rock". "Sort Of" is a very good album, full of eclectic musical sounds and patterns. Really original catchy compositions by Peter Blegvad and Anthony Moore, and with four of six members of Faust as their backup band, and Dagmar Krause's unique vocals, "Sort Of " is an album that deserves more attention. The Slapp Happy / Henry Cow "Desperate Straights" album is @ SAPHAPHENC/DESPST and the great Slapp Happy & Faust's "Acnalbasac Noom" album can be found @ SAPHAPFAUST/ACNO

TRACKS

1 Just a Conversation
2 Paradise Express
3 I Got Evil
4 Little Girls World
5 Tutankhamun
6 Mono Plane
7 Blue Flower
8 I'm All Alone
9 Who's Gonna Help Me Now
10 Small Hands of Stone
11 Sort Of
12 Heading for Kyoto

All titles written by Peter Blegvad and Anthony Moore

MUSICIANS

Peter Blegvad Guitar, Saxophone, Vocals
Anthony Moore Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Jean-Hervé Péron Bass
Dagmar Krause Vocals, Tambourine, Piano, Woodblock [On 1972 lp, Dagmar Krause was credited as "Daggi". ]
Werner "Zappi" Diermaier aka Zappi Drums
Gunter Wüsthoff Saxophone on 'Paradise Express' and 'I'm All Alone'

REVIEWS

Slapp Happy is the most favorite band of mine. Finally, I start writing about them. I could not write about them until now because I was anxious if I can write well. (My love for them is so strong!) And there are already good sites about Slapp Happy and Dagmar Krause. I was not sure if I can write something new; I am still not sure about it. But it may be better writing something than not writing anything. Slapp Happy is made of three persons. No one can substitute members. They are Dagmar Krause, Anthony Moore, and Peter Blegvad. Pre-history of Slapp Happy started with the episode of Anthony Moore. British born Moore contracted with German Polydor, and released two albums and recorded one more album, which was refused to be released. They are very avant-garde, experimental, Dadaistic, non-sense, fake minimalism music, produced by Uwe Nettlebeck, who also produced Faust. Naturally, these two albums didn't sell at all. So, Polydor demanded more pop and commercial album to Moore. Then, Moore and his American friend Peter Blegvad started to play more pop music. German born Dagmar Krause, the girl friend of Moore, used to be the member of German soft rock band, the City Preachers. But she couldn't sing at that time because of the voice problem. According to Belgvad, which can be a joke, because Belgvad's singing was too bad, Krause started to sing suddenly and took a vocal part of the band. This is the story of how Slapp Happy was started. This debut album was also produced by Uwe Nettlebeck and backed with Faust members. Dagmar Krause's singing is very pure and innocent, it kills me. The songs are simple and primitive pop. Naive rock, according to Peter Blegvad. Particularly, I love the songs Krause sang, Blue Flower, I'm All Alone, Who's Gonna Help Me Now, Small Hands of Stone, Heading for Kyoto. On the other hand, songs Peter Blegvad sang, Paradise Express, I Got Evil, Tutankhamun, Mono Plane, are not very good. His singing was not so good at that time. (His singing improved much in his post-Slapp Happy solo albums.) Title tune, Sort of, is the strange guitar instrumental like the Ventures. © http://www2.odn.ne.jp/airstructures/index.htm

Slapp Happy's debut unveiled a band that was not so much an avant-rock group as one that seemed primarily interested in toying with rock conventions, as if such subversion was more inherently worthwhile than playing it straight. That meant that at its least impressive, it didn't qualify as either good avant-rock or good conventional rock, instead lumbering along with self-consciously jagged tunes. It sounds best when Dagmar Krause's vocals come to the forefront, as on "Heading for Kyoto" and the downright poppy "Blue Flower," a pretty folk-rockish number that lifts a hook from the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale." "Who's Gonna Help Me Now?" is strange roots-rock, and "Sort Of" a surfish instrumental that sounds like a postmodern "Telstar," all contributing to the feeling that the band was more concerned with tongue-in-cheek eclecticism than moving toward a settled identity. © Richie Unterberger, allmusic.com

BIO

Avant-pop cult favorites Slapp Happy formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1972; there vocalist Dagmar Krause, a veteran of the folk group the City Preachers, first met British experimental composer Anthony Moore, who had previously issued a pair of solo LPs, Pieces of the Cloudland Ballroom and Secrets of the Blue Bag, on Polydor. When the label rejected a third Moore record, he instead proposed a pop project, recruiting Krause and New York-born guitarist Peter Blegvad to form Slapp Happy; recorded with input from members of the famed Krautrock band Faust, the trio issued their debut album Sort of... in 1972, its commercial prospects severely limited as a result of the band's refusal to perform live. Still, Polydor assented to a follow-up, with Slapp Happy soon convening to record Casablanca Moon; the label rejected the album, however, and upon landing at Virgin the trio re-recorded the disc in its entirety, releasing it as a self-titled effort in 1974. Slapp Happy next banded together with the like-minded art-rock outfit Henry Cow to record a pair of collaborative LPs, Desperate Straights and In Praise of Learning; creative tensions then forced Moore and Blegvad to exit the project, although Krause continued singing with Henry Cow though their 1980 dissolution. In the meantime both Moore and Blegvad pursued solo careers, although in 1982 they reunited with Krause to record a new Slapp Happy single, "Everybody's Slimmin'," followed by their first-ever live appearance at London's ICA. All three again collaborated in 1991 on Camera, a television opera commissioned by the BBC and broadcast two years later; a new Slapp Happy studio album, Ça Va, followed in 1998. Camera was issued two years later. © Jason Ankeny, allmusic.com

MORE ABOUT SLAPP HAPPY

Slapp Happy was a German/British avant-garde pop group consisting of Anthony Moore (keyboards), Peter Blegvad (guitar) and Dagmar Krause (vocals). They formed in Germany in 1972, moved to England in 1974 where they merged with Henry Cow, but the merger ended soon afterwards and Slapp Happy split up. From 1982 there have been brief reunions to work on an opera, record a CD and tour Japan. Slapp Happy's sound was characterised by Dagmar Krause's highly original and idiosyncratic vocal style making their music instantly likable by some and hated by others. Slapp Happy was formed in 1972 in Hamburg, Germany by British experimental composer Anthony Moore. Moore had recorded two avant-garde/experimental solo LPs for Polydor Germany, but when they rejected his third because it was not commercial enough, he proposed a pop project with his girlfriend, Dagmar Krause from Hamburg, and a visiting American friend, Peter Blegvad. At the time Dagmar couldn't sing because of voice problems, but when Moore and Blegvad claimed their singing was "terrible", Dagmar agreed to sing for the group. With krautrock group Faust as their backing band, Slapp Happy recorded their debut album Sort Of for Polydor Germany in 1972. The songs were simple, primitive pop, a "naive rock" as Peter Blegvad put it, and with Dagmar Krause's pure and innocent sounding voice, Slapp Happy's trademark sound was established. Commercially, the LP did not go very far, primarily because Slapp Happy refused to perform live "like a real pop group". In 1973 they returned to the studio (again with Faust as their backing band) to record their second album Casablanca Moon. After the commercial failure of Sort Of Polydor had demanded more pop-sounding material, and so Moore and Blegvad wrote "straight" pop songs with beautiful melodies and poetic lyrics, but Polydor was still not happy and refused to release it. Slappy Happy then left Polydor Germany and moved to London where they quickly signed a deal with the then emerging Virgin Records label, which was looking for experimental groups. Faust and Henry Cow had already signed up. At Virgin's Manor studios in Oxfordshire, Slapp Happy re-recorded Casablanca Moon with the help of session musicians and Virgin released it as Slapp Happy in 1974. The songs here were more sophisticated than those on Sort Of, lyrically and musically, and their eccentricity showed Slapp Happy's ambivalence towards pop music. Slapp Happy and Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells were big cash earners for Virgin in 1974, and they helped fund the non-commercial Virgin releases at the time. Slapp Happy was later re-released as Casablanca Moon. It wasn't until 1980 that Recommended Records released the original Casablanca Moon (with Faust) as Acnalbasac Noom (the words of the original title reversed). Comparison of the two releases revealed two very different musical arrangements. Acnalbasac Noom had a raw and unsophisticated feel about it (which appealed to many fans), whereas Casablanca Moon tended to be more sentimental and "dreamy" with more complex arrangements, including a string orchestra. The debate as to which is better still goes on. In November 1974, Slapp Happy invited Henry Cow, a politically-oriented avant-garde rock group, to be their band on their next LP for Virgin and the two groups recorded Desperate Straights as "Slapp Happy/Henry Cow". The success of this collaboration surprised everyone, considering how dissimilar the two bands were, and they decided to merge. Desperate Straights was the perfect mixture of avant-garde music and nostalgic pop. The music often had a Berlin Cabaret feel about it with a taste of avant-garde jazz. The merged group returned to the studio in early 1975 to record Henry Cow's In Praise of Learning (as "Henry Cow/Slapp Happy"). The only real contribution from Slapp Happy (besides Dagmar's singing) was the Moore/Blegvad song "War", which blended in well with the album's political aggression. But differences in approach between the two groups had came to a head and Anthony Moore and Peter Blegvad quit, suggesting that Henry Cow's music was too serious (and political) for their liking. Dagmar Krause, however, elected to remain with Henry Cow, who needed a vocalist to bolster their sound. But this spelt the end of Slapp Happy as a band. Anthony Moore and Peter Blegvad then both embarked on separate solo careers, and it wasn't until 1982 that the trio reunited briefly to record a new Slapp Happy single, "Everybody's Slimmin' " and perform at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London in 1983. The three collaborated again in 1991 on a BBC commissioned television opera "Camera", based on an original idea by Dagmar Krause, with words by Peter Blegvad and music by Anthony Moore. Dagmar played the lead character "Melusina" and the opera was broadcast two years later on Channel 4 in the UK. The soundtrack Camera was released on CD in 2000, although under the names "Dagmar Krause, Anthony Moore and Peter Blegvad". Aside from Dagmar's singing, the music on Camera was performed by other artists and for that reason, Camera is not strictly a Slapp Happy album. In 1997 Slapp Happy reunited again to record a new studio album Ça Va on Richard Branson's new V2 label. It was Slapp Happy's first album since 1975 and the music picked up from where they had left off with literate and quirky pop songs. A departure from the past, however, was that they made the music themselves. They played all the instruments and used a digital studio to produce a layered sound on many of the tracks. This departure from Slapp Happy's "acoustic sound" disappointed some fans, but overall the album was well received. Slapp Happy was very popular in Japan and in 2000 they toured there, playing on stage without any backing musicians. A CD Live in Japan was released in 2001 in Japan only. Slapp Happy's music was eccentric pop with an "avant-garde" twist to it. It drew on a variety of musical idioms, including waltzes, bossa novas, French chansons and tangos. The songs' lyrics were literate and playful while the mood varied from "dreamy" to sinister. But it was Dagmar Krause's unusual and eerie high-pitched voice that was the group's most arresting feature. Her German-inflected vocals ranged from a sweet melodious croon to the love-it-or-hate-it Armageddon style typified on In Praise of Learning. Slapp Happy's music is an acquired taste, but to aficionados, it is enchanting and intriguing. © http://en.allexperts.com/e/s/sl/slapp_happy.htm

Roger Chapman

Roger Chapman - Hide Go Seek - 2009 - Hypertension

4/5 - Chappo was the far from secret weapon who fronted Family in the 70s. This excellent double CD set maps 28 years of rarities and offcuts from a solo career full of lost gems waiting to be uncovered. A true lionheart still roars. © Gavin Martin on May 1, 09 12:00 AM, © http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/the-ticket/

A 28-track 2-CD album set featuring a diverse collection of previously unreleased songs, demo's and alternative versions of tracks [drawn from previous albums]. Roger explains There were no 'Added Extras', just cleaning up stuff. i.e. 'topping & tailing' tracks. Being demos they would have all kinds of stuff on - beginnings & ends, count ins, rough fades, F'ing & blinding, piss takes etc. The rest contain hours and years of me & Stevie in various studios and houses around London. There are also out takes from sessions as far back as 'Chappo'. Also obvious ones from 'Cat'. I just hope they're enough for people to enjoy & have an idea of what goes into our making music. It's not just write something, record it, wham bam, there's so much more to it. Whole life changes, thought processes & styles for people through so many years)

A truly great album from one of the great icons of British rock music. Check out the great "Family Live" album @ FAM/LIVE and Roger Chapman's " "One More Time For Peace" album is located @ ROGCHAP/OMTFP If you have never heard Family's classic 1972 "Bandstand" album, check it out.

TRACKS CD 1

1. Stone Talking
2. L. A. Trails
3. Wicked B's
4. Naked Hearts / The Movie
5. I Need A Connection
6. 2 Pieces Of Silver
7. Come To Papa
8. Hurry On Love
9. Borderline Of Love
10. Another Stone Unturned
11. Kiss Till It Hurts
12. X-Town Loving
13. Sprouting Wings
14. Into The Bright

TRACKS CD 2

1. J & D
2. That Was A Glory Ride
3. Same Old R&R
4. One More Story
5. Devil & Son Ltd
6. Renegade
7. Over & Done
8. Mac & Kokomo
9. Bring Me Your Love
10. One More Whiskey
11. Daddy Red Moon
12. Got Me Gone
13. Let's Go Again
14. We Will Never Pass This Way Again

N.B: Please check sleeve notes for composers and musicians

REVIEW

Formerly of Family, Streetwalkers and with a successful solo career, Roger Chapman is back with a new release of lost gems, demos and remixes. In contemporary music mention the name Family or Streetwalkers and one name always springs to mind, that of Roger Chapman. In 1978 Roger started a long and successful solo career that would see him and his band The Shortlist perform all over Europe and beyond. Highlights included two appearances on the famed German TV rock show Rockpalast, a lead vocal on the Mike Oldfield hit Shadow On The Wall and an award for Best Singer at the 1982 German music awards. Now after a thirty year solo career Roger returns with a twenty eight track double CD of lost gems, demos and alternative recordings of familiar tracks. Some tracks are over twenty years old yet still sound fresh and vibrant today. With his barbed wire and wine delivery ‘Chappo’, as he is affectionately known by his legions of fans, shows no sign of slowing down, mention retirement and the usual response is “Retire, why!”. © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates

BIO (Wikipedia)

Roger Chapman (born Roger Maxwell Chapman on April 8, 1942 in Leicester) is an English rock singer. Roger "Chappo" Chapman is probably best known for his participation in the English progressive band Family in the late 1960s through the early 1970s and subsequently, from 1973 to 1978, in Streetwalkers, a rock/R&B band. Prior to Family he had sung with this band's precursor, the Farinas. His idiosyncratic brand of on-stage showmanship and characteristic vibrato led to him becoming a cult figure on the British rock scene. Chapman once claimed he was trying to sing like both Little Richard and especially his idol Ray Charles.In the late 1970s Roger Chapman began a solo career and recorded his first solo album, Chappo. In 1983, Mike Oldfield recorded the album "Crises" featuring the song "Shadow On The Wall" sung by Roger Chapman. The song turned out to be a huge hit for Mike Oldfield (along with the even more popular "Moonlight Shadow"). As other musical styles, such as Punk Rock became more popular in England, Chapman began to have more success in other European countries, especially Germany, where he has spent much of his time since the early 1980s, winning Artist of the Year and a Lifetime Achievement Award.



MORE ABOUT ROGER CHAPMAN

Roger Chapman is best known for his barbed-wire voice, used to front British '70s rock acts Family and Streetwalkers. He began a long-awaited solo career in 1978 that has led to over a dozen full-length releases. Never heard of them? It's not surprising; album-wise, he's been camped out in Germany for 20 years. His first album and tour got high praise in his British homeland, but critics cut into him soon after. When the hassle-free German market beckoned, Chapman began to focus all subsequent work there, where he has become a musical hero, the "Working Class Artist." Chapman split with his longtime writing partner, Charlie Whitney, after the breakup of Streetwalkers in 1977. He surrounded himself with ace session musicians to cut a debut solo effort, Chappo. It was an album of strong rock which catered to the singer and not the musicians. An appearance on Germany's Rockpalast TV show and the ensuing hit single, "Let's Spend the Night Together," gave Chapman the shot of success he needed, so he set up operations in Germany. Live in Hamburg was a reassuring second album, demonstrating the live energy of this experienced yet stage-crazed performer. Studio albums over the next few years blended straight power rock with funk, R&B and soul, all topped with Chapman's characteristic vocal style. In the 1981 German music awards, Chapman was voted Best Singer, and his Hyenas Only Laugh For Fun won an award. Chapman and his backing band, the Shortlist, released two alter-ego albums in the early '80s as the Riff Burglars. These releases honored roots and classic rock by artists like Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon and Leiber & Stoller. A lead vocal on Mike Oldfield's 1983 hit, "Shadow on the Wall," also added to Chapman's diverse repertoire. Chapman's mid-'80s foray into polished studio sounds did not fare well with his audience. When his extended partnership with guitarist Geoff Whitehorn ran it's course, Chapman returned to pure rock form with 1989's Walking the Cat, which featured Alvin Lee and old friend, Bob Tench. Two compilations filled a silent period in the mid '90s, but 1996's Kiss My Soul was a comeback for the guy who never went away. It even got attention and a pressing in Chapman's British homeland, where he often tours but has no domestic releases. This was followed by 1998's A Turn Unstoned? and the 2-CD Anthology; the next year saw re-releases of Chappo and Mail Order Magic. Moth to a Flame was issued in early 2001. © Patrick Little, allmusic.com

Jack DeKeyzer

Jack DeKeyzer - Blues Thing - 2007 - Bluestar Records

“Jack de Keyzer is probably the most well known of the lot. He's a serious blues musician and historian, and has been known to lecture on various blues styles and artists. He is always busy and a hard worker, probably the most popular guy on the blues scene in Ontario. He has started producing as well lately, Tracy K's latest, which you reviewed, is an example. He also has a great sense of humor. We were both up for the same award two years running. He won two years running. Deservedly so!He lives up the road apiece in Whitby.” © Terry Blankley, http://calmardan.blogspot.com/2007/10/review-jack-de-keyzer-blues-thing.html

'Blues Thing finds De Keyzer in the zone with a killer combination of vibe and chops...the strongest album of his career' © John Emms, Timmins Daily Press

On "Blues Thing", The English born Jack DeKeyzer covers a wide blues range, including Chicago and west coast styles, R&B (Motown and Stax), funk and soul jazz. A great album from a wonderful guitarist. He has worked as a session guitarist for many artists including Etta James, Otis Rush, John Hammond Jr., Robert Gordon, Bo Diddley, Willy "Big Eyes" Smith & Blue Rodeo.. A well known musician in Canada, he has received many prestigious music awards, has toured worldwide, and deserves to make a bigger impact globally. Listen to his "Silver Blues" album.

TRACKS

Music is the Food of Love
If I Had Your Love
Blues Thing
I Want To Love You
That's The Only Time
That's Your Love
Cry the Blues
Good Life
Bills
Bombshell
Miss America
Merciless Beauty
We Go Together
That's How Much

All tracks composed by Jack DeKeyzer

BAND [open to correction]

Jack DeKeyzer - guitar, vocals
Alan Duffy - bass
Michael Fontana - B-3 / piano
David Colter - drums
Chris Murphy - saxophone
Dave Dunlop - trombone

REVIEWS

BLUES THING, Jack de Keyzer, Bluestar Records, 9-out-of-10: So you like guitar blues, but with a big band feel, then you are in for a treat when you spin Blues Thing by Jack de Keyzer. de Keyzer is the guitar slinger here, and a dang fine one, in addition to providing the vocals, and he shines there too. However, what helps take this CD to the next level is Chris Murphy on sax, and Dave Dunlop on trumpet, giving the project an extra layer of depth. Blues Thing is an album that grabs you from the get go. The first song Music Is The Food Of Love is a solid blues effort, and de Keyzer never misses a beat as he takes you through a fat 14-song package, where he has penned every tune. Quickly he let's his guitar shine, with If I Had Your Love, the CD's second cut, a tune which also shows this guy has a versatile voice. He won the Maple Blues award as Guitarist of the Year in 2004 and 2005. Stylistically, this is jazz/funk inspired blues, with toe-tapping instrumentation, melding nicely with often more sorrowful lyrics. de Keyzer was a Juno winner back in 2003 for blues album 6 String Lover, and Blues Thing may well get him on the list for close consideration of the award again, since he's really cooking on this one. Top cuts here include I Want To Love You, That's The Only Time, Cry The Blues and Merciless Beauty. Check Jack out at www.jackdekeyzer.com © CALVIN DANIELS - Reviews first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Oct. 31, 2007 - Yorkton, SK. Canada . - Posted by Calvin Daniels at 8:55 AM, Wednesday, October 31, 2007
http://calmardan.blogspot.com/2007/10/review-jack-de-keyzer-blues-thing.html

Jack De Keyzer - "Blues Thing" - Considering De Keyzer's multiple awards and achievements, it would be weird to think, this may be his strongest album. For me, the songs are the key. The ace guitar legend has also added a depth of jazz chops that are simply sparkling. If that was not enough his vocals are much stronger than on any of his past efforts. © John Emms/ Daily Press

Canada’s Jack de Keyzer is a rare breed who can play it all: blues, funk, swing, and more. You’ll hear all of those styles on this CD. Here, his music has matured and his guitar tone has become one of the finest in Canada. Jack de Keyzer is a well rounded musician, who strives for perfection and attains it on this excellent CD. © Tim Holek/ Blues Bytes Top 10 of 2007

" It would take an entire separate page to list out the awards conferred upon Jack De Keyzer. He’s deserved every single one of them, but his latest release Blues Thing is absolutely out of sight. Jack’s at the very top of his game on this one..." © Gary Tate jazzreview.com

SHORT BIO

Jack DeKeyzer is a jack of many trades, skilled as a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and even a producer. He has made a name for himself in the genres of rock and country, but his strongest ties are to blues. His professional musical career started in the '80s with a group called the Bopcats. After completing a couple of albums as a Bopcat, he moved on to the Rock Angels, and then finally went solo. Since breaking out on his own, DeKeyzer has won a number of awards, including Best Blues Album, Best Guitarist, Best Blues Recording, and many others. He has also been nominated for a Juno Award. DeKeyzer was born in England. He discovered his love for music early and found that playing the guitar came easy. Over his long years in the music world, he has worked with various bands, done session guitar work for numerous artists, and started his own record label, Blue Star. His debut solo album, Hard Working Man, was released in 1991 by Warner Music. It took four years for his sophomore recording, Wild at Heart, to appear. He finished out the '90s with one more full-length offering, Down in the Groove. Some of the tunes on DeKeyzer's blues recordings are "The Way that I Love You," "I Need a Break," "High on Your Love," "Touch of the Blues," and "When Love Walks Out." © Charlotte Dillon, All Music Guide

MORE ABOUT JACK DEKEYZER

Blues, jazz, and r&b are all part of the palette that colour Jack de Keyzer's musical portraits. The much acclaimed guitarist, singer and song writer has worked with artists as varied as King Biscuit Boy, Etta James, Blue Rodeo, Robert Gordon, Otis Rush and the Bop Cats. His guitar playing has been featured on hundreds of recordings. As a song writer he has been covered by Prairie Oyster on their hit album Everyone Knows , and as a singer he once sang a duet with kd lang. (Alright... it was a Budweiser commercial...) As an entertainer he has worked his magic to an ecstatic audience of 25,000 at the Montreal Jazz Festival and an equally ecstatic audience of 250 at Hugh's Room in Toronto, where his latest Silver Blues CD and DVD were recorded. He performs internationally over 150 shows per year, most recently at Blues Sur Seine in France. 8X Maple Blues and 2003 Juno Award winning artist Jack de Keyzer is a masterful, jazz infused electric blues guitarist, soulful singer and eclectic song writer of the first order. His new CD, 'Blues Thing' will be released this summer 2007. © www.myspace.com/jackdekeyzer

Gus Lambros and Electric Mud

Gus Lambros and Electric Mud - Bad Gamble - 2004 - Buster Puss

Great "no messin' blues rock album from the hard working Gus Lambros and Electric Mud, from Columbus, Ohio, who have shared the stage with greats like Joe Bonamassa, Robin Trower, Blue Öyster Cult, and Rick Derringer. The album has 6 studio takes, and 4 live recordings of classics by Freddie King, Booker T. Jones, Muddy Waters, and Jimi Hendrix. This is what blues rock is all about. Great straightshootin' rock, played with a passion and love for the music. "Bad Gamble" is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Please buy the original album, (if it's still available). The band recorded a promotional album called "Live And Smokin'" which unfortunately is not for sale. If you come across this album, give it a listen. Gus Lambros and Electric Mud are a band who deserve a much bigger audience. If you get a chance to see Gus live, go and see the guy and his terrific band. They put other "so called" well known blues rock bands to shame

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Bad Gamble - Gus Lambros
2. Mama Blooze - Gus Lambros
3. Pops Blues - Gus Lambros
4. Set U Free - Gus Lambros
5. Downtime - Gus Lambros
6. See See Baby - Freddie King, Sonny Thompson
7. Born Under a Bad Sign - William Bell, Booker T. Jones
8. Champagne and Reefer - Muddy Waters
9. Spanish Castle Magic - Jimi Hendrix
10. Voodoo Chile - Jimi Hendrix

BAND

Gus Lambros — guitar, vocals
Jan Roll — drums, vocals
Scott Brammer — bass



SHORT BIO

Gus Lambros and Electric Mud is a Mid-West USA Rocking Blues band. We are a OLD SCHOOL style rock band with deep roots feeding from the blues.(CREAM,ZEPPLIN,ETC.) We have been compared to Hendrix, Trower, Frank Marino, and the Mule. We have opened for national acts ranging from Kings X, Trower, and most recently Joe Bonamassa. The title track has just been contracted for use in a INDY film titled "Fixing Rhonda" to be presented at the Sundance Film Fest. The band is driven by Guitarist frontman Gus Lambros. This power trio captures the real deal. The band is in its 11th year and have honed the live tone to the vintage tone of the masters. Bad Gamble will rock you with the title track, but send you with the dreamy Downtime. If you've not seen the Mud keep a look out for they do upwards of 200 shows a year so make plans now to see this band!!!!!! We are just doing our second printing of Bad Gamble so look for the white tray soon at CD Baby. Nothing beats the live show but this is what we have to offer and will be working on a new CD to be released in 2009. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC and buy this rocking disc...I also want to add check out our myspacepage at www.myspace.com/guslambrosandelectricmud [from 1996 - 2009 CD Universe

The Detroit Blues Band

Detroit Blues Band - Real Life - 1990 - Blues Factory

The Detroit Blues Band was a very popular blues band for many years. Featuring veteran rocker, Jim McCarty, Jim was in many great bands including Cactus, Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, The Rockets, and The Buddy Miles Blues Express (Where he basically filled the shoes of Jimi Hendrix). Rick Stel joined the Detroit Blues Band on bass after the release of their first album. On "Real Life", bass is supplied by Billy Landless. The rest of the Band is formed by the 20 year association of lead vocalist and guitarist, Emmanuel X. Garza and the great drummerTommy "T-Bone" Wagner. The Blues Review said of the band's "Can't Get You Off My Mind" album, - "One of the best local sets of the year by one of the best bands this town has ever produced". "Real Life" is a good "down to earth" Motor City blues rock album from a very experienced band. Try and find the 1966 Detroit Wheels "Take a Ride" album, which features Jim McCarty, and listen to the Detroit Blues Band's excellent 1995 "Can't Get You Off My Mind" album

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1) Back On my Feet Again - McCarty
2) My LIfe Is Ruined - Morganfield
3) Luann - McCarty
4) Go Downtown - Garza
5) She Knows It - A.Wolf
6) Goin' back to Memphis - McCarty
7) Scandalous Behavior - Garza
8) Walkin Out The Door - McCarty
9) Treat Me Right - McCarty

BAND

Jim McCarty - Guitar, Vocals
Emmanuel X. Garza - Guitar, Vocals
Billy Landless - Bass, Vocals
Tommy "T-Bone" Wagner - Drums
Eddie Harsh - Organ on Track 8



ABOUT JIM MCCARTY (Wikipedia)

James William McCarty (born June 1, 1945) is an American blues rock guitarist from Detroit, Michigan. He has performed with Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels, the Buddy Miles Express, Cactus, the popular Detroit rock band The Rockets, the Detroit Blues Band, and more recently, Mystery Train. In April 2009 McCarty began recording sessions as a founding member of The TaleGators at Harmonie Park Studios in Detroit. He also recorded with Jimi Hendrix and Bob Seger. He plays in a heavy blues-rock style that has inspired fledgling guitar players for more than 40 years. In 2006, he participated in a Cactus reunion, performing in New York City, Sweden, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. It coincided with the release of a new Cactus album, Cactus V. In 2007, Cactus played a Detroit date, a McCarty homecoming, to a sold-out, standing room only house. In an August 2006 interview on VH1 Classic, Ted Nugent remarked "I'm the only guy in rock'n'roll that plays that hollow body jazz guitar and it's because in 1960 I saw Jimmy McCarty creating those big fat full chords like I do on "Stranglehold"; I learned that from Jimmy McCarty. Remember the name Jimmy McCarty. He is as important as Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry and Les Paul...a god on guitar." Guitar-maker Paul Reed Smith is among McCarty's admirers. In 2005, Les Paul recorded Les Paul and Friends: American Made, World Played, with an all-star band. He covered 69 Freedem Special, an instrumental tune co-written by McCarty and recorded while in the Buddy Miles Express. In February 2006, Les Paul won a Grammy for his cover of the song, thus propelling McCarty into another award-winning arena as songwriter. In 2009, a new band, the Hell Drivers were created. The members are Jim McCarty, Johnny "Bee" Badanjek, Marvin Conrad(bass), and Jim Edwards(vocals). A high-energy band, they play a variety of Dertoit rock'n'roll from Iggy, The Rockets, Mitch Ryder, Bob Seger and more to great critcal acclaim.

John Fogerty

John Fogerty - The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again - 2009 - Verve

A very welcome new collection of some of the great John Fogerty's favorite classic songs. The album, which is the follow-up to 1973's Blue Ridge Rangers, includes covers of songs by John Prine, Buck Owens, John Denver, and Delaney & Bonnie, as well as John 's own Gospel blues "Change in the Weather." Rather than the "phantom" formation of the original Blue Ridge Rangers , (where john played all of the instruments), "Rides Again" features a star cast of players including The Eagles' Timothy B. Schmit, and Don Henley who harmonize on "Garden Party". Bruce Springsteen, duets with John Fogerty on the Everly Brothers' "When Will I Be Loved." This great album really highlights the huge influence that country and roots music have had on John Fogerty's career. John Fogerty has said, "The songs on The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again are mostly songs I have carried with me for a lifetime. They are songs that influenced me and helped form who I am as a musician and certainly as a songwriter. There is something very American about all these songs and the original arrangements and also their musical setting here, on this album. That musical place where these songs reside is where I go to create my own music." There is speculation that John Fogerty plans to put the Blue Ridge Rangers on the road again. It will be interesting to see if this ever materialises. N.B: The album also includes a DVD that features a “making of” feature as well as some early acoustic performances of the songs, and a trailer for the DVD Live from the Royal Albert Hall. There is info on the Creedence legend's "CMT Crossroads" album @ CMT Crossroads which also features country star, Keith Urban. Listen to John's "Deja Vu All Over Again ", and "Centerfield" albums, and if you haven't heard his brilliant "Blue Moon Swamp" album, try and find time to listen to it. CCR issued many albums, mostly excellent, but the band's "Cosmo's Factory" album is a xlassix album of rock,, soul, and R&B.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

"Paradise" (John Prine)
"Never Ending Song of Love" (Bonnie Bramett/Delaney Bramlett)
"Garden Party" (Rick Nelson)
"I Don't Care (Just As Long As You Love Me)" (Buck Owens)
"Back Home Again" (John Denver)
"I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)" (Ray Price/Rusty Gabbard)
"Change in the Weather" (John Fogerty)
"Moody River" (Gary Bruce)
"Heaven's Just a Sin Away" (Jerry Gillespie)
"Fallin' Fallin' Fallin'" (D. Deckleman/J. Guillot/J.D. Miller)
"Haunted House" (Robert L.Geddins)
"When Will I Be Loved" (Phil Everly)

MUSICIANS INCLUDE -

John Fogerty, Kenny Aronoff, Buddy Miller, Greg Leisz, Hunter Perrin, Jason Mowery, Chris Chaney, Jay Bellerose, Dennis Crouch, Jodie Kennedy, Herb Pedersen, Oren Waters, Bruce Springsteen, Timothy B. Schmit, and Don Henley

SHORT BIO

John Cameron Fogerty achieved fame as the lead singer/songwriter and guitarist in Creedence Clearwater Revival and has since gone on to a chart-topping solo career. Born in Berkeley, CA, Fogerty and his brother Tom organized the group that would become Creedence as the Golliwogs in the late '50s. As Creedence, they released nine Top Ten singles, all written by Fogerty, between 1969 and 1971, starting with the standard "Proud Mary." They also scored eight gold albums between 1968 and 1972, all fueled by Fogerty's simple, driving rock songs and his burly baritone, intoning deceptively poetic ("Bad Moon Rising") and even political ("Fortunate Son") lyrics. Creedence split up in 1972. Fogerty at first confused his considerable following by releasing an album of covers, on which he played all the instruments, under the name the Blue Ridge Rangers in 1973. This was followed by a formal solo album, John Fogerty, in 1975, and then silence for more than nine years while the artist worked out business problems with Creedence's old label. But Fogerty returned at the end of 1984 with a Top Ten single, "The Old Man Down the Road," and a number one album, Centerfield. Eye of the Zombie was a less successful follow-up in 1986. Following the failure of Eye of the Zombie, Fogerty went into seclusion. For the next 11 years he remained quiet, finally resurfacing in 1997 with Blue Moon Swamp; the live Premonition appeared just a year later. In 2005 he released the Long Road Home: The Ultimate John Fogerty/Creedence Collection and its accompanying DVD Long Road Home: In Concert, the first compilation of its kind to feature both CCR classics and Fogerty's solo work. After a number of concert appearances, Fogerty released Revival in 2007. © William Ruhlmann, allmusic.com

Andy J. Forest Band

Andy J. Forest Band - GrooveRockBluesFunk'N'Roll - Live - 1989 - Appaloosa

The Andy J. Forest Band has recorded many albums, and opened for artists like B. B. King, Albert King, Albert Collins, Canned Heat, Robert Cray, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Otis Grand, Duke Robillard and Johnny Winter. Guest artists on Andy J Forest's CDs include Marva Wright, John Mooney, and the late Willy DeVille. "GrooveRockBluesFunk'N'Roll" is a good bluesy, jazzy album with many blues jazz influences. If you like Dr. John, Rod Piazza, and the late Willy DeVille's music, you may find this obscure album of interest. The album was recorded live on 9th, 10th, & 11th March, 1989 at Il Posto, Verona, Italy. The album is live, real as played with no overdubbing. Track 10 was released on the CD as an incomplete take. Try and listen to Andy J. Forest's "Blue Orleans" album.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. Whole Stole My Monkey? - Richard, Medica, Lege
2. Rollin' Up - Forest, Zonca
3. Baby I'm Alone - Forest, Grandi
4. I'm Not Free - Forest
5. Long Ago - Forest
6. Lazy - Forrest, Zonca
7. Halleluja - Charles
8. Gotta Get Out - Forest, Zonca
9. PG's Thing/Rock With Me - Guarnera (PG's Thing), Piazza (Rock With Me)
10. My Baby's Crazy [Incomplete Take] - Forest, Kappa

BAND

Andy J. Forest - Lead Vocals, Harmonica, Percussion and Slide Guitar on Track 4
Roby Zonca - Bass, Vocals, Guitar, Lead Vocals on Track 7, Acoustic Guitar on Track 3
Vince Valley - Drums, Vocals, Percussion
Joe Guarnera - Keyboards, Sampled Upright Bass on Track 7

BIO

The first harmonica lessons came from hearing live performances by SonnyTerry, Walter Horton, Charlie Musselwhite, and Rod Piazza in the Los Angeles area as a teenager. The legendary George "Harmonica" Smith gave the young man pointers in the parking lot of the Ash Grove in Hollywood. But he really started playing in New Orleans in the early 70's, jamming with James Booker, Earl King, John Mooney, Antoine Dominoe, Billy Gregory (of Professor Longhair's band) and other local musicians who went on to form the Radiators and the Subdudes. He began his professional career at age 22 demonstrating a unique and personal style from the beginning. Forest recorded the first of 15 (and counting) LP's and CD's in 1979 at age 24. Live performances, mostly in festivals gave him the opportunity to open up for B. B. King, Albert King, Albert Collins, Canned Heat, Magic Slim, Robert Cray, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy & Jr. Wells, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, J. Geils & Magic Dick, Terrance Simieon, Otis Grand, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Johnny Copeland, Roy Rogers, John Hammond, Melvin Taylor, Duke Robillard and Johnny Winter. On some of these occasions Andy was invited to play with his heroes. In 1989 B. B. King let him play with him during a jam session with Bobby "Blue" Bland, Joan Baez (!) and Luther Allison at the Montreux Jazz Festival. That same summer B. B. invited Forest to join him in a jam with Jeff Healy on stage at the Pistoia Blues Festival in Italy. Champion Jack Dupree asked Andy and his band to back him up for an entire set. He also played a set with the Otis Rush Band which was televised on national Italian TV (RAI). Other illustrious artists to have had Andy J. up to jam with them include; Taj Mahal, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Matt Murphy, James Cotton, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Jimmy Johnson, Sugar Blue, Willy DeVille, Louis Meyers, Johnny Heartsman, Bernard Allison, The Memphis Horns, Johnny Shines and John "Juke" Logan. Andy's first appearance on the national award winning program "Louisiana Juke Box" on Cox cable TV was put on the "Best Of" compilation program which was aired repeatedly in 1997. Two concerts were aired on Swiss National Television in 1994 & 1996 from Lugano's Blues to Bop festival. Several Canadian television shows have been host to appearances by the Andy J Forest Band. Also BBC's "Jazz me Blue" with Paul Jones. A documentary directed by Ray Roth, entitled "I Got The Blues" shot at the Sherbrooke Blues Festival featuring an interview and performances was aired in Canada in 1997. The Italian RAI TV network has featured Andy on scores of programs including "D.O.C.", "Jeans", "Roxy Bar", MTV, "Pickwick", San Remo Blues Festival, and Ravenna Blues Festival with B B King, Charles Brown and A Tribute to Muddy Waters. A Prolific song writer, Forest has penned over 100 tunes, mostly blues and New Orleans style. Blues Revue called his "wordplay Berryesque" and rated the CD "Bluesness as Usual" an "UN-usually strong album". Of the book Letter from hell "Sounds and reads like good blues to me" - "agile imagination". Off Beat magazine columnist John Swenson recently wrote of a live performance "..causing such mayhem that Forest pushes the party limits until he's body surfing across the dance floor on his frattoir". In a review of Forest's CD "Blue Orleans" stated "The songs present an uncompromising look at the life of a traveling musician... Also Forest proves his versatility by tackling themes like insanity and growing old. His understated delivery has a poignancy which comes from the heart". "One of the best harp players in New Orleans" Michael Cote of Blues Revue wrote of Sunday Rhumba: "...eclectic sesibility" - "featuring fine harp and barbed lyrics.." "...the best example of Forest's storytelling, a sample of the hard-edged writing found in his novel Letter From Hell." Gambit Weekly in New Orleans hailed Forest as "One of the scene's more experienced and vital practitioners". Christina Dittenger called Andy's songs "bluesy musings on everyday occurances from the frustration of losing one shoe to the state of mankind". OBScene, Ottawa's blues periodical printed, "Andy performs harp magic...every number was truly entertaining... his original tune "Motel Blue Orleans" is the epitome of the blues". Living Blues gave him a "solid harp player" vote and of his songwriting reported, "...from soulful instrumentals to raunchy (lyrics).." Blues Access "a fine series of intriguing albums...original compositions, lusty singing and virtuouso harp". "...hot harmonica" "... distinctly out of the ordinary". Guest artists on Andy J Forest's CDs include Marva Wright, Eddie Bo, John Mooney, Lil' Queenie, Mason Ruffner, Willy DeVille, Davell Crawford, Bruce Daigrepont, Anders Osborne, Tommy Malone, George Porter Jr., Herman Ernest III, Lenny McDaniel, Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, John Magnie (of the Subdudes), Dave Malone (of the Radiators), Jerry Jumonville, and Johnny Vidacovich. He has played at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival a half dozen times since1983, King Biscuit Festival, Trois Rivieres and the Ottawa Blues Festival several times, The Montreux Jazz Festival in 1989, Cognac Blues Passions, Antwerpe Parkblues Festival, Amsterdam Blues Festival, Tamines, Beermem Blues Festival, More Blues Festival, Gulf Shores Shrimp Festival, Lokerse Feesten, Pistoia, San Remo, Nantes-Rendezvous dans l'Erdre, Lugano Blues to Bop '94, '96 & 2000, Sherbrooke Blues Festival, Windsor International Festival, Montremblant and many others in France, Italy and Canada. After being nominated in two categories for the William Faulkner Society Awards for a short story and a poem, Andy has written a novel "Letter From Hell" about a blues band from New Orleans that goes to Hell. With this novel, Forest was short listed for the Pirates Alley Faulkner House awards 1998. The book was first released in February 1999 in English and Italian on Pendragon and the prestigious Gallimard Editions is publishing "Letter From Hell" in French in March of 2002. Off Beat Magazine listed two of Andy's recordings among the "best" Louisiana CDs of 1999. After the popular and critcle success of "Sunday Rhumba" Andy called on Anders Osborne once again to produce his new CD "Deep Down Under (in the Bywater)" recorded for Appaloosa Records. Anders also co-wrote several tunes. He sang some backup vocals, played guitar on a couple of songs, bass on another and even drums on one track. So this was a very hands on production. This "live" in the studio recording goes back to an older sound but the slant of the songs, stylistically and lyrically branch out to fresh territory. "...the dominant voices are those of Forest's various harmonicas which he deploys with high-flying dexterity" said Keith Spera; music writer for The Time Picayune. © @ 2009 Slang Music s.r.l - All rights Reserved

Henry Cooper

Henry Cooper - Baby Please - 1998 - High Action Records

Without question, Henry has long been regarded as one of the Northwest’s premier guitar players. Whether it is working in a band like The Terraplanes or the Duffy Bishop Band, backing Screamin’ Jay Hawkins or leading his own outfit, Henry has always entertained us. - Cascade Blues Association “Bluesnotes”

"I've been fortunate enough to share time with many major Blues guitarists, Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl, Robert Cray, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, to name a few, and its clear that it's someone's distinct style that makes a player stand out. I've watched Henry Cooper develop and come up with his awn style, one that is raw and funky. That's hard to do, and very cool."-- Curtis Salgado

An enjoyable album from Henry Cooper. There are fourteen originals here with great vocals, guitar, and harmonica from the underrated bluesman. Henry played with the great The Duffy Bishop Band for five years. "Baby Please", Henry's first official solo recording was originally issued on Heney's own High Action label, and although it had a very limited distribution, it was deemed good enough to win one of the four awards drom the "Best Pacific Northwest Blues CD Releases" in 1998. Buy his "Automatic Trouble: Henry Cooper Live" album, and listen to his "Slide Man" album

TRACKS

Bad Times In Season
Baby Please
Don't Want To Move
No Way
Million Dollar Hooker
Automatic Trouble
Getting Closer
Dynasonic Boogie
Don't You Get Tired Of Treating Me Bad
If You Don't Love Me
Dis Pas Ca
Hard Head
Darkness
Burn It Down

All songs composed by Henry Cooper, except "If You Don't Love Me" by Jack Williams, and Henry Cooper

BAND

Henry Cooper - electric & slide guitar, harmonica, vocals
Eric Bryson - bass
Andrew Larsen - keyboards
Andrew Cloutier, Larry Mahlis - drums
Kim Field - harmonica

BIO

The blues bug bit Henry Cooper hard when he was 16. At the time, he was toiling as a busboy in an Oregon hotel. Paul Butterfield's "The Work Song" came on the radio, and that was it for the blues-struck teenager. He was hooked. Wasting no time, he headed out to buy records that would give him more of that bowled-over feeling he first got while listening to Butterfield's band glide through the airwaves. Among his first purchases was a record that featured Muddy Waters and Butterfield, "Fathers & Sons." He also started frequenting blues clubs around the city of Eugene, where he discovered such harmonica players as Curtis Salgado, Mike Mother, and Bill Rhoades. Three years later, Cooper played the harmonica on a 45, and it was his first foray into the world of recording. Cooper became interested in the guitar during his early 20s. Unable to afford a regular guitar, he purchased a lap steel guitar from a pawnbroker and set about trying to transfer harmonica licks to his new instrument. He also attempted to emulate masters like Waters, Albert Collins, and Elmore James. The first group Cooper was in was Los Explorers, along with Fred Kellogg, John Barley, and Louie Samora. He went on to join the Milkmen before he settled into a band called Los Falcons with Barley, Andy Strange, and Boyd Small, who also had played with the Milkmen. By 1987, Cooper and his bandmates were set to perform New Year's Eve, sharing a stage with outrageous showman Screamin' Jay Hawkins. When Hawkins heard how well the band played his songs, he declared he wanted Cooper and the others along on his upcoming European tour. Hawkins was as goods as his word, and Los Falcons headed to Europe. Back in the states, Cooper moved his home base from Eugene to Portland. There he established a series of bands, among them the Terraplanes and Henry & the Hamhawks. By the 1990s, he and spouse Anne had settled in Seattle, where he started playing guitar for rising blues artist Duffy Bishop. The working relationship lasted five years, during which he appeared on a pair of Bishop's CDs, Back to the Bone and Bottled Oddities, which were put out by Burnside Records. When Cooper went out on his own, he devoted about a year to putting together his first solo album. High Action Records, Cooper's label, issued Baby Please in 1998. The CD earned critical and popular acclaim. Burnside released his next CD, Slide Man, for which Cooper penned 14 of the release's 15 numbers. © Linda Seida, All Music Guide

MORE ABOUT HENRY COOPER

Henry Cooper is in love, in love with a sound, a high-water-mark of blues guitar tone that had been set by the likes of Elmore James, Earl Hooker, Robert Nighthawk and Hop Wilson. It is clear from his newest release, "Slide Man", that it is influence, not imitation, that he has learned from the blues masters. He has taken to heart the importance of keeping things uncluttered and of driving straight down the middle of the groove until the last note has faded. The slide into the blues began for Henry at the age of 16, while he was working at the Eugene (OR) Hotel as a busboy. It was while listening to a local radio station that he heard The Paul Butterfield Band playing "The Work Song" off of "East West". Henry recalls, "I heard that amplified harp and thought "My God! What's that sound? It was amazing, I'd never heard anything like it." Henry began buying Blues records - one of the first ones he bought was "Fathers and Sons", which featured (among others) Paul Butterfield and Muddy Waters. Living in Eugene, Cooper was surrounded by some of the best Northwest harmonica players: Curtis Salgado (with his band the Nighthawks), Bill Rhoades, and Mike Mother. Henry checked them out, picked their brains and got turned on to Little Walter and other blues musicians. By age 19, he made his first recording as a harp player, a 45 with his friend Chris Coltraine. After finding a lap steel guitar at a pawn shop, Henry began using the licks he knew on the harmonica and applying them to the guitar as well as the sounds he'd heard from Elmore James, Muddy Waters and Albert Collins. By the age of 22, he was playing guitar in his first band Los Explorers. Even though he was living in Eugene, a small college town, there was a thriving blues scene and the musicians were always happy to offer their knowledge openly to an eager guitar player. After a few different bands, Henry met Boyd Small and Andy Strange and, along with former Los Explorers band-mate John Barley, they formed Los Falcons. In 1987 Los Falcons was booked into a New Year's Eve show with Screamin' Jay Hawkins. The band learned a bunch of Jay's tunes for the show and during sound check, Jay heard them play and said, "I'm taking you boys to Europe with me!" When the tour ended Henry moved to Portland and started several other bands which included: Henry and the Hamhawks and one of Portland, Oregon's favorite trios, The Terraplanes. Henry's relationship with Burnside Records began in the early 90's when he and his wife Anne moved to Seattle and Henry was introduced to a singer named Duffy Bishop, who was looking for a blues guitarist for her new band. Little did Henry know that The Duffy Bishop Band would take him on a five year ride as one of the hottest blues bands in the Northwest. The Duffy Bishop Band along with Cooper on guitar recorded two CD's for Burnside, "Bottled Oddities" and "Back To The Bone", before he decided that it was time for him to fly solo. Devoting most of 1997 to writing and recording, "Baby Please" was released on his own label, High Action Records, in May of 1998. Being Cooper's first solo effort, with limited distribution, "Baby Please" sold over two thousand copies and made several favorite lists from critics and fans alike. It made Real Blues top 100 CD's of 1998 as well as winning one of their four awards for "Best Pacific Northwest Blues CD Releases". Henry also shared Real Blues' "Best Slide Blues Guitarist in North America" award that year. © www.burnsiderecords.com