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31.3.11

Chris Farlowe & Roy Herrington featuring The Rhythm 'N' Blues Train



Chris Farlowe & Roy Herrington featuring The Rhythm 'N' Blues Train - Live in Berlin - 1991 - Backyard Records

Chris Farlowe (born in Essex, England, on 13/10/1940) remains one of the great underrated and underappreciated British soul & blues influenced singers. Chris' musical career started in the early '60's with the "Lonnie Donegan" style John Henry Skiffle Group. In the early 1960s, under the pseudonym Little Joe Cook, Chris released a R&B single "Stormy Monday Blues" which led people to believe he was a black singer. Around 1963 or 1964 'The Thunderbirds' were formed which included Chris Farlowe, plus the great guitarist Albert Lee, and keyboardist Dave Greenslade. The band's five singles on the UK Columbia label met with no success. When Andrew Loog Oldham, the Rolling Stones' manager established the famous Immediate label, he signed Chris Farlowe. Chris recorded many Jagger/Richards songs and some of his records were produced by Jagger. Out of 11 singles five had covers of the Jagger/Richards songs on them. The third single, "Out Of Time" made it to number one. Many people regard Chris'version of "Stormy Monday Blues (parts 1 and 2)", featuring Albert Lee on guitar, as one of the most distinguished, pre-eminent British blues recordings. Chris was also part of the great British jazz rock band, Colosseum, and the 1971 "Colosseum Live" album is a great example of early '70's British jazz rock. "Live in Berlin" was recorded at Berlin/Franz Club, Germany on 17th & 18th of October 1991. The album is is a great blues/R&B album from the lesser known blues guitarist Roy Herrington from the small former coalmining town of Featherstone, Yorkshire, England. ("they say the blues is black"). Roy has been on the road for over 20 years with various R&B artists including Spencer Davis, Gene Conners and the Route 66 Allstars, as well as his own band. Roy´s guitar style was influenced by artists like Pat Martino, Link Wray, Barney Kessel and Buddy Guy. Roy penned two songs, Chris one. The remaining seven tracks are covers of blues/R&B standards by artists including Willie Dixon, T-Bone Walker, and Michael Price and Dan Walsh. "Born in West Yorkshire" is a nine minute long guitar virtuoso piece by Roy but his guitar work throughout the album is terrific. The album also includes a great version of Chris singing "Stormy Monday Blues". This album has been called "The best blues album ever made by a Yorkshireman." Try and listen to the Roy Herrington Band's 2003 "Hip Bone" album, and Chris Farlowe's "Out of the Blue" album. Search this blog for more related releases

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. BORN IN WEST YORKSHIRE - Herrington
2. CROSSCUT SAW - Ford, Ingram, Moss (Music): Peterson, Sanders, Walker (Lyrics)
3. THRILL IS GONE - Benson (Music): Petite (Lyrics)
4. SHAKEY GROUND - Bowen (Music): Hazel & Boyd (Lyrics)
5. CHRIS`SHUFFLE - Farlowe
6. AIN´T NO LOVE - Price (Music): Walsh (Lyrics)
7. CLOSER TO YOU - Herrington
8. SUPERSTITIOUS - Dixon
9. STORMY MONDAY - Walker
10. GIVIN`T UP FOR YOUR LOVE - Williams (Music): Mason (Lyrics)

MUSICIANS

Rhythm'n'Blues Train:-
Roy 'The Boy' Herrington - guitar & vocals
Bernd Rosenmeier - guitar
Christoph Neher - bass
Martin Scholz - keyboards, vocals
Mickey Neher - drums, vocals
with
Chris Farlowe - vocals

CHRIS FARLOWE BIO (WIKIPEDIA)

Chris Farlowe (born John Henry Deighton, 13 October 1940, Islington, North London, England) is a successful English pop, R&B and soul singer. Farlowe's musical career began with a skiffle group, The John Henry Skiffle Group in 1957, then The Johnny Burns Rhythm and Blues Quartet in 1958. He met lead guitarist Bob Taylor (born Robert Taylor, 6 June 1942, London) in 1959 and he joined the band Taylor was in (The Thunderbirds), recording five singles for the Columbia label, without much success. He then moved to Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate label and recorded another eleven singles, five of them cover versions of Rolling Stones songs; ("Paint It, Black", "Think", "Ride On, Baby", "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", "Out of Time"). His most successful was "Out of Time" which was number 1 in the UK Singles Chart in 1966. His next four singles were also well received. The most famous was "Handbags and Gladrags" (which was written by Mike d'Abo), later covered by Rod Stewart and more recently by the Stereophonics). As an English R&B star of the early 1960s, Farlowe released one single, "Stormy Monday Blues", under the pseudonym, 'Little Joe Cook', which helped perpetrate the myth that he was black. His association with jazz rock group Colosseum began in the 1970s, recording a live album and three studio albums Daughter of Time, Bread and Circuses and Tomorrow's Blues (2006). Farlowe continues to tour extensively throughout the UK and Europe with band Colosseum, and also with his own band. Farlowe also deals in antiques and has a showroom in Islington. In 1972 he joined Atomic Rooster and is featured on the albums Made in England and Nice and Greasy. He also sang on three tracks of Jimmy Page's Death Wish II soundtrack 1982 and Outrider album in 1988. In the beginning, Farlowe was backed by the band 'The Thunderbirds', which featured guitarist Albert Lee and Dave Greenslade, (later with him again in Colosseum), Bugs Waddell (bass), Ian Hague (drums) Bernie Greenwood (sax) and Jerry Temple (percussion).

30.3.11

Lucy Kaplansky



Lucy Kaplansky - The Red Thread - 2004 - Red House Records

From folk singer to clinical psychologist and back to folksinger, Kaplansky has experienced life, and proves you can have it all. One of the themes of this disc is the Chinese child she and her husband have adopted, and the way being a parent will change her and her relationships, explored lovingly on "I Had Something" and the title track. But she's also looking outside herself, concerned with the world, and out of that comes one of the most insightful post- 9/11 songs, "Land of the Living," which focuses on humans, not theories and abstractions. "Line in the Sand," about Iraq, doesn't work as well, however, and "Brooklyn Train" ends up being reminiscent of For the Roses-era Joni Mitchell. Kaplansky has always offered a wide range of covers on her albums, and this follows the pattern, from the heartbreaking "Cowboy Singer" by the late Dave Carter to a rocked-up "Off and Running" from the pen of James McMurtry. As usual, she's supported by her longtime bandmates, who often supply glistening arrangements to frame her supple voice (although drums and bass add absolutely nothing to "Cowboy Singer" -- in fact, they detract from it). That she's a talent is beyond question, and with "Land of the Living," she's surpassed herself as a writer. © Chris Nickson © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-red-thread-r677300/review

It shouldn't be surprising that Lucy Kaplansky's music is infused with complex emotional detail when you consider that she worked as a clinical psychologist before deciding to pursue music full time. On the six songs she and Richard Litvin, her co-writer and husband, composed for The Red Thread, she never shies away from the conflicting feelings that accompany the profound moments in life. On the title track, for example, she sings movingly about the joy, wariness, and worry she felt when she and Litvin adopted a daughter from China. On "Land of the Living," which was inspired by the tragedy of 9/11, Kaplansky's sharp eye for detail creates a harrowing, but ultimately hopeful vision of that horrible day. Like many good songwriters, Kaplansky has an excellent ear for the right song to cover, and here she has chosen fine ones from Buddy Miller, Bill Morrissey, James McMurtry, and Dave Carter. The sonic territory on The Red Thread is subtle and subdued, with spare, mostly acoustic arrangements that perfectly frame the powerful emotions contained in Kaplansky's songs. © Michael John Simmons © 1996-2011, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

A powerful new CD constructed around the theme of an ancient Chinese legend that invisible red threads connect us to all of the important people in our lives. "The Red Thread" represents a turning point for this remarkable urban singer and songwriter in its depth and range of material. "The Red Thread" contains some of the most beautiful and powerful tracks this remarkable artist has ever released. From the rootsy simplicity/minimalism of "Cowboy Singer" and :Brooklyn Train," to the sonic complexity of pop-rockers "Love Song New York" and "Line in the Sand," critics agree that "The Red Thread"is her most compelling and appealing album to date. Produced by BEN WITTMAN (Laurie Anderson, The Story, Don Byron, Rosanne Cash), who also served as drummer, the world class musicians include singers JOHN GORKA, JONATHA BROOKE, RICHARD SHINDELL and ELIZA GILKYSON, guitarists DUKE LEVINE (Mary Chapin Carpenter, Peter Wolf) and JON HERINGTON (Steely Dan, Bette Midler), bass player ZEV KATZ (Roxy Music, Rosanne Cash, Bette Midler) and others. The result is a riveting blend of rock, folk, country and pop that perfectly compliments Kaplansky’s gorgeous, evocative vocals. Talent and hard work continue to pay off for Lucy - "The Red Thread"is a stunning achievement! - [from Product Description © 1996-2011, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates]

"The Red Thread" is the fifth solo album by the New York singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky. It's a beautifully produced album which fuses rock, folk, country and pop. Lucy is backed by artists including Ben Wittman (The Story), guitarists Duke Levine (Mary Chapin Carpenter) and Jon Herington (Steely Dan), and bass player Zev Katz (Bryan Ferry, Roxy Music, Rosanne Cash). The harmony vocals by Jonatha Brooke, Richard Shindell, Eliza Gilkyson and John Gorka are also wonderful. This is a great album full of evocative melodies and imagery. Lucy's style is similar in style to the great and vastly underrated James McMurtry. She covers James' great "Off And Running"song on the album. Listen to the original on James' "Where'd You Hide the Body" album. Buy Lucy's "Over the Hills" album and promote real music

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 I Had Something - Lucy Kaplansky / Richard Litvin
2 Line In The Sand - Lucy Kaplansky / Richard Litvin
3 Love Song/New York - Bill Morrissey
4 This Is Home - Lucy Kaplansky / Richard Litvin
5 Off And Running - James McMurtry
6 Land Of The Living - Lucy Kaplansky / Richard Litvin
7 Cowboy Singer - Dave Carter
8 Hole In My Head - Jim Lauderdale / Buddy Miller
9 The Red Thread - Lucy Kaplansky / Richard Litvin
10 Brooklyn Train - Lucy Kaplansky / Richard Litvin / Ben Wittman

MUSICIANS

Lucy Kaplansky (acoustic guitar, vocals, background vocals)
Jon Herington (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar, harmonium)
Duke Levine (electric guitar, electric 12-string guitar, slide guitar, National guitar, mandola, mandolin, guitorgan)
Zev Katz (bass, baritone guitar)
Ben Wittman (piano, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards, drums, drum set, percussion)
Andy Ezrin (piano)
Brian Mitchell (organ)
Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka, Jonatha Brooke, Richard Shindell (background vocals)

BIO

When Lucy Kaplansky was 18 years old, she shocked her neighbors in the Hyde Park area near the University of Chicago when, instead of going to college, she went to New York City with her boyfriend to become a folksinger. Fifteen years later, having become a clinical psychologist as well as a sought-after duet and harmony singer, she made another surprising decision: she gave up her private practice and her position at a New York hospital to pursue a full-time singing career. Drawn to Greenwich Village in the late '70s by the resurgence of the folk scene, she became a regular at Gerde's Folk City. By 1982, she was a member of the CooP (later Fast Folk) and was featured on nine of the group's "musical magazines," along with Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, John Gorka, Richard Shindell, and others. By 1983, however, Kaplansky had enrolled in New York University with the aim of becoming a psychologist. Well known on the folk scene for her crystalline harmonies, Kaplansky sang harmony vocals on Nanci Griffith's Lone Star State of Mind and Little Love Affairs albums and performed in New York clubs as a duo with Colvin while earning her Ph.D. from Yeshiva University. But when she and Colvin attracted attention from record companies, Kaplansky declined, becoming a staff psychologist at a New York hospital and establishing a private practice while Colvin recorded her first three albums for Columbia Records. As a record of what Lucy had accomplished on the folk scene, and to give Colvin a chance to try her hand at production, the two collaborated on Kaplansky's first album, The Tide, comprising three of Kaplansky's own compositions and a collection of well-worn covers, including songs by Richard Thompson, Sting, and Robin Batteau. By 1994, when The Tide was released by Red House Records, Kaplansky decided to shift gears again and become a full-time touring folksinger. She spent much of the next few years playing the folk circuit of coffeehouses, church halls, and festivals, accompanying herself on guitar and performing in concert with Shindell and Gorka. In 1996, Red House Records released her second album, Flesh and Bone, produced by Anton Sanko (Vega's Solitude Standing and Days of Open Hand). It includes eight original songs (co-written with Kaplansky's husband, filmmaker Richard Litvin), as well as duets with Shindell and Gorka. Ten Year Night followed in 1999. Every Single Day appeared in 2001 on Red House Records, with Red Thread in 2004 and Over the Hills in 2007, both also on Red House. © Claire Keaveney © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/lucy-kaplansky-p44854/biography

29.3.11

Steve Harley



Steve Harley - Poetic Justice - 1996 - Castle Records

This reissue of the 1996 album of the same name is actually as very solid and subdued set for Stefan Harley. He's in fine voice here, and his own songs are pretty much top of the heap for having been some "20 years past his prime" as some jive Brit journo called him. It's nonsense, of course, since Harley may not have had the hits in the '90s, but certainly had the requisite taste, musicianship and elegance to put a collection of songs together like this one. His covers of Bob Dylan's "Love Minus Zero/No Limit," and Van Morrison's "Crazy Love" both put on offer his roots as a musician and his own, dare we say it, pedigree. Poetic Justice is fine work top to bottom, and should be owned by any fan, or investigated by the curious. © Thom Jurek © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/poetic-justice-r595430

Some really talented and genuine bands and artists were caught up in the notorious "Glam Rock" net in Britain in the mid seventies. Many of these bands were overnight sensations, or one hit wonders, and many were studio manufactured. Some of these bands were also hugely successful, due to clever management and by recording songs written by top class songwriters. It is well known that many of these artists couldn't play, or sing, (the perfect recipe for success in the glitzy seventies!). However, some of these artists had predated the "Glam Rock" era, and were hugely talented. Just to name a few - T.Rex, David Bowie, Mott The Hoople, Abba, Elton John, Roy Wood & Wizzard, and Roxy Music. All these artists could sing, play, write brilliant songs, and they would have made the grade regardless of the ridiculous studio trickery that went into other "Glam Rock" bands that eventually fell by the wayside..... "You can fool some of the people, etc, etc....". Anyway, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel were one of THE great "Glam Rock" bands, and without a doubt, one of the most talented bands to emerge in the seventies. You may not like Rod Stewart's later music, but some of his 70's work with the Faces was terrific rock 'n' roll. He penned some great songs, and he remains a very respected artist. Rod said that Steve Harley was "one of the finest lyricists the UK has ever produced". Very true, but Steve is also a great musical composer, and his music included some of the best pop rock songs ever to come out of the UK. His songs included "Make Me Smile", "Judy Teen", "Mr. Raffles", "Mr. Soft", "The Best Years Of Our Lives", and "Psychomodo". These are all intelligent, well written songs, with great hooks. These, and many more Harley songs stamped Cockney Rebel with a very individual musical style. "Poetic Justice" was recorded with acoustic musicians at a country studio in Sussex, England, and presents Steve in fine voice on a selection of original songs, together with some intriguing 'cover' versions, including 'What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted', Van Morrison's 'Crazy Love', and Bob Dylan's 'Love Minus Zero - No Limit' which Steve recorded as a tribute to the artist who has inspired him so much. In 1999 on a day when the rain poured down, Steve was visiting a pop festival in Stratford, England where Van Morrison and Bob Dylan were topping the bill. Steve has said “I wasn’t actually performing, but my guitar player Alan Derby was playing for Van Morrison who was on the show before Dylan. So I got an ‘Access All Areas’ pass from Alan and watched the show from wings. I was right next to the mixing desk watching Dylan and his band.” After the show Steve found himself sharing the same hospitality tent as Bob Dylan. Steve says, “An hour later they were still there and as they passed by on their way out, I just knew I had to introduce myself. I’d been listening to him since he changed my life when I was 12 years old. I’d got to stand up and say ‘hello.’ So I put my hand out and said: ‘Bob…Steve Harley.’ And he said ‘Oh, yeah, hey, ah, um…’Love Minus Zero.’ “He’d heard my version on the album! Then he sat down with me and we were all alone, no bodyguards, no one except my friend Alan Derby and myself sitting at a table with Bob. Alan is tongue tied and Dylan doesn’t talk. So after five minutes of me telling him how I liked his set and loved the songs, he just sort of grunted replies.” When the rain suddenly stopped, Steve said Bob stood up, took him by the hand, looked at him and said ‘The weather….the weather…’ !! Bob always let his songs do the talking! In Spring 2010 Steve began his UK tour and said: “It was a huge thing for me and it still excites the hell out of me to perform ‘live’. On tour I call it ‘Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel’ because it lets the public and promoters know it’s a big rock band. I also tour quite a lot acoustically with a three piece outfit.” Steve confesses the effects of his childhood polio still haunt him. “As you know, I’m never going to run the marathon. I can’t walk very far these days and have to go at my own pace. Joni Mitchell won’t fly anywhere and that’s because she too had polio. One of her legs was affected. She said ten years ago that there’s something called ‘secondary polio’ and that kind of depressed me. As I’m getting older I don’t feel any worse but I can’t walk as well as I did ten years ago. It doesn’t stop me going on stage but when the weather is bad I just can’t walk in the snow and ice because I’m afraid of slipping. What I most enjoy is going on the road and performing with the band which has my old Cockney Rebel pal Stuart Elliott on drums. It’s just like the old days.” "Poetic Justice" is a great solo album with a unique folk-pop/soul sound from the legendary Cockney Rebel main man, and despite receiving little promotion, is one of his best albums. The album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Steve Harley was, and still is a superb songwriter, singer, and showman who retains a loyal and enthusiastic international following. Listen to CR's brilliant "The Psychomodo", and "The Human Menagerie" albums, and Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel's "Love's a Prima Donna" album. Search this blog for related releases

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1."That's My Life in Your Hands" - Steve Harley, Hugh Nicholson 3:51
2."What Becomes of the Broken Hearted" - James Dean, Paul Riser, William Weatherspoon 4:14
3."Two Damn'd Lies" - Steve Harley 5:08
4."Loveless" - Steve Harley, Bernard Sumner, Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris 4:47
5."Strange Communications" - Steve Harley 4:07
6."All in a Life's Work" - Steve Harley 4:58
7."Love Minus Zero/No Limit" - Bob Dylan 6:09
8."Safe" - Steve Harley 3:43
9."The Last Time I Saw You"- Steve Harley, E. Osser 5:13
10."Crazy Love" - Van Morrison, Paul Anka 3:24
11. "Riding the Waves (For Virginia Woolf)" (live bonus track) - Steve Harley - 6:09 *

* N.B: Track issued as a bonus track on the 2002 Castle Music Ltd CD release

MUSICIANS

Steve Harley - lead vocals, harmonica
Nick Pynn - acoustic guitar, 12-String guitar, mandocello, dulcimer
Phil Beer - acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bottleneck guitar, violin
Richard Durrant - classical guitar
Andrew Brown - bass, double bass
Herbie Flowers - double bass
Thomas Arnold - piano, Hammond B-3 organ, percussion
Ian Nice - piano, keyboards
Mark Price, Paul Francis - drums
Susan Harvey - vocals

SHORT BIO

British rocker Steve Harley was born Steven Nice in London on February 27, 1951; the son of a jazz singer, he was stricken with polio at age two and spent the better part of his adolescence in and out of hospitals. After trying his hand at journalism, by the early '70s Harley was busking throughout London, forming the band Cockney Rebel in 1973 with guitarist Jean Paul Crocker, bassist Paul Jeffreys, keyboardist Milton Reame James, and drummer Stuart Elliott. Signing to EMI, the group debuted with The Human Menagerie; the single "Judy Teen" followed in early in 1974, becoming Cockney Rebel's first hit. Psychomodo was also a success, but as Harley's combative relationship with the press worsened he dissolved the group soon after. A Harley solo single, "Big Big Deal, " preceded the formation of a new Cockney Rebel lineup, which again featured drummer Stuart Elliott in addition to new guitarist Jim Cregan, bassist George Ford and keyboardist Duncan McKay. 1975's The Best Years of Our Lives generated Harley's first U.K. chart-topper, "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me), " on its way to selling over a million copies; the follow-up Love's a Prima Donna also launched a Top Ten hit with its cover of the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun." But in the wake of 1977's Face to Face -- A Live Recording, Harley again disbanded Cockney Rebel and relocated to the U.S., recording the better part of Hobo With a Grin in Los Angeles before returning to Britain. 1979's The Candidate failed to restore his commercial lustre, and with the exception of a minor 1983 hit "Ballerina (Prima Donna)" he spent the better part of the '80s removed from the pop scene. When his recording of "Mr. Soft" experienced a rebirth thanks to its use in a television commercial, Harley assembled a hits collection of the same name. Soon after he formed a new incarnation of Cockney Rebel and regularly toured into the following decade. 1999's Stripped to Bare Bones documents an acoustic set recorded the year previous. Yes You Can was issued in summer 2000. © Jason Ankeny © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-harley-p84327/biography

MORE ABOUT STEVE HARLEY & COCKNEY REBEL (WIKIPEDIA)

Steve Harley (born Stephen Malcolm Ronald Nice, 27 February 1951,Deptford, London, England) is a English singer and songwriter, best known for his work with the 1970s rock group Cockney Rebel, with whom he still occasionally tours (albeit with many personnel changes through the years). As a child, Harley suffered from polio, spending four years in hospital up to the age of 16. It was in hospital that he first heard Bob Dylan, inspiring him to a career of words and music. At the age of 10, he received a guitar from his parents, and he played violin with the school orchestra. He left the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College with no O levels. In 1968, at the age of 17, Harley began work as an accountant with the Daily Express, from which he progressed to become a reporter in a number of local Essex newspapers for a duration of three years. Later, he returned to London to work for the East London Advertiser. Harley first started out playing in bars and clubs in the early 1970s, mainly at folk venues on open-mike nights. He also busked around London on the Underground and in Portobello Road. While auditioning for folk band Odin in 1971, he met violinist John Crocker, with whom he formed Cockney Rebel in late 1972. Cockney Rebel went on to release The Human Menagerie and The Psychomodo before splitting up in 1974. However, Harley carried on with drummer Stuart Elliot, renaming the band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, with whom he had more success. From the next album, The Best Years of Our Lives, came the number one and million selling single, "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)". Harley had two more hits during the mid 1970s with "Mr Raffles" and "Here Comes the Sun" which were both Top 20 hits, but he did not have any further major successes, and in the 1980s he all but faded from the public eye, relocating to the United States. He was set to star as the Phantom in the London premiere of The Phantom of the Opera, and recorded the promotional single of the title song, but was surprised to be replaced close to rehearsals by Michael Crawford. In the early 1990s, Harley released several solo albums. His songs "Sebastian", "Tumbling Down", and "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" were included in the Todd Haynes 1998 rock musical Velvet Goldmine. The soundtrack album included "Make Me Smile", but omitted "Sebastian", yet included a cover version of "Tumbling Down" with vocals by Jonathan Rhys Myers. "Make Me Smile" was also included in the 1997 film, The Full Monty. In 1999, Harley began presenting a BBC Radio programme The Sounds of the Seventies, of which the last programme aired on 27 March 2008. In 2005, The Quality of Mercy was released under the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel name, and Harley began touring more frequently, although mainstream success remained elusive. Harley lives in Suffolk with his wife, Dorothy. They have two children, Kerr and Greta

27.3.11

Brian Auger

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Brian Auger - Auger Rhythms - 2003 - Quicksilver


Good compilation album covering Brian Auger's career. There are tracks from the early Brian Auger's more piano dominated period, tracks from his Oblivion Express days, and tracks from his Trinity days with Julie Driscoll. His son Karma plays percussion on the album, and his daughters Ali and Savannah feature on vocals. The AWB's Jim Mullen and Robbie McIntosh also feature on the album. If you are a Brian Auger fan you may have most of these tracks in your collection. On the album's release in 2003, twelve of the tracks were supposedly appearing on an official album for the first time. Sound quality varies, but nevertheless a great album from one of Britain's greatest ever multi-instrumentalists. If you like great Hammond playing, you may like this album. BTW, this album is 344 Mb in size, so think about the DL


TRACKS / COMPOSERS


CD 1


1. Blues Three Four - Auger * 2. East of the Sun - Bowman * 3. Poinciana - Bernier, Simon * 4. There Is No Greater Love - Jones, Symes * 5. If You Could See Me Now - Dameron, Sigman * 6. Moanin' - Timmons * 7. Sister Sadie - Silver * 8. Misty - Buke, Burke, Garner * 9. I've Gotta Go Now - Pappalardi * 10. Break It Up - Auger, Sutton 11. Inside of Him - Havens 12. This Wheel's on Fire - Danko, Dylan 13. Season of the Witch - Leitch 14. A Day in the Life - Lennon, McCartney 15. Tropic of Capricorn - Auger 16. Light My Fire - Morrison, Densmore, Manzarek, Krieger


CD 2


1. Listen Here - Harris 2. Freedom Jazz Dance - Auger, Harris, Ligertwood 3. Second Wind - Auger 4. Happiness Is Just Around the Bend - Auger 5. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) - Gaye 6. Straight Ahead - Dean 7. Brain Damage - Ligertwood, Mills 8. Beginning Again - Auger 9. Bumpin' on Sunset - Montgomery * 10. Indian Rope Man - Havens, Price, Roth 11. Slide - Auger, Auger * 12. The Lady's in Love - Lane, Loesser


* N.B: * Previously unreleased tracks. CD ONE Tracks 1-5 (Brian Auger: The Jazz Piano Years): Tracks 6-7 (Brian Auger's Hammond Organ Big Band): Tracks 8-16 (Brian Auger Trinity with Julie Driscoll). CD TWO Tracks 1-10 (Brian Auger's Oblivion Express): Track 11 (Karma Auger): Track 12: (Ali Auger)


REVIEW


Auger Rhythms, the double-disc career overview of the last 40 years by Brian Auger, is, quite simply, a textbook case for what a career retrospective should be -- outside of a box set that is, though it would be great if Ghosttown Records would get around to that as well. Auger is not simply a musician who did one thing and perfected or milked it. Since the early '60s he has proven to be a restless, wandering musical spirit, and this collection is the proof in the pudding that his enormous talent and vision have warranted -- and continue to warrant -- his participation in multiple genres as a multi-instrumentalist, composer, bandleader, and arranger who has successfully blurred the lines between jazz, blues, R&B, funk, soul, fusion, and rock. All of Auger's periods are covered here, from his earliest days as a jazz pianist to the Trinity to the Oblivion Express to being a sideman on his children's recordings. Of the 28 tracks contained here, 13 of them are previously unreleased. One of these, "Inside of Him," is a new track from the Trinity years with Julie Driscoll, featuring her elegant, deeply moving voice on top of a standard jazz trio setting -- Auger's towering harmonics on the acoustic piano would have been just as welcome in a Billie Holiday set in the early '50s. The earlier work includes the beautiful original "Blues Three Four" from 1961 and a killer version of Bobby Timmons' hard bop-blues classic "Moanin'." The early jazz material showcases Auger as a consummate soloist whose rapidly developing sense of harmony and rhythmic inventions pointed the way for his R&B and fusion excursions. Disc one is simply revelatory. It's breadth and range are astonishing in that they document the inner and hidden life of Auger as well as his hits from the era. The second disc here documents all the obvious choices, from "Freedom Jazz Dance" to "Happiness Is Just Around the Corner" to "Inner City Blues" to "Second Wind." But there are surprises here as well, the most notable of which is the alternate take of Wes Montgomery's "Bumpin' on Sunset," from 1974. Auger's kids, as one would suspect, are not slouches either. Auger Sr.'s playing on Karma Auger's acid jazz opus "Slide" is dirty, greasy, and funky; it's an elastic groove that doesn't quit. Likewise, daughter Ali, a jazz singer from the old standards school (with all the immediacy and sass of the young and hungry), performs with her father on the Frank Loesser nugget "The Lady's in Love," and Auger's arrangement and solo swing very hard against Ali's throaty contralto. The sound here is awesome, even on the early material; it's 24-bit remastered and quite warm. The package that comes in a foldout digipack is loaded with photos, a biographical essay by Tom Vickers, and a track-by-track analysis by Auger. Vickers is very fine in his appreciation, though there is one glaring error where he states that Julie Driscoll's career never recovered after she left Auger following a management fiasco with the notorious Giorgio Gomelsky. Ms. Driscoll is now Julie Tippetts, a brilliant and visionary vocalist in the vanguard jazz and free improvisational field. Vickers' remark is simply an ignorant statement by a critic with a prejudice. Auger Rhythms is being rolled out as the opening salvo in a complete program of Auger reissues. Featuring a wealth of material for the collector and a solid introduction for the novice, this is the Auger document to have. © Thom Jurek © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com


MUSICIANS


Brian Auger - Mellotron, Moog Synthesizer, Organ, Organ (Hammond), Piano, Piano (Electric), String Machine, Vocals, Vocals (Background) Jim Mullen, Jack Mills, Chris Clermont, Vic Briggs, Gary Boyle - Guitar Alex Ligertwood - Guitar, Percussion, Vocals Roger Sutton, Rick Laird, Barry Dean, Dave Ambrose - Bass Alan Skidmore, Tommy Whittle - Tenor Sax Robbie McIntosh, Colin Allen, André Ceccarelli, David Dowle, Phil Kinorra, Steve Ferrone, Godfrey McLean, Barry Reeves, Mike Scott, Mickey Waller, Clive Thacker - Drums Karma Auger - Drums, Percussion, Vocals Long John Oliva, Lennox Laington - Conga Larry Andrew Williams - Flugelhorn, Trumpet Derek Wadsworth - Trombone Julie Driscoll, Ali Auger, Savannah Grace Auger, Marion Williams - Vocals

Wishbone Ash


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Wishbone Ash - Almighty Blues: London and Beyond - 2004 - Classic Rock Legends Ltd

Wishbone Ash is back in a big way with an incredibly powerful performance on this live SACD Almighty Blues: London and Beyond. It seems like a perfectly suitable title for this album, with a stress on the "Almighty." This band paid their dues long ago, and to see that they are still pumping out vital and invigorating blues-prog-rock makes my heart smile. Those of you that are fortunate enough to have a surround system are in for a real treat! The sound for a live performance is quite simply, amazing. I felt like I was right there with everyone in the audience watching them play. After hearing this performance, I decided to look into their entire back catalog. I already had Time Was: The Wishbone Ash Collection set but never sought out any of their previous releases. That is going to change. I received this album at the beginning of the week and I have not stopped listening yet. I am completely enthralled with their rockin’ bluesy progressive sound. My favorite tracks, as well as all the others, not only rock they have a definite Celtic atmosphere swirling about them, particularly "Warrior" and "Come Rain, Come Shine." Whether that is intentional or not it sure makes their sound unique and interesting. I think it’s the right combination of Andy Powell’s voice (English accent) and their overall sound that gives them that definitive Celtic edge. Powell and Ben Granfelt also perfect the double guitar attack nicely; they are an awesome one-two punch completely in sync with each other. Ray Weston (drums) and Bob Skeat (bass/vocals) are the backbone of the band that the two lead guitar players depend upon to take their music to the next level, and believe me they have no problem doing so. Oh yes, Wishbone Ash is back, and stronger than ever! Since they are one of the true pioneers of the double guitar attack, it is only appropriate that such a dynamic live show was committed to tape for their longtime fans and all of the newly initiated coming onboard to discover what great blues-rock is all about. Enjoy! © Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck http://www.muzikreviews.com April 4, 2004 © 2000-2010, 2011 Buzzle.com® · All rights reserved. © http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/4-4-2004-52522.asp

One reviewer referred to Wishbone Ash's music as a blend of Procol Harum, Renaissance, Kayak, BOC, Saga, Robin Trower and the later Gentle Giant and Camel. That's quite a good description. Wishbone ash combined blues, folk, jazz, and progressive rock elements to create a very distinctive sound. "Almighty Blues" is a terrific live album from the great band recorded on the band's 2002-2003 tour to promote the "Bona Fide" album. The album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Although most music critics will point to albums like "Argus" and "Pilgrimage" as being two of the band's best albums (which they are), give a listen to the band's classic "Wishbone Four" album which is often overlooked

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Almighty Blues - Filgate, Powell, Pyle 6:19
2 Warrior - Powell, Turner, Turner, Upton 5:52
3 Throw Down The Sword - Mould, Powell, Turner, Turner, Upton 5:36
4 Standing In The Rain - Turner, Wishbone Ash 6:04
5 Faith, Hope And Love - Granfelt, Powell 7:14
6 Changing Tracks - Granfelt, Harris, Powell 4:14
7 On Your Own - Filgate, Powell, Turner 5:21
8 Come Rain, Come Shine - Granfelt, Powell 6:00
9 Ancient Remedy - Powell, Schwartz 5:00
10 Time Was - Alan, Powell, Prado, Russell, Turner, Upton, Wisefield 10:35
11 Jail Bait - Powell, Turner, Turner, Upton 6:09

N.B: This SACD release features the same tracks and running order as on the 2003 "Almighty Blues - London & Beyond" Video DVD release except the track "Underground" which is excluded, making "Throw Down the Sword" Track 3. An identical album to this post was released in 2010 entitled "Live on Air". This concert has been released in various formats through the years, using different names

BAND

Andy Powell, Ben Granfelt - Guitar, Vocals
Bob Skeat - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Ray Weston - Drums

ABOUT WISHBONE ASH

More than 28 years after they were named the "Brightest Hope" and the "Best New Group" in the influential British music publications Melody Maker and Sounds, Wishbone Ash's following and influence continue unabated. Founding members Andy Powell and Ted Turner were voted among the top 20 guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine, and the group's albums continue to be strong sellers around the world. The story of Wishbone Ash began in July of 1966, when Martin and Glen Turner met Steve Upton. The Turner brothers' drummer had just quit their band, and when they learned that Upton had played professionally in England and Germany, they asked him to join them. The new trio called themselves the Empty Vessels, after the proverbial saying, "empty vessels make the most noise". Soon afterward, the trio changed their name to Tanglewood and moved from their native Exeter to London. They didn't have much luck initially, and were on the verge of disbanding when they were booked into the Country Club in Hempstead, opening for former Yardbirds vocalist Keith Relf. Into that club wandered Miles Copeland, a young man new in town and impressed by what he heard. "Miles was an expatriate who had been brought up in Beirut by a Scottish mother and a southern American father," Andy Powell recalled. "His experience with rock music was minimal. London, I think, was a really mind-blowing experience for him, and Tanglewood had a very English sound. Steve was a jazz-oriented drummer, and Martin Turner's bass was very far out in front of the mix. Martin played melodically with a pick, in the English style of Jet Harris (of the seminal British group, The Shadows), Paul McCartney, and later Sting." Copeland invited Tanglewood to his father's house in St. John's Wood, and offered to manage the band. Guitarist Glen Turner opted to return to Exeter, but Martin and Steve decided to keep trying. "Miles started running advertisements in the music papers," said Powell, "and prospective guitarists would come to the house and audition. It finally came down to Ted Turner and myself, and they couldn't decide between us. So the band decided not to hire a keyboard player, as they'd originally planned, and took us both instead!" The new group was subject to a variety of influences. Powell was a veteran of various semi-pro blues and soul outfits, and a player who listened to bands from Fairport Convention to the Who. "Pete Townsend had a profound impact on me as a rhythm player", Powell said. He credits his experience in soul bands, working with horn section harmonies, with inspiring the dual lead guitar format that he and Ted Turner developed. David "Ted" Turner (no kin to Martin) had also played with a blues band, and was influenced by American blues players such as B.B. King. The rhythm section , Martin Turner and Steve Upton, was into more progressive groups and was "hugely impacted" by Led Zeppelin. Martin was also influenced by the Who's John Entwhistle. From that disparate combination of elements came the distinctive sound of Wishbone Ash. "It was crucial in those days that everybody have their own sound," said Powell. "There was a great spirit in the air in the late 60's. The clubs were very active, there was a lot of R&B, and a lot of blues, like the Pretty Things and early Fleetwood Mac. The scene was open to anything that would expand the imagination." As for the group's name, Powell explained, "We wanted something that wouldn't tie us down to a particular style. Miles came up with a number of wacky names - I remember Third World War and Jesus Duck. Finally there were two lists, one of which had the word Wishbone on it and the other of which had Ash. The combination sounded intriguing - actually, it sounded like more than it was." The members of the band were determined to succeed. Andy said,"We were provincial boys coming to London, so there was a very strong commitment to stay and make something of the situation. The bedsit that Ted and I lived in for six months was condemned. Miles, at the same time, lived around the corner from Paul McCartney." Naturally, the band spent as much time at the Copeland house as possible. Ted Turner recalled that "Miles had a healthy supply of crumpets for us, and we lived on crumpets in those days." "We had only one place to go, and that was up," Andy agreed. "I was playing on a home-made guitar. Martin was playing on a homemade bass, and we built our own speaker cabinets in a garage. We were literally existing on about 15 dollars a week. One flat that I lived in had a gas heater that I kept going by recycling the same shilling through the coin box for a month. We took about six weeks, rehearsing from eleven in the morning until eleven at night, to put completely new songs together. We weren't always happy with everything we did, but we knew that we were good and that we had created a distinctive sound. We didn't even give ourselves the license to think that it wouldn't work." In the meantime, Miles tried to find work for the band. He was, Powell recalled with affection, a slow starter. "We were the first band that Miles had ever managed. He was clueless, completely at odds with the music business as it was practiced in London, which in hindsight was probably to everyone's benefit." The band's first-ever job was as opening act for Aynsley Dunbar's Retaliation at Dunstable Civic Hall. Since the band at first aroused little interest at home, the increasingly inventive Copeland used some of his contacts to land the group work in Europe. Paris became to them the kind of developing ground that Hamburg had been for the Beatles. "Blind Eye" was the band's first single. Andy described it as "a jazz, blues, riffing kind of thing written by Ted and myself. The riff for the twin lead guitar parts was a very specific continuation of some horn parts I'd been writing in soul bands." When Ted Turner heard it on the radio for the first time, "It was very exciting. It was also the first time I heard myself sing - after that I always tried to get the others to sing!" The band's first big break resulted from a gig with Deep Purple. Ritchie Blackmore jammed with Powell during a sound check, and was impressed enough to mention the group to Purple's producer, Derek Lawrence. Lawrence, in turn, was impressed enough that he convinced the "powers that be" at Decca Records (US) to sign the band. As a result, Wishbone had a record deal in the United States before they had one in England! The band's following multiplied, and they released their first album, Wishbone Ash, in 1970. It contained the song "Phoenix", arguably Wishbone's masterpiece. Ted Turner described it as "just an elongated, structured, jam", but it was a perfect showcase for their dual lead guitar work. The only other British band using twin lead guitars that Wishbone was aware of was the obscure Blossom Toes, now memorable mainly as the breeding ground for longtime Rod Stewart guitarist Jim Cregan. "We didn't become aware of the Allman Brothers", Powell said, "until we came to the States. Years later, we were very surprised when we heard Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird", which struck us as very much the same sort of thing as "Phoenix"." That first album was followed by Pilgrimage in 1971, and Argus in 1972. The British music magazine Melody Maker awarded Argus the accolade of "The Best British Album Of The Year." "Blowin' Free", Ash's signature tune from that album, came together as an exercise around the "D" chord. Ted Turner called it "a rip-off of a bit in "Tommy" that I put in a different time." Wishbone Ash toured with the Who on their "Won't Get Fooled Again" tour, and "you can imagine how inspiring that was". Powell said that "Time Was" was another Who-inspired song, "probably the most of any we've ever done. There was a lot of Keith Moon in Steve's drumming." In 1973 the band produced Wishbone Four and their first concert album, Live Dates. The Wishbone Four album sounded very different from its predecessors. Andy said, "A lot of bands were going into the country to write - Traffic did it, Led Zeppelin did it. We put everything into the back of a truck and moved to a cottage on the island of Anglesey off the Welsh coast. All four of us and two other guys were stuck in a six-room cottage, miles from anywhere, with no phone, TV, or radio. There was a sign on the gate that said "Pen Y Bonc", which we always took to be the name of the cottage. Years later we found out that it was the Welsh for "Please close the gate"!" Ted Turner added, "We all brought air pistols and tried to shoot rabbits and birds and things. We wound up spending more time on that that on putting the album together. I hit a robin, and haven't fired a shot since." After the Live Dates tour, Ted decided to call it quits. "I was going through different phases musically." he explained, "and wasn't satisfied with what I was doing with Wishbone Ash. We had done very well and I was only 24. I did session work, got married, had a family and just lived life." Ted was replaced by Laurie Wisefield. "When Ted left," said Powell, "we needed to get something going pretty quickly. I saw Laurie in New York, playing with the band Home, who were Al Stewart's backing group at the time. He came back to London for rehearsals in Miles' basement, and we decided that we could work together." Ash's first album with Wisefield, 1974's There's The Rub, was their first to be recorded in the United States. It was made under the supervision of Eagles and Joe Walsh producer Bill Szymczyk at the Criteria Recording Studios in Miami. The band then moved to the States full time and settled in Connecticut, where Andy still lives. Of the change in guitarists, he said, "The contrast was quite marked. I was always the more frenetic player, and Ted was bluesier and more laid-back. Laurie didn't really come from a blues background so much as a country-rock background. He was into finger-picking, a very rhythmic player." (Indeed, when Wisefield left the group, he went on to play first with Tina Turner and then with Joe Cocker.) Still signed to MCA in England, Wishbone moved to the Atlantic label in the United States for their next two albums, Locked In and New England. The group returned to MCA Records in the U.S. for Front Page News (1977), No Smoke Without Fire (1978), and Just Testing (1979). Just Testing was the first album the group recorded with producer Nigel Grey, at Surrey Sound in the English town of Leatherhead. Powell said of it that it "marked quite a change, in that you could see the band becoming much less loose than on the earlier albums. The more disciplined, rhythmic, feel was Laurie's contribution." Martin Turner was the second original member to leave, replaced by respected British bassist John Wetton (King Crimson, Family, Roxy Music and U.K.) for the 1981 album, Number The Brave. The last album recorded on MCA before the band left that label was 1981's Hot Ash This album, assembled by Leon Tsilis, is a compilation of live tracks that had appeared on Live Dates II, (MCA Europe) and a bonus track, "Bad Weather Blues", that had never appeared on any album. After leaving MCA, the band recorded two more albums, Twin Barrels Burning (Fantasy Records) and Raw To The Bone. Trevor Bolder, of Uriah Heep & David Bowie fame, replaced Wetton on bass for Twin Barrels Burning. Mervyn (Spam)Spence replaced Bolder on bass and tackled the lead vocals on Raw To The Bone. In 1986, Andy Powell and Ted Turner were contacted by their original manager, Miles Copeland, from whom they had separated around the time they recorded New England. Copeland was a major success in the music business by then, managing The Police and running his own label, I.R.S. Records. IRS was about to launch a series of all-instrumental albums, and Copeland asked Wishbone Ash to participate in the project. The result was the reunion of Andy Powell, Ted Turner, Martin Turner and Steve Upton. That line-up lasted for three years, releasing Nouveau Calls and Hear To Hear. Then, after more than 20 years with the group, Steve Upton retired from the music industry. He was replaced on drums by Ray Weston & Robbie France for the recording of the band's final IRS album, 1991's Strange Affair. With a new lineup including Weston and Andy Pyle on bass, Wishbone Ash recorded Live In Chicago for the Griffin Label. Live In Chicago is a collection of classic songs such as "The King Will Come, "Throw Down The Sword", "Blowin' Free" and "Living Proof". This live collection also includes songs never before released in the United States; "Strange Affair", "Standing In The Rain" and "Hard Times." In 1995 Ted Turner left the band for the second time. The only original member, Andy Powell, has since put together several line-ups, all of which have given fans the authentic "Ash experience". A 1994 European tour, featuring the team of Andy Powell, Roger Filgate, Tony Kishman and Mike Sturgis, culminated in the recording of the album "Live in Geneva". In 1996 Wishbone released their first studio album in several years. Titled "Illuminations", it shows off the band's unique trademark harmony guitar work beautifully. 1997 saw the release of a four-CD box set, "Distillation", that showcases Wishbone's work over the years from 1970 to 1995. At the end of 1996 Roger & Tony decided to throw in the towel and become "Beatles". It wasn't long after that that Andy recruited Mark Birch & Bob Skeat to fill the void left by Filgate and Kishman. After a brief tour of the UK, Mike Sturgis was offered a professorship at a local university, which he decided to accept. It wasn't long after that when Andy rang his old friend Ray Weston to see if he would be interested in joining the new band. As they say, "the rest is history". The current band, Andy Powell, Bob Skeat, Mark Birch and Ray Weston are currently on tour in Europe supporting the release of their newest album "Bare Bones" and paving the way to the big events planned for Wishbone's 30th anniversary celebration in the year 2000. - From & © wishboneash.com/frameset.html

SHORT BIO

During the early- and mid-'70s, Wishbone Ash were among England's most popular hard rock acts. The group's roots dated to the summer of 1966, when drummer Steve Upton formed a band called Empty Vessels with bassist/vocalist Martin Turner and guitarist Glen Turner. Empty Vessels soon changed their name to Tanglewood and moved to London; during a gig at the Country Club in Hampstead, they were seen by would-be rock manager Miles Copeland, who was impressed with the jazz and progressive rock influences within the band and offered to be their manager. Glen Turner left the band at that point, and an advertisement for a guitarist resulted in the addition of both David Alan "Ted" Turner and Andy Powell, who provided the basis for the sound of the new lineup with intertwining riffs and phrases drawn from both soul and blues, coupled with Martin Turner's melodic bass sound and Upton's jazz-influenced drumming. A new name was called for, and after several suggestions by Copeland that proved unacceptable, "Wishbone Ash" was chosen from two lists of words. The group rehearsed for weeks at Copeland's home, working out an entirely new repertoire, and played their first gig opening for the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation. It wasn't too long before they were opening for Deep Purple, where a sound check jam between Powell and Ritchie Blackmore led to a recording contract with the American Decca label. Their self-titled first album appeared in 1970; Pilgrimage and Argus followed over the next two years, and each showed a major advance in the band's sound. The release of 1973's Wishbone Four reflected a greater maturity to the group, and was their first fully developed album, with songwriting that didn't hide behind a progressive pose but luxuriated in the members' folk music inclinations, without compromising the harder edge of their music. The album also saw the departure of Ted Turner, who was replaced by Laurie Wisefield. Locked In and New England followed; Martin Turner departed after 1979's Just Testing, to be replaced by ex-King Crimson bassist/singer John Wetton. Wishbone Ash soldiered on through the 1980s, and in 1986 even got back with Copeland, by now a major player in the recording industry by virtue of his management of the Police and his founding of I.R.S. Records. Wishbone Ash's history came full circle with the reunion of Powell, Upton, Ted Turner, and Martin Turner, and the recording of three albums for I.R.S.. They remained a working band into the 1990s, led by Andy Powell and Ted Turner and touring and recording regularly. © Bruce Eder © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/wishbone-ash-p52689/biography

26.3.11

Eric Bibb


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Eric Bibb - Rainbow People - 1977 - Opus 3

"Bibb's music is a fluid combination of acoustic, blues, folk, and gospel. His vocal delivery is at once smooth and gritty, and conveys his message with richness and warmth. © " Dirty Linen (p.47), www.fishpond.co.nz/Music/Folk/General/product_info/11611766/

"Rainbow People" is the debut album from the great acoustic folk/blues artist Eric Bibb. Eric was inspired and influenced by Odetta, Richie Havens, Pete Seeger, Earl Robinson, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins and many others. One astute music critic said that “Eric’s singing and versatile guitar playing fuses a variety of genes to become a New World Blues.” There are nine good tracks here with Eric's unique blend of blues, soul, country, folk, and Gospel. A great album, played as usual in Eric Bibb's subtle and understated style. Eric has said, "For all of you have been following my music, 'Rainbow People' will give you an idea of how far I've come on my musical journey. For me, musical ideas are like children; for those of you who are hearing me for the first time, you might want to have a listen to some of my recent work to hear how the children of the Rainbow People have grown." Listen to Eric's "An Evening With Eric Bibb" album @ ERICB/AEWEBIBB and search this blog for other releases

SIDE ONE

1 Catalina Estimada (Eric Bibb)
2 Lonesome Child Blues (Trad. arr. by Eric Bibb: Adapted from the singing of Elvie Thomas)
3 Look Over Yonder (Trad. arr by Eric Bibb: Adapted from the singing of Leon Bibb)
4 Candy Man (Trad. arr. by Eric Bibb: Adapted from the singing of Rev.Gary Davis & Taj Mahal )
5 Sunday School (Eric Bibb)

SIDE TWO

1 Lead Me, Guide Me (Trad. arr. by C. Peters)
2 Encuentro En La Estacion (Eric Bibb)
3 Going Home (Trad. arr. by Eric Bibb: Adapted from the singing of Odetta)
4 Rainbow People (Tumie)

MUSICIANS

Eric Bibb - Guitar, Kalimba, 2nd Guitar, Vocals
Steve Glickstein - 2nd Guitar on Track 4
Tumie - Guitar on Track 9, 3rd voice on Track 6
Peter Sahlin - Upright Bass on Tracks 1, 9, 2nd Guitar on Track 7
Rudy Smith - Alto Pans
Lena Strömberg - Alto Sax
Ed Epstein - Soprano Sax on Tracks 1 & 7
Melvyn Price - Tuba on Track 3
Hillary Ash-Roy - Flute on Track 5
Staffan Larsson - Violin
Michael Larsson - Viola
Mats Rondin - Cello on Track 7
Björn Hamrin - Harmonica on Track 8
Felix Peyeira - Arpa Tropical on Track 1
Cyndee Peters - Lead vocal on Track 6

BIO

Like Josh White Jr., who is the son of folk singer Josh White, singer, songwriter and guitarist Eric Bibb was raised in the folk tradition, the son of the folk singer Leon Bibb. Bibb's uncle was the world famous jazz pianist and composer, John Lewis, part of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Bibb was raised in a music-filled household, as family friends in the 1950's and 60's included Pete Seeger, Odetta, Bob Dylan and the late Paul Robeson, who was named Eric's godfather. Bibb got his first steel guitar at age seven, and he got some advice from Dylan that he never forgot, to "keep it simple, forget all that fancy stuff." When he was 13, Bibb entered New York City's High School of Music and Art, where he studied double bass, vocals, classical guitar and piano. When he was 16, his father asked him to play guitar in the house band for his TV talent show, Someone New. In 1970, Bibb left New York City for Paris, where he met with guitarist Mickey Baker. There, he began to focus in on blues guitar, and, after moving to Stockholm, he became enamored with pre-war blues. He continued to write his own songs and perform during this time and returned to New York in 1980 to pursue a career as a folk and blues singer. He moved back to Sweden five years later and continued performing but also taught music in school. His debut, Spirit and the Blues showcased the sounds of bouzouki, mandolin, accordion and a gospel group, inspired by other recordings that married blues men like Leadbelly with gospel groups like the Golden Gate Quartet. He performed at the London Blues Festival in 1996, where he shared a set with Corey Harris and Keb' Mo', and he quickly followed up with 1997's Good Stuff. His third album, Me To You, featured performances and collaborations with some of his musical heroes, including Pops and Mavis Staples and Taj Mahal. He followed up the success of the album with tours of the UK, USA, Canada, France, Germany and Sweden. He recorded and released "Home To Me" in 1999, Roadworks in 2000, Painting Signs and Just Like Love in 2001, and he put out a third release in 2001, A Family Affair, which featured duets and solo tunes by Bibb and his father. Bibb joined Robert Cray on two U.S. tours in 2001 and 2002 and opened for Ray Charles in the summer of 2002. Bibb has been nominated for a Grammy for "Shakin' a Tailfeather" and he has been nominated for many W.C. Handy Awards in a variety of categories. Ever the prolific songwriter, forever brimming with new musical ideas and a freshness of appreciation with no dimming in his enthusiasm for performing, Bibb has kept up a hectic schedule of performing and recording since Home to Me and A Family Affair were released in 2001. He recorded Natural Light for Earthbeat in 2003, Roadworks and Sisters and Brothers in 2004, and Friends in 2004. His more recent recordings include 2005's A Ship Called Love, Diamond Days and Twelve Gates to the City in 2006, and a collaboration with his father, Praising Peace: A Tribute to Paul Robeson. Not all of Bibb's releases are available in the U.S., but most can be found via the Internet. He released a live album in 2007, An Evening with Eric Bibb for the Telarc Blues label. Bibb's latest album, 2008's Get On Board, [Telarc Blues] features performances by Bonnie Raitt and Ruthie Foster. Bibb describes the sounds and songs on the album best when he says, it's "a further exploration into the place where blues meets gospel and soul." © Richard Skelly, All Music Guide

BIO (WIKIPEDIA)

Eric Bibb was born in New York, NY August 16, 1951 is an American acoustic blues singer/songwriter who is based in London, and launched his career in Europe. Eric's father, Leon Bibb, is a singer in musical theatre who made a name for himself as part of the 1960's New York folk scene. His uncle was the world famous Jazz pianist and composer John Lewis, of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Family friends included Pete Seeger, Odetta and actor/singer/activist Paul Robeson, Eric's godfather. Eric was given his first steel-string acoustic guitar aged seven. Growing up surrounded by talent, Eric recalls a childhood conversation with Bob Dylan, who, on the subject of guitar playing advised the 11-year-old Eric to "Keep it simple, forget all that fancy stuff". Eric Bibb remembers from his early teen years; "I would cut school and claim I was sick. When everyone would leave the house I would whip out all the records and do my own personal DJ thing all day long, playing Odetta, Joan Baez, the New Lost City Ramblers, Josh White." At 16 years old, Eric's father invited him to play guitar in the house band for his TV talent show "Someone New". Bill Lee, who played bass in this band, was later to appear on Eric's albums "Me To You" and "Friends". In 1969, Bibb played guitar for the Negro Ensemble Company at St. Mark's place in New York. He went on to study Psychology and Russian at Columbia University, but did not finish these studies. Aged 19, Eric left for Paris, where he met guitarist Mickey Baker who focused his interest in blues guitar. He moved to Sweden and lived in Stockholm, where he immersed himself in pre-war blues and the newly discovered World Music scene, while he continued to write and perform. The album "Good Stuff" was released in 1997 on Opus 3 and American label Earthbeat. Eric signed to the British based Code Blue label, but only released one album: "Me to You", featuring appearances from some of Bibb's personal heroes: Pops and Mavis Staples, and Taj Mahal. This was followed by tours of the UK, USA, Canada, France, Sweden and Germany. In the late 90's Eric joined forces with his then manager Alan Robinson, to form Manhaton Records, in Britain. The albums "Home to Me" (1999), "Roadworks" (2000) and "Painting Signs" (2001) followed, as did another Opus 3 release, "Just Like Love". After that, "A Family Affair" (2002) - the first ever album recorded together by father and son - Leon & Eric Bibb. "Natural Light" then "Friends" - 15 tracks featuring Eric duetting with friends and musicians he has met on his travels such as Taj Mahal, Odetta, Charlie Musselwhite, Guy Davis, Mamadou Diabate and Djelimady Toukara. Eric has appeared on major TV and radio shows including Later with Jools Holland and The Late Late Show. Eric and his band have played at most of the world's major festivals including Glastonbury (twice) and the Cambridge Folk Festival in the UK. He joined Robert Cray on two U.S. tours in 2001 and 2002 and opened for Bonnie Raitt on a recent UK tour, and Ray Charles in the summer of 2002. In 2005 "A Ship Called Love" (Telarc CD-83629) was released and Eric went on another successful world tour, including a major 30-date US tour with John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers and Robben Ford . "A Ship Called Love" was nominated for Acoustic Album of the Year in the 2006 Blues Music Awards. In 2006 "Praising Peace" the Leon Bibb/Eric Bibb tribute to Paul Robeson, was released on Stony Plain Records. While in September "Diamond Days" was also released (Telarc CD-83660). It was produced by Glen Scott and recorded in UK, Sweden and Canada. It includes a live recording of 'In My Father's House' featuring Eric's long-time recording and touring partner Dave Bronze (Eric Clapton Band). As usual, there is a world tour resulting from this release. Eric's talent for both performing and songwriting has been recognised with a Grammy Nomination (for "Shakin' a Tailfeather") and 4 W. C. Handy Award nominations (for the albums "Spirit and the Blues" and "Home To Me"; for 'Kokomo' as Best Acoustic Blues Song of the Year, and for Best Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year). His songs have featured on TV shows such as BBC TV's Eastenders and Casualty, and The District in the USA. Eric's version of I Heard the Angels Singin was included in the feature film 'The Burial Society' and Eric appears on Jools Holland's double platinum-selling album "Small World, Big Band", singing his own composition 'All That You Are'. In Australia, Eric has appeared several times on ABC national television on the 'Live At The Basement' series. Eric has an ability to meld traditional blues styles with more contemporary sounds. As one critic put it "Eric's singing and versatile guitar playing fuses a variety of genres to become a New World Blues". "Eric is one of the new, young singers that has appeared on the scene that, much to my delight, has a great voice, is an excellent performer and has a great knowledge about the roots of this music" - Taj Mahal

25.3.11

Frank Raven Band


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Frank Raven Band - Chicago Breakdown - 2005 - Frank Raven

A good Chicago style blues rock album from blues veteran Frank Raven and his experienced band. Don't expect any guitar heroics. Dave Menet's playing is concise with no wasted notes, but he gets the message across. An album obviously recorded for the love of the blues. The Frank Raven Band is just one of the many bands out there who's name you won't often see up in lights, but these bands are continually on the sidelines, and keeping the blues alive. They put their music before dollars and deserve more recognition. Buy the Raven Desmond Songs "Best Of The Blues" album and support these bands

TRACKS

1 Sunday Driver
2 Whatever Happened to Yesterday
3 Chicago the Blues Today
4 Good Old Days
5 Chicago Breakdown
6 Blues Attack
7 Missed Opportunities

All songs composed by Frank Raven & Jim Desmond

BAND

Dave Menet - Guitar
Fran Kondorf - Bass
Greg Campbell - Drums
Frank Raven - Vocals, Harp

BIO

THE FRANK RAVEN BAND have been blues rockin the Midwest music scene for the past 14 years. Originally known as the BLUE WATUSIS and later as FRANK RAVEN AND THE BLUE WATUSIS, they have appeared everywhere from funky bluesnightclubs to restaurants, cafes, concerts and festivals performing their killer original songs and classic blues favorites. Frank Raven, a veteran of legendary Chicago bands bohemia and Slammin' Watusis, is the founder and driving force behind this quartet of first-class musicians. Some of his earliest playing experiences on the Chicago blues scene include Blue Monday jam sessions with Lefty Dizz and Buddy Guy at the original Checkerboard Lounge on 43rd Street and a short stint with J. B. Hutto and the Hawks. Frank has studied music with Edward Wilkerson Jr. at the AACM School of Music and with Delmark recording artist Rich Corpolongo. His recording credits include 6 records with bohemia including a Billboard "Hot Pick", and 2 albums with Sony Epic recording artists The Slammin' Watusis. His contributions on blues harp, saxophone, and songwriting helped set these groups apart from the pack and transcend their rock roots to become true examples of "Chicago Style" music. His solo recordings include the highly acclaimed "The Sadness of Winter" and "This Dream's On Me". As a guest soloist he has played on countless recordings for groups such as The Insiders, The Juleps, Texas Rubies, Pat Hall & The Fat Guys, and Prong. Guitarist Dave Menet is a virtuoso picker who can be tasty and blistering, sometimes in the same breath. The interplay between Dave's guitar and Frank's harmonica is a highlight of the group's live shows as they trade licks back & forth and inspire each other to new heights of musical ecstasy. Dave's experience includes playing with I Speak Jive and Ronnie Baker Brooks. A guitar teacher at the Beautiful Music School of Music, his style has been compared to Peter Green and Michael Bloomfield, but in the end he is his own man. Switching off between electric and standup acoustic bass, Fran Kondorf is a veteran sideman and longtime Raven compatriot. His experience includes playing with The Juleps, The Fuzzbusters, Slammin' Watusis, Rude Guest, and numerous recording projects. Drummer Greg Campbell, the youngest member of the group, is an accomplished blues drummer having played with Nick Moss, The Chicago Blue Angels, and a series of gigs with Texas harp man Kim Wilson. This unique and exciting group of musicians has played such venues as Buddy Guy's Legends where they did a 2 year stint as the house band hosting the Blue Monday jam, Boulevard Cafe, Redfish, Harlem Avenue Lounge, The Slippery Noodle and many more. They were finalists in the Benson Hedges "Best Blues Band" contest and winners of the Sandstone Recording Studio "Best Unsigned Blues Band" contest. Their first album "Welcome to the House of the Blues" received rave reviews and nationwide radio airplay. Their 2nd album "Blues on a Stick", a mix of studio and live recordings, is out now, and a 3rd album "Bluesitis" is in the works. © 1996 - 2011 CD Universe; Portions copyright 1948 - 2011 Muze Inc. For personal non-commercial use only. All rights reserved.

23.3.11

Chris Farlowe, Brian Auger, Pete York aka Auger,York & Farlowe


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Chris Farlowe, Brian Auger, Pete York aka Auger,York & Farlowe - Olympic Rock & Blues Circus - 1988 - Bell Records

In the 80s the German drummer and record producer Charly Eichert spent a lot of time gathering many of his favourite '60's artists in order to tour and also record an album of blues and R&B tracks. He called this musical assembly the Olympic Rock & Blues Circus. The band was touring primarily in Germany in 1981/82 and 1989. Although the album is credited to drummer Pete York (Spencer Davis Group), keyboardist Brian Auger (Oblivion Express, Julie Driscoll), and vocalist Chris Farlowe (Colosseum, Atomic Rooster), the band featured a rotating line-up of artists including Jon Lord, Miller Anderson, Tony Ashton, Zoot Money, Colin Hodgkinson, Charly Eichert himself, and many others. Not all of these artists appeared on the studio album. "Olympic Rock & Blues Circus" is great British R&B with plenty of funky instrumental soul/jazz fusion, and is a wonderful album and HR by A.O.O.F.C. The tracks were recorded at Tonstudio Bauer Ludwigsburg, Germany in 1981 and 1983. It was originally released as a six track album on Bell Records, Germany in 1988. Later CD issues added three bonus tracks, included here. By all accounts, the original six track LP/CD was of superior sound quality than the edition posted here

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 New Orleans Street March - B.Auger 5:05
2 I Never Loved A Girl (The Way That I Love You) - Ronnie Shannon 3:48
3 Motorboat - James Campagnola 5:25
4 The Devil Rides The Speed Boat - Charly Eichert, G.Hahn 5:09
5 Crocodile Or: I Dont't Think I Can Keep My Mouth Open For That Long - Jeff Reynolds 5:17
6 Everything's Wrong - Chris Farlowe 4:29
7 Fast And Loose - Mel Thorpe, Roger Munns [Bonus]
8 Another Song - Mel Thorpe, Roger Munns [Bonus]
9 Wade In The Water - Jimmy Heath [Bonus]

MUSICIANS

John Marshall - Guitar [Tracks 1-6]
Steve Richardson - Bass [Tracks 1-6, & 7-9]
Bill Coleman - Bass, Vocals [Tracks 7-9]
Brian Auger - Piano, Organ [Tracks 1-6]
Roger Munns - Keyboards [Tracks 7-9]
Charly Eichert - Drums [Tracks 1-6]
Pete York - Drums [Tracks 1-6, & 7-9]
Masters Of Desaster - Brass Section [Tracks 1-6]
James Campagnola - Tenor Sax [Tracks 1-6]
Mel Thorpe - Sax, Flute, Vocals [Tracks 7-9]
Andrew Pet - Trombone [Tracks 1-6]
Jeff Reynolds - Trumpet [Tracks 1-6]
Rick Sanders - Violin [Tracks 7-9]
Chris Farlowe - Vocals [Tracks 1-6]

22.3.11

Cyril Lance


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Cyril Lance - Stranger In My House - 2001 - Dog Talk Music

Stranger in My House is an intense brew of American roots music with a strong dose of blues, R&B, New Orleans funk, acid-rock, swing and latin. Featuring the song-writing and the emotional guitar playing of Cyril Lance coupled with the incredibly soulful vocals of Grammy-Nominee Johnny Neel (Allman Brothers), Stranger in My House will keep you grooving from beginning to end. In many ways his artistic tribute to one of his most important inspirations, Muddy Waters, Lance has produced and arranged what most consider his best work yet. Gathering the talents of his closest friends from years on the road, Lance captures the intensity and emotion of these live performances. Starting with Johnny Neel whose experience is a who's who of southern rock and blues (Allman Brothers, Warren Haynes, Dicky Betts, Gov't Mule....), Boston-based Matt Jenson (Ronnie Earle, Johnny Adams...) burns up the Hammond B3 organ and piano, and Chris Carroll on bass and Kelly Pace on drums round out one of the finest blues rhythm sections of the south (Bob Margolin, Skeeter Brandon, Pinetop Perkins, Rev. Billy C. Wurtz, Detroit Jr...). Lance demonstrates his considerable versatility and gutt-bucket approach on slide and electric guitars, lapsteel and acoustic guitar. If you're into the blues, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf; if you're into Otis Redding, Ray Charles; if you're into the Allman Brothers, Carlos Santana, Johnny Winter, Little Feat; if you're into Jimi Hendrix, Danny Gatton perhaps some Kenny Burrell -you're sure to love this release. [from Product Description © 1996-2011, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-My-House-Cyril-Lance/dp/B00005UKCA

Cyril Lance first heard Muddy Waters as a kid growing up in Honolulu, Hawai'i - an event set him on the path directly to his latest recording "Stranger in My House" 25 years later. Cyril has played guitar professionally in many different genres soaking up the vibes of rock, blues, jazz, reggae, latin jazz, folk, celtic. But since that first time hearing Muddy, the intensity of the blues has always stuck with him and been his anchor.Cyril has played all over the country and in Europe most recently finishing a three-year stint with zydeco blues harmonic player Mel Melton and the Wicked Mojos in the late '90s. A child of the 60's and 70's, he fell in love with the great jamming bands: Allman Brothers, Traffic, Grateful Dead, Carlos Santana... His musical journey led him to explore jazz and art-music and he studied at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts while playing in the northeast in the '80s. In the mid-'90s, Cyril moved down to the piedmont of North Carolina, an area rich in the tradition of blues and American roots music. There he reconnected with his love of this music and started incorporating it into his writing and touring as well as honing his skills on slide guitar and lapsteel. Stranger In My House, his latest album, incorporates all these diverse influences and combines it with honest, thoughtful writing and intense, spontaneous recordings that capture the soul and intensity of blues, R&B, swing, acid-rock, new orleans funk, latin jazz. This album features the incredible singing of Grammy-nominee Johnny Neel (Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule, Warren Haynes), jamming Hammond B3 and piano playing by Matt Jenson (Ronnie Earle, Johnny Adams, Mighty Sam McClain), and Cyril's road-mates Chris Carroll and Kelly Pace playing bass and drums - one of the finest rhythm sections in the south (Bob Margolin, Skeeter Brandon, Paul Osher, Pinetop Perkins, Rev. Billy C. Wurtz, Detroit Jr...). This album rocks, it cries, it grooves, and it moves. If you're into Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf; if you're into Otis Redding, Ray Charles; if you're into the Allman Brothers, Carlos Santana, Johnny Winter, Little Feat; if you're into Danny Gatton, Jimmy Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn - then get this album now and turn it up! © http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/cyrillance

"Lance has masterminded one of the best contemporary blues albums of the year. His virtuosity on the guitar and lapsteel is undeniable, and his songwriting makes him an instant item in bluesville." © Billboard Magazine

"...simply outstanding whether it's meaty, slashing slide guitar or spacey Hendrix-like phrases. one of the best blues-rock albums this year." © RELIX Magazine, December 2002

"Truly amazing stuff all the way through. I'm quite simply overwhelmed... turns out to be one of my all-time favorites" © Blues-Stikka Magazine (Norway), September 2002

"One of life's little pleasures is listening to an album and being blown away on the first spin... Lance wades into swampy blues-rock that sizzles and smokes with astounding professionalism and passion." © Blues Revue Magazine

There are a lot of bands that say they play the blues. A lot of them lie. However, with Cyril what you get is a true blues experience. This cd serves as an amazing reminder that blues when done right is the most amazing music in the world. I recomend this cd to every blues fan and every one curious about the blues. Cyril and company easily hold their own against any blues band out there today. Definitely check out "I Went Down", "Just Not Ready" and "Light Of This World". Those tracks alone would be worth the price. Yet, you get seven more great tracks that will find their way into your daily rotation as well. [from Blues The Right Way - © author: Big Mike - © http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/cyrillance

The reviews say it all. Album is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Buy Cyril's great "Live from the Outskirts" album, and promote real music

TRACKS

1. I Want The Real Thing (5:28)
2. I Went Down (6:53)
3. Just Not Ready (6:36)
4. Hot Tamale Baby (6:13)
5. Stranger In My House (6:18)
6. Same Thing (5:15)
7. Light Of This World (4:48)
8. When I First Met You (5:05)
9. Catfish Pie (4:20)
10. Remembering Jon (7:04)

All tracks composed by Cyril Lance except Track 4 by Clifton Chenier, Track 6 by Willie Dixon, & Track 7 by Rev. Gary Davis

MUSICIANS

Cyril Lance - Electric Guitar; Lap Steel on track 3; Acoustic Guitar on track 7
Chris Carroll - Bass; Vocals on track 4
Dennis Gulley - Bass on track 10
Robby Link - Upright Bass on track 9
Matt Jenson - Piano; B-3 Organ
Johnny Neel - Vocals; B-3 Organ on track 10
Kelly Pace - Drums
Donald Smitty Smith - Drums on track 10
Nelson Delgado - Congas on track 4

SHORT BIO

At age 11, Cyril Lance's Mom brought home a $17 guitar and a book of Bob Dylan lyrics that sent him off on a journey that he is still on today. His first two discoveries as an adolescent growing up Honolulu Hawai'i, apart from the vibrant slack-key Hawai'ian music revival was blues-great Muddy Waters and jazz-great Kenny Burrell. Both of these icons have remained pivotal inspirations for Lance on his winding exploration of the American music experience for the last 25 years. In the mid-80's, Lance moved to Boston where he immersed himself in the music scene and played his guitar with bands from bluegrass, folk, celtic, jazz, reggae, blues and art-rock for the next 10 years. While in Boston, Lance studied at the New England Conservatory where he further developed his concepts of improvisation and a deep respect for roots music. After moving to the piedmont of North Carolina in 1994, Lance discovered that he had landed in an area rich with a living history of blues and roots music and quickly fell into zydeco and blues harmonica player Mel Melton's Wicked Mojo's with whom he toured for three years around the country and Europe. During these three years, Lance honed his skills as a blues improvisor and developed his unique style on slide guitar. In 2001, Lance produced, wrote and recorded his debut solo album "Stranger in My House" which was received with critical acclaim by the likes of Billboard Magazine, Blues Revue, Relix Magazine as well as major publications in Europe. "Stranger" is a deep brew of original roots-blues infused with passionate soloing featuring Lance's electric, slide and lap-steel playing, Grammy-Nominee Johnny Neel (Allman Brothers, Warren Haynes...) heart-wrenching vocals and Boston-based Hammond B3/piano player Matt Jenson incredible keyboard playing backed by Lance's long-time roadmates Chris Carroll and Kelly Pace on bass and drums. Over the last two years, Lance and his band "Outskirts of Infinity Collective Experience Arkestra" toured regionally in the south-east honing a show tailored to Lance's vision and has built a reputation for shows that combine deep songwriting and roots grooves with passionate and spontaneous improvisational explorations that has made him equally at home in both the blues circuit and the jamband scene. Based on this touring, Lance has just released (Sept. 2004) his second CD "LIVE from the OUTSKIRTS" which has already met with similar acclaim as his first album. "LIVE" perfectly captures what makes Lance and his band so special in performance. Lance is currently recording his third album which will further the boundaries of American roots music due to be released in 2005. Lance has performed and recorded with Johnny Neel (Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule, Warren Haynes), C.J. Chenier (Red Hot Louisiana Band), Mel Melton (CJ Chenier, Sonny Landreth, his Wicked Mojos), Louisiana Red (Handy Award Winner), Katherin Whalen (Squirrel Nut Zippers), Bernard Allison and Edie Shaw. "Cyril Lance is an immensely talented guitarist and a real crowd pleaser. His powerful live set at the 18th annual Carolina Blues Festival set the tone for the rest of the day!" John Amberg, 2004 Carolina Blues Festival Chair. © http://www.dogtalkmusic.com/

21.3.11

Connie Lush & Blues Shouter


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Connie Lush & Blues Shouter - Live At The Royal Albert Hall - 1999 - Blues Shouter Productions

"That woman makes my heart sing" - BB King: "a voice like a 3am whisky/enough electricity to power the national grid" - Front Page of The Times

A great live album by Connie Lush & Blues Shouter recorded on 2nd July 1998 at The Royal Albert Hall, London, England with additional recordings from the Voodoo Lounge, Liverpool, England. Connie, from Liverpool, England began singing in church choirs from the age of five until she was seventeen. Although she is best known as a blues singer, she is equally at home singing jazz, soul, and R&B. Her musical influences are many and include Stacey Kent, Peggy Lee, Aretha Franklin, Etta james, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker and Maria Callas. She has said that her greatest influence is Bonnie Raitt. In her earlier singing days she regularly sang songs by Bonnie and also Little Feat. Two of of the songs on this live album were composed by Connie Lush, one by Connie and her husband/bassist, Terry Harris, and one by the band's great guitarist, John Lewis. The remaining seven tracks are covers of classic songs by legendary artists including Ann Peebles, Billie Holiday, Willie Dixon, and Tony Joe White. She recorded five White Label discs and one album of garage and soul music in the 1990s. She has also provided vocals for the theme music of several TV programmes and for British Handmade Films. Buy her "Live at the Cavern Club" album. Promote this great vocalist and her band and keep the blues alive. Read an interview with Connie @ http://www.earlyblues.com/Interview%20-%20Connie%20Lush.htm For music in the same vein, listen to Maggie Bell's brilliant "Live At The Rainbow 1974" album

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. I'll Sing The Blues For You - Wooten T. Bridgeman 7:29
2. Keep Me Hanging On - Ann Peebles 5:06
3. Now Baby Or Never - Billie Holiday 2:54
4. One Monkey - W.M Thornton 3:19
5. Can We Love Again - Connie Lush,Terry Harris 6:50
6. Built For Comfort - Willie Dixon 3:07
7. Doctor Doctor - Connie Lush 9:01
8. House Straight - John Lewis 5:02
9. Dog - Connie Lush 5:21
10. You Don't Know Me - Cindy Walker, Eddy Arnold 5:05
11. Out Of The Rain - Tony Joe White 6:08

BAND

Connie Lush - Vocals
John "Fat Ted" Lewis - Guitar
Terry Harris - Bass
Carl Woodward - Drums

ABOUT CONNIE LUSH

Connie Lush is widely recognised as one of the finest blues singers that the United Kingdom has ever produced. That indisputable fact was acknowledged when she was voted Best UK Female Vocalist by readers of Blues In Britain for 5 separate years, earning a richly deserved place in the Gallery of the Greats. She is also increasingly recognised on the continent, particularly in France, where she was honoured in the French Blues Trophies awards as European Singer of the Year for 2002. There are no separate awards for male & female singers in the European category, so Connie defeated all challengers. It is less appreciated that Connie’s musical talents go beyond singing. She is a highly accomplished songwriter, confirmed by many excellent self-penned songs that form the content of her live & recorded repertoire. She has also written TV themes and featured as a DJ on Jazz FM. Connie’s Awards include: Five times Best Female Blues Vocalist by readers of UK Blue Print Magazine (now in the Gallery of Greats). Twice voted Best Vocal Blues Artist by the French Blues Society : “Trophees France Blues Chanteur de L‘annee “. Liverpool Women in Business, “Woman of the Year Performing Arts 2010”. Twice Artist of the Year Digital Blues Radio EUROPE. © http://www.connielush.com/

Spin 1ne 2wo (Paul Carrack Related)


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Spin 1ne 2wo - Spin 1ne 2wo - 1993 - CBS/Sony

Spin 1ne 2wo, was a one-off band formed in 1993 by Rupert Hine, Phil Palmer, Paul Carrack and Tony Levine. The full band consisted of the great session guitarist, Phil Palmer (Bliss Band), Paul Carrack (of Ace, Mike and the Mechanics; vocals and keyboards), drummer Steve Ferrone (Average White Band), Rupert Hine (producer, keyboards, and member of Quantum Jump) and bassist Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson). The album here is a one-off album of classic rock covers including songs by Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Blind Faith, Steely Dan and Bob Dylan. Some of the covers are a bit "lightweight" compared to the originals, but nevertheless, the musicianship by these very experienced musicians is Grade A. The band is not trying to "better" the original songs. Who could improve on songs like "Black Dog", "Angel", or "Reelin' In The Years"? However, the band do manage to bring something new to these classic songs and the great vocalist Paul Carrack is brilliant on lead vocals and Hammond B3. "Spin 1ne 2wo" is HR by A.O.O.F.C. The following albums are just some of the recordings by and featuring members of Spin 1ne 2wo; Rupert Hine's "Pick Up A Bone", Paul Carrack's "Live In Liverpool", Tony Levin's "Waters Of Eden", Bliss Band's "Dinner With Raoul" feat. Phil Palmer, and the Average White Band's "Cut The Cake" feat. Steve Ferrone

STEELY DAN TRIVIA:- The band play a cover of Becker & Fagen's (Steely Dan) "Reelin' In The Years".....With a "g" on the end !! sacrilegious! (LOL)!

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 All Along The Watchtower - Bob Dylan 3:07
2 Can't Find My Way Home - Steve Winwood 5:20
3 Angel - Jimi Hendrix 4:55
4 White Room - Jack Bruce, Pete Brown 5:32
5 Reason To Believe - Tim Hardin 3:39
6 You Keep Me Hanging On - Buddy Mize, Ira Allen 5:38
7 Black Dog - Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones 3:58 *
8 On The Road Again - Alan Wilson, Floyd Jones 5:06
9 Feel Like Makin' Love - Paul Rodgers, Mick Ralphs 5:38
10 Reeling In The Years - Walter Becker, Donald Fagen 5:05
11 Who Are You - Pete Townshend 6:06
12 Kashmir - Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham 6:19

* N.B: Track not included on the 1993 European Columbia label vinyl release. The 1993 CD issue on the Misplaced label also excludes the track, and includes a 12th Untitled track lasting 6:24, as does the 2010 Voiceprint Records issue. Some catalogues list the album as "Spin 1ne 2wo" credited to Paul Carrack & Tony Levin

MUSICIANS

Phil Palmer - Guitars
Tony Levin - Bass, Stick
Paul Carrack - Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Hammond B3 Organ
Rupert Hine - Keyboards, Harmonica, Backing Vocals
Steve Ferrone - Drums, Percussion

NOTE ON PHIL PALMER

Philip 'Phil' John Palmer (born 9 September 1952, London, England) is a sideman and session guitarist in jazz and rock who has toured, recorded, and worked with numerous famous artists. He is most renowned for his great slide guitar technique. He has supported and toured with artists including Wishbone Ash, Joan Armatrading, Eric Clapton, Roger Daltrey, Dire Straits, Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, Pete Townshend, Johnny Hallyday, David Knopfler, and David Sylvian. In 1986, he was a session musician on Alphaville's "Afternoons in Utopia" album . He was the musical director of and performed with The Strat Pack at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Fender Stratocaster held at the Wembley Arena in London in 2004. Phil also plays with a side project called Blue Tuesday. Ray and Dave Davies of The Kinks are uncles of his.

REVIEW

In among his ongoing work with Mike + the Mechanics and a brief return to Squeeze in 1993, vocalist Paul Carrack took time out to revive an art form truly lost in the 1980s, when he formed the de facto "supergroup" Spin One Two. With a lineup completed by bassist Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson), drummer Steve Ferrone (Average White Band), session guitarist Phil Palmer, and producer Rupert Hine, Spin One Two sank their teeth into a beefy set of classic rock covers and, generally, caught the flavor of them all. A freshly laundered list of rock's who's who, the songs on Spin 1ne 2wo unfold like a blueprint to all the things that really mattered back in the day. From Bob Dylan's iconic "All Along the Watchtower" to Led Zeppelin's behemoth "Kashmir" and Cream's stately "White Room," the bandmembers obviously enjoy letting rip on songs they might only have jammed on in the past. Rounding up the set is a slab-worthy take on Bad Company's "Feel Like Making Love" and an oddball rendering of "You Keep Me Hanging On," slowed down à la the Vanilla Fudge's definitive retread, but laced with a savage extra burst of prog guitar. It's an interesting set -- eclectic and obviously chosen for the sheer love of the songs. If there is any criticism to be made, though, it's that the originals are all so mythic and so very good that there isn't much point to any of these versions. They are good, in their way, but they aren't spectacular, leaving the whole thing to play out like a vanity project gone slightly wrong. © Dave Thompson © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/spin-1ne-2wo-r303384/review

18.3.11

Frank Biner


Support Real Music

Frank Biner - Time To Move On - 1996 - Acoustic Music Records

"Time To Move On" is an original old school blues and R&B album with guests that include the great Chicago blues vocalist, Angela Brown, Keith Dunn on Harmonica, Jan Hirte on guitar, Ollie Gee on bass, and Christian Rannenberg on piano. There is also great hornwork from The O-Tone Horns, and terrific Hammond B-3 from Achim Lahrmann and Joachim Luhrmann. Originally from Milwaukee, the late Frank Biner began his career in Chicago in 1966 working with the The Little Boy Blues. He headed down to the SF Bay Area in the late sixties and met the late blues legend, Mike Bloomfield. In 1971 Mike described Frank in a letter of recommendation as "REAL GOOD; funky voice, real presence, charisma, call it what you may, but he's got it, no jive." Frank recorded lead vocals on his song "Maudie" on Mike's "Living In The Fast Lane" album. He firmly established himself in the SF/East Bay blues and R&B club scene, and wrote many songs covered by artists including Huey Lewis & the News and the great Tower of Power band for which he sang backing vocals. "Time To Move On" also demonstrates Frank's guitar skills which are often overlooked. Try and hear his "Mr. Frank Biner" album

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

Time To Move On - Frank Biner 2:31
She's Evil (Bad News) - Frank Biner 5:30
Footloose and Fancyfree - Frank Biner 3:51
Booze Breath Woman - Frank Biner 3:28
Keepin' Bad Company - Frank Biner/J. Biner 5:15
E'Nuff is E'Nuff - Frank Biner 4:00
Jump This Morning - Frank Biner 2:34
Cologne Blues - Frank Biner 3:28
Thanks Just Happen That Way - Frank Biner 4:24
Slenda Brenda - Frank Biner 4:17
It's Easy To Get The Blues - Frank Biner 3:38
19 Years Old - Muddy Waters 4:56
Call My Brother - Frank Biner 3:48
Let Tommy Blow - Frank Biner/T. Schneller/C. Rannenberg,O. Geselbracht, J. Hirte, T. Harris 1:01

MUSICIANS

Frank Biner: vocals, guitar
Jan Hirte: guitar
Ollie Gee: bass
Christian Rannenberg: piano
Achim Lahrmann: Hammond B-3 organ
Joachim Luhrmann: Hammond B-3 organ, percussion
Tommie Harris: drums
The O-Tone Horns: Tommy Schneller: tenor sax - Volker Winck: tenor and alto sax - Uwe Nolopp: trumpet
Keith Dunn: harmonica
Angela Brown: vocals

BIO

Frank Biner, blues & soul singer, guitar player and songwriter - who was a vital part of (not only) the Oakland music scene - died of a heart attack May 30, 2001. Far too early for a man at the age of 50. Frank, who was born in Milwaukie, Winsconsin, started his career in Chicago with the band The Little Boy Blues in the middle of the 60s. With this band he recorded one single "Great Train Robbery/Season Of The Witch" (Ronko 6996) in 1967. He sang lead vocals and played guitar. This is also true for "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" another song by The Little Boy Blues, which was released on the compilation "Early Chicago" (Happy Tiger HT 107) in 1971. All of these tracks can be found on the The Little Boy Blues' re-released 1968 album "In The Woodland Of Weir" (Acid Symposium, 2001), featuring all their early singles. Frank Biner left The Little Boy Blues sometime before they recorded their first and only album. In the late 60s Frank migrated to San Francisco and became a member of the growing East Bay Funk Scene - sharing many bookings with bands like Tower Of Power or even Clover. In the middle of the 70s Frank was not only singing background vocals on Tower of Power's albums "In The Slot" and "Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now" - he also co-wrote five songs featured on these albums with Steve 'Doc' Kupka and Emillio Castillo. One being "You're So Wonderful, So Marvelous". Another song written at that time was "Simple As That" which - although recorded several times - never made it on one of Tower Of Power's albums during the 70s. The song was later released on Tower Of Power's best of compilation "What Is Hip?", though. It was also recorded by Huey Lewis and the News for their 1986 hit album "Fore!" and released as a single in 1987. During his Chicago days Frank became close friends with Mike Bloomfield and in 1981 he sang lead vocals on the song "Maudie" on Bloomfield's "Life In The Fast Lane" album. Mike Bloomfield strongly believed in Frank's outstanding talent. Ten years earlier in 1971, Bloomfield even wrote a letter of recommendation to help Frank find a recording label (the letter can be found on Frank Biner's web site - www.frankbiner.com ). Frank continued to play the local club circuit with his band the Nightshift (or the Soul Patrol) when he finally got 'discovered' by Christian Rannenberg a member of Germany's First Class Blues Band - leading straight to a record deal with the German Acoustic Music label. The liner notes of his first album "Mr. Frank Biner" give more detail: "The vocals of white blues artists are mostly not up to the standard of their playing. Muddy Waters has often been quoted as saying that a lot of whites can play the blues on their instruments real well, but will never be good blues singers. Well, for the most part, Muddy was right, but there are notable exceptions, especially on today's white blues scene. I am thinking of very capable blues vocalists such as Lou-Ann Barton, Curtis Salgado, Darrel Nulish or Kim Wilson. Or Frank Biner, who is not as well known as the others, but has an exceptional blues voice, in addition to his excellent guitar playing. He was spotted by Christian Rannenberg, the renowned German blues pianist, in a blues club in Oakland, and Chris immediately knew that this artist just had to be featured with his band. Frank Biner's success in the Californian music clubs is the result of long years of scuffling and "paying dues." He started out singing and playing in the late 60's, performing a variety of soul and r&b styles. In 1971 Michael Bloomfield described him in a letter of recommendation as "REAL GOOD; funky voice, real presence, charisma, call it what you may, but he's got it, no jive." (Biner later sang lead on Bloomfield's "Living In The Fast Lane" album.) During the 70's, the name Frank Biner frequently appeared among the composer credits of Tower Of Power's albums, for whom he also supplied backing vocals. The song "Simple As That", co-written with Tower Of Power's Steve Kupka and Emilio Castillo, was later succesfully covered by Huey Lewis & The News on their album "Fore" (1986). The 1980's found Frank pursuing a solo career as a soul singer. Besides numerous club gigs, one of his singles even found its way into Billboard's "Top Singles Picks" - in the category "Black Music"! But Frank Biner's love for the blues never faltered, and within the last couple of years he has again been able to earn a living by playing his favorite music. And Frank's blues are not soft or souly, as one might expect from his past career. No, he sings'em dynamic, down and dirty. He shouts his mostly self-written lyrics out with the fervor of a TV preacher, and when the lights turn low, his voice still has the raspiness of years of tears ...... Michael Bloomfield's words are still true: "Frank is the Real Thang!" - Klaus Kilian. Frank Biner managed to record four solo albums before he died and all of them are showing his true talent. Three of them were recorded in Germany with the help of the First Class Blues Band and friends like Angela Brown. Only his third album was recorded in his hometown San Francisco, featuring many known Bay Area musicians. In addition to his solo albums Frank sang lead vocals on Steve 'Doc' Kupka's Stokeland Superband album "Kick It Up A Step!" (1999) and on Francis Rocco Prestia's solo album "Everybody On The Bus" (1999). Frank will be missed! "You can take the boy out of Oakland, as everybody knows, but that's about as far as it goes!" ('Let's Do Funk') © 2002-2009 bay-area-bands.com http://www.bay-area-bands.com/bab00038.htm