From Bad Dog Blues

Forgotten Blues Heroes: Jimmy McCracklin & Lafayette Thomas

July 2004 Bad Dog Blues: "Forgotten Blues Heroes: Jimmy McCracklin & Lafayette Thomas"

Nearly sixty years after his first record, Jimmy McCracklin still remains active. In his heyday, from the late 40's through the 60's, he led one of the toughest, hardest rocking blues bands on the West Coast. He was a prolific and witty composer, a fine singer/pianist and along the way scored a number of hits on the charts. Still he remains something of a neglected figure and his stature seems to have always been higher in the black community.

McCracklin grew up in Missouri and spent his formative years in St. Louis. His earliest musical influence was pianist Walter Davis who his father took him to see as a youngster. "He could just shake me up", said McCracklin, "he was beautiful." McCracklin was a promising light heavyweight boxer and starting in 1938 spent time in the Navy during World War II. He left St. Louis and moved to the West Coast in the mid-40's. His first blues efforts were self financed recordings, making his recorded debut for the Globe logo with "Miss Mattie Left Me" in 1945. On that waxing, J.D. Nicholson played piano but afterwards most of McCracklin's output found him handling his own piano chores.

McCracklin formed his own trio, the Blues Blasters, in 1946 along with guitarist Robert Kelton and drummer Little Red. The first records under his own name were issued in 1948 on the Trilon record label with subsequent records issued on a number of tiny LA labels such as Down Town before landing with Modern in 1949-50, Swing Time the next year, and Peacock in 1952-54. Gradually the group was enlarged to include a full rhythm section and horns with more emphasis on the beat and plenty of honking sax. Lafayette "Thing" Thomas started playing with the band in the late 40's eventually replacing Kelton and his blistering guitar work would remain a prime ingredient in McCracklin's combo into the early '60s. By the early 50's he had a tight five piece group and was accompanying a variety of West Coast artists while gaining a strong local reputation, particularly at the Club Savoy in Richmond. The club scene was hopping in Oakland, Richmond and San Francisco with popular blues spots like the Rhumboogie, Three Sisters, Esther's Orbit Room, Shelton's Blue Mirror and Club Long Island offering steady employment.

By 1954, the pianist was back with Modern and cut a series of sessions for Bay Area producer Bob Geddins' Irma label in 1956 (many of which later turned up on Imperial). "The Walk," a rudimentary dance number with a good groove was issued on the Chess subsidiary Checker Records in 1958. The song hit big reaching number five on the R&B charts and also cracking the top ten on the pop charts. He left Chess after a few more 45's, stopping briefly at Mercury (where he cut the sizzling "Georgia Slop" in 1959, later revived by Big Al Downing) before forming his own record label in 1961, Art-Tone, scoring a big hit with "Just Got to Know." A similar follow-up, "Shame, Shame, Shame," also did well for him the next year. Those sides eventually resurfaced on Imperial whom he signed onto in 1965. He hit twice in 1965 with "Every Night, Every Day" (later covered by Magic Sam), "Think" and "My Answer" in 1966.

He penned the funky "Tramp" for fellow West Coast bluesman Lowell Fulson who took it to the top of the R&B charts in 1967, only to be eclipsed by a duet cover by Stax stars Otis Redding and Carla Thomas a few months later. McCracklin went on to cut a string of LP's for Imperial, changing his sound just enough to effortlessly slip into the soul era. He signed with Stax Records in 1971 cutting the album "Yesterday is Gone," which was released on CD in 1992 as "High on the Blues." In the 90's Mccracklin recorded a pair of strong records for the Bullseye Blues label and in 1999 cut "Tell It to the Judge!" on Gunsmoke, his most recent effort.

Lafayette Thomas

Lafayette Thomas was a brilliant and influential guitarist, and fine singer, whose primary reputation resides on the stinging fret work he laid down as a session guitarist. In his 1977 obituary Tom Mazzolini wrote: "Unquestionably the finest guitarist to emerge from the San Francisco-Oakland blues scene, there is hardly a guitarist around here today who doesn't owe a little something to Lafayette Thomas..." He was nicknamed "The Thing" due to his acrobatic style of playing. The bulk of his recordings were with Jimmy McCracklin's combo in the 50's and 60's. During his lifetime only a scant fifteen sides were issued under his own name (a number were left unissued) but his body of work stands larger than the man himself.

Lafayette Jerl Thomas was born June 13, 1928 in Shreveport, Louisiana and encouraged musically by his uncle, Jesse "Babyface" Thomas whose brother was country bluesman Willard "Rambling" Thomas. The family moved to San Francisco soon after his birth and there he learned to play both piano and guitar. His first gig in 1947 was with Al Simmons' Rhythm Rockers also playing in Candyman McGuirt's band and Little Bob Young's Band during this period. He started working club dates with Jimmy McCracklin's band in 1948, eventually replacing guitarist Robert Kelton. He would remained intermittently with McCracklin for the rest of his career. He made his first record while on tour with McCracklin: "Baby Take A Chance With Me/Sam’s Drag", was recorded in Memphis in 1951 for Sam Phillips and was issued on Chess Records under the name of L.J. Thomas And His Louisiana Playboys. He also worked with producer Bob Geddins during this period playing on many Jimmy Wilson sessions including doom laden numbers like "Blues At Sundown", "Frisco Bay" and the popular "Tin Pan Alley." The latter cut also featured Johnny Heartsman on bass who always cited Thomas as his main inspiration. Thomas also played on the first sides by Juke Boy Bonner plus on records by Roy Hawkins, James Reed and Big Mama Thornton during this period.

His own records were made for small labels such as Jumping, Hollywood and Trilyte, but more often he cut odd titles at McCracklin's 50's sessions for Modern, Peacock (unissued) and Chess and three songs for King which were never issued. His 1954 Modern sides, "Don't Have to Worry (Jumpin' in The Heart of Town)/Lost Mind (Standing at the Back Door Crying)" are among his best efforts. He moved briefly to New York in 1959 to work for pianist Sammy Price. He made "Please Come Back To Me/Lafayette's A-Comin'" the same year for Savoy with pianist Price, before returning to the West Coast. While in New York he also did session work for the Prestige label appearing on records by Little Brother Montgomery and Memphis Slim. He worked outside music for most of the 60's, sharing one album session with pianist Dave Alexander and L.C. "Good Rockin'" Robinson in September 1968 for World Pacific. He remained semi active in the early 70's working with Sugar Pie Desanto and again with Candyman McGuirt's band. The comeback was brief and he spent his last years working as a hose assembler. He died on May 20, 1977 in Brisbane, California of a heart attack. His best work is to be found on the records of Wilson and McCracklin, providing the biting solos for which he will be remembered.

Essential Listening

Both McCracklin and Thomas have not been well served by reissues. There is not one single collection of Thomas' solo sides with his sides scattered across several anthologies. Many of McCracklin's great 50's and 60's sides are only available on vinyl.

The Walk: Jimmy McCracklin At His Best (Razor & Tie): A solid 20 track career retrospective containing most of the big hits. In addition to the title cut includes "The Georgia Slop", "The Wobble" and "Get Back."

I Had To Get With It: Best of the Imperial & Minit Years (EMI): This 23 track import collects some great numbers form his Imperial/Minit stint. Highlights include "Every Night, Every Day", "Just Got To Know", "Think", "My Answer" and "Steppin' Up In Class." A number of songs overlap with the above collection.

Blues Blastin': The Modern Recordings Vol. 2 (Ace): A solid collection of MCCracklin's early sides. Worth picking up for Lafayette's "Don't Have to Worry (Jumpin' in The Heart of Town) and "Lost Mind (Standing at the Back Door Crying)", two of his most incendiary numbers.

West Coast Guitar Killers 1951-1965 (Official): Includes five Lafayette tunes: "Claim On You", "Weekly Blues", "The Thing", "Lafayette's A-Coming" and "Old Memories." Also plays behind Big Mama Thornton on "Tom Cat" and on Jimmy McCracklin's "Too Late To Change."

Sources

-Liner Notes to Ace LP 17327: Jimmy McCracklin, Blast 'Em Dead!- Dave Williams, 1987

-Liner Notes to Arhoolie LP 2008: Oakland Blues- Lee Hildebrand, 1970

-All Music Guide Entry: Jimmy McCracklin- Bill Dahl

-Blues Who's Who Entry: Lafayette Thomas- Harris, Sheldon: Blues Who's Who. New Rochelle, N.Y.: Arlington House, 1979

Jimmy Rushing and Allstar crew Newport 1960

Checker 758 who posted this video no YouTube writes, "Mr. Five-by-Five, Jimmy Rushing, performs at the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival, backed by Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Lafayette Thomas, Sammy Price, and others."

Lafayette Thomas is less seen in this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFbP-9hTKoc

Sammy Price on piano and Lafayette Thomas on guitar Newport 1960

Checker 758 who posted this video on YouTube writes, "Blues/jazz/boogie pianist Sammy Price performing a boogie woogie instrumental at the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival. Lafayette "Thing" Thomas is the guitarist."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_EZ6qlr8_8

Betty Jeanette w/ Lafayette Thomas on guitar Newport 1960

Checker 758 who posted this video on YouTube writes, "The lovely and talented Betty Jeanette (about whom I know nothing else) performs at the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival, backed by painist Sammy Price, guitarist Lafayette Thomas, and others."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymhY-dB7aeo

The Song is over

The song is over
It's all behind me
I should have known it
She tried to find me

Our love is over
They're all ahead now
I've got to learn it
I've got to sing out

chorus:
I'll sing my song to the wide open spaces
I'll sing my heart out to the infinite sea
I'll sing my visions to the sky high mountains
I'll sing my song to the free, to the free
I'll sing my song to the wide open spaces
I'll sing my heart out to the infinite sea
I'll sing my visions to the sky high mountains
I'll sing my song to the free, to the free

When I walked in through the door
Thought it was me I was looking for
She was the first song I ever sang
But it stopped as soon as it began

Our love is over
It's all behind me
They're all ahead now
Can't hope to find me

(chorus)

This song is over
I'm left with only tears
I must remember
Even if it takes a million years

The song is over
The song is over

(Pete Townsend)

The Late Show

"Everyone I've ever known has wished me well
Anyway that's how it seems, it's hard to tell
Maybe people only ask you how you're doing
'Cause that's easier than letting on how little they could care
But when you know that you've got a real friend somewhere
Suddenly all the others are so much easier to bear

Now to see things clear it's hard enough I know
While you're waiting for reality to show
Without dreaming of the perfect love
And holding it so far above
That if you stumbled onto someone real, you'd never know
(You'd never know)
You could be with somebody who is lonely too
(Sometimes it doesn't show)
He might be trying to get across to you
(Words can be so slow)
When your own emptiness is all that's getting through
There comes a point when you're not sure why you're still talking
I passed that point long ago
(Long ago)
Now I'm so tired of all this circling
And all these glimpses of the end
(You know it's useless to pretend)
That's all the voices say:
"You'll go right on circling
Until you've found some kind of friend"

I saw you through the laughter and the noise
You were talking with the soldiers and the boys
While they scuffled for your weary smiles
I thought of all the empty miles
And the years that I've spent looking for your eyes
(Looking for your eyes)
And now I'm sitting here wondering what to say
(That you might recognize)
Afraid that all these words might scare you away
(And break through the disguise)
No one ever talks about their feelings anyway
Without dressing them in dreams and laughter
I guess it's just too painful otherwise

Look...
It's like you're standing in the window
Of a house nobody lives in
And I'm sitting in a car across the way
(Let's just say)
It's an early model Chevrolet
(Let's just say)
It's a warm and windy day
You go and pack your sorrow
The trash man comes tomorrow
Leave it at the curb and we'll just roll away

Holiday Greetings

May you all be touched by her/his noodly appendage this Solstice and Yule!

Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

The search for Lafayette "Thing" Thomas

WORK IN PROGRESS

Lafayette 'Thing' Thomas
Born
Jun 13, 1928 in Shreveport, LA
Died
May 20, 1977 in Brisbane, CA
(total bio of Lafayette Thomas in All Music Guide).

I've seen his name on many tunes by others. He's on the Chess lablel back in the 60s. on a CD called "Chess Blues Guitar: Twenty years of killer fretwork, 1949-1969."


He worked for Jimmy McCracklin the 1950s and 60s. All Music Guide: "... by 1951, Lafayette "Thing" Thomas was installed as the searing guitarist with McCracklin's Blues Blasters and remained invaluable to the pianist into the early '60s."
Unfortunately, this guitarist is Robert Kelton.
This (Ace Records) one has two songs fronted by "Jerry" Thomas:

He's the guitar player on this Little Brother Montgomery Lp from 1960.



He's on a third of a 60s World Pacific (?) LP called "Oakland Blues". I've only seen a bad photo of the cover on eBay.

Bob Geddins made a bunch of singles with him. I've now found the CDs "West Coast Guitar Killers, Vols. 1 & 2." They have several of his singles on them.

I've never seen his picture for sure--he might be in the background of a McCracklin photo I've seen. But really, there's no picture of Lafayette 'Thing' Thomas. I don't know if the picture on the McCracklin CD is Thomas or Robert Kelton.

Al Jansen on Post War Blues-L writes: Rolf/ Bert, The Lafayette Thomas interview (by Tom Mazzolino) is in LB # 33. July/August 1977. It has (only) one picture of Lafayette, a picture by Paul Kohl.

Bert van Oortmarsen emailed me two jpegs of the Living Blues #33 photo and article. Soon to come as soon as I figure out the best way.

Stefan Wirz on Post War Blues-L writes:The Living Blues picture's also in Blues Who's Who, page 509.

Alan Balfour on Post War Blues-L writes:
Performing a "find" on my electronic copy of Blues Records 1943-70 throws up
the following instances of Lafayette Thomas in the role of accompanist:

Zuzu Bollin,
Juke Boy Bonner,
Bob Geddins,
Roy Hawkins,
Jimmy McCracklin,
Memphis Slim,
Roland Mitchell,
Little Brother Montgomery,
Muddy Waters,
Johnny Parker,
James Reed,
A.C. Robinson,
Jimmy Wilson

From the Used Bin 5

There was twenty bucks in my pocket as I drove west on Silva Street from a friends house. The street ended right across from The Last Record Store. It pulled me like a magnet.

The used blues racks were stocked with about as good a selection as I've seen (I'll be back). With twenty bucks I had two picks. No, I don't know why anyone would sell these.



I fed my ever developing interest in California's hidden blues history with this one which I've wanted for years ever since I couldn't afford it in the late 60s. Most blues fans have heard "One Room Country Shack" (usually in Buddy Guy's version), this is the guy who wrote it, Mercy Dee Walton. He recorded it first in 1949, and I'll get that one of these days. This is his great 1961 record, with classic piano by one of the great itinerant piano perfessers. Mercy Dee travelled the great agricultural roads of California's Central Valley for years playing the jukes and honky-tonks for for the black, okie, and mexican farmworkers. With him are the fine harmonica player Sidney Maiden and drummer Otis Cherry, both Central Valley regulars. It's fantastic in its combination of downhome feel and piano technique. It's just so blues.



I've owned this for years as an LP, and I resist buying CDs when I already have the LP, but this is one of the greatest blues records ever made. Magic Sam made only two studio records before his death at the age of 32, this is one of them ("Black Magic" is the other). Most guitarists know at least a couple of tunes from this record, it sets so much style for so many. An incredible band too. "I Found A New Love" and "Every Night And Every Day" and "I Feel So Good (I Wanna Boogie)" are still played all the time. A master class on playing guitar and singing the blues.

Hacker and Hanck--Double Trouble on the Berkeley line

Last minute change in the roadtrip: add Ron Hacker at the Ashkenaz dance hall for his first set then to the Ivy Room for the main event: Terry Hanck and his fine band. Four of us flew down the freeway to the Berkeley-Albany line. First stop the ancient Ashkenaz dance hall with its old weathered wood walls, exposed wood truss roof, big wooden dance floor, and notoriously muddy sound. As we entered and paid the $13 door charge I saw the place was nearly empty.

Ron Hacker and the Hacksaws were soon on stage doing their very old time bottleneck blues with the twist that AJ’s modern funk bass gives them. AJ (Artis Joyce) plays both bass and effectively rhythm guitar with them. The first set was mostly medium dance tunes like "Red Cross Store" and "Keep You Hands Off Her." AJ’s bass and Ronnie Smith’s drums were much clearer than Ron’s guitar as the hall’s acoustics sucked the life out of Ron’s amp.

At the break I had a chance to talk to Ron. "They wanted us back here after the Birthday Party we had here. I told them it was a bad idea, not the right place, but they wanted us." He shook his head.

Opening the second set Ron played solo bottleneck guitar on his old National steel guitar. The fine old Sleepy John Estes tune "Brownsville Blues" was nice.

If you goin' down to Brownsville
take that right hand road
If you goin' down to Brownsville
take that right hand road
Lord I ain't gonna stop walkin'
'Till I find sweet mama's door

The girl that I love
She got long black curly hair
Well that girl that I’m lovin’
She got long black curly hair
Her Mama 'n her Papa
Sure don't want me standing there

I quietly sang the words along with Ron. AJ sitting next to me said, "You know the words to that? I never have learned them right." AJ as he got up to go on stage got off a line, "The music business is filled with thieves, pimps, and hustlers trying to screw you out of money -and those are the good people!"

Out on the street I talked with guitarist John Graham (Birdlegg, Motordude Zydeco, others). We both noted that the sound out on the sidewalk was better than inside. "I’ve played here so many times and it’s never very different. When David Nadel was still alive and running the place he used to have a soundmeter that cut off the electricity to your amps if it got so loud. We’d be playing and the electricity would cut off right in the song. Once Billy Wilson was just talking into the mic and the PA went off. I wish Ashkenaz charged less and the Ivy Room charged more."

[Later at the Ivy Room break I got to talk with talk with Fatdog (Subway Guitars. He told me lots of people seemed to be staying away from the Ashkenaz in protest of the actions of the Board of Directors running the place since David Nadel passed away.]


Mo, dancing right in the throw pattern of Ron’s amp, kept extending the time we were to spend at Ashkenaz. We were sympathetic, but we’d come for Hanck. Piling into the van we made the six-block transition into a nearly full Ivy Room parking lot. The sound was bouncing off the plate glass windows of the shops across the street as we rounded the corner into the sidewalk in front of the Ivy Room. People were dancing on the sidewalk! The sound coming out of the Ivy Room’s well known Dutch door was fabulous and we hurried inside.
Fate was good to us, both Johnny Cat, regular guitarist for Terry Hanck, AND former guitarist Chris "Kid" Andersen were on guitar, and the excellent Tyler Ng was sitting in for Butch Cousins on drums. Wow, what a band! Terry was in solid form singing well and honking the Tenor Sax like nobody’s business.



Johnny and Kid were having a ball and in friendly competition on hot and zinger guitar licks and laughing. Terry had the pleased look of a circus ringmaster.

"You’re all over town
wherever there’s a band
you stop at any table
where’s there’s a bottle and a man.
You from club to club
You from bar to bar
And man to man
You from car to car.


I’m gonna send you back
To that one horse town
Too many bright lights
You just pulling me down
You wearing your wig hat
And you doing me wrong
Go on back to that one horse town
Back where you belong

Johnny and Kid went nuts with this trading crazy licks and topping each other. The crowd was in frenzied and dancing like mad. Those not dancing were riveted on the band. It doesn’t get much better.
Kid Andersen, the Norwegian flash

Hot tune after hot tune with great solos and irresistible dance rhythms had most everybody out on the floor. Sitting gave time to watch a band completely on its game. Dee nest to me was dancing on her stool. Ann tried to sit some but would get on the floor as if drawn there. Mo never even came off the floor once. Tyler Ng on the drums in back was smiling and laughing. Kid Andersen began to caper in the postage stamp size area he was in. Johnny Cat was grinning. And always the rhythm and drive was overwhelming.

Slow numbers were achingly good with tons of swing and feel. Terry is one guy who can do justice to Tyrone Davis. He makes those songs ache.

"Aww, she didn't bat an eye
As I packed my bags to leave
I thought she would start to cry
Or sit around my room and grieve
But y'all, the girl, she fooled me this time
She acted like I was the last thing on her mind
I would like to start all over again

Baby, can I change my mind
I just wanna change my mind
Baby, let me change my mind
As I took those steps
Toward that open door
Knowing all the time
Oh, Lord, I just didn't wanna go
But she didn't give me no sign
Nothing that would make me change my mind
I would like to start all over again."

Honking solos by Terry would climb into the stratosphere and the saxophone shriek would punctuate the cutting edge of the solo. Terry would sing a verse and then call "OK Johnny" and a hot solo would drive us. Another verse and then "Git it Kid" would give us another wild solo. And all the while the rhythm guitar would be rock solid and Fly Brooks’ bass would keep the bottom with extra sudden fast fills. Fly was looking as animated as I’ve seen him, swinging his bass, and moving around.

At the Break I got to talk with lots of people. Everybody was going for a big serving of Hanck and double guitar. The break was a good one for talking, lots of blues friends and a happy crowd.


The last set was Blues about as good as it gets in a club. Driving and infectious, with James Brown and Junior Walker tunes played the Hanck Way, and instrumental work hotter than a pistol. Younger patrons who might not have seen something like this seemed entranced, totally focussed on the band. Blues regulars were out on the floor for almost every song. It was a "I’m so glad I went" night. At the end the band didn’t even consider not doing an encore. The crowd mostly went up to the bandstand to shake hands with the band. This was one of the good nights where the band has too much fun. Terry’s new CD is due out at the end of June ’05.

Steve Freund at The Ivy Room, Albany, CA; 5/31/05

"This is one of those trips that just happen." "I wouldn’t have gone if you hadn’t." "I brought along Little Johnny Taylor." "I needed to get out." "I worked hard today." "I’m gonna be a wreck working tomorrow." "I need some blues." "Ya know, I shouldn’t have gone out tonight, but I want some guitar." "Wonder who’ll be there tonight."

So over Sonoma’s golden rolling hills in the fading dusk and down into central suburban Marin Co. to San Pablo Straight and the Richmond Bridge. Then the fast ride through the Richmond Bayside warehouses and oil depots to the Albany flats and The Ivy Room in all its pre-world-war Buster Keaton friendly dumpiness.

Little Johnny Taylor with the great unknown Arthur Wright wailing on guitar, was on the van’s CD player and turned up loud for the really good ones.

"I'm gonna find me, lord I've got to find me a part time love
I've got to find me; I've got to find me a part time love
The next time, the next time my baby leaves me

That's why, that's why I've got to find me, Lord I've go to find me a part time love
The next time, the next time, the next time my baby leave me,
Can't you see I got to have me a part time love."

"He testifies! Man, what a voice!" "Sure can hear the Church." "Voice like that’s a gift from God."



In the excitement of a hot turn over Little Johnny calls out, "There's one other thing I wanna tell you right here:" and the band drops down into a steady horn vamp—And Little Johnny testifies!

"People in the cemetery, them ain’t all alone
Some turn to dust, and some have bone
I'd rather be dead, six feet in my grave
Than to live lonely, each and every day
She came home this morning; I asked her where had she been?
She said don't ask me no questions Daddy, ‘cause I'll be leaving again."

Usually we stop at Happy Donuts after an Ivy Room show, but having had a fast trip and time to kill we got coffee. For some reason the donut shops of the Bay Area are mostly run by Cambodians, usually pretty interesting people. We saw this was true early and the odd customers who drift in off San Pablo Ave. were already there. Good coffee.

Arriving in the Ivy Room parking lot we found it empty. "Huhh, a real hot night, yessir." Having several minutes to kill we hung in the parking lot. The sodium vapor lights hinted at water vapor in the air with their glare and the view across San Pablo Ave. at the old brick storefronts was slightly surreal. Mo and I started laughing. "Our weirdest one yet, there’s no one here."



With the sound of the music we went in. It really was empty, with only a few regulars. On stage was Robi Bean on drums, Scott Brenton on guitar, Burton Wynn on his first gig out of the hospital on bass, and Steve Freund on guitar. Steve had his gold top Les Paul strapped on and was pushing out powerful licks. I was glad to see the gold top; he always really gets into heavy guitar with it.

Inside every musician lives the music hero wanting to get out. Guitar players are particularly bad, we all want to be ‘guit-tar hero’, the dream lives! You saxophone and piano players out there tut-tuting hush up, y’all got it just as bad. "As the crowd goes wild! Amaze your friends! Get girls!"

I didn’t take any notes; I was there for some strong guitar playing. I got it. Steve having few in the house and none of the musicians lined up to guest on stage redialed his amp and set it on ‘stun.’ Steve looked right at Mo and me, knowing us by sight, shrugged his strap more comfortably, and played for us and for the house. Hot song after song with great leads leapt out of his amp; every song was a solo. Classics like "Hideaway" were jumped on with gusto rather than the weak feeling of old chestnuts.

The bad orange light bulbs and dark shadows hide the varnished plywood décor of the Ivy Room, with one orange bulb hanging down on a cord over the musicians. This makes cool reflections off the musicians and the instruments.



Steve began to play harder and harder and turned up his amp at least twice resulting in a hunted look by the back line. Steve began to prance from leg to the other as he got into his solos. Songs from all over came at us with a ton of guitar. Great log solos they were too. With no guests to think about Steve became Guitar Hero (visualizing the cape became no problem at all) and his body language became animated as steady Scot Brenton watched him while playing rock steady rhythm on his big 335. Scot’s occasional solos were woody-toned and sonorous. Words don’t carry solos of increasing emotion and expression; Steve was released and in charge and he was going for it.

In the second set he switched to a Elitist Les Paul which had a harder, fiery sound good for lots of screaming licks and moving diads up and down the fingerboard. The solos became even more wild and Steve was really rocking back and forth as he became more animated. Strings were getting bent hard and the upper part of the fingerboard getting a workout.

Well into the second set Steve at the end of a hot song breathed deep, looked up and called up Pierre LeCorre of the Dave Matthews Blues Band for a couple of numbers. Poker-faced Pierre played Steve’s guitar while Steve sang. Pierre seemed to have fun on rhythm and with his solos and sounded good.

As Steve became even more animated in the last part of the set and his body language as he played became very energetic and almost abandoned. He was truly excited in the most natural way in total guitar release.

My body language was the opposite as the recent long days caught up with me and I began to fade. We were both out on our feet and it was time to go. In an off weekday night we had one of those shows blues hounds talk about, the unexpected and hot show in a semi-empty house. A show played for the sake of the blues and for the love of playing, for the guitar player inside.

Black Diamond Blues Festival, 5/29/05

Full Road Trip! We’d been discussing this for a bout two weeks among the roadtrip gang; we’d had a good time at the old Black Diamond Festival held in the summer, before the City of Pittsburg (CA) killed it for some reason. Now it was back, scheduled on Memorial Weekend. Mo sent out the email almost a week in advance. As is the usual case, the men mostly couldn’t get it together and the women could. The blues van headed down Hwy 101 and the Lakeville cutoff with Terri, Ann, Chris, Lis, Dee, Mo, -and little old me surrounded by pretty women.

Arriving early just as the ticket booths were getting together, we set up right in the road about 25 feet out from the stage. There weren’t many people there on a breezy fresh day sharp with sunlight. Behind us people came in including other Bay Area blues friends. Having time we went in search of coffee in the surrounding historical downtown of Pittsburg (Thank goodness they saved it from redevelopment) and found a great old time Mexican Restaurant with a tin ceiling that had good coffee.

We returned to the sound of guitar tuning and balancing. Avotcja, blues and jazz DJ on KPFA and KPOO (Avotcja is very dear to me, as I used to listen to her program while doing the endless reading and writing of Law School) was the Master of Ceremonies. This turned out to be a double blessing as the hyper little dude in the flash suit who used to drive everybody crazy was back, and as usual getting every name and fact wrong as he nattered away.

First up was Guitar Mac as a solo doing slide guitar. Mac wasn’t on the program and they started him at 11:30. Mac played slide guitar on several well-known tunes and it became clear he’s a standard tuning guitarist who’s not really comfortable on slide. He mostly strummed and when he wanted single note leads he’d fret them with his fingers instead of the slide.

Slide guitar playing has a different technique than standard tuning playing. Guitar Mac has learned a few licks but it was evident he hadn’t learned the heavy bass technique or melodic playing of Charley Patton, Willie Brown, or Son House. Since his guitar was turned up loud and the early sound mix was harsh, the guitar drowned out Mac’s excellent tenor-baritone voice. Hearing his CD done with a band is a whole lot more satisfying. The early sound mix worked against him.

The Sound check followed Guitar Mac and they began to get some mids and bass into the mix. We would shortly find the sound crew had gotten so much bass into the mix that it was almost painful to be in the direct path of the bass speakers.

The true opening act was Ron Joseph and the Steppin’ Stones, featuring Dwayne Thompson on vocals. Dwayne Thompson is a powerful tenor vocalist who can do blues, soul, and obviously has big gospel roots. What a fantastic singer! He can do romantic love ballads and raunchy blues with equal ease. Being from Sonoma County I hadn’t heard him before and I’ll be watching for his name and huge voice again. The Stepping Stones Band also has a fine guitarist with a waspish sound and nice licks. The whole band has some fine funk rhythm to it.

Next up was the Caravan of Allstars in one of their backing incarnations, this time behind Pork Pie Phillips. They began to warm up the still arriving crowd and had fun with Carl’s songs.

Then the Allstars backed up Teddy "Bluesmaster" Watson who was one of the hits of the show. After delivering a song on stage as the foxy grandpa with a cane, he went down the stairs with a cordless mic and threw the cane away and proceeded to sing songs up close to the ladies and wowing the crowd while doing the bump and grind. Bi-ig showmanship. His tune coming to an end he bowed for the applause—and then whipped around and shouted to the band on stage, "B flat—from the five!" and gave us a whole lot more. The band on stage were knocked out and laughing as a wily old veteran stole the show.

Layce Baker and the original Black Diamond Band started quietly and showed deep blues feel and power. Both Layce and second guitarist Louis Jones showed they could really play the blues. Searing licks were the power of this band and I want to see them in a much longer show. Expression was their powerful game on this too-short set. They have a whole lot of guitar with feeling. This the original band that Layce started with, not the one he regularly appears with in bar gigs.

Another big surprise was in store for me when Avotcja introduced Billy Dunn as "One of those guys from Russell City who just went about the business of music." Billy Dunn has one of those warm sophisticated voices and plays a whole lot of piano. He did some mildly double-entendre lyrics and showed a lot of the jazzy blues quality of early fifties blues/R&B. Billy should be out there with a small combo doing Charles Brown, Wynonie Harris, and Percy Mayfield type material. I don’t understand why he doesn’t have a regular hotel lounge gig; he’s that warm, personable, and good.

Next up was Layce Baker with his touring band with a remarkable appearance by a 12-year-old guitar prodigy.
Layce with his tour band puts on a more flash show with more funk sounds and flashy licks. Playing with him was Gabriel _________, a remarkable 12 year old that plays with a combination of old time economy and Jimi Hendrix licks. This was an all too short set.

We’d noticed the "Hat" man with the sharp brim and the ultra sharp hatband. Terri had been there the day before and had gone with Big Dave Z to get a hat. She knew who the hat man was and said," C’mon, you gotta go see the hat man and get a hat." So at the break we walked into the old downtown again and went to the now open espresso café—which is also a hat store in the back. The hat man has brims! The kind that blues guys like, both dress and straw. Terri bought one for her son’s birthday. A flash porkpie hat. The hat man sprays all hats with water repellant, and you get a free satin pocket hankie too.

And he’s got ladies hats with real wedding, funeral, and royal coronation flash like blues ladies like. Chris couldn’t quite get herself to buy the one that made her look like the Duchess of Argyle. I got myself a wide brim straw fedora with a braided band for the coming summer. Nice feather.


Then it was Alvon time with the non-stop Alvon commentary on the state of the world, love, and why in the world weren’t we all up front dancing? Alvon never stops and is a ball of fire both vocally and on the guitar. We sat and watched the whole thing for a while just because it’s Alvon, life, love, and Alvon. It was a crazy fun time and we finally got out there to dance. Alvon said, "You just dancing now? Now that my set is almost over? You gotta do something with your life!" I’m ready for more crazy Alvon and the fabulous Alvon voice and hot guitar real soon. If he’d been appearing anywhere near us that night we would have gone.

The Caravan of Allstars came back on and it was Little Junior time. Junior was decked in a cream chartreuse suit the shade of the first 1950s "designer" Kelvinator refrigerators, along with matching gold jewelry, hair, socks, shoes, and gloves with gold rings outside the gloves. He probably forgot the matching spats at home. After about three soul songs filled with gestures and attitude he was off.

And as the sun began to think about going down it was Chick Willis time. Chick proved to be one hot guitarist and a lot of fun. Chick being the writer and creator of the whole "Stoop Down Baby" thing (he sold a couple of million copies without it ever getting on the radio) had some songs about S-E-X to do and he did ‘em right.

Starting on stage and looking over the ladies dancing he did a fine funny "Let Me Play With Your Poodle." Lis, who’d been dancing up a storm, was out in front of the stage working through her steps. Chick announced that he was looking for poodle girls to sing to. He checked the front row, saw Lis, and said, "Ahh!" Lis became the first Poodle Girl of the night. Chick walked the crowd using a wireless rig and really hitting some fine hot licks. His show was a lot of fun, and there were several "Poodle Girls", all of who seemed to get the same pleased bashful smile.

Chick’s finale was naturally, "Stoop Down Baby (let your Daddy see!)" his underground hit of the very early 70s. The ladies streamed out of their chairs to dance. We weren’t disappointed either, the band was hot (Bobby Webb on tenor sax) and the congas and drums were going full blast. The dancing got really heavy right about then.

As dusk came on the Caravan backed Wylie Trass on a set of fine jump blues, and then it Willie G. time and Willie was really feeling on and performing all over the place. Willie is one guy that’s gotta move around when he sings. And move he did—right out into the crowd. You don’t miss anything since he’s about six foot two and wears a ten-gallon hat. He sang a mix of blues and jump tunes that was a lot of fun. Love can be tough on a man. This was a fine closer for the show, we were all in the glow of a good festival and the band was smooth. The crowd was mostly still there and with the last announcement everybody packed up and left at about 7:00. The City of Pittsburg should be proud of this festival; it’s a good one.

Rolfyblog is back!

From the Used Bin 4

No, I don't have any idea why someone would sell these--but I sure bought them. Cheap.

I've wanted this one for a while but have never seen it for sale in the racks. JSP recordings from England are semi-rare in California. I love Roy Gaines and think he's very under-rated. This one has his outrageous strutting study of womanizing on it: "Sweet Pig Poker (aka Pig Poking Man)." Hush, Roy's gonna solo now. How does he get his tone to be cutting and mellow at the same time?



Fantasyland: Buddy Guy and Junior Wells have a broken radiator hose and while the guy at the gas station down at the crossroads is fixing it, Buddy and Junior accept our invite under the shade tree and Buddy hauls out his road 6 and 12 string Guilds and he and Junior run through about 15 mostly classic blues tunes.
That's what this 1981 set originally recorded as a quick one-shot for the French Isabel label is like (now on Alligator in North America). If you're looking for flash, this ain't it. It's unpretentious and the guys go downhome and into their memories of the cotton patch. "The big boat's up the river, on a bank of sand, ...." Only for those who've been around the blues for a while, Junior and Buddy play "Catfish", "Rollin' And Tumblin'", "I'm In The Mood (for Love)", "Boogie Children", "My Home Is On The Delta", and a bunch more.

UPDATE: I've now had a chance to listen to it a lot. I've been stealing things from it. Buddy and Junior put on an understated master class for serious blues fans and musicians. Probably not for casual and new fans who don't get the nuance and the simplicity, and the space Buddy and Junior leave. I'd like to change my rating from recommended to highly recommended.



What can I say, more stories from life by the storyteller of the blues. Play 'em Larry! Includes 'politically correct' songs about PMS and the swell life out in the country where everybody steals all your stuff.



I can't go on this way, with my sick love for Irma Thomas. She needs me so much and I'm such a bastard and I hurt her so much and she goes on loving me. Oh God Irma. I won't even try to explain.



I'm not too much of a Northern Soul fan, I likes mine Southern and greasy, But I make a big exception for Marvin Gaye. Must have been his growing up in his Daddy's holyroller church. And some of those early classics are so bluesy--"That's the Way Love Is" is a powerhouse. And the later stuff is great and "Trouble Man" has become a blues standard.

From the Used Bin 3

Wow! a four CD juke box of some of the most important blues of the 20s, 30s, and 40s. Even if you don't like "pre--war" blues this should knock your socks off. You'll have to forgive the slightly stupid name of this four CD series: "The Secret History of Rock and Roll." Promo title.

I'd intellectually known that a lot of the great songs I'd grown up with like Elmore's "When Things Go Wrong With You" and B.B.'s "How Blue Can You Get" came from some place else, I wasn't prepared for just how good the originals are. Man, is the sound good on these! Lots of downhome stuff on the first two volumes (including the ones re-made into hits by the 60s rockers), lots of great "Bluebird" Chicago stuff including piano blues on Vol. III, and great pre-chess stuff on Vol. IV. (Big Boy Crudup kills!).

Drawn from the Victor and Bluebird labels, these have been rarely re-issued. 100 great tunes. Recommended. I got these pretty cheap used. They are being sold now in the Year of the Blues, but if I know the RCA Victor people they'll disappear soon and this stuff will be unavailable again. Watch for them cheap.



Tracks for all four volumes: Tracks

From the Used Bin 2

In the 60s I bought a record called Blues at Newport. I learned much from that record. It has outstanding stuff on it. John Lee Hooker was in his early prime then and his acoustic work superb. Warm and personal. It's been reissued on CD and I'll buy it one of these days. Other Newport records on Vanguard had John Lee Hooker live on them with other songs, again superb. Over time I learned that there were other John Lee Newport recordings and I wanted them.

There it was, with a slightly beat case, looking at me, with a $8.00 sticker. I took it home.



Sometimes I put this on the player and hit the repeat button and play it for hours. It makes me pick up the guitar and play dirtfoot licks. The great Bill Lee is playing bass on a lot of it. I don't know how it could get any warmer or more in the living room or more on the porch.
Hooker in the glory of his maturity connecting with an audience and you, introducing songs, letting Bill take solos, holding an audience in his hand. Two versions of Tupelo, two versions of Hobo Blues, an incredible Natchez Fire, and incredible microphone nuzzling as he sings, "When you walk that walk and talk that talk." Stop me now!

Now I gotta find the CD (old VJ record) called "Concert at Newport" which has different versions and such.


and of course the one that started it all-


"Stop Baby, I can't take when you touch me, when you hold me that way!"

Update: The original point of the beginning post was to highlight John Lee Hooker's 1960s work in the almost unaccompanied "folk" idiom. Hooker himself near the end of his long life said the "coffeehouse" was one of his favorite periods, "I could just show up with my guitar and connect with the peoples."


Legend has it that this 1959 acoustic album was supposed cash in on the developing folk boom and its awareness of Leadbelly. Hooker came into the studio and didn't know any of Texan Leadbelly's tunes. The producers were upset. John said "Here's what I know." and proceeded to take them back to Clarksdale in the 30s and Memphis in the 40s. Spare, controlled, and a little bit scary.





Fantasy page of Riverside and Specialty Hooker recordings
http://www.fantasyjazz.com/catalog/hooker_j_cat.html

From the Used Bin

Saturday was one of those damn shopping days. I approached it like MacArthur reconquering the Philipines. This time it was the big periodic food shop, object: bulk food for stocking freezers and kids. I'm a cost concious shopper who goes with a plan and budget in mind. I don't like to wander around feeling things. Costco (equals eastern Price Club or Priceco) for real bulk items in a warehouse. Hundreds of dollars later off to Food 4 Less for everthing not already loaded into the pickup. Hundreds of dollars later I left massive strip malls behind. Having peeked twice into the dungeon of my wallet and discovered the secret rewards of thrift: blues money. I made a bee-line to The Last Record Store.

Shock! After many years as one of the great stores of Downtown Santa Rosa, Baby Huey refused to renew the Last Record Store's lease having other plans. I got there in the last hour in the old location and went right to the used racks. Bonanza! It's always pretty good but this time there was simply too much to buy.
People ask why anyone would part with these finds I bought. I've had a few answers, mostly economic. Now I'm forced to say: I just don't know. I can speculate that some are too out there for the casual blues fan, but how did they come by these in the first place? Several of these are Handy Nominee CDs and the Jessie Mae CD won the Handy in 1993.



new cover:
This is one of Jessie Mae Hemphill's two albums before her stroke in 1993. She was getting notice then. And North Mississippi Hill Country fans this is it! Jessie Mae is the great Sid Hemphill's daughter, one of the great drummers, and a fine stylist. A really fine singer in the old style, and you can tell she grew up next door to Fred McDowell. A fine CD if you have the hots for the southern style and North MS. Second picture is of the old-style Handy Award she won for this CD in 1993.



This is a field recording of Fred doing everything from traditional folk "John Henry" to Ray Charles's "I Got A Woman." And all of it sounding very North Mississippi and all Fred. Wow. On Fat Possum. Recommended for all folkie, country bluesers, and North Miss. types. A Handy Nominee CD.



This is a compilation of some of Junior Kimbrough's best stuff and it's really good. Real North Mississippi to the core. Recommended for those who can dig the North Mississippi style. A Handy Nominee CD.



Back to the Delta and Memphis with Big Jack.
Boy is this good! Big Jack and Kim Wilson do acoustic blues and they do them right! Pinetop Perkins joins them for a couple of swell tunes, and they have a drummer for a couple. Jack and Kim do stuff all the way back to plantation times ("Git Along Little Cindy"), from the Wolf and Delta tradition ("Smokestack Lightnin'"), Little Walter, Elmore James, and others, and some of Big Jack's originals based on Delta tradition. And Kim really plays the harp. Delicious. Recommended. Again, A Handy Award.



Joe Louis Walker plays acoustic blues in Memphis with help from Alvin Youngblood Hart, James Cotton, and Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, and kills! Mostly duets in classic style, Joe wrote all the songs except one Robert Nighthawk tune. Recommended. A Handy Nominee in 1999 or 2000.



Sonny Boy's output was all 78 or 45 rpm singles, he died at the dawn of blues LPs. This is one of the collections of singles Chess put out relatively late. It's all singles between 1955 when he signed with Chess, and 1962 just before he first went to Europe. I'm resolved now to buy almost anything the greatest sureallistic poet of the blues ever put out. I didn't go wrong with this one. It has two or three tunes that are on his greatest hits and 'essential' compilations. The rest are just as wild and crazy! And that great harp! And the backing by either the Muddy Waters band or by the Robert Lockwood/Willie Dixon/Fred Below studio band. Superb. Recommended. "One Way Out" done rhumba style and other crazyness. Why Sonny Boy was on the automatic first induction list of the Blues Hall of Fame.



This is wild and crazy blues and rock'n'roll of the west Texas type. Hilarious and really influential on all the roadhouse bands, the Fabulous Thunderbirds knew all this stuff. If you like the western style of blues this is hot! A postcard from another time and place in a wild Juarez bar. Recommended. Should have been on the Historical Album Nomination list.

Among the things I couldn't afford: an autographed copy of " The [Malaco] Best of Little Milton"; early CDs of James Armstrong, etc., etc. I would have needed $250 just for the first line stuff. So at the record store I went to Memphis and the Hill Country in my heart.

The Aces at Russian River Brewing, Santa Rosa. 5/21/05

The Aces at Russian River Brewery, Santa Rosa, 5/21/05

The Russian River Brewery on 4th Street in Santa Rosa is a concrete walled concrete floored brewpub just getting started with weekend entertainment. They’ve hung hops sacks from suspended rods on the eastern wall and built the band a carpeted wooden riser in the corner. The dance floor and a lot of walls remain concrete or reflective surfaces. Sound is hard and sharp in the room, with the conversational buzz level high.

With a clientele of heavily 20-somethings either engaged in the pre-mating ritual, attempting to be, or in groups of twos and threes looking, the focus wasn’t really on the music. Almost any band would have been fine with a majority of the audience. I saw several blues and dance people and they were near the dance floor.

The Aces have been out of commission for a while and sometimes the rust showed. The "Punk Blues Band with Attitude" hasn’t played much in recent times. Their PA wasn’t up to the task; you couldn’t hear the vocals in that sound environment. I’ve heard Derek Irving really fly on guitar, and he showed flashes of that at this gig. The Aces have more gigs coming and Derek will work the rust off. When he’s doing flash he really can sell those licks. I particularly like the slide work it changes the way the band sounds and they have a really strong ensemble sound then.

David Burke, who I’m used to seeing at Jasper’s on Thursday night doing leads and rhythm guitar, in the Aces plays "guitar bass" as the Aces have no bassist. He does a magnificent job and really gets a lot of attitude into it, standing with his feet in the A-frame "Elvis spread." He really gets a thump out of that telecaster too, sort of like Brewer Phillips did with Hound Dog Taylor.

Mike Gutsch is unusual as a drummer: he plays standing up. His bass drum playing is steady from that unusual position. He’s visually much more a part of the show that way since he’s so much more visible moving and swaying as he plays. He really held things together in the sound environment. The basic bash-bash-bash of this punk blues band came from him and David Burke.

Sky O’Bannion when he’s on and operating is a powerful singer and harp player. His chromatic harp playing early on was strong and inventive. As the evening progressed Sky got in to his showmanship rolling-on-the-floor routine and some of the edge in his vocals was lost and his harp playing lessened. I did enjoy his Howling Wolf work playing the harp sticking out of his mouth.

The crowd was initially not dancing so blues regulars got to dance. As the young crowd got more lubricated they began to dance and girls began to dance even if the even if the young white guys wouldn’t (they mostly don’t know how). Huge numbers of people never danced at all but stayed glued to their tables or circulated up and down the bar. Large young guys with bald heads sat near me the entire evening never moving, working on their scowls. As people began to dance more and more they started to look uneasy like they were missing something.

I had a pretty fun night and I look forward to further improvements at the Russian River Brewing Co., you can see they’re trying and I hear they are getting their own P.A. for the hall. With more sound deadening for the reflecting treble and standing waves they’ll really have something. The bare concrete floor is hard to dance on over time; maybe they’ll get some parquet for that area.

I’m definitely looking forward to more Aces gigs. As they get back into the swing of performing they’ll really pick up the flow and be their raunchy selves again. They’re back at the Russian River Brewery June eleventh.

Andy Santana at 1351 Lounge, St. Helena. 5/20/05

MUSINGS & RAMBLINGS
MO'S MUSINGS & ROLF'S RAMBLINGS---SONOMA TUNE'S WEBLOG

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May 21, 2005
Andy Santana and the West Coast Playboys at 1351 Lounge, 5/20/05

Andy Santana and the West Coast Playboys at 1352 Lounge, St. Helena, 5/20/05

There it was on 1351’s calendar as I was compiling the Sonoma Tune’s calendar: Andy Santana. I’ve seen Andy’s name for years, always appearing at a joint to the south of me. I’d only seen him sitting in for a few numbers at Benefits. I knew from that he was a good harp player and singer, but I was clear I’d never seen him do his thing on his own. This was too good to miss and I highlighted it on the calendar.

The roadtrip call went out and Mo, Lis, Big Dave Z, and I rode over the Mayacamas to St. Helena in the Blues van. As always I had that feeling of sadness for what St. Helena’s become from the nice country town it was in the 70s. The 1351 Lounge is about 15 feet wide and 120 feet long. The band is shoehorned into a back corner with the dancers right on top of them.


Andy started just as we got there and from the sidewalk I heard the sounds of swamp. I zipped in and got a seat and the happiness of them old blues washed over me. Andy played a whole set of tunes that were swamp or Little Walter and the band was just so funky and laid back. I hadn’t heard slow laidback like this in a long time; it took me back to when I was a kid downhome and the bartender at the Stumble Inn first let me sneak in the back.

This is a mean old world,
tryin' to live in by yourself
This is a mean old world,
tryin' to live in by yourself
Can't get the one you're lovin',
have to use somebody else

I've got the blues,
gonna pack my things and go
Yes, I've got the blues,
gonna pack my things and go
Well I guess you don't love me,
you're lovin' Mr. So-And-So

Sometime I wonder why,
can your love be so cold
Sometime I wonder why,
can your love be so cold
Seem like to me you don't want me,
I'm just an unlucky So-And-So
(Marion Walter Jacobs-"Little Walter")

Andy’s drummer hadn’t shown for the gig, but it was a few minutes before I really caught on that there wasn’t a drummer, the band was doing rhythm as thick as molasses. On guitar was Robert Sidwell of the Hucklebucks out of Sacramento, and bassist Mike Phillips holding down a whole lot of rhythm. Robert Sidwell did a magnificent job being Slim Harpo and Robert Lockwood on rhythm guitar. It was just so danceable in a downhome way. It was like little jukes and the crazy local blues band "Little Obie and the Creepers" when I was nineteen; your shoulders just wanted to do the pleasure hunch.

When Robert Sidwell cut loose on a solo he was a knockout, sharp and witty and still a part of the rhythm, his old P-90 LP dripping out the licks. Andy really got down in the alley with his harp playing and then broke out his old rebuilt Harmony H-64 and laid the wood on us with tough sounding rhythm licks and hard leads.

Man, this gig took me back to small bars on the wrong side of town and my old buddy Lionel playing the bass on his porch (Mama: "Lio-Nel, you boys play me some of those Lightnin’ numbers like "Black Cadillac!" "Aw Mama, why do you like those old things, you should listen to Archie Bell and Drells." "Well, I just like them.") Three guys sitting down and playing them old blues, it wasn’t flash at all. The contrast with the mirror ball and black lights of the 1351 was crazy and funny. The lights in the back were way down and everything white showed up purple.

Aww I'm itchin’
And I don't know where to scratch
Come here baby--Scratch my back
I know you can do it, so baby get to it

Aww you're workin with it now
You got me feelin' so good
Just lookin' up to the sun now baby
Oooooooooooo
This little girl sho' knows how'd scratch

Now you're doin' the chicken scratch
Aww, its lookin' good baby
Just get to scratchin’
That's what I'm talkin' bout
(Slim Harpo)

I’d like to thank Andy Santana and the West Coast Playboys for an unexpected night and for really rising to the occasion and covering misfortune with professionalism and knowing the old ways. I loved it and so did the yuppy crowd. Big Dave was laughing, Mo was dancing, Lis danced and kept saying "I haven’t seen anything like this in years! I tried to remember how to do the Uncle Willy up and down the floor.

Metro Fountain Blues Festival, San Jose State. 5/14/05

Metro Fountain Blues Festival, San Jose State, 5/14/05

This time I pushed a bit for a road trip. A couple of weeks ahead I brought the subject up to Mo, driver of the blues van. "I dunno, that’s a long way." "Yeah, but it’s a great lineup." I left it at that and waited. Sure enough, the email came asking if there was interest. There was and, unusually leaving at 8:30 in the morning, off Mo, Terri, Dee, and myself went with full equipment and sufficient food for a scout troop on the three hour drive nearly the length of the Bay Area.

Did I say good lineup? Starting the show was David Jacobs-Strain, new young gun of the acoustic/semi-acoustic branch of the blues. Next was rising star Lara Price with her talked-about guitarist Laura Chavez. Mighty Craig Horton, with his soulful meld of the old and new and his hot guitar. Guitar master Chris Cain who we don’t see often enough. Tommy Castro with his smile and band. And far, far from last, and never least, the goddess diva, Etta James.

After wandering the confusing streets in the area of San Jose State, we found the free parking structure and made it into the festival grounds. For the first time in twenty-five years the festival asked for a donation of five dollars. For that lineup. I paid right away. We set up the chairs and blanket right on the front portion of the lawn about twenty-five feet back from the stage and it’s concrete apron/dance floor. Next time we won’t get quite so close.

David Jacobs-Strain is a hot young player with a talked about CD out right now. During the making of the CD his band came together and they are hot. David does some great old Delta numbers his way. I particularly remember "The Girl I’m Lovin’ Got Great Long Curly Hair", a real send up on Sleepy John Estes, including getting Brownsville Blues in there too. "Kokomo Me Baby" was another hot one.

Lara Price sings the blues because she’s meant to. A small woman with a huge voice, she can belt or purr. She can sing of lost love and bad lovers like the classic blues queens do, or strut and demand. A petite pretty woman, she’s definitely not portraying a victim. She opened her set with a huge rich vocal on "I Just Want To Make Love To You!" It was so powerful and her voice so full of harmonics that I raised my hands in the air, fell back in a chair, and yelled "Take me!"

Adding to the power was the driving Lara Price Band, a hard working group with an emerging star in hot guitarist Laura Chavez. Laura was getting big cheers with solos. She makes great faces as she plays, and she should. She looks fully engaged in playing.

Craig Horton came on as I was off buying records at Blue Beat’s stand. His opening guitar solo fired up the crowd and I hurried back to the blanket. Middle aged women were pushing forward and getting in tight to the stage. Calls of "That’s right!’ came from the crowd and the band leaned forward behind Craig. It’s a fine band too, with Henry Oden on bass, Steve Gannon on guitar, and Billy Mo on drums.

When Craig did "Elizabeth" off his new CD-

"I got a girl named Elizabeth
That woman moved way across town, (2X)
Why did you leave me baby
Why you didn’t tell me you was trying to put me down.

Ohh, I want to love you baby
Just like a man want a cigarette (2x)
If a man walk a mile for a cigarette
I’d walk a thousand miles for you
(c Craig Horton)

the sighs and the calls of "I’ll take you, Baby!" could be heard from very established-looking ladies. Craig has a very appealing vocal delivery. His hot guitar solos got people fired up, he has that down home feel.

Craig sang several songs off his new CD. I connected with "Life of Luxury" –"…everybody thinks I’m rich now…" –a wry look at the swell life and social pressure of the pro musician. It was a warm personal set.

Chris Cain plays a whole lot of guitar, a whole lot. Chris is a known guy—but not nearly enough. A wild friendly stage presence, a big bass voice and guitar licks from heaven make for one hell of a show. Guitar lick follows different lick, Chris pulls things from his guitar, his body in motion, his fingers all over the fretboard making the big brown guitar sing.

I could almost never see Chris on stage for the press of bodies. His fantastic solos drew people to the front. Pushing up against my chair was a young semi-leather punk couple. I’d seem them several times come to the front, each time more into the blues and more focussed to the stage. They were clearly having their minds re-channeled and getting the blues bug. Chris delivered another big hot solo and the young guy’s mouth fell open. I felt the same way. Chris is just so warm and masterful and in love with playing.

Tommy Castro put in one of his better sets, really connecting with playing, and really happy with the day and the crowd and his memories of San Jose. Tom Poe, the fine trumpeter joined his usual lineup and the full horn section really brought a more soulful feel to Tommy’s songs. He did a bunch from his new CD, and several classics. Within a few songs we were hit with the TC effect: trampled by Barbies in pink shorts or tight pants. They seemed to regard us as being inappropriate in having a sit down area. It got kind of funny, Tommy would do "the grin" and they would bob up and down.

I will forgive Etta James almost anything. Since I found "Tell Mama" on the jukebox in that crummy restaurant in 1967 I’ve been hooked. I’d become used to seeing a really large Etta, so it’s really good to see her 150 pounds lighter and able to walk small distances and move around on stage. Move she does, often with a certain intent. Etta did her classic show of great blues standards aided and abetted by the fine Roots Band with great solos from guitarist Bobby Murray and Dave ("one t") Mathews on keyboards. Etta can do that Jimmy Reed medley for me anytime. Etta and the band had just come from a series of casino gigs and seemed really knocked out over the completely positive crowd cheering good solos and great vocals.


But of course, it’s the Etta James classics I want to hear and she did "I Want A Sunday Kind Of Love", seemingly just for me:

"I want a Sunday kind of love
A love to last past Saturday night
And I'd like to know that it's more than love at first sight
I want a Sunday kind of love


I want a love that's on the square
Can't seem to find somebody
Someone to care
And I'm all alone on a road that leads to no where
I need a Sunday kind of love"
(c Bell, Prima)

And of course, she did "At Last" with its immortal opening line,

"At last, my love has come along…"

There was no encore; Etta’s health is guarded like a treasure by her family. The glow was left behind.

Thanks to the Metro Fountain Blues Festival (25th Anniversary too) and San Jose State for another great festival. This one is a one day treasure, don’t tell anybody so it doesn’t get too big.

Sonny Lowe's Blues Jam at Jasper's, Sebastopl. 5/12/05

Sonny Lowe’s Blues jam at Jasper’s, 5/12/05

"Jasper’s is back open" ran the word, "Sonny’s gonna have the Thursday Jam again!" I figured I go see what Jasper’s looked like now and if things have changed.

Jasper’s is one heck of a lot cleaner now, all the decayed beer company streamers and left over St. Paddy’s Day decorations are gone and the walls have lost their cobwebs. I got a Sierra pint from Vinnie the new owner (and former lead singer in a reggae band).

Looking at the bandstand, only the drums were set up at 9:00 and Jake Mackey was fooling with the drum set up. I didn’t see any of Jake’s guitars. In typical fashion Sonny Lowe, David Burke, and Tall Paul the bassman walked in and set up without comment; it was then I realized that Jake was the drummer! Sonny said to Jake, "You play everything else, please tell me you don’t play harmonica?" Jake gave him a big grin and said, "Yeah, I do, not as good though--yet." Sonny just shook his head.

David Burke, looking like he had a black cloud over him, cranked his guitar and they began with Wolf’s "I didn’t know." Right from the first Burke was hot and had that raw ‘Wolf’ sound. "I’m Ready" with Sonny sounding organ-like on chromatic harp and an aggressive guitar solo from David really cut through and people started gathering by the bandstand and dancing. Face after familiar face came in the back door until about half the blues and dance regulars were in the house.

Right here I have to rave about David Burke. What a great singer and guitar player! Whether "Someday Baby" or "Backdoor Man" the guy has the blues pipes and the tough sounding guitar to really take it places. What a talent, too bad he hates to travel. I guess he’ll remain a Sonoma County secret. Sonny and David and the guys worked their way through a whole set of classics done their way. Jake proved to be a solid basic drummer, and Tall Paul was his competent self on bass. We were dancing hard now and there was a good crowd for a Thursday.

After a long, long break, David started playing Wolf’s "Who’s Been Talking" and the others jumped back on the stand. Burke is one guy who can do Wolf; he has the vocal power for it. And the personal engagement for it.

My baby caught the train
Left me all alone
My baby caught the train
Left me all alone
She knows I love her
She doin' me wrong

My baby bought the ticket
Long as her right arm
My baby bought the ticket
Long as my right arm
She says she's gonna ride
Long as I been from home

Well, who been talking
Everything that I do
Well, who been talking
Everything that I do
Well, you is my baby
I hate to lose
(C. Burnett)

After several more powerful tunes, including a heartfelt "Oh Baby, You Don’t Need Me Like I Need You", other leading Sonoma County musicians began to join the band and the base group sat out. Sonny’s Jam is NOT an open jam, only recognized musicians known to the band sit in. It is an opportunity for the musicians to get to play together. Several musicians got to show their chops. Levi Lloyd sat in and did a fine job on Magic Sam’s "I Don’t Want It All (I just want a little bit)" with it’s funky riff.

The base band got back on stage and did several fine tunes; then Skye O’Bannion joined them. With a big chromatic tone Skye did a knock out jump rhythm "OH Baby, This Ain’t Too Good" and then did an outstanding slow drag Sonny Boy "Keep Your Hands Out My Pockets (I ain’t got nothing for you)". It was marinated in blues.

The last break started dragging on again and I decided to go home and get some sleep. Sonny, ya gotta do something about those breaks, you’ll lose the audience. A fine night and I’m real happy Jasper’s is back with new knowledgeable management, and I’m happy Sonny is back with his jam. It’s quietly one of the highlights of the Sonoma County scene. Thursday nights — be there!

My divorce

I haven't had a lot to say about my divorce. What's there to say about years of noncommunication and indifference and mutual contempt. Ah, now I have this place that only three people on the face of the planet know exists (and not my kids). The Blues does it for me!

"True love is gone, I been played for a fool
True love is gone, I been played for a fool
I'm turnin' the tables on you,
You've been playin' dirty pool

You said you'd call the shots darlin'
All your friends thought that was cool, so cool
You said you'd call the shots darlin'
All your friends thought that was so cool
Yeah when you shot the eight-ball baby
I knew you were playin' dirty pool

They say that life- life is a game of give and take
They say that life- life is a game of give and take
I'm tellin' you one thing right now little baby
I won't be the one to pay for your mistakes"
(Bramhall, Vaughn)


Dirty Work is going on, and I do believe this is the end.
Dirty Work is going on, and I do believe this is the end.
You think you so wise, baby, there's gonna be some changes made.

I won't be checkin' up on you baby, I won't be listnen' on no extension line.
I won't be checkin' up on you baby, I won't be listnen' on no extension line.
I believe, little girl, I got better things to do with my time.
(Little Joe Blue)

When I first met you baby, you were wearing those cotton sack skirts
When I first met you baby, you were wearing those cotton sack skirts,
Now you got to the place baby, you just got to treat me like dirt.

And you so wrong woman
you just as wrong as two left shoes
You say you wanta leave
but you don't know where to go
(Buddy Guy)

Anti -Suicide Barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Golden Gate Bridge is a treasure. Now comes word that the the Golden Gate Bridge District is currently soliciting public input on whether to build a "suicide barrier" between the east-side walkway on California's greatest human-made landmark and the view of America's most beautiful city. You can send your comments to bridgecomments@goldengate.org.

I have a lot of doubts about the barrier. The Bridge is an Art Deco treasure and altering the visual aspect of the bridge is unusually sensitive, both from the bridge and looking at the bridge.

I also have doubts of the efficacy of the suicide barrier. I suspect that those bent on suicide will figure something out about beating the barrier or throw themselves from the Marin Headlands or Fort Point.

We'll be arguing this for years. Both sides will have hissy fits on TV while the TV reporters cheer and watch those ratings climb. Ugly won't do for the GGB. Oh Lord, lets have a contest to name the advocacy groups for both side with portentous and pretentious names and "high emotive" acronyms.

(And as the hookah smoking caterpillar sings, 'AEIOUaeiouAEIOUaeiouAEIOUaeiouAEIOUaeiouAEIOU)

***We take you to the parking lot of the Marina Safeway on a brilliant spring day where a modest 40 mph wind through the Golden Gate carries hats and small dogs toward old Fort Mason as ernest yuppies in designer 'active wear' either run by to Marina Green or go into the store intent on more than food.

"Hi there, my name is Rolfyboy, I represent NOLEAP, I wonder if you'd like to sign this petition about the Golden Gate Bridge? It's so people won't jump off the Bridge any more. No, no one in my family ever did... Well, SAME TO YOU Buddy."

"Hi there, my name is Rolfyboy, I represent NOLEAP, I wonder if you'd like to sign this petition about the Golden Gate Bridge? It's so people won't jump off the Bridge any more. Oh yeah, NOLEAP. N.O.L.E.A.P. NOLEAP. That's New Organization Leading to Excellent Adhoc Protection. NOLEAP. Can I get your signature here? It's really important Ma'am, I mean people jump every day and we need to stop them. Yes, I know they want to die. We're just trying to help Ma'am. No, honestly, we're not making it worse. Yes, people have freedom, we're just trying to make it not so easy to jump off the bridge. No I'm not interfering with people's right to die."

It's a wonderful place and a wonderful bridge. Don't expect anything anytime soon.

Hello

Welcome to my weblog about whatever I want to write about. I may change the focus of this in the future after I develop how this works and as I see demand or need.