JAMMiN' THE BLUES (1944) Now In HD

THiS MAY BE MY LAST TiME SiNGiNG - Raw African-American Gospel on 45 - 1957-1982

Tompkins Square Records @ Facebook // Twitter // OnLine // 

Willie Cotton - Stop Now ~ mp3

Elder Robert McMurray - Walk With Me ~ mp3

Prophet G Lusk - The Devil's Trying To Steal My Joy ~ mp3

With this straight up golden era,  hard,  raw,  local gospel collection ( all tracks collected from 45s ) Tompkins Square cements their footing as one of the coolest labels in the country ( yeah, there are still some record labels around that matter. ) 

 Just when you think it's all been mined, that America has given up the last Holy Ghost of gospel groups and testifying Deacons, along comes THiS MAY BE MY LAST TiME SiNGiNG - Raw African-American Gospel on 45 - 1957-1982.  It's a thrilling three-disc  collection that will knock out and rock out the hardcore fan, just as deeply as it will the virgin Gospel newcomer. 

It's exciting to me as a total music geek that we still have some record labels that you can trust to put out a quality product.  Tompkins Square Records is as well known  known for their gorgeous packaging design as they are for their release of Frank Fairfield albums,  a Polk Miller collection ( which I need! ), some acclaimed Charlie Louvin albums, and the amazing collection People Take Warning: Murder Ballads and Songs of Disaster 1913-1938, plus a bunch of other cool, eclectic stuff. 

This beautiful set includes an incredibly broad variety of  gospel styles within 72 tracks, a 23 page booklet that includes information about how the set was compiled, photos, and track by track annotation. What else could you want?

Do you find yourself sometimes needing
the healing power of serious gospel ? 

Go HERE and get some! 
Say Amen somebody. 

SEASiCK STEVE - TREASURES

The History Of Rock & Roll

I'm taking a college course called The History Of Rock & Roll.  

It's a lot tougher class than you'd think.  But also a treat. I'll be reading seven books over the semester. The first down was Robert Palmer's Deep Blues. 

It's the only one of the bunch I'd read before, but it had been at least ten years since I last read it. I discovered I should read it more often.  Some of my fellow students had complaints about the book, but they were all history majors, I believe.  

Anyway, I had to write a review about the book. 

I got a C+. Which i'm actually quite happy with.

But it's been drawn to my attention that historical writing is not Creative Writing and I need to tighten up. As my Professor said (approximately), 'writing papers for history classe should be seen as writing with your Sunday best on'.   
So I need to tone down the whateverthehellwordsalads and such.  
If you are interested in reading my semi-occasionally-akward sentences and blah-de-blah 
about the book Deep Blues you can take the jump to your pal April Fecca's blog,  
Now This Sound Is Brave.

You can get the movie HERE   
You can get the book HERE.

JERRY LEE LEWiS & SAM PHiLLiPS DiSCUSS RELiGiON

Thanks to Dr. Michael Butler for the tip!

mp3! 

The source of this recording is allegedly the October 6, 1957 session for Great Balls Of Fire. 

MERRY CHRiSTMAS from BROKE & HUNGRY RECORDS!

Coming soon on 7" Red Vinyl!

HOWLiN' WOLF on SHiNDiG!

"This is where the soul of man never dies." - Sam Phillips

Via NPR:

"In 1965, The Rolling Stones, fresh from England, appeared on the ABC TV show Shindig. They had one condition: Their idol, Howlin' Wolf, had to be there, too. Sure enough, he was. A hulking black eminence, he stood at the microphone in a dark suit, his huge head sweating as he stabbed the air with his finger, shaking his hips salaciously before a bevy of white go-go dancers. 

It's surely one of the most incongruous moments in American pop music. Music journalist Peter Guralnick, who says he reveres Howlin' Wolf, goes even further. He calls it one of the greatest cultural moments of the 20th century.

"What was so great about seeing Wolf on Shindig was it was in a sense reality imposing itself on this totally artificial setting," Guralnick says. "While I was a big fan of the Stones, it was altogether appropriate that they would be sitting at Wolf's feet. And that's what it represented. His music was not simply the foundation or the cornerstone; it was the most vital thing you could ever imagine."

BOYD and RUTH MAY RiVERS - Fire In My Bones via Lomax Archives

mp3

DOODLE THROWER and FRiENDS - Swing Low Sweet Chariot via Lomax Archives

SEASiCK STEVE - IT's A LONG LONG WAY

OLDS SLEEPER is more than Plainspoken.

 @ BandCamp // Facebook // MySpace // Blog // SoundCloud

Olds Sleeper, Yr man of unknownness and mysteries known, has a new collection of songs available via Cracker Swamp (home to Husky Burnette who plays slide on Lost Highway). Elements of Nebraska, Sparklehorse, and Jim White coalesce towards the distant light to form songs familiar, intriguing, challenging, lovely and strong.

$8 w/free bonus album and etc

BUD SPiRES - EASY RiDiN' BUGGY

NiMROD WORKMAN

WiKi // Drag City Records

FARiS & TERAKAFT

T-MODEL FORD at Nelsonville Music Festival

Nice to see T-Model rockin' that GravelRoad T-Shirt!

BONUS:

the ALABAMA SHAKES!

the Alabama Shakes are the best thing to come out of Alabama since Mike Cooley.

@ Facebook // @ BandCamp

THE SCiSSORMEN WiLL CUT YOU!

FELA KUTi & BAND - LiVE At GLASTONBURY - 1984

via legendary photographer
Glen E. Friedman's blog 

THE BLUES and GOSPEL TRAiN - Chorlton Railway Station - 1963

---> MR. SCOTT H. BiRAM - NEW RECORD---> Bad Ingredients <---October 11th!

Your man Scott Biram has himself a pretty wicked blues album coming out on OCTOBER 11th.

You may go HERE for a free mp3 of Don'tcha Lie To Me. 

Here's the seemingly immortal Scott's tour schedule. I feel sorry for those who havn't seen him live and I'm envious of those who are about to. I'd drive a couple of hours to see Scott play. A great entertainer, outstanding musician, he's one of our best:

Scott H. Biram Tour Dates

Sep 8—Nashville, TN @ The End
Sep 9—Huntington, WV @ V Club
Sep 10—Pittsburgh, PA@ The Smiling Moose
Sep 11—Erie, PA @ The Crooked i
Sep 12—Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
Sep 14—Rochester NY @ Bug Jar
Sep 15—Winooski, VT @ The Monkey House
Sep 16—Dover, NH @ Dover Brickhouse
Sep 17—Newport, RI @ Jimmy’s Saloon
Sep 18—Cambridge, MA @ TT The Bear's Place
Sep 19—New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
Sep 20—Brooklyn, NY @ The Rock Shop
Sep 21—Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Lanes
Sep 22—Washington, DC @ Black Cat Backstage
Sep 23—Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live Upstairs
Sep 24—Richmond, VA @ The Camel
Sep 25—Durham, NC @ Casbah
Sep 27—Charleston, SC @ The Charleston Pourhouse
Sep 28—Savannah, GA @ The Jinx
Sep 29—Atlanta, GA @ Star Bar
Sep 30—Birmingham, AL @ The Bottletree

Oct 1—Jackson, MS @ Duling Hall
Oct 2 – New Orleans, LA @ Chickie Wah Wah
Oct 3—Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon
Oct 5—Lafayette, LA @ Blue Moon Saloon
Oct 6—Houston, TX @ The Continental Club
Oct 7—Dallas, TX @ AllGood Café
Oct 8 —Austin, TX @ Continental Club +
Oct 14— Hunter, TX @ Riley’s Tavern +
Oct 27 —San Antonio, TX @ Sam’s Burger Joint +
Oct 28 —San Marcos, TX @ Triple Crown +
Oct 29—Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn +

Nov 5—Oklahoma City, OK @ VZD’s +
Nov 7—Denver, CO @ Bender’s Tavern +
Nov 8—Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Aspen +
Nov 10—Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge +
Nov 11—Alta, WY @ Trap Bar At Grand Targhee Resort +
Nov 12—Missoula, MT @ The Palace +
Nov 15—Vancouver, BC @ Media Club +
Nov 16—Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern +
Nov 17—Portland, OR @ Dante’s +
Nov 18—Arcata, CA @ Humboldt Brews +
Nov 19—San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill +
Nov 20—Los Angeles, CA @ The Satellite Club +
Nov 22—San Diego, CA @ Casbah +

Nov 23—Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room +
Nov 26—Austin, TX @ The Mohawk +

+ Record Release shows 

Hiram sez:

My SEPTEMBER EASTERN USA TOUR STARTS TOMORROW in Nashville, TN!!
(Part of this Eastern tour takes me across the South so keep an eye out for those dates on
www.scottbiram.com). Also after the East coast, and after a short down-time back in TX in
October, I'll be headed out on my 

NOVEMBER WESTERN USA TOUR. 

Joining me as support for the entire Western tour will be my old friend Joe Buck Yourself, and new friend Molly Gene One Whoaman Band... Please keep an eye on www.scottbiram.com as we add the November dates to the schedule...I'll have the new record with me on my West Coast tour. Sorry East coast, it's just not out yet, BUT I'll have LIMITED EDITION 7" VINYL SINGLES ON BOTH TOURS!! This includes one of the songs from the new record, "Hang Your Head & Cry" along with it's B-side studio outtake (not included on full length record), "Growing Old."  Get 'em while we still have them.

The Hendrix of The Sahara :: BOMBiNO! BOMBiNO! BOMBiNO!

@ Facebook // MySpace // Bandcamp // Cumbancha Records // iTunes // Amazon mp3 // CD // Vinyl

Omara "Bombino" Moctar belongs to the Tuareg people   ( known to themselves as Kel Tamasheq ),  a semi-nomadic people from the Sahel region of Africa, a desert swath that stretches across the whole of North Africa from the Atlantic to the Red Sea.  Bombino was raised in the city of Agadez, an important stop on the ancient trans-Sahara trade route.  During the regions Tuareg rebellions, rebel news was carried through the region via song so guitars were banned by the goverment.  Young Bombino traveled with his guitar to Algeria and Libya to escape the violence. While living there with family and friends he absorbed the videos of artists like Jimi Hendrix and Dire Straits. 

Sometime later his Group Bombino was recorded by Seattle-based found and field recordings label Sublime Frequencies, for it's Guitars From Agadez series.  Bombino disavows these recordings, but I find them to be thrilling and just as satisfying as his new studio recording Agadez.  The Group Bombino recording is raw, with the sound of a good quality field recording, which is what it is.  The performances, however, carry the crisp immediate edge of a Sahel desert-style post-punk clash with the late night soul of North Mississippi's juke deep grooves. 

One can imagine Bombino, head and face wapped in a Tamasheq scarf, a young Tuareg blasting away the dark nights bright stars with arid Jimi'd guitar shards as his band and friends rock and groove the Saharan sky away to dawn.

 

The performances on Bombino's new recording Agadez are, to the contrary, smooth, refined, and often laid-back, but certainly no less powerful, rocking, and groove-a-licious.   The recording quality is gorgeous, and Bombino and his band bring a variety of song styles to the sessions, from plaintive guitar and singer pieces with simple clapping and backup vocals for accompaniment, to trance-like polyrhythmic jams, no doubt influenced by local/regional artists like Ali Farke Toure and his son Vieux Farke Toure, and of course Tinariwen, and others. But Bombino brings his own vibe deeply filtered by the desert sand and ancient city streets of Agadez.

( You should know there is one other Bombino album out there called Agamgam that makes a nice bridge between the two. )

Listen, if you've been wanting to try out some of the New Desert Blues, the new Africa sound, but don't know where to start: Bombino's Agadez is the album to get. It's tasteful, hot, daring, smooth, tight and deep, and it's one of the top audio highlights of the year.

There's a wealth of cool North African stuff out these days that you should be checking out: Tinariwen, Toumast, Tamikrest, Group Doueh, Tartit, Mariem Hassan, Group Inerane,Terakaft, Staff Benda Bilili, and several others. Not to mention the guys working a hybrid, like Marcus James and Justin Adams. Click the names for a taste.

  

If you want a much deeper roll in the Sahel, pick up Bombino's Agadez, and The Rough Guide To Desert Blues (various artists). With tracks from four to nine minutes, put 'em on loud and random, let your western ears acclimate, and get your booty leg shakin'.

MOLLY GENE One Whoaman Band - Stick Shift!

FRANK "SUGAR CHiLE" ROBiNSON

Info @ WiKi

CUBAN HEELS - Gritbag

@ Bandcamp // Cool Buzz Records // MySpace

 As far as I can tell these guys hail from Bristol, England. The bio info is lacking, dudes. You're too good to let that slide.  
That said, I appreciate that this is The Cuban Heels auto-tweet message:  omg best album ever  because they ain't half wrong. 

This is one of the bonuses of the popularity of The Black Keys and White Stripes ( not that I equate the two. Between the 'Stones and the Beatles, I'd pick the 'Stones .)  Bands are feeling that blues and soul groove again. Hell, even the BKs use a bass player, now. We've been, to a large extent, grooveless since punk rock.  Sure that's overstating a bit but to a large extent The BKs brought the groove back.  The Stripes brought back a bit of the world boogie blues abandon that we hadn't hardly had since Nirvana. Little Walter, Otis Redding, Howlin' Wolf, and Muddy Waters, is their base and they bring a punk rock energy to hard blues without insulting either genre.

Bands like The Cuban Heels, The Bonnevilles, Mudlow, Collard Greens and Gravy, and others are administering the soul vaccination that the foremothers, fathers, sisters and brothers delivered. Each of these bands is making an almost noir kind of Blues. It's shadowy and dark, stylish, smart, and grimey. Just the way I like it. The Cuban Heels are Dirty Sexy Pub Soul Blues.  Put 'em on:

Cuban Heels - Believe I'm Goin' Down: mp3

Cuban Heels - Over The Moon : mp3

Like I said, I don't know much about The Cuban Heels butI do know they get down.  If the label gives me a holler i'll happily repost additional info. If you want yr soul power rockin', you gotta check out The Cuban Heels:

HUSKY BURNETTE in Saint Augustine FL @ Ann O'Malley's 08.28.11

A couple weeks ago I had the honor and pleasure of sitting in on drums for Husky Burnette for two nights. Joining us for a few songs on Saturday night was Philip Westfal on Banjo Cello.  Philip works for Goldtone Banjos down the road a piece in Titusville, FL. Philip and his lovely wife Katie ( who shot the video for me) had seen Husky play in Orlando ( Philip was on the bill too, along with the one-man band, Lone Wolf ) and decided to come to Saint Arrrgustine for the weekend to hang and see the show. It was a fantastic weekend of music that left me happily drained. It was made even better by having some old friends in the crowd that I hadn't seen in ages. I need to play gigs like that more often. Thanks guys!

ERNEST RODGERS VS HALF PiNT JAXON ~ WiLLiE THE CHiMNEY SWEEPER VS WiLLiE THE WEEPER

I originally posted this several months ago. But I was reading an article by Nick Tosches this week (thx April Fecca) and Tosches mentioned that this is the first opium song. As opposed to "reefer" song, as I reported in my original post below. Splittin' hairs I suppose but if you can't be trusted with the small details you can't trusted with the big ones. So there you go.

MP3s of both songs below. Enjoy.

Archive.org says:
"Recorded in 1927. This same tune was recorded at about the same time by Frankie "Half Pint" Jaxon, well known at the time for his tunes full of innuendo (not to mention his parallel career as a female impersonator), as "Willie The Weeper." These tunes may be the earliest known "reefer" tunes in American popular culture (with the exception of "La Cucaracha").

The references to "smoking pills" in these "Willie" tunes isn't that strange when it is taken into consideration that drug vernacular at the time referred to balls of opium as "pills." Ernest Rodgers was a "citybilly" type who also was an established journalist in Atlanta."

Ernest Rodgers ~ Willie The Chimney Sweeper - mp3 
Frankie "Halfpint" Jaxon ~ Willie The Weeper - mp3