“I am truly blessed by all the incredible opportunities I have had.” My life has been filled with amazing adventures; I can’t wait to see what happens next!” ~ Shakura S’Aida

My wife and I packed our bags. After the crazy year we’ve had so far we decided to run away. Well, at least for the day anyway… So we took a car ride in the country and visited some old stomping grounds where we used to camp and do some hiking.

Of course, when you’re taking a car ride in the country, tunes are a must!

It was several weeks ago while writing an article on the late Luther Allison’s recent commemorative CD/DVD Songs From The Road, that I happened to come across an artist called Shakura S’Aida. (pronounced Shack-oora Sigh-ee-da) Wow, was I ever impressed! The last performer I was unacquainted with that knocked me out like this was Joanne Shaw Taylor; coincidentally also signed with Ruf Records. That was almost one year ago during a similar drive.

As I plugged my MP3 player into the car stereo and hit play, I just knew my wife was going to be impressed when she got a taste of some Brown Sugar.

BROWN SUGAR

The funky vibe of Mr. Right sets the tone and is followed by the enticing groove Walk Out the Door. The contagious beat of Gonna Tell My Baby is very slick, and just when you thought it couldn’t get sweeter, the song Break Your Heart maintains Brown Sugar’s smoldering atmosphere.

My wife’s immediate reaction was, “She’s wonderful, sounds a lot like Etta James and Tina Turner.” Good ear, considering those are two of S’Aida influences.

Shakura S’Aida latest album was produced by Jim Gaines, the same mastermind who also worked on Shaw Taylor’s White Sugar. Gaines credentials include work with artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Santana, Steve Miller, Luther Allison and Lonnie Brooks just to name a few. Between the excellent writing, flawless production and extraordinary talent, it’s no wonder we were hooked.

Guitarist Donna Grantis collaborates with Shakura on eleven of the twelve cuts and provides alluring guitar chops throughout. There’s no doubt at all that there’s some great chemistry happening here.

SHAKURA S’AIDA

is a versatile Canadian blues/jazz, R&B and soul artist. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, but would move to Switzerland when she was eight years old. In the late seventies S’Aida’s family settled in Toronto. She began performing at a young age and after several gigs became lead singer in a thirteen piece world music band called Kaleefah; which would lead to a Juno nomination. She also worked as a backing vocalist for Rita MacNeil and Patti Labelle, as well as with jazz musicians such as Jimmy Smith and Ruth Brown.

S’Aida’s resume includes musical stage roles in productions such as “Ain’t Misbehavin” and “Momma, I Want to Sing.” She has performed in some of the most distinguished stages in the jazz world including the Apollo Theatre. Shakura was nominated four times as the Maple Blues “Female Vocalist of the Year” in addition to Entertainer of the Year in 2008.

She was also a second runner-up at the 2008 International Blues Challenge in Memphis where she competed against more than 160 bands from more than 20 different countries. It was at this event where Thomas Ruf and S’Aida met. Filling in for Candye Kane on Ruf’s Blues Caravan Tour 2008, Shakura was offered a record deal and Brown Sugar was the result…

MORE BROWN SUGAR

If you were ever thinking of a way to help with the crisis in Haiti, then the heart-rending fifth track “Angels on High” is available for download for only $1.00 by clicking here. Proceeds from each download go towards the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund Free The Children. In partnership with Partners In Health, Free The Children is working towards providing long term health care, education and relief to children affected by this terrible disaster.

One of my favorite tunes on the album is the upbeat Chasing the Sun. Cranking the volume for this one, the bright positive vibe had me playing this tune several times over. Between the bouncy and swinging Missing the Good and the Bad and the funky Sweet Spot, the car ride turned into one blues filled soulful trip. The last few tracks continue the albums’ tasteful pace and the Outskirts of Memphis is a solid blues groove that closes our delightful ride.

The uplifting and positive energy created on Brown Sugar acted as the soundtrack to our brief getaway. And even though we only pretended to run away, at that moment the music from this album made us forge ahead; allowing us to take our minds off some of the challenges that come along with everyday life.

One Week Later

I haven’t been able to stop playing this album. Even though it’s now a week after our drive, I continue to be impressed with what I hear. Shakura S’Aida is awesome and judging from this latest release, there’s no doubt she has a promising future ahead. I cannot recommend this one enough. Already released in Europe, Brown Sugar makes its debut April 13, 2010 in the U.S. and Canada. Do yourself a favor and put this album on your list.

So how do you feel? Did you enjoy any of the clips featured in this post? I’d love to hear your feedback on this one. Please leave your comments below. And if you enjoyed this article, share it with those you think will feel the same. It’s guaranteed to make them smile…

If you’re looking for latest concert info and any further information on Shakura S’Aida; you can find it by going to her website by clicking here.

The Blues Blogger

Happy 66th Birthday to music legend Johnny Winter. An incredible artist whose music continues to inspire us. Here’s one of my favorite articles that was featured last year… Make sure you add your comments at the end of the post!

Flashback Summer 1969

I recall it well… I was helping The Big F, my brother’s friend/roadie, bring in the gear from last night’s gig… My brother was in his glory admiring his latest acquisition; a red 1964 Gibson SG standard. Then the boys, as they usually did on Saturday afternoons, started to rehearse. This time they were inspired by some tunes they heard on the latest Johnny Winter album…

I hung out for a while and then decided to go to the store for some soda. So I took my bike and starting making my way down the sidewalk… I remember thinking how cool it was that I could still hear them playing Mean Mistreater halfway down the block… I got distracted by my next door neighbor, who said something I didn’t quite hear as I cycled by. I glanced back momentarily to acknowledge her, and then as I turned around, I cycled right into a tree. If that didn’t suck, I fell off my bike and broke my arm.

My neighbor ran to my house and after ringing the doorbell several times, she managed to finally get The Big F’s attention. I still remember that crazed look of concern on his face as he ran down the street telling people to get out of his way. Without hesitation, he picked me up like I was a football. And proceeded to run into the house and let everyone know what happened… Off I went to the hospital. Yes, I guess I ended the rehearsal prematurely that day… Oh well, life is hard sometimes. No wonder I love the blues so much.

Present Time

Today almost 40 years later, I reflected about this while recovering from my ridiculous dirt bike incident over a week ago… Reminiscing, I went downstairs into my gym closet. After a moment, I pulled out my personal copy of Johnny Winter’s 1969 LP. It had been a while since I listened to it, so I put the album on my turntable and converted it to digital. I then get the sound of the vinyl with the convenience of MP3. It helps get my creative mind in motion… I started a mild walk on the treadmill, did some stretching and listened once again as I got swept away in one of my many reflective vinyl moments.

Johnny Winter

was born in February 23 1944. Playing clarinet at the age of 5, Winter made his first television appearance at 10 years old playing ukulele and singing on a local children’s show with his brother Edgar.

He first recorded with his band Johnny and the Jammers when he was 15 and released the single School Day Blues, which became a local hit. Winter was further inspired at the time by the live performances of classic blues artists like Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Bobby Bland.

After a string of ventures throughout the sixties, Winter released his first album on Sonobeat Records called The Progressive Blues Experiment in 1968. On 1969’s self titled LP, Johnny Winter found himself backed by blues stars such Willie Dixon and “Big” Walter Horton on harp. As well as bass player Tommy Shannon, who would later get recognized as backing Stevie Ray Vaughan in Double Trouble.

The accomplishments and inspiration Johnny Winter has garnered is enormous. His life long dream of playing with Muddy Waters became reality in 1977 when he produced Muddy’s album Hard Again. The following year, he continued that success with Muddy’s I’m Ready, and then one final time in 1980 on King Bee. Together Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter’s partnership produced a number of Grammy Awards.

Winter performed at Woodstock, was on the cover of the first issue of Guitar World in 1980, and in 1988 was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame. And if that ain’t cool enough, he even jammed with Jimi Hendrix.

“Like Bloomfield’s band and the Blues Project, Johnny Winter pulled blues classics, like ‘Mean Mistreater’ and ‘When You Got A Good Friend,’ back into the mainstream of rock music and forced rock guitarists once again to pay attention to their musical heritage and draw from it.” ~Gene Santoro

Listening to this album again sort of gave me the shivers. It certainly will go down as the soundtrack to some of my broken bones…. All kidding aside, I love this record. There are some albums that act like a time machine, and this one took me way back. It contains some of the most genuine and memorable blues that I recall then and now.

Johnny Winter On Tour

Here is a brief itinerary of his latest schedule. Times and dates are subject to change, so make sure you double check.

MARCH 2010

Thu 03/04/10 Treviso, Italy New Age
Fri 03/05/10 Trezzo, Italy Live Station
Sat 03/06/10 Forli, Italy Naima
Sun 03/07/10 Rome, Italy Parco della Musica Auditorium
Wed 03/10/10 Monte Carlo, Monaco Moods
Fri 03/12/10 Abbeville, France Theatre
Sat 03/13/10 Terville, France Le 112
Sun 03/14/10 Lille, France Theatre Sebastopol
Mon 03/15/10 Paris, France Legend
Wed 03/17/10 Cleon, France La Traverse
Fri 03/19/10 Exeter, United Kingdom Exeter Phoenix
Sat 03/20/10 Frome, United Kingdom Cheese & Grain
Sun 03/21/10 Southampton, United Kingdom The Brook
Mon 03/22/10 Cardiff, United Kingdom The Globe
Wed 03/24/10 Zoetermeer, Netherlands Boerderij
Thu 03/25/10 Limbourg, Belgium Le Kursaal
Fri 03/26/10 Lessines, Belgium Culturel Centre

APRIL 2010

Thu 04/08/10 Pittsburgh, PA Diesel Club Lounge
Fri 04/09/10 Auburn Hills, MI Callahan’s
Sat 04/10/10 Akron, OH Tangier Restaurant & Cabaret

Sat 04/17/10 Appearing at “Wanee Festival”Widespread Panic \ The Allman Brothers Band Live Oak, FL Spirit Of The Suwannee Music Park

Wed 04/21/10 Hamilton, ON This Ain’t Hollywood
Thu 04/22/10 Peterborough, ON Showplace
Fri 04/23/10 Pembroke, ON Festival Hall
Sat 04/24/10 Montreal, QC Club Soda
Fri 04/30/10 Uncasville, CT Wolf Den

MAY 2010

Sat 05/01/10 Annapolis, MD Rams Head On Stage
Fri 05/14/10 Manaus, Brazil Studio 5
Sat 05/15/10 Brasilia, Brazil Centro De Convencoes Brasilia
Sun 05/16/10 Recife, Brazil Teatro Guarapapes
Thu 05/20/10 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Canecao
Fri 05/21/10 Belo Horizonte, Brazil Chevrolet Hall
Sat 05/22/10 Sao Paulo, Brazil Via Funchal

JUNE 2010

Fri 06/11/10 Biloxi, MS Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi
Fri 06/18/10 Houston, TX Wired Live

Sat 06/19/10 Appearing at “T-Bone Walker Blues Festival” Linden, TX Music City Texas Theatre

Sun 06/20/10 Dallas, TX Granada Theater
Wed 06/23/10 New York, NY B.B. King Blues Club
Thu 06/24/10 Foxboro, MA Showcase Live

Fri 06/25/10 Appearing with James Cotton (Superharp) Albany, NY Empire State Plaza Conv. Ctr.

During the Course of This Blog

I’ve featured some albums that were released in 1969. Johnny Winter’s self titled release came out almost 40 years ago to the date that I am writing this. If you’re unfamiliar I strongly suggest getting a copy of this. Sony Legacy re-issued this recording with five extra bonus tracks 5 years ago. It’s a great album for any fan old or new who wants a good dose of the blues from a true music legend. Just try not to hurt yourself when you listen.

This post represents only a small portion of Winter’s work. It’s impossible to cover the rich history and his contribution to the music world in just one blog post. Perhaps you can add your comments and help fill in some of the many gaps… Is there any Johnny Winter moments that comes to mind for you? Will you be checking out any of the shows listed above?

The Blues Blogger

On Sunday February 14th,2010 Magic Sam would have been 73 years old… The following is my memory of this blues legend.

FLASHBACK TO 1968

My family never spoke much, but you could always hear the tunes playing in the house. As a result, even though I was only eight years old in 1968, I developed an appreciation and love for music well beyond my years.

The Beatles, Stones, Monkees and The Byrds would be playing in my sister’s room. My father would play Krupa, Goodman and Frank Sinatra in the family room… However, the blues were the first audible sounds that I recall.

I shared a bedroom with my brother who was a musician. And he would play guitar all night every night until the wee hours in the morning. Since my days in the cradle like nursery rhymes, blues and jazz guitar licks were laced into my mind.

At the time, my brother was in a blues band. And my parents allowed him to rehearse with his friends in the basement on Saturday afternoons. There were other things I could have been doing, but I loved hanging out during rehearsal. They had a fully staged setup in that basement. This gave me the opportunity when no one was around to fool around with all the gear…

In the basement we also had a console turntable/sound system and my brother kept some specific vinyl records down there for rehearsals. I was forbidden to touch any of the LP’s or instruments. But I had trouble understanding this notion.

So whenever no one was around, I’d cue up the turntable, grab my brother’s guitar, sit down and plug his axe into his champ amp. One of the songs on an album in my brother’s collection caught my attention. The album is entitled West Side Soul and the song is called “All Your Love”. There was something about the song I found really cool… So I started to play.

Samuel Maghett

was born near Grenada, Mississippi, on February 14, 1937 into a sharecropping household. Even though his family had no musical background, the youthful Sam was intrigued by the sounds he heard playing at local parties and picnics.

He would create his own makeshift guitars from cigar boxes, and by the time his family relocated to Chicago in 1950, Sam was already quite proficient playing the guitar. Soon he began to play professionally, first with the gospel group The Morning View Special and then with the popular Homesick James Band.

Sam’s tone and finger-picking style was an entirely original concept when he premiered it on Eli Toscano’s Cobra label in 1957. The guitarist had been gigging as Good Rocking Sam, but Toscano wanted to change his nickname to something else. Eventually he would become known as Magic Sam; a play on words based on his real last name.

His Cobra debut single, “All Your Love,” was an instant local sensation. “Everything Gonna Be Alright” and “Easy Baby” borrowed much the same melody but still remained very powerful.

Cobra achieved local success, but they didn’t find much recognition outside of Chicago, and by 1960 the company closed its doors. After Cobra folded, Magic Sam didn’t follow musicians Otis Rush and Magic Slim over to Chess. Sam’s life took a different turn as he was drafted into the Army. Several weeks after being drafted, he deserted and returned to Chicago and recorded some tunes for the Chief label. The Army would eventually catch up with Magic Sam and sentenced him to a military prison. After 6 months he received a dishonorable discharge in 1961

Returning again to Chicago, he renewed his work with Willie Dixon and recorded a cover of “Hi Heel Sneakers” for CBS and a few selections for Crash Records. Sam grew tired of just releasing singles and wanted to do a full-length album.

In 1967 he finally caught the attention of Bob Koester owner of Delmark Records. Koester was enjoying the success he obtained with Junior Wells’ “Hoodoo Man Blues” and signed Magic Sam to a contract, giving him the opportunity to do his first album.

Magic Sam created two landmark albums for Delmark Records; 1967’s West Side Soul and then Black Magic the following year. Both of these LP’s showcased Sam’s immense talent and will go down as some of the finest blues ever recorded.

In the late sixties, Sam’s reputation was sky rocketing, and at the height of his career, he would amaze an overflowed crowd at the 1969 Ann Arbor Blues Festival. As he headed for international stardom, heart problems took their toll on Sam’s health, and an awesome talent and major inspiration was gone. Many years later in 1982 Magic Sam was honored by being inducted into The Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame.

West Side Soul will always be one of those albums that will hold a very special part of my early memories. It is an absolute must-own for anyone interested in the blues. Magic Sam knew how to blend all the right ingredients into one tasty soulful package.

Back In The Basement

I believe in my mind I came pretty close to nailing the song. It really didn’t matter, I wasn’t playing for anyone but my own imagination… And although at that moment, I wasn’t really interested in being a musician, something inside of me knew music was going to be a big part of my life.

How familiar are you with Magic Sam? Did you know that West Side Soul was recently re-released on vinyl? Please feel welcome to make any comments below.

The Blues Blogger

“Leave your ego, play the music, love the people.”
~Luther Allison

Even though we expect it at some point, it’s still never easy to say goodbye to those we love. Especially when that person plays such an important part in your life… The recent passing of a close family member has been sad, but if they ever thought I was being gloomy, I’d get my ass kicked… Not wanting to chance it, I decided to feature an artist, whose impeccable grace, creativity and spirit made it impossible to be glum.

After a two week writing absence, I stepped on the treadmill in my home gym and cued up Luther Allison’s Songs From The Road. The positive wave of musical energy that surges from this new release from Ruf Records is truly awesome! Listening to this during my routine workout, I kept thinking how thankful we should be for all the big-hearted souls who left us with such an enduring impression…

Luther Allison

was born August 17th 1939 in Widener, Arkansas. The fourteenth of fifteen children, Luther’s family migrated to Chicago in 1951. Getting a taste for the blues when he was 10, Allison was now taking in the sounds of artists like Muddy Waters and Sonny Boy Williamson. Luther went to school with Waters’ son and would sometimes stop by Muddy’s house to watch him rehearse. His big break came in 1957 when Waters invited him onto the stage.

Dropping out of school in 1957 he formed a band called The Rolling Stones, but was unhappy with the name. Now known as The Four Jivers, they played all over the West Side of Chicago. In no time Allison was jamming with greats like Magic Sam, Otis Rush, and Freddie King.

Allison recorded his first two songs as a solo act on the classic Delmark anthology Sweet Home Chicago. Afterward he got a headlining gig in 1969 at the prominent Ann Arbor Blues Festival which seriously raised his profile. Allison then released his debut album on Delmark Records called Love Me Mama.

As interest in the blues started to fade in the early seventies, Allison would find acceptance with European audiences and eventually settled down in Paris in 1977. While the crowds in Europe were gaining, his presence in the American music scene started to decline…

Thomas Ruf and friend of Luther’s left school in the eighties to become his promoter, and the label Ruf Records would eventually form. Luther was signed and would launch a major comeback in association with Alligator Records. Bruce Iglauer founder of Alligator convinced Allison to return to the States in 1994 and the album Soul Fixin’ Man was recorded and released. The record went on to win several WC Handy Awards (now known as The Blues Music Awards) further revitalizing Allison’s career.

Songs From The Road

The CD/DVD will be available in North America on February 9th, 2010. Filmed by The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation just four days before Luther Allison was diagnosed with terminal cancer, it features some extraordinary moments captured at The Montreal Jazz Festival on July 4, 1997. This represents Luther’s last live recorded performance.

(As a side note: One week later aware of his condition, Allison would give one last rousing performance when he took to the stage on July 10th,1997 in Madison Wisconsin and knocked everybody’s socks off.)

Stirring numbers like his 1996 Song of The Year “Cherry Red Wine” and “There Comes a Time”, “Serious”, “Will It Ever Change”, and the outstanding tune ”Living In The House of the Blues,” are just a few of the eleven tracks on the album… The DVD version of Songs From The Road show was edited into 56 minutes to fit a one hour television segment, and showcases seven of Allison’s most vibrant tunes from the CD.

Whether its Luther’s sizzling slide or blazing lead solos, he had a gift for engaging an audience and taking them along on his musical journey. Luther Allison’s courageous story and his amazing music presented on Songs From The Road is without a doubt medicine for the soul.

Whether your familiar with Luther’s incredible career or just discovering his essence for the first time, if you love the blues then Songs From The Road is a must own… For more detailed artist information and discography you can go to Luther Allison’s website by clicking here. And if you want to hear the Allison spirit flow through his son Bernard, you can go to Bernard Allison’s site by clicking here…

Now as my workout and post comes to a close, I’d like to turn it over to you… Are you familiar with Luther Allison? If you are, have you ever witnessed him in concert before? What are your impressions of this soulful blues legend? Your comments are welcome as usual…

The Blues Blogger

The persona of The Blues Blogger has allowed me to do a lot of soul searching and ponder aspects of my life in a way that was never possible before. It’s given me a canvas in which to express myself, and at the same time feature artists that have inspired and motivated me along the way…

Throughout the course of this blog, I always wanted to do an article on guitar legend Terry Kath… This weekend it will be 32 years (on Jan 23rd) since Kath tragically lost his life. And Sunday January 31st marks what would’ve been his 64th birthday, so the timing seemed right.

I could spend days thinking of the right words to express how talented and versatile an artist Kath was, but I’m going to let the music speak mostly for itself… I’m hoping this brief post gives those who remember, and perhaps others not so familiar, a taste of this man’s extraordinary work.

The First Ten Years of My Life

I grew up listening to my brother play guitar to a wide range of blues, jazz and rock tunes. He would practice endlessly into the night the grooves from albums he listened to earlier that day… On Saturday afternoons my brother’s band rehearsed in the basement of our house. I remember on several of those daze way back when they added 2 sax players and worked on some songs from Chicago Transit Authority‘s 1969 debut album.

For many people Terry Kath was one of the main focal points on that record and his finesse at one time even had Jimi Hendrix shaking his head in disbelief… Terry Kath’s incredible guitar work coupled with his distinctive style, tone and phrasing was simply remarkable.

Terry Kath

was born in Chicago on January 31, 1946. He began playing drums and at 10 years old switched to guitar; teaching himself by using his mother’s banjo. He gained inspiration playing along to records by The Ventures, and put together an instrumental group of his own, called The Mystics. After graduating high school, Kath met Walt Parazaider and Danny Seraphine while attending DePaul University and together formed The Missing Links. It was this band and The Big Thing that would later be known as The Chicago Transit Authority. Known for his scorching guitar solos and his astounding ability playing both rhythm and lead guitar, Kath was held in very high regard by many of his peers and inspired many guitarists along the way.

Terry Kath’s guitar playing and vocals continued to be heard on such signature Chicago hits as “25 or 6 to 4,” “Make Me Smile.” and “Wishing You Were Here.” Kath would appear on a total of 11 Chicago recordings from 1969 through 1977; all achieving at minimum a gold certification. Original band members Walter Parazaider, Danny Seraphine, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, Robert Lamm, Peter Cetera and Kath formed a group with a unique vision and the result was a diverse powerhouse that created, “a new rock sound with horns.”

As most people already know, the band shortened its name to Chicago for their second album and eventually became a pop ballad juggernaut. While they gained massive appeal, many of their fans went in a different direction after the loss of Kath. However for older music lovers and rock historians that first album has gone into the history books as a hugely creative, experimental and very musical piece of work on the same level as some of the best music ever produced in a debut effort.

Chicago Transit Authority or CTA was actually the first double LP I could call my own and a gift from my brother when he moved out of the room we had shared all our life… Over 40 years later this LP stands out as a major influence and also brings cool memories of growing up in changing times…

Terry Kath has played a huge significance in remembering moments from my past. Does Kath’s music play any significance in time for you? Do you have any favorite songs that strike a chord? If so I’d love to hear from you.

Please share this post with others you think may enjoy it. Let’s not forget this very important artist in music history. Your comments are always welcome…

Remembering the Times,

The Blues Blogger