The Blues Daily

Eric Bibb CD Preview

About.com Blues — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:40:59 +0000

It’s a story worthy of blues mythology…one night, a few years ago, noted blues guitarist Eric Bibb was approached by a fan after a London performance. Carrying a guitar case, the fan opened it up to reveal a vintage, 1930s-era Resophonic National steel guitar that once belonged to Mississippi Delta blues legend Booker T. “Bukka” White. Holding the famed instrument inspired a song, which Bibb later expanded into an entire album.

On January 26, 2010 Telarc Records will be releasing Booker’s Guitar, the album inspired by Bibb’s chance meeting with the fan in London. A fifteen-song collection that represents Bibb’s deep connection with the Delta blues, the album-opening title track was recorded in England, Bibb using White’s powerful guitar. The remainder of Booker’s Guitar was recorded in rural Ohio, with Bibb using his own personal instruments, but the other songs fuse perfectly with the English recording to create a masterful updating of the Mississippi Delta blues legacy.

“Holding the guitar that Booker White had played for so many years,” Bibb recalls in a press release for the album, “seeing his actual handwriting on a set list that had been taped to the side of the guitar - it all made me feel like the time was finally upon me to make a statement about my relationship with the Delta blues tradition. It was like a rite of passage, an initiation. I felt like this guitar finding its way to me was a signal that I had journeyed far enough to be able to make an honest tribute to the music of my heroes.”

I’ve heard this incredible album, and let me tell you, with Booker’s Guitar, Eric Bibb has released the first great blues album of 2010. Mark January 26th on your calendar, ’cause you’re going to want this one in your blues library!

Photo courtesy Telarc Records

Eric Bibb CD Preview originally appeared on About.com Blues on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 11:40:59.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Come out for raucus blues veterans, indie pop with a twang

Blues News — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:19:28 +0000

Genre-spanning Northern Californian artists Mark Matos and Os Beaches offer psych-pop songs with a melancholy country twang 8 p.m. Saturday at the Brown Lantern.

Peter Lang Needs Our Help!

About.com Blues — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:40:08 +0000

Guitarist Peter Lang is in trouble and he needs our help. One of the world’s foremost six-and-twelve-string fingerstyle guitarists, Lang has enjoyed a lengthy career, some 40 years, playing traditional music in the blues and folk vein. Influenced by artists like Mississippi John Hurt and Blind Boy Fuller, Lang originally recorded for John Fahey’s Takoma Records label (also home to Leo Kottke and Michael Bloomfield during the 1970s). Through the years, Lang has performed or recorded with heavyweights like Freddie King, John Hammond, the Butterfield Blues Band, and many others.

In May 2008, Lang was involved in an automobile accident that resulted in injuries requiring several surgeries, and has suffered a nerve impingement that may prevent him from playing his guitar again. Caught in a bureaucratic “catch 22,” Lang’s auto insurance company refuses to pay his medical expenses, considering his injuries to be “pre-existing,” while his health insurance company won’t pay, terming his injuries the result of the accident. Either way, Lang’s medical bills keep piling up, and Lang is unable to perform and thus support his family.

A fund has been set up to collect donations to help Lang’s short-term medical and living expenses, an attempt to get him back up on his feet and making a living. You can donate via the Lang Fund website, and in turn the guitarist has made six of his albums available for digital download as a way of saying “thanks.” It’s a win-win situation by any measure - your donation helps Lang and his family, and you’ll get to hear some great music.

Photo courtesy Peter Lang

Peter Lang Needs Our Help! originally appeared on About.com Blues on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 07:40:08.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Shaffer won’t dish on famous friends

Blues News — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:14:22 +0000

In music and comedy, timing is everything. Few would know that as well as late-night bandleader Paul Shaffer, whose charmed career took him from synagogue performances as a kid in northern Ontario to TV gigs backing comedy and musical greats including Bob Dylan, Gilda Radner, John Belushi, Ray Charles and David Letterman.

Boyes, Blessings and Blues

Blues News — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:56:02 +0000

Fiona Boyes, is not typical in any regard. She didn’t pick up the guitar until she was 27. She doesn’t fit into one clear category. She plays both acoustic and electric guitars with ease. A true blues conundrum, the sassy, brassy and bold Aussie was recently scrutinized by 1200 people for seven days upon Holland America’s Ms. veendam. The more the Blues Cruisers saw of her, the more they liked as she shared vignettes on song histories, personal encounters and her down home demeanor with the Blues Cruisers.

Married to “The Preacher-man, Steve Clarke, who acts as Manager, roadie, spouse and support, the pair energetically converts the masses, one by one into fans. Reminiscent of the Titanic, when the Musicians played upon deck, Fiona Boyes, Debbie Davies, Leon Blue, Lionel Young, Dave Kido, Kevin Stewart and a young harmonica player, Kyle Rowland, managed to ease the restless passengers upon hearing of a hurricane, and a cancellation of the scheduled ports of call. People packed into the crowded lounge, and then pulled up floor space, inducing the spirit of community.

Blues Images 2010 Calendar

About.com Blues — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:38:15 +0000

The Blues Images 2010 calendar is now available for purchase, and blues fans should be lining up with their hard-earned coin to grab a copy of this year’s edition. For those of you still in the dark about this super-cool and useful wall decoration, here’s the scoop - each month in the Blues Images calendar is accompanied by rare vintage advertising art from the 1920s that features a single blues artist and song.

For instance, January features long-forgotten art for Robert Wilkins’ “That’s No Way To Get Along” record, originally released by Brunswick Records in 1929. February is graced by art for Delta blues legend Charley Patton’s “High Water Everywhere,” and so on. The period art was created by the labels to advertise their “race records,” what they called blues music back in the 1920s, and much of it hasn’t been seen for almost 80 years until it was rescued by record collector and blues aficionado John Tefteller.

The Blues Images calendar includes important dates in blues history, such as artist’s birthdays and the date of their death, and also includes well-written commentary on each song represented by the accompanying artwork, as well as additional, smaller pictures of blues art in the date section of each month. If that wasn’t enough value for you cheapskates to cough up $19.95 for a calendar, Blues Images has included a free CD as well, with a booklet and tray card - you only need to supply a jewel case. The 2010 CD features a pair of rare songs from Blind Blake as well as stuff from Patton, Skip James, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and others. Eighteen songs total, one matching each month on the calendar, and six bonus tracks.

The story behind how this blues artwork was rescued and landed on an annual calendar is pretty interesting, and you can read all about it in my interview with publisher John Tefteller. And after you read that, support Blues Images and buy a calendar, will ya? It will make a fine addition to the wall of your favorite listening room, office, garage…or wherever you get your blues fix.

Photo courtesy Blues Images

Blues Images 2010 Calendar originally appeared on About.com Blues on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 10:38:15.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

PERFORMANCE/TOUR: Gov’t Mule | 10.31 | Philadelphia

Blues News — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:23:38 +0000

Images by: Jake Krolick & Allison Murphy Gov’t Mule :: 10.31.09 :: Tower Theater :: Philadelphia, PA Gov’t Mule :: 10.31 :: Philadelphia by Krolick Chaos from the previous evening had yet to be stuffed back into the hole that it crawled out from.

Ray, Goodman, And Brown: Special Lady

Blues Historian — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:01:00 +0000

Hmmm, I guess I am in an 80s mood. Check it out.

The Manhattans: Shinning Star

Blues Historian — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:48:00 +0000

Ah! The 1980s! Cool suits, Lip syncs! Still it was a great song.

Gladys Knight And The Pips: Neither One Of Us

Blues Historian — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:33:00 +0000

This is a cool clip of Gladys Knight and the Pips taken from a TV show.