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New York City’s premier jazz venue got the blues last April when Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton performed together in Rose Theater at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center for two sold-out shows dedicated to vintage blues. The extraordinary collaboration, billed as Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton Play the Blues, paired these musical virtuosos with members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra as they brought to life a repertoire of songs selected by Clapton and arranged by Marsalis.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Review

Some artists reach a point in their careers where you feel they have nothing left to prove. Wynton Marsalis has earned every accolade in the jazz world-nine Grammys in Jazz and classical music, and the first Jazz musician to win a Pulitzer prize for music (“Blood on the Field”}. Eric Clapton, of course, has been one of the top guitar gods for nearly five decades. Both of these accomplished musicians could coast at this point- something they have been criticized for in recent years. For this performance, live at Lincoln Center in April 2011, they made a bit of musical history.

When Marsalis and Clapton decided on this project, they went after the sound of an early jump-blues band with a New Orleans vibe. This enabled the duo to give themselves latitude in instrumentation. The band is based on King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band (where Louis Armstrong first gained fame), but with the addition of guitar and keyboards. This culminated in a sound respecting Trad Jazz while acknowledging the music of today.

The disc’s opener, “Ice Cream” shows the group having a ball. Several members, including Marsalis sing the chorus in a fun fashion backing Clapton’s lead vocal. In true Dixieland fashion, solos seamlessly follow each other. Victor Goines plays a lovely clarinet solo in “Joe Turner’s Blues”, followed by a very nimble Clapton. Hearing him in a Jazz setting is a real treat. The great Don Vappie plays some of the best banjo this side of Bela Fleck.

After “Kidman Blues”, Clapton engages the audience rather humbly, telling how intimidated he was by so many schooled Jazz musicians. Clearly, he is the star of this show, and his playing is a perfect fit with the Marsalis band.

Reading the set list: do we need another “Layla”? This track is probably the biggest surprise on a disc filled with them. Clapton didn’t plan on adding “Layla” to the show, but bass player Carlos Henriquez was insistent. Marsalis, Clapton and Goines all play engaging solos, and Clapton’s voice just gets better with age. Along with pianist Dan Nimmer, long time Clapton collaborator Chris Stainton adds keyboards throughout the concert.

Taj Mahal is a surprise guest vocalist on the gospel standard “Just a Closer Walk With Thee”. He also guests on “Corrine, Corrina”- a bonus track not included on the CD. Here he gets to show his considerable skills on the 5-string banjo, followed by Clapton, Marsalis and second trumpeter Marcus Printup. Stainton is featured on electric piano (this guy does not age).

Jazz at Lincoln Center is one of the most successful music projects to be recorded in recent years. Kudos to producers Marsalis, Clapton and Ashley Schiff Ramos for a great recording and to director Martyn Atkins for a fine DVD. – r.j. zurek, Amazon.Com Customer Review

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THE BLEEDING HILLS
A Novel by Wilfried F. Voss

I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith.
- 2 Timothy iv. 7

The Irish War is officially a part of history, but not for Finnean Whelan, an IRA veteran of almost 40 years. British Intelligence has produced evidence that he is the mastermind behind a conspiracy to assassinate the First Minister of Northern Ireland. For Whelan this is not only a mission of revenge, but marks the beginning of a journey into the past and the return to the one true love: Ireland. [More...]

The Bleeding Hills is available at Amazon.Com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Nobel, and any other good bookstore.

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Hugh Laurie will release his debut album ‘Let Them Talk’ on Warner Bros. Records. A glorious celebration of New Orleans blues, ‘Let Them Talk’ unites Laurie’s musical talent with a very personal selection of standards and lost blues classics performed with his band of renowned musicians and some very special guest stars. Produced by Joe Henry and recorded at sessions in Los Angeles and New Orleans, ‘Let Them Talk’ sees Laurie on vocals and piano heading a team of musicians whose previous collective credits include work with artists as varied as Greg Allman, Solomon Burke, Robert Plant, kd lang, T-Bone Burnett, Alison Krause and John Legend. Together, they interpret and revive songs originally recorded by NOLA blues legends such as Lead Belly, Robert Johnson, Ray Charles and Memphis Slim. ‘Let Them Talk’ also features collaborations with the Soul Queen of New Orleans Irma Thomas and Sir Tom Jones on the little known ‘Baby, please Make A Change’. Thomas also leads the vocals on ‘John Henry’, while Laurie’s lifelong hero Dr. John provides a momentous collaboration on ‘After You’ve Gone’. Another legend, the producer, musician and songwriter Allen Toussaint, contributes horn arrangements throughout.

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Review

I was able to purchase this in a store before it was made available on Amazon. I have to admit that my expectations weren’t high although I am a huge fan of Hugh Laurie. So I was surprised by the strong points of this one…and there ARE indeed some very solid aspects to this CD.

But first…the largest objection… Laurie’s voice. Admittedly, it won’t be to everyone’s taste but I found it to have an emotional depth that surprised me. As Laurie himself notes in the liner notes, “why listen to an actor’s music?” He doesn’t pretend to be anything other than “a white, middle-class Englishman” one who is “openly trespassing on the music and myth of the American south.” So there you have it. He clearly loves the music and is trying to share his pleasure with listeners. I think he succeeds.

But what about the music? As soon as I heard the intro to “St James Infirmary” I was hooked. The intro is deep and resonant, nicely arranged and conducted by Allen Toussaint. Whether you like Laurie’s voice or not, the horn arrangements by Allen Toussaint on this CD (St James Infirmary, Tipitina and Buddy Bolden’s Blues) are breath-taking.

Then there are special guests such as Irma Thomas, Dr. John, Brian “Breeze” Cayolle, and Sir Tom Jones. If for no other reason, their vocals, Toussaint’s involvement, and Cayolle’s sax playing make this one worth buying.

But I think Laurie himself is also worth purchasing the CD. He deserves credit for making a bold move and throwing himself wholeheartedly into this compilation. While other reviewers have complained about his voice, I don’t find it distracting. There is so much more to the CD than just “an actor’s music.” Give it a try and see for yourself. – K. Corn, Amazon.Com Customer Review

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THE BLEEDING HILLS
A Novel by Wilfried F. Voss

I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith.
- 2 Timothy iv. 7

The Irish War is officially a part of history, but not for Finnean Whelan, an IRA veteran of almost 40 years. British Intelligence has produced evidence that he is the mastermind behind a conspiracy to assassinate the First Minister of Northern Ireland. For Whelan this is not only a mission of revenge, but marks the beginning of a journey into the past and the return to the one true love: Ireland. [More...]

The Bleeding Hills is available at Amazon.Com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Nobel, and any other good bookstore.

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Revelator is the long-awaited, song-oriented debut album by the husband-wife team of singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi and guitarist Derek Trucks. Filled with smoky, blues-dipped rockers and heart-stilling ballads that show off, respectively, the gutsier and softer side of Tedeschi’s vocal ability, plus a series of emotive, story-telling solos shaped by Trucks’s uncanny agility on slide-guitar, Revelator also serves to introduce the couple s new, 11-piece ensemble Tedeschi Trucks Band.

A dramatic leap forward for two of the music world’s most dynamic performers, Revelator is a confident yet unforced triumph offering a cohesive vision: an idyllic, musical world in which the echoes of so many great traditions Delta blues and Memphis soul, Sixties rock and Seventies funk organically flow together, blending with an entirely original, modern sensibility.

In addition to the combined weight of Tedeschi and Trucks’s equally renowned abilities, Revelator benefits from an impressive circle of talent that the two brought together. Trucks co-produced the album with multi-Grammy-winning engineer Jim Scott, whose genre-bending credits include popular albums by the Dixie Chicks, Johnny Cash, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Both Tedeschi and Trucks co-wrote the album’s twelve new songs with an impressive list of experienced songwriters, including Jeff Trott, John Leventhal, David Ryan Harris and Sonya Kitchell; Gary Louris and Oliver Wood of the Jayhawks and the Wood Brothers, respectively; and old friends like guitarists Doyle Bramhall II and Eric Krasno (of Soulive), and band members Mike Mattison, Kofi Burbridge and Oteil Burbridge.

Most notably, Revelator features the newly formed Tedeschi Trucks Band, an eleven-member ensemble overflowing with talent and musical familiarity. Brothers Oteil Burbridge (noted for his years as bassist with the Allman Brothers Band) and Kofi Burbridge (longtime keyboardist/flutist with The Derek Trucks Band) have joined forces with a pair of drummers J. J. Johnson and Tyler Greenwell, trumpeter Maurice Brown, tenor saxophonist Kebbi Williams, trombonist Saunders Sermons, and harmony singers Mark Rivers and Mike Mattison. (Additionally, Ryan Shaw and David Ryan Harris supplied harmony vocals to various tracks on the album, and Alam Khan adds his masterful sarod playing to “These Walls”.) The fact that this aggregation includes so many musicians related by experience and blood clearly adds to the notion of Revelator as a true group album, the product of a musical family.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Review

As a fan of both Derek and Susan I was a bit dubious about them combining their individual bands into this extended 11-piece band. However, from the first track “Come See About Me” they hit the ground running – starting out with an acoustic slide intro before settling down into a blues-funk groove featuring Susan’s wonderful vocals, Derek’s peerless slide guitar and Kofi Burbridge on clavinet. The rest of the CD is of a similar high standard, with great songs, marvelous playing that is full of emotion but is also very subtle. The large line up is used wisely, the album doesn’t feature the full band on every track and there is lots of space but the different elements add variety when necessary.

Although there are obviously similarities with both Derek and Susan’s previous work, they have collaborated with others such as Jeff Trott, John Leventhal, David Ryan Harris, Sonya Kitchell, Oliver Wood, the Jayhawks’ Gary Louris and Soulive’s Eric Krasno to bring in some outside influences to the songwriting. Nevertheless, Mike Mattison’s “Midnight in Harlem” (as featured in Clapton’s Crossroads DVD) is one of the best songs here. The record was recorded in Derek and Susan’s home studio in Florida and sounds great, it’s also possibly the reason that Susan sounds so relaxed. I think that up to now she has never made an album that has really shown her true potential but I think that this one definitely does – she goes from a whisper to a scream and really sells every song, an outstanding vocal performance.

The album is so consistently good that I find it hard to pick a favourite track, although “Midnight in Harlem” is right up there, as is the restrained “These Walls” where Derek’s guitar counterpoints Alam Khan’s sarod. I also really like “Learn How To Love” – one the album’s most bluesy tracks – and also the slow soul burner “Until You Remember”, with beautiful restrained brass and Stax-style backing. There isn’t as much of Derek’s guitar on this album as on his own band records but his contributions are, as ever, absolutely superb- lyrical and sinuous but with real bite. My one regret about the album is that the wonderful singer Mike Mattison is relegated to a backing vocalist, surely they could have let him sing lead on one track? I’m really looking forward to seeing the band in the UK at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire at the end of June! – G. E. Harrison, Amazon.Com Customer Review

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Vampire Ascending

by Lorelei Bell

Sabrina Strong is a Touch Clairvoyant who knows a secret. She knows her mother was turned into a vampire when Sabrina was ten. Now that she is grown up, a powerful magnate in the Chicago business world hires her to reveal the identity of who relentlessly murders vampires in his ultra-modern stronghold of a hotel. [Read More...] – Including an excerpt of the first chapter.

Vampire Ascending is now available at Amazon.Com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Noble, and any other good bookstore.

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Gregg Allman’s first solo album in 14 years was produced by T Bone Burnett and features 11 covers of songs from legendary bluesmen Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, B.B. King, Bobby Bland, Sleepy John Estes, and many more, PLUS an original song written by Gregg and the Allman Brothers’ Warren Haynes called “Just Another Rider.” Gregg’s backing band on the album includes Dr. John on piano, Doyle Bramhall II on guitar, and the incomparable rhythm section of bassist Dennis Crouch and drummer Jay Bellerose (from Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’s multiple Grammy-winning `Raising Sand’ album).

Review

In the liner notes for “Low country blues”, Robert Gordon writes “A river runs through the blues, and Gregg Allman continues to navigate it. This album deposits Gregg at a fresh place on the bank. He’s a traveler, sometimes riding with the current, swimming upstream when he prefers”.

This new release is proof of the success of Gregg’s journey. When I received my copy of “Low country”, I sat uninterrupted through all twelve tracks. Twice. Some musical projects are memorable for well written songs, thoughtful sequencing and great instrumentation. Others are so complete, so satisfying that you just don’t want to listen to anything else for a while. “Low country” falls into the latter category.

Ace producer T-bone Burnett is also responsible for B.B. King’s latest, the wonderful “One kind favor”.That disc kicks off with a very dark version of Blind Lemon Jefferson’s “See that my grave is kept clean”. The opener for this disc, Sleepy John Estes’ “Floating Bridge” is a song similar in format, but where “Favor” is a plea, “Bridge” is a bitter recollection. Both songs, and on both cds, the presence of Dr. John’s masterful piano is as important as that of the stars.

“Little by little” is a Junior Wells staple that starts off with a funky B-3 intro by Gregg, then features more of the good Doctor with great guitar fills by Doyle Bramhall II. “Devil got my woman” shows Burnett’s greatest strength as a roots music producer- the ability to take a Skip James song from the 1930′s and remake it in 2011-without sacrificing any integrity. Gregg’s vocals are almost ethereal, with dual guitar interplay between Bramhall and Colin Linden on Dobro.

“I can’t be satisfied” is one of Muddy Waters’ most beloved compositions, and Gregg and company do this song justice while showcasing the groove created by drummer Jay Belrose and bassist Dennis Crouch.

“Blind man” is the first appearance on the disc of trumpeter Darrell Leonard’s horn section. Leonard has been recording for years with tenor sax player Joe Sublett as the Texacali Horns. Here they’re augmented by Lester Lovitt and Daniel Fornero on trumpet with Thomas Peterson and Jim Thompson on baritone and tenor sax. The horns appear on five other tracks giving the disc a powerful classic r&b punch, especially on B.B. King’s “Please accept my love”.

The sole original on the disc, “Just another rider” was co-written with Gregg’s partner in the Allman Brothers, guitar master Warren Haynes. Very reminiscent of another Allman/Haynes collaboration, “The high cost of low living”(from the Brothers’ 2003 “Hittin’ the note”), the song seems to address the same protagonist as the earlier track. On “High cost”, Gregg admonishes “using up all your good friends” and on “Rider”, you can almost see him shake his head as he sighs “seems like a long time- since you had any peace of mind”.

“I believe I’ll go back home” is an old public domain number with Mike Compton adding mandolin to the mix, while Magic Sam’s “My love is your love”is enhanced by the beautiful female chorus arranged by Bill Maxwell. The closing traditional, “Rolling Stone” is one of the many highlights, again featuring Colin Linden’s Dobro in a soft acoustic jam.

This fine recording belongs to T-bone as much as it does to Gregg. Production is excellent and choice of musicians couldn’t be better. Gregg set out to make a recording he could be proud of. With “Low country blues”, he just may have made the album of his life. - Amazon Customer Review

Besides selling 40 million albums and winning 9 Grammys in less than 10 years, over the years Norah Jones has collaborated with dozens and dozens of artists from across the spectrum of music. This album collects Norah’s favorite collaborations from 2001-2010 into one amazing collection: legends like Ray Charles, Willie Nelson and Herbie Hancock, rock artists ranging from Foo Fighters to Ryan Adams to Belle and Sebastian, hip hop luminaries OutKast, Q-Tip and Talib Kweli. No matter the genre however, Norah’s enchanting voice is the common denominator and while the partners are varied, she ends up owning every song and this album is a wonderful collection that holds together brilliantly. The album is a testament to Norah’s status as one of the most in-demand and tasteful musical connectors in music.

Review

A generous, well-oiled – though incomplete – sampling of Norah Jones’ non-album collaborations with her colleagues, “Featuring Norah Jones” is an excellent compilation of wonderful work from the past decade. For fans of Jones who did not realize the great frequency with which she works as a guest and session musician – or lacked the wherewithal to hunt each individual track down – this disc is ideal.

There is quite a diverse array of artists on the disc – from Twalib Kali to Dolly Parton to Outkast – which might lead some to worry that “Featuring Norah Jones” sounds like a bunch of songs thrown together disjointedly. Fortunately, the tracks are sequenced in a way that not only feels natural, ideal for straight-through play, but that highlights Jones’ versatility. She is an intriguing, deceivingly simple talent, and a fascinating common denominator.

A few tracks actually predate her “Come Away With Me” success, including the best track here – and still one of the best Jones has ever recorded – “More Than This,” a collaboration with the exquisitely talented jazz musician Charlie Parker from his 2001 release “Songs from the Analog Playground.” The Roxy Music cover is blissful, elegant and everlasting in its arrangement, continuing to sound fresh, and Jones’ emphatic, less-is-more vocal approach is instantly memorable. It is a track to savor.

The Grammy-winning “Here We Go Again” with the late Ray Charles is a slinky, R&B-flavored treat, even though it could have garnered a Grammy no matter how they arranged it. Tracks with Herbie Hancock and the Foo Fighters are also easy on the ears.

Jones’ country leanings show her wide artistic pallete, but they are rather reigned in as opposed to dour, so they can be enjoyed by those listeners who prefer her cocktail jazz stylings. She harmonizes heavenly with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings on “Loretta” and waxes poetic with Ryan Adams on “Dear John,” a 2005 collaboration from Adams’ startlingly executed “Jacksonville City Nights” album. The results sound seamless, clearly the result of great labor and attention to detail. “Creepin’ In,” a folksy, lighthearted duet with Dolly Parton is the only track to repeat from a Norah Jones release.

Elsewhere, Willie Nelson oozes charm with Jones on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” a Q-Tip and Outkast collaborate to produce cool, trippy sounds on “Life is Better” and “Take Off Your Cool,” respectively.

A sprawling, nicely woven collection, “Featuring Norah Jones” is everything it promises to be and more. Nicely complimenting her solo work, it entertains while affirming Jones’ post-”Don’t Know Why” worth. – Rudy Palma, Amazon Review

Great Ladies of Jazz is a very solid CD that features some really great songs performed by some of the very best female jazz singers ever. The quality of the sound is fantastic; and the artwork is very well done as well.

“It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” is a live track of the great Ella Fitzgerald, the First Lady Of Song; and Ella swings this out like the pro she always was! The piano arrangement is stunning and Ella really throws herself into this number. If you listen it’s immediately apparent that Ella enjoyed a great rapport with her audience, too–she usually did! Ella was the best of them! Ella returns for “Our Love Is Here To Stay;” I love that horn treatment and the overall musical arrangement works wonders for “Our Love Is Here To Stay.” I love it! Ella’s voice is in excellent form; it’s rich, warm and extremely vibrant. Great!

Listen also for the great Billie Holiday to perform a sublime rendition of “Come Rain Or Come Shine.” Billie sounds more mature on this recording; but make no mistake about it–her voice is still in excellent form. Billie’s uncanny sense of timing and her excellent diction bolster her ability to sing this ballad with panache, heart and all her soul. In addition, Billie’s treatment of “God Bless The Child” strikes me as being especially pretty and moving; Billie Holiday was always one of my very favorite female vocalists and just one listen to this will tell you why! “Ain’t Misbehavin’” by Dinah Washington features Dinah squarely front and center–and that’s where she belongs! The big band arrangement enhances “Ain’t Misbehavin’;” this Fats Waller tune shines brightly when the great Dinah Washington delivers it flawlessly.

Sarah Vaughan sings “‘S Wonderful” with her usual style and grace; and the horn stands out in the music that accompanies her fine singing! “‘S Wonderful” by Sarah Vaughan is easily a major highlight of this album. Listen for Sarah a second time around as she performs “Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off” with yet another big band arrangement. Sarah’s voice is clear as a bell and her voice is very rich and full.

“Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?” gets a fine jazzy interpretation from Abbey Lincoln; Abbey’s voice sounds better than ever and this Depression era ballad is greatly enhanced by Abbey’s interpretation. The CD even ends strong with Shirley Horn delivering “I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good” flawlessly; the piano arrangement is very elegant as well.
Shirley does this one up right!

Fans of the great female vocalists on this album are bound to want this CD in their collections. This CD oozes good taste and class and it’s bound to be available for sale for quite some while to come. – Matthew G. Sherwin, Amazon Review

After decades of paying dues, Buddy Guy has emerged as the most heralded bluesman of his generation, a hugely influential guitarist and passionate, dynamic live performer. But Buddy started as a sideman, and toiled in the Chicago clubs for a decade before beginning his march to worldwide fame.

Living Proof is the 2010 album from the legendary Blues guitarist, featuring guest appearances from B.B. King and Carlos Santana.

Reviews

This triumphant album opens with the song “74 Years Young.” The song begins quietly as Buddy looks back at his life. But when he hits the bridge he lays down a savage guitar solo that: a) owes as much to Link Wray as it does to the blues and b) displays what 74 years young really means. This song is followed by another autobiographical song where he tells the story of his early life in Louisiana where, as a child, he taught himself to play a two-string guitar. Again, a blistering lead is the musical centerpiece. Track three, “On The Road” is a more “conventional” blues work-up, horns and all. Another fantastic track, where, after the fade at the end, one can hear a band-member saying “Yeah” in appreciation. Track four is the duet with B.B. King. It’s pure magic. And the coda, where Buddy and B.B. speak to one another, is just about as moving a moment as one can find in recorded music. In the duet with Carlos Santana, Buddy shows he can do Latin rhythms side-by-side with the master. And so it goes for an hour or so, one great track after another.

Frankly, I can find possibly only one track, “Too Soon” that might be just a tad too tame or formulaic. But this is followed by the terrific final fours songs on the album, which include “Let The Door Hit Ya” and “Guess What” (both with Buddy in full sexual swagger). So one possibly formulaic song in an hour’s worth of new music is a something I will take any day of the week.

An argument could be mounted that this is Buddy’s career defining album. At 74, his skills are still intact and he remains a consummate songwriter, with something new to offer, both in his lyrics and certainly in his music.** It is kind of a wonder that people like Buddy, and the lesser know and somewhat older Hubert Sumlin, can still excite you with high level performances.

The production, at least on the vinyl pressing, is outstanding. I don’t know if, or how much, compression will appear on the CD, but this is an album that was clearly recorded pretty much live in the studio, with probably few, if any, overdubs; so the sound is organic and real. Consequently, it benefits from being heard in the analog domain of vinyl. Plus, the vinyl may end up being some sort of collector’s item as all the music appears on the first three sides leaving the fourth side blank so it can be devoted to a really cool etching in the vinyl of a portion of the guitar on the back of the LP cover. My only complaint about the vinyl release is there are no liner notes to show songwriting credits, song personnel, etc. But, at this price, for a double LP which is a very quiet pressing, this is a very small complaint.

The pre-release rumors here in Chicago were: “You got to hear this one when it comes out.” Boy, were the rumors right!

** 10/24/10 At the time I wrote this review, as indicated above, I was without songwriting credit. Now that I have learned the songwriting credits, this sentence requires modification. Buddy shares songwriting credit on five of the twelve tracks on this album with drummer/producer, Tom Hambridge. On six of the seven the remaining tracks, Hambridge shares songwriting credit with either Gary Nicholson or Richard Fleming (Who also receives songwriting credit on two of the Guy/Hambridge compositions.). One song is credited to Hambridge alone. – James N. Perlman, Amazon Review

Though Buddy dedicates this CD to the fact that he’s *SEVENTY-FOUR-YEARS-OLD*… his one of a kind electric blues performance says more than words can ever hope to… that he is absolutely ageless. His emanating power… song selection… which melds lyrics… voice… and mind boggling electrical guitar dominance… speaks of a man one-third his age with blues talent that has to come straight from the Lord. Way before you’ve even finished listening to this instant electric blues classic for the first time… a true lover of electric blues is thinking and praying way past the obvious next move of playing it again… you’re selfishly dreaming of his next CD.

His voice and enthusiasm are a marvel unto itself… and as a lifetime electric blues lover I can wholeheartedly say that the way he bends the strings and squeezes out a sound… that one can easily imagine being similar to a muscular blacksmith or iron worker reshaping steel girders into musical electric blues with the mere strength of his hands.

1) 74 YEARS YOUNG – Buddy tells you “WHEN IT COMES TO LOVIN I AIN’T EVER DONE. I’M SEVENTY-FOUR-YEARS-YOUNG”. His power will make anyone a believer.

2) THANK ME SOMEDAY – This has a John Lee Hooker “Boom-Boom” beat and Buddy proceeds to tell you the story of his youth in Louisiana.

3) ON THE ROAD – Foot tapping-guitar snapping. *CARS/MY BABY/THUNDER & LIGHTNING-UNDER-THE-HOOD* on the road. Coincidentally there’s *THUNDER & LIGHTNING* in Buddy’s guitar.

4) STAY AROUND A LITTLE LONGER – Soft, sweet and mellow. Buddy and B.B. King. Reminiscent of B.B.’s CD “Blues On The Bayou”. Note: the video (not part of this CD package) is priceless with the body language and expressions of these two blues titans. Telling each other that they both sound good and they’re buddies.

5) KEY DON’T FIT – Electric blues power at full throttle! Buddy’s voice has been to the fountain of youth, and he must have super human strength… because he snaps those guitar strings like they’re molten steel girders.

6) LIVING PROOF – Roadhouse-stomping-blues. *SNARLING GUITAR* with background chorus reminiscent of Ray Charles’s Raeletts. You could bottle up the kinetic energy in this song and light an entire city!

7) WHERE THE BLUES BEGINS – With Carlos Santana. A straight blues ballad.
TOO SOON – Back to foot stomping. Almost like the sound Jerry Lee Lewis would make if he played a guitar instead of a piano.

9) EVERYBODY’S GOT TO GO – A ballad very similar to *SKIN DEEP*. A very good searing guitar.

10) LET THE DOOR KNOB HIT YA – Rockin’ blues with Buddy telling you like only Buddy can… TO GET OUT! “LET THE DOOR KNOB HIT YA… MY DAMx DOG SHOULDA BIT YA!”

11) GUESS WHAT – Want to know what blues guitar **SHOULD-SOUND LIKE?** Then listen to this. “SMELL LIKE A RAT” “GUESS WHAT? YOUR LITTLE SISTER WANTS TO TRY ME ON!” Buddy is an unleashed electric blues dynamo!

12) SKANKY – If you doubt anything I’ve said about Buddy’s string bending guitar PREEMINENCE listen to this instrumental. Three sounds to keep in your soul whenever you dream of the way an electric blues guitar should sound: **ALBERT KING** – **STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN** – **BUDDY GUY**

- Rick Shaq Goldstein, Amazon Review

Product Description

Roadsongs is a document of the Derek Trucks Band at its collective musical peak, recorded live in Chicago during their 2009 Already Free Tour. Featuring extended live versions from their Grammy Award-winning album Already Free along with classic Derek Trucks Band originals, Roadsongs captures the band reaching new heights on-stage and beyond.

Amazon Customer Review

Two discs,48,58 minutes each approximately. The sound is very crisp and clean,with an almost “you are there” feel. The discs are slipped, bare, into a tri-fold cardboard holder, which has some interesting color photos inside, along with a pertinent quote from Eric Clapton about being on the road constantly. The booklet lists the song titles, and lengths. There’s a short written piece by singer Mike Mattison on his first concert experience as a member of the band, playing live,and how blues music is the foundation of THE DEREK TRUCKS BAND. The remainder of the booklet is taken up with color photos of members of the band.

With this new release, the DEREK TRUCKS BAND proves that they are one of few bands that can deliver great live versions from their previous, bluesy, studio release “Already Free”, combined with their take on a (lengthy) jazz classic “Afro Blue”, the well known “Anyday” (DEREK AND THE DOMINOS), and the old blues warhorse “Key To The Highway” (among others), and inject them with their own sound. Songs like “Down In The Flood” (Dylan), “Days Is Almost Gone”, and “Down Don’t Bother Me”, for example, are injected with the excitement of a live recording in front of an appreciative audience. Trucks and his band are capable of playing in virtually any genre of music they choose-from blues, gospel, rock, r&b, country, to world music, all combined into one broad style-and it’s all here.

On this live set Trucks and his band (which range in age from their 20′s to their 40′s) show they have the skill, confidence, and depth to assimilate many styles of music and take that music (and the listener) in virtually any direction. Trucks, who came out of THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, who had a penchant for improvisation, has that rare combination of technique, style, and soulfulness that elevates him into the upper echelons of guitar players. His playing with musicians like Eric Clapton and Warren Haynes has only deepened his approach to improvisation. He has continued to define his guitar tone, and whether picking single notes or playing full chords, his sound is rich and full. His slide playing is very warm, soulful, yet visceral, with an almost understated excitement.

The 2003 set “Live at Georgia Theatre” (now available for approximately $10), is a good comparison in defining Truck’s tone and style. On this 2 CD set his sound is closer to Duane Allman’s, with Trucks just beginning to step into his own style. The core band (as on “Roadsongs”) members do their usual good job of holding/advancing everything together. Both of these sets are companion pieces when it comes to great live music from this band. If you haven’t heard “Live at Georgia Theatre” (with great sound) you’re missing some fine music.

The bands sound, which is a combination of razor sharp chops, and a relaxed, honest, organic approach is the perfect combination that seamlessly blends straightforward, no frills playing with several of the better tracks from their last album, with some newer live renditions of other songs. Throughout, the well thought out arrangements (with the inclusion of occasional horns), which constantly ebb and flow, keep the music fresh and interesting-along with the (sometimes subtle) always exciting playing of Trucks. The vocals, handled by Mike Mattison, allow Trucks to concentrate on his guitar playing and the direction of the music, which is vital when weaving seemingly disparate styles of music into one organic whole.

This live set is a continuation, a refinement of this bands sound. Trucks (and the band) continues to forge ahead in whatever direction the music takes them (and us), which is the hallmark of a band that’s choosing to stretch the boundaries of music and not be satisfied with playing the same music in the same repetitive style. This group is one of few bands to play across and assimilate different genres of music, and weave them into an honest style all their own. So sit back and let this music take you where it will-you won’t be sorry.

Describing the American singer-songwriter Tom Waits is not an easy task. I am thrown between calling him controversial, bizarre, or brilliant (Lady Gaga move aside…). And I still haven’t decided whether or not I like his music. I believe, it may be an acquired taste.

Since I am lacking the words, let’s refer to critic Daniel Durchholz who described Waits’ distinctive voice as sounding “like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car.” His lyrics, sung with his trademark growl and incorporated into styles ranging from blues, jazz, and vaudeville, are mostly portrayals of grotesque, often seedy characters and places, although he has also shown a penchant for more conventional ballads.

One of these songs is The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me), and like this one, just reading the titles from his CDs puts an occasional smile on your face. Here are just a few more example:

• Cemetery Polka
• Tango Till They’re Sore
• Lie To Me
• Little Drop Of Poison
• Fish In The Jailhouse
• What Keeps Mankind Alive
• Pasties And A G-String (At The Two O’Clock Club)
• Bad Liver And A Broken Heart
• Better Off Without A Wife
• Warm Beer And Cold Women
• Drunk On The Moon
• Just Another Sucker On The Vine
• Is There Any Way Out Of This Dream?
• You Can’t Unring A Bell
• I Hope That I Don’t Fall In Love With You
• Grapefruit Moon
• Little Trip To Heaven

The Piano Has Been Drinking Not Me

Tom Waits

The piano has been drinking
My necktie is asleep
And the combo went back to New York
The jukebox has to take a leak

And the carpet needs a haircut
And the spotlight looks like a prison break
‘Cause the telephone’s out of cigarettes
And the balcony’s on the make

And the piano has been drinking
The piano has been drinking

And the menus are all freezing
And the light man’s blind in one eye
And he can’t see out of the other
And the piano-tuner’s got a hearing aid
And he showed up with his mother

And the piano has been drinking
The piano has been drinking

‘Cause the bouncer is a sumo wrestler
Cream puff Casper milk toast
And the owner is a mental midget
With the I.Q. of a fencepost

‘Cause the piano has been drinking
The piano has been drinking

And you can’t find your waitress
With a geiger counter
And she hates you and your friends
And you just can’t get served without her

And the box-office is drooling
And the bar stools are on fire
And the newspapers were fooling
And the ash-trays have retired

‘Cause the piano has been drinking
The piano has been drinking
The piano has been drinking

Not me, not me, not me, not me, not me

Last, but not least, a little gem…

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Boiled Peanuts

A Novel by John Patrick Doyle

A Peeping Tom Goes Nuts Over A Blind Girl

Paul Kirk is a librarian and one of his town’s quirkier residents.  In a childhood home lacking parents (his mother dying of MS and his father an alcoholic) Paul had imagined himself a member of the neighboring family. Now in his late twenties, Paul vicariously participates in the households of his community. His peeping-Tom proclivities express his awkward need for social bonding.

Then Paul meets Bronwyn, a counselor who is lovely, independent and blind. She has inherited her Aunt Phyllis’ house and is newly arrived in town. When Paul first sees Bronwyn at church, he knows he wants to be part of her life. As the mystery of Aunt Phyllis unfolds, Bronwyn and Paul become more deeply involved as they learn about Phyllis’ secrets and how they relate to Bronwyn and her past, but Paul’s peeping ways may ruin it all. [Read more...]

Boiled Peanuts is available through Amazon.Com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Noble, and any other good bookstore.