New Chataqua, Pat Metheny (1979)
Recorded in Oslo Norway. I used to play this song at sunrise on solo road trips after listening to farm reports and Paul Harvey.
What started out in 1982 at a Western Massachusetts elderly housing project to joyfully pass the time instead of passing before your time has developed into the stereotype-defying, generation-crossing musical extravaganza better known as The Young@Heart Chorus.
Linda Kriegis one of the few prominent blues harp players in Germany and a fixture in the Rhine-Main blues scene. Her trio includes Dominik Krauss (guitar) and Klaas Wendling (bass); she also tours with her guitarist husband Oliver Hell as Mrs. Krieg & Mr. Hell.
The Hacklers are an Irish Ska band based in Kildare. They formed in 2014 and “developed their own distinguished sound, a mix of Ska and Reggae blended with their own unique ‘Extra Stout’ Irish flavour.”
Alba Blanco, aka La Perra Blanco, is a blues/rockabilly guitarist from Cádiz, Spain, and has been performing since the age of 14. This video highlights her stage act, kind of over the top with the mugging, but her talent shines.
Another long week gone in no time, and it’s already the weekend. We have big plans for tomorrow, or maybe we don’t. See you on the porch noonish.
Shake ‘Em On Down, Mississippi Fred McDowell (1970) Excellent cover of Bukka White‘s Shake ‘Em On Down (1937). “If you pay attention, what I sing, the guitar sings, too, and what the guitar says, I say.” – Fred McDowell
“It’s one of the very few songs I wrote for a girl. I just moved in with my girlfriend in New York. We had a neighbour: an old woman who was always dressed in purple head to toe. She was clearly bonkers. So whenever my girlfriend and I had an argument and she would start screaming at me, I would say: you might as well start wearing purple now”. – Eugene Hütz
Gogol Bordello, fronted by Ukranian-born Eugene Hütz, is a multinational American punk band from Manhattan, known for gypsy/romani/punk theater. More about them here.
Formed in 2001 in Fukuoka, Japan, S.M.N. (Slackers Make Noise) consists of high school classmates Hiroaki Yokoyama / guitar, Mah-bou / drums, Kosuke Nishimura / bass.
Thought I might do something different this New Years Eve. Buried in the Archives are over 100 tunes that deserve a replay, at least in my opinion. Some are pure awesome, others are eye-rollers, but all are songs that pleased my earballs in 2023. Each set is in no particular order, one click and you’re off to the races. Have at it.
Set 1 – January, February, March
Set 2 – April, May, June, July
Set 3 – August, September, October, November & December
[Caveat: I don’t own the copyrights to any of these recordings. They are presented here for entertainment purposes only. Apologies for the typo in the first track – That’s StéphaneGrappelli.]
Tuba Skinny, featuring bandleader Shaye Cohn on cornet. Although we were in NOLA last May, I didn’t get a chance to see them because I was too busy chillin’ on a balcony with the dogs.
Formed in 2016, Lucky Chops began as a group of subway buskers from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, New York City, and now they perform world-wide.
German bluesman Timo Gross has been around for a while but he’s relatively unknown in the US; I had to run his Wikipedia entry through Google Translate.
One man ska band JER / Skatune Network rang in the New Year in 2016 and somehow I missed it. Turnitup!
Yep, it’s almost time to turn the calendar ahead again, but before we do, we have a porch that needs sitting on. See you there.
Except for a hit in 1978, songwriter and perfomer Chris Rea is virtually unknown in the US (having never toured here). Despite long term medical problems, he’s enjoyed a successful career in the UK.
Have a Merry Christmas if I don’t see you, stay safe in your travels, and we’ll be back here tomorrow to trash talk you.
From the Utoobage: This collaboration by Los Angeles Blues-Rock band Canned Heat and Chipmunks creator Ross Bagdasarian Sr. was released in November 1968 as the A-side of Liberty 56079 in time for the holiday shopping season. Though some pressings credit Canned Heat & The Chipmunks on both sides of the disc, the 30 i.p.s. rodents are not present on the reverse, “Christmas Blues”.
Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town, The Harmony Grits (1959) When The Drifters were fired by their manager after an incident at the Apollo Theater, they were immediately replaced by members of The 5 Crowns. Clyde McPhatter had begun a solo career, so the others, Gerhard and Andrew Thrasher with Bill Pinkney and Little David Baughan(?) formed The Harmony Grits, as their former manager owned rights to The Drifters name. They recorded two songs before renaming themselves The Original Drifters. [More on the story here.]
