Tag: Blues

Saturday Matinee – Carlos Johnson w/ HooDoo Band & Brass Company, Gary Eisenbraun and Vargas Blues Band

Carlos Johnson is “an American blues guitarist and singer. He is left-handed, but plays a right-handed instrument upside-down like players such as Otis Rush, Albert King, and Jimi Hendrix. Johnson is known for his aggressive playing which has attracted audiences in Chicago blue scene since the 1970s.”
 HooDoo Band is a Polish funk / soul / R&B band, formed in 2004 in Wrocław. Neither Johnson nor HooDoo Band & Brass Company appear to have active websites.

Gary Eisenbraun is an indie blues rock / soul guitarist from St Petersburg, Florida (and his website is too much for my eyeballs to put up with).

Vargas Blues Band: “Javier Vargas was born in Madrid Spain shortly after his parents had left Buenos Aires where they had migrated some years before. Nine years later, the family returned to Argentina, and it is there where Javier started playing the guitar. […] In the 70’s, he lived in Nashville and L.A. playing the clubs and working recording sessions. He played with and impressed the likes of Alvin Lee, Roy Buchanan and Canned Heat, who also influenced his style.” [More at the link.]

So Iran broke the 437th ceasefire agreement, DJT changed planes, and Tyler Robinson did it. FIFA has been extended through January of next year, Arizonians attacked Newport Beach California, and we got screwworm flies buzzing around someplace. Tomorrow’s forecast: 80% chance of Porch Time with light banter is expected. See you there.

Foudroyant Hot Links

Drumheller, Alberta boasts “the world’s largest dinosaur statue”, a 26.3 meter tall Tyrannosaurus Rex statue. Just like the iconic T-Rex from the Fallout New-Vegas videogame, visitors can climb an internal staircase and view the surrounding desert through its mouth.

If You Were Mine, Otis Rush (1957)From his first hit in 1956 (I Can’t Quit You Baby) Otis Rush was the sound of West Side Chicago electric blues. His vocals and playing style influenced many who followed, including Buddy Guy, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn (who named his band after Rush’s 1959 hit Double Trouble).

Wash.

Quacky.

Hillrider.

A Library.

Sand choir.

CT pigeons.

66 weenies.

Flock party.

It’s not right.

Summer beads.

Balloon wombat.

Extreme cocktails.

On again, off again.

Crustacians & clams.

Popcorn & stop signs.

She hates intolerance.

Swiss Mountain Finder.

1976 Top 100 audio montage.

Tubas of history [via Thompson, blog].

Harry Revel’s Music From Out Of Space.

Pruncey-hayshin [via Everlasting Blört].

Hellbent For Safety [via Memo Of The Air].

[Top image: Canadian T-Rex with caption found here.]

From the Archives: 1 year ago. 5 years ago. 10 years ago. 15 years ago.

The 50th Anniversary of the Bicentennial – Independence Day 2026

Mostly random selection of mood music for 4th of July BBQ consumption enhancement follows.

[Caveat: I don’t own the copyrights to any of the recordings. They are presented here for entertainment purposes only.]

Saturday Matinee – Chris Thomas King, The Bo-Keys & Dan Patlansky

Chris Thomas King‘s haunting cover of John The Revelator is made even spookier by the voodoo queen aura of the dancer. King became the last major folk blues discovery of the 20th Century when he was discovered in Louisiana in 1979 by a folklorist from the Smithsonian Institute. He was also chosen by the Coen brothers to play the role of itinerant bluesman Tommy Johnson in the movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000).

The Bo-Keys features soul gospel singer Percy Wiggins. Led by producer / bassist Scott Bomar, the group includes historic session musicians from legendary Stax and Hi Records studio bands. (This song is NOT a cover – they released it in 2011).

Dan Patlansky was voted the #4 Best Guitarist in the world and (besides Joe Bonamassa!) remains the only artist in the world with two worldwide No. 1 and two worldwide No. 2 Best Blues Rock Albums as voted by Blues Rock Review USA.

Thanks to FIFA, visitors from around the world are giving rave reviews about everything from American food and hospitality to the wonders of state routes and Walmart. Oil prices are dropping, Iran promised to keep its promises a bit longer before breaking them again; everyone on Xwitter has suddenly  become experts on pool sealants and algae mitigation, and Clay Aiken hasn’t spoken to Kelly Ripa in 20 years.

The days seem to be getting shorter after last week’s solstice, so tomorrow is Porch Time. See you at half-past whenever.

Saturday Matinee – Broken Brass, Boogie Beasts & The Cinelli Brothers

Broken Brass play a mix of funk, afrobeat, and New Orleans jazz, and have been dubbed “the unintended headliner of Into the Great Wide Open” an annual open-air music festival held on the island of Vlieland, Netherlands.

Belgian blues band Boogie Beasts formed in 2011 after a jam session at a bar in Leuven. They’ve performed in various blues venues and festivals in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany Luxembourg, Switzerland and more, and have released two albums to date.

Winners of the 2024 UK Blues Band of the Year, The Cinelli Brothers (Marco and Alessandro) revive 1960s – 70s vintage electric blues, R&B and soul with a modern vibe. Hit the Ground Running is a cover of a Catfish song, performed for a tribute album to Catfish frontman Matt Long, who succumbed to cancer in October 2024.

News of the Week includes vandalism at the bottom of the Washington Monument reflecting pool, the BO Library dedication party, live alligator wrestling at the White House, another peace deal for the ROP jihadists of Iran to violate, and FIFA 24/7. I might have missed a few things, so bring a list with you tomorrow – it’s porch time once again.

Saturday Matinee – Amani Burnham, Robben Ford (w/ The Frankfurt Radio Big Band) & Chicago

Guitarist and vocalist Amani Burnham, backed by an unnamed power duo, recorded his first album entitled Roots & Wings (released this year). Born in Ethiopia, Burnham began his career in 2023 on social media, with 250,000 followers and nearly 30 million cumulative views on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook).

Robben Ford, backed by The Frankfurt Radio Big Band, cover Howie Casey & The Seniors 1962 classic. Ford was named one of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of the 20th Century” by Musician magazine (and has one hell of a resume).

Chicago, the self-described rock and roll band with horns, released 25 or 6 to 4 as a single in 1970. It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 on the Cash Box Top 100 charts. The title is about writing a song in the wee hours of the morning –  25 or 26 minutes before 4 am.

I hear that the world championship to determine which country has the best association football team is underway. I think it’s called FIFI or FAFO or something, I don’t really follow it much, so I’ll be on the porch tomorrow instead. See you there.

Panhygrous Hot Links

Man Child, Sam The Sham (1963)
Domingo Samudio, aka Sam The Sham, released his first 45rpm in 1962, a cover of Chick Willis’ Betty and Dupree; the B side was Man Child. Two years later, Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs’ hit Wooly Bully made No. 1 in Billboard’s Top 100 for 1965. Contrary to popular belief, Samudio wasn’t of Mexican ancestry; he was of Basque/Apache descent.

HORSE.

Little Sadie.

A true woody.

Speed climbing.

Comfortable shoes.

Too many gummies.

A reunion at Lowe’s.

Creating mediocrity.

Recycling briquettes.

Animated Beastie Boys.

Jaya The Cat’s roadtrip.

Melbourne train stations.

George Washington’s beer.

Robotic prototypes of 1968.

Erik Kogan’s odd photography.

The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo.

Tower Records 1971 [via Everlasting Blört.]

The new recipe smells just like the old recipe.

Headbanging with glasses [via Thompson, blog].

Chaco Chachalaca, Dickcissel & 98 more cool bird names
[via Memo Of The Air].

[Image at top: Slotville Gas by Jarel Built found here via here.]

From the Archives: 1 year ago. 5 years ago. 10 years ago. 15 years ago.

Saturday Matinee – Jessie Wagner, Selwyn Birchwood & Justin Saladino Band

Jessie Wagner was born in Norfolk, Virginia and began her career writing songs for Black House, a production company in Jacksonville, Florida. She’s performed with many recording artists including Chic (lead vocalist), backup vocals for Duran Duran, Kid Rock and Lenny Kravitz, and more recently is pursuing a solo career, writing and performing her own songs.

Selwyn Birchwood is an American blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter from Tampa, Florida. He plays what he calls “Electric Swamp Funkin’ Blues,” and was the winner of the Blues Foundation’s 2013 International Blues Challenge (band category), as well the winner of the Albert King Guitarist of the Year award. [Wiki]

Justin Saladino Band, live at the Montreal International Jazz Festival 2018.
Saladino plays a mix of rock, blues, Americana and funk (and contemporary roots, whatever that means). More about him here.

Fun times indeed: The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is reflecting again, there’s more ballot fraud in California,  Iran’s still dikkin around, FIFA announced that fans can bring disposable water bottles to the games, Jeff fell in the creek after we warned him twice, and now Texas screwworms are on the march. More news may or may not be discussed at Porch Time tomorrow. See you at your estimated time of arrival.

Saturday Matinee – Olav & The Blues Cruise, Sturgill Simpson’s Sunday Valley, and Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers feat. J.D. Wilkes

Olav & The Blues Cruise is a blues band from Nijmegen, Gelderland, Netherlands. Fronted by Olav Boereboom on guitar and vocals, they’ve been active on the Dutch circuit for years playing original songs and covers, and released their first album in 2022.

“Beatin’ them strings like they owe him money.”
Sturgill Simpson’s Sunday Valley played some outlawbillygrass chicken pickin’ cowpunk in a barn somewhere in Nashville (2011). Simpson has multiple Grammy Awards and nominations, is an actor, and occasionally performs as his alter-ego Johnny Blue Skies.

Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers is a hellbilly punk band from Murray, Kentucky, fronted by banjo picker and harp wrangler J.D. Wilkes. Wilkes has a solo career as well, that includes music, visual art and illustration; he’s also a novelist, amateur filmmaker, and is a genuine Kentucky Colonel.

Lotsa news this week, some good, some bad, some too absurd to worry about, and tomorrow is Porch Time. I’ll have everything in order by whenever, so show up at the usual time and you can see for yourselves.

Saturday Matinee – BoDeans, The Terraplane Blues Band, and Tom Principato w/ Danny Gatton

BoDeans formed in 1986 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and they’re still at it. Described as “one of the most successful, and best known, bands to come out of the Milwaukee area,” BoDeans is included in a permanent installation on artists from the Midwest at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Video was recorded at the Stoughton Opera House, Stoughton WI in 2024.

Formed in Bristol circa 2013, The Terraplanes Blues Band were shortlisted as one of the top 20 blues bands in the UK by the UK Blues Federation, and awarded the prestigious Emerging Blues Act of the Year at the 2023 UK Blues Awards.

1984 jazzy blues jam by Tom Principato and Danny Gatton (1945-1994).
From YouTube comments: “This song is Tom’s Samba, not How’s Your Sister. Sister was performed on the same studio taping, but is more of a Bill Doggett blues shuffle. Danny originally recorded Sister as a member of the Soul Mates band around 1966 when they worked on a Potomac cruise ship. The 45 is extremely rare.”

Lotta news a-poppin’ this week, with fires and chemical spills, Ebola outbreaks, UFO files and Memorial Day sales. Good time for a three-day weekend, and we’ll discuss it all at porchtime tomorrow. See you there.