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.

Saturday Matinee – Sam Butera & The Witnesses, Ry Cooder, and Miles Davis w/ Robben Ford & Bob Berg

Sam Butera & The Witnesses (1964).

Written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, Elvis scored a hit in 1961 with Little Sister in 1961, but Ry Cooder‘s 1982 version is my favorite.

New Blues, Miles Davis w/ Robben Ford & Bob Berg (1986).
Don’t be fooled -it starts out slow then sneaks up behind you and kicks you in the head. Ford steps in at about 3:00.

Have a great weekend, see you back here tomorrow and we’ll talk it over.

Saturday Matinee – Mean Mary James, Sam Chatmon, Boyd Rivers, Larry Carlton & Robben Ford

Mean Mary James burns through the traditional banjo standard “Cripple Creek.” Her bio is a jaw-dropper.

I don’t usually post two in a row from the same musician, but here’s Mean Mary and husband brother Frank James with “Joy,” an original song she wrote (with snippets from “Ode To Joy”).

The great Sam Chatmon plays Big Road Blues, That’s All Right & Sam’s Rag.

Boyd Rivers at the Mississippi Blues Festival 1980, introduced by Willie Dixon.

Ah, bullpoop. They’re not the greatest guitar players ever, but this is pretty good. Larry Carlton & Robben Ford jam the blues 2007.

That should do you folks for a while. Have a great weekend, see you tomorrow.

[Correction: Frank James is Mean Mary’s brother, not her husband. h/t  Steven Brooke.]