Tag: Rock

Saturday Matinee – Hans Theessink & Terry Evans, JJ Grey & Mofro, and Mad Guz & the Mojos

Hans Theessink & Terry Evans (with Arnold McCuller and Willie Greene Jr. provide backing vocals) doing some gospel-style Delta blues. Ry Cooder is lurking somewhere in the background.

JJ Grey describes his music as funkified rock and front porch Southern soul music, a style he calls Mofro, hence the band name JJ Grey and Mofro. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Grey writes, produces, sings and plays all instruments for demo tracks before bringing the band into the studio.

Mad Guz & the Mojos is a heavy rockabilly-influenced blues band from somewhere in Germany, and consists of Mad Guz (vocals, sax, guitar), Isi Mojo (double bass), Tim Mojo (drums, vocals) and Spike Mojo (lead guitar, vocals).

Yep. Another busy week is out of the way,  and after Tet, Superbowl Sunday, Lincoln’s Birthday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday and a couple other holidays I don’t remember, I’m declaring tomorrow to be National Porch Day. Be there or be somewhere else.

Saturday Matinee – There I Ruined It, Matteo Mancuso, 8 Ball Aiken & The Gary Hoey Band

In Memory of Country Music: Every fake accent 2-part harmony bro country song crammed into 1-1/2 minutes of ear torture from There, I Ruined It. The comments on the Utoobage vid are fun, and if that’s not enough for you, there’s this mashup.

Django Reinhardt and Les Paul meet Weather Report: Italian guitar prodigy Matteo Mancuso plays cool jazz fusion blues and more.

8 Ball Aiken is an Australian singer and songwriter from Brisbane, plays blues, swamp-rock, alternative country, and Americana music. At one of his early gigs in a rough pub, a fight broke out over a pool table. The 8 ball landed on stage and his bandmates gave him the nickname.

Underrated guitar thrasher Gary Hoey shreds the blues. He’s been compared to Robin Trower, early Clapton, SRV and others.

So there you go, and no, I’m not going to apologize for the first one. It’s like an aural vaccine so you never have to listen to country pop again. Have a great weekend, see you tomorrow, porch time is noonish.

Saturday Matinee – The Young@Heart Chorus, The Linda Krieg Trio, The Hacklers & La Perra Blanca

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 Krieg is 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.

Happy New Year’s Eve 2023 – End of Year Playlist

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

And one more thing: Happy New Year!

Auld Lang Syne Boogie, Freddie Mitchell Orchestra (1949)

[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 Stéphane Grappelli.]

The Christmas that C.H. met A. & the C’s

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”.

[h/t Marc “Savage” D. for enlightening me.]

Saturday Matinee – 16 Horsepower, Véronique Gayot & Delbert McClinton

16 Horsepower was a Denver-based group that mixed rock, bluegrass and Appalachian gospel. They released four studio albums before egos got in the way: they disbanded in 2005, citing “mostly political and spiritual” differences.

French blues rock singer and guitarist Véronique Gayot is a vocal powerhouse. Although she’s got two albums out and another soon to be released, I couldn’t find much background except for an interview.
Véronique Gayot: vocals
Yannick Eichert: guitar, vocals
Jerome Wolf: bass
Jérome Spieldenner: drums

Delbert McClinton has been performing on stage since 1957, has been called the sound of Texas soul, and has backed Sonny Boy Williamson II, Howlin’ Wolf, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and Jimmy Reed. Eventually he had a national hit, playing harmonica on Bruce Channel‘s “Hey! Baby” in 1962. His biggest hit came in 1980 with Giving It Up for Your Love, which scored No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

It’s almost time, and I’m not ready for it, so we’ll put off the Christmas cheer until it becomes mandatory. Have a great weekend and we’ll see you back here tomorrow.

Saturday Matinee – The Pogues, Chelsea Williams & Johnny Winter

The Pogues lost one. RIP Shane MacGowan.

Nice bluesy cover of a Tom Waits song sung by Chelsea Williams, with John Schroeder / guitar, Vikram Devasthali / trombone, and husband Ross Garren / harmonetta. Should have been filmed in 16mm b&w – in 1927.

Too soon for Christmas music, so how about some Winter? Fire it up!

Another week gone in a blink and the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone. Nothing to do but be back here tomorrow and think thoughts while we still have time. See you then.

Not Two Thumbs of Beaches

Pelo (“Hair”) was an Argentine rock magazine published from 1970 – 2001.
The image on the cover of  Pelo No. 5 (1970) is from Toe Fat‘s 1970 album Toe Fat.

Semi-Rufescent Hot Links

Joyful Sounds, The Word, (2001)
The Word is a blues/ funk rock superband consisting of Robert Randolph, John Medeski & The North Mississippi Allstars (brothers Cody and Luther Dickenson). They make gospel music fun.

First rain.

Surfin’ birds.

Camperocity.

Dear Mrs. Kennedy.

Fashion 1910-2023.

The Forever Mumble.

Detached from reality.

The Fall of Minneapolis.

Only say it if you mean it.

Pie Hole [via Mme. Jujujive].

A 6 year old girl joined Mensa.

Dropping compliments in NYC.

It came from Grandma’s house.

A Short Conversation [via Bunkerville].

Hydraulic Press Girl [via Mme. Jujujive].

Ekgmowechashala translates to “little catman”.

Science Oopsies Illustrated [via Memo Of The Air].

From FOX13 Florida: Female felon found in furniture.

[Top image found here. More manikin madness here.]

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

Saturday Matinee – Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Albert Castiglia w/ John Ginty, and Larkin Poe

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram is nominated for a 2024 Grammy for his album Live In London. Pretty good for a guy only halfway into his 20s, and I hope someone helps him shed some kgs so he can stay around a while.

Albert Castiglia is vicious, sort of a Negan Smith of blues rock, and there’s the proof. That’s John Ginty on the Hammond B-3 organism.

Larkin Poe pulls off some fine surf rock blues. They are also nominated for a 2024 Grammy for their album Blood Harmony.

Used to be only the days, but now the weeks are flying by.  The accelerator’s stuck, the brakes are shot and we’re about to slam right into the holidays. Maybe I’ll pretend it’s not happening, at least for now, and I’ll see you back here tomorrow.