The Bo-Keys – Tacky Raccoons

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 – Johnny Blues Cárdenasis, Percy Wiggins & The Bo-Keys, & Wycliffe Gordon’s Big Band

Johnny “Johnny Blues” Cárdenasis is a blind self-taught street musician from Santiago, Chile, who plays nothing but roots blues. There are interviews with him on the Utoobage, but they lack captions and my Spanish is rusty.

The Bo-Keys featuring soul gospel singer Percy Wiggins.

Big band speed skat courtesy Wycliffe Gordon. The video comments section is an eyeroller.

Ran out of time for this edition – too much real life bouncing in my noggin. See you tomorrow when things cool down a tad.

Saturday Matinee – Wind Chimes, Samantha Fish & The Bo Keys

I found this both oddly fascinating and mildly disturbing. It’s an a/v collage from 2013 somewhere near Lake Erie, yet it’s also kind of an appropriate soundtrack for the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey, and for those survivors who haven’t yet fully realized what they’ve lost.

What happens once the news crews are gone? What happens once the reality sets in that you survived the ordeal, but you’ve lost everything? Our prayers are with you.

Now about those looters and scammers…

For a long time, this was THE signature song of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, and in some ways his 1956 hit was a blues parody. In January of 2014, Samantha Fish picked it up and jammed it right down our throats with no apologies. Killer version.