Friday Nov 06, 2009

Many reasons for the Blues this week. So here are some healing bits of Ronnie Earl, ranging from groove to soul to gut-bucket blues:

Friday Oct 30, 2009

All it took was a "fridge-sized" computer with tiny core memory allowing between 16 and 64 kilowords:

"The contents of the first email transmission have long since been forgotten; in a FAQ on his website, the sender, Ray Tomlinson (who sent the message between two computers located side-by-side) claims that the contents were 'entirely forgettable, and I have, therefore, forgotten them', and speculates that the message was most likely 'QWERTYUIOP' or something similar."

Read more on this first successful email transmission.

Another Friday, another Friday Blues Blogging. This week, sit back and groove to harp meister William Clarke and band (great swinging blues guitar solo in this tune as well), taken at Larry Blake's. Blakes was the place to go in the 80's for blues. I know, I used to live a block away. I went to Blues School there as often as I could.

Friday Oct 23, 2009

Today's offering is from R&B pioneer, Rosco Gordon, leading his band through "Bop It." Notice the essential role of the chicken (or is that rooster?).

Friday Oct 16, 2009

To be sure, JLH is a well-known figure in American blues and rock, but I'm not sure how many folks are familiar with his solo stuff and how interesting and moving it is. From "The Best of the Blues:"

A big reason why Hooker remained a solo artist for so long was his unpredictable, improvisational attacks on conventional song structure and meter.

So here he is on "Serves Me Right to Suffer." Enjoy.

Monday Oct 12, 2009

Reign over?

"Email has had a good run as king of communications. But its reign is over."

I hardly doubt it. I can see the move to a services approach, and an integration of those services. But much too early to claim outright demise.

Friday Oct 09, 2009

This week's edition of Friday Blues Blogging: Junior Wells and Buddy Guy performing "Hoodoo Man Blues." Here they are from 1985:

Probably one of my favorite blues albums of all time, Hoodoo Man Blues contains some of the best harp/guitar music on the planet. Especially noteworthy is the lack of chording that goes on by Buddy Guy, who focuses instead on playing bass lines and flurries of answering notes to Junior Well's harmonica.

Friday Oct 02, 2009

Today's installment of Friday Blues Blogging, jumpin' the blues with the Insomniacs:

Friday Sep 25, 2009

I've always appreciated the gut bucket approach of players like Kid Ramos. Here he is, working out on a nice Albert Collins-y shuffle, Greasy Kid Stuff:

Tuesday Sep 22, 2009

Had to break the Friday rule and post a Blues on Tuesday, as I just saw this band last night (for free even, thanks Colorado College and KRCC), Vieux Farka Toure:

Desert Blues, yah!

Friday Sep 18, 2009

Just came across this performer, John Dee Holman, laying into some down home style Blues:

Friday Aug 14, 2009

This week, a little sumthin' from my old friend Johnny Nitro, long time Bay Area blues musician, still making every night just like New Year's Eve:

Friday Jul 31, 2009

What, has Friday come again already. Let it be so. Here's this week's installment of Friday Blues Blogging, a reunited lineup of Denny Freeman and the Cobras:

Friday Jun 26, 2009

Wow, I'm really blown away by this Brazilian blues musician, Igor Prado. Here he is working out on some West Coast style swing tune:

More info on his MySpace site.

Friday May 29, 2009

How about some classic Sonny Boy II (Rice Miller), blowing his way through "Your Funeral, My Trial."

This blog copyright 2009 by mb