Looking for some great roots & blues music? Paul Harvey, a veteran radio personality based in the Netherlands, has a great radio-on-demand program. Paul has promoted, interviewed, and brought many great musicians to Amsterdam over the years. For example, he was the first person to interview Derek Trucks on European radio, and organized his first three concerts in Europe. His show not only presents some fantastic music, but Paul also gives you the story behind the music. Do yourself a favor and check this out.
Each week, Val Haller, the founder of the music Web site Valslist.com, matches music from her baby boom generation to music of her 20-something sons’ generation.
Val Haller has a nice piece in the New York Times that recommends the Tedeschi Trucks Band to Bonnie Raitt fans. Her own website is worth visiting regularly, she helps “busy adults keep up with what’s happening in modern music.” Also a big thank you to her for mentioning this site in her article.
This is the first Multi camera concert video registration, created from video footage recorded by the audience and published on the internet
Todd Rundgren is a pioneer and has many music industry ‘firsts’ to his name. Here is another one, this time offered to him by his fans in the Netherlands. For the first time: a full 1 hour and 30 minutes multicam concert video registration, created from video footage published on the internet, recorded by the audience.
This girl had been playing bass for 10 months when she posted this cover of Chuck Rainey’s bassline for Steely Dan’s “Peg”. Going to have to keep an eye out for her.
Jerry Jemmott’s groove is the bedrock of guitarist B.B. King’s career defining hit, “The Thrill is Gone.” He was in the studio with Duane Allman and singer Wilson Pickett recording “Hey Jude,” a track that was instrumental in launching the late Allman Brothers Band guitarist’s musical career; and they were together again for flautist Herbie Mann’s Push Push (Atlantic, 1971), Allman’s first and only jazz sessions, and the last full album he recorded prior to his death on October 29, 1971. Jemmott was also there on December 13, 1968, when guitarist Mike Bloomfield called another six-stringer, an unknown Johnny Winter, up onstage at the Fillmore East—a Friday the 13th that turned out to be Winter’s lucky day.
Jemmott was with singer Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul herself, when she conquered San Francisco’s hippie community at the Fillmore West in March of 1971. The album, drawn from this series of concerts (with a surprise appearance by singer Ray Charles), earned her a gold record, and was something she would later refer to as a highlight of her career.
Jerry Jemmott’s blues credits are truly remarkable: in addition to B.B. King, Freddie King, Mike Bloomfield, Duane Allman, Otis Rush, Johnny Winter, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, there’s his legendary association with Cornell Dupree, Bernard Purdie, and King Curtis. In my last column, Jimmy Herring had this to say about him: “He’s a genius, there’s just nobody like him. He’s the sound that defined an entire generation. I love Jerry Jemmott, it doesn’t get any better than that.”
Another of his seminal achievements, which will no doubt be watched by generations yet unborn, was his collaboration with Jaco Pastorius on the instructional video Modern Electric Bass (1985). Even beyond its instructional value, because it was done so close to Pastorius’ death on September 21, 1987, it provides an invaluable insight into this extraordinary musician and composer. Pastorius had this to say about Jerry Jemmott: “He was my idol. That stuttering kind of bass line, bouncing all around the beat but keeping it right in the groove—well, they don’t call Jerry the Groovemaster for nothing. He’s the best.”
In this extensive interview Jerry Jemmott speaks about all this, as well as his wide ranging session work for Atlantic Records, and his current gig with blues/rock legend Gregg Allman.
My regular column in All About Jazz was just launched, it looks at “Eastern Sounds” a classic album by Yusef Lateef that passed the 50 year mark this September.
If you’re a Derek Trucks, Miles Davis, Duane Allman, John Coltrane, Jimmy Herring fan and you haven’t yet encountered Yusef Lateef, check out one of the first forays into World Music
Dan Peek, a founding member of soft-rock trio America, which shot to the top of the pop charts in the 1970s with bouncy, lightweight hits including “A Horse With No Name,” “Ventura Highway” and “Sister Golden Hair,” died Sunday at his home in Farmington, Mo., outside St. Louis. He was 60. Continue reading →
Two wings of equal strength endow a bird with the capacity to truly soar. This principle also helps to explain why Revelator (Sony, 2011), the debut album of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, has soared to #1 for blues releases on Amazon, #2 in rock, and #3 in all of music. This band brings together vocalist Susan Tedeschi, whose previous release in 2009 earned her a Grammy nomination, with slide guitarist Derek Trucks, who won the Grammy for his 2009 release. What’s particularly striking in this pairing is how evenly matched these exceptional talents are. Continue reading →
2013 UPDATE: You can now download the audio of this interview, orstream it here
John Scofield is one of the world’s most influential and respected guitarists, a musician and composer who has worked with many of the greatest names in jazz: Chet Baker, Gary Burton, Billy Cobham, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Charles Mingus, Gerry Mulligan and scores of others. His 30 plus solo recordings have taken his fans on a remarkably wide-ranging musical journey – from straight ahead jazz, bebop, and fusion, to funky experimental outings with Medeski, Scofield, Martin, and Wood, and even gospel jazz fusion with his Piety Street Band. On his current album 54 (Emarcy, 2010), he is backed by a 50 plus piece orchestra, complete with strings, harps, brass, and woodwinds, and, as always, he somehow manages to play in a way that appeals to jazz aficionados and discerning guitarheads.
Fans of Soulive, Phil Lesh & Friends, Govt. Mule, and John Mayer are well aware that John Scofield is an exciting and soulful player, and this ability to be true to himself as a serious jazz artist, while also appealing to rock, R&B, and blues fans is what makes him so special. After watching him (@ Moogis.com) blow the roof off the Beacon when he sat in with the Allman Brothers Band on March 18, 2011, I thought it would be fascinating to talk to this jazz icon about coming of age in the ’60s & ’70s and get his take on the icons of blues rock. So this interview was conducted just a few days after that event.
Regular readers of this blog know that I publish my interviews on All About Jazz, but this year a major retrospective interview with John Scofield was already planned for the later part of 2011 to coincide with the release of his upcoming album A Moments Peace (Emarcy, 2011.) Nevertheless, he graciously agreed to this interview on blues rock guitar for Jazzamatazz, and I resisted the urge to ask him about jazz and his work with Miles and the other jazz greats – we can all look forward to that later this year on All About Jazz. Meanwhile, if you see any names you don’t recognize, or any of your favorites, be sure to check the hyper-links – there are even links to posters of concerts John saw as a high school student.
Jazzamatazz: First, as a blues fan I want to tell you how much I love your album Piety Street (2009, Universal Music). It’s one of those recordings where everything just seems to have fit together perfectly, from the material and musicians down to the great cover art. And the fact that you decided to do a gospel album in New Orleans and actually ended up in a studio on Piety Street, it just doesn’t get any better than that.
John Scofield: Yeah, it was one of those things, almost like being helped from above. It was also so much fun doing that record. Of course I knew the studio was on Piety Street, but it really didn’t register until I got down there.
Jazzamatazz: Jon Cleary was a great choice, it’s uncanny that a guy from England sings and plays piano like someone who grew up in the 9th Ward, and if that weren’t enough, he’s a fine guitarist.
John Scofield: Jon Cleary is just a major talent, and we did a year of touring after the album came out. It was wonderful working with him and he’s just become a great friend. He’s actually been into it for a long time, his story is rather interesting. His father and uncle were way into the music of New Orleans when he was a kid. So he grew up with New Orleans music playing around the house all the time, and his uncle was a musician. His sister was also really into it and had already moved down there, so when he was about age eighteen he was already playing and singing it, and at this point he’s lived down there for a long time.
Jazzamatazz: You’ve also had John Boutté who famously sings the theme song for HBO’s mini-series Treme. Have you had a chance to watch it, and are there any plans for you to appear in an episode?
John Scofield: Yes, that’s so great. We actually recorded Peity Street before that, and I was so happy to see that they used his music for the series. I actually watched one of the episodes with Jon Cleary in it, it’s very good. They haven’t asked me, but I’ll be there if they want me.
Jazzamatazz: You seem to have retained a rock energy when you need it, but other than a bit of B.B. King I can’t spot a particular influence from a blues or rock player. Were there any rock or blues player you listened to in your early years who had a lasting influence on you?
John Scofield: So first, there is influence, and then there are also people whom you like and respect. I liked and respected all of the blues players, and they all kind of played a bit like B.B. King, Otis Rush, Albert King and Freddie King. And I loved those guys, and Hendrix and Clapton, and I was a teenager when that first came out.
I started playing guitar at the end of 1963 just before the Beatles came over. [Laughing] I think I had my guitar out holding it when I was watching the Beatles on television on the Ed Sullivan Show. Continue reading →
The Allman Brothers 2010 NYC run was not as exciting as last year’s 40th anniversary celebration, but I got the sense that there was a new and improved group dynamic. If you watch the ABB 2004 commercial DVD and compare it to this 2010 run, you’ll notice a shift in leadership. Warren, Derek and Oteil are now on much more of an equal footing. Otiel in particular has really emerged as an important force.
Otiel is a musician’s musician, musically on top of his game, appreciative of others’ playing, enthusiastic and supportive, and now ready to take his rightful place on stage. I was really surprised by his voice when he sang Anyday, he has a strong voice and creative phrasing, and his bass playing is simply great. He’s a joy to watch on stage, he’s all about the music.
Some of the artists with whom Louie Shelton has worked.
When Louie was 13 years old he met an up and coming Elvis Presley. Elvis was playing at Louie’s junior high school in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Years later in Los Angeles as a session guitarist he was in the studio with Elvis. Louie was one of two people in the studio when young Michael Jackson sang “I Want You Back.” He was in the studio with John Lennon and Phil Spector. T-Bone Walker, James Brown, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder are also among his credits. He also produced Seals & Crofts and played lead guitar on their most memorable hits.
His 2009 induction into the Musicians Hall of Fame provided the perfect backdrop for this conversation with All About Jazz about his remarkable musical career.
We just bought a living room mini-PC. Up until now we had occasionally connected our laptop to our LCD TV, but the multimedia use caused the laptop fans to run at full capacity. It was loud and a bit of a chore hooking it up. This week a local chain store put the above mini-PC on sale for 222 Euros and we decided to take the plunge.
In cosmic terms a supernova is basically the explosion of a star. They are extremely luminous, with a burst of light that can briefly outshine an entire galaxy. In musical terms that was Mike Bloomfield. Continue reading →
This was the absolute year of the Beatles in the USA. I don’t think anyone who experienced that year as a teenager will ever forget the unique magic of the Beatles conquering America. Imagine, for 3 months they held the 1 & 2 spot in the singles charts:
From February 22, 1964 until April 25, 1964 the Beatles held the top two positions, with various singles. On some weeks their domination extended past the top two. On April 4, 1964, the Beatles occupied the entire top five.
1.”Can’t Buy Me Love”
2. “Twist and Shout”
3. “She Loves You”
4. “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
5. “Please Please Me” Continue reading →
“Get Back” is a song primarly written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon/McCartney. The song was originally released as a single on 11 April 1969 and credited to “The Beatles with Billy Preston.”[1] It would later become the closing track of The Beatles’ last album to be released before they split, Let It Be (1970). However, it was not placed there in retrospect; Let It Be was recorded before Abbey Road, “Get Back” therefore being recorded in the Let It Be sessions. The single reached number one in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, France, West Germany, and Mexico, and was The Beatles’ only single that credited another artist (Preston), although Tony Sheridan had shared a billing credit with The Beatles on his own single “My Bonnie” when issued in the UK in 1962 (and again in 1964).
“Get Back” was The Beatles’ first single release in true stereo in the U.S. — in the UK they remained monaural records until the following single release — “The Ballad of John and Yoko.” Wikipedia
The Beatles also released Abbey Road in 1969: Abbey Road became one of the most successful Beatles albums ever. In the UK the album debuted straight at #1. Abbey Road spent its first 11 weeks in the UK charts at #1, and then was knocked off just for 1 week to #2 by the Rolling Stones debuting at the top with Let It Bleed. However, the following week – which was the Christmas week – Abbey Road returned to the top for another 6 weeks, completing 17 weeks at the top. In all it spent 92 weeks inside the UK Top 75, making a big re-entry after over 16 years in October 31, 1987, when it was released for the first time on CD and reached #30. In the UK Abbey Road was the best-selling album of 1969 and the fourth best-selling of the entire 1960s, and the eighth best-selling album of 1970.
Reaction in the U.S. was similar. The album debuted at #178, then moved to #4 and in its third week to #1, spending 11 non-consecutive weeks at the top, but was not the best-selling album during the Christmas week. Abbey Road spent a total of 129 weeks in the Billboard 200, re-entering the charts at #69 on November 14, 1987 when it was released for the first time on CD. It was the 4th best-selling album of 1970 in the US and is now certified 12x platinum by the RIAA. Wikipedia
2nd TOP SINGLE Rolling Stones – Honky Tonk Woman (Live in Hyde Park 1969 with white shoes:-)
Recorded in London in early February 1969 without Brian Jones, the band initially recorded a track called “Country Honk”. Prior to the arrival of new band member Mick Taylor, the song Continue reading →
The Jimi Hendrix Experience began to record their cover version of Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower” on January 21, 1968, at Olympic Studios in London. [7] According to engineer Andy Johns, Jimi Hendrix had been given a tape of Dylan’s recording by publicist Michael Goldstein, who worked for Dylan’s manager Albert Grossman. “(Hendrix) came in with these Dylan tapes and we all heard them for the first time in the studio,” recalled Johns.[8] According to Hendrix’s regular engineer Eddie Kramer, the guitarist cut a large number of takes on the first day, Continue reading →
The year 1966 was a big one for the Beatles, the Stones, the Sinatra family, the Beach Boy, the Supremes, Lovin’ Spoonful, and Donovan
Frank Sinatra, Strangers in the Night (no 1966 clip was available, this was about 15 years later.) The star of the 40′s had the year’s biggest hit, and hit gold again with “That’s Life.” His daughter Nancy had the 2nd biggest hit with “These Boots are Made for Walkin’”
Beach Boys, Good Vibrations was in 4th place after the Beatles “Yellow Submarine.”
The Beatles, Paperback Writer was 5th for the year.
Sound Of Silence – Simon & Garfunkel
“The Sounds of Silence is the song that propelled the 1960s folk music duo Simon and Garfunkel to popularity. It was written on February 19, 1964 by Paul Simon in the aftermath of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. Simon conceived of the song as a way of capturing the emotional trauma felt by many Americans. Continue reading →
