Home

Advertisement

Customize
About this Journal
Links:
EMusic Mixtaper All About Jazz The Onion Jazz & Blues Music Reviews Last.fm Free Albums Galore
Current Month
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031
Oct. 21st, 2006 @ 02:37 pm Review: Tony Bennett - Duets: An American Classic


I think Tony Bennett is stalking me. I do not stay this lightly. The man has a way of pushing himself into my doggone life at times I least expect it.

OK, here's the evidence. Exhibit A. There is "I left My Heart in San Francisco". I was just some gawky puppy trying to catch the latest Beach Boy record on the top 40. Maybe if I was lucky, a James Brown tune. But that song about the Bay City was EVERYWHERE! you couldn't turn on a radio without hearing it. Of course, I knew the song was bogus. if anyone left a heart lying around I would have gobble it up ventricles and all. You gotta admit the song is a little weird. Reminds me of what horror story writer Robert Bloch used to say, "I have the heart of a small boy. I keep it in a jar on my desk". But again, I digress...

Exhibit B. There was the time I was in ...you guessed it...San Francisco. I was enjoying the cable car parade. There was then Mayor Dianne Feinstein standing there with none other than Mr. Bennett. As the crowd started applauding, he let out an acappela version of ..right... you got it... "I LEFT MY FRIGGIN" HEART IN FRIGGIN" SAN FRANCISCO"!!!!!!!!!

Exhibit C, I went to see the Tonight Show when Johnny Carson ruled the roost. A friend and I wanted to see the amazing magician, Doug Hennings. But who else would show up than...need I say it?. And guess what he sang? Please don't make me repeat it.

At this point, I was a little suspicious. But I didn't really believe it until he showed up on MTV Unplugged. This cemented it. Since then I've looked over my shoulder expecting to see him behind every rock and rock star. I mean, one day I'll be dipping my paws in the Colorado River and the head of Mr. Bennett will pop out of the current screaming "I LEFT MY HEART In SANNNNNN FRANNNNN..." ARRRGGGGHH.

And this is one of my nicer nightmares. You should hear the one about Michael Bolton.

Perhaps I should mention I really like Tony Bennett. The man is total class. He is also the best interpreter of popular ballads since the incomparable Mel Torme. While popular music shifted through its many fads, while the public changed their fickle tastes, while music corporations molded music into its lowest denominators, Tony Bennett remained an immovable, steadfast standard of good taste. And that voice! Like a trustworthy friend, It remained reliable, strong, and, even at eighty showing only barely a hint of age. If anyone is deserving of the term Icon, It's Tony Bennett.

So after already flirting with the MTV crowd, Mr. Bennett has released the obligatory duet album, singing aside a number of pop stars ranging from The Dixie chicks to Barbra Streisand. Is Bennett able to avoid the traps of pop star worship with singers not fit to stand on the Golden Gate Bridge with him?

The verdict is mixed. But for starters, let us say this is a totally enjoyable outing. While not all pairings work, all benefit from Bennett's incredible phrasing and warmth. There no elitist cynicism here, as on Frank Sinatra's putrid duet efforts. Bennett is having fun and so are his cohorts.

When the duets works it works like a miracle. Sort of like the local car dealer, Miracle Vic, whose motto is "If it runs, it's a miracle".The first track, "Lullaby of Broadway', with The Dixie Chicks would appear to be the biggest risk. However, it is a joy as the country darlings put on their best Andrew Sisters act and swings nicely with the old man. The next track features "Smile" with Barbra Streisand. It should be no surprise that they are two colleagues who are totally appreciative of each other's brilliant delivery of this beautiful ballad. The same can be said when Bennett sings with songtresses Diana Krall, K. D. Lang, and Celine Dion. Bennett does well with divas since even divas know they have to bow to a king sometimes. He doesn't ignore the boy singers either. James Taylor and Bennett appears to be having a lot of fun with "Put on a Happy Face". Elvis Costeilo has already proved he can nail a standard and doesn't let Tony down. Stevie Wonder duos on his own "For Once in My Life". They slow down the tempo to turn the song into an exquisite ballad embellished by an outstanding Wonder solo on harmonica. Young upstart Michael Buble sounds wonderful with the grand old man and firmly sets himself up as Bennett's successor.

Those are the highlights but many tracks features a secure Bennett with a superstar that seems unsure of the setting. Paul McCartney is not a balladeer of American standards no matter how hard he tries. Elton John has the same problem with "Rags To Riches". Billy Joel's attempt on "The Good Life" is just plain embarrassing as is Tim McGraw on "Cold Cold Heart". Who would of thought Bennett could outgun McGraw on a Hank Williams song?. One rock star that more than holds his own is Sting on "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". It is one of the real stunners on this album.

The other singers on this CD include Juanes, John Legend, George Michael. And yes, Mr. Bennett sings "I Left My Heart In San Francisco". It's the only solo track on the album.

So overall, this is an entertaining, enjoyable affair. The only other issue I have is Bennett's sometimes cloying habit of commenting on the singers during the songs. Do we really needs to know that he loves Barbra's style or that Stevie is Wonder...ful? Yet it fits into his likable and casual way with a song. So on the Dawg's bone scale, five being a classic, I'll give this a respectable three and a half bones.
About this Entry
baddog
12 comments
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Sep. 29th, 2006 @ 04:31 pm A Belated Look at New Albums or Is Summer Over Yet?
Damn! I hate the heat! Love the desert but hate the heat. I'd rather have sunburn than frostbite though, which is why The Boss and I chose this little cactus paradise. When the temp hits 110F I scoot indoors, hide under the bed, and snooze until Fall. Which is my way of apologizing for the absence of journal entries. All of you must have been waiting in suspense all summer for my next entry. Right. And there's a pile of WMDs under the cat's litter box. The temperature sneaked under 99F today so I thought I would exercise these paws on the word processor.

Falling mercury wasn't the only thing that woke me from my voluntary limbo. The Boss had the TV on Fox News and I heard the dulcet tones of former President Clinton. Dulcet like a hornet! He was berating Chris Wallace fo attempting the usual hit job FOX does on anyone left of Anne Coulter. All I can say is kudos for Big Bill. It's about time someone put that swarmy Chris Wallace in his place and called FOX on their sorry excuse for journalism. Now that Bill has set the tone maybe other liberals and moderates will adopt the same stance Reagan took with Mondale during the 1984 presidential campaign. When FOX News uses the same misleading accusatory questions they reserve for anything outside the conservative realm, all the interviewees need to do, since Clinton set the ground work, is to use the same line that Reagan did.."There you go again" and maybe the viewers will learn to recognize the shoddy methods that pass for journalism in Murdockland. I could say a lot more but I'm suppose to be writing some record reviews. If you want me to say more, leave a comment and I may at a later time. Besides, I've been thinking of do a political blog like Matt Drudge does. Anyone want to buy a stained blue dress?

OK. Let get caught up on some dynamite albums that didn't get melted in the heat of summer.



This first one is so hot it probably melted a few Ipods by itself. Chris Potter is a recent addition to the decreasing number of good post-bop saxophonists. He is firmly in the jazz tradition with a clear and huge debt to Sonny Rollins but his sharp and snappy tones brings more than a little funk and rock to the post-bop arena. His 2006 release Underground steps right into this funk-bop mode with the first track. "Next Best Western" barges along with the energy usually reserved for rock stars (the ones who haven't sold out, that is). The energy is augmented with superb backing by guitarist Wayne Krantz, keyboard artist Craig Taborn, and drummer Nate Smith. Did I say backed? The "sidemen", especially Krantz, are a integral part of the success of this album. Krantz astounds throughout and Taborn's imaginative work behind Potter on "Nudenik" has to heard to be believed. The recording is evenly divided into pot-boilers and mood pieces. I go for the cookers myself but Potter does an incredible job in interpreting Strayhorn's "Lotus Blossom" and Lennon/McCartney's "Yesterday". There is a celebratory nature on this album that has been missing for years in most jazz endeavors. It's still too early to say Underground is the best jazz album of 2006 but its will be hard to surpass it.



If any 2006 release does surpass it, the mission will be led by by an unjustly forgotten jazz vocalist of the 80s and a sometimes unappreciated veteran of soul jazz. Randy Crawford became a bit of a sensation when she teamed up with Joe Sample and the Jazz Crusaders for "Street Life" in 1979. The vocalist had a electrifying style that should have meant a lucrative career but, for reasons beyond my comprehension, never really caught on. She did what a lot of artists do in that circumstance. She went to Europe where her talents were more appreciated. Joe Sample has fared a bit better after leaving the Jazz Crusaders by building up an impressive reputation as a keyboardist and composer/arranger. While starting as a post-bop player, Sample flourished by writing and recording some of the best examples of the often maligned sub-genre called Jazz Fusion. Now they have re-united with Feelin' Good. It's an excellent pairing proving that commercial jazz doesn't have to be condescending and easy listening doesn't have to be bland. Sample's chops are fine honed and exudes good taste. His arranging has never been better. Sample does everyone justice by keeping the session a small and intimate affair rather than the overproduced army that usually plagues this form of music. Randy Crawford's voice is like mana from heaven forcing us to realize just what we've been missing these last two decades. It's hard to find a superlative that effectively describes her performance but just a one listen to the title track will demonstrate her amazing vocal skill in song interpretation. Sample's groove based piano stylings are right there next to her. The songs are mostly old and new standards, all impeccably interpreted, giving a new look to even the oldest warhorse. There's only one Sample original here "Last Night at Danceland", but it's a winner. Of the others, "The End of the Line", "But Beautiful", and "Save Your Love For Me" are near perfect ballads. "Rio De Janiero Blues" is a latin tinged wonder that has the two collaborators in a playful but bittersweet mood and Harry Neilsson's "Everybody's Talking" is given a jazz sendoff that late Nilsson would have been very happy with. Did I say near perfect? This may the most perfect thing since Cheddar-Jalapeno Cheetos. Crawford and Sample have more than adequate help by some heavy hitters. Steve Gadd, Christian McBride, and other add expert nuances throughout. Let us hope Crawford and Sample doesn't wait 25 years to strut their stuff. At least, let's recognize Crawford as the great jazz singer she is.

Since I'm also posting this to the Last.fm eMusic subscriber group, I probably should mention that Feelin' Good is not yet available on eMusic.



Never heard of Darondo? Don't feel bad. Neither did I until I listened to this first time compilation titled Let My People Go by the unjustly neglected soul artist of the 60s and early 70s. As the title track confirms, Darondo was an extraordinarily passionate vocalist. At his best, his style combined the urgency of Otis Redding with the simmering sexiness of Marvin Gaye and Al Green. On "Legs", he even predates Prince's falsetto lustiness.This is way better than anything being hyped as urban/soul/R&B in the current generation. There are some problems with this collection. The production values are often third-rate and Darondo's vocal limitations sometime show up glaringly as on "Sure Know How To Love Me." and "Listen To My Song". But when he is good, he cooks. Other Highlights include "Didn't I" (not to be confused with the Delfonics hit of the same name) and the testimonial "How I Got Over" which owed a great deal to Al Green's gospel-grind intensity.



The best rock album yet of 2006 goes to The Drive-by Truckers with A Blessing And A Curse. The group's punk fringed brand of Southern rock never sounded so good since the classic Southern Rock Opera. If anything, The guys have mellowed out a bit often letting their lyrics stand out above the sometimes blaring guitars. There's more of a reflective glow to this album. Patterson Hood continues to refine his vision of human passion and seeking. His patented narration is limited to one track but the band does well on this album to let the music speak for itself. The title track is especially moving, a purgatorial anthem of the pain and paradox of relationships. There are two acoustic jewels in "Space City" and "Little Bonnie". Hood's monologue appears on "A World of Hurt" and the beginning line ("Once upon a time my advice to you would be to go out and get yourself a whore / I guess I've grown up 'cause I don't give that advice anymore") reveals both a growing maturity and a continuing frankness with the unsavory facts of life. The Drive-by Truckers just gets better as they grow up.



Finally, we come to a contender for come-back of the year. He'll be battling for that honor with Dion, Eric Burdon, and Jerry Lee Lewis (whose new album is said to be a real screamer. Unfortunately I haven't heard it yet). Tony Joe White has been reviewed in an earlier column but his new 2006 release Uncovered, also not yet available on eMusic, is a revelation. White's brand of country and blues hold up fine 40 years after "Polk Salad Annie" and is full of blues emotions rarely seen in our Clear Channel world. The opening track "Run for Cover" shows Mr. White hasn't wandered far for his Southern swamp roots. The track steams and boils in a swampy grind aided by a superb Wayne Johnson horn arrangement. The swamp dog is well assisted on certain tracks by Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, JJ Cale, Waylon Jennings, and Michael McDonald. All of them had the good sense to stay in the background and let White's smoky baritone rule the day. Waylon Jennings voice blends perfectly with White's and Eric Clapton bring his collaboration to new heights by simply playing what he does best, the blues. It's hard to remain indifferent to the poignancy of a Tony Joe White song like "Did Somebody Make a Fool out of You" or "Rainy Nights in Georgia". I guess we all have a little swamp in us. The last two tracks on the CD are real winners. "Taking The Midnight Train" is a riveting look at the unfairness of life while "Keeper of the Fire" is a funky caldron of soulful love and lust that boasts "She an intellectual woman, I'm a low maintenance man / Lord. I'll take her love any way that I can". Enjoy this album but don't blame me if you get a craving for alligator tail and grits.

Well, there you have it. The lowdown on what I've been diggin' this summer...beside bones that is. I'll try to write more often. In the meantime go check on what the Boss has to offer on Free Albums Galore. A hint; grab that free Mississippi Alligator blues treat fresh from the juke joints of Barcelona. Comprende, Amigos?
About this Entry
baddog
3 comments
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Apr. 25th, 2006 @ 11:23 pm YUPPIE! YUPPIE! YUPPIE!


"Dammit, Blues. Don't call me a Yuppie!"

The argument started, like most arguments, over nothing. I just started listening to some new albums I snatched from Ol' Fang when he wasn't looking. Normally the old coyote's country music doesn't move me but lately I've been softening my position on Fang's choice in tunes. After all, his Van Morrison recommendation was a good one. The Boss came in while I was digging Norah Jones' kinda cool cover of Elvis' "Love Me". He snickered and said "OK Blues. You're turning into a cowboy now"

I snarled. "Well then... You're a Yuppie.

The Boss hates being called a Yuppie.

That when he lost it. "Take a look outside, Dawg! You see any skyscrapers'? no! You see cactus! Roadrunners! Sand! frigging saguaros. These are shorts and t-shirt I'm wearing not a suit! I am not a Young Urban Professional!

"Well you're not young, that's for sure!"

The Boss turned the color of a lobster.

"DON't CALL ME A YUPPIE!

"YUPPIE! YUPPIE! YUPPIE!"

OK, so sometimes I'm a little immature.

The Boss muttered something about a future ration on Kibbles and stormed out.

Baby boomers are all alike. The Boss brags about his Anthony Braxton records and raves about Silent Alarm but when no one is looking he puts on some Rolling Stones or Norah Jones. The honest truth is that some of those very popular artists are pretty good. With all these comebacks by baby boomer favorites, maybe he shouldn't be embarrassed to hunker down to some classic rock. Except they're not really playing rock any more. Dion just put out a blues album. Van Morrison donned a cowboy hat . It appears that The Boss isn't the only one going through an identity crisis.

Take the albums that Fang "loaned" Me.

Norah Jones certainly isn't a baby boomer but her sweet Rickie Lee Jones influenced voice appeals to the boomer crowd. Jones' first two albums were a huge success. They were also safe commercial efforts. My impression after hearing her CDs was "Hey Babe! You're good! Now play something that didn't sound like it was recorded to play in an elevator!". I knew she could do it. I happened to have heard her early work with The Peter Malick Group in which a then unknown Ms Jones bellowed the heck out of a few blues songs. That was then and this is the more famous now. Recently it appears that Ms. Jones has been playing with a little group on the side called The Little Willies and recently released an self-titled album of country covers plus four original songs. The group comprised of Jones plus three lesser known compatriots; Bassist Lee Alexander, Guitarist and vocalist Richard Julian, guitarist Jim Campilongo, and drummer Dan Rieser. Was Norah Jones about to stretch out a bit from her MOR leanings?

Well, yes and no. This is a country album but only in material. It is light and fun and inconsequential like her other albums. Her backing is excellent. Norah's own keyboard work is mellow and on the mark. But it never really takes off. It's a pleasant album you can put on and wash dishes to. Not that here isn't some great tracks here. Norah Jones does a marvelously soulful cover of Elvis Presley's "Love Me". She shows off her honky-tonk stuff on "Gotta Get Drunk" and "Night Life" is a good confirmation of how good Ms. Jones can be when she has a great song to sink her teeth into. Richard Julian has as many vocals as Jones and is quite impressive on "Streets of Baltimore" and "Tennessee Stud" but lets face it. If it wasn't for Norah Jones this would be an average soft country band. This will probably get some commercial success especially from the yuppies who will grab it up at Starbucks but eventually it will end up in the bargain bins alongside The Traveling Wilburys and The Blue Ridge Rangers.



Now, Bruce Springsteen IS a baby boomer. He also managed to shore up a reputation as a no-compromise classic rocker. Sparse and less commercial CDs like Nebraska and The Ghost of Tom Joad has made no secret of the influence socially conscious folk artists like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger has on his music. His new album is We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions and is a tribute to the 86 year old folk singer. It is 13 tracks of folk tunes all joyously performed by Springsteen. His backing is enthusiastic and Springsteen has not sounded this great in years. This is clearly a labor of love. So why does this CD make me a little uncomfortable? For starters, Springsteen is backed by 13 musicians. These are classic folk songs of America. Seeger needed just a guitar and his voice to express these great songs and he did it elegantly. Springsteen has an army behind him and it tends to diminish the potency of the music. Supposely this session was done "live" with no rehearsal. In fact you can hear him yell key changes over some of the songs but frankly it sounds a little forced. The arrangements are just a little too slick. But then we return to Springsteen himself and his voice is a wonder. There's no doubting the sincerity of his delivery of this music. "Mrs. McGrath". "Jesse James", and "John Henry" exhibits Springsteen as a master storyteller perhaps second only to Seeger himself. "O Mary Don't You Weep" and "Jacob's Ladder" suggest that Bruce may have a future as a gospel singer if Rock and Roll stops paying the bill. "Pay Me My Money" is perhaps the best track and it's a joy. It's hard to fault this album and I must admit each listen gets better. But I can't help wondering if this great music needs the intimacy of just voice and guitar. I also wonder why Springsteen didn't include Seeger's epic anti-war song "Big Muddy". In the current political atmosphere, the power of the song could be devastating but maybe that's exactly why it isn't here. Even "We Shall Overcome" is pretty safe nowadays, isn't it.



By the time I got to the third album I was having a bad case of covers overdose. So I was pleased to see Mark Knopfler and EmmyLou Harris didn't have one cover on their new CD titled All The Roadrunning. In fact, all tracks are originals by Knopfler which goes a long ways in making this the best of the three albums. The strong cohesiveness of this CD belies the fact the these songs were recorded over a seven year period. On paper, Knopfler's sandpaper delivery and Harris's voice of country spring water shouldn't meld but it does. Rock and country never sounded so good together."Red Staggerwing" is pure country and rings a lot truer than the slickness of The Little Willies. Harris is exquisite on "Love and Happiness" . Dire Strait fans will love the hard driving "This is Us". A reflectful Knopfler shines on "Beyond My Wildest Dreams". Knopfler and Harris obviously enjoyed these collaborations and this is no more apparent than on the delightful "Belle Star". It isn't just that these two are immensely talented. There is real chemistry between them. These are two baby boomer idols who deserve a comeback and it is clear they never really ever slowed down. As it stands now, this is the best album of any genre yet to come out of this year.

So I left the three albums for The Boss to listen to, scratching "I'm sorry I called you a Yuppie." on the CD case. Yuppie or not, my mother told me never to bite the hand that feeds you. When he's not looking I'll bite him on the butt and blame it on the cat.


.
About this Entry
baddog
2 comments
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Mar. 23rd, 2006 @ 11:41 pm Review: Prince - 3121


It can be successfully argued that the three most successful artists of the 1980s were Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Prince. It is beyond argument that all three artists have maintained superstar status into the 21st century. I could also argue that all three of these stars are known as much for their controversial persona as for their music. Madonna, Prince, and, to an lesser extent, Michael Jackson, made sex and controversy a stepping stone to their fame. Their role in broadening the range of allowable sexual themes in pop music may go down as their lasting contribution to our musical culture.

But Prince is more so much more than a pop star or icon of sexuality. After sensationalism and hype are blown away in the sands of time, Jackson and Madonna will only be known as famous curiosities. They didn't really do anything musically that wasn't being done by others except maybe they did it a little better. Prince was a pioneer. He managed to combine popular dance, rock, and soul in a way that no one had seen before. He continued to experiment never resting on his laurels culminating in the bizarre but masterful Sign 'O' The Times in 1987. I would also place The Black Albumof the same year next to it as a dark and powerful masterpiece of soul and rock.

During all this time, the seclusive Prince cultivated a public persona of eccentricity. How much of this was intentional is difficult to know. Unlike Michael Jackson, Prince knew how to separate his private life from his public life. Publicly, his battles with record labels were legendary. Half the time you didn't even know what to call him with that strange symbol and being formerly this and formerly that. Maturity probably has something to do with the fact that Prince is now just Prince.

It's probably safe to say Prince is no longer that obsessed with cultivating a public persona. He doesn't really have all that much to prove anymore. He is married with a child and his recent conversion to Jehovah's Witnesses has been well documented. While some see his conversion as another sign of weirdness I see it as a sign of a turbulent artist attempting to find stability in his world. It's not such a surprise considering how many spiritual references were already thrown rather chaotically into his early work.

With Prince's new album, 3121, you can hear this more mature and less conflicted artist at work. The first reaction is how much this sounds like the Prince of Purple Rain minus shockers like "Daring Nikki". The next reaction is that, as good as this album is, it doesn't have the unpredictability and manic feel of his two best albums, Sign and Black Album. This is the sound of a musician knowing where his strengths are and settling into a style that recognizes his past victories but doesn't rest on the past. Prince is too good to be an Elvis repeating his glory days over and over. As satisfying as this album is for the fan who wants the old Prince, there are plenty of refreshing new riffs and sounds to grasp on to.

Prince quickly proves he can still bump and grind with the best. "Lolita" and "Black Sweat" exudes sex in attitude if not in language. There are no explicit sexual lyrics in prince's post-conversion music although a few double entendres can still be found. "Lolita" is a cute look at the new Prince. Prince sings of Lolita is his usual way of physical lust but then demurely backs off as he sings "Lolita, you're sweeta but you'll never make a cheater out of me". Family values from Prince? What's next? Madonna sings about chastity?

Prince seems to have embraced the ballad quite heavily in this new album. While Prince have written some beautiful songs , he may be showing a new interest in ballads and "Te Amo Corazon" and "The Dance" may be two of his finest. "Incense and Candles" is a retro look, sounding like a slightly slower "Thieves In The Temple" but having the same luscious and sexy phrasing and beat. But his new found spirituality is not ignored either. "The Word" and "Beautiful, Loved, and Blessed" are blatantly religious. Some may find this bothersome. Personally, I don't think anyone should tell a musician what to sing about. What is more interesting to me is how Prince can invest so much creativity and energy in whatever he does whether it's a party song or a spiritual statement. The last track, "Get on the Boat" sounds like a party song but lyrics referring to a tribulation suggest Prince is singing about a more spiritual type of party. Whatever it is, It's a great upbeat ending to a nice album.

In Prince's latest CD, we are seeing a more mature and secure pop star. He is an artist who is still in his prime and is still delivering top quality pop music which is more than I can say for Madonna and Michael Jackson.
About this Entry
baddog
1 comment
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Mar. 10th, 2006 @ 12:31 am Old Fang Meets The Welsh Cowboy


My morning started out just like my usual mornings. I ate my bowl of kibble. I chased the paper boy causing him to throw the morning paper in the swimming pool. I peed on the sofa and blamed it on the cat. You know. My regular routine. And, as usual, I went off into the desert to see if any of Farmer Garcia's chickens escaped last night.. They been known to wander into a little canyon a bit north of the golf course. I call the canyon Dawg's Chicken Motel because chickens check in but they don't check out. The canyon used to be the haunt of a coyote gang headed by a toothy old cuss named Ol' Fang. However, since his gang was decimated by the shotgun of Farmer Garcia with a little help from yours truly, Ol' Fang has been rather quiet. Rumors were that he was still recuperating from a little buck shot in the delicate hind regions.

I didn't see any chickens this morning but as I was leaving the canyon I heard a howl . There was Ol' Fang up on a ledge howlin' to his dear country music. I never been much into country but Ol' Fang was a cowboy in his heart. I was going to skedaddle out of there thinking he might still have a grudge against me. But this country music sounded different. Then it dawned on me.

"That's the Welsh Cowboy!" I yelped.

Ol' Fang jerked and saw me. "Welsh Rabbit? Where?"

"No, Fang" I barked. You're listening a real rocker! Van Morrison! No Freddy Friggin' Fender. No Garth "Aw Shucks" Brooks. No Mel T..T..T..Tillis, No Toby "I'm More Patriotic Than You Are" Keith. That's a pedigree rock and roller you're listening to!.

Fang chuckled. "Are you deaf now Dawg? That's country music."

He was right. The Welsh Cowboy actually sounded like a cowboy. It wasn't the first time. Tupelo Honey was oozing with country-western influences but it was still rock. This had the fiddles, steel guitar, the honkytonk piano. You could line dance to this sucker! But this stuff was GOOD!

So with Fang's assurance he wouldn't make hamburger out of my butt, I stayed and listened to Morrison's new CD, Pay The Devil. First thing I noticed was that this was fine vintage country. Even though it was recorded in Belfast with Morrison's regular band it sounded like it could have been made in Nashville. Almost all the songs except for three originals were old country tunes from the 50s. The second thing I noticed was that this was no "get on the band wagon" hack job. Morrison sang these songs with the same perfectionism and emotion he brings to his own material. Perhaps the obvious comparison would be to Ray Charles' classic C&W covers of the early 60s. Like Charles, Morrison bring his own brand of rock and soul to these recording yet respects the country tradition.

Morrison loses no time in stating his claim to this music by starting with the amazing "There Stands The Glass". This is one of the great western songs of all time and The Welch Cowboy pours all the pathos he can into it. You wonder if he didn't put this best boot first yet Morrison kicks into gear following up with Curly Williams' toe-tapping "Half As Much" and never loses control after that. Morrison is beautifully gut wrenching on the ballads "Things has Gone to Pieces" and "Till I Gain Control". Hank Williams' "Your Cheating Heart" may be one of the world's most recorded songs but Mr. Morrison still has a few new things to say in this old war horse. "Bucket Got a Hold In It" is a show-stopper of a honky-tonk number. Perhaps "What Am I Living For" is the best track on the album with Morrison crying out the lyrics like he has everything to lose. At the very end of the song you can hear him state to the band "That was worth it!" and you can not disagree.

Then there are Morrison's three originals. "This Has Got To Stop" is presented in classic western swing. It's the best of his original compositions. "Pay the Devil" and "Playground" are nice but slightly inferior to the superb covers on this CD. The most bizarre choice though is Morrison's rendition of "Don't You Make Me High". It's a nice track but this is more of a song for a woman. I just can't see a cowboy scolding a girl by saying "Don't you feel my thigh"! But then again I only assume he's singing to a woman. After all, this is the "Brokeback Mountain" era isn't it? But I'm really nit-picking here. Even in these tracks, Morrison's heartfelt "lived there " voice erases any doubt over this fine album.

All through this, Ol' Fang kept smiling like he gobbled up an entire chicken shack. I has to admit that maybe Fang knew his country after all. He just played me one of the best western music tributes I ever heard. I walked out of that canyon thinking Fang and I have something in common after all. I think he has also forgiven me for messing up his gang. Of course, I may have a new problem once he discovers I made off with his new Van Morrison Album!
About this Entry
baddog
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Feb. 20th, 2006 @ 10:14 pm Dixie Dawg Returns!
You'll have to forgive me. I've been howling up a storm over at the 2nd annual Colorado River Jazz Festival and I'm...Pardon the expression...Dog tired. But I promised you dawgophiles a review and doggone it if I don't deliver. And if I add one more canine locution I'm going to hang it up and let the cat write this!

It was three days of traditional and dixieland jazz reigning supreme near the Colorado River. Blythe was all decked up. They were serving Cajun styled meals over at the Sunset Grille. The RVs became a second city in the grassy area at the fairgrounds. The attendance looked like it may have doubled from last year but the big question is...Was it fun? Does a rattlesnake rattle? With seven bands rotating on two stages for three days, I was in Jazz Heaven!. Even the chilly winds that blew in on Saturday afternoon couldn't cool off the hot jazz. Festival organizer Sam Patel wouldn't let me go on stage and wow the lady dawgs with my jazz howling but that was the only thing missing this weekend.

There were three returning bands this year, Kinda Dixie from Las Vegas was one of the most popular bands last year. They were even better this year. I still think the name is a misnomer as swing and jazz pop seems to be their forte. Joe Hopkin's 52nd Street Band also returned, bringing some of the best musicians in Arizona with him. This time I especially noticed their vocalist, Renee Patrick, with her soulful voice accenting an already impressive ensemble. Rounding out the alumni was High Society bringing Chicago styled jazz to Blythe by way of San Diego.

Of the new bands to the festival, I was especially thrilled to see the Night Blooming Jazzmen. I was familiar with them in my dog days in Los Angeles and after 20 years they haven't missed a beat. They are still, in my opinion, the best ensemble playing in the traditional and swing style. The Alcatraz Angels from San Francisco was arguably the most Dixie sounding of the performers. Sporting sparkling blue vests that even the buzzards could see in the dark, they were definite crowd pleasers. The Chicago Six is another major dixie styled band and clearly another favorite with the crowd. Sue Palmer bought her Boogie Woogie Trio in to replace the ailing Carl Sonny Leyland. Her laid-back piano playing was a nice change of pace from all the big band sounds. Another nice touch was the vocal styling of Polly Podewell. Her lush voice reminded me of the late great Rosemary Clooney.

It was also nice to see more involvement from my fellow Blythians. The Palo Verde High School Jazz Band took the stage Friday evening, joining the 52nd Street Band on stage. These kids have been going to school at 6:15 AM just to rehearse for this event! I won't even get up at 6:15 to chase the paper boy! Give these kids a few more years and they may be headliners too! Some of the local churches rounded out the festival Sunday afternoon with a rollicking gospel program.

It was a very successful second year promising more great festivals to come. If Sam keeps up the good work I might have to dub him "Mr. Jazz"!
About this Entry
baddog
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Feb. 11th, 2006 @ 11:23 pm The Dawg's Guide To Jazz and The Internet


It's been busy here in the desert. The Colorado River Jazz Festival in Blythe, California is just around the corner. February 17, 18, and 19 to be exact. I've been practicing my Dixieland howling in case one of the bands fails to show up. You never know when the big moment will come. One day I'm digging up bones in the garden and my buddy Sam comes around and says, "We need you, Dawg. The lead clarinetist of the 52nd Street Band tripped over the drum set and busted his lip". The next day I'll be on the stage wowing the audience with my hot jazz howling and then it's off to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Pretty soon I'm digging up filet mignons rather than bones. Don't laugh! Sillier things than that has happened. Remember Tiny Tim?

In the meantime I fight with the cat over the last Kibbles and wait for The Boss to finish on the computer so I can astonish you with my smart-ass repartees. The computer is getting harder to come by since the boss took over Free Albums Galore. Where does he find those free albums? "Boss, is there any more free jazz music out there?" I ask. He doesn't answer me. He's still checking his e-mail every 15 minutes for blog groupies. He stares at the monitor and keep saying "Willow Rosenberg, where are you?". Pathetic, huh? If he's thinking what I thnk he's thinking than who's going to tell him that he isn't Willow's type? Personally, I'd rather hang out with Drusilla. We can share some bones, argue over who gets the marrow, but again I digress...

So I took it on my own to see what the jazz community is doing with the internet. Jazz musicians aren't as internet savvy as...say...indie pop bands. Every rock musician or electronic whiz with a Casio seems to have a web site. Jazz musicians are not as comfortable with promoting and presenting music on the web or so it seems. Perhaps the biggest disappointment is that established magazines like Downbeat and Jazziz do not seem interested in expanding their internet presence. Still there is some great jazz to be found if you're willing to look for it.

A good place to start is All About Jazz. Anything happening in the jazz world is going to show up there eventually. You will find a lot of well-informed writers on all aspects of jazz from traditional to avant-garde. Of special interest are the free daily downloads.One download a day for an album a day. It's a great way to make a new jazz discovery. Jazz Online is also a good place for reviews and previews but it feels more like an advertising site than a place for true exploration.

My favorite places to hang around are individual artist pages. Almost every major jazz artist has a site or two although music samples are hard to come by. If you are looking to sample music, the younger artists are better bets.

Probably the biggest name to embrace the internet is avant-garde jazz saxophonist Steve Coleman. I hesitate to mention his site as The Boss did. The site has been down often since then. But if you can get on the download page, there's at least 15 out of print albums freely available. Hey Steve! Get a bigger server, OK? Coleman's alto sax colleague , Greg Osby comes close. You can find 2 pages of live concerts. Osby and Coleman encompass the new wave of avant-garde jazz explorers.

Jazz piano great Andrew Hill has a worthwhile web site. There's lots of long excerpts showcasing Hill's pioneering style. One listen to these excerpts will send you to the record store looking for more. You'll find a full solo piano concert on the MP3 page. Unfortunately the sound is pretty bad.

One of my favorite album finds is Jimmy Greene's Brand New World which you can get free from his site. There's lot of other MP3s available too! Greene is a talented tenor saxophonist of the hard bop school. This is mainstream jazz of the soulful type. Other jazz musician who are generous with samples include Marcus Strickland, Steve Lehman, and Jason Moran, and D. D. Jackson. D. D. has my favorite single track find from the internet on his MP3 page. "Carnavale" starts out as a light little number featuring Jackson on piano and Christian Howes on electric Violin. As you start to relax to the groove, it builds until it soars into the stratosphere. It's one of the most exciting single tracks you will find anywhere.

But I saved my favorite for last, Helen Sung plays some of the tastiest piano licks you'll hear. Her recording page includes a full album, Live At The Blue Note. Try her performance of 'Willow Weep For Me" and you will be hooked. In most cases, Jazz does not translate well to the excerpt or even single track sample. Releasing a full album or live concert allows the music fan to fully appreciate the artists and their ensemble. Making the entire session free, as Sung and Strickland do, is certain to bring the jazz fan back for more and they will buy their CDs.

That concludes my rather inadequate look at jazz and the internet. I'm sure I missed a lot. Feel free to comment and tell me what I missed. I'm dying to do a part two! Now excuse me. I'm going to prepare for the Jazz Festival. I need to go see if the fire hydrants are functional.
About this Entry
baddog
2 comments
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Feb. 3rd, 2006 @ 11:22 pm Review: Fidgital - Vintage Red
Here's a little extra review this week. I wrote it for Last.fm but I thought it was good enough to share with you dawgophiles. Enjoy!

Review: Fidgital - Vintage Red



First of all, thanks to the guys in Fidgital for placing a link to their new album, Vintage Red, on Last.fm for a limited time. Some users complained that this was spam. Nonsense! Since when is free music spam? Now if they were hawking Viagra or manhood enlargers...but let's not go there. If you grabbed it then good for you. if you didn't here's what you're missing out on.

Fidgital's style is a little hard to pin down. It is jazzy. It rocks. It's funky. If I had to lean on the fence and choose a style I would say "nu-jazz" or "acid Jazz" but, frankly, they're all over the place in a good way. "True Ambition" starts as a swing revival track, switchs to a funky Shaft-like rhythm, then goes back and forth. It's a great track with some really cool drum work. Give it to me straight, guys. You've been listening to "Sing, Sing, Sing" with Gene Krupa, haven't you?

But next comes "My Life as a Million Billionaire", a fast syncopated electronic number with a vocal reminiscent of 80s Bowie or The Tubes. This is followed by a swinging latin jazz influenced number "El Parisidio".

I could go track by track to show the myriad of styles this CD has but I won't. I will bring your attention to some other good cuts; A Stevie Wonder influenced "You got It Going On", a somewhat bizarre but dance-inducing "Kill Me Don't Kill Me", a exquisitely soulful "Ground Zero", and a sitar laden "One Shot At Heaven" which is a pretty, almost symphonic piece awashed in a CD of mostly barn-burners.

In summary, I enjoyed this album. Fidgital shows a good understanding and respect for many genres yet is able to blend them into their music without sounding overblown and forced. I especially like Ryan Slemko's vocals that pushes the envelope but never goes off the edge. Yeah, I got the album for free but I would pay for this.
About this Entry
baddog
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Feb. 1st, 2006 @ 12:16 am Review: Sid Peacock and Surge - Live In Birmingham


I think it was Frank Zappa who said "Jazz isn't dead. It just smells funny". Zappa was always saying weird stuff like that and you never were quite sure whether he was serious. However he had a point. Jazz has become too serious for its own good. I was watching Wynton Marsalis on TV the other day talking about the legacy of Jazz. Marsalis is an important jazz musician and scholar, but for God's sake! Throw a pie into that guy's face, will you? Jazz is not a sober academic affair. Listen to Armstrong, Ellington, Parker or any of the innovators. Jazz was a joyous event for them. Jazz was about passion, laughter, living in the moment. Even when it's densely orchestrated as in the case of Charles Mingus, Ellington and Zappa, it sings of spontaneity and passion. When Zappa and Miles Davis essentially created Jazz-Rock and Fusion in the 70s, they attempted to open Jazz to a new region of sounds and new ways to celebrate with music.

Unfortunately they were not totally successful. Commercial music companies and musicians alike were quick in learning how to homogenize Jazz-Rock for quick sells. Fusion became the new Muzak.. Artists like Spyro Gyra and Kenny G have as much to do with furthering Jazz as Madonna has to do with promoting celibacy. Fortunately, Davis and Zappa didn't fail either. There were enough creative musicians willing to take both Jazz and Rock to new places. John Zorn was one of them. His avant-garde style blended various musics into a virtual cornucopia of sounds, never staying still and always exploring. In order to do this he had to start his own label, Tzadik. In these days true jazz innovators never get far on a major label. Are there still adventurous Jazz musicians willing to buck the trend and take this lonely road?

The answer is yes. Sid Peacock is very much in the style of John Zorn and even Zappa. His music is clearly Jazz related but he draws from all sorts of styles never afraid to mix and match. You are never really sure where his compositions will take you, changing from jazz to rock to classic melodies to noise in moments. He peppers his music with socially minded spoken word, spurts of emotional improvisations, and humor...Lots of humor. But an arranger and composer needs an ensemble that understands and can adequately represent their vision. Peacock has Surge, an 11 piece orchestra that is clearly on the same wavelength.

Sid Peacock & Surge's new CD, Live In Birmingham was recorded in December of 2004 and has six tracks of high energy jazz. "Anarcho Zen Doubter" is fairly representative of Peacock's style and his band's mastery of the music. It starts with a manic but mainstream theme carried by flute and saxophone. The band weaves in and out of the melody until it breaks down into an chaotic race led by tenor saxist Ed Johnstone. The melody all but disappears and a almost classical motif by pianist Steve Troman appears punctuated by noise, squawks, and.. a jew-harp? A spoken narration by Peacock lends a sharp politically satiric note and then slides into a nice bluesy guitar solo by Frank Moon. Then just as quickly, it's back to the main theme and out. If this seems a lot for a 15 minutes recording it is. But it all moves effortlessly thanks to Peacock's direction.

Of the other tracks, "You Can't Buy Everything Forever" is a cute song ridiculing the modern consumerist culture and features some nice soloing by Johnstone on tenor and Mike Fletcher on Soprano sax. "Intergalactic Fly By" is a soaring jazz number with a finger curling improvisation by Troman and a Ray Anderson-like trombone outing from Simon Lesley. "Surge Psilocybin " is possibly the most avant-garde piece and presents more great improvisation with a chance for trumpeter Phil Cardwell to show his not insubstantial chops. "The Pedalers" feature Flautist Max Griffings and Violinist Ruth Angell blending a classical sound with Mingus influenced backing from the rest of the ensemble. Angell has one of the prettiest solos in the album and proves my conviction that the world needs more good Jazz violinists. The albums ends with "Wee Green Men", again exhibiting a masterful ability by the band to go from mainstream jazz to free playing and back. They even throw in a little Celtic jig for good measure! All of this is anchored by a rhythm section of bassist Ryan Trebilcock and Drummer Doug Hough that doesn't miss a beat in Peacock's ever changing soundscape;

While there is plenty of great solo improvisation, the album is primarily a triumph of virtuoso ensemble playing. Certainly Peacock's excellent arrangements and direction remain the real star of the show. His satiric but intense political narrations may put some people off but it also shows the passion that Peacock puts into his art. This is an album that keeps the listener wondering where it going to end up. In an age of mass produced cookie cutter music, that is cause for celebration and reason to highly recommend this CD.
About this Entry
baddog
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Jan. 18th, 2006 @ 10:06 pm How To Sing The Blues
Today I'm going to teach you how to sing the blues, But first, A public service message. It appears The Boss is getting into the blogging thing. Remember a few weeks back I told you about Free Albums Galore? Well, Luke decided to chuck the whole thing in. He said he needed to give priority to more important things in his life but, between you and me, I think the blog wasn't bringing in the babes like he thought it would. So much for blog groupies! After all, just try to use a pick-up line like, "Would you like to see my blog?" It's likely to get you thrown in the can with some guy named Killer who really does want to see your blog! But again I digress..

Anyhow, The Boss took over Free Albums Galore and he's trying hard to keep the great quality of music just like Luke did. But the poor kid can't make up his mind! One day. it's classical, next day it's jazz, and the next is rock. "Stick with something, Boss." I tell him "You're changing genres more than Oprah changes her dress size. " But he doesn't listen. He mumbles something about variety and quality. I guess he knows what he's doing. Check it out!

Last time we decided anyone can sing the blues. Well, not so fast, dude! There are some requirements. Here's something sent to me that might explain it. I tried to find out who wrote it but it's seems to be atributed to a half dozen people. let's just call it anonymous...

How To Sing The Blues: A Primer

1. Most Blues begin, "Woke up this morning."

2. "I got a good woman" is a bad way to begin the Blues, 'less you stick something nasty in the next line, like " I got a good woman, with the meanest face in town."

3. The Blues is simple. After you get the first line right, repeat it. Then find something that rhymes ... sort of: "Got a good woman - with the meanest face in town. Got teeth like Margaret Thatcher - and she weigh 500 pound."

4. The Blues are not about choice. You stuck in a ditch, you stuck in a ditch; ain't no way out.

5. Blues cars: Chevys and Cadillacs and broken-down trucks. Blues don't travel in Volvos, BMWs, or Sport Utility Vehicles. Most Blues transportation is a Greyhound bus or a southbound train. Jet aircraft an' state-sponsored motor pools ain't even in the running. Walkin' plays a major part in the blues lifestyle. So does fixin' to die.

6. Teenagers can't sing the Blues. They ain't fixin' to die yet. Adults sing the Blues. In Blues, " adulthood" means being old enough to get the electric chair if you shoot a man in Memphis.

7. Blues can take place in New York City but not in Hawaii or any place in Canada. Hard times in St. Paul or Tucson is just depression. Chicago, St. Louis, and Kansas City still the best places to have the Blues. You cannot have the blues in any place that don't get rain.

8. A man with male pattern baldness ain't the blues. A woman with male pattern baldness is. Breaking your leg cuz you skiing is not the blues. Breaking your leg cuz an alligator be chomping on it is.

9. You can't have no Blues in an office or a shopping mall. The lighting is wrong. Go outside to the parking lot or sit by the dumpster.

10. Good places for the Blues:

a. highway
b. jailhouse
c. empty bed
d. bottom of a whiskey glass

Bad places:

a. Ashrams
b. gallery openings
c. Ivy League institutions
d. golf courses

11. No one will believe it's the Blues if you wear a suit, 'less you happen to be an old ethnic person, and you slept in it.

12. Do you have the right to sing the Blues? Yes, if:

a. you're older than dirt
b. you're blind
c. you shot a man in Memphis
d. you can't be satisfied

No, if:

a. you have all your teeth
b. you were once blind but now can see
c. the man in Memphis lived.
d. you have a retirement plan or trust fund.

13. Blues is not a matter of color. It's a matter of bad luck. Tiger Woods cannot sing the blues. Gary Coleman could. Ugly white people also got a leg up on the blues.

14. If you ask for water and Baby give you gasoline, it's the Blues.

Other acceptable Blues beverages are:

a. wine
b. whiskey or bourbon
c. muddy water
d. black coffee

The following are NOT Blues beverages:

a. mixed drinks
b. kosher wine
c. Snapple
d. sparkling water

15. If it occurs in a cheap motel or a shotgun shack, it's a Blues death. Stabbed in the back by a jealous lover is another Blues way to die. So is the electric chair, substance abuse, and dying lonely on a broken down cot. You can't have a Blues death if you die during a tennis match or getting liposuction.

16. Some Blues names for women:

a. Sadie
b. Big Mama
c. Bessie
d. Fat River Dumpling

17. Some Blues names for men:

a. Joe
b. Willie
c. Little Willie
d. Big Willie

18. Persons with names like Sierra, Sequoia, Auburn, and Rainbow can't sing the Blues no matter how many men they shoot in Memphis.

19. Make your own Blues name (starter kit):

a. name of physical infirmity (Blind, Cripple, Lame, etc.)
b. first name (see above) plus name of fruit (Lemon, Lime, Kiwi,etc.)
c. last name of President (Jefferson, Johnson, Fillmore, etc.)

For example, Blind Lime Jefferson, or Cripple Kiwi Fillmore, etc.

(Well, maybe not "Kiwi.")

20. I don't care how tragic your life: you own a computer, you cannot sing the blues. You best destroy it. Fire, a spilled bottle of Mad Dog, or get out a shotgun. I don't care.

21. Obituary on a Blues man's grave site:

"Didn't wake up this Morning"
About this Entry
baddog
7 comments
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Jan. 15th, 2006 @ 11:12 pm White Men Can't Sing The Blues?


Of all the so-called truths in the world there are two that are undisputed facts. White men can't sing the blues and black men can't play Hockey. How do I know this? Because the Greeks told me so.

The first one was told to me in the late 70s at Los Angeles KPFK studio by Johnny Otis, born Ioannis Veliotes, Greek-American. He said to me "Dawg, White people can't sing the blues." Well, he didn't call me Dawg but he did say the rest. He then explained that, while white people can't sing the blues, they can interpret the blues. I was too much in awe with the performer of "Willie and the Hand Jive", the man who discovered Little Esther, and the father of Shuggie Otis to ask him what the difference was between singing and interpreting. Maybe Shuggie knows. Some day I hope to be able to ask him.

Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder had a bit of wisdom for us too. In 1988, he stated Blacks were not made for sports like Hockey. They were "bred" for strength sports like Football and Basketball. He was fired from his job as CBS sports commentator for this statement. He also said that if Blacks were given sport management jobs there would be no jobs left for white people. I think that is known as a backhanded complement. Hey, don't look at me! I didn't say it. These "truths" came from the descendants of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Who am I to argue with Socrates?

If you couldn't figure it out in the 80s I think we now know how silly these statements are. There are a number of excellent white blues singers. There are a number of excellent black hockey players. OK, OK! I can't think of one black hockey player but that doesn't' mean there isn't one somewheres. Both Mr. Otis and Mr. Snyder should have known better to make such blanket statements but they didn't say anything that wasn't already imbedded as a societal "truth". We all get caught up with the half-truths our cultures teach us. If we're lucky we won't get caught when society changes the rules and called racist or ignorant for believing the lies we were told in childhood. Here's is the Dawg's 3 step method to prevent falling into that trap.

1) Question authority
2) Educate yourself. Don't depend on others for the truth.
3) If a statement says or implies the words "all". "none", always", or never", discount it immediately.

My thought went to Johnny Otis and what he told me when I listened to Dion's new CD. Dion had some powerhouse hits in the early 60s, not the least being "Runaround Sue" and "The Wanderer". Dion is a dynamite rock and' roller but both Mr. Otis and I would have heartily agreed that he was not a blues singer. So I came to his new album "Bronx In Blues" with trepidation. He's 69 years old and you know what they say about old dogs and New Yorkers. Was Dion about to put another piece of evidence on the table for the "White Men Can't Sing The Blues" contingency?

I'm happy to report that Dion can sing the blues. He not only sings it but gobbles it up and spits it out like well aged tobacco. From the first verse of Robert Johnson's "Walkin' Blues" you know that Dion isn't doing this for a lark. This isn't an "interpretation". He respects and knows the blues. He carries these blues and country standards well. "Who Do You Love" is down and dirty as Bo Diddley meant it to be. Willie Dixon's "Built For Comfort" is the highlight of the album. It's a tough song meant for the street whether they are southern roads or Bronx alleys. Dion might even help me understand the difference between singing and interpreting. Remember Eric Clapton's version of Johnson's "Crossroad" with Cream? Listen to Dion's version of the same song. Clapton was interpreting the blues song. Dion is singing the blues. This is an impressive recording by a man who's been around. May he be around for another 69 years and hopefully he won't keep his prowess for the blues a secret any more.



Dion made he think about another 60s figure. Tony Joe White wasn't a big star like Dion. He is usually considered a one hit wonder for the catchy blues-rock number "Polk Salad Annie". But, unlike Dion, White wore his blues on his sleeves. While he didn't have another hit he turned out hits that reeked of southern blues for other stars, notably "Rainy Night In Georgia" for Brook Benton and "Willie and Laura Mae Jones" for Dusty Springfield. However blues singer don't do well with the music corporation suits. As Tony Joe said himself in "Rich Woman Blues"; "A Man that plays the blues is living one step from the street.".

Fortunately for us, Mr. White recorded an album titled Beginning that shows us what a great blues singer he is. It's an acoustic affair, perfect for the nuances of his deep voice and back porch guitar. These are personal songs that are both dark and insightful. "Raining On My life" an gospel influenced number of hard times and unfulfilled goals. "Going Back to Bed" sounds so personal it's almost disturbing. I don't know if it is the tough but vulnerable vocals or his exceptional lyrics but his songs make you feel like you've been there and you probably have. Not all of these songs are blues but they are drenched in the blues feeling that only a blues singer can partake of. "Rich Woman Blues" is a blues and it's a wonderful one, especially for White's courageous attempt to rhyme "condominium".

So here's my verdict: White men can sing the blues, black men can play hockey, and dawgs can write record reviews. You got a problem with that?
About this Entry
baddog
1 comment
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Jan. 8th, 2006 @ 10:38 pm Derek Bailey 1930-2005


It was in the 1980s at the Century City Playhouse in Los Angeles. Guitarists Derek Bailey and Henry Kaiser were playing together as a duo. The session was a studious affair. The audience was serious and the two musicians seemed intense and totally into their art. Then about halfway through, one of those "things" happened. A string on Bailey's guitar broke. In any other concert, the musicians would have stopped long enough to let Mr. Bailey fix his guitar or to swap it for another. In fact, an extra guitar was visible at the side of the circular stage. But he did not stop and neither did Kaiser. Bailey wrapped the broken string around one of the intact guitar strings and started sliding it up and down making a scraping sound. Bailey gave a big smile to the audience like he found a new toy. He continued playing the guitar in this way for a good long time until he apparently felt he had exhausted this mode of expression. He then picked up the other guitar and finished the set in the more conventional way.

Actually, Bailey never really played the guitar in the conventional way. His entire style involved a constant stretching of the instrument's limits. He would strum, pick, or scrape the strings all in the same phrase or change the timbre of the instrument note by note. In avant-garde jazz, Bailey was to the guitar as Ornette Coleman was to the saxophone or Cecil Taylor was to the piano. Bailey freed the instrument from the constraints of mainstream music and was the mentor of all free jazz and avant-rock guitarists to come. His own music seemed more attuned to modern classical than the jazz label he was usually burdened with. His process of creating new sounds for his instrument and incorporating chance elements, as he did in the Century City concert, was closer to the theories of John Cage than any jazz composer. His fondness for short disjointed phrases is often compared to the compositional style of Anton Webern. The concert in Century City was the only time I saw Derek Bailey but it was unforgettable. I don't think I will ever see another guitarist with such an imagination or one willing to take the risks in his playing that Bailey did,.

Bailey's music is quite difficult if you never heard him before. About a week before his death on Christmas Day in 2005, I came across a CD titled Ballads. The idea of Bailey tackling conventional songs seemed like a novelty in itself. Certainly the first track, "Laura", shows that his virtuosity is not confined to the avant-garde. It is a delicate piece of interpretation. But his trademarks of constantly changing timbres, disjointed lines, and dissonances manages to creep in. It works in the same way it worked, in a less jarring way, with pianist Thelonious Monk. Someone once said of Monk, "Even the wrong notes sound right." The same could be said of Bailey. The second and third tracks are fairly conventional but by the time we get to "Stella By Starlight" he has disassembled the song into a tapestry for his amazing artistry. All seven minutes of "Stella" is a lesson in just how far your can take a melody off the planet and into the far reaches of space. By the end of the album, you have forgotten these are "songs" and have settled into vast blanket of sound Bailey has generated.

Ballads is an excellent place for the Bailey neophyte to start. Even on this "conventional" album you must prepare yourself for the unconventional. In his later years, Bailey developed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It is said he refused surgery and was eager to learn how to use his disability to discover new ways to play the guitar. His last recording is titled Carpal Tunnel. This was the way of Derek Bailey; always experimenting, never surrendering to obstacles, and never being conventional.
About this Entry
baddog
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Dec. 30th, 2005 @ 09:27 pm The Dawg's Best of 2005
Ok. So I ranted and raved about what a crappy year this was. Fortunately the year in music wasn't half bad. There was lots of good music from all types of artists. So much that it's hard to know where to start.

The boss reminded me that this is supposed to be a jazz and blues blog. So I'm going to start with the Dawg's best five blues albums of 2005. Then we will do a best five for jazz. After that I'll mention a few exceptional albums in pop and rock that the music lover shouldn't pass up. Sorry. No CD covers this week. This column is going to be long enough already.

Top Five Blues Albums of 2005

1. Bettye Lavette - I've Got my Own Hell To Raise.
This is my number one album of 2005 of ANY genre. Lavette sings like her whole world is falling apart and she wants everyone to know it. This is R&B at its rawness. Bettye has been around awhile and it is great to see her do such a wonderful album.

2. James Blood Ulmer - Birthright
Ulmer is best known as an avant-garde jazz guitarist but his last 3 albums were unadulterated blues. On this one he's all solo and acoustic. Ulmer experiments with the blues, changing the meter and chord to coax something out of it that just isn't your father's blues. This is a groundbreaking album and the best pure blues CD of the 21st century so far.

3. Robert Nighthawk - Prowling With The Nighthawk
See my earlier review

4. Bernard Allison - Triple Fret
Bernard is the son of blues great Luther Allison and it shows. He teams up with organist Lucky Peterson to make a straight-forward grind-em-up blues record. Bernard does the vocasl and plays guitar but he gets top-notch help from fellow guitarists Carl Weathersby and Larry McCray. This CD does more than cook. It serves the meal and does the dishes!

5. Buddy Guy - Bring Em In
See my previous review

Top five Jazz Albums of 2005

1. John Coltrane Quartet - One Down, One Up: Live At The Half Note
Someone's been digging gold in the record companies' vault. This never before released live recording from 1965 is one of the best Coltrane records ever. That's pretty astounding considering how many classic records Coltrane made during his lifetime. This was the "classic" quartet of McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones at their tightest and just before they disbanded. The performance is rather conservative considering Coltrane was developing his "sheets of sound" approach but this doesn't dimish the total greatness of this recording.

2. Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane - At Carnegie Hall
Isn't it ironic that the two best albums of 2005 were recorded over 45 years ago? This CD is incredible and all the more important as it is the only one of two live recordings of this short lived grouping. The interchange is impeccable. Discovering this CD in the vault must have been the jazz version of finding El Dorado.

3. Luciana Souza - Duos II
Luciana Souza has been a well-kept secret in Brazilian jazz but this album should change her luck. She performs duos with three guitarists on varuious tracks. Her phrasing is impeccable. Her rapport with the guitarists is astounding. Souza can go from a tongue bending fast number to an haunting ballad with no problemo.

4. Cedar Walton - Underground Memoirs
The great jazz pianist recorded a wonderful solo piano outing this year. Keeping to jazz standard, he plays them with uncommon feeling. This is a 3 AM recording full of passion and longing.

5. David Fathead Newman - For Brother Ray
Tenor saxist Newman performs a warming tribute to his former boss Ray Charles. Newman's playing has never been so good. The excellent arrangements help. This was a sentimental pick for me. It is good to see the great singer honored with a tribute like this.

What about pop and rock? You can check my reviews here and here for five geat rock albums of 2005. There was one other album I recently heard that will get a nod. Brazilian Girls is a new group that blends trip-hop style electronics with Brazilian music and anything else that hits their fancy. Who cares there is only one girl in the band and none of the members are Brazilian? It is a haunting piece of work bring out the best in both genres. Definitely a group to watch.

So get out the champagne, sing "Auld Lang Whatever" out of key, and give these records a try if you haven't already heard them. I'm waiting to see what music 2006 will bring!
About this Entry
baddog
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Dec. 29th, 2005 @ 09:47 pm Scram 2005!
God! I'll be glad when this year is over! If years were wine, 2005 would be Thunderbird. This has been a bad year for the world, the nation, and even personal matters. The Boss went through a lot this year. Death and illness loomed about Casa De Dawg like never before. There's a Navajo belief that when an owl flies into your home it is a portent of death and misfortune. A lot of owls must has nested in the attic when I wasn't looking! Fortunately The Boss and everyone involved huddled together and persevered. That's what friends do.

Globally and nationally, it was a boom year for the wrath of Mother Nature. At the beginning, the tsunami in the Indian Ocean amassed a record amount of deaths. Just in case we Americans felt immune from this sort of thing, Katrina taught us different and took back New Orleans. As usual people from all the world huddled together and helped each other. Not that we had much leadership. The current administration shuffled its feet both time. First time, Bush delayed assistance until it looked like he was shamed into it. In New Orleans, he shuffled again assisted by a FEMA Director that didn't know a hurricane from a candy cane.

Which brings us to the next 2005 tragedy. This was the year we lost faith in our institutions. We Americans love to bitch and moan about the government. Either it interferes too much or not enough. But somewhere deep down inside, we know it will be there when we need it. This was the year it wasn't. The scene of starving New Orleans citizens went around the world. It's a given that the poor suffer in natural distasters more than the rich. But America was supposed to be different. The world found out otherwise.

And why all these storms? Almost every scientist in the world points to global warning. The University of Colorado published proof that the polar ice caps are melting at an unprecedented rate. Since the early 19th century, when world temperatures were first recorded systematically, eight of the 10 hottest years has been in the last 12 years. But the current administration...can you give me a "B"!...says there no proof of global warming. Translate that to mean 'To admit to global warming would be bad for business"'.

This is also the year we've gotten stupider. A few fundamentalists who were smarter than most of the country realized that Creationism didn't work as a word any more and substituted "Intelligent Design" . Most of us fell for it despite the fact that Intelligent Design has absolutely no basis in science.and that Evolution has continually passed every test a scientific theory can be put to. The satirical paper The Onion has suggested that maybe the theory of gravity should be questioned. After all, no one can absolutely prove gravity exists. They suggested "Intelligent Falling", the idea that things fall because God pushes them!

Iraq seems to be an afterthought any more. Are we concerned that our children are being killed for a country that doesn't seem to want peace. I honestly wish the best for them and it's an area in which I hope Bush is shown to be right; that we can stabilize Iraq and help the Iraqis unify their country. I truly hope so. I also hoped for the same with Lyndon Johnson and Vietnam.

So I leave 2005 thinking things can't get much worse. I wish the best for The Boss, The world, The country...hell!,,, Even President Bush. But as they say, those who do not learn from the past repeats it. Can we learn? Stay tuned for 2006.

But no, dear reader. I am not done yet. Wasn't I supposed to talk about the music of 2005! Again, stay tuned. Same Dawg time, same Dawg channel.
About this Entry
baddog
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Dec. 19th, 2005 @ 06:59 pm A Blues Hound Christmas Part 2
Did you bring the eggnog? Good. I'm back with some more rockin' holiday CDs. This Christmas is going to have a groove if I have to howl a few carols myself. There's one christmas song I like. You know the one. "House cats roasting on an open fire". Quit yelling, I'm only kidding!

Last time I reviewed a few bluesy christmas CDs. Some of them were new, some old. They are whatever I rummaged from The Boss' collection. I found a few more that will keep you from setting out bear traps for the carolers.

James Brown - A James Brown Christmas



The Godfather of Soul always delivers. The man can't sing 'Happy Birthday" without wringing every bit of soul that could possibly be in it. Much of this album is original material and many of the songs, such as "Hey America" and "Let's Unite The World" have a social message. Other original songs like "Signs of Christmas" and "Soulful Christmas" are straight out James Brown funk. Before you think this is all funky stuff, his rendition of "The Christmas Song" is one of the prettiest things I've heard James Brown sing. My choice for biggest musical delight goes to Brown's covers of Charles Brown's "Please Come Home for Chrsitmas" and "Merry Christmas Baby". Can James sing the blues? Can you say - "Oh yeah!"?

Brian Setzer - Dig That Crazy Christmas

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

It isn't really blues or soul but Brian Setzer has become sort of a seasonal tradition. This is his newest release and his second Christmas CD in three years. It's a cute mix of swing and rock and if it's a little campy...well.. as my buddy Mma would say, it ain't Stockhausen! Every household needs a fun silly Christmas album and, until the Chipmunks come back in style, this is it!

The Alligator Records Christmas Collection

Image hosted by TinyPic.com

Alligator Records has long been one of the finest blues label out there. Who would have known they were hoarding all these holiday gems? Any CD that starts off with the fabulous Koko Taylor better have some big guns later and Alligator delivers. This is the modern blues Christmas compilation for that wild office party. Everybody will be dancing on their desk! Highlights include a great Christmas boogie by Charles Brown, Tinsley Ellis' mildly raunchy "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin" & some rollicking Cajun fun with "Christmas On The Bayou. Elvin Bishop, Clarence Gatemouht Brown, Son Seal and others add to the fun.

Ok, now you have six Christmas albums that will keep you rockin' until New Years. You won't hear from The Dawg until after Christmas. I'm going to have a lot of chewing on gifts to do! Next week I'll get into the New Years and do the "Best of the Year" thing.

Merry Christmas and a Happy Hannukah to all!
About this Entry
baddog
3 comments
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Dec. 14th, 2005 @ 11:41 pm A Blues Hound Christmas
Whoever planned the holiday schedule really screwed it up. I haven't even digested all that turkey and now I have to think about Christmas hams. What's a dawg going to do?

At least, I don't have to worry about snow out here in the desert. I was in the snow once. The Boss took me up to Big Bear Lake a few winters ago. We stayed in a cabin in the woods. I got to chase after squirrels. It was pretty cool for a while. Then one morning I woke up and there was this white stuff on the ground. At first I thought, 'hell! someone been plucking chicken feathers and I'm going to get blame'. I sniffed the stuff and it was wet and cold. I jumped into it and it was really cold! I ran back in the cabin and didn't come out until The Boss started the car to go home. No snow for me thank you.

In the desert the things that make a Christmas isn't all that different from anywhere else: good friends, festive food, an expression of love and caring through the giving of gifts, etc. And music. Lots of Chrstmas Carols. Except all those carols sound alike after a while. How many times can you hear "Jingle Bells" and keep your sanity? And "Twelve Days of Christmas"? What maniac is going to give his true love all those gifts. The partridge and French hens are OK. After all a dawg gotta eat. But 12 drummers drumming? The way I figure it, this guy is trying to drive his girl mad so he can commit her and collect the insurance. All that leaping, drumming, and dancing would send anyone up a wall!

So this year, no brass choirs, no children choruses singing out of tune, no caroling neighbors tramping on the begonias. Casa De Dawg is having a Blues Hound Christmas. We are going to make this a bluesy, soulful affair. In this and the next post, I'm going to check out some seasonal music that, as the kid next door would say, doesn't suck.

Various Artists - Merry Christmas Baby



First, we go to the roots! This splendid blues holiday compilation is sure to set the season off in a soulful mood. It starts off with four tracks by the legendary Charles Brown including his signature "Merry Christmas Baby" and "Please Come Home for Christmas". Most of this material is from the 50s and may create the bluest Christmas you ever heard. There's some real delights here. Lowell Fulsom's "Lonesome Christmas Part 1 & 2" is a wonderfully funky blues about being alone during the holidays. Louis Jordan's "Santa Claus, Santa Claus" is typical of the 50s holiday blues about not being with the one you love. After all, this is the blues! The Violinaires present more traditional fare with a stirring gospel song "Little Jesus Boy". When you add tracks by Big Joe Williams, Jimmy Reed, and Bobby Powell, you know this CD is not going to be your normal caroling neighbors affair.

Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas



Few singers have a voice as charming as Aaron Neville. It is tailor made for ballads like "The Christmas Song" and traditional fare such as "O Holy Night". What's delightful is how he can take these traditional songs and breathe new life into them. If there is anything such as a Christmas date CD this is it. Neville manages to be respectful to the genre and romantic, even sexy, at the same time. But he doesn't betray his New Orleans roots either. "Such A Night" and "Louisiana Christmas Day" brings more than a little Cajun into the holiday. This is a keeper.

Diana Krall - Christmas Songs



Here's one that's brand new for 2005 and I predict it will go down as a holiday classic right next to Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby. For starters, she sings a "Jingle Bells" that doesn't send me bonkers. Is there anything Ms. Krall can't sing well? She sticks with the standards but keeps this a classy affair with excellent backing from the Clayton-Hamilton orchestra. While Neville is for romantic couples, the Krall CD is perfect for a little get together with your best friends. If you're looking for a jazz Christmas CD you would be hard pressed to find one better than this.

Those three will start you out. Go spike up the eggnog and by the time you're back, I may have some more Christmas CD reviews in Blues Hound Christmas Part 2!
About this Entry
baddog
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Dec. 10th, 2005 @ 10:45 am The Boss Regresses!


Things are still a little hectic at Casa De Dawg. The good news is that Sweetie is out of the hospital. I get my regular pats on the head again and that's cool. The Boss seems mellower too. Regardless, the music continues to play and The Boss continues to dig out these new bands off the internet. He even found one called Mindless Self Indulgence. Is that supposed to be a band or a mental condition?

So anyhow, I've had to put up with all this new music. The boss' retirement is frankly getting on my nerve. He keeps playing these new bands is an attempt to regain his "glory days", whatever that means. Dawgs have trouble identifying with that term. The closest I came to a glory day was when the Purina truck overturned on I-10. It turned into the doggy equivalent of Woodstock.

It seems to me that if you want to relive your youth you should go back and listen to those bands that you adored at the time. The Boss finally listened to me and got out his old Rolling Stones records. He tells me that in his high school there were two types of people. Those who like The Beatles and those who like The Rolling Stones. If the two should meet, watch out! Someone was likely to pull out a box cutter. For those who still go to high school, let me explain. Box cutters were the state of the art in high school violence during the 60s. There was the occasional switchblade but that was too James Dean. No one would think of taking an Uzi to school let alone a pistol. The Boss went to a tough school but compared to the high schools of today, it was a vacation retreat. But I again digress...

So The Boss went out and bought a couple Stone albums. Where did he buy them? At Starbucks aka The World Trade Center For Aging Yuppies. Not only can you buy an over priced cup of coffee but you can buy CDs that would send the average teenager off giggling but put the Baby Boomer in Nirvana (The place not the group). First he bought the new Stones' album, A Bigger Bang. This has been hyped so much I'm not going to say much except it's not all that. The boys have hit 60 and if shows. There's some good rockers on it but the strain of age is showing. The overall effect of the CD is a word I would never have used before with the Stones. Boring.

But somewhere between the Iced Chai Tea Latte and the pecan bar, The Boss noticed something else. Another stones CD, Rarities 1971-2003. It appears the Stones collaborated with Starbucks's own music label, Hear Music, and put together some unreleased materials. Actually, that's a misnomer. Only about 5 of the 16 tracks were unreleased. The others were culled from lesser known live compilations or dance mixes. However the results are much more entertaining than the new CD. The material falls loosely into 3 categories. 1) Live material from Stones concerts, 2) Dance or extended mixes of previously released material, and 3) unreleased Stones material. Of these, the truly unreleased tracks are the most exciting. The CD starts out with "Fancy Man Blues", reminiscent of the earlier blues-rock days of the young Stones. It's a magical number showing the boys at their best and truly enjoying themselves. "Wish I Never Met You" is also a trip back to the gritty blues-rock of the 60s. Other unreleased tracks show the softer side of Mick such as "Through the Lonely Nights" and "Anyway You Look At it". Any of these are worth the price of the album.

The live numbers are good but nothing special except maybe the live acoustic version of "Wild Horses" which is one of my favorite Jagger-Richard compositions so I'm a little biased. A couple Muddy Waters live covers are thrown in; "I Just Wanna Make Love to You" and "Mannish Boy". Suffice to say the Stones does them justice. The stripped down version of "Tumbling Dice" is also a treat. That leaves the "dance" versions made for nightclubs and 12" dance records. These are more fun than you might think. I would even go to say the the dance version of "Mixed Emotions" is actually more interesting than the original. "Harlem Shuffle" on the other hand, doesn't sound all that different. Besides, the Stones' version pales compared to the magnificent original by Bob And Earl from 1963.

Maybe it's the variety of settings and times, but this is a vastly more satisfying CD than A Bigger Bang. Forget the new Stones. Go gather up some old Stones.
About this Entry
baddog
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Dec. 2nd, 2005 @ 11:24 pm Bon Voyeur!
I thought when The Boss retired he would stay home and take care of his pets. Isn't that what any sane old person does? But no, not The Boss. He's out more than when he worked. Last two weeks ago he went off to the casino, something about playing craps or taking a crap. Hell, I don't know what goes on in casinos except people usually walk in rich and come out poor. "Boss," I tell him. "You need to watch your money. You're on a fixed income now." But he doesn't listen to me. Well, yeah he does. Except it comes out "Woof, Woof!" and he says something like "What's the matter, Blues? You're hungry?" Hell no, I'm not hungry but he gives me a Beggin' Strip anyway. I eat the thing. I'm no fool. But some day I'm going to bite the hand that feeds me.

No I won't. He's okay.

On the serious side, Sweetie has been ill and in the hospital. The Boss visits her and talks on the phone with her. That's cool too. As Dean Martin sings. "Everybody needs somebody sometimes". That the way it is with that little French poodle and I. So I go ambling over to Fifi's place and peep into the window. Now you humans will get arrested for that sort of thing. Dawgs can get away with it. There was Fifi cuddled in her lady's lap sleeping away. Edith Piaf was playing on the stereo. Fifi may not know much about jazz and blues but she knows her French singers.

I didn't want to bother her so I walked over to Farmer Garcia's farmhouse. We've been getting along since Old Fang took the fall for me. I'm keeping my chicken stealing down. Old Fang hasn't been seen since Garcia decimated his gang with a shot gun. I kinda feel sorry for him. Maybe I'll visit him later.

So I peeked into the window and there was Mr. & Mrs. Garcia. It was party time at the old hacienda. They were tripping the light fantastic to some snappy rhumba. I think it was Tito Puente. Man! Can that old Mexican farmer and his old lady cut a rug. They were giggling and cuddling. Garcia was slipping his hand down her back and whispering things in her ears that only made her giggle some more. At that point. I decided to leave. There's some thing so personal that even a dawg shouldn't watch. I could have kept checking out the neighbors' music but I was getting tired out. I didn't even have to go to the Horny Toad Saloon to know what they're listening to. I swear, if I hear one more Garth Brooks song I'm going to drop the cat's hairballs in their beer glasses!

But I'm always interested in what music people listen to. Duke Ellington said, "There are two kinds of music. Good and bad." Whether it's rhumbas, French torch songs, the blues, country, or whatever. Every kind of music will ring someone's bell.

So how do I get my musical voyeuristic kicks? Not by peering in windows anymore. I go over to Last.fm and see what people are listening to. You can register on Last.fm, download their software and also let the world what you are listening to! The software is pretty straight forward. There's no adware or spyware on it. It appears perfectly safe. It only reads what you play on your MP3 player (I use Winamp). The options even allow you to tell the software to ignore certain folders in case you don't want the world to know you listen to Britney Spears CDs. Not only does it list what you play but, and here's the cool part, it keeps track. It shows you how often you listen to a certain artist or track. It lists your top-rated artists and keeps weekly accounts of your listening patterns.

You can also join groups with people of similar musical passions. Again the software tracks the group's listening pattern weekly. The group have their own forum and space for articles. It can get pretty chummy. Believe me, there's a group for any type of music.

This may appear a little involved but it's simpler than it sounds. Best thing to do is take a look and read their FAQ. Better yet. Why don't you take a look at at the ol' Blues_Hound's page. You can see what the dawg is listening to right this very second. Right now it's some old Lonnie Johnson tracks but tomorrow it could be something entirely different. There is so much more but check it out. It's a lot of fun and your listening patterns may surprise you!

The site also has their Last.fm radio station. This is cool because, as you listen to music and tag it (read the FAQ), it remembers your taste. Pretty soon your station is playing what you like and it is pretty accurate although you need to listen to a lot of music for it to get really accurate.

So no more peeking in windows. I'm going to see if I can get Fifi to register on Last.fm. I bet there are lots of Edith Piaf fans out there.

For those of you who peruse my links on the top of the page, you might notice a new one, Free Albums Galore. I highly recommend this one. A guy named Luke looks for full albums available on the internet for free, all legal and in MP3. He boasts he provides a link to an album a day (albums not posts) and he does it! The music is ecletic. One day it's classical, next day rock, next day electronic, next day Hungarian pop, you get the picture. You never know what it will be but it is always interesting and of good quality. Check it out.

My buddy Sam just informed me that it is a go for the Second Annual Colorado River Jazz Festival. You can read my review of the first festival in a earlier column. Suffice it to say, everyone had a heck of a time. I'm especially happy to see The Night Blooming Jazzmen on the agenda. I've seen them often and rank them as one of the best bands currently playing in the traditional and swing style.This year the festival will be on February 17, 18, and 19. Hope to see you there. Tell them the Dawg sent you and they will charge you double the rate! Just kidding.

So that's a wrap. See you next time.
About this Entry
baddog
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Nov. 29th, 2005 @ 11:33 pm Review: Robert NightHawk - Prowling With The Nighthawk


The Blues is a cruel occupation. Ever since the beginning, blues men and women had it hard. Most of the men traveled on the road playing on street corners and whatever juke joint would let them play for change and beers. The women had it a little easier,. The vaudeville and burlesque circuits were always looking for talented songtresses. Mamie Smith made the first blues record. Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, and others were well recorded in the twenties and obtained true star recognition. The men had it harder. Occasionally they would enter a studio, make a few"race records" as they were called since they would be targeted for black audiences only, and then they were back on the streets. Many of the great blues singers like Furry Lewis, Son House, and Bukka White didn't really receive any fame until the early 60s during the blues and folk revival. Lately things haven't been much easier. People who play the blue usually toil in obscurity in the local bars and gets the occasional record session if they are lucky. A few blues men like Robert Cray and Keb Mo are fortunate to be popular in their prime. Some, like R. L. Burnside, had time on their side surviving long enough to become an old master of a vanishing style like Mississippi Hill Country Blues. Other blues masters like Hubert Sumlin (who Jimi Hendrix said was his favorite guitarist) and Guitar Shorty still struggle. Then there are the hard cases like Hip Linkchain and Ted Hawkins who start to get recognition but pass away before their time is due.

The interesting thing about Robert Nighthawk is that he fits all these categories. Nighthawk is probably the greatest blues musician that you never heard of. He is revered as one of the great slide guitarists and is credited with teaching Muddy Waters how to play the guitar. He was one of the first to amplify the slide guitar as early as the late 30s. He is acknowledged as the bridge between delta blues and the Chicago style even though he spent little time in Chicago preferring to be on the road. He made only a few scattered recordings from the 30s up to his death in 1967. While veteran blues musician recall him almost reverently there is little in-print material for the blues aficionado to verify this status.

So this is why Document Records has done us all a favor by releasing Prowling With The Nighthawk, a 26 track collection of music from 1937 to 1953. This is the most comprehensive collection of Nighthawk, taking in his early delta acoustic style then up to his more electrified groups of the early 50s. It's easy to see why he was so revered. His guitar style is set from the beginning and it rules the recording whether acoustic or electrified. The CD starts with "Tough Luck", a guitar-harp duet fitting of the best 30s Delta blues. Nighthawk's own "Friar's Point Blues"is a solo track that showcases his slide guitar and boasts a powerful vocal. By the time you get to "Maggie Campbell Blues" the groups become larger and more diversified. Unlike Document's usual habit of listing artist performances chronologically, this time they mix it up switching earlier acoustics with later Chicago blues style tracks. It's a good choice allowing the listener to revel in acoustic classics like "Prowling Nighthawk" and then to groove with rowdy juke joint numbers like "Take It Easy Baby" and "Feel so Bad". There are two versions of "Take it Easy", an early Delta rendition and a later number typical of Chicago blues. Listening to these back to back is a edifying experience. By the time you get to the last track, "Annie: Lee Blues", featuring one of his most emotional slide guitar solo, you should have no doubt of the greatness of The Nighthawk.

If you are a seasoned blues collector "Prowling" deserves an honored place in your collection. If you are a beginning listener of the blues, place this on your top ten list of essential must-have Blues CDs.
About this Entry
baddog
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Nov. 24th, 2005 @ 12:24 am The Dawg's Top of the Pop
Sometimes I think you readers envision Casa De Dawg as a utopia of musical bliss. I bet you think the typical night exists of dog, human and cat cozying together in a sound blanket of blues and jazz., I am going to rid you of that notion forever. It's musical chaos around here. Each of us have our own musical craving and we fight over the ipod like...Dare I say it?...Cats and dogs.

As you know, I tend to dig the blues. The Boss is a jazz fan but also soaks up more than a little classic rock. Lately he's going through a second adolescence that must be associated with that thing called retirement. He's been listening to a lot of new pop and rock. Groups with names like The Jesus Lizard, Neutral Milk Hotel, & Harvey Danger. Of course I gotta listen to them too. The ones I just mentioned are pretty good but a lot of these new bands sends me off to peruse the newspaper which is kept in the corner of the bathroom floor.

The cat isn't really much of a music fan. She seems to like world music. Actually I thinks she likes any CD as long as you spread tuna on it. Whoever said cats were smarter than dogs wasn't smarter than a dog himself. Right now it's the cat's turn to pick the tracks and we're grooving to some dude from Algeria called Khaled. Gotta admit, it's pretty cool. Gonna check this guy out in more detail later.

There's a third factor involved. This nice lady keeps coming over. She always has a pat on the head for me. I'm not sure what her name is, but The Boss keeps calling her Sweetie so I guess that's it. She's the classic music aficionado. Even a dawg needs a little culture sometimes so I'm happy to listen and learn. She talks about Baroque, Romantic, Modern, even something called Minimalist by composers like Steve Reich and Phillip Glass. I sample it all but mainly like the modern stuff. You could say her Bach is worst than her Reich, but I won't.

So now you have the cast of character that rules this musical dystopia. Lately The boss's trip back to adolescence is in the forefront and I've manage to find some really cool groups. Lets take a walk and look at what I think is the cream of the new music in the pop world. Most of this is Indie. You ain't gonna hear this on Clear Channel or MTV so listen up!



Bloc Party - Silent Alarm

Now This CD is getting MTV play. With it's danceable rhythms, sharp guitars, and a quirky lovable vocalist, it's easy to see why they are often called "The next big thing". This is a band that has it all. Intelligent lyrics, addictive hooks, and a slant to political comment that doesn't detract from the all-around fun of their music. Bloc Party sort of gives you hope that top 40 music isn't totally in the garbage. You can find four free mp3 downloads, none of them from Silent Alarm, on their web site here



Blackalicious - The Craft

Of all the music in our house, Hip-Hop gets little play. Here's a major exception. Rapper Gift of Gab and DJ Chief XL make up Blackalicious and stand out with a positive, even spiritual message which is a welcome relief from the usual violence and hedonism of most West Coast rappers. But that doesn't mean much if the music isn't there. XL's' control of sampling and the beat is phenomenal. Gift of gab is aptly named. This a a truly funky piece of work which I would recommend to anyone who thinks rap isn't music. I especially love the rockish "Powers". Rockers and people who just love good music shouldn't pass this up. You can get full free mp3s of "Powers" and "My Pen and Pal" at their web site.



Animal Collective - Feels

I don't know exactly what to say about this oddity. At first play you wonder if these guys are listening to each other. Then it dawns on you that not only do they know what they are doing but this is well thought out complex music. The main influences appear psychedelia and folk music. It is very unique music that can float over you like a warm bath as on "Flesh Canoe" or dance teasingly around as on "Purple Bottle" . My guess is this is a "either-love-it-or-hate-it' record but it should be experienced. There are supposed to be four streamable tracks from this CD on this page but I couldn't get them to work.



The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday

Lastly, we have a group that owes more to classic rock and 80s punk than the other groups but don't let that scare you away. Hailing out of Minnesota, The Hold Steady's Mid-America demeanor is faintly reminiscent of Springsteen. However Graig Finn's unique speak-sing style is all his own. He also happens to be the most "In-you-face" lyricist I've heard in a long time with lyrics comparable to the prose of Burroughs and Bukowski. All of this is framed with a tight rhythmn section and blasting guitars. Watch this group. My bet is they will only get better and they're pretty damn good now. My fave song is "Your Little Hood Rat Friend" and is the most accessible of the tracks. Lucky for you, it is freely available on their web site here

So there's a quick rundown of four of the best rock albums of 2005, at least to my ears. Except for maybe Bloc Party I doubt you'll hear any of these on commercial radio. That's pathetic. There is exciting music out there. Turn off the radio, buy some of these albums, and rock on!

I see the clock has turn over to Thursday. So Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Save a little turkey for me. A turkey is just a big fat chicken anyway.

One more thought and I'm out of here. I can safely say that you will now see me posting more regularly. I will try to post at least once a week but hopefully 2 to 3 times a week. I have a lot of music to review and a lot of snarling to do!

Bye, fellow dawgophiles.
About this Entry
baddog
Leave a comment
Permanent Link