Muddy Waters, Mighty Joe Young, Willie Dixon, Koko Taylor, Son Seals, Lonnie Brooks recorded live at the world's largest music festival - ChicagoFest 1980.
One million people were there for all the flash and all the fire. Six Chicago blues greats pouring out their music for an ecstatic hometown crowd.
It's truly BLUES DELUXE.
Tracklist:
01 - Sweet Home Chicago 05:46 (The Lonnie Brooks Blues Band)
02 - Don't Throw Your Love On Me So Strong 07:25 (The Son Seals Blues Band)
03 - Need A Friend 04:54 (Mighty Joe Young)
04 - Clouds In My Heart 07:16 (Muddy Waters)
05 - Hey Bartender 05:19 (Koko Taylor and Her Blues Machine)
06 - Wang Dang Doodle 06:37 (Willie Dixon & The Chicago Blues All Stars)
When I was asked to write some liner notes for Big Mike Griffin’s new album, “All My Runnin’”, I was tickled to death. I’ve been friends with Big Mike for years and here was my chance to talk about the man I call the best Biker Blues guitar player in the world. Believe me, I know the blues. As a young musician, I played drums for the great, Jimmy Reed.
You know, there’s a reason we call Big Mike, “Big” Mike. Now, I am not a little guy but Mike Griffin dwarfs me. At nearly 7 feet tall, he makes his Fender Telecaster look like a ukulele.
Now pay attention to what I am about to tell you. As a fan of Big Mike, I knew I would love his new album but it surpassed all my expectations. Right off the bat you are treated to Iron City, a song that Mike wrote for a documentary film called Iron City Blues. This song is the true story of Iron City, TN. You don’t want to go there alone.
I’m Gonna Take My Troubles, Buried Alive In The Blues and You Wouldn’t Understand are exactly what I expect from Big Mike Griffin, BIKER BLUES. While truckin’ down the highway, these songs make my head bob forward and backward to that drivin’ beat. I don’t even realize I’m speeding.
I loved Use Me. Because of my being a drummer, I like that percussive funky feel. Too dang cool. Shade Tree Mechanic gave me that classic blues shuffle. Somebody’s Got To Go transported me to the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta and back to a time that would have been the birth of the blues. I am a sucker for a good slide guitar and that makes me a sucker for Big Mike Griffin.
Shoal Creek sounds dangerous to me. It took me back to Iron City, a dangerous place and All My Runnin’ showed me a side of Big Mike that I had never seen before. There is a strong Bob Dylan influence from the 60’s. I should know because I was the original drummer with Bob on his very first electric world tour in 1966. We were known as The Band.
All I can say is, “I know what I like and I like Big Mike Griffin”. I think I’ll just hit “PLAY” on this CD player, ONE MORE TIME! (Mickey Jones, musician/actor)
Comprised of songs cut during the final 13 months of the Nice's existence, Elegy is a must-own title for fans of Keith Emerson, offering his best live performance on piano ("Hang On to a Dream") ever to get a legal release, showcasing his organ playing on unique and beguiling arrangements of Tchaikovsky and Dylan material, and ending with a live version of the Nice's showstopper, "America."
Doppler Affect is a straight forward rock sound with a great deal of influence from various genres. The musicians on this CD are based out of Pittsburgh PA and have years of professional experience in the industry. Playing with national acts THE OUTLAWS, FOGHAT, CHARLIE DANIELS Band (to name a few) as well as smaller venues through out the region Doppler Affect has gained substantial recognition for their brand of original rock. The band is a triple guitar threat, bass, drums and soaring vocals guaranteed to rock you or sooth your soul depending on the track. If Rock 'n' Roll is your thing do yourself a favour find out how the DOPPLER AFFECTs you.
You never know where inspiration or opportunity comes from. Sometimes it comes from hard work or lots of thought, but for me, it just drops out of the blue. At least that how it seems. This album, as well as our first "Harley In The Rain" has been a labour of love and a joy to produce and create. Due mostly to the songs, the creative freedom, and last but certainly not least, the tremendous talents of my road/recording band, John Bird, Steve Vines and Jim "Fish" Miche. Not to mention the support of my outlaw brother John Tubbs for his tenacity at keeping me grounded and keeping our fledging record label in the black.
This album (I still can't get used to compact disc) is a continuation and celebration of Bikes, Blues and Brotherhood. I hope there is something for everyone on this offering, from hardcore blues fan to hardcore biker. At the very least I hope everyone has a good time listening and partying to our music, after all that's what its all about. Till next time "Keep the rubber side down" (BIG MIKE GRIFFIN)
Original Recordings was Dan Hicks' initial solo effort as well as the debut of his "Hot Licks." Unlike the overamplified electric jug band music that the Charlatans had been creating during Hicks' stint as their drummer and occasional vocalist, this new band performed a refreshing blend of jazz swing with country & western. Their understated performance style stood in strong contrast to the burgeoning heavy metal and acid rock that were en vogue as the '60s became the '70s.
Featured on this album is a seminal version of the "Hot Licks" that were only together briefly. Included are John Weber (guitar) and Terry Wilson (drums) as well as vocalists Tina Viola Gancher and Sherry Snow. Both Sid Page (violin/vocals) and Jaime Leopold (acoustic bass) would remain with Hicks (guitar/vocals/spoken word) as core members of the band.
Of the 11 original compositions on this disc, "How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away" followed Hicks from the Charlatans, while "Canned Music," "I Scare Myself," and "Shorty Falls in Love" would be slightly reworked for their inclusion on the upcoming long-players Where's the Money? and Striking It Rich, respectively. Perhaps because of Hicks' background as a drummer, his sense of timing is a key element to his deceptively complex melodies. Likewise, this has a great deal to do with the success of the call-and-response vocals between Hicks and the female background vocalists he would dub "the Lickettes." Within these pastoral melodies and slightly askew lyrics is the somewhat out-of-sync and acid-tinged "It's Bad Grammar, Baby." In retrospect, the prominently distorted acoustic guitar lead overwhelms the track -- which would have otherwise fit nicely within the context of the remainder of the album. This might have had something to do with it being conspicuously left off the 2001 Sony/Legacy reissue Canned Music: The Most of Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks. Those who can locate a copy of these Original Recordings are urged to do so. For Hicks-ophiles or Dan-ophites, it is a vital entry into his canon.
Tracklist:
01 - Canned Music 04:05
02 - How Can I Miss You When You Won't Go Away 02:40
Vinegar Joe's second album was workmanlike, early-'70s mainstream British rock, though with more of a soul and rock & roll influence than the usual such band of the era, due to the one-two punch of lead vocalists Robert Palmer and Elkie Brooks. It's fair but not astounding stuff, Palmer and Brooks both singing together and taking individual leads of their own.
The original material tends toward the commonplace good-time rock & roll vibe, though it gets a bit more interesting on Palmer's two original compositions, "Falling" (which clearly points toward the reggae-funk of his early solo career) and "Forgive Us" (which is a decent facsimile of rootsy southern Californian country-folk-rock). As for the three covers, it's doubtful anyone needed a version of Jerry Lee Lewis' classic "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On." But they showed better taste on Jimi Hendrix's "Angel" (Brooks' most impressive vocal on the record) and the obscure American folk-rock tune "Rock & Roll Gypsies," originally done by the Gypsy Trips and Hearts & Flowers in the 1960s.
The George Hatcher Band was certainly one of the greatest southern rock bands between 1976 and 1982, and surprising they were not from Dixie land, but from England. And, as Whisbone Ash or Bad Company did, this band helped a lot this musical style to emerge. First, they released the great "Dry run" album, back in 1976 (for the ones who were lucky enough to get it), and all the southern rock fans immediately loved this album and this band. I must admit I fell on my ass when I first heard the song "Lucky guy", for example.
George Hatcher was 20% of blues, 40% of boogie and 60% of rock 'n' roll. All this added with such great feeling, a bit of progressive music, an explosive cocktail. George Hatcher was, and still is, a hell of a singer, somewhere between Joe Cocker, Gregg Allman, Rory Gallagher and Bob Seger. He had in his band two wonderful guitar players, Phil Swan and John Thomas. While listening to this first album, a few weeks ago, I just wondered how this album could be so unknown..... There was everything, the guitars, the singing, the songs. For sure, there was nothing missing and I bet if this kind of album could be released nowadays, it would surely well received by the people loving southern rock music.
With "Talkin' turkey", which was released one year later, it was another great piece of southern rock that George Hatcher Band gave us, and it confirmed us this band was a great one and they have deserved much more fame than they had. A bit more worked than their first album, "Dry run", they were big names on this new one with John Mc Fee, from the Doobie Brothers on pedal steel guitar and Huey Lewis on harmonica. These people are for sure marks of quality, aren't they? And songs such as "Black moon rising", "Forty Ford" or "The cadillac" are some of the greatest southern rock beauties. "Rich girl" was their third album and was really different from the two first ones. As many bands during these years, they tried, or were forced, to try to get a wider audience, and they changed quite a bit their rock 'n' roll music. The two main people from the band, the guitar players had already left the ship. Was it a consequence? And as many bands, this change was not a real success and the future was real difficult and uncertain.
Many people thought "Rich girl" was the last album from George Hatcher band, they kept on working and released another album in 1982, "Coming home". It was for sure different from "Dry Run" and "Talkin Turkey", but they were songs such as "Read the News" or "Moving down the Road" which were great ones, as was "Young boys" where you could believe it was the late Rory Gallagher singing on this one. Since then, except some recordings with other people, George Hatcher didn't record, to my knowledge, new material, but seems to still be on the road performing his style of rock 'n' roll.
GHB INFO: Albums, Coming Home was recorded in 1982 and Hindsight in 1985 with his American band but were never released in Europe. With his American band George toured the East Coast until 1991 where he decided it was time for a break and go fishing in the mountains of North Carolina for the next few years. In 2000 George went back to school and earned a Bachelor's degree from Gardner Webb University but still had the fire for his music and put together another band of extremely talented musicians in 2001. GHB played various shows around the southeast until 2005 where band members wanted to go and pursue other solo projects. George and the band have reunited at times for charity shows. (http://www.facebook.com/GeorgeHatcherBand?v=info)
Sea Level is the 1977 eponymous debut album by Sea Level and was released on the Capricorn Records label. The debut album contains most of their best material, bright guitar, and keyboard-based instrumentals. Chuck Leavell shines on five of his tunes. Jimmy Nalls plays sweet guitar. Their first and best album. Some vocals, nicely crafted on "Nothing Matters but the Fever."
Although progressive rock reached its commercial peak in the '70s, it still enjoys an enthusiastic cult following -- and not all of its fans are over 40. These days, the prog rock experience ranges from the classic albums of Yes, ELP, Pink Floyd and King Crimson to all the younger prog rock bands that emerged in the '90s and early 2000s. Today's younger prog rock converts seem to welcome new bands as well as concerts by a veteran like keyboardist Keith Emerson, who is reunited with Brian Davison and Lee Jackson on Vivacitas. Emerson, of course, knew Davison and Jackson from the Nice, which was formed in 1967 and broke up in 1970 -- and this three-CD set finds the prog rock survivors performing a Nice reunion concert in Glasgow, Scotland in 2002. The first two CDs focus on the concert, while the third disc contains a 2001 interview with British journalist Chris Welch.
Emerson, Davison and Jackson sound like they're really enjoying themselves in Glasgow, where they revisit "Hang on to a Dream," "Little Arabella," "She Belongs to Me" and other gems the Nice originally recorded in the late '60s. Emerson has long been a major jazz enthusiast, and part of the fun on Vivacitas is hearing the jazz-like quoting that sometimes takes place -- this 2002 edition of the Nice quotes everything from Miles Davis' "So What" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Manteca" to Johann Sebastian Bach. Although pleasing, Vivacitas falls shorts of essential; those with a more casual interest in the Nice should stick to their old 1967-1970 output. But hardcore fans will enjoy hearing Emerson and his compatriots reunited after all these years.
Vinegar Joe might very easily have been Island Records' answer to the Allman Bros. or Wet Willie. A sextet formed out of a busted big-band rock outfit called Dada, they were brought together at the suggestion of Island founder Chris Blackwell. Elkie Brooks (vocals), Robert Palmer (vocals, guitar), Pete Gage (guitars, piano), and Steve York (bass, harmonica), were at the core of the group, with Tim Hinkley and then Mike Deacon on keyboards, and Conrad Isadore and Keef Hartley, and then John Woods and Pete Gavin on drums--the band cut three albums for between 1971 and 1973. Their live shows were well reviewed and attracted significant audiences in England, but this was never reflected in their record sales. They split up in 1973, with Robert Palmer becoming an international star as a pop-rock blue-eyed soul singer and Elkie Brooks a success as an MOR singer with Pete Gage as her arranger.