I'm going to find it VERY hard to sleep tonight.
BUT
Show tomorrow night!!!!
Monday, May 07, 2012
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
SABC (Suprising Amount of Blues Content) - John Waite @ Poor David's Pub Tuesday, May 8th
A while back I received one of Poor David's emails. Close to the bottom there was a simple listing for an upcoming show: May 8 - John Waite.
I immediately replied to David: John Waite? The Baby's John Waite? And he replied back yes! How cool is that. Poor David's Pub is one of my all time favorite live music rooms because people actually go there to LISTEN to the music. (Why do you think we have the KNON Dallas Blues Fest there?) Imagine - a live music room where people actually come to listen to the music. Wonder if that will catch on...
Anyway - this news was cool and kind of spooky to me because I've been on a John Waite kick solid for about a year now. I was always a fan, from the very first time I saw him with The Baby's on The Midnight Special. (And I once kissed him at the old Dallas Hard Rock Cafe - a moment in history I'm sure he doesn't remember, but I'LL never forget ;>) No particular reason - just one of those musical grooves I get into from time to time where I suddenly found myself listening an artists stuff repeatedly night and day. He has a beautiful voice, yes, but his real talent lies as a lyricist. Not usually happy-happy joy-joy kind of songs, which is fine by me - happy-happy joy-joy makes me want to strangle someone. I like songs about real life - where things go wrong and where you don't always learn your lesson the first time - like The Blues. And those are the kinds of songs John writes best. So I can relate to his lyrics - the same way I relate to so many Blues songs.
Those of you who are long time listeners to my radio show know how I love to find the blues in all kinds of music. Sometimes it's easy - there's a LOT of blues based Rock out there, but there's Blues in Country, Jazz, Rockabilly, Punk - you get the picture. But could I find the Blues in John Waite? Was there Blues in John? I was delighted to find the answer is yes, and thrilled that there is more than even I expected!
There are signs of Blues influences all over his excellent solo projects - covers of "Sweet Rhode Island Red" on his newest release, "Rough & Tumble", "Ain't No Sunshine" on "Temple Bar" and a killer version of "Highway 61 Revisited" on "Downtown - Journey of a Heart". But where did it come from - what are John Waite's Blues roots?
Then I found the link I was looking for in a story about his first ever gig at age 17 entitled "Spring Twist". You can read the entire story at http://johnwaite.nl/pages/sub/60855/John_Waite_s_first_Gig_ever_.html but here are some of the passages that nailed it for me:
On the 12th of March 1971,.... John made his first public appearance. It was at The Royal King's Arms, Lancaster. He was seventeen and playing bass and singing in the hastily cobbled together Chalk Farm.....We worked out ‘Hey Joe' and ‘Red House' by Hendrix; ‘I Hear You Calling', Ten Years After, ‘Night Life', B. B. King and various twelve-bars including ‘Dust My Broom' and ‘Mean Mistreated Man' by Elmore James. Of all the numbers that we were to play at that dance, ‘Dust My Broom' is the most evocative of John and the kind of music he was into at the time.....Eight-thirty, the room was packed and it was time to bite the bullet! The lights went down and I felt for John as we cracked off with ‘Rock Me Baby'. ......Nobody danced. Not that anybody ever does first thing. Most people need a few beers before they feel like boogying. As we finished ‘Rock Me' the audience clapped and all eyes were expectantly on John. Counting John and Derek in on four, I took a deep breath and launched into the opening triplet chords of ‘Dust My Broom'. What happened next amazed me! Within seconds, the whole room seem to be on its feet. Those who weren't dancing were stood in a circle round John watching every move as he sang and played his heart out.
So yes, Mr Waite's very first gig was a Blues gig! It seemed obvious to me from the mood of the songs he writes that he must have been bitten by the Blues sometime, but this little tale told me it was from the very beginning. If you dig deep enough, you can find The Blues in ALL great music!
Not sure what he'll play Tuesday night - will there be a blues tune or two? Don't know, but I'll sure be there to find out. Who knows - maybe I'll even kiss him again!
You can too. (Be there I mean. It's up to you and him if you kiss him.) Here's the details:
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
JOHN WAITE - Up Close & Personal
Doors at 7pm / Show at 8pm
Poor David's Pub
1313 South Lamar, Dallas, TX
(214) 565-1295
www.poordavidspub.com
Advance tickets at: http://johnwaitedallas2012.eventbrite.com/
Special thanks to promoter Don Wishon for setting this show up, for answering all my questions and for keeping me in the loop.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Thursday, January 05, 2012
A STAR IS BORN - ANNOUNCING THE ARRIVAL OF LILLY BELLE!
Amanda gave birth Wednesday morning, January 4th, to her first child, a daughter, Lillian Belle Judd, at 11:36 a.m., 7 lbs, 15 oz., 19 inches, the lovely little lady in these pictures.
And yes, my little Lilly Belle is already a blues fan, and has her very own Lou Ann Barton onesie to prove it, made, of course, by her GrandLala Blue Lisa.
Mother, daughter and already sleep deprived new daddy Ian are all doing fine.
GrandLala Blue Lisa is ecstatically excited!! ;>D
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
MICK JAGGER & KEITH RICHARDS PAY FOR HUBERT SUMLIN'S FUNERAL
Mick Jagger And Keith Richards Pay For Hubert Sumlin Funeral |
|
The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger and Keith Richards will pay
for the funeral of blues great Hubert Sumlin.
According to a post from Sumlin’s partner Toni Ann, “I
just wanted to share with you, Hubert’s loving fans, that Mick Jagger
and Keith Richards have insisted on picking up the full expenses for
Hubert’s funeral. God Bless the Rolling Stones”.
Hubert Sumlin died on December 4 at the age of 80. Sumlin was one of the
last great Chicago blues artists. He was the guitarist for Howlin’ Wolf.
Keith Richards played on Sumlin’s 2006 album THEM SHOES.
A private service was held in Homewood, Illinois on December
13. A public service for fans was held on December 12 in Totowa, New Jersey.
Mick Jagger said, “Hubert was an incisive yet delicate
blues player. He had a really distinctive and original tone and was a
wonderful foil for Howlin’ Wolf’s growling vocal style. On a song like “Goin’
Down Slow” he could produce heart-rending emotion, and on a piece like “Wang
Dang Doodle” an almost playful femininity. He was an inspiration to us all.”
|
FREDDIE KING FINALLY IN THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME
Finally, Freddie King's in Rock Hall of Fame
I hear jingle
bells: Freddie King's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Per this morning's
heads-up from Cleveland, the Gilmer-born guitarist, singer and songwriter is
this year's entry in the Early Influence category; damn right. His
newly penned Hall bio lists the myriad reasons -- for starters, "His
'60s classics, 'Have You Ever Loved A Woman,' 'Hide Away,' 'You've Got To Love
Her With A Feeling' and 'The Stumble' are part of the DNA of modern electric
blues" -- and, as noted before, he's the man who walked the guitar from
T-Bone Walker to Stevie and Jimmie Vaughan. He brought the blues into the
future. Just ask Eric Clapton.
That March 31, 1975, KZEW performance to which I linked in the summer of 2010 is gone, but not gone; it's just over here now, a vibrant, visceral blast of blues straight out of January Sound Studio with a set list that could have been carved on a stone tablet ("Big Legged Woman," "Have You Ever Loved a Woman," "Woman Across the River," "Hide Away," "Come On (Part III)"). I listen to it several times a week; it's as timeless as The Texas Cannonball, who's now, at long last, enshrined and immortalized amongst giants who built their careers on his echoes.
Another essential King recording: Live at The Electric Ballroom, said to contain the only known acoustic King performances. First issued by Black Top Records in '95, you can also hear King talk about his life and music with the great Jon Dillon, a discovery from The Wayback Machine. In that album's liner notes, Freddie's daughter Wanda -- who, as I wrote back in '98, has spent decades fiercely protecting her father's music and legacy -- notes his influences, among them Porter Wagoner. "He just loved music. It didn't matter if it was blues, R&B, opera, pop or gospel," she wrote. "He gave blues a modern twist."
Come December 28, King will have been dead exactly 35 years: The stress of nonstop touring, and all that accompanies the lifestyle, devoured the great man at the young age of 42; he died of bleeding ulcers and pancreatitis at Presbyterian Hospital. He's buried at Sparkman/Hillcrest on Northwest Highway. Stop by when you have the chance. Congratulate him. He's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
That March 31, 1975, KZEW performance to which I linked in the summer of 2010 is gone, but not gone; it's just over here now, a vibrant, visceral blast of blues straight out of January Sound Studio with a set list that could have been carved on a stone tablet ("Big Legged Woman," "Have You Ever Loved a Woman," "Woman Across the River," "Hide Away," "Come On (Part III)"). I listen to it several times a week; it's as timeless as The Texas Cannonball, who's now, at long last, enshrined and immortalized amongst giants who built their careers on his echoes.
Another essential King recording: Live at The Electric Ballroom, said to contain the only known acoustic King performances. First issued by Black Top Records in '95, you can also hear King talk about his life and music with the great Jon Dillon, a discovery from The Wayback Machine. In that album's liner notes, Freddie's daughter Wanda -- who, as I wrote back in '98, has spent decades fiercely protecting her father's music and legacy -- notes his influences, among them Porter Wagoner. "He just loved music. It didn't matter if it was blues, R&B, opera, pop or gospel," she wrote. "He gave blues a modern twist."
Come December 28, King will have been dead exactly 35 years: The stress of nonstop touring, and all that accompanies the lifestyle, devoured the great man at the young age of 42; he died of bleeding ulcers and pancreatitis at Presbyterian Hospital. He's buried at Sparkman/Hillcrest on Northwest Highway. Stop by when you have the chance. Congratulate him. He's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Thursday, December 08, 2011
LINK TO EXCELLENT ARTICLE ON DENNY FREEMAN
Here is a link to an excellent article on in the Austin Chronicle by Bill Bentley on Denny Freeman. There's not too many opportunities to catch him in the DFW area, but when there is one, I strongly suggest you take it. Phenomenal guitarist. And what a history in Texas Blues!
http://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2011-12-02/ten-fingers/
http://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2011-12-02/ten-fingers/
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