olygark 4/14/2025 12-inch, Blues
Kazoo, guitar, boogie-woogie piano, rockin’ and Latin rhythms are delivered by Tampa Red’s recording group that would stay with him until 1953. The band members were Johnny Jones – piano, Ransom Knowling – bass, and Odie Payne – drums. This music, while incorporating jazz elements, laid the foundation for Chicago electric blues and rock n’ roll.
olygark 4/7/2025 12-inch, Blues
1948-1952 recordings of Texas blues musicians (with Honey Boy Edwards, from Mississippi, making an appearance). Of the musicians from Texas, James Tisdom is the most known and made his way juggling various day jobs such as delivering Pearl beer and setting up to perform comical music, and then later in life barbequing, where he picked up the name “Smokehouse”. You hear Lightnin’ Hopkins’ influence in a few tracks. James Tisdom and Leroy “Country” Johnson were later recorded by Mack McCormick.
olygark 4/6/2025 12-inch, Blues
Mance Lipscomb didn’t care for half of the album title. He was a farmer not a sharecropper but he was a songster. This album, recorded by Chris Strachwitz and Mack McCormick in 1960, contains a collection of tunes Mance would perform at suppers in East Texas. Finger picking guitar, rich vocals, and a collection of songs that went back to the beginning of the 20th century. “Jack O’Diamonds Is a Hard Card to Play” in open E tunning with a knife clicking along the frets is a classic.
olygark 3/31/2025 12-inch, Blues
Here’s a collection from blues singer Rosetta Howard, recorded with several swing bands. She doesn’t have the power of earlier blues singers such as Bessie Smith, or the phrasing of her contemporary Billie Holiday but that doesn’t stop you from moving your feet to these dance numbers. Side one accompanists include Joe McCoy who was given the name Kansas Joe McCoy when he went to NYC to record with his wife at the time, Memphis Minnie. Side two has dance band veterans Charie Shavers, Henry “Red” Allen, and Barney Bigard contributing to the swing.
olygark 3/31/2025 12-inch, Blues
This 3 LP collection of Elmore James studio recordings, released in 1985, were captured from 1959 to 1963. Elmore is backed by at least five different bands, including the Broom Dusters with Johnny Jones on piano, and Odie Payne on drums. Elmore’s slide playing and picking is a constant source of enjoyment. Some of the tracks had not been previously released. For this collection my favorite track always seemed to be the last one I heard.
Mark Pocket Goldberg has assembled a band of veteran musicians to perform his original blues numbers. The blues styles vary from West Coast to Delta to Chicago and beyond but what remains a constant is Mark’s vocal delivery which matches his instrument, the bass. Try the title track for a Delta Blues where his gravel tones pair with guitar. “Babblin’ Blues” reunites Mark and fellow Canned Heat alumnus Junior Watson.
Brian Damage 5/15/2024 Blues, CD
Volume 2 of 3 (so far).
Previously-unreleased field recordings from a Texas blues fanatic named Mack McCormick. Vocals, guitar, pianer, even tap dancing, recorded everywhere from the front parlor to Delta juke joints.
Performers range from stars like Lightnin’ Hopkins to street musicians like George “Bongo Joe” Coleman.
Lots here to choose from, and no FCCs.
carsonstreet 3/6/2024 Blues, CD
Local guy bartending to support his true love – music. Some blues, some punk, some country and a bit of rockabilly. High energy and fun to listen to. Stevenson on guitar, Pete Philis percussion and Chris Fraire bass. Chris Fraire is in the Sacramento Blues Society Hall of Fame. Stevenson Proffitt is his full name and the name of his band.
carsonstreet 3/3/2023 Blues, CD
Early James is a folk/blues musician based in Birmingham, Alabama. He attempts to spin what perhaps has not been spun before; a “fresh” take on folk, blues, jazz and country with dark, rusty, crooner stylings. Sometimes he sounds like he is channeling Bob Dylan but with a better voice than what is left of Dylan’s. We got a girl singer (Sierra Ferrell) popping in on track 6 (“Real Low Down Lonesome”) and she is very good. As Early points out it is a Strange Time To Be Alive.
First generation Indian-American Zeshan Bagewadi grew up in Chicago singing as a cantor in his mosque, then in high school joined the gospel choir – which changed his life. Even though he trained as an opera singer, he’s left Western classical music behind in favor of Memphis R&B, Chicago blues and there’s even a jolt of raw South Asian soul. He sings and plays the harmonium, lives in the South Bronx, made his TV debut on the Late Show w/ Stephen Colbert. Singers he idolizes are: Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, and Donny Hathaway. On this, his debut album, you’ll find cover versions and originals dealing with frequent soul-music concerns such as lust, alienation and resistance. George Perkins’ response to Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral was the song “Cryin’ in the Streets”; Zeshan’s version speaks to the era of #BlackLivesMatter Vetted also includes “Meri Jaan” (My Baby), a sexy original sung in Urdu, and “Ki Jana” (Who Knows), a 200-year-old Sufi poem in Punjabi. Horns and strings also accommodate a droning tanbur and harmonium in Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City,” which Zeshan opens with an improvisatory Indian-classical alap. He says “India and Pakistan have their own type of soul music that’s not as commercialized as Bollywood. It’s down-home, raw, and visceral, especially in Pakistan, where most of the population lives in abject poverty. People sing about unrequited love, urban despair, and oppression – just like here. It’s all about that feel, that groove, bro. It comes from a deep place. I’m into all music that serves a greater purpose, whatever that may be.” AArbor
Smokin’ blues from Chicago’s Mike Wheeler. This was his 1st release on his own from 2012 when he was about 50. Today the band is called The Mike Wheeler Band and Mike has written songs for a number of Chicago blues artists. Before this release, the band put out a self-released disk in 2003 – while Wheeler was playing with Big James Montgomery and his Chicago Playboys. His voice has been compared to Sam Cooke’s, he’s played with many well-known bluesmen and his years of experience are audible in the playing. Rootsy 12-bar Chicago-style blues. Enjoy! AArbor
Thee Opinataur 9/22/2021 12-inch, Blues
These recordings are a mixed bag of recording quality from track to track. Some lyrics are difficult to hear clearly, some fuzzy static which adds a nice raw element to these early blues.
This album captures a wide range of Sara Martin’s vocal capabilities, from the higher range Achin’ Hearted Blues to a deeper more sensual register in Death Sting Me Blues. While her voice is solidly classic blues, in some of these tunes, she sounds unrelaxed and a bit uptight. She is at her best when she reflects her personality which comes through in ‘Taint Nobody’s Bus’ness If I Do’ and ‘Hole in the Wall’. A couple of nice duets with Clarence Williams, I’m Cert’ny Gonna See ‘Bout That’ and ‘Squabling Blues’ brings out her sassy personality.
Sara Martin (b1884 – d1955) was a well-traveled singer on the African American Vaudeville circuit in the early 20th century. Known as the ‘colored ’ Sophie Tucker’ and The Famous Moanin’ Mama” she was signed by Okeh Records in 1922 and recorded dozens of songs accompanied by the most accomplished musicians of the day including Clarence Williams, King Oliver, and Fats Waller. – Thee Opinataur
The subtitle is “Selected highspots from sixty hours of Bluesbreakers club recordings 1967” Since the Bluesbreakers excelled live on stage Decca wanted to capture live performances. Mayall was against having recording engineers at their performances feeling that it would be too much of a strain for the band. He took a portable reel to reel tape machine to their live performances in the UK, Holland and Ireland during November and December 1967; recording each performance. Volume One showcases the band playing as well as the camaraderie between the musicians. Catch the humorous speech following Blood on the Night [1] and the insistence by a venue manager in Northern Ireland that the band play God Save the Queen [6] and their performance of it. Volume Two includes banter[6] between Chris Mercer and Keef Hartley during his drum solo and [3] a joke at the expense of Keith Tillman. AArbor
mickeyslim 12/9/2020 12-inch, Blues
Navasota, Texas songster Mance Lipscomb recording once again for Arhoolie Records in Berkely. Discovered in 1960 during the blues roots discovery boom of the ’60s, Lispcomb, unlike most, had no earlier recordings. This is his fifth full-length, fourth in a series for Arhoolie. Most of his recordings, including the A-side on this release, were “live recordings” done in one session, in a single take. Extensive liner notes detail the unusual plight of Lipscomb, including his rise to fame as an important figure in the folk music revival period.
Excellent stories, raw gritty vocals. This is some top-notch, front-porch shit. Enjoy!
mickeyslim 9/7/2020 12-inch, Blues
Born Amos Easton, Bumble Bee Slim helped define the sound of what would eventually become Chicago Blues. While the rural blues of the time typically featured a solo musician and their own vocals, musicians flocking to Chicago and New York would join forces, often collaborating in public jam sessions, most notably on Maxwell Street.
Here, Bumble Bee Slim’s smooth vocals seamlessly weave together the sounds of some very prominent blues musicians of the time; Big Bill Broonzy, Memphis Minnie, Scrapper Blackwell, Carl Martin, Tampa Red, and more, with everyone in top form.
Pre-war blues tastiness, very much in the Pete Dixon style. Play Mondays at 8pm, Tuesdays between 10 and 2, or anytime your heart ask for something to drown its sorrows in.
mickeyslim 4/17/2020 12-inch, Blues
12 head-boppin’ tracks from Lighnin’ Hopkins’ Herald sessions recorded 1954 in Houston, Texas. While Hopkins was renown for his folk blues sound, this album leans toward rock ’n’ roll with Hopkins jamming on electric guitar accompanied by Donald Cooks on bass and Ben Turner on drums. A couple boogie tracks and still lots of slow, somber numbers.
As always, though, these are great tracks with great stories with virtuosic guitar playing. Lightnin’ Hopkins knows how to bring the house down. As the liner noters say, “roll back the carpet and put on your dancing shoes. This is no folk-blues session.”
Dig it.
Hemroid The Leader 12/10/2019 12-inch, Blues
John Byrd & Walter Taylor (1929-1931), Complete Recordings in chronological order
18 Rare country blues. Split LP, Byrd on side A; Walter Taylor (“Washboard Walter”) on the flip. Acquired taste, low-fi stuff for completists, Mickey Slim, & Pete Dixon. From Joe Bussard’s basement collection.
A1 & A2 recall spirituals, set up with John Byrd playing guitar & sermonizing, accompanied by a singer and a few congregants. Byrd is a cool guitar player. B side is kind of pedestrian.
Wowza! As you’re swinging to these blues, be sure to read the liner notes about how Tutu was accomplished by the age of 20, created his first guitar by nailing his uncle’s fishing line to a board when he was a tot, and grew up with father and uncles surrounding him in the blues tradition. His wife sings backup on Track 3, and there are some soulful blues tunes on here as well (e.g. Track 8). Dallas has itself one fine shining star.
Although the CD sleeve and feel of this is old-timey blues, Crockett (and yes, he’s a descendant of Davy Crockett) is only 35 years old. This is a collection of sometimes rollicking, always true blue blues. Enjoy.
mickeyslim 6/23/2019 12-inch, Blues
Jesse Fuller is the one-man band. Fuller plays the twelve-string guitar, has a harmonica, kazoo, and microphone in his mouth rig, and plays a series of foot pedals attached to a washboard and the fotdella (a foot-operated bass guitar), an instrument of his own invention. The washboard needed to be lubricated before being played, which, for this recording, was “provided by oil from the finest Norwegian smoked salmon, which everyone at the session (except Jesse who didn’t care for it) was consuming with relish.”
Jumpy, folk blues from this Georgia-turned-California native. Fuller was an unsung, old-school, busking style, folk blues hero. Famous for his original “San Francisco Bay Blues,” Fuller’s music influenced folk and rock legends across the globe. This release from Prestige Records is a solid classic
KFJC 89.7FM