This is a great Jules Holland show to catch. It’s been rerunning this week (shot May 18. 2007). Not only does Patti completely kick ass, but there’s Simply Red, and Joe Cocker singing a gospel-type number with 4-voice backup. Incidentally, Jules is a hell of a piano player. Patti is pure power with her incredible version of “Gloria.”
Jesus died for somebody’s sins,
But not mine…
To say that rock and roll changed my life in the 60s-’70s is an understatement. Stones/Beatles/Dylan/etc. Sound familiar? If it does, if you’ve still got that R&R spirit in your bones, this is for you:
Yesterday I drove over the mountain to visit my mom, and to run with my friends. Sunny afternoon, I put on Last Man Standing by Jerry Lee Lewis and friends. Blue skies with clouds, green trees, shadows on the winding mountain road and listening to killer (sic) rock and roll…I’m embarassed it was so much fun. Yes I cranked up the volume. I was making my own movie. Boy, so much good stuff! BB King, Merle Haggard, Kid Rock, Robbie R., Mick & Keith & Ron, Springsteen, Fogerty, George Young, Buddy Guy…does this tell you anything? Jerry’s voice is strong & clear, his piano sparkling, and he’s obviously a powerful presence for all these musicians, many of whom sing backup harmonies. Blues, country, honky-tonk, rock ‘n roll, it’s a masterpiece. Check out the previews:
Our friend Minor Wilson just sent us this link to a studio video he and Daniel DeLoach made of Jerry Jeff Walker in Dripping Springs, Texas. In the “comments” section, one viewer wrote, “Belize? more like paradise. sweet melody and breeze that just feels right.”
Excerpts from the lyrics:
“Sunny days of fishing in the salty air,
And the stars at night, there ain’t no ambient light.”
“Successful men get what they want, happy men want just what they got.”
“Mark Johnson traveled around the globe and recorded tracks for such classics as “Stand By Me” and Bob Marley’s “One World” — creating a new mix in which essentially the performers are all performing together — worlds apart. Often recording with just battery-powered equipment, Johnson found musicians on street corners or in small clubs and they would in turn gather their friends and colleagues — in all, they recorded over 100 musicians from Tibet to Zimbabwe.” -Here’s the song “Stand by Me,” written by Ben E. King, performed by musicians around the world (if you haven’t already seen it on PBS). It’s a wonderful job of editing. More info on Playing For Change — Peace Through Music at https://playingforchange.com/
Went to a wonderful Leonard Cohen concert last night. It was the last stop on his current tour and had a feeling of finality, like maybe his last tour. Packed arena, and as the evening went on, there was a glow between LC and audience. They LOVED him, and it showed, and he responded. He has such a powerful suite of songs, a cooking 6-piece band of virtuosos, and a dream team trio of backup singers. Unique.
I’m writing this from a cool little cafe, with barista latte and free wi-fi, the Cafe Bean, 800 Sutter, checking my mail, getting ready to go over to the Green Festival. This fortune teller painting is just down the block.
Blues fans, trust me:https://myhouseofblues.com Jeez, I can’t get any work done this morning since Lew sent me this website. Right now listening to a bit of guitar heaven, BB King, Eric Clapton and BUDDY GUY doing “Rock Me baby.”
I’ve been playing Roland’s CD Et Son Piano A Tout Faire since I ran across him playing his little piano-on-wheels on the Deux Ponts Marie bridge over the Seine near Notre Dame. (See posting of October 24th.) I just found this Youtube clip of him at a Paris flea market. The sound isn’t very good (sound is a lot better on his CD), but it shows him doing “All of Me.” I can’t find anywhere to get his album. If any web sleuth can track down his CD, let me know.
This is so great. Stay with it; it gets better as it goes along. Had me laughing out loud.
“Happiness and dancing transcend political boundaries and occur in practically every human society. Matt Harding traveled through many nations on Earth, started dancing, and filmed the result…a dramatic example that humans from all over planet Earth feel a common bond as part of a single species. Happiness is frequently contagious — few people…watch the above video without smiling.”
The Wild Magnolias have been around since the ’50s. Since I was in SF Monday night I went to see them at Yoshi’s. I wish I could say they were good, but they seemed mediocre in spite of the gorgeous feathered costumes. Ah well, you just never know what live music will be like. By the way in Yoshi’s lobby, there is a fascinating display of the Jewish roots of the Fillmore district, which predates the black culture of the Fillmore from my high school years. Yoshi’s is at 1330 Fillmore at Eddy and has almost always got great musicians.
Godfrey Stephens just sent me this, with a note:
“A storm of sorts…
Turn up volume…”
“Perpetuum Jazzile is a Slovenian choir that performs jazz and popular music….The choir consists of both female and male singers, occasionally augmented by jazz instrumentalists from RTV Slovenia Big Band….a wide spectrum of jazz styles, performing complex and dense harmonies….performs bossa nova and swing music, as well as funk, gospel and pop,[citation needed] either a cappella with vocal percussionist Sašo Vrabič, or with a jazz trio…”