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Weekend Blues - Happenings Coming up on the Weekend Blues Join me, "Hardluck Jim" for the best in Blues, roots rock, & downhome soul... old & new! 'Hardluck' Blues News Pinetop Perkins celebrates 95th birthdayJoe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins is widely recognized as the world's best blues piano player and one of the last great Mississippi bluesmen. He created a style of playing that has influenced three generations of piano players and will continue to be the yardstick by which blues pianists are measured. Born in Belzoni, Mississippi on July 7th, 1913, Pinetop started out playing guitar at house parties and honky tonks. He came under the tutelage of Clarence "Pinetop" Smith, for whom he composed a tune entitled "Pinetop's Boogie" that later became a hit record. When Perkins started performing that tune publicly, he adopted the name Pinetop for himself. He worked primarily as a guitarist during the 1930's and early 1940's. In the mid 1940's he was with Rice "Sonny Boy Williamson" Miller in Helena, Arkansas when he suffered an arm injury that led him to switch to playing piano. He spent five years with Sonny Boy on the King Biscuit Time radio program on KFFA. Pinetop also toured extensively with slide guitarist Robert Nighthawk, backing him on early Chess Records recording sessions. After briefly working with B.B. King in Memphis, Perkins barnstormed the south with Earl Hooker during the early 1950's. The pair cut a session for Sam Phillips' Sun label in Memphis in 1953. By now Pinetop had already developed his own unmistakable piano sound, his right hand mimicking horn lines while the left hand kicks out bass lines and the bottom end. It was Pinetop, along with the likes of Pete Johnson, Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons and Little Brother Montgomery, who provided the basic format and ideas from which countless swing bands derived their sound. Although Pinetop never played swing, it was his brand of boogie-woogie that was shaped to form swing and, eventually, rock and roll. Pinetop is perhaps best known for his work with Muddy Waters. In 1969, Muddy designated Pinetop to replace the great Otis Spann in his legendary band. Pinetop helped shape the Waters sound and anchored Muddy's memorable combo throughout the 1970's with his brilliant ivory work. In 1980 he got together with other Waters alumni and formed the Legendary Blues Band, which recorded several albums for various labels. Although he has appeared as a sideman on countless recordings, Pinetop never had an album devoted solely to his artistry until the release of After Hours on Blind Pig in 1988. On this long overdue "debut" album, Pinetop plays authentic Chicago blues, ably supported by Little Mike and the Tornadoes. Backed by this energetic group of young players who revere him, Pinetop rose to the occasion with an inspired performance full of energy and wit. Monday, July 7th marked Pinetop's 95th birthday... click here for a video clip of a recent Pinetop performance from his adopted home town of Austin, Tx. NOTICE: Tonight's (7/9/08) Jim Suhler gig cancelled! The folks at Odie's Blues Saloon has informed us that tonight's scheduled Jim Suhler and Monkeybeat performance has been cancelled. Word is that the group is without a drummer, and thus the entire three-week tour that was to begin with tonight's performance has been postponed. Bo Diddley (1928 - 2008) Bo Diddley, a founding father of rock 'n' roll whose distinctive "shave and a haircut, two bits" rhythm and innovative guitar effects inspired legions of other musicians, died Monday after months of ill health. He was 79. Diddley died of heart failure at his home in Archer, Fla., spokeswoman Susan Clary said. He had suffered a heart attack in August, three months after suffering a stroke while touring in Iowa. Doctors said the stroke affected his ability to speak, and he had returned to Florida to continue rehabilitation. The legendary singer and performer, known for his homemade square guitar, dark glasses and black hat, was an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, had a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, and received a lifetime achievement award in 1999 at the Grammy Awards. In recent years he also played for the elder President Bush and President Clinton. (courtesy of the Associated Press) 2008 Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame inductees Avalon B. Reece A 45-year educator and band director in Muskogee, known for her tough and motivational approach to teaching. She was also the first black city councilwoman in Oklahoma, for Muskogee County. Tank Jernigan The legendary Oklahoma City sax player played for many years with D.C. Minner, backing artists like Bo Diddley. He later moved to Los Angeles, where he arranged all the horn parts for Ray Charles during his years at Capital Records. Little Eddie Taylor This charismatic Oklahoma City entertainer played guitar and sang with the Little Aces Band. Vernon Powers He began in a doo-wop quartet in Oklahoma City before switching to drums and touring the nation with Larry Johnson’s New Breed band. He later joined D.C. Minner’s Blues on the Move band and eventually went solo. Wayne Bennett The Sulfur-born guitarist played with many of the greats, including Bobby Bland, Boxcar Willie, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Elmore James, Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Stitt and Dexter Gordon. Paul Lewis The Oklahoma City bassist played with greats such as Bill Parker, Roscoe Gordon, Freddie King, Little Willie John, Ted Taylor and the legendary Sam Cooke. Rocky Frisco A pianist with the J.J. Cale band, the Tulsa native is known for his contribution to the blues-tinged rock style known as the Tulsa Sound, which shot musicians like Leon Russell and Eric Clapton to prominence. Jimmy “The Preacher” Ellis He’s a former Tulsan now living in Dallas who has performed with such acts as Little Milton, Big Mama Thornton and T-Bone Walker. “Hard Luck Jim” Johnson (That's ME!) awarded the music and media award for his years hosting shows on KGOU from the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Benefit Concert to feature local Blues & Rock 'Heavys'... Watermelon Slim and The Workers perform at the Will Rogers Theatre (4322 N. Western Ave) in OKC from 6pm to 11:30 on Saturday, May 24th in a Benefit Concert for The Referral Center. Guest artists include The SnakeShakers, The Otis Watkins Band, The Reverb Bros., and The Rexall Rangers. Ticket information is available at The Referral Center, 1215 NW 25th, OKC, or contact at 405-525-2525. Slim & The Workers earn BMA honors The 2008 Blues Music Awards were announced Thursday, May 8. Among the winners was Oklahoma's own Watermelon Slim (Bill Homans) & the Workers. Slim & 'gang' were nominated in 6 different catagories... and won the 'trophies' in the catagories for best Blues Band & Album of the Year. Congrats to the Workers' & all of the night's big winners. D.C. Minner (1935-2008) Blues fans mourn the loss of a man who was the face of Oklahoma Blues when I first started out on this program... D.C. Minner passed away this past Tuesday at the age of 73. Read more about his life & legacy: Tentative funeral and memorial services schedule: Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 17: * 11am - Memorial at The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in Muskogee * 3pm - Funeral at First Baptist Church & Honey Springs Cemetery in Rentiesville * Later - Celebration at Down Home Blues Club in Rentiesville Sean Costello fans! Below are links to performances featured on 'You Tube'... Sean Costello - Love is Amazing Sean Costello - I'm Leaving Sean Costello - Feel Like I Ain't Got A Home Sean Costello - I Can't Let Go Sean Costello - Check It Out Sean Costello - You Told Me A Lie Sean Costello - Have You No Shame Sean Costello - All This Time Sean Costello - Hard Luck Woman *this posting inspired by Delta Groove Records (Sean's former label). Gen2 Blues concert on OETA... This Friday, May 2nd at 9pm… OETA will feature a special concert performance by some second generation Bluesmen (& woman). Tune in for some fine musical moments by Kenny Neal (the oldest son of the late Raful Neal), Tasha Taylor (daughter of Johnnie “The Wailer” Taylor), and Bernard Allison (son of Luther Allison). Also appearing is special guest Tito Jackson of the Jackson 5. Backed by the Phantom Blues Band these stellar performers create a joyous celebration of the blues. ‘Gen2 Blues’ was produced by the American Music Research Foundation which is dedicated to the promotion, documentation, and preservation of American Music, particularly the Blues, Boogie Woogie, Jazz, Ragtime, Rhythm & Blues. The program was recorded at the Royal Oak Music Theatre during the 7th Annual Motor City Blues & Boogie Festival in October 2005. Sean Costello 1979 - 2008 Delta Groove Press Release on the death of Sean Costello: It is with the deepest sadness that we issue this press release, and the news that Delta Groove recording artist Sean Costello passed away in Atlanta, GA on Tuesday, April 15th, one day before his 29th birthday. Sean was not only a member of the Delta Groove musical family, he was also a friend, and words cannot express the sorrow we feel at having to say goodbye so soon. As blues music fans, we unfortunately grow somewhat accustomed to the sadness of the inevitable passing of musical elders after long and fruitful careers. Losing someone as young, vibrant, and talented as Sean, who had accomplished so much in just a few short years and still had so much potential, is a terribly difficult blow, not only to those who knew him personally, but for the music community as a whole. He had been unanimously praised as one of the main torch-bearers of the blues flame for the coming generations, and now that potential will go sadly unfulfilled. Costello was born in Philadelphia in 1979, moved with his family to Atlanta at the age of 9, and soon afterward picked up the guitar. Within a few short years he’d won the Memphis Blues Society’s new talent award, and was on the road with his own band. At age 17 he released his first album, “Call The Cops”, acclaimed by Real Blues Magazine as “an explosive debut.” He soon joined forces with fellow blues guitarist Susan Tedeschi, with whom he toured and recorded, laying down tasteful lead guitar work on her Gold-certified Tone-Cool debut “Just Won’t Burn”. In 2000, Costello released “Cuttin’ In” on Landslide Records, which earned him critical acclaim as well as a prestigious W. C. Handy Award nomination for ‘Best New Artist Debut.’ With 2002’s “Moanin’ For Molasses”, also on Landslide, came a Blues Revue cover story touting Costello as “the top contender to be the next blues star - and soon.” Costello’s hometown paper The Atlanta Journal-Constitution called his guitar playing “masterful” and of “remarkable maturity.” The paper also compared him to such legends as B. B. King, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. In 2005, his self-titled fourth CD “Sean Costello” was released by Artemis Records. Produced by Steve Rosenthal (The Rolling Stones, Suzanne Vega, Freedy Johnston), it was an appealing blend of soul, funk, upbeat rock. He was joined by some very special guests: Levon Helm of The Band sits in on two tracks, as does his daughter, Amy Helm, with her group, Ollabelle. Steve Jordan, Willie Weeks and the Conan O’Brien horn section also appear. Sean’s Delta Groove debut CD “We Can Get Together”, just released in February, was produced by Costello himself. He was justly proud of “We Can Get Together”, calling it the best work he’d ever done, and the critics agreed, with excellent reviews from radio and press alike lauding it his most impressive and mature work to date. Costello was fortunate enough to earn the respect and admiration of many of his own idols, and had the opportunity to perform with his mentors. He shared stages with B.B. King, Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Pinetop Perkins, and Bo Diddley among many others. He recently said, “All I’ve ever wanted to do was play the guitar well. I’ve been fortunate to be able to make a living doing it, and I plan to keep it up for the rest of my life.” Bluzapalooza to entertain troops Bluzapalooza, the first Blues concert tour to go to a war zone, ships out to military bases in Iraq and Kuwait on April 1 to entertain coalition forces. The tour, which features Bobby Rush, Janiva Magness, Billy Gibson, and others, has been so successfully received by the Blues-hungry troops there that Armed Forces Entertainment has added another day and another base to the tour. “Bluzapalooza gives America’s greatest Blues musicians the opportunity to say ‘Thank you’ and ‘We love you’ to America’s greatest soldiers,” stated Steve Simon, co-producer of Bluzapalooza. Visit www.myspace.com/bluzapalooza for additional information or contact Steve Simon at 340-643-6475 or SteveSimonLive@yahoo.com 2008 Grammy Award winners announced… Category 66 Best Traditional Blues Album * Pinetop Perkins On The 88's - Live In Chicago Pinetop Perkins [Sagebrush Productions/Vizztone Label Group] * 10 Days Out: Blues From The Backroads Kenny Wayne Shepherd Featuring Various Artists [Reprise Records] * Old School Koko Taylor [Alligator Records] * Last Of The Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live In Dallas Henry James Townsend, Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins, Robert Lockwood, Jr. & David "Honeyboy" Edwards [The Blue Shoe Project] Category 67 Best Contemporary Blues Album * Into The Blues Joan Armatrading [429 Records] * Is It News Doyle Bramhall [Yep Roc Records] * The Road To Escondido JJ Cale & Eric Clapton [Reprise Records/Warner Music Group] * Truth Robben Ford [Concord Records] * The Scene Of The Crime Bettye LaVette [Anti] ** Levon Helm’s “Dirt Farmer” won the Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album 2008 International Blues Challenge WINNERS: Band Competition 1st place: Trampled Under Foot - Kansas City Blues Society 2nd place: Shakura S'Aida - Toronto Blues Society 3rd place: Lil' Ray Neal Blues Band - Baton Rouge Blues Society Solo/Duo Competition 1st place: Lionel Young 2nd place: Ben Prestage 2008 Keeping the Blues Alive Award Recipients Named Twenty-one individuals and organizations will be honored with The Blues Foundation's 2008 Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Award during a recognition brunch at the Downtown Doubletree Hotel Saturday, February 2, 2008, in Memphis Tennessee. The KBA ceremony will be held in conjunction with the 24th International Blues Challenge (IBC) weekend of events that will feature the semifinals and finals of the world’s largest gathering of Blues bands, as well as seminars, presentations, and receptions for blues societies, fans, and professionals. The KBAs recognize the significant contributions to Blues music made by the people behind the scenes. Each is selected on the basis of merit by a select panel of Blues professionals. KBA Chairman Art Tipaldi notes with respect to this year’s recipients, “The committee is once again impressed with the quality of the selected recipients - the outstanding men, women, and organizations that have evidenced a longstanding commitment to the Blues genre. In recent years, The Blues Foundation has increasingly recognized the global reach of this indigenous Afro-American art form and the 2008 honorees certainly reflect this awareness, with recipients hailing from Canada, France, and Sweden, in addition to the United States." The 2008 Keeping the Blues Alive Award recipients are: * Art or Photography: VividPix & Design, Des Moines, Iowa * Blues Club: Knuckleheads Saloon, Kansas City, Missouri * Blues Organization: South Florida Blues Society, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida *Education: Fernando Jones, Chicago, Illinois *Festival: Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada *Film, Television or Video: Ten Days Out: Blues From the Backroads * Historical Preservation: Mississippi Blues Commission and Mississippi Development Authority, Division of Tourism for the Mississippi Blues Marker Trail, Jackson, Mississippi * International: Blues sur Seine, Mantes la Jolie, France * Internet: STLBlues.net, St. Louis, Missouri * Journalism: Don Wilcock, Scotia, New York * Literature: Arthur Flowers, Syracuse, New York * Manager: Michael Frank, Chicago, Illinois * Print Media: Jefferson magazine, Stockholm, Sweden * Producer: Bruce Iglauer, Chicago, Illinois * Promoter: Don Cohen, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida * Publicist: Mark Pucci, Atlanta, Georgia * Radio-Commercial: Stew “Beef Stew” Crossen, Vernon, Connecticut * Radio-Public: Holger Peterson, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada * Record Label: NorthernBlues Music, Toronto, Ontario, Canada * Retailer: Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art, Clarksdale, Mississippi * Sponsor: Mike Glenn, New Daisy Theater, Memphis, Tennessee Contact Information Keep sending those requests... & comments! 'Hardluck' Jim jjhardluck@ou.edu 325-3110 Extras Send pics of your favorite shows/events:
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