Down-Houma blues with Tab Benoit (Houma, LA) on the opening night of the 2016 Crescent City Blues & BBQ. Here is a clip of “Solid Simple Thing” from 2003’s The Sea Saint Sessions. Benoit has crafted an authentic gunslinging blues style over the last 30 years. He learned the ropes in Baton Rouge from blues heroes like Tabby Thomas and Henry Gray in the ’80’s.
The 3 day event in Lafayette Square Park is open to the public and put on by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
Category: Blog
Hendrix Band of Gypsys' debut to be released
Jimi Hendrix’ Band of Gypsys first show finally gets released. The 12/31/69 Fillmore East show opened sonic doorways into the 1970’s with Billy Cox on bass and Buddy Miles on drums. A totally divergent sound from that of his earlier Experience, this group fused a more muscular brand of blues rock on standout tracks such as “Machine Gun” and “Freedom.
The Day Carlos Santana Met Miles Davis
“Miles was right. We didn’t understand harmonically or structurally what he and his band were doing. They had another kind of vocabulary, which came from a higher form of musical expression. It came from a special place—from Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane—and at the same time it was deep in blues roots and expanded into funk and rock sounds” – Carlos Santana recounts meeting Miles from Ashley Kahn’s book Santana.
King Biscuit Blues Festival 2016
Finding some tasty Delta Blues at King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Arkansas. John Mayall closed out a great evening with Rebirth Brass Band and Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets (pictured). Looking forward to seeing Charlie Musselwhite this evening!
Buddy Guy – Louisiana Blues
Lettsworth, LA native Buddy Guy with Mississippian Muddy Waters’ classic Louisiana Blues:
I’m goin’ down in Louisiana
Baby, behind the sun
I’m goin’ down in Louisiana
Honey, behind the sun
Well, you know I just found out
My trouble just begun
I’m goin’ down in New Orleans, hmm
Get me a mojo hand
I’m goin’ down in New Orleans
Get me a mojo hand (oh take me with you, man, when you go)
I’m gon’ show all you good-lookin’ women
Jes’ how to treat your love
Let’s go back to New Orleans, boys
Dr. John and Eric Clapton
This VH-1 Duets concert from May 9th 1996, captures Clapton in his mid-nineties blues embrace and Dr. John belting New Orleans R&B vocals as only he can. Quite a pairing!
Lee Scratch Perry at Tips 8/17/16
Lee Scratch Perry accompanied by sax/bongo/DJ combo, the octogenarian Jamaican producer and pioneer of dub, raps atop his timeless roots grooves at Uptown New Orleans’ venue Tipitina’s.
Little Freddie King at The Ogden Museum
British Blues Top Ten
“While it’s easy to associate British blues strictly with its superstar proponents—especially guitar gods such as Clapton, Page, and Beck—it’s easy to overlook the lesser-known acts who were intricately woven into the British blues family tree as well, in many cases providing a sort of minor-league club team system that supplied top players for the major league stadium fillers who would follow.”
British Blues Top 10
First Blues Ever Published in New Orleans 1908
The late 19th century and early 20th was the era of sheet music. In 1908, music history was made when the first published blues song with “blues” in the title was published right here in New Orleans. The song follows the tried and true blues formula of the 12-Bar chord progression, also known as “blues changes.” This chord progression is featured prominently in both blues and jazz history as well as popular music up to the present.