27 January 2017

#573 :: The Musical Mojo Of Dr. John Celebrating Mac And His Music

The Blues Room #573
25 January 2017
9pm-10pm NZ time, FreeFM89.0

This is LIVE Recording Wednesday on The Blues Room and in this episode we feature The Musical Mojo of Dr. John: A Celebration of Mac & His Music

1. Right Place Wrong Time by Dr. John & Bruce Springsteen
2. Please Send Me Someone To Love by Dr. John, Aaron Neville & Charles Neville
3. Junko Partner by George Porter Jr. & Zigaboo Modeliste
4. Since I Fell For You by Irma Thomas
5. Stack-A-Lee by Tab Benoit
6. Life by Allen Toussaint
7. Familiar Reality by Widespread Panic & Dirty Dozen Brass Band
8. Lay My Burden Down by Mavis Staples
9. New Orleans by John Fogerty
10. Such A Night by Dr. John & Sarah Morrow
11. Big Chief by Big Chief Monk Boudreaux

"It was very moving to have all these people paying tribute to me, but I just treated it like it was another show," Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and six-time GRAMMY®-winner Dr. John says of The Musical Mojo of Dr. John: A Celebration of Mac & His Music. 

Released on October 14, 2016 via Concord Records the expansive live tribute set, created and produced by Keith Wortman, CEO of Blackbird Presents, is a powerful testament to the far-ranging influence and indomitable musical spirit of the iconic New Orleans singer/pianist/guitarist. Encompassing a two-CD, Blu-ray and DVD package along with a stand-alone two-CD version, The Musical Mojo of Dr. John captures a star-studded concert at New Orleans' Saenger Theatre, with Dr. John joined by a stunningly diverse assortment of notable guest artists, who perform 22 songs written, recorded and/or popularized by Dr. John during his prolific six-decade career, honoring his large and still-growing musical legacy.

The performers include Bruce Springsteen, who duets with Dr. John on the 1973 smash "Right Place Wrong Time"; Jason Isbell, who delivers a heartfelt "Blow Wind Blow"; John Fogerty, who performs the raucous Crescent City anthem "New Orleans"; Mavis Staples, who brings gospel fervor to "Lay My Burden Down"; Widespread Panic, who lend musical muscle to "Familiar Reality"; and Ryan Bingham, who delivers a haunting "Back by the River."

Fittingly, The Musical Mojo of Dr. John also features memorable performances by several New Orleans legends, including Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Terence Blanchard, John Boutté, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, George Porter Jr. and Zigaboo Modeliste of the Meters, and Aaron, Charles and Cyril Neville. Bassist Don Was served as the project's musical director, leading an all-star house band that also included Allman Brothers Band/Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell, renowned NOLA pianist John Gros, Funky Meters guitarist Brian Stoltz and journeyman drummer Kenny Aronoff, as well as Dr. John's longstanding musical compatriot, trombonist Sarah Morrow.

The Musical Mojo of Dr. John: A Celebration of Mac & His Music, 
produced by Blackbird Presents, released via Concord Records on October 14, 2016.

19 January 2017

#572 :: Another Bellyfulla Blues with Fatt Max (18 Jan 2017)

The Blues Room #572
Wednesday 18 Jan 2017
9pm-10pm NZ time, FreeFM89.0

Taj Mahal – Statesboro Blues 
Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown – Gates Salty Blues 
Guitar Slim – The Things That I Used To Do 
The Who – Please Please Please 
Albert King – Searching For A Woman 
Swamp Thing – Hot Potato 
Nate & Darcy – Blues Man 
Snooks Eagling – Careless Love 
Sonny Boy Williams – Don’t Start Me Talking 
Colin James – Lonesome 
Keb Mo – Am I Wrong 
Albert Castliga – When The Devil Makes His Deals 
Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson – Cleanhead Blues 
Jeff Healey – River Of No Return 
Lloyd Spiegal – This Is Hip

11 January 2017

#571 :: Happy New Year Blues Mix (11 Jan 2017)


The Blues Room #571
Wednesday 11 Jan 2017
9pm-10pm NZ time, FreeFM89.0

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1. Chris O - Broke and Hungry
2. Juke Rockets - Summertime
3. Etta James - I'd Rather Go Blind
4. The Rolling Stones - Blue And Lonesome
5. David Bowie - The Jean Genie 
6. The Fabulous Thunderbirds - Smooth
7. Dennis Gruenling - Ready Or Not
8. Moondog's Blues - Whats The Deal
9. Gary Primich - House Rockin' Party
10 Rich Delgrosso & Jonn Del Toro Richardson - Summertime Is Here
11. Tedeschi Trucks Band - Crying Over You
12. Jimmy Reed - My Baby Told Me

10 January 2017

Blues Music Award 2017 Nominees Have Been Announced


The Blues Music Awards event brings together Blues performers, industry representatives, and fans from all over the world to celebrate the best in Blues recordings and performances from the previous year. The BMAs are generally recognized as the highest honor given to blues musicians and are awarded by vote of Blues Foundation members.


Blues Music Awards ceremony to be held May 11, 2017 in Memphis.

The Blues Foundation is pleased to announce the nominations for its annual Blues Music Awards, which the international organization will present on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. Universally recognized as the highest accolade afforded blues musicians, The Blues Music Awards upholds its rich cultural tradition by honoring the past year’s superior achievements in blues performance, songwriting, and recording. This annual ceremony represents the premier event for blues professionals, musicians, and fans around the globe.

Sugar Ray Norcia, individually, and collectively with his band, The Bluetones, received the most nominations with seven, including B.B. King Entertainer Award, Best Song, Best Album and Best Band. The total reaches ten with the inclusion of his Bluetones bandmates Monster Mike Welch (Instrumentalist-Guitar), Michael “Mudcat” Ward (Instrumentalist-Bass) and Anthony Geraci (Pinetop Perkins Piano Player). Chicago-based guitarist Toronzo Cannon garnered four nominations and he faces off against Norcia in both the Best Song and Best Album categories. Best Album probably ranks as the most competitive category, with Norcia and Cannon battling Bobby Rush, Kenny Neal, William Bell and the Nick Moss Band, who all have three nominations.

Several nominees will be defending their titles won at last year’s Blues Music Awards. Instrumentalist-Harmonica winner Kim Wilson is one of this year’s nominees, and Cedric Burnside might again claim the Instrumentalist-Drums crown. Shemekia Copeland and Bettye LaVette also return to the categories they won last year (Contemporary Blues Female Artist and Soul Blues Female Artist, respectively), while 2016’s Acoustic Artist winner, Doug MacLeod, is one of this year’s contenders too.

The Awards also honor the next generation of blues performers with the Best Emerging Artist Album category. In fact, two Emerging Artist nominees also are contenders for a second award. Detroit native Thornetta Davis’s “I Gotta Sang the Blues” is up for Best Song, while Terrie Odabi is competing against the likes of Bettye LaVette and Mavis Staples to be named Soul Blues Female Artist.

A ballot will soon be sent to all Blues Foundation members, as they have the privilege of deciding which nominees will actually take home a Blues Music Award in May. Anyone interested in casting a vote to decide this year’s winners may receive a ballot by joining or renewing their membership with The Blues Foundation at any time up to February 28, 2017.

The Blues Music Awards ceremony annually proves to be one of the year’s best shows. Not only does almost every nominee attend, but they also perform, creating a lineup featuring the best of the best in blues all in one evening.

Major funding is provided by ArtsMemphis and the Tennessee Arts Commission. The 38th Blues Music Awards are also sponsored by BMI, GET and I-55 Productions, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and Sony/Legacy.

38th Blues Music Award Nominees

Acoustic Album
Doug MacLeod – Live in Europe
Eric Bibb – The Happiest Man in the World
Fiona Boyes – Professin’ the Blues
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes – Live at Briggs Farm
John Long – Stand Your Ground
Luther Dickinson – Blues and Ballads (A Folksinger’s Songbook) Vol I and II

Acoustic Artist
Doug MacLeod
Eric Bibb
Fiona Boyes
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes
Luther Dickinson

Album
Bobby Rush – Porcupine Meat
Kenny Neal – Bloodline
Nick Moss Band – From the Root to the Fruit
Sugar Ray & the Bluetones – Seeing is Believing
Toronzo Cannon – The Chicago Way
William Bell – This Is Where I Live

Band
Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue
Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials
Nick Moss Band
Sugar Ray and the Bluetones
Tedeschi Trucks Band

B.B. King Entertainer
Joe Bonamassa
John Nemeth
Lil’ Ed Williams
Sugar Ray Norcia
Sugaray Rayford

Best Emerging Artist Album
Corey Dennison Band – Corey Dennison Band
Guy King – Truth
Jonn Del Toro Richardson – Tengo Blues
Terrie Odabi – My Blue Soul
Thornetta Davis – Honest Woman

Contemporary Blues Album
Al Basile – Mid Century Modern
Kenny Neal – Bloodline
Nick Moss Band – From the Root to the Fruit
The Record Company – Give It Back To You
Toronzo Cannon – The Chicago Way

Contemporary Blues Female Artist
Alexis P Suter
Ana Popovic
Janiva Magness
Shemekia Copeland
Susan Tedeschi

Contemporary Blues Male Artist
Albert Castiglia
Kenny Neal
Mike Zito
Sugaray Rayford
Toronzo Cannon

Historical Album
Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, A Music Man Like Nobody Ever Saw, Bear Family Records
B.B. King, More B.B. King: Here’s One You Haven’t Heard, Ace Records
Bobby Rush, Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush, Omnivore Recordings
Michael Burks, I’m A Bluesman, Iron Man Records
Pinetop Perkins & Jimmy Rogers, Genuine Blues Legends, Elrob Records

Instrumentalist-Bass
Biscuit Miller
Bob Stroger
Michael “Mudcat” Ward
Patrick Rynn
R W Grigsby

Instrumentalist-Drums
Cedric Burnside
Jimi Bott
June Core
Tom Hambridge
Tony Braunagel

Instrumentalist-Guitar
Bob Margolin
Joe Bonamassa
Kid Andersen
Monster Mike Welch
Ronnie Earl

Instrumentalist-Harmonica
Dennis Gruenling
Jason Ricci
Kim Wilson
Mark Hummel
Sugar Ray Norcia

Instrumentalist-Horn
Al Basile
Nancy Wright
Sax Gordon Beadle
Terry Hanck
Vanessa Collier

Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female Artist)
Annika Chambers
Diunna Greenleaf
Inetta Visor
Shaun Murphy
Trudy Lynn

Pinetop Perkins Piano Player
Anthony Geraci
Barrelhouse Chuck
Henry Gray
Jim Pugh
Victor Wainwright

Rock Blues Album
Albert Castiglia – Big Dog
Mike Zito – Keep Coming Back
Moreland & Arbuckle – Promised Land or Bust
Tedeschi Trucks Band – Let Me Get By
Walter Trout – Alive in Amsterdam

Song
“Blues Immigrant” written by Matthew Skoller & Vincent Bucher and performed by Matthew Skoller on Blues Immigrant
“I Gotta Sang The Blues” written and performed by Thornetta Davis on Honest Woman
“Seeing Is Believing” written by Ray Norcia and performed by Sugar Ray & The Bluetones on Seeing Is Believing
“Walk A Mile In My Blues” written by David Duncan, Curtis Salgado & Mike Finigan and performed by Curtis Salgado on The Beautiful Lowdown
“Walk it Off” written and performed by Toronzo Cannon on The Chicago Way

Soul Blues Album
Bobby Rush – Porcupine Meat
Curtis Salgado – The Beautiful Lowdown
Johnny Rawls – Tiger in a Cage
Wee Willie Walker – Live! Notodden Blues Festival
William Bell – This Is Where I Live

Soul Blues Female Artist
Bettye Lavette
Lara Price
Mavis Staples
Terrie Odabi
Vaneese Thomas

Soul Blues Male Artist
Bobby Rush
Curtis Salgado
Johnny Rawls
Wee Willie Walker
William Bell

Traditional Blues Album
Big Jon Atkinson & Bob Corritore – House Party at Big Jon’s
Bob Margolin – My Road
Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue – Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue
Lurrie Bell – Can’t Shake This Feeling
Sugar Ray & the Bluetones – Seeing is Believing

Traditional Blues Male Artist
Bob Margolin
John Primer
Lil’ Ed Williams
Lurrie Bell
Sugar Ray Norcia

4 January 2017

#570 :: Hour Of Blues Power with Darcy Perry (4 Jan 2017)

The Blues Room #570
Wednesday 4 January 2017
9pm-10pm NZ time, FreeFM89.0

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Happy New Year everybody! Darcy Perry welcomes in 2017 with this first episode of The Blues Room. We thank you for all your support, for all your music submissions, and for your appreciation of good blues! Enjoy!

1. Moreland & Arbuckle - When The Lights Are Burning Low
2. Torozo Cannon - Bad Contract
3. Curtis Salgado - Hard to Feel the Same About Love
4. Darren Watson - I Still Feel the Same
5. Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials - Giving Up On Your Love
6. Sleepy John Estes - Black Mattie Blues
7. James Blood Ulmer - Survivors of the Hurricane
8. Mavis Staples - On My Way
9. Otis Taylor - Mexican Cowboy
10. Joe Bonamassa - Dirt Pocket
11. Bettye LaVette - Talking Old Soldiers
12. Bogus Ben Covington - Adam and Eve in The Garden
13. Jimi Hendrix - Bold As Love

2 January 2017

#569 :: Koko Taylor - Live At The Chicago Blues Festival 1994

The Blues Room #569
Wednesday 28 December 2016
9pm-10pm NZ time, FreeFM89.0

Before her roar was silenced in 2009, the Queen of the Blues reigned over the annual Chicago Blues Festival weekend. In 1994, she had arrived with a new album, Force of Nature, and been honored by the Chicago City mayor as well as being awarded with the W.C. Handy Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year. Koko Taylor was also about to open her own club in Chicago, but she put time aside to headline the last night. As with all of her performances, it's a jubilant and powerful Taylor that stands at the mic spreading an education and joy to others. God save the Queen of the Blues!

Koko Taylor - Live At The Chicago Blues Festival 1994

1. Introduction
2. Something I Can't Let Go
3. Mother Nature
4. Don't Put Your Hands On Me
5. I'm A Woman (Mannish Boy)
6. Bad Case Of Loving You
7. Hound Dog
8. Wang Dang Doodle
9. Big Boss Man
10. I'm A Queen Bee