Boo Boo Davis on Tour

Guitarist and producer Jan Mittendorp of Black and Tan Records sent me a note this morning about playing eight shows in seven countries over the last 10 days with Mississippi bluesman Boo Boo Davis. He also sent a link to a great Youtube clip from one of the shows.

If you've never heard Davis, I highly recommend his "Name of the Game" and "Drew Mississippi" albums.

Here's the video. Davis is playing a mean harp to complement his vocals.

'Frankly Jazz' on Youtube

My television's not hooked up to anything these days, but if there were a show like Frank Evans' "Frankly Jazz" on the air, you can bet I'd subscribe. The show, which aired in the early '60s, featured many of the great jazz artists of the day.

So you can imagine how thrilled I was tonight when I discoved clips from the show on Youtube. Here are a few featuring Shorty Rogers, Irene Kral, and Shelly Manne and His Men. Enjoy.

Cahl's Jukebox, 7-20-09

The daily mix:

1) Jim Lauderdale: "It's Such a Long Journey Home"
2) Charlie Louvin, Waylon Jennings and George Jones: "Country Boy's Dream"
3) Orville Couch: "Uncle Red"
4) Will Kimbrough: "This Modern World"
5) Buddy and Julie Miller: "The River's Gonna Run"
6) Charlie Robison: "Nothing Better to Do"
7) Charlie Rich: "Why Don't We Go Somewhere and Love"
8) Fred Eaglesmith: "Rainbow"
9) Jean Shepard: "Satisfied Mind"
10) Blaze Foley: "Small Town Hero"

Jack de Keyzer: 'Blues Thing'

On "Music is the Food of Love," Canadian bluesman Jack de Keyzer talks about stirring low-down blues, uptown soul and real cool jazz into his musical stew. It works for me.

The tune, which can be found on his 2007 release, "Blues Thing," is a great representation of de Keyzer's eclectic mix. I'm also particularly fond of "That's How Much," a song on which his jazzy guitar licks are drenched with the bluesy waves of a Hammond B3 organ.

Don't get the idea that everything's jazzy, though; de Keyzer's guitar has a bite on tunes such as "I Want to Love You" and "We Go Together." And his guitar licks are as soulful and sad as his vocals on "Cry the Blues."

Here's a taste:

That's how much - Jack De Keyz...

Cry the blues - Jack De Keyzer

Ike Reilly to Release New Album

According to his myspace page, Ike Reilly's going to release a new album soon. I'm stoked. Everyone needs more great rock 'n' roll in his life.

Cahl's Jukebox, 7-19-09

Sunday morning jazz:

1) Karl Denson: "Rumpwinder"
2) Shirley Scott: "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free"
3) Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Johnny Griffin: "Tickle Toe"
4) Will Barnard: "Party Hats"
5) Jimmy Ponder: "Love Will Find a Way"
6) Jimmy Smith and Eddie Harris: "8 Counts for Rita"
7) Joe Chambers: "Phantom of the City"
8) Gene Ludwig and the Bill Warfield Big Band: "Duff's Blues"
9) Terrence Brewer: "Study in Blue"
10) Skip Heller: "St. Louis Blues"

Alice Clark: 'Alice Clark'

God bless Mainstream Records' Bob Shad for pairing soul singer Alice Clark with jazz arranger Ernie Wilkins back in 1972.

Clark's sultry voice would have sounded great no matter who she'd been matched with. That's apparent when you listen to "Never Did Stop Loving You," which sounds like it's straight out of Philly. But Wilkins' jazzy arrangements make Clark's songs stand out from the pack of other soul singers of the era.

She still burns through her vocals, but the romantic embellishments of the arrangements soften her sound. As a result, she seems both sophisticated and gritty ... like a link between classic jazz singers and soul shouters.

Never Did I Stop Loving You - ...

Charms of the Arms of my Love ...

It Takes To Long To Learn To L...

Woodpigeon: 'Treasury Library Canada'

After hearing a couple tracks on Woodpigeon's new album, "Treasury Library Canada," I thought the Canadian indie rockers might be a little too syrupy for my tastes. But after listening to the album several times, I'm charmed by the simple sweetness of their vocals and lyrics. The fact that they're a bit goofy at times scores with me, too.

They sound a bit like a folky version of Supertramp with their orchestral instrumentals, but the vocals are much softer, almost angelic. And that's nice in small doses.

I'm not sure I'll listen to all 14 of the album's songs consecutively very often — my doctor tells me I can consume only a limited amount of sugar every day — but those few pieces taste pretty damn good.

Emma et Hampus - Woodpigeon

Piano Pieces For Adult Beginne...

Cahl's Jukebox, 7-18-09

The daily mix:

1) Willem Maker: "The Greatest Hit"
2) Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women: "Que Sera Sera"
3) Red Foley: "Tennessee Border"
4) Amos Garrett: "My Jug and I"
5) Eddy Clearwater: "Tore Up All the Time"
6) The GP's: "Penitentiary Bound"
7) Drive-By Truckers: "Your Daddy Hates Me"
8) Paul Kelly: "Don't Stand So Close to the Window"
9) Wynn Stewart: "Big City"
10) Chuck Willis: "My Heart's Been Broke Again"

Popa Chubby

I probably own a couple thousand blues CDs and loads more digital and vinyl versions of blues albums. But I don't own a single Popa Chubby recording. Oops.

Andre Williams: 'Silky' and 'Aphrodisiac'

Andre Williams was on Raunch Patrol in 1998 when he recorded "Silky" with Mick Collins and Dan Kroha of The Gories.

Many of the lyrics are filthy and, as you might expect, the instrumentals are a dirty blend of blues and garage rock. You can bet I'm not going to play "Bonin'" and "Pussy Stank" when my mama's around.

She might actually like "Aphrodisiac," an album released in 2006 on which Williams is backed by The Diplomats of Solid Sound. It's more reminiscent of Williams' R&B tunes of the '60s and '70s. The Diplomats of Solid Sound's Hammond B3 organ-based instrumentals certainly bring back memories of "Twine Time," a hit Williams wrote for Alvin Cash. I also hear echoes of "Cadillac Jack," a tune Williams recorded for Chess, and "Shake Your Tail Feather," the great soul classic he wrote. (James and Bobby Purify's version should be one of the cornerstones of your music collection.)

Some folks might prefer the rockin' raunch, of course. That's OK. But there's no reason both albums can't peacefully coexist on your CD shelves; they do on mine.

Here's a taste of both:

Prove It To Me - Andre William...

I Wanna Be Your Favorite Pair ...

Cahl's Jukebox, 7-17-09

The daily mix:

1) Robert Cray: "The Last Time (I Get Burned Like This)"
2) Al Kooper and Shuggie Otis: "Lookin' for a Home"
3) Bonnie Raitt: "Blue for No Reason"
4) Toni Price: "Am I Groovin' U?"
5) Julie Miller: "All My Tears"
6) Eilen Jewell: "Thanks a Lot"
7) Boz Scaggs: "Might Have to Cry"
8) William Bell: "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye"
9) Jean Knight: "Think It Over"
10) Solomon Burke: "Tonight's the Night"

Vieux Farka Toure Videos

Vieux Farka Touré, the son of the late West African legend Ali Farka Touré, has released a terrific new album called "Fondo." As far as I'm concerned, there aren't many things cooler than the intertwining of blues and African rhythms.

British Bluesman Matt Taylor

Young British bluesman Matt Taylor is a guitarist you'll be hearing a lot about in the years to come. On his latest album, "No Trouble At All," he rumbles through the uptempo tunes. I don't like some of the slower tunes as much, but he has a great voice and a lot of folks will love them. He's also been playing and recording with Snowy White, the great Thin Lizzy guitarist.

Here's a clip of Taylor playing nine years ago. He's even better now.

Cahl's Jukebox, 7-16-09

Thursday morning jazz:

1) Lafayette Gilchrist: "Many Exits, No Doors"
2) Miles Davis: "One and One"
3) Billy Cobham: "Stratus"
4) Baikida Carroll: "Marionettes on a High Wire"
5) Greg Osby: "Vertical Hold"
6) Anthony Braxton: "Off Minor (Monk)"
7) Ran Blake: "Strange Fruit"
8) Harold Land: "One Second, Please"
9) Cecil Bridgewater: "As I Live and Breathe"
10) Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: "So Tired"

Jazz Blog Special: Lewis Keel, 'Coming Out Swinging'

Alto saxophonist Lewis Keel plays straight-up bop on "Coming Out Swinging," his 1992 album for Muse Records. But everything he plays is informed by the blues.

That's clear when you listen to tunes such as "Love for Sale," "Day By Day," "Quiet Nights" and "Blues Walk." Much of his feel for the blues is attributable to the fact that he grew up in Memphis playing in R&B bands and idolizing Don Wilkerson and Hank Crawford, two of the bluesiest of all jazz saxophonists. The fact that Keel served a stint playing with blues great Johnny Copeland probably helped him find his groove, too.

Keel found some kindred spirits to accompany him on "Coming Out Swinging": pianist Harold Mabern and bassist Jamil Nasser, both fellow Memphis natives; guitarist Jimmy Ponder; drummer Leroy Williams; and percussionist Buzz Hollie. They all play jazz with a soulful feel. And like the album title says, they really do swing, especially on "Anthropology" and "Lover Come Back to Me, which are played at a furious pace. In fact, "swing" probably isn't a strong enough word to describe it. The whole crew flies through the tunes.

"Coming Out Swinging is a good album with some outstanding moments. It's certainly worth picking up if you can find it. I'd check Dusty Grooves America, which lists a copy for $4.99.

(Jazz Blog Special is a regular feature that examines older jazz albums worth checking out.)

Streaming version of Bill Frisell's 'Disfarmer'

NPR is offering a free streaming version of guitarist Bill Frisell's new album, "Disfarmer." It's a gorgeous recording.

Elliott Murphy: 'Live Hot Point'

I bought several of Elliott Murphy's albums when I was in college in the '70s, but for some reason I never replaced them on CD. In essence, I forgot him.

I'm not alone. On a version of "Just a Story From America" included on "Live Hot Point," Murphy talks about being in a Milwaukee studio listening to the playbacks of some recordings when a woman came in and said it sounded just like Elliott Murphy. But it couldn't be, she insisted, because Murphy's dead.

Needless to say, he's still alive and rocking. His old friend Bruce Springsteen knows; the Boss has performed live with Murphy a number of times and sang "Everything I Do (Leads Me Back to You)" with Murphy back in 1995 for an album called "Selling the Gold." It's a beautiful song and a fine album worth searching for.

But if you're looking to explore Murphy's music, or reacquaint yourself with it, I'd recommend "Live Hotpoint," a live album recorded in Switzerland in 1989 that served as my re-entry point. "(It's available from iTunes for $7.99.)

"Live Hotpoint" includes "The Last of the Rock Stars," "You Never Know What You're Looking For," "Drive All Night" and several other great songs from Murphy's early albums. It also includes songs by Garland Jeffries and Chris Spedding, both of whom performed with Murphy at the concert.

In short, the album's filled with the kind of spirited rock that inspired Rolling Stone magazine to rave about Murphy's 1973 debut, "Aquashow," in a double review with Springsteen's "The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle." It's music that shouldn't be forgotten.

Cahl's Jukebox, 7-15-09

The daily mix:

1) Elliott Murphy: "Diamonds By the Yard"
2) Nikki Sudden: "Wooden Floor"
3) Freedy Johnston: "Bad Reputation"
4) Francis Dunnery: "Too Much Saturn"
5) Elvis Costello: "Ship of Fools"
6) The Kinks: "Holloway Jail"
7) Bruce Springsteen: "Gypsy Woman"
8) Charlie Mars: "Bay Springs Road"
9) Chris Gaffney: "My Baby's Got a Dead Man's Number"
10) Gwil Owen: "Mississippi Moonrise"

Big James and the Chicago Playboys

Somehow I missed the news that Big James and the Chicago Playboys have released a new album, "Right Here, Right Now." I've ordered a copy, though, and I can guarantee it'll be great.

Doubt me? Watch this:

Shawn Colvin: 'Live'

Richard Thompson might be the only solo performer I've ever seen who managed to win the hearts and ears of an audience as well as Shawn Colvin. I like all of her albums, but I think Colvin's new album, "Live," is her best.

Songs such as "Shotgun Down the Avalanche," "Twighlight," "Tennessee" and "Sunny Came Home" just sound better, more personal, when Colvin's alone with just her guitar.

Sometimes I probably remember concerts as being better than they really were. After listening to "Live," I'm wondering whether Colvin's show I saw 15 years ago was even better than I remember. And I've always thought it was a great concert.

Twilight - Shawn Colvin

Sunny Came Home - Shawn Colvin

King Coleman: 'It's Dance Time'

I'd like to say the roller rink where I had my eighth birthday party played one King Coleman tune after another — my friends and I would have loved the nonsensical R&B grooves of "(Do the) Mashed Potato," "Loo-Key Doo-Key," "Do The Hully Gully" and "The Boo Boo Song."

Unfortunately, the party was held in Georgia in the mid-'60s in a town where the city fathers closed the swimming pool when blacks had the audacity to ask to swim there.

I don't have anyone telling me what I can play at parties these days, so you can bet several King Coleman tunes will make the playlist when I host a big reunion for some college friends in the fall. My friends are well into middle age now, but I'm betting they'll start dancing and smirking like 8-year-olds when I turn up the volume on "The Boo Boo Song." I know I will.

The Boo Boo Song - King Colema...

Cahl's Jukebox, 7-9-09

Tuesday morning blues:

1) Raful Neal: "Down in Louisiana"
2) Big Pete Pearson: "Time Has Come"
3) Sam Collins: "Dark Cloudy Blues"
4) Jimmy "Duck" Holmes: "Could Have Been Married"
5) Edward Thompson: "Seven Sister Blues"
6) Booker T. Laurie: "Early in the Morning"
7) Roosevelt Sykes: "Drivin' Wheel"
8) Sunnyland Slim: "Long Tall Daddy"
9) John Lee Hooker Jr. "Dimples"
9) Billy Boy Arnold and Tony McPhee: "I Wish You Would"