Marah Stream

Yep Roc Records is streaming Marah's new EP, "Hard Up," which will be available from iTunes on Oct. 30.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-30-07

Sunday morning jazz:

1) The Eureka Brass Band: “Eternity”
2) Celestin's Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra: “Sister Kate”
3) Bunny Berigan: “Mood Hollywood”
4) Louis Armstrong: “I Can’t Believe You’re in Love”
5) McKinney’s Cotton Pickers: “Don’t Be Like That”
6) Kid Ory: “Sugar Blues”
7) Preservation Hall Jazz Band: “The Bucket’s Got a Hole In It”
8) Edmond Hall: “Beamin' and Steamin'”
9) King Oliver: “Dipper Mouth Blues”
10) Hot Lips Page: “Gee Baby Ain’t I Good to You”

Jazz Blog Special: Edmond Hall, 'Profoundly Blue'

The Edmond Hall collection “Profoundly Blue” offers a gentle mix of New Orleans jazz, swing and blues that’s both relaxing and invigorating.

Hall, a clarinetist from New Orleans, had a flawless tone that always sounded effortless. And on this collection he was joined by some of the greatest names in jazz, including Charlie Christian on guitar, Red Norvo on vibes, Meade Lux Lewis on celeste, Teddy Wilson on piano, Benny Morton on trombone, Harry Carney on baritone saxophone and Sid Catlett on drums.

The highlight, for me at least, is the title track of the collection, which opens with Christian playing a soft blues riff on his acoustic guitar, which is accented by the bells from Lewis’ celeste. Midway through the tune, the sound of Hall’s clarinet floats in. It’s as lovely as anything you’ll ever hear.

I like “Big City Blues” almost as much. It’s a seductive New Orleans blues track on which Hall’s sweet clarinet notes play off the husky riffs of Morton’s trombone and Carney’s baritone saxophone. I can’t think of many songs that are sexier.

The album seems to be out of print now, but I’d recommend that you haunt your favorite used record stores until you find a copy. There’s a good chance that Hall will become your favorite clarinet player.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-29-07

Saturday afternoon jazz:

1) Clark Terry: "For Louis and Duke"
2) Teddy Edwards: "Good Gravy"
3) Booker Ervin: "Aluminum Baby"
4) Roy Haynes: "The Gypsy"
5) Miles Davis: "Rollin' and Blowin'"
6) Oscar Pettiford: "Monmarte Blues"
7) Eddie Harris: "A.M. Blues"
8) Delfeayo Marsalis: ""Adam's Ecstasy, Eve's Delight"
9) Al Grey: "African Lady"
10) Bobby Timmons: "Come Rain or Come Shine"

Why No Wanda?

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will continue to be a joke until Wanda Jackson gets in. It's fine that Madonna was nominated this year, but I doubt there would be a Madonna wihout Wanda.

Richard Thompson Concert on NPR

Whoops. Somehow I missed the fact that NPR has been hosting a Richard Thompson concert on its Web site since June.

I'm busy working on a seminar now, but on Saturday afternoon while my friends are at the Purdue-Notre Dame football game, I'll be rocking out with Thompson.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-28-07

The daily mix:

1) Roky Erickson: "Click Your Fingers Applauding the Play"
2) Pete Townshend and Ronnie Lane: "My Baby Gives It Away"
3) Nikki Sudden: "Break Up"
4) The Pretty Things: "Walking Through My Dreams"
5) My Morning Jacket: "Masterplan"
6) Supergrass: "Mansize Rooster"
7) PJ Harvey: "Good Fortune"
8) Syd Straw: "Toughest Girl in the World"
9) Marah: "Faraway You"
10) Paul Westerberg: "World Class Fad"

Roky Erickson to Play Austin City Limits

One of my former students alerted me the other day that Roky Erickson will be appearing on the "Austin City Limits" TV show on Jan. 19.

The schedule says the Kings of Leon will also appear on the show. I'm hoping, for the sake of the young indie rockers, that they're not performing together; the dudes in Kings of Leon woud have nightmares for years after trying to stay up with the Rok, especially on "Two-headed Dog," "Don't Me Lucifer," "The Beast" and "Stand for the Fire Demon."

I know the show is still several months away, but you should all mark your calendars. Roky's set at the 2005 ACL is the most memorable live show I've ever seen.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-27-07

Thursday morning soul:

1) Bettye Swann: "I'm Lonely for You"
2) Dee Dee Warwick: "That's Not Love"
3) Willie Gable: "Eternally"
4) O.V. Wright: "Don't Let My Baby Ride"
5) The Patterson Twins: "If I Ever Got You Back"
6) Wilson Pickett: "Ninety-nine and One-half"
7) The Sweet Inspirations: "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)"
8) The Supremes: "You Can't Hurry Love"
9) Jimmy Ruffin: "Living in a World I Created for Myself"
10) Lisa Richards: "Let's Take a Chance"

Bettye LaVette: 'Scene of the Crime'

Soul singer Bettye LaVette's voice might be one of the most expressive instruments in music. It's certainly one of the most versatile.

Her voice, a little raspy, always powerful, reminds me a little of Tina Turner's. But LaVette doesn't need volume to turn up the heat. LaVette expresses love, heartbreak, outrage and wistfulness all with a slight change of inflection.

On “Scene of the Crime,” her new album, LaVette interprets songs recorded by Ray Charles, George Jones, Willie Nelson, John Hiatt, Don Henley and Elton John. She aces them all.

I know I'll be playing her rendition of Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s "Talking Old Soldiers" several times a day for the next few weeks. Spooner Oldham's gentle piano licks give the song a tender, melancholy feel. And though LaVette's vocals are soft, too, the quiver in her voice explodes through the speakers, making it one of the most gripping tunes I know.

Willie Nelson’s “Somebody Pick Up My Pieces” is another tear-jerker. John Neff’s pedal steel guitar reminds listeners that it’s a country tune, but, like on Solomon Burke’s covers of country classics, LaVette’s vocals are as soulful as anything released on Stax in the 60s. The instrumentation on “They Call It Love,” most closely associated with Ray Charles, sounds more upbeat, but LaVette’s vocals are filled with sadness and regret once again.

LaVette’s vocals are filled with defiance on John Hiatt’s “The Last Time” and with longing on Eddie Hinton’s “”I Still Want to be Your Baby.” On all of the tracks, she’s backed by alt-country rockers The Drive-By Truckers, who sound like a veteran rhythm and blues band. That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, though. Guitarist Patterson, whose father, David, a bassist, was once part owner of the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, grew up listening to and idolizing great soul singers. Moreover, the elder Hood and Oldham, veterans of countless soul albums, lent their instrumental talents and knowledge.

In the‘60s, LaVette recorded an album at the Muscle Shoals studio that could have made her a star. Inexplicably, Atlantic Records refused to release it. More than 40 years later, LaVette returned to Muscle Shoals, the scene of the crime, and the results are amazing. It’s the best new album I’ve heard all year.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-26-07

Wednesday morning jazz:

1) Leroy Vinnegar: "Walkin' My Baby Back Home"
2) Roy Ayers: "Well You Needn't"
3) Ike Quebec: "Easy Don't Hurt"
4) Brooklyn Funk Essentials: "Big Apple Boogaloo"
5) World Saxophone Quartet: "Fast Life"
6) Black/Note: "Evil Dancer"
7) Ed Wiley Jr.: "Max the Maximum"
8) Michel Camilo: "See You Later"
9) Jaki Byard: "There are Many Worlds"
10) Charles McPherson: "Eronel"

Hip Check

This morning I was reading the student paper where I'm the news adviser and learned that The Vibrators and Gitogito Hustler will be playing tonight in Lafayette. I'm glad we ran a calendar item about the show, but none of my students seem to have ever heard of either band. As a result, we didn't have a story previewing the gig.

OK, the Vibrators are old school punk dating back to the days of The Sex Pistols, so I understand to some degree why a bunch of 20-year-old kids might not know about them. But I'll bet all of my students have seen "Kill Bill, Volume 1," and Gitogito was featured prominently in it. My students need to get hipper.

Seems to me that I need to give a crash course in the history of rock at a seminar pretty damn soon. Otherwise, my students will be performing a disservice to their readers.

I was planning to spend a quiet night at home with the mutt, but I'll be at the show. I'll be the old dude with the graying beard and the earplugs.

(Edit: Turns out, at least as far as I can tell, that the bands were playing in Indianapolis instead of Lafayette. So I guess our calendar item was wrong.)

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-25-07

The daily mix:

1) The Jayhawks: “Ann Jane”
2) Vulgar Boatmen: “Calling Upstairs”
3) Clem Snide: “Tuesday, Oct. 24”
4) The Pernice Brothers: “Flaming Wreck”
5) The Decemberists: “Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)”
6) The Mekons: “Dark Dark Dark”
7) Randy Newman: “The Beehive State”
8) Green on Red: “Cool Million”
9) Peter Bruntnell: “Perfume River”
10) Robert Pollard: “Circle Saw Boys Club"

The Mekons: 'Natural'

My young indie music-loving friends who think The Decemberists are the most original band on the planet should listen to The Mekons’ latest album, “Natural.” I love The Decemberists, too, but I think The Mekons create better symphonic indie folk rock. And for folks in my age bracket, at least, The Mekons’ lyrics about growing old linger like memories of a childhood dog.

“Natural” might be the band’s most theatrical album. It’s certainly a lot gentler than the band’s last couple of albums, which revisited The Mekons’ punk rock roots, but though I’ve developed less tolerance for “gentle” rock and pop as I’ve aged, my attention never wavers when I listen to “Natural.” Perhaps that’s because the album’s songs, though, generally quiet, all sound bouncy, almost like The Pogues’ folky ballads.

I heard part of The Decemberists’ set at this year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival and left impressed, but I’m looking forward to The Mekons’ show on Oct. 13 at The Lafayette Brewing Company a lot more. And I’m willing to bet my young indie music-loving friends would like the show, too.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-24-07

Monday night blues:

1) Jazz Gillum: "You're Tearing Your Playhouse Down"
2) Bo Diddley: "Working Man"
3) Lonnie Johnson & Eddie Lang: "A Handful of Riffs"
4) Otis Spann: "Twisted Snake"
5) Mississippi John Hurt: "Talking Casey"
6) Little Arthur Duncan: "Leaving Mississippi"
7) Sister Rosetta Tharpe: "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen"
8) Furry Lewis: "John Henry"
9) Georgia White: "I'm Glad I'm 21 Today"
10) Memphis Minnie: "In My Girlish Days"

Blues Blog Special: Jazz Gillum

Jazz Gillum might not be as flashy a harmonica player or vocalist as some of the bluesmen who followed him, but there aren’t many old-time blues artists I’d rather hear.

His reedy voice matches the hypnotic tone of his harmonica and his songs all sound like miniature short stories that capture the cadence of life in Mississippi and Chicago as well as William Faulkner and Nelson Algren ever did.

All four of the discs in Documents Records’ collection of his recordings are worth picking up, but I’m especially fond of “Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 3 (1941-1946)” because it features guitarist Big Bill Broonzy, Gillum's longtime cohort, as well as pianists Horace Malcolm, Blind John Davis, Roosevelt Sykes and Big Maceo Merriweather. On “Tell Me, Mama,” for example, Broonzy and Davis create one of the best instrumental duels in all of blues. The sound quality is damn good, too.

Moreover, it’s hard not to love a musician who sings about everything from going fishing and to chopping off Hitler’s head. The disc probably isn’t on a lot of lists of the all-time greatest blues albums, but as far as I’m concerned it’s an essential album for serious blues fans.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-23-07

Sunday morning jazz:

1) Jackie McLean: "Mean to Me"
2) Teddy Charles Tentet: "Green Blues"
3) Red Norvo: "Signal"
4) Sonny Criss: "Ode to Billie Joe"
5) Charles McPherson: "Jumping Jacks"
6) Joe Gordon: "Diminishing"
7) Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: "Cranky Spanky"
8) Ernie Henry: "Cleo's Chant"
9) Albert Dailey Trio: "Music That Makes Me Dance"
10) Sharik's Syncopated Taint Septet: "Go to Hell, Mr. Bush"

Cordell Jackson: 'Live in Chicago'

When Cordell Jackson sings on her “Live in Chicago” album, she sounds a lot my grandmother, who was an old mountain woman from north Georgia. Jackson’s voice is sweet and shaky, but it’s filled with spirit. When Jackson plays guitar, she sounds more like a combination of Link Wray, Carl Perkins and Duane Eddy. Her rockabilly, blues and jazz guitar licks are wild and reckless.

Jackson was 72 when she recorded “Live in Chicago” at Schuba’s in the Windy City in 1995, and she was still as sassy as she was when she founded her own record label as a young woman. Her song introductions are light-hearted and funny, but there’s nothing humorous about the way she plays guitar. When I listen to the furious way she attacks her instrument, I wonder whether Bob Mould taught himself to play guitar by listening to Jackson play.

You can only hope your grandmothers are as cool as Jackson.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-22-07

The daily mix:

1) The Gizmos: "1978"
2) The Dead Milkmen: "Howard Beware"
3) The Ramones: "I Wanna Live"
4) Buzzcocks: "Jerk"
5) The Slits: "Love and Romance"
6) James Chance (James White and the Blacks): "Stained Sheets"
7) The Stranglers: "Big in America"
8) The Breeders: "Happiness is a Warm Gun"
9) Dan Sartain: "Love is Crimson"
10) Dow Jones and the Industrials: "Ladies with Appliances"

Yo La Tengo Covers Dow Jones & the Industrials

My best friend told me tonight that Yo La Tengo has been covering "Can't Stand the Midwest," an old punk tune by Dow Jones and the Industrials, a band that was composed of Purdue students 30 years ago.

Dow Jones and the Industrials was one of the funniest bands I've ever heard and I'd love to hear Yo La Tengo's take on their music. So I'm sad that I probably won't be able to get to Bloomington to hear Yo La Tengo's show in Bloomington on Oct. 10 because it's on a Wednesday night. Then again, you're only middle-aged once and I'm in the mood to feel young again.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-21-07

Friday night jazz:

1) Bobby Hutcherson: "Black Circle"
2) Kidd Jordan, Hamid Drake & William Parker: "Forever"
3) Bobby Previte: "Airstrip One"
4) Sun Ra: "The Shadow World"
5) Steve Grossman: "This Time the Dream's on Me"
6) Miroslav Vitous: "Miro Bop"
7) George Wallington: "But George"
8) Eric Dolphy: "Burning Spear"
9) Charles Mingus: "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love"
10) Melton Mustafa: "The Exotic Birds"

Paul Brusger: 'Go to Plan B'

I picked up Paul Brusger's "Go to Plan B" because it was one of John Hicks' last recordings. Hicks' piano work is gentle and reflective, an excellent reminder of why he should be considered one of our finest jazz pianists. Ronnie Cuber also participated on the album, and I've long thought his baritone saxophone was one of the coolest instruments in modern jazz.

Brusger, an excellent young bassist, and drummer John Jenkins keep the quintet hopping on the hard bop tunes. And on the softer numbers they play with subtlety and grace. My biggest surprise on the album, though, was the discovery of tenor saxophonist George Allgaier. His notes are bright and playful. Together, Allgaier and Cuber create a sound that's mysterious and sexy. In fact, you can almost hear most of these tunes as the backdrop for the love scenes in Alfred Hitchcock's movies.

I miss John Hicks everytime I listen to one of his albums. I'm sure a lot of you do as well. So seek out "Go to Plan B." You'll hear Hicks at his best and along the way you'll discover some bright young jazz talents.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-20-07

The daily mix:

1) The Pogues: "House of the Gods"
2) Detroit Cobras: "Puppet on a String"
3) Chuck Prophet: "The Hurting Business"
4) Bruce Hughes: "Lie to Me"
5) Billy Bragg: "Seven and Seven Is"
6) Hindu Love Gods: "Raspberry Beret"
7) Old 97s: "Up the Devil's Pay"
8) Supergrass: "Lose It"
9) X: "True Love Pt. #2"
10) Brinsley Schwarz: "It's Been So Long"

Friends of Bob Shows

Friends of Bob, a local music cooperative, will be hosting two excellent shows in Lafayette in the coming weeks. The Mekons will be here on Oct. 13 and Chuck Prophet will return to Lafayette for a show on Oct. 28. I urge rock fans anywhere near Lafayette to consider attending both concerts; Prophet's show will be during Purdue's homecoming weekend, so some fans from out of town might consider sticking around to see him. I can assure you that Prophet gives a great high-energy show.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-19-07

Wednesday night soul:

1) Geater Davis: "Ain't Worrying About Jody"
2) Howard Tate: "My Soul's Got a Hole in It"
3) Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs: "We're Lovers"
4) Lee Dorsey: "Working in a Coal Mind"
5) The Tams: "Silly Little Girl"
6) Sam and Dave: "Gimme Some Lovin'"
7) Herbert Hunter: "I've Gotta Sit Down (and Get a Hold of Myself)"
8) Jimmy Church: "Right on Time"
9) Gene Chandler: "You Threw a Lucky Punch"
10) Bobby Moore & the Formosts: "It Was a Lie"

Geater Davis: 'The Lost Soul Man'

Even a lot of serious music fans don’t know about soul singer Geater Davis. But “The Lost Soul Man,” a two-disc compilation of his recordings, includes four or five ballads that compete for playing time in my house with Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right,” Otis Redding’s “I’ve Got Dreams to Remember,” Donny Hathaway’s “I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know,” James Carr’s “To Love Somebody,” Johnnie Taylor’s “Steal Away” and O.V. Wright’s “I Don’t Know Why.”

I suppose Davis’ voice most closely resembled Bland’s, especially the guttural moans he made between notes when he got worked up, but he had his own way of interpreting songs. And like all great soul singers, Davis was hardly one-dimensional. The man knew how to bring the funk, too.

Occasionally he seemed to rush through a tune, but mostly Davis’ timing was spot on. And you won’t find many soul singers who sounded more passionate.

I’m hoping that some director will feature Davis’ songs in a major film because his music, which was always steeped in the blues, deserves to be heard by the masses.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-18-07

I'm back from Austin and readying for another round of seminars tonight. Here's today's mix:

1) The Supersuckers: "Creepy Jackalope Eyes (6/6/6 version)"
2) Slobberbone: "Your Excuse"
3) Sir Douglas Quintet: "She's About a Mover"
4) Neil Young: "Don't Take Your Love Away from Me"
5) Reckless Kelly: "I Saw it Coming"
6) Alejandro Escovedo: "Little Bottles"
7) Bob Dylan: "Down the Highway"
8) Jimmie Rodgers: "T.B. Blues"
9) Cordell Jackson: "One of a Good Kind of Feeling"
10) Jemima James: "I'd Rather Say Goodbye Right Here"

ACL Festival 2007: Day 3

Coming back from the Austin City Limits Music Festial tonight, my best friend's 17-year-old son told me that Charlie Musselwhite was his favorite performer of the day. And that's saying something, because a few months ago he didn't even like the blues.

My young friend has good taste; Musselwhite's performance was the best one I saw all weekend. The harmonica-playing 63-year-old is one of the best links to Mississippi Delta blues we have today. Musselwhite and his band rumbled through their hour-long set. His harmonica is strong and senuous. And guitarist Chris Anderson infuses the blues tunes with a great rocker's energy.

That was especially apparent on "Church is Out," a song from Musselwhite's latest album, "Delta Hardware," which sounded even more dynamic live than it did on the CD. The most interesting song of the set was a tune he said he learned from some Brazilian blues artists; I'd love to hear Musselwhite play it with a great conga player. I think Musselwhite's rendition of "Bad Boy," a tune from his first album, recorded more than 40 years ago, was even better. I know my teenaged friend wasn't the only youngster groovin' to the music. I saw a pavilion filled with both young and old folks dancing and swaying.

There were a lot of people grooving at the rapper Common's show, too. I caught only a few songs because I didn't want to miss any of Musselwhite's set, but what I heard impressed me a lot. Common's been my favorite rapper since one of my students introduced me to his music a couple of years ago and I'd love to see him in concert again.

I thought Grace Potter and the Nocturnals were pretty good, too. I couldn't see much of the show because almost everyone in the Washington Mutual Pavilion was standing and after a long walk to the park, all I wanted to do was sit. One of my friends who was close to the stage thought Potter tried too hard to act sexy. I don't know about that. I do know she has a lovely voice and that she's a much better Hammond B3 played than I expected. But she screeches too much for my taste; she sounds a bit like Melissa Etheridge doing a Janis Joplin impersonation. When Potter's not howling, she delivers an excellent style of bluesy rock.

Lucinda Williams disappointed me. This was the third time I've seen her and today's performance was by far the most uneven. I had high hopes when I arrived midway through her set because she seemed energetic, especially when she sang "Joy." Then she introduced a new song called "Honeybee." Her singing was fine, but the lyrics seemed trite and predictable. And Williams sounded distracted and bored when she sang covers of The Doors' "Riders on the Storm" and Fats Domino's "I Live My Life." Even "Unsuffer Me," a song I've heard her nail in concert, seemed lackluster.

More disheartening, at least to me, was that the crush of people in the park made it difficult to move and sometimes impossible to get close enough to acts to hear them well. We gave up on Wilco's set after a couple of songs because we were so far away. I wanted to hear Ziggy Marley, too, but there was no way to get close enough to see him unless you'd staked out a spot well in advance.

The heat didn't seem quite as overwhelming today, but a weekend in the sun has taken a toll on my middle-aged body. So I doubt I'll be back to battle the crowds next year unless the organizers book Roky Ericson, Neil Young, Mavis Staples and Stevie Wonder.

I've had a great three-year run at ACL, but next year I'm thinking I might check out the music festival in Vancouver. There wouldn't be as many acts, but I wouldn't have to worry about having a heat stroke either.

Bob Dylan at Stubb's

We almost didn't make it to see Bob Dylan at Stubb's Bar-B-Que last night. Our cab didn't get to the hotel until five minutes before the show started. We missed a couple of songs, but Dylan played for two hours so it wasn't a big deal.

Like Van Morrison at last year's Austin City Limits Music Festival, Dylan was in a surprisingly good mood. He even seemed to start rapping during one of his songs. He was hoarse, which was especially obvious during his slower songs. And, honestly, part of the show seemed to drag. But when he picked up the tempo he was great.

Dylan added a jazzy feel to several tunes, including "Tangled Up in Blue." He gave several others, including "Thunder on the Mountain," a Texas swing feel. And that was especially cool. My favorites songs, though, came at the end.

As Dylan launched into a dynamic version of "Ballad of a Thin Man," I recalled once reading that Jimmy Carter loved the song. Here in the Land of Bush, that made me smile.

The best song, though, was the final encore, "All Along the Watchtower." Dylan and the band rocked as hard as anyone I've heard at this year's ACL, making me waver on my decision to skip his show at ACL tonight. I think I'll skip the show because it's a bitch to get a cab after the late shows. Then again, I didn't get to hear Dylan sing "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" last night because we were late.

ACL Festival 2007: Day 2

I went into one of the portable toilets midway through Stephen Marley's set at the Austin City Limits Music Festival Saturday afternoon and found it full of marijuana smoke that the person who'd used it right before me had left as a present. Problem was, the smoke was mingling with the smells from the toilet. Moreover, it must have been 140 degrees in there. I got the hell out as quickly as I could.

It was hot enough outside. One of my friends had a minor heat stroke and had to leave after only 45 minutes or so at the park. I felt a little dizzy several times myself, but it was worth braving the heat because I discovered the music of Cary Ann Hearst. She plays a perky blend of rock, country and blues that sounds like a combination of Lucinda Williams and Mary Gauthier with a sweeter voice. She was a hoot, too. Picking up a copy of her album, "Dust and Bones," will be one of my top priorities when I get to the park on Sunday.

I'd been looking forward to Steve Earle's set for a long time, but I was disappointed that he didn't bring a band. I'd love to hear him perform an acoustic solo set in a small club, but it was hard to hear him at times in a crowded outdoor venue. A few rockin' numbers might have also served as a shot of adrenalin for the crowd.

Andrew Bird drew one of the biggest crowds I've seen in the three years I've been coming to ACL and that surprised me. The indie rockin' violinist from Chicago is great, I just didn't know he was that popular. I'm sorry that I stayed for only a couple of his songs — I had to leave to get ready for Bob Dylan's show at Stubb's Bar-B-Que — because I think his show might have been one of the highlights of this year's festival. What I can tell you is that Bird is an exceptionally charismatic performer. And I doubt there's a better whistler in the country.

My biggest disappointment of the day was that I didn't get to see the Soul Stirrers, Sam Cooke's old gospel group. A friend who saw them said they were incredible. I also would have liked to have seen Beau Soliel and Kelly Willis, but it's silly to complain when you see one great act after another for three days.

ACL Festival 2007: Day 1

I’m not much of a gawker at fires and accidents because I spent too many years as a reporter covering them. But I’ll admit that I had a hard time focusing on Pete Yorn’s set at the Austin City Limits Music Festival at 2:30 Friday afternoon when a fire started in a service area near the stage.

A giant mass of smoke, pierced by leaping flames that soon engulfed the tops of the surrounding trees, drew almost every crowd member’s attention. To his credit, Yorn kept playing and he was great. ACL officials stopped his show for just a few minutes to ask folks to move farther from the fire.

The fire, which apparently started in an RV, critically injured two service workers. Firefighters controlled it quickly and the incident seemed to have almost no impact on the rest of Friday’s festival. One of my friends on the other side of Zilker Park saw the smoke but didn’t know what happened. My friends who came later in the day had no clue there had been a fire.

In all, it was a good first day for the festival. I got to Zilker Park at noon, much earlier than I usually do, because our hotel told us we couldn’t check in until 3 p.m. As a result, I got to see Jesse Malin, a sweet-voiced alt-country crooner. His songs were pleasant, but I forced myself to move on after about 20 minutes because I wanted to check out The Gospel Silvertones. Good call. Their funk-based blend of gospel, blues and soul was easily one of the highlights of my day, especially when they broke into a raucous rendition of the Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There.”

The Gospel Silvertones and the Wonderful Harmonizers, another funky gospel group, served as great warm-ups for the Dynamites, one of the most exciting groups I’ve heard at ACL over the last three years.

My students think I’m ancient, but I’m actually too young to have seen the traveling soul revues in the ‘60s. Now I know what those shows must have been like. Charles Walker, the group’s singer, is a soul veteran who once played gigs with virtually all the R&B legends. He glided onto the stage wearing a yellow doubled-breasted suit, easily the coolest outfit I’ve seen at ACL in three years, but the jacket didn’t stay on long.

When the horn section started blasting a wall of funk, Walker shed his jacket and started stepping. And with each step, Walker’s vocals became more feverish. He seemed to wrap the spirits of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and James Brown into every note. And the Dynamites sounded all the world like they were backing the godfather of soul, which seemed especially poignant following the death this week of Bobby Byrd, Brown’s longtime sidekick.

The weather, thankfully, was not as hot as The Dynamites’ show, but it was plenty hot enough. I coped by drinking two or three bottles of water an hour, which left me fresh enough to wander the park for six hours. In all, I saw parts of 12 shows.

Some other thoughts on the first day:
• The Del McCoury Band: I’ve been listening to a lot of Flatt and Scruggs, Reno and Smiley, and Buzz Busby, so I was thrilled to hear some traditional bluegrass. McCoury and his band’s set paid homage to all the bluegrass greats who came before them, yet they managed to sound thoroughly modern.
• Joseph Arthur & the Lonely Astronauts: As I approached the Dell stage, I thought I’d like the band because the vocals seemed cool. Then the guitarist started playing a solo that sounded like the one Michael J. Fox performed at the end of “Johnnie B. Goode” in “Back to the Future.” Not for me.
• Heartless Bastards: A friend thought they were great. I liked their albums better than their live show.
• Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. Great musicians. One of my friends thought their set was excellent. I thought it was fine, but I never got into the music, making me wish I’d stuck around to hear the rest of Pete Yorn’s show.
• Big Sam’s Funky Nation: Big Sam’s trombone sound is big indeed. I found the light show a bit annoying, though.
• M.I.A.: I stayed for one song. Cool enough, but I think her trance-inducing music would sound better in a dance club. Outside, I didn’t feel surrounded by the music because there were no walls for it to bounce off.
• JJ Grey and Mofro: Good bluesy rock. Great organ player.
• Biggest regrets: I missed Crowded House, James Hunter sets at ACL and Art Brut’s after-show concert at a local club.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-13-07

The daily mix:

1) Art Brut: "People in Love"
2) Spoon: "Rhythm and Soul"
3) The Lemonheads: "Stove"
4) The Hold Steady: "Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night"
5) Gogol Bordello: "Forces of Victory"
6) Link Wray and His Wray Men: "Ain't That Lovin' You"
7) Jerry Lee Lewis: "Rita May"
8) The Blasters: "Stop the Clock"
9) Johnny Horton: "Go and Wash Your Dirty Feet (Before You Go to Bed)"
10) Wynn Stewart: "Falling for You"

My ACL Plans

Miraculously, I got four tickets to Bob Dylan's show at Stubb's Bar-B-Que in Austin on Saturday night. It feels a little like winning the lottery. I also got a wristband reservation for Art Brut's show at The Mohawk on Friday night.

I'm thrilled about both shows, but they're going to make this year's Austin City Limits Music Festival a lot more hectic for me. Then again, I've had a hard time coping with the heat at the last two ACLs, so I might go to Zilker Park later than I have in the past and leave earlier. My main concern now is getting to Austin. I'm a little worried about flying into Houston because of Tropical Storm Humberto, but I don't think it will be a problem.

In general, I'm stoked. I'm going to hang with some dear friends I haven't seen in a long time and I'm going to see a ton of great acts. Here's my tentative schedule, though I know from experience that I'll change my mind several times:

Friday:
• 2:30: Pete Yorn
• 3:15: The Dynamites with Charles Walker
• 4:30: Big Sam's Funky Nation (and maybe Crowded House):
• 5:30: M.I.A.
• 6:30: James Hunter (and maybe Spoon)
• 7:15: Mighty Clouds of Joy

Saturday:
• 1:30: Raul Malo
• 3:30: Steve Earle
• 4:30 Stephen Marley
• 5:30: Andrew Bird (and maybe Zap Mama or Beau Soliel)
• 6:30: Kelly Willis

Sunday:
• 12:30: Yo La Tengo
• 1:50: The Broken West (and maybe The National)
• 2:30: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
• 3:30: Common
• 4: Charlie Musselwhite
• 5: Catch part of Lucinda Williams' set
• 5:30: Preservation Hall Jazz Band
• 6:30: Wilco
• 7:30: The Decemberists

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-12-07

My CD collection is loaded with albums on which jazz pianist Joe Zawinul, who died Tuesday, played as a sideman and as a leader. Today's mix is dedicated to him and features his work.

1) Cannonball Adderley: "The Weaver"
2) Sam Jones: "Down Home"
3) Jimmy Forrest: "Bolo Blues"
4) Ben Webster and Joe Zawinul: "Trav'lin Light"
5) Miles Davis: "Bitches Brew"
6) Weather Report: "Rumba Mama"
6) Nat Adderley: "This Man's Dream"
7) Dinah Washington: "Cry Me a River"
8) Cannonball Adderley and Nancy Wilson: "The Masquerade is Over"
9) Miroslav Vitous: "Purple"
10) Zawinul Syndicate: "Tribes"

Blues Blog Special: 'An Introduction to Wilbert Harrison'

Most folks have heard Wilbert Harrison’s rendition of “Kansas City.” It’s a classic. But Harrison also recording a lot of other honking R&B burners that sound like a cross between the music of Jay McShann and Jimmy Witherspoon.

I’m particularly fond of Harrison’s recordings of “Let’s Stick Together,” “Baby Move On” and “Clementine,” which you can find on “An Introduction to Wilbert Harrison.”

Harrison was hardly one-dimensional, though. “Near to You” and “Pretty Little Woman” sound like blueprints for early rock ‘n’ roll; both tunes still sound great today. And Harrison’s greasy “I Will Never Trust a Woman” is one of my favorite blues tracks of all time. The guitar work and the organ parts on the song are incredible.

My only problem with the collection is that there are no credits. I presume that Harrison played guitar on “I Will Never Trust Another Woman,” but it could have been someone like Wild Jimmy Spruill. I have no clue who played organ on the tune and that bothers me because I’m a bit of a freak when it comes to organ players.

The lack of credits doesn’t stop me from enjoying “An Introduction to Wilbert Harrison,” though, and I have no problem recommending it to you, too.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-11-07

Tuesday morning jazz:

1) Freddie Keppard: "Moanful Man"
2) Henry "Red" Allen: "Love Me or Leave Me"
3) Louis Armstrong: "Heebie Jeebies"
4) Sydney Bechet: "House Party"
5) Buck Clayton and Buddy Tate:"High Life"
6) Duke Ellington: "Morning Glory"
7) Red Garland: "Red Alert"
8) Randy Sandke: "With a Song in My Heart"
9) Sonny Rollins: "Every Time We Say Goodbye"
10) Fats Waller: "Somebody Stole My Gal"

Common Replaces Rodrigo y Gabriela at ACL

I see that the rapper Common will replace Rodrigo y Gabriela on Sunday at the Austin City Limits Music Festival this year. I'm thinking about catching part of his show.

Of all the young rappers, Common is the one I like best. Moreover, it would make some of my students insanely jealous if I saw him and they didn't. But I'll have to hustle if I'm going to catch Grace Potter and the Nocuturnals' set at 2:30 p.m., part of Common's set at 3:30 p.m. and Charlie Musselwhite's at 4 p.m.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-10-07

Today's mix:

1) Big Mama Thornton and the Muddy Waters Blues Band: "Black Rat"
2) Merline Johnson: "Love Shows Weakness"
3) Bukka White: "Drunk Man Blues"
4) David "Honeyboy" Edwards: "Bald-headed Woman"
5) Slim Harpo: "I Just Can't Leave You"
6) Vanessa Davis Band: "I Know a Place"
7) Albert King: "Sun Gone Down"
8) Lee Sain: "Them Hot Pants"
9) James Brown: "You Don't Have to Go"
10) Shirley and Lee: "Takes Money"

Buzz Busby: 'Going Home'

If anyone ever attacked his mandolin harder than Buzz Busby did on “Mandolin Tango,” I’d be terrified. Busby’s mandolin runs are a blur of sound on the instrumental track, which can be found on a collection of his Starday recordings called ”Going Home.” The thing is, banjo virtuoso Bill Emerson, fiddle player John Hall, guitarist Pete Pike and bassist Vance Truell managed to keep up.

As a result, “Mandolin Tango” and tunes such as “Whose Red Wagon,” “Reno Bound” and “Buzz’s Ramble” are among the most upbeat bluegrass recordings I’ve ever heard. And it’s almost impossible to frown when you hear the maniacal laughs and yelps that punctuate Emerson’s frantic banjo runs on “Banjo Whiz.”

But if you’re looking for heartbreak, give “I’ll Cry Tomorrow” a listen.” The lonesome vocals set against the band’s haunting instrumentals makes it one of the most poignant tunes ever recorded. And “Don’t Come Running Back to Me,” which features Scott Stoneman on fiddle, is a raucous masterpiece filled with danceable scorn.

I grew up in bluegrass country and I’m willing to bet that Buzby performed within a few miles of my southwestern Virginia town or my grandmother’s north Georgia mountain home. I’m sorry I never got a chance to see him. But you can bet that “Going Home” will be one of the first albums I turn to every time I need a bluegrass fix.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-8-07

Th daily mix:

1) Roky Erickson: "You Don't Love Me Yet"
2) Neil Young: "Mansion on the Hill"
3) The Premiers: "Farmer John"
4) Joseph Arthur: "You are Free"
5) Mott the Hoople: "At the Crossroads"
6) Nick Lowe: "Refrigerator White"
7) Keene Brothers: "Beauty of the Draft"
8) Mark Eitzel: "Goodbye"
9) Reigning Sound: "So Easy"
10) 13th Floor Elevators: "Thru the Rhythm"

Prepping for ACL with Roky Erickson

Roky Erickson’s set at the 2005 Austin City Limits Music Festival touched me like no other rock show I’ve ever attended. So, in preparation for next week’s ACL, I spent my Saturday afternoon listening to Roky’s music and watching “You’re Gonna Miss Me,” Kevin McAlester's documentary about Roky.

The film does a nice job of chronicling Roky’s battles with drugs, dating back to his days with the 13th Floor Elevators, and with Roky's struggles with schizophrenia. More importantly, at least to me, the film’s interviews with ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Patti Smith and several other rock stars illustrate what an important force Roky and the Elevators were in the development of rock ‘n’ roll.

I doubt I’ll watch “You’re Gonna Miss Me” again, even though there are a few wonderful clips of the Elevators in concert. The film makes me too sad. But I’ll never tire of watching the mini documentary about Roky’s comeback show at the 2005 ACL, which is included as an extra. I wish there were more clips of the concert, but the footage of Roky singing “It’s a Cold Night for Alligators” made me tingle all over again.

And the interviews are great. I was especially moved when I listened to Charlie Sexton and Roky’s brother Sumner talk about what a sweet soul Roky is. That might seem like an odd thing to say about a guy who’s written songs about demons, zombies and bloody hammers, but you’ll understand what they mean if you watch the way Roky interacts with fans, ice cream shop clerks and everyone else he encounters.

My friends and I will be heading to Austin on Friday for our third and, I suspect, last Austin City Limits Music Festival. But if the ACL organizers ever have enough sense to bring Roky back, you can bet we’ll be the first in line for tickets

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-7-07

The daily mix:

1) Bob Dylan: "New Pony"
2) Fairport Convention: "Mr. Lacy"
3) John Fogerty: "Diggy Liggy Lo"
4) Ray Wylie Hubbard: "Torn in Two"
5) The Walkabouts: "Satisfied Mind"
6) Duane Allman: "Goin' Down Slow"
7) Johnny "Guitar" Watson: "Booty Ooty"
8) Curtis Mayfield: "Love Me (Right in the Pocket)"
9) Baby Huey and the Babysitters: "Hard Times"
10) Brothers Johnson: "Ain't We Funkin' Now"

Dylan at Stubbs

I'm pretty psyched that Bob Dylan will playing at an Austin City Limits Music Festival after-show on Saturday, Sept. 15, at Stubbs. I'd love to see Dylan in a smaller venue where I wouldn't have to wait three or four hours for a cab after the show ... as I did after Van Morrison's ACL setlast year.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday. Scoring a pair will probably be like trying to win the lottery, but I'm certainly going to try.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-6-07

It's Twang Thursday:

1) Doc Watson: "Tennessee Stud"
2) John Hartford: "Men All Want to Be Hoboes"
3) Jimmy Martin: "Brakeman's Blues"
4) The Louvin Brothers: "Blues Stay Away from Me"
5) Junior Brown: "My Baby Don't Dance to Nothing But Ernest Tubb"
6) Ernest Tubb: "Driftwood on the River"
7) Reno & Smiley: "Country Boy Rock 'n' Roll"
8) The Carter Family: "My Texas Girl"
9) Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs: "Thinking About You"
10) Merle Travis: "Cincinnati Lou"

MTV's Woes

In today's paper, The New York Times examines MTV's attempts to win back young music lovers. Sure, sites such as myspace and yahoo have won the hearts and ears of many music fans. But I suspect MTV's main problem isn't related to new technology. Uh, maybe you have to feature music to attract music fans.

I don't watch much MTV, but over the last 10 years, I've seen a reality show, a game show or a nostalgia feature every time I've tuned to the channel. Huh.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-5-07

Today's mix:

1) Janis Martin: "Two Long Years"
2) Ruth Brown: "Daddy Daddy"
3) Wanda Jackson: "Hard Headed Woman"
4) Annisteen Allen: "Yes, I Know"
5) Brenda Lee: "Bigelow 6-200"
6) Bettye Swann: "Willie & Laura Mae Brown"
7) Dusty Springfield: "Have a Good Life, Baby"
8) The Sherrys: "Put Your Arms Around Me"
9) Carrie Rodriguez: "I Don't Want to Play House Anymore"
10) Jean Knight: "You Think You're Hot Stuff"

Janis Martin Dies

Tommy Ford, rockabilly pioneer Janis Martin's former husband, emailed me this evening to tell me that Martin had died Tuesday afternoon. Ford probably found me because earlier this month I expressed my love for Martin's recordings. I know I'm not alone because her songs are just as vibrant today as they were when she recorded them in the '50s.

I'm glad she had the good sense to fall in love with Ruth Brown's music, as Martin acknowledges on this this YouTube clip, because Martin created something special when she blended R&B with country music. It was wild, man.

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-3-07

The daily mix:

1) Gogol Bordello: "Ultimate"
2) The Real McKenzies: "Nessie"
3) The Dickies: "Zeppelina"
4) X: "I See Red"
5) The Ramones: "Psycho Therapy"
6) Sugar: "Granny Cool"
7) Black Flag: "Six Pack"
8) Zero Boys: "New Generation"
9) The Supersuckers: "Damn My Soul"
10) The Stooges: "Shake Appeal"

Gogol Bordello: 'Super Taranta!'

Years ago, I interviewed Tiny Tim when he was touring with a circus. He bounced from one weird topic to another, sometimes in mid-sentence, before pulling out his ukulele and bursting into an endearing rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” But compared to Gogol Bordello, Tiny Tim seems like a Ritalin addict.

Gogol Bordello is the freshest band I’ve heard since The Ramones taught me back in 1976 that it was cool to be a freaky nerd. Gogol Bordello is encouraging me to embrace my inner gypsy.

On its latest album, “Super Taranta,” the band lays down a base of Eastern European gypsy music bombarded with frenetic vocals and instrumentals. Punk rock never sounded so romantic ... or manic.

When I listen to “Super Taranta!” I always fantasize about Joey Ramone replacing Zero Mostel as Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof.” I can’t imagine anything cooler except, maybe, the next Gogol Bordello album. If we’re lucky, the album will include a punk-gypsy cover of “Tiptoe Through the Tulips," but I'd settle for "Billie Jean."

Cahl's Jukebox, 9-2-07

The daily mix:

1) Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers: "She Cracked"
2) The Bottle Rockets: "Pretty Little Angie"
3) Lou Reed: "Future Farmers of America"
4) Bob Mould: "I Hate Alternative Rock"
5) Guided By Voices: "Teenage FBI"
6) Modest Mouse: "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes"
7) Sleater-Kinney: "You're No Rock 'n' Roll Fun"
8) PJ Harvey: "This Wicked Tongue"
9) Bohemian Vendetta: "Enough"
10) Tin Machine: "Prisoner of Love"

Looking Forward to M.I.A. in Austin

I'm feeling a little nostalgic this weekend because I'm at the 26th annual reunion my friends and I hold every Labor Day. But while most of my friends are golfing, frolicking at the beach or lying around by the pool, I’m jamming to M.I.A.’s latest album, “Kala.”

The album makes me feel nostalgic, too. M.I.A. performs with the same kind of unabashed joy the Jackson 5 displayed in their early years. Her array of funky noises reminds me of the goofy vocals of the B-52s. Moreover, her unusual blend of hip-hop and world music makes me feel like dancing … until my aching knees and back remind me bowling and hiking yesterday might not have been such a good idea.

M.I.A.’s going to be at the Austin City Limits Festival in a couple of weeks and I’m planning catch part of her show. Most of my middle-aged friends probably wouldn’t like her. Me? I’m thinking I’ll need a shot of musical adrenalin after a long day in the Texas sun.