Cahl's Jukebox, 2-29-08

It's Friday. Let's rock.

1) Nikki Sudden: "Kitchen Blues"
2) Velvet Underground: "Run Run Run"
3) Dave Edmunds: "High School Nights"
4) Gore Gore Girls: "You Lied to Me"
5) Detroit Cobras: "Leave My Kitten Alone"
6) Supergrass: "I'd Like to Know"
7) Knoxville Girls: "That's Alright with Me"
8) The Boo Radleys: "Wake Up Boo!"
9) Dan Sartain: "Tryin' to Say"
10) Sebadoh: "Ocean"

Kevin Ayers: 'Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes'

I'm not a fan of all of Kevin Ayers' songs, but I think "Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes," which can be found on his "Whatevershebringswesing" album, is one of the great songs in rock. It sounds a bit like Lou Reed's "Vicious" with hints of Leonard Cohen, Nikki Sudden and Ray Davies. I suggest you buy the song on iTunes if you don't already have it.

Wilco and John Doe on NPR

NPR is hosting concerts by Wilco and John Doe. Both shows are worth checking out.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-28-08

The daily mix:

1) Tommy Ridgley: "Pretty Lady"
2) Magic Slim & the Teardrops: "The Man You Need"
3) Buddy Miles: "Them Changes"
4) Baby Huey and the Babysitters: "Hard Times"
5) Bobby Williams and His Mar Kings: "All the Time"
6) Latimore: "Keep the Home Fires Burning"
7) Jimi Hendrix: "Gloria"
8) Duwayne Burnside: "Why You Act Like That"
9) Jackie Mittoo: "Grand Funk"
10) Don Covay: "The Popeye Waddle"

Buddy Miles Dies

Just last month, I wrote about "The Best of Buddy Miles." The songs on the album fuse hard-driving rock, blues and jazz about as well as anything I own. Tonight I heard the sad news that Miles had died at the age of 60.

Miles' live cover version of Neil Young's "Down By the River" will always be one of my favorite recordings, but I easily could have picked six or seven other tunes.

I had the good fortune of seeing Buddy Miles join the New Orleans Social Club at the 2006 Austin City Limits Music Festival for a searing version of "Them Changes." Miles hobbled to the stage using a cane, but once he got behind the drum set, he exploded. It was easily one of the festival's highlights.

This evening I'm listening to his work with Electric Flag, Jimi Hendrix, Santana and Muddy Waters and I'm letting Buddy drive. RIP.

Stephen King and John Mellencamp Collaborate on Play

I first moved to Indiana in 1974, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that I like John Mellencamp. And though, I'm not a big fan of horror novels, I think Stephen King is one of our best writers. In fact, I often use passages from his books to teach my student journalists how to create a sense of place in their stories.

So, I'm excited about Mellencamp and King's collaboration on a musical called "Ghost Brothers of Darkland County," which will open in Atlanta next year.

I've never been to a play in Atlanta, but I might make plans to see "Ghost Brothers of Darkland County" when I visit my parents in Georgia next year. At the least, I'll check out the soundtrack.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-27-08

The daily mix:

1) The Rolling Stones: "Anybody Seen My Baby"
2) The Replacements: "Anywhere's Better Than Here"
3) Frank Black: "Bad, Wicked World"
4) The John Doe Thing: "My Goodness"
5) Mike Watt: "Against the '70s"
6) The Clash: "Rock the Casbah"
7) Joan Jett and the Blackhearts: "Androgynous"
8) Pavement: "Box Elder"
9) Ken & the Fourth Dimension: "See If I Care"
10) The Sleepy Jackson: "Vampire Racecourse"

'Bobby Womack and the Valentinos'

I love the Rolling Stones, but I'll take the Valentinos' original version of "It's All Over Now" any day. Bobby Womack, who formed the Valentinos with his brothers, just sounds tougher than Mick Jagger, at least to my ears.

You can find the Valentinos' version on a box set of recordings from Sam Cooke's SAR records — it's a nice collection — or on iTunes.

It's not so easy to find a copy of "Bobby Womack and the Valentinos," a CD compilation of the brothers' recordings for Chess Records; I felt like I'd won the lottery when I spotted it at my favorite used record store last year. But don't expect to hear songs like "Across 110th Street." Bobby Womack's 1970s recordings are classics, to be sure, but the songs on "Bobby Womack and the Valentinos" are rawer, grittier.

Tunes such as "I Found a True Love," "What About Me," "I'm Gonna Forget About You" and "Sweeter Than the Day Before" sound like Sam Cooke, Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett formed a super group of soul. There's a gospel base, of course, but most of the tracks have a frenetic sexiness powerful enough to still make women swoon.

My advice is to start searching for the album at your used record stores. Maybe you'll win the lottery, too.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-26-08

The daily mix:

1) Del Castillo: "Si Mi Amor"
2) Los Lobos: "New Zanadu"
3) Allman Brothers: "Trouble No More"
4) Boss Martians: "Oh Angela"
5) Link Wray and His Wray Men: "Ain't That Lovin' You"
6) Dion: "Baby, I'm in the Mood for You"
7) The Brogues: "I Ain't No Miracle Worker"
8) Bob Schneider: "Miss Oblivion"
9) Spoon: "Rhythm & Soul"
10) The Faces: "Stay with Me"

Alban Berg Quartet: 'Tango Sensations'

I want "Tango Sensations" by Alban Berg's string quartet piped into the sky train I ride to the next world. The album, which features the sexy tango compositions of Astor Piazzolla, is as soothing as any album I own.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-25-08

The daily mix:

1) Amalia Rodriguez: "Barco Negro"
2) Elis Regina: "Los Hermanos"
3) Paco Renteria: "Skin of a Woman"
4) Gerry Mulligan and Astor Piazzolla: "Deus Xango"
5) Gene Ammons: "Moito Mato Grosso"
6) Wendell Rivera: "La Conga Loca"
7) Chucho Valdez: "Con Poco Coco (Without Much Thought)"
8) Cal Tjader: "Linda Chicana"
9) Nestor Torres: "Luna Latina"
10) Pete Escovedo: "Esta Noche"

Weekend shows

I'm going to see Ben Folds at Purdue on Friday night. I expect the show will be cool. But I'm even more psyched about the prospect of seeing Chuchito Valdez at The Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis on Saturday. We're supposed to get belted with snow tonight and tomorrow; I'm hoping the weather (and the roads) will clear by Saturday.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-24-08

Sunday morning jazz:

1) Stan Getz: "Blood Count"
2) Philly Joe Jones: "Jim's Jewel"
3) Paul Barnes and His Polo Players: "Panama"
4) Ray Barretto: "Cotton Tail"
5) Chamber Jazz Sextet: "I Could Write a Book"
6) Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band: "So Far, So Near"
7) Richie Cole and Hank Crawford: "Confirmation"
8) Fred Hersch: "Day Dreams"
9) Jimmy Heath: "Song for Ben Webster"
10) Ruby Braff: "Cornet Chop Suey"

Blues Blog Special: Corey Harris and Henry Butler, 'Vu-Du Menz'

I've been listening to my old Henry Butler albums in anticipation of the April release of Butler's new album, "PiaNOLA Live."

I love them all, but the one I've been playing over and over again is "Vu-Du Menz," which Butler recorded in 2000 with Corey Harris. It's a blues album to be sure, but it's hard to peg because Butler's so versatile.

Butler amazed me when I saw him perform with the New Orleans Social Club at the 2006 Austin City Limits Music Festival. He used his piano to create the coolest, and most unusual, mix of jazz, blues and funk I'd ever heard.

Butler doesn't play much avant-garde jazz on "Vu-Du Menz," as he did in Austin, but he does give listeners a lesson in the history of blues, especially the music of his hometown, New Orleans. You'll find him playing stride, boogie woogie, country blues and, yes, a little funk. Harris is great, too, sounding like an old blues master on his guitar. And their vocals are as playful as New Orleans during Mardi Gras.

If you want to explore Butler's jazz recordings, you might look for a copy of "Fivin' Around," which Butler recorded with Freddie Hubbard, Azar Lawrence, Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins. Really, though, I'd grab any of Butler's albums you can find. And by all means, go see him in concert if you ever get a chance.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-23-08

The daily mix:

1) The Vibrators: "Atomic Lover"
2) Brinsley Schwarz: "Why Do We Hurt the One We Love"
3) Compulsive Gamblers: "Rock & Roll Nurse"
4) Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros: "Arms Aloft"
5) PJ Harvey: "Wang Dang Doodle"
6) The Mr. T Experience: "I Love You, But You're Standing on My Foot"
7) Mono Men: "Daylight"
8) Humble Pie: "30 Days in the Hole"
9) Green on Red: "Gold in the Graveyard"
10) Paul Westerberg: "Mannequin Shop"

Rank and File: 'Sundown'

Rank and File's 1982 debut, "Sundown," falls somewhere between Buck Owens and Brinsley Schwarz.

Tony and Chip Kinman, former leaders of The Dills, brought a punk sensibility to the album. In fact, "Sundown" isn't far off from The Knitters' debut album, though Rank and File's harmonies are janglier and prettier, or even Hank Williams III's albums that combine old-school country and punk. The Kinmans also had the good sense to hire a young Alejandro Escovedo as the band's guitarist and he plays like he'd listened to nothing but Speedy West and Roger McGuinn for several months before the gig.

"Sundown" is a country album, to be sure — the band pays homage to old-school country musicians much more than most alt-country bands have done — but mostly it's a twangy pop album that both Buck Owens and Nick Lowe could embrace.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-22-08

The daily mix:

1) Bobby "Blue" Bland: "I"ve Been Wrong So Long"
2) Annisteen Allen: "My Brand of Lovin'"
3) Magic Sam: "All My Whole Life"
4) The Amboy Dukes: "Baby Please Don't Go"
5) T. Rex: "Woodland Rock"
6) Sir Douglas Quintet: "Catch the Man on the Rise"
7) Jon Langford and the Sadies: "Up to My Neck in This"
8) The Hangdogs: "The Gun Song"
9) Drive-By Truckers: ""Decoration Day"
10) The Blacks: "Fake Out Jesus"

Bobby Says...

I've never been a fan of Simply Red, but Bobby "Blue" Bland says Mick Hucknall is a hell of a singer. Bland also says he likes the tracks on Hucknall's Bobby "Blue" Bland tribute album.

If Bland says the album's good, who am I to doubt him? I might check it out. But I know it'll never displace my collection of Bland's Duke Recordings, "I Pity the Fool." That set's one of my most prized possessions.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-21-08

It's Twang Thursday:

1) Red Foley: "Hoot Owl Boogie"
2) Hank Snow: "Married By the Bible, Divorced By the Law"
3) Johnny Horton: "Happy Millionaire"
4) Spade Cooley: "You'll Rue the Day"
5) Ernest Tubb: "Driftwood on the River"
6) Stoney Cooper and Wilma Lee: "The Drunken Driver"
7) Flatt and Scruggs: "If I Should Wander Back to You"
8) Jack Guthrie: "I'm Brandin' My Darlin' with My Heart"
9) Hank Thompson: "Swing Wide Your Gate of Love"
10) Ray Campi: "What Can I Do to Get You Back"

Red Foley: 'Chattanoogie Shoeshine Boy'

My vote for the best deal on Amazon goes to a Red Foley collection called "Chattanoogie Shoeshine Boy." The album includes 75 great tracks for $10.98.

It's the only Red Foley album you'll ever need, and trust me, you need his music. Foley sounded like Bing Crosby with a twang. Foley might have had a better sense of timing, and he was certainly funnier than Crosby. Moreover, the musicians who played with him were always among the best in the business.

My favorite song on the album is "Satisfied Mind," later covered by The Byrds, but I also love the many tunes that sound as if Foley's backed by a New Orleans jazz band that's added a steel guitar.

For sentimental reasons, I often play "One By One" and "As Long As I Live," duets with Kitty Wells, who sounds so much like my grandmother it's scary. Perhaps your grandmother wasn't an old mountain woman born in the 1800s, but I'll bet you'll like "Chattanoogie Shoeshine Boy" anyway. It's a great starting point if you're interested in exploring classic country and swing.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-20-08

The daily mix:

1) Johnny "Guitar" Watson: "Don't Be What UC"
2) Magic Slim & the Teardrops: "Think"
3) Al Brown & Skin, Flesh & Bones: "Here I Am Baby"
4) Black Uhuru: "World is Africa"
5) Fela Kuti: "Alu Jon Jonki Jon"
6) Billy Preston: "Everything's All Right"
7) The Staple Singers: "Respect Yourself"
8) Betty Harris: "Still Amazed"
9) Nora Jean Bruso: "Don't You Remember?"
10) Freddie King: "I'm Ready"

Beyonce to Play Etta James in Movie

Beyonce Knowles is fine. But don't you think Sharon Jones would be a lot better choice to play Etta James in a film about James' life?

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-19-08

Tuesday night blues:

1) The Memphis Jug Band: "Better Leave That Stuff Alone"
2) Casey Bill Weldon: "Lady Doctor Blues"
3) Bertha "Chippie" Hill: "Do Dirty Blues"
4) Josh White: "Prodigal Son"
5) Mississippi Fred McDowell: "Sail On, Little Girl"
6) Memphis Minnie: "Moonshine"
7) Georgia White: "How Do You Think I Feel"
8) Kokomo Arnold: "Feels So Good"
9) Buddy Moss: "Step It Up and Go"
10) Gus Cannon and His Jug Stompers: "Pretty Mama Blues"

Otis Taylor: 'Recapturing the Banjo'

Otis Taylor recorded "Recapturing the Banjo" because he wanted folks to know the African origin of the banjo. Indeed, the banjo was a key to the sound of American blues jug bands and even early New Orleans jazz groups.

You can hear the influence of those early musicans throughout "Recapturing the Banjo," especially on the lively rendition of "Walk Right In," which was written by Gus Cannon, the leader of one of the greatest of all jug bands, and on the traditional "Little Liza Jane." But you'll also find strains of black cowboy music and even Jimi Hendrix; Taylor's rendition of "Hey Joe" — which combines the sounds of an electric guitar with that of a banjo, a lap steel guitar, a banjo and a harmonica — is mesmerizing.

In many respects, "Recapturing the Banjo" sounds similar to most of Taylor's other excellent albums. But the fact that Taylor recorded this album with Guy Davis, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Keb Mo, Don Vappie, Corey Harris and his daughter, Cassie, makes "Recapturing the Banjo" special. They share instrumental and vocal duties throughout. And most of the songs sound both vigorous and haunting.

"Recapturing the Banjo" is the best new album I've heard all year. Get this one.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-18-08

The daily mix:

1) Gene Clark: "Elevator Operator"
2) Jody Reynolds: "Runaway Heart"
3) Eddie Bond: "Gonna Rock My Baby Tonight"
4) Wanda Jackson: "Cool Love"
5) Hardrock Gunter: "You Played on My Piano"
6) Billy Lee Riley: "Trouble Bound"
7) Dave Alvin and the Guilty Men: "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down"
8) Crazy Horse: "Hit and Run"
9) Slobberbone: "Get Gone Again"
10) Lucero: "Sweet Little Thing"

'Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers'

If Gene Clark hadn't been a founding member of The Byrds, "Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers" would be considered one of the classic albums of the '60s. I don't think there's any doubt about that.

The problem is the album was doomed to comparison with The Byrds' "Younger Than Yesterday," one of the band's best albums, which CBS released the same week as Clark's solo debut. A better comparison, I think, is between Clark's album and the solo releases by Byrds alumni Roger McGuinn, Gram Parsons, Chris Hillman and David Crosby. In those terms, Clark was bested only by Parsons, and just barely.

In fact, "Echoes," which many folks consider a classic, is the only song on "Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers" I don't adore. The lyrics to "Echoes" have always seemed a bit maudlin to me and the vocals, which are spoken as much as sung, make Clark sound like Johnny Cash light. But songs such as "Keep on Pushin'," "Is Yours Is Mine" and "Couldn't Believe Her" are jangly country rock classics.

When Clark was in the Byrds, McGuinn's vocals often dominated. But this album illustrates that Clark had a rich voice with a wild streak, especially on "Elevator Operator," which sounds a bit like a countrified Doors tune. Vern and Rex Gosdin sing beautifully, too.

In many respects, "Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers" sounds a lot like a Byrds album, but that shouldn't come as a surprise because Clark was backed by Hillman, Michael Clarke and Clarence White. Glen Campbell and Leon Russell also leant their talents.

I've always thought the Byrds were the greatest American rock band. I'm sure I'm not alone in that assessment. I just wish more folks would give Gene Clark his due as a solo artist.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-17-08

Sunday night jazz:

1) Jaki Byard: "Sunshine"
2) Dexter Gordon: "Dexter Rides Again"
3) Willie Bobo: "Crisis"
4) Poncho Sanchez: "Moon Pie"
5) Irakere: "Mr. Bruce"
6) Willie Rodriguez: "One Foot in the Gutter"
7) Dave Bailey: "Well You Needn't"
8) Jim Hall: "Furnished Flats"
9) Eric Gale: "White Moth"
10) Mo'fone: "Kool"

Hugh Masekela Concert on NPR

A Hugh Masekela show I saw 30 years ago remains one of my favorite jazz concerts ever. The South African trumpet player's still great. Check out this show on NPR.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-16-08

The daily mix:

1) Eilen Jewell: "Too Hot to Sleep"
2) Jim White: "Handcuffed to a Fence in Mississippi"
3) Ray Wylie Hubbard: "Name Droppin'"
4) Christy McWilson: "Lila Jean"
5) Fred Eaglesmith: "Wilder Than Her"
6) John Prine: "Unlonely"
7) Kathleen Edwards: "Six O'Clock News"
8) Cary Ann Hearst: "1200 Miles"
9) Kasey Chambers: "Crossfire"
10) Damnations TX: "Unholy Train"

Eilen Jewell: 'Letters from Sinners and Strangers'

As I listen to the twangy swing of "Heartache Boulevard" from Eilen Jewell's "Letters from Sinners & Strangers" it's easy to imagine her singing a duet with Red Foley or Bob Wills. And "High Shelf Blues," jazzed up by Alec Spiegelman's bass clarinet and Jerry Miller's guitar, sounds like it belongs in a speakeasy during Prohibition.

But though Jewell's music is informed by classic country, swing and jazz, she sounds thoroughly modern. As a result, I suspect songs such as "Dusty Boxcar Wall," "Too Hot to Sleep" and "Thanks a Lot" will attract listeners who purport to hate country music. The fact that Jewell's voice is both earnest and pretty will help; Bob Dylan's "Walking Down the Line" never sounded sweeter.

She's also an excellent writer; she penned eight of the 12 songs on "Letters from Sinners & Strangers," many with bittersweet lyrics that echo the sentiments of classic country and blues. Perhaps that's why Jewell is frequently compared to Lucinda Williams. Fair enough, I suppose, but she reminds me more of Dave Alvin and Toni Price. And in my house, that's pretty high praise.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-15-08

It's a soulful Friday:

1) Dobie Gary: "Ain't That Good News"
2) Major Lance: "Hey Little Girl"
3) Bobby Womack: "Woman's Gotta Have It"
4) The Admirations: "I Want to Be Free"
5) Linda Lyndell: "What a Man"
6) Lorraine Ellison: "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)"
7) The Soul Children: "The Sweeter He Is"
8) Irma Thomas: "Time is on My Side"
9) Garnet Mimms: "The Truth Hurts"
10) Dee Dee Warwick: "That's Not Love"

The Golden Age of Music Television

I visited Dobie Gray's Web site tonight after listening to a collection of his greatest songs. I was happy to see that the veteran soul singer will be releasing a new album this spring. But the bigger payoff, at least for me, was a pointer to a youtube video that featured Gray singing "Twist and Shout" with the Shangri-las on "Shindig."

It's clips like this that make me realize just how lucky I was to grow up in the '60s and '70s. My parents never got cable until long after I'd graduated from college, but I still had a choice of the greatest music television in history: "Shindig," "Hullabloo," "Soul Train," "American Bandstand," "The Johnny Cash Show," "The Glen Campbell Show," "The Midnight Special" and, yes, "The Monkees."

Kids today have a choice of hundreds of channels, but when it comes to music television they're stuck with "Hannah Montana," "American Idol," MTV, VH-1 and their imitators. What kind of choice is that? There are a lot of good young bands, but MTV ignores most of them.

Perhaps I'm missing something because I don't watch much TV, but why don't the networks bring back "Shindig"? Mary Weiss of the Shangri-las and Dobie Gray are still around, and you can bet it would be magical to see them perform again.

100 Jazz Love Songs for Valentine's Day

Here's a list of jazz instrumentals sure to put your Valentine in the mood for love:

1) Tommy Flanagan: "Angel Eyes"
2) Mary Lou Williams: "The Man I Love"
3) Benny Carter: "We Were in Love"
4) Coleman Hawkins: "Body and Soul"
5) Gerry Mulligan: "Laura"
6) Art Pepper:"That's Love"
7) Ben Webster: "I've Got You Under My Skin"
8) Lester Young: "This Year's Kisses"
9) Lou Donaldson: "I Want a Little Girl"
10) Grant Green: "My Funny Valentine"
11) Gene Harris: "You Are My Sunshine"
12) Bobby Hackett: "I'll See You in My Dreams"
13) Clifford Brown: "You Go to My Head"
14) John Coltrane: "Soul Eyes"
15) Cannonball Adderley: "The Song My Lady Sings"
16) Horace Silver: "Prelude to a Kiss"
17) Erroll Garner: "Misty"
18) Gene Ammons: "Namely You"
19) Frank Morgan: "The Nearness of You"
20) The Three Sounds: "Sunny"
21) Charlie Parker: "The Song is You"
22) Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz: "Girl of My Dreams"
23) Sam Jones: "There is No Greater Love"
24) Stanley Turrentine: "Since I Fell for You"
25) Cees Slinger: "Our Love is Here to Stay"
26) Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: "Like Someone in Love"
27) Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny: "Our Spanish Love Song"
28) Clark Terry: "A Sunday Kind of Love"
29) Count Basie: "Li'l Darlin'"
30) Larry Young: "Love Drops"
31) Shirley Scott: "That's for Me"
32) Duke Ellington: "Me and You"
33) Buck Clayton: "When a Woman Loves a Man"
34) Dexter Gordon: "Autumn in New York"
35) Andre Previn: "It Could Happen to You"
36) Miles Davis: "I Thought About You"
37) Bill Evans: "Spartacus Love Theme"
38) Henry "Red" Allen: "Ain't She Sweet"
39) Elmo Hope: "A Kiss for My Love"
40) Jackie McLean: "Song for My Queen"
41) Sonny Clark: It Could Happen to You"
42) Ernie Wilkins: "Lover Man"
43) Bob Brookmeyer: "I Get a Kick Out of You"
44) Kenny Dorham: "Falling in Love with Love"
45) Woody Shaw: "There Will Never Be Another You"
46) Kenny Garrett: "Can I Just Hold Your Hand"
47) Jack McDuff: "Love Walked In"
48) Joe Henderson: "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing"
49) Lee Konitz: "My Melancholy Baby"
50) John Hicks: "Lover Man"
51) Oscar Peterson: "Bess, You is My Woman Now"
52) Johnny Griffin: "My Romance"
53) Nick Brignola: "All the Things You Are"
54) Nat Adderley: "Love Letters
55) Keith Jarrett: "Love is a Many-splendored Thing"
56) Yusef Lateef: "Ev'ry Day I Fall in Love"
57) Thelonious Monk: "Ruby, My Dear"
58) Teddy Charles: "You Go to My Head"
59) Sonny Criss: "Sunrise, Sunset"
60) Buddy Tate and Harry "Sweets" Edison: "Sweet and Lovely"
61) Ornette Coleman: "Love Call"
62) Sonny Rollins: We Kiss in a Shadow"
63) Ahmad Jamal: "Moonlight in Vermont"
64) Sun Ra: "I Loves You, Porgy"
65) Vince Guaraldi: "Moon River"
66) World Saxophone Quartet: "Let's Get it On"
67) Buddy Rich and Harry "Sweets" Edison: "You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me"
68) Leroy Vinegar: "Would You Like to Take a Walk"
67) Art Tatum: "Sweet Emalina, My Gal"
68) Curtis Amy: "In Your Own Sweet Way"
69) Albert Ayler: "Love Flower"
70) Curtis Fuller: "Love, Your Spell is Everywhere"
71) Dizzy Gillespie: "The Man I Love"
72) James P. Johnson: "Old-Fashioned Love"
73) Joe Lovano: "I Waited for You:
74) Michael Brecker: "My One and Only Love"
75) Oscar Pettiford: "The Gentle Art of Love"
76) Phineas Newborn Jr.: "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair"
77) Serge Chaloff: "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me"
78) Red Garland: "Softly Baby"
79) Benny Golson: "In Your Own Sweet Way"
80) Benny Goodman: "More Than You Know"
82) Herbie Hancock: "You've Got It Bad, Girl"
83) Ira Sullivan: "For You, For Me, Forever"
84) Lennie Tristano: "You Go to Myeaf.:
85) Mort Weiss: You Stepped Out of a Dream"
86) Kenny Drew: "Carol"
86) Cecil Bridgewater: "Sophisticated Lady"
87) Horace Parlan: "While My Lady Sleeps"
88) Kermit Ruffins & the Rebirth Brass Band: "I Got a Woman"
89) Cecil Taylor: "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To"
90) Sonny Stitt: "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby"
91) Terry Gibbs: "Kissin' Bug"
92) Bobby Watson: "Love Remains"
93) Paul Desmond: "Let's Get Away from It All"
94) Wynton Marsalis: "Little Red-Haired Girl"
95) Pepper Adams: "Three Little Words"
96) Wynton Kelly: "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise"
97) Junior Mance: "Teach Me Tonight"
98) Charles Tolliver: "With Love"
99) Greg Osby: "The Single Petal of a Rose"
100) McCoy Tyner: "Beautiful Love"

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-13-08

The daily mix:

1) Billy Joe Shaver: "I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train"
2) Hank Penny: "Peroxide Blonde"
3) Barbara Pittman: "Handsome Man"
4) Janis Martin: "Barefoot Baby"
5) The Handsome Family: "I Hear a Sweet Voice Calling"
6) Little Jimmy Dickens: "Out Behind the Barn"
7) Buck Owens: "Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass"
8) Jim Ed Brown and the Browns: "Broad-Minded Man"
9) Charlie Rich: "Goodbye Mary Ann"
10) Brenda Lee: "Bigelow 6-200"

Jazz Blog Special: The Keystone Trio, 'Heart Beats'

If you're looking for the perfect jazz album to set the mood on Valentine's Day, you might want to look for a copy of the Keystone Trio's "Heart Beats."

The trio, which consisted of pianist John Hicks, bassist George Mraz and drummer Idris Muhammad, produced an album of standards that's bound to seduce listeners. My favorite cut is "I Fall in Love Too Easily" because Mraz plays so soulfully, but I like every track on the album.

"It Had to Be You," which features vocalist Freddie Cole, is another highlight. His vocals are rich, sexy and unrushed, perfectly matching the trio's instrumentals. The album's rendition of "How Deep the Ocean" is more upbeat, but it caresses listeners with gentle and unexpected flourishes from all three musicians.

The album's most romantic track might be "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered." Hicks' fingers fly around his keyboard, but it sounds almost as if he figured how to attach a mute to his piano because his notes are so soft. And if your companion doesn't start swaying, you need a new Valentine.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-12-08

The daily mix:

1) Bill Withers: "Kissing My Love"
2) Black Nasty: "Black Nasty Boogie"
3) Jacob Miller: "Baby I Love You So"
4) David Lindley: "Alien Invasion"
5) Vibrations:"Love in Them There Hills"
6) Cougars: "Right On"
7) Gene Vincent: "Gonna Back Up Baby"
8) The Minus 5:"The Town That Lost Its Groove Supply"
9) The Plimsouls: "Lie, Beg, Borrow and Steal"
10) The Zakary Thaks: "Bad Girl"

Interesting Joe Henry Interview

In this Detroit Free Press interview, Joe Henry says he's eager to produce an album by the retired soul great Bill Withers. That's a prospect that makes me salivate.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-11-08

Monday night jazz:

1) Branford Marsalis: "Broadway Fools"
2) Clifford Jordan: "Highest Mountain"
3) Billy Childs: "Never Let Me Go"
4) Red Holloway: "Wives and Lovers"
5) Charlie Haden Quartet West: "Here's Looking at You"
6) Roy Eldridge: "Here's Looking at You"
7) Karl Denson: "Rumpwinder"
8) Lanny Morgan Quartet: "The Song is You"
9) Ernie Henry: "Melba's Tune"
10) James Carter: "The Intimacy of My Beautiful Woman's Eyes"

Jazz Blog Special: Cedar Walton: 'Composer'

It's hard to top pianist Cedar Walton's excellent solo recordings from the '70s; I recommend "Breakthrough," which features saxophonists Hank Mobley and Charles Davis. It's even harder to top his work as a sideman with artists such as Blue Mitchell ("Out of the Blue"), Freddie Hubbard ("Hubcap") Joe Henderson ("Mode for Joe") and Art Blakey ("Mosaic"). But "Composer," released in 1996, comes close.

In a way, the veteran pianist was carrying on the work of Blakey, perhaps the best jazz mentor in history, by surrounding himself with young turks such as trumpeter Roy Hargrove, bassist Christian McBride, and saxophonists Ralph Moore and Vincent Herring.

Hargrove is particularly outstanding, which probably shouldn't be surprising because Walton's always had a special relationship with trumpet players, including Hubbard, Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan, Art Farmer and Clifford Jordan. But the real reason "Composer" ranks among my favorite of Walton's recordings is the elegance of his playing. He plays so softly, so spiritually, on the nine songs he composed for the album. There's strength in his play, too, especially on "Theme for Jobim."

The album sounds like a classic Blue Note date, maybe even a Jazz Messengers album, and I can't give much higher praise than that.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-10-08

The daily mix:

1) Wynona Carr: "Weather Man"
2) Ernestine Anderson: "Someone Else is Steppin' In"
3) Shemekia Copeland: "My Kind of Guy"
4) Wild Jimmy Spruill: "Cut and Dried"
5) Little Sonny Jones: "I Would If I Could"
6) Freddie King: "Only Getting Second Best"
7) Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings: "You're Gonna Get It"
8) Annisteen Allen: "Bluest Blues"
9) Alberta Adams: "Take Me with You"
10) Nina Simone: "Blues for Mama"

Lee Allen: 'Walkin with Mr. Lee'

Like many rock fans my age, I didn't start paying attention to R&B saxophone great Lee Allen until I saw his credit on a Blasters album in the early '80s. If I'd been paying attention, I'd have known that Allen's saxophone added several flavors to Little Richard's "Tutti Fruitti." I also would have found Allen's credits on albums by Huey "Piano" Smith, T-Bone Walker, Lloyd Price, Big Joe Turner, Buddy Miles, Professor Longhair and many other legends.

I pulled out "Walkin' with Mr. Lee" last night while I was bummin' that the flu kept me from seeing Dave Alvin, one of Allen's proteges, in Chicago. The album me feel a hell of a lot better.

Allen played meaty notes that rivaled those played by saxophonists Earl Bostic and Joe Houston; songs such as "Walkin' with Mr. Lee," "Short Circuit" and "Boppin' at the Hop" provide a tasty blend of New Orleans R&B and early rock 'n' roll. Allen had major jazz chops, too. "Teen Dream," for example, sounds like it came straight off a Ben Webster album.

I wish my copy of "Walkin' with Mr. Lee," a Collectibles reissue, had better liner notes because I'd love to know who accompanied Allen on the organ — they make a potent combo — but I should just be thankful the album's still in print. You should be, too.

Here's a taste of Lee Allen playing saxophone with Champion Jack Dupree:

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-9-08

The daily mix:

1) The Elastik Band: "Spazz"
2) Swell Maps: "Midget Submarine"
3) Bush Tetras: "Dum Dum"
4) James Chance: "Contort Yourself"
5) Mark Sandman: "Wig"
6) Billy Childish: "Pretty Baby"
7) The Uniques: "You Ain't Tuff"
8) The Hentchmen: "Cars on Film"
9) Wimple Winch: "Rumble on Mersey Square South"
10) The Gories: "Sister Ann"

Buckwheat Zydeco at the Lafayette Brewing Company

I'll ditch whatever plans I have for a chance to see Buckwheat Zydeco in concert. But I'll admit that midway through his show at the Lafayette Brewing Company on Thursday night I had twinges of regret about missing the Purdue women's basketball game when I learned the Boilers had come from behind to beat Ohio State.

Buckwheat Zydeco, Stanley Dural, was great, of course, but I've seen him four times the last couple of years and he was playing the same songs the same way. Even his renditions of "Walking to New Orleans" and "Hey Good Lookin'" seemed a bit too polished. He was giving the crowd the show he thought they wanted and, as a result, there wasn't a lot of spontaneity.

Then for his encore, he put down his accordion and moved to his organ. First he played a jazzy tune — I think it was "Buck's Going Uptown" — and with each note his energy picked up. His riffs started popping like firecrackers and Dural grinned wickedly as he shouted "sometimes it be like that." Then he launched into a gleeful version of the reggae tune "Buck's Going to Trenchtown." It sounded almost like Dural was playing it for Bob Marley, the inspiration for the tune.

I love hearing Dural play his accordion, but when he plays the organ he's going back to his roots. His music becomes unpredictable and unbelievably funky. There aren't many things better than that ... even a Purdue women's basketball game.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-8-08

It's Friday. Let's party.

1) Buckwheat Zydeco: "Buck's Going to Trenchtown"
2) Bob Marley: "Roots, Rock, Reggae"
3) Big Youth: "Hit the Road Jack"
4) Ray Charles: "Kiss Me Baby"
5) Herbert Hunter: "I've Got to Sit Down (And Get a Hold of Myself)"
6) James Knight & the Blacks: "Save Me"
7) Aretha Franklin: "Every Natural Thing"
8) Edwin Starr: "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On"
9) Bobby Byrd: "Try It Again"
10) The Meters: "Love Slip Up on Ya"

Add Another Show to My Calendar

Wayne "The Train" Hancock, one of the finest old-school country musicians on the scene today, will be at the Lafayette Brewing Company on March 8.

And central Indiana folks should remember that Buckwheat Zydeco will be at the Lafayette Brewing Company later tonight.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-7-08

The daily mix:

1) 13th Floor Elevators: "Gloria"
2) Them: "Baby Please Don't Go"
3) The Capitol Years: "Watch It Not end (Stones)"
4) Jake Brennan and the Confidence Men: "Annie Mae"
5) Son Volt: "Cemetery Savior"
6) Mark Lanegan: "Sideways in Reverse"
7) Ray Davies: "No One Listens"
8) Graham Parker: "Hard Side of the Rain"
9) Soulsavers: "Paper Money"
10) Luff: "Tell Me Why"

Irma Thomas Recording Album with Variety of Pianists

According to the New Orleans Time-Picayune, soul great Irma Thomas is a recording a new album with a different pianist for every song. I'm especially looking forward to hearing Thomas perform with Randy Newman, Henry Butler and Ellis Marsalis.

The new album is due in August.

Bonnaroo's Schedule a Preview for ACL?

I looked with great interest at the Bonnaroo Festival lineup, which has just been released.

I'm not interested in going to Bonnaroo; I'm too old to camp in the heat with a bunch of kids whose parents are younger than me. But I am going to the Austin City Limits Music Festival for the fourth year in a row and I've found that Bonnaroo's schedule is often a good indicator of what acts might travel to Austin in September. And Bonnarroo has a great lineup this year.

Tops on my ACL wish list are Gogol Bordello and Solomon Burke. But I'd also like to see the Drive-By Truckers, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, B.B. King and T-Bone Burnett. I'm not a huge fan of Led Zeppelin, or, for that matter, the tribute band Lez Zeppelin, which will appear at Bonnaroo, but I would like to see Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, who will be there. And I certainly wouldn't oppose return trips to ACL by Aimee Mann, Willie Nelson, My Morning Jacket and the Allman Brothers.

I'm guessing that Pearl Jam and Jack Johnson will show up at ACL, too. That's OK with me because they might draw crowds from some acts I want to see ... like Gogol Bordello and Solomon Burke.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-6-08

The daily mix:

1) Alex Cuba Band: "Muevete"
2) Cal Tjader and Eddie Palmieri: "Samba Do Suenho"
3) Sammy Figueroa: "Bebe"
4) Zeca Pagodinho: "S.P.C."
5) Gangbe Brass Band: "Glessi"
6) Fela Kuti: "Excuse O"
7) James Brown: "Soul Power"
8) Buddy Miles: "Tobacco Road"
9) Little Junior Parker: "Yonder's Wall"
10) Phillip Walker: "Laughin' and Clownin'"

Tata Guines

Tata Guines, one of the greatest conga players ever, has died.

This clip is just a taste of his greatness:

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-5-08

Happy Fat Tuesday:

1) Professor Longhair: "Go to the Mardis Gras"
2) Bo Dollis & the Wild Magnolia Indian Band: "Handa Wanda Part 1"
3) Neville Brothers: "Fire on the Bayou"
4) Smiley Lewis: "Gumbo Blues"
5) Al Johnson: "Carnival Time"
6) The Hawkettes: "Mardis Gras Mambo"
7) Clifton Chenier: "Caledonia"
8) Beau Jocque & the Zydeco Hi-Rollers: "Zydeco Boogie Woogie"
9) Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas: "Follow Me Chicken"
10) Dr. John: "Walking to New Orleans"

I've Got Mardis Gras Fever

I just learned that Buckwheat Zydeco will be at the Lafayette Brewing Company on Thursday, just five days after C.J. Chenier came to town. I'm pretty stoked, even though the concert's on the same night that the Purdue women's basketball team plays Ohio State in a battle for the Big Ten lead — I'm hoping the Boilers take a big lead early so I can leave at halftime without missing anything.

At any rate, Buckwheat Zydeco's concerts are always dynamic and it is the Mardis Gras season. Music fans in central Indiana would be fools to miss this show.

Slim Smith: "Born to Love"

"Born to Love, a collection of reggae pioneer Slim Smith's recordings from the early '60s, should come with a warning because it's likely to hypnotize anyone who listens.

Smith, who died in 1973 when he was just 25, cast a spell whenever he sang with soft, sweet vocals that sounded almost like a whisper. His love songs such as "Born to Love," "I'll Be Around" and "I'll Never Let Go" were soul music, really. Close your eyes and you'll swear you're listening to The Impressions with a rocksteady beat. And that simple, repetitious beat funnels all of your attention back to Smith's exquisite vocals.

All 10 songs on the album are mesmerizing. Just be careful who's around when you listen to it; you don't want to fall in love with the wrong person.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-4-08

Monday morning jazz:

1) Rolf Billberg: "Curly Cut"
2) Benny Golson: "Cherry"
3) Dimitri Vassilakis: "James"
4) John Carter: "The Captain's Dilemma"
5) Kenny Wheeler: "For Tracy"
6) Edsel Gomez: "Wolfville"
7) Steve Turre: "Eric the Great"
8) Lee Konitz: "Pennies in Minor"
9) Randy Sandke: "Dream Song"
10) Ralph Bowen: "The First Stone"

New Stax Collections

I'm looking forward to two Stax collections to be released later this month. Both "Stax Does the Beatles" and "Soulsville Sings Hitsville" will include some previously unreleased tracks and alternative versions of others.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-3-08

The daily mix:

1) Chuck Prophet: "Diamond Jim"
2) Toni Price: "What I'm Puttin' Down"
3) Reckless Kelly: "Baby's Gone Blues"
4) C.J. Chenier: "Eat More Crawfish"
5) T-Bone Walker: "Pony Tail"
6) Tiny Bradshaw: "I'm Going to Have Myself a Ball"
7) The Blasters: "Hollywood Bed"
8) Gene Vincent: "I Got It"
9) Buddy Holly: "Rock-a-Bye Rock"
10) Buckwheat Zydeco: "Come and Get Yourself Some"

C.J. Chenier's Zydeco Turns Lafayette Into Party Central

I almost laughed out loud Saturday night when I saw the red suit C.J. Chenier's bass player was wearing. Dude looked like he couldn't decide whether he wanted to be Ronald McDonald or Santa Claus. The rub board player looked like he came straight off the set of "Deliverance." The drummer had the scruffiest goatee I've seen since I shaved off most of my beard a few years ago just to see what I'd look like as a beatnik. And the guitarist, who wore a goofy leather cap, looked like a nerdy hipster. But to tell you the truth, they seemed like the kind of cats I'd like to hang with ... especially after I heard them play.

A few songs into the concert, Chenier strolled out wearing Mac Daddy shades and a tan Long Rider coat. He picked up his flute and launched into a jazzy tune on which he sounded like a cross between Yusef Lateef and Hubert Laws. Cool, man. But that was the last time Chenier touched his flute and he never did pick up his saxophone.

It's probably just as well because Chenier came to party. He played his accordion like it was on fire. But he used that heat to turn the Long Center for the Perfoming Arts into one of the warmest concert atmospheres I've seen in a long time. Chenier made the audience laugh with his big smile and with funny tunes like "Bow-legged Woman" and "Man Smart (Woman Smarter)." And I don't know many other musicians who could turn a room full of 60- and 70-year-olds into dancing fools — I thought the lady next to me was going to break a hip when the band played "Caledonia." But Chenier knows that old folks need a break, so he turned their dancing into swaying on lovely ballads such as "I'm Coming Home" and "Richest Man."

I had a great time ... even caught some beads and I didn't even have to lift my shirt. And on Monday I'm going shopping for a red suit and a rub board. Fat Tuesday's coming and I want to be ready.

ACL Tickets

I bought a three-day pass for ACL this morning. I wasn't planning to go again, but my friends wanted to go back, so I'm in. Advanced tickets are $150. When those are gone, regular passes will be $170.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-2-08

The daily mix:

1) Roy Orbison: "Ooby Dooby"
2) The Flamin' Groovies: "Jumpin' in the Night"
3) Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles: "Come Back to Me"
4) The Dandy Warhols: "We Used to Be Friends"
5) The Lemonheads: "Paid to Smile"
6) Mysteries of Life: "One False Move"
7) Nick Lowe: "Not Too Long Ago"
8) The Crystals: "Then He Kissed Me"
9) Mary Weiss: "You're Never Gonna See Me Cry"
10) Elk City: "Magic Door"

Mardis Gras Concert Reminder

A reminder for folks who live in Hoosierland: zydeco great CJ Chenier will be performing at Lafayette's Long Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday night.

Cahl's Jukebox, 2-1-08

The daily mix:

1) XTC: "Funk Pop a Roll"
2) Teenage Fanclub: "I Don't Know"
3) The Blues Project: "No Time Like the Right Time"
4) The Hentchmen: "Anywhere"
5) Matthew Sweet: "Into Your Drug"
6) The Mekons: "Dark, Dark, Dark"
7) Brinsley Schwarz: "Play That Fast Thing (One More Time)"
8) My Morning Jacket: "Easy Morning Rebel"
9) The Jacobites: "Fortune of Fame"
10) Billy Bragg: "Sugardubby"

Billy Bragg to Release New Album

My friends and I have made hotel reservations for this year's Austin City Limit Music Festival and I'm hoping to get tickets at a discount on Saturday. Still, I can't help but feel a little remorse about missing South By Southwest, especially now that I know that Billy Bragg will be there.

I'm holding out hope that he will be at ACL this year and I'm looking forward to Bragg's new album more than any other release this spring.