Cahl's Jukebox, 4-29-06

It's Twang Tuesday:

1) Rosie Flores: "That's Me"
2) Kathy Mattea: "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses"
3) Kathleen Edwards: "Asking for Flowers"
4) Johnny Cash: "Sixteen Tons"
5) Tennessee Ernie Ford: "Smoky Mountain Boogie"
6) Buzz Busby: "Reno Bound"
7) Ray Campi: "Darlin' I Don't Understand"
8) Hank Thompson; "The Wild Side of Life"
9) Kitty Wells: "Making Believe"
10) Dolly Parton: "Jolene"

Blues Blog Special: 'Big Chief Ellis featuring Tarheel Slim and Brownie McGhee'

The fact that Big Chief Ellis' first, and only, album wasn't released until 1977 is a shame. The old blues pianist from Alabama, who died at age 63, just a few months after the album was released, had a left hand powerful enough to knock out a heavyweight boxer. He rocked the blues when he got going.

It's also a shame, make that a travesty, that he's not better known. According to Richard Spottswood's liner notes, Ellis wrote "Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-Oh," a hit for both Stick McGhee and Jerry Lee Lewis, but sold the song to a record executive for a few bucks. Ellis even played on McGhee's recording of the song, but as far as I can tell, he never received credit for writing the tune.

On "Big Chief Ellis Featuring Tarheel Slim and Brownie McGhee," Ellis often sounds almost as if he's playing two pianos at once because his hands seem to be playing different melodies. As a result, he gets a big sound on tunes such as "Dices #2," "Fare You Well Mistreater" and "Hey, Baby." With the addition of a guitarist on each track, it sounds almost as if you're listening to a full band. The guitarists — Tarheel Slim, Brownie McGhee and John Cephas — are all exceptional, of course. And the way Ellis interacts with them creates powerful blues.

Ellis is a good singer, too. His voice sounds both weathered and friendly, which makes the album's 12 tunes sound both classic and joyous.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-28-06

Monday morning jazz:

1) Grant Green: "God Bless the Child"
2) Deep Blue Organ Trio: "Short Story"
3) Dizzy Reece: "Round Moon"
4) Lou Donaldson: "Cool Blues"
5) Shirley Scott: "Like Blue"
6) Billy Higgins: "Morning Awakening"
7) Illinois Jacquet: "Star Eyes"
8) Gene Ammons: "Sophisticated Lady"
9) Don Wilkerson: "Easy to Love"
10) Ernie Henry: "Free Flight"

Marking My Calendar

The Deep Blue Organ Trio will be at The Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis on May 27 and May 28. I'm psyched.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-27-06

Sunday morning jazz:

1) Charles Mingus: "Pedal Point Blues"
2) Sam Jones: "Off-Color"
3) Buck Hill: "Jasing"
4) Thad Jones: "More of the Same"
5) Cecil McBee: "Agnez"
6) Yusef Lateef: "Raymond Winchester"
7) Von Freeman: "Never Fear, Jazz Is Here"
8) Leo Parker: "Low Brown"
9) Walter Norris: "So In Love"
10) Junior Mance: "Don't Cha Here Me Callin' to Ya"

Charles Mingus on NPR's Jazz Profiles

I've always loved Nancy Wilson. Now I love her even more. Her latest NPR Jazz Profiles feature examines the life and music of my favorite musician, Charles Mingus.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-26-06

The weekend's here. Let's rock.

1) Brownsville Station: "I'm the Leader of the Gang"
2) Brinsley Schwarz:"Play That Fast Thing (One More Time)"
3) GTOs: "Girl from New York City"
4) The Bellrays: "Revolution Get Down"
5) The Hold Steady: "Same Kooks"
6) PJ Harvey: "Good Fortune"
7) The Dollyrots: "Jackie Chan"
8) The Raconteurs: "Call It a Day"
9) The Blasters: "Daddy Rollin' Stone"
10) Carl Perkins: "Dixie Fried"

Blues Blog Special: Whistlin' Alex Moore, 'From North Dallas to the East Side'

I doubt Whistlin' Alex Moore ever worried if he hit a wrong note when he played the piano. He probably just used his miscues as an excuse for quick forays into unpredictable chord combinations in the middle of his raucous boogies. On "From North Dallas to the East Side," for example, his tunes sound like barrelhouse antecedents for the music of Henry Butler or even Sun Ra. And, man, did he play hard, especially on the instrumental tracks.

In contrast, his vocals saunter through songs such as "New Miss No-Good Weed," "You Say I'm a Bad Feller" and "You Got Me Dissatisfied." He had a warm voice, a classic blues voice, that made him sound impish as he poked fun at the subjects of his tunes. The dude was funny.

He deserved his nickname, too. Moore's whistling sounds like joyous punctuation marks to his furious piano runs. That joy permeates all 23 songs on "From North Dallas to the East Side," recorded between 1947 and 1960.

If you're looking for a touchstone, I suppose you could compare Moore to the fabulous Roosevelt Sykes. But, really, I don't think anyone's ever sounded quite like him.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-25-06

The daily mix:

1) Wild Bill Moore: "Bubbles"
2) Tiny Bradshaw: "I'm a Ding Dong Daddy"
3) The Treniers: "Say Hey (Willie Mays Song)"
4) Sonny Wilson: "The Rainy Day Blues"
5) Jay McShann: "Spoon Calls Hootie"
6) Earl Bostic: "Blue Moon"
6) Joe Houston: "Have a Ball"
7) Gatemouth Moore: "I Ain't Mad at You Pretty Baby"
8) Jimmy Forrest: "Blue Groove"
9) Eddie "Cleanhead Vinson: "One O'Clock Humph"
10) Rusty Bryant: "Rusty Rides Again"

Rip It Up: Elvis, Little Richard, Jerry Lee, Iggy...

I have a student who's obsessed with Elvis Presley and I couldn't be happier. After one conversation with her recently I went home and played the King's version of "Rip It Up" seven or eight times in a row. If pressed, I'll probably admit it's my favorite Elvis tune.

I think it's also the hottest tune Little Richard ever recorded. Dig the horns, man. The versions by Jerry Lee Lewis, Bill Haley, Wanda Jackson, John Lennon and the Everly Brothers are great, too.

So, in honor of my student, who needs a shot of adrenaline heading into finals, here are some rocking video clips of "Rip It Up" by Little Richard, Gene Vincent, Iggy Pop, Wanda Jackson and, of course, Elvis. (Note: Wanda's version is part of a medley with "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On.")

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-24-08

It's Twang Thursday:

1) Roy Hogsed: "Let Your Pendulum Swing"
2) Red Foley: "Sunday Down in Tennessee"
3) Spade Cooley: "I Found a New Baby"
4) Hank Snow: "The Golden Rocket"
5) Peter Rowan: "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)"
6) Billy Joe Shaver: "Ride Me Down Easy"
7) Rosanne Cash: "My Baby Thinks He's a Train"
8) Julie Miller: "I Need You"
9) The Delmore Brothers: "The Midnight Special"
10) Hank Penny: "You're Bound to Look Like a Monkey"

Buddy Miller Accompanies Robert Plant, Alison Krauss

I see on Buddy and Julie Miller's Web site that Buddy is playing guitar for Robert Plant and Alison Kraus on their tour. If he's still with them in September, I'll certainly catch Plant and Krauss' set at the Austin City Limits Music Festival ... unless it conflicts with the shows by Roky Erickson, Gogol Bordello, the Drive-By Truckers or Alejandro Escovedo.

Help Gaff

I mentioned a few days ago that Chris Gaffney had died. On April 30, Dave Alvin and the Guilty Men, The Hacienda Brothers, The Cold Hard Facts and many others will be celebrating Gaffney's life with a show at The Cellar in Long Beach, Calif.

Unfortunately, I can't go, but I can celebrate his life by helping to defray the medical expenses Gaffney incurred while battling liver cancer. You can help, too.

Visit the Help Gaff Web page to contribute. While you're there, listen to the samples from The Hacienda Brothers' forthcoming album, "Arizona Motel," which will be released in June. Gaffney and the other Hacienda Brothers sound fabulous.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-23-08

Wednesday morning jazz guitar:

1) Al Casey: "Got Soul"
2) Pat Martino: "Interchange"
3) Akira Tana: "Reflections of Love"
4) Jim Hall: "When Little Girls Play"
5) Skip Heller: "It's Not For Me to Say"
6) Charlie Christian: "Blue 'n Boogie"
7) Billy Butler: "The Twang Thang"
8) Tiny Grimes: "Lester Leaps In"
9) Larry Coryell: "Joy Spring"
10) Jimmy Ponder: "Love Theme from Spartacus"

Jazz Blog Special: Gil Melle, 'Patterns in Jazz'

Grab baritone saxophonist Gil Melle's "Patterns in Jazz" if you can find a reasonably priced copy. The album is lovely.

On "Moonlight in Vermont," for example, Melle and his band color the melody with deep atmospheric strokes that probably sounded pretty revolutionary when the record was released in 1956. Their take on "Long Ago and Far Away" sounds fresh, too. Melle dashes through the tune, sounding like a deeper-toned Sonny Rollins.

Melle surrounded himself with pros for the session: Eddie Bert on trombone, Oscar Pettiford on bass, Ed Thigpen on drums and Joe Cinderella on guitar. All are great, but Cinderella's the one who stands out.

"Weird Valley," my favorite track on the album, features a gentle call and response between Cinderella and Melle. Cinderlla sounds cool and self-assured. I like "The Set Break," too, because the band swings so hard.

My only complaints about the album are the price (the only version available is an expensive Japanese import) and the length (37 minutes.) But I love the warm feeling of a good baritone saxophone and Melle, who was also a noted artist, was one of the masters of the instrument.

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

Al Wilson Dies

Soul singer Al Wilson, who died Monday,was best known for his hit "Show and Tell." It's an easy song to love. But I dig the sweet, easy groove of "La La Peace Song" even more. Maybe it's because Wilson sounds so much like Marvin Gaye on the track. Or maybe it's because the sentiment of the song is so simple and true.

RIP, Mr. Wilson.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-22-08

The daily mix:

1) The Gibson Bros: "You Walked in the Room"
2) '68 Comeback: "Let It Rock"
3) Sham '69: "George Davis is Innocent"
4) Danny's Reasons: "Triangles"
5) The Hatfields: "Yes I Do"
6) Compulsive Gamblers: "Way I Feel About You"
7) The Tearjerkers: "Teeny Weeny Little Bit"
8) The Jacobites: "When the Rain Comes"
9) The Velvet Underground: "Run Run Run"
10) Lizzy Mercier Descloux: "One for the Soul"

Blues Blog Special: James 'Son' Thomas, 'Beefsteak Blues'

The first version of "Catfish Blues" on James "Son" Thomas' "Beefsteak Blues" album is the dirtiest rendition of the song I've ever heard. (I don't remember Robert Petway, Skip James and Lightnin' Hopkins singing about "nipples on the titties, nipples on her tongue." And I know their lyrics didn't say "the way she screw make a dead man cum.")

In the introduction to the tune, Thomas says he's going to give us the real "Catfish Blues," but he suggests he's going to hold back. Forgive me mama, but if this is the R-rated version, I'm ready for a little musical porn.

The thing is, Thomas' guitar playing was even nastier than his titillating lyrics. He played every song with an attitude. It seems he channeled every hard knock he ever took straight into his guitar. According to Brett Bonner's fine liner notes, Thomas, born in 1926, worked as a sharecropper and grave digger. An ex-wife shot him. And he suffered from severe burns, emphysema and epilepsy. No wonder the music's so raw.

The album includes traditional acoustic country blues. When you hear "Mama Don't Low No Guitar Playin' Round Here" and "Big Fat Mama," it's not hard to imagine you're drinking a glass of rotgut in a rickety old Mississippi juke joint. You'll also find some powerful electric blues. Thomas' versions of "Stormy Monday Blues" and "Hoochie Coochie Man" sound like they're straight out of Chicago.

So get ready to take a musical journey into a world of authentic blues. Just be sure you buckle up 'cause it's gonna be a wild ride.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-21-08

The daily mix:

1) Conway Twitty: "You and Your Sweet Love"
2) Buddy and Julie Miller: "You Make My Heart Beat Too Fast"
3) Carl Mann: "If I Could Change You"
4) Brenda Lee: "Bigelow 6-200"
5) Charline Arthur: "He Fiddled While I Burned"
6) Gene Vincent: "Five Days, Five Days"
7) Guy Clark: "Don't Let the Sunshine Fool You"
8) Orville Couch: "Hello Doll"
9) Ray Wylie Hubbard: "Mother Hubbard's Blues"
10) Jody Reynolds: "Boot Hill Drag"

Orville Couch: 'Hello Trouble'

Orville Couch's original version of "Hello Trouble" won't make anyone forget Buck Owens' cover of the song, but I love it all the same.

Couch might have been a journeyman musician with just one hit, but I think his album called "Hello Trouble" represents all that was good about old-school country music. It's an album that compels listeners to identify with the lyrics.

If my grandfather had owned an iPod, you can bet "Help Me Get My Cotton In" would have been on it. And though I've never dated a German woman, I can relate to "Fraulein," Couch's tale of the love who got away. Almost everyone can.

On Couch's rollicking cover of Johnny Horton's "Honky Tonk Man," he sounds ornery and confident. On the next song, "Dance Her By Me," Couch sounds like a broken man. His voice is a bit shaky at the start, then he settles into a velvety lament — it almost sounds as if Charlie Rich is singing. Either way, he's got your emotions covered.

"Uncle Red," my favorite song on the album, is an uptempo tribute to a 93-year-old relative who's just died. Uncle Red was the kind of man who lived a clean and charitable life despite his poverty. It's a simple song, really, but I can't listen to it without seeing the jovial faces of my own kinfolks.

When I hear the buoyant harmonica licks on several other songs, particularly on "Strike a Match" and "Hello Doll," I think of another relative, a great-uncle who used to entertain my cousins and me with his harmonica for hours on end.

"Hello Trouble" might not be a classic album, but it's a damn good one that's sure to make your emotions swirl.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-20-06

The daily mix:

1) Chris Gaffney: "They Made a Mistake"
2) Buddy Miller: "Watching Amy Dance"
3) James McMurtry: "Freeway View"
4) John Mellencamp: "French Shoes"
5) Francis Dunnery: "The Johnny Podell Song"
6) Nikki Sudden: "House of Cards"
7) Alejandro Escovedo: "Little Bottles"
8) Dwight Yoakam: "Don't Be Sad"
9) Eli Young Band: "So Close Now"
10) The Scarecrows: "The Devil's Day Off"

Chris Gaffney Dies

I've been listening to Chris Gaffney sing "Cowboys to Girls" all day. There aren't many rockers who've successfully interpreted soul classics, but Gaffney, who died on Thursday, sounds as if Gamble and Huff wrote the song for him instead of for The Intruders.

The rough-hewn melancholy in Gaffney's vocals on The Hacienda Brothers' version of "Cowboys to Girls," which can be found on their "What's Wrong with Right" album, makes the track sound both tender and heartfelt. The rendition Gaffney recorded with Lucinda Williams for his "Loser's Paradise" album sounds even more wistful.

It's a tune that forces a listener to retreat into his own memories. And my memories of Gaffney run deep. His combination of rock, country, soul and Tejano music have accompanied me through many sleepless nights. I've always thought he sounded like Merle Haggard, Gram Parsons, Don Covay, Alejandro Escovedo and Los Lobos all magically morphed into one person. And, hell, there aren't many things better than that.

I saw him perform only once, with Dave Alvin, Gaffney's dear friend and frequent collaborator. And even as a backing musician, Gaffney stood out. He really was one of our best roots musicians.

If you don't have any of his albums, you might want to start with "Mi Vida Loca." But make sure you buy a CD or a download of him singing "Cowboys to Girls," too. And remember...

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-19-08

The daily mix:

1) Herbie Hancock:"Cantaloupe Island"
2) Connie Price and the Keystones: "The Buzzard"
3) Wade Marcus: "Spinning Wheel"
4) Curtis Mayfield: "Superfly"
5) Jimmy Smith and Eddie Harris: "8 Counts for Rita"
6) Eddie Spencer: "You're So Good to Me Baby"
7) The Three Sounds: "Why Am I Treated So Bad?"
8) Frankie Seay and the Soul Riders: "Soul Food"
9) The JBs: "Born to Groove"
10) Dyke and the Blazers: "Hot 'n' Tot"

The Beast is Comin'

I was a pretty agile kid, but my mama never let me near a skateboard. Not once. She was horrified enough when she found me riding motorcycles at my cousins' house.

I'm well into middle age now, and lord knows I'm not so agile anymore, but I'm willing to risk broken bones and my mama's wrath to climb aboard a Roky Erickson skateboard designed by Corey Duffel. So tell your friends The Beast is comin', man.

You can buy your own Roky skateboard here. (Click on the photo for a larger view of the skateboard.)

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-18-08

The daily mix:

1) Manfred Mann: "I'm Your Kingpin"
2) Dave Davani: "Working Out"
3) Jimmy McGriff: "The Worm Turns"
4) Latimore: "Keep the Home Fires Burning"
5) Al Wilson: "Born on the Bayou"
6) Creedence Clearwater Revival: "Bad Moon Rising"
7) The Zakary Thaks: "My Door"
8) The Grifters: "Re-Entry Blues"
9) The Flamin' Groovies: "Jumpin' in the Night"
10) Charlie Musselwhite: "Just a Feeling"

Blues Blog Special: Silas Hogan, 'Trouble: The Best of the Excello Masters'

Silas Hogan wasn't one of the kings of swamp blues, but he might have been if someone had bothered to record him before the early-'60s when most folks were ignoring the blues.

Hogan, a Louisiana bluesman born in 1911, never really got the recognition he deserved. But the 26 tracks on "Trouble: The Best of the Excello Masters" illustrate that he belonged in the company of Excello labelmates Slim Harpo, Lightnin' Slim and Lazy Lester.

The collection includes a lot of tunes that were never released in the states, but I'm betting early British rockers knew his songs. "So Glad," for example, is a rollicking tune that sounds like a model for the blues-based garage anthems of Manfred Mann in the '60s. And the rhumba-based blues of "Just Give Me a Chance" certainly inspired young rockers looking to incorporate Latin rhythms into their music. I'm also fond of the bluesy soul on "Everybody Needs Somebody," which sounds a bit like a Fats Domino tune.

Mostly, though, the collection features electric blues straight out of the swamp. Some highlights include "I'm in Love with You Baby," "Go on Pretty Baby" and "Roamin' Woman." There's nothing fancy on the album, but the music will make you shake your hips. It might make you laugh, too, especially when Hogan starts singing about cocky little rats and roaches in his kitchen.

The album's out of print, so find a copy while you can. Hogan's an underappreciated treasure of the blues.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-17-08

The daily mix:

1) Reigning Sound: "We Repel Each Other"
2) Black Flag: "Six Pack"
3) Fugazi: "Burning"
4) Robert Pollard: "The Louis Armstrong of Rock and Roll"
5) Lyres: "She Pays the Rent"
6) Teenage Fanclub and Jad Fair: "Behold the Miracle"
7) Ugly Americans: "Candyman"
8) Gogol Bordello: "Forces of Victory"
9) The Pogues: "Rainbow Man"
10) The Kinks: "Juke Box Music"

The Dollyrots

I'm crushing on The Dollyrots tonight. It's not some sicko thing; lead singer Kelly Ogden is cute, very cute — she looks sort of like a twentysomething punk rock version of Shirley Temple — but I'm probably older than her father. Nah, I'm crushing on the band because their music's perky, funny and frenetic.

To some extent, The Dollyrots remind me of The Donnas, but I think they sound more like a jacked-up new millennium version of The Shangri-las. Just like Mary Weiss, Ogden's got loads of attitude ... right down to the spoken barbs she uses to dismiss a boyfriend on "Because I'm Awesome," the title track of the group's last album.

"My Best Friend's Hot," another tune from "Because I'm Awesome," is even funnier. And did I mention that the band rocks? I'm also groovin' to The Dollyrots' cover of "Be My Baby," a tune from their debut album, "Eat My Heart Out." Detroit Cobras fans would love it.

To be honest, a lot of The Dollyrots' songs sound similar, but I don't care. Kelly Ogden won my heart with a wink and a growl.

Check out the The Dollyrots' music on their myspace page.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-16-08

Wednesday morning jazz:

1) Jackie McLean: "Right Now"
2) East New York Ensemble de Music: "Mevlana"
3) Julius Hemphill: "Bordertown"
4) Odean Pope Saxophone Choir: "Muntu Chant"
5) Kidd Jordan: "Unity Call"
6) Albert Ayler: "Love Flower"
7) Roswell Rudd: "Blown Bone"
8) Roland Kirk: "Cabin in the Sky"
9) Prince Lasha Quintet: "Green and Gold"
10) Phil Ranelin: "Black on the Nu"

ACL Releases Its 2008 Lineup

This year's Austin City Limits Music Festival lineup doesn't include a ton of acts I'm wild about seeing. I'm still stoked, though, because Roky Erickson will be back. I'm also excited about the prospect of seeing Gogol Bordello and Drive-By Truckers. And I can never get enough of Alejandro Escovedo; maybe he'll bring Chuck Prophet along.

The other highlights of the lineup, at least for me, are Beck, Neko Case, David Byrne, Patty Griffin, Gillian Welch, Robert Earl Keen, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Erykah Badu, Galactic, and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.

I'd hoped for Neil Young, but I understand if the ACL organizers want younger headliners. (Still, the Foo Fighters?) I am perplexed why they didn't sign at least one classic soul or blues act. Sharon Jones and Erykah Badu will be great, but I'm greedy. I'd be ecstatic if the lineup had included Solomon Burke, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Candi Staton, Bettye LaVette, Betty Harris or William Bell. (Doesn't Irma Thomas live just down the road in Dallas?)

Guess I'll be spending more time exploring new bands this year and that's OK. I'm curious about Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears, Langhorne Slim, What Made Milwaukee Famous, Ingrid Michaelson, and Eli "Paper Boy" Reed and the True Loves. I also have some interest in hearing The Raconteurs, Gnarls Barkley, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, South Austin Jug Band, Iron and Wine, Asleep at the Wheel, Tegan and Sara, M. Ward, Joe Bonamassa, Against Me! and Vampire Weekend.

Or maybe I'll just see fewer acts and and stay out of the heat. At my age, that's not such a bad idea.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-15-08

The daily mix:

1) Hadda Brooks: "Bully Wully Boogie"
2) Annisteen Allen: "Take a Chance on Me"
3) Wynona Carr: "Act Right"
4) Big Maybelle: "Rockhouse"
5) Katie Webster: "Hard Lovin' Mama"
6) Ruth Brown: "I Gotta Have You"
7) Zora Young: "You Don't Have to Go"
8) Lavern Baker: "Baby Doll"
9) Koko Taylor: "What Came First, the Egg or the Hen"
10) Nora Jean Brusso: "Miss Mae's Juke Joint"

'Stax/Volt Revue: Live in Norway'

I knew before I bought "Stax/Volt Revue: Live in Norway" that the music would be great. How could it not be? The DVD features performances by Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Arthur Conley, Eddie Floyd, The Mar-Keys, and Booker T. and the M.Gs at a concert in 1967.

The thing that surprised me was how hard the musicians worked when they were on stage. Sam and Dave, in particular, were dancing fools. When they perform "Hold on? I'm Comin'," for example, Sam Moore explodes into an incredible James Brown impersonation while Dave Prater shuffles from one side of the stage to the other. Even on "When Something is Wrong With My Baby," Moore can't keeps his legs still as the duo hypnotizes the audience with one of the sweetest soul ballads of all time. And I've never seen so much sweat at a concert. In the excellent commentary for the DVD, Steve Cropper of the MGs and Wayne Jackson of the Mar-Keys joke that Redding had to slosh through puddles of sweat to get to the stage.

Even the songs seem more energetic than the versions you'll find on the classic Stax albums. Credit the MGs and the Mar-Keys, who backed all the singers, for that. Cropper and Jackson said they'd never played the songs at such a torrid tempo before. The result was magic.

Redding mesmerized the crowd with renditions of "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)," "My Girl," "Shake," "Satisfaction" and "Try a Little Tenderness." He got so jacked up that he returned to the stage three times for additional verses of "Try a Little Tenderness." If his music doesn't make you cry, and I'm betting it does, you will when you realize that this musical dynamo, so full of life, would die just a few months later.

Al Jackson Jr., the drummer for Booker T. and the MGs, lived for another eight year, but this concert film makes me realize just how monumental his murder was, too. Cropper and Jackson both say he was the best drummer they ever saw. I understand their sentiment after watching the way he controlled the flow of the concert.

Cropper and Jackson also repeatedly say that no one makes music like this anymore. I think they're right.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-14-08

The daily mix:

1) The Who: "My Generation"
2) The Undertones: "Billy's Third"
3) The Vibrators: "Disco in Moscow"
4) The Detroit Cobras: "Hot Dog (Watch Me Eat)"
5) Sebadoh: "Can't Give Up"
6) The Walkabouts: "Devil in the Details"
7) Thin Lizzie: "Romeo and the Lonely Girl"
8) Dave Alvin & the Guilty Men: "Out of Control"
9) The True Believers: "I Get Excited"
10) Neil Young: "Life in the City"

Jazz Blog Special: Kenny Burrell, 'Blues: The Common Ground'

I started digging out my old Kenny Burrell albums when I learned that Verve was reissuing the great jazz guitarist's "Night at the Vanguard," an excellent album worth checking out.

I started, of course, with "Midnight Blue," his classic album featuring Stanley Turrentine, Major Holley, Bill English and Ray Barretto. "Chitlins Con Carne," the cool-toned Latin jazz track that opens the album, is one of my favorite jazz tunes. And I can't listen to the title track without bobbing my head.

A lot of folks probably bought "Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane" because of Coltrane's star power. I'm sure they weren't disappointed. Burrell's bluesy bop riffs seem to inspire Coltrane. Drummer Jimmy Cobb and bassist Paul Chambers drove Burrell and Coltrane hard and pianist Tommy Flanagan cooled them back down. It's an easy album to love.

But "Blues: The Common Ground," released in 1968, is the album I can't seem to get out of my CD player. Burrell's backed by a host of jazz luminaries — Herbie Hancock on piano; Ron Carter on bass; Jerome Richardson on reeds; Grady Tate and Donald McDonald on drums; Johnny Pacheco on percussion; Thad Jones, Snooky Young, Jimmy Nottingham, Jimmy Owens, Bernie Glow and Ernie Royal on trumpet; Jimmy Cleveland, Urbie Green, Bill Waltrous, Wayne Andre, Paul Faulise and Tony Studd on trombone; and Harvey Phillips on tuba.

Arranger Don Sebesky uses two configurations of the big band, and both are potent. But Sebesky keeps the band in the background, using it to punctuate rather than dominate Burrell's bluesy guitar riffs. On "Angel Eyes," for example, you can barely hear the horn section after the introduction, but it's there, whispering behind Burrell's elegant guitar runs. As a result, the song has a lazy late-night feel, which makes for almost perfect reading music.

On Stephen Stills' "Everydays," Burrell gently feeds off Hancock's blues chords. But when the horns kick in, Burrell's fingers start flying. Yeah, "Everydays" is a rock tune on a jazz album, but it's also some of the most explosive blues you'll ever hear.

I think the album's highlight, though, is "Soulful Brothers," on which Burrell is backed only by Hancock, Carter and Tate. The tune's a smoky showcase for Burrell and Hancock and they make me want to turn the lights down low and pour a glass of scotch. It's Sunday morning, so I won't do that. Instead, I'll just close my eyes and sway.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-13-08

Sunday morning soul:

1) Solomon Burke: "I'll Be Doggone"
2) Joe Tex: "I Believe I'm Gonna Make It"
3) Jean Knight: "Save the Last Kiss for Me"
4) Betty Harris: "You Do My Soul Good"
5) Linda Jones: "What Can I Do (Without You)"
6) Margie Joseph: "Sweeter Tomorrow"
7) Bessie Banks: "Go Now"
8) Bobby Purify: "Better to Have It"
9) Arthur Conley: "I Can't Stop (No, No, No)"
10) Patterson Twins: "If I Ever Got You Back"

Johnny Rawls in Concert

Walking into into the Knickerbocker Saloon tonight was like being transported onto the set of "Working Girl." Flashback, circa 1989. Big hair everywhere I looked.

But Johnny Rawls and his band took me back a lot farther than the late '80s. Rawls plays an intoxicating old-school mix of blues and soul he perfected while backing Z.Z. Hill, Little Johnnie Taylor and O.V. Wright. His voice, like those of his mentors, is smooth and soulful. And his guitar playing is both sexy and nasty.

Rawls and his band played a number of covers, all crowd favorites, such as Robert Parker's "Barefootin'," Clarence Carter's "Strokin'" and B.B. King's "The Thrill is Gone." But I liked Rawls' own compositions the best, especially the ones that featured hard-driving Mississippi blues.

I think all of Rawls' albums are good, but if you're looking for a place to start, I might try his collaboration with Roy Roberts called "Partners & Friends." It includes a soulful blues mix even a big-haired blonde could love.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-12-08

Saturday morning blues:

1) Johnny Rawls: "Back in Your Arms"
2) Silas Hogan: "I'm Gonna Quit You Pretty Baby"
3) Arbee Stidham: "Feeling Blue and Low"
4) Curtis Jones: "Reefer Hound Blues"
5) Pee Wee Crayton: "When I'm Wrong"
6) James Cotton: "She's Murder"
7) Slim Harpo: "That's Why I Love You"
8) Phillip Walker: "Laughin' and Clownin'"
9) John Lee Hooker: "Drug Store Woman"
10) B.B. King: "Until I'm Dead and Cold"

It Ain't a Love Serenade

Wayman Tisdale, the former basketball star turned smooth jazz bassist, has reportedly recorded a cover of "Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up." The kicker? He recruited Toby Keith to sing Barry White's part.

I'd rather hear Kenny G and Donny Osmond cover "Sheena is a Punk Rocker." Really.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-11-08

It's Friday. Let's rock.

1) Little Feat: "Rock and Roll Doctor"
2) The Texas Tornados: "Dinero"
3) Warren Zevon: "Rub Me Raw"
4) The Jam: "David Watts"
5) The Clash: "I Fought the Law"
6) The Bobby Fuller Four: "King of Wheels"
7) The Pretty Things: "Midnight to Six Man"
8) Compulsive Gamblers: "Stop and Think It Over"
9) Billy Childish: "Pretty Baby"
10) Tin Machine: "Tin Machine"

Bill Dixon with Exploding Star Orchestra

You know the films that show the super high-speed shots of cars whizzing by? "Bill Dixon and Exploding Star Orchestra" would be the perfect soundtrack for one of those scenes.

The chaotic sounds of the large free jazz orchestra buzz by the riffs of trumpeter Dixon and cornetist Rob Mazurek, which are wild, to be sure, but sound almost as if they were recorded in slow motion.

The album's filled with multi-layered mood music that's equal parts Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman and the sputtering engine of an old car I used to own. At times the band members create an intoxicating drone; at other times they clash like they're in a frenetic demolition derby of sound.

Fans of Tortoise will dig the album because two of the indie rock band's members — guitarist Jeff Parker and drummer John Hernden — contribute other-worldly instrumentals that remind me of tunes found on some of their albums. I also like the other orchestra members: Jason Adasiewicz, tubular bells and vibes; Matt Bauder, bass clarinet and tenor saxophone; Nicole Mitchell, flute and voice; Jeb Bishop, trombone; Josh Berman, cornet; Jim Baker, piano; Matthew Lux, bass guitar; Jason Ajemian, double bass; Mike Reed, drums and timpani; and Damon Locks, voice.

But the interaction between Dixon, an 82-year-old free jazz veteran, and Mazurek are the key. The sound of their instruments pierce through the orchestra's freeway of sound. As a result, "Bill Dixon with Exploding Star Orchestra" is one of the best free jazz records I've heard in recent years.

Bud Powell on NPR

Nancy Wilson's Jazz Profiles pieces on NPR are always good, but her show on pianist Bud Powell might be the best one yet. It's such a sad story. And the music's amazing, of course.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-10-08

Thursday morning jazz:

1) Mezz Mezzrow and His Orchestra: "The Panic is On"
2) Willie "The Lion" Smith: "Rippling Waters"
3) Johnny Dodds: "Memphis Shake"
4) Bob Scobey's Frisco Band: "Ostrich Walk"
5) The Eureka Brass Band: "Just a Little While to Stay Here"
6) Jack Teagarden: "Afternoon in August"
7) Mary Lou Williams: "Caravan"
8) Duke Ellington: "Blues for New Orleans"
9) George Lewis: "Tin Roof Blues"
10) Doc Cheatham and Nicolas Payton: "Black and Blue (aka What Did I Do to Be So Black and Blue?)"

Pulitzers

I think it's mega-cool that Bob Dylan won a Pulitzer Prize in music. I think he deserved it. But, to tell you the truth, I'm more interested in the fact that Washington Post writer Gene Weingarten won a Pulitzer in feature writing for his story about classical violinist Joshua Bell.

I've been using sections of the feature in seminars with my journalism students for a year now. For the story, Weingarten talked Bell into playing in a Washington, D.C., train station to see if anyone would notice. Not many folks did. I like this kind of story. One of my former student once talked quarterback Drew Brees, then a Purdue star, into playing golf in a foursome with a women's golfer at Purdue; she smoked him.

Newspapers are fighting to survive. Creative stories like Weingarten's are a key to keeping readers engaged. So congratulations to Weingarten and to the Pulitzer committee. His story was a good choice.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-9-08

The daily mix:

1) Toni Price: "Mean Man"
2) Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles: "Lonely Town of Love"
3) Buddy Miller: "It's Been a Change"
4) The Bottle Rockets:"I.D. Blues"
5) John Mellencamp: "My Aeroplane"
6) The Magicians: "An Invitation to Cry"
7) Frankie Beverly and the Butlers: "Because of My Heart"
8) The Dandy Warhols: "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth"
9) The Clash: "Red Angel Dragnet"
10) The Faces: "That's All You Need"

Jimmy Cliff: 'Struggling Man'

Some late-night observations about Jimmy Cliff's "Struggling Man.

• I think "Struggling Man" is Cliff's second-best album, topped only by "Wonderful World, Beautiful People." "The Harder They Come" doesn't really count because it's a soundtrack that includes cuts from several artists.
• The album doesn't include any classic songs, perhaps, but I don't care because Toots Hibbert's the only reggae singer with a voice anywhere near as soulful as Cliff's.
• Favorite tracks on the album: "Struggling Man," "When You're Young," "Sooner or Later."
• Cliff turns Dave Mason's "Can't Stop Worrying, Can't Stop Loving You" into a gospel-drenched soul burner that would fit right in on a Solomon Burke album.
• "Come on People" sounds like an Up With People song gone awry. I don't like "Can't Live Without You" much better.
• I should probably play "When You're Young" for my college journalism students. The song might inspire them to set their dreams high and to try to change the world.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-8-08

The daily mix:

1) The Jimmy Castor Bunch: "Say Leroy (The Creature from the Black Lagoon is Your Father"
2) Pucho & the Latin Soul Brothers: "Big Stick"
3) Stevie Wonder: "Signed, Sealed Delivered I'm Yours"
4) Buddy Miles: "Joe Tex"
5) Joe Tex: "Papa Was Too"
6) Albert King: "Cold Sweat"
7) James Brown: "No, No, No, No"
8) Black Uhuru: "Bull in the Pen"
9) Ibo Cooper: "Ram Jam"
10) Joe Higgs: "Steppin' Razor"

Bobby Womack and J.J. Johnson: 'Across 110th Street'

Most of my students know about Bobby Womack, or at least his tune "Across 110th Street," thanks to Quentin Tarantino, who used the funky '70s anthem in "Jackie Brown." But I'll bet only one of my students, a young jazz trombone fanatic, has ever heard of J.J. Johnson.

And Johnson's soul-jazz tunes on the soundtrack for the "Across 110th Street" movie are every bit as funky as Womack's tracks, especially "Harlem Clavinette."

I'm not a big fan of Womack's "Quicksand," which probably served as an inspiration for the disco that followed it later in the '70s, but "Hang on in There" has a groove that's as nasty as some of the characters in the movie it was written for. And "If You Don't Want My Love (Give It Back)" is one of Womack's prettiest tunes.

Tarantino put together a fine soundtrack for "Jackie Brown." But if you're looking to score a copy of the song "Across 110th Street," why not go to the original source? You'll get Womack's classic version, of course, and you'll get a copy of Johnson's instrumental version, which is so fierce it might just turn my students into jazz fans.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-7-08

The daily mix:

1) Ian Hunter: "Wash Us Away"
2) The Walkabouts: "Coming Up for Air"
3) The Jacobites: "Fortune of Fame"
4) The Gestures: "Can I Get a Witness"
5) Ian Dury and the Blockheads: "If I Was with a Woman"
6) S.S. Legend: "I'll Come Again"
7) The Hentchmen: "Perpetuate the Continuance"
8) The Kinks: "Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight"
9) T. Rex: "The Motivator"
10)The Supersuckers:"Creepy Jackalope Eye"

Alejandro Escovedo at Lafayette's Duncan Hall

Alejandro Escovedo brought only guitarist David Pulkingham to Lafayette's Duncan Hall on Sunday night, but I think he rocked almost as hard as he did 18 months ago when he brought his full band.

After the second song, for example, Escovedo joked that the show was over after he and Pulkingham battled on their acoustic guitars because they'd set themselves on fire. I don't think many folks in the audience heard him, though; they were clapping too hard. Escovedo might have impressed the crowd even more when he and Pulkingam unplugged their guitars and wandered into the crowd to perform several tunes, including a gorgeous version of "Rosalie."

Escovedo set the song up with a tender monologue about his father. He was in a talkative, and reflective, mood, probably because his new album "Real Animal" — a collaboration with Chuck Prophet to be released in June — revisits the arc of Escovedo's life and career.

He talked about growing up with musical siblings, opening for the Sex Pistols, living in the Chelsea Hotel and watching many of his friends die from the excesses of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle. Then he sang about them. And if the several songs from the new album that Escovedo performed are any indication, "Real Animal" is going to be a great album.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-6-08

Sunday morning jazz:

1) John Coltrane: "India"
2) Arthur Blythe: "Once Again"
3) Ari Brown: "Roscoe"
4) David Murray: "Sad Kind of Love"
5) David Sanchez: "Essa Mulher"
6) Arnett Cobb: "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise"
7) Nick Brignola: "Key Largo"
8) Houston Person: "Blue Odyssey"
9) Serge Chaloff: "Slam"
10) Stanley Turrentine: "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You"

Jazz Blog Special: Ari Brown, 'Venus'

The back cover of "Venus" shows Ari Brown blowing a soprano saxophone and a tenor saxophone at the same time. Listen to "Rahsaan in the Serengeti" and you'll see the photo's no gimmick. Brown invokes the spirit of Rahsaan Roland Kirk — jazz's frenetic answer to Robert Preston's "Music Man" — as well as anyone I know.

Brown takes listeners on a wild ride on "Baldhead Gerald," too, but there's a spiritual calmness in his music, even when he's squawking. You'll hear that spirituality on "Trane's Example" and on Roscoe," tributes to John Coltrane and Roscoe Mitchell. And you'll certainly hear it on "Oh What a World We're Living In," a ballad that highlights both the strength and the restraint in Brown's play.

When Brown accompanied Kahil El'Zabar in Champaign last weekend, I noticed the similarity between the way he played the piano (which reminded me a lot of Erroll Garner) and the way he played the saxophone.

"Venus" illustrates that Brown learned from many pianists. But I think he's adapted parts of every good piece of music he's ever heard — on "Venus" you'll hear the influence of New Orleans jazz, free jazz, bebop, gospel, blues and Latin music. Dude has big ears.

Brown brings all those influence together on the album's title track. It's an astounding tune. Brown glides through the Afro-Cubano beat provided by his brother Kirk on piano, Josef Ben Israel on bass and Avreeayl Ra on drums. In the process, he invokes the memories of all his musical mentors without sounding like any of them.

Brown really is a distinctive voice in a world of conformity.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-5-08

The daily mix:

1) Curtis Gordon: "Play the Music Louder"
2) Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs: "Angel Band"
3) Lefty Frizzell: "She's Gone Gone Gone"
4) Bill Carlisle: "Too Old to Cut the Mustard"
5) Jimmy Martin: "Oceans of Diamonds"
6) Steve Sparkman: "Lonesome Pine Breakdown"
7) George Jones: "Jambalaya"
8) Hank Williams: "Moanin' the Blues"
9) Ernest Tubb: "Half a Mind"
10) Webb Pierce: "I'm Tired"

Wanda Jackson Documentary to Air

According to Wanda Jackson's Web site, a documentary about the queen of rockabilly will air on several satellite and cable networks on May 18. Apparently, my cable provider, Comcast, won't be joining the party.

I've been thinking about switching to DirecTV since my cable provider refused to pick up the Big Ten Network this season; I missed a lot of basketball games I wanted to see. Now I have an additional incentive.

Here's a trailer for the documentary:

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-4-08

The daily mix:

1) Dave Alvin: "Peace"
2) Charlie Musselwhite: "Gone Too Long"
3) Larry Garner: "Blues Pay My Way"
4) Fenton Robinson: "Directly From My Heart to You"
5) The Five Americans: "I See the Light"
6) The Grains of Sand: "Going Away Baby"
7) Lonnie Mack: "Baby, What's Wrong"
8) Rod Stewart: "Street Fighting Man"
9) Allman Brothers: "Don't Keep Me Wondering"
10) Los Lobos: "Politician"

And the Madness Begins

I got excited when I saw that Gogol Bordello would be at Coachella and Bonnaroo this year because the schedules for those festivals are often a good indicator of which acts will be at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Now I see on Gogol Bordello's Web site that the band will indeed play ACL this year.

The only thing that could keep me from their ACL show is a scheduling conflict with performers such as Irma Thomas, Solomon Burke, Stevie Wonder or Neil Young. I'd be bummed if that happened. Then again, I'd be pretty damn excited if ACL organizers booked those acts, so I figure I can't lose unless it's 108 degrees in Austin that weekend like it was a few years ago.

We'll find out more when ACL announces its schedule on April 15.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-3-08

Thursday morning jazz:

1) Darcy James Argue's Secret Society: "Ritual"
2) German Jazz Orchestra: "Dwarf Dance"
3) Knoxville Jazz Orchestra: "The Thing About George Coleman"
4) Bob Florence Limited Edition: "The Creepy Crawlies"
5) Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker: "It's Sandy at the Beach"
6) Joe Henderson: "Step Lightly"
7) Anat Cohen: "No Moon at All"
8) Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy: "Solitude"
9) Scott Ray Quintet: "Scarabaeus"
10) Saheb Sarbib Quintet: "Sasa's Groove"

'Darrell Banks is Here!' is a Soul Classic

I don't know of any singer who ever groveled more beautifully than Darrell Banks did on "I'm Gonna Hang My Head and Cry." Banks' voice cracks on almost every note as he begs an old girlfriend for forgiveness. It's even more gripping when when you consider that just a few years later the great soul singer was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer who was seeing Banks' former girlfriend; Banks reportedly had gone to the woman's house to make up with her.

"Darrell Banks is Here!" — released in 1967 — is filled with songs of love and love lost. And the sweet rasp in Banks' voice makes you believe every word he sang.

On his best-known song, "Open the Door to Your Heart," Banks spins a pretty convincing line. I'm willing to bet more than a few guys have played the tune when they were trying to win a young woman's affection. It probably worked, too.

Banks took "Angel Baby (Don't You Ever Leave Me)," which Little Stevie Wonder had recorded the year before, and added steamy layers of sexiness that the young soul prodigy couldn't have imagined. And Banks sounds as cocky and confident as the horns on the punchy "Our Love (Is in the Pocket)."

It's a tragedy he lived long enough to record just one more album because he was one of the greats.

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-2-08

Wednesday morning soul:

1) Geater Davis: "A Sad Shade of Blue"
2) Darrell Banks: "I'm Gonna Hang My Head and Cry"
3) Barbara Lynn: "Trying to Love Two"
4) Gladys Knight and the Pipps: "Giving Up"
5) Tammi Terrell: "Hold Me Oh My Darling"
6) Mable John: "Have Your Cake"
7) Della Humphrey: "Don't Make the Good Girls Go Bad"
8) The Tams: "Anna (Go to Him)"
9) The Knight Brothers: "Temptation 'Bout to Get Me"
10) James Carr: "Love Attack"

Get Your Tickets

Richard Fudge of Friends of Bob, a local music cooperative, says advance ticket sales are slow for Alejandro Escovedo's show in Lafayette on Sunday.

Escovedo's one of the best songwriters and performers on the scene today. His concert at the Lafayette Brewing Company in 2006 was one of the most memorable concerts in Lafayette I've seen. He had an eight-piece band with him then. On Sunday he'll be part of a duo and I think that might be even cooler because it will emphasize the power of his songs and the haunting quality of his voice.

The show will be at 7:30 p.m. at Duncan Hall in Lafayette. Join me. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Here's a sample of what to expect:

Cahl's Jukebox, 4-1-08

The daily mix:

1) Bishop Allen: "The News from Your Bed"
2) Nations By the River: "These are the Times"
3) Beck: "Sunday Sun"
4) Eels: "Guest List"
5) The John Doe Thing: "Going Down Fast"
6) Tapes 'n Tapes: "10 Dollar Ascots"
7) Magnolia Electric Company: "Hard to Love a Man"
8) Andrew Bird: "Cataracts"
9) Big Star: "Motel Blues"
10) Evan Dando: "My Drug Buddy"