'Shake Sauvage: French Soundtracks, 1968-1973'

I don't know a lot about electronica, but I'll bet the songs on "Shake Sauvage: French Soundtracks, 1968-1973," served as an inspiration for many modern electronica artists. I do know about soul and soul jazz ... and this collection draws heavily from both, often sounding like jazzier organ-drenched versions of the soundtracks for Blackploitation films of the '60s.

I'm in love with "Sexopolis" by Jean-Pierre Mirouze, "Full Speed" by Claude Bolling, "OK Chicago" by Resonnance and "Le Crocodile Port Cle" by Bernard Gerard. The album sounds like you're listening to Thievery Corporation back Sex Mob, Jimmy Smith and Isaac Hayes. Funky, Funky.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-31-08

The daily mix:

1) Richard and Linda Thompson: "Walking on a Wire"
2) James Hunter: "I'll Walk Away"
3) Alex Cuba Band: "Muevete"
4) Juan Luis Guerra Y 4:40: "Ojala Que Llueva Cafe"
5) Fela Kuti: "Coffin for Head of State"
6) Thievery Corporation: "Lebanese Blonde"
7) Jean-Pierre Mirouze: "Sexopolis"
8) Weather Report: "Teen Town"
9) Ben Allison and Medicine Wheel: "Harlem River Line"
10) Cedar Walton: "All the Way"

Roky Erickson to Record With Mogwai

Roky Erickson is recording a track called "Devil Rides" with Mogwai on the band's new EP. I'm stoked.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-30-08

The daily mix:

1) Junior Brown: "The Better Half"
2) Tex Williams: "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)"
3) Charley Pride: "Mountain of Love"
4) Carl Sims: "I'm Trapped"
5) Connie Price & the Keystones: "Fuzz and Them"
6) Baby Face Willette: "Face to Face"
7) Charles Kynard: "Big City"
8) Freddie King: "Only Getting Second Best"
9) Percy Mayfield: "Memory Pain"
10) Big Joe Turner: "How Long, How Long Blues"

The Django Reinhardt Festival: 'Gypsy Swing'

Several months ago, a friend came back raving after watching a group perform a set of Django Reinhardt's songs at Chicago's Orchestra Hall. Luckily, he bought me a CD.

The album — which features Dorado Schmitt (lead guitar and violin) and Angelo Debarre (lead guitar), and an arsenal of other talented musicians, including saxophonist James Carter and Reinhardt's son, Babik — is captivating.

The CD opens with "Swing Guitar" and "What is This Thing Called Love," uptempo showcases for the guitarists. The tunes sound almost like the Gypsy Kings decided to record some gypsy jazz with a band behind them.

Carter opens "Melodie Au Crepescule" alone, blowing big fat notes punctuated by discord, Then, when the rest of the band joins in he gently rolls through the tune like Don Byas. I love "China Boy" and its frenzied swing, too, because it highlights all of the instruments, especially the violin, accordion and clarinet.

But the highlight, I think, is the rollicking "Stompin' at Decca." I've never listened to a lot of Django Reinhardt's music, and perhaps I should, but I imagine this version is pretty close to the music he heard in his head.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-29-08

The daily mix:

1) The Ramones: "We Want the Airwaves"
2) Black Flag: "Six Pack"
3) X: "Breathless"
4) Jerry Lee Lewis: "Hi Heel Sneakers"
5) Billy Boy Arnold and Tony McPhee: "I Wish You Would"
6) Mojo Stu: "My Mama She Don't Love Me"
7) Johnny "Guitar" Watson: "Hot Little Mama"
8) T. Rex: "Raw Ramp"
9) David Bowie: "Pallas Athena"
10) The Moaners: "Flannery Said"

Josephine Baker

... and you want to know why I'm still in love with Josephine Baker 33 years after she died?

Paco Renteria Downloads

I've been a fan of Paco Renteria for years, but the only one of his CDs I've ever been able to get is "Latin Gypsy." The great flamenco guitarist's albums are damn near impossible to find outside of Mexico.

That's why I was so excited to learn tonight that several of Renteria's songs are available as free downloads on his myspace page. I highly recommend downloading "El Ritmo de la Sangre" and "La Leyenda del Zorro."

And if you ever get a chance to buy one of his albums, grab it. Here's a taste:


- For more funny videos, click here

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-28-08

The daily mix:

1) The Easybeats: "Who'll Be the One"
2) The Foxymorons: "The Lazy Librarian's Son"
3) The Dixie Cups: "Chapel of Love"
4) The Boo Radleys: "Wake Up Boo!"
5) The Barbarians: "Are You a Boy or are You a Girl"
6) Eels: "Last Stop: This Town"
7) Joe Jackson: "You Got the Fever"
8) The Vulgar Boatmen: "Don't Mention It"
9) Chuck Prophet: "I Can Feel Your Heartbeat"
10) The Connells: "Insane in the Brain"

Tim Adams: 'Images of My Spirit'

Twenty years ago I bought a log drum, a long rectangular wooden box with slits on top, from an import store because it looked so cool. I'm not much of a percussionist, but over the years I've had a few students who were. One, in particular, used to come in to my office and create wild African rhythms. Dance music.

Then, a few weeks ago, I decided to give the instrument to my best friend's son, a talented young jazz drummer, as a high school graduation present. I wanted to give him some examples of recordings that used log drums and that led me to Tim Adams' "Images of My Spirit."

Adams, the principal timpanist for the Pittsburgh Symphony and a music professor at Carnegie Mellon University, doesn't play dance music on "Images of the Spirit." Instead, his music is sparse, elegant and mystical. It's like listening to rain drops in the rain forest as the trees gently brush against each other in the wind.

He's accompanied by Dwayne Dolphin, one of my favorite young jazz bassists, who I first heard playing spirited funk jazz on Fred Wesley's "Amalgamation" album in the mid-'90s. There isn't any funk coming out of Dolphin's piccolo bass on "Images of the Spirit," but in his own gentle way, he grooves just the same.

My young friend is used to banging away on tunes by Art Blakey, Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Great music, to be sure. But he's a smart guy, a National Merit Scholar, and a sensitive kid. I'm betting he'll use the log drum, with "Images of My Spirit" as a guide for meditation, introspection, as he faces the challenges of college. And if he feels like partying, the log drum's a great instrument for that, too.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-27-08

Tuesday morning blues:

1) Luther Allison: "Bad News is Coming"
2) Willie Kent: "One More Mile"
3) Eddie Taylor: "Bad Boy"
4) Jesse Belvin: "Confusin' Blues"
5) Earl Hooker: "Two Bugs and a Roach"
6) Alberta Adams: "Born With the Blues"
7) Zora Young: "You Don't Have to Go"
8) Buddy Guy, Junior Wells and Junior Mance: "Ain't No Need"
9) Coco Montoya: "Hiding Place"
10) James Davis: "Fred, You Ought to Be Dead!"

ACL Spotlight 2008: Eli "Paperboy" Reed

I've been listening to a lot of Eli "Paperboy" Reed in anticipation of this fall's Austin City Music Festival. Reed's high on my list of artists I want to see this year.

Reed is a young white dude from Boston whose new album, "Roll With You," sounds like it's straight out of the Stax vaults.

Reed gets a lot of Otis Redding comparisons. I can hear that. But on "Take My Love With You," my favorite track on the album, he reminds me even more of Otis Day and the Knights, the band from "Animal House" ... especially when he squeals. I'm willing to bet Reed's frenetic energy on that song and on "The Satisfier," coupled with his excellent horn section, will turn ACL into a dance party.

"(Am I Just) Fooling Myself" will probably make the crowd start swaying. Reed's sexy vocals float through the song, intermingling with the horn section, making it one of the best new soul burners I've heard in a long time. "It's Easier" is mighty pretty, too.

I still wish the ACL organizers had booked some classic soul acts like Irma Thomas, Solomon Burke and Al Green, but with Eli Reed & the True Loves on the bill, I'm not about to complain.)

(This is my first ACL Spotlight 2008, which will examine some of the artists who will be appearing at this fall’s Austin City Limits Music Festival.)

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-26-08

The daily mix:

1) Willie Nelson: "Marie"
2) Steve Young: "Montgomery in the Rain"
3) Larry Jon Wilson: "Sapelo"
4) Don Bryant: "Cloudy Days"
5) Otis Redding: "I've Got Dreams to Remember"
6) Jimmy McCracklin: "Yesterday is Gone"
7) Sam Moore and Conway Twitty: "Rainy Night in Georgia"
8) Guy Clark: "Let Him Roll"
9) Carlos Guitarlos: "When the Pain Stops Killing Me"
10) Black Ace: "I Am the Black Ace"

Top 40 Ringtones

I'm not really surprised that my ringtones — Charles Mingus' "Haitian Fight Song" and Nina Simone's "I Put a Spell on You" — didn't make Billboard's list of the 40 hottest ringtones. I am, however, surprised that no Journey songs made the list — this year it seemed like "Don't Stop Believing" blared every time one of my student's cellphones rung.

To tell you the truth, I didn't even know Billboard ranked ringtones until I read this interview with Al Green in The New York Times. That story said Green's "Love and Happiness" had cracked the list earlier this year. Regrettably, the song and Green have since fallen out of the top 40.

Grupo Montez De Durango's "Adios Amor Te Vas" ranks first, followed by the Super Mario Brothers theme. 2 Pac made the list with three tunes; Grupo Montez De Durango and 50 Cent & Olivia scored two of the top spots.

I know that musical tastes are an indivdual thing, but I'm befuddled by the appearance of Vanilla's Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" on the list. Then again, Henry Mancini ("Pink Panther"), Lalo Schifrin (Mission Impossible") and Van Morrison ("Brown Eyed Girl") all made it, so maybe I'm not as out of touch with mainstream America as I thought.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-25-08

Sunday morning jazz:

1) Jimmy McGriff: "The Blues Train to Georgia"
2) Stanley Turrentine and the Three Sounds: "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You"
3) Junior Mance: "Don't Cha Hear Me Callin' to Ya"
4) Shirley Scott: "Mean, Angry, Nasty and Lowdown"
5) Tony Monaco: "Takin' My Time"
6) Gene Ludwig: "All Blues"
7) George Benson: "Some of My Best Friends are Blues"
8) Ben Webster: "Soulville"
9) Bobby Hackett: "Blues in My Heart"
10) Gigi Gryce: "Blues in the Jungle"

Jimmy McGriff Dies

Jimmy McGriff must have had a big crayon box because the great organist colored his music with so many shades of blue.

McGriff, who died Saturday, grooved as hard as any organist I know. I wonder whether there's ever been a song title that accurately reflected an artist's work as well as "Groove Grease" from McGriff's album of the same name. And McGriff's funky licks on the title track of his "The Main Squeeze" album will make every part of your body shake. But as hard as those songs groove, they're filled with subtle little flourishes, too.

Everything McGriff played was filled with soul, but I especially love his covers of soul tunes. Check out his "Let's Stay Together" album and you'll find yourself wishing he'd been the house organist for Al Green, Isaac Hayes and Marvin Gaye as you listen to covers of "Let's Stay Together," "Theme From Shaft" and "What's Going On."

McGriff's many collaborations with saxophonist Hank Crawford are even more soulful; their rendition of "Summertime" from the "Road Tested" album is straight out of the church.

So rest in peace, Mr. McGriff. Your music means a lot to me.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-24-08

Saturday morning soul:

1) Jean Plum: "Look at the Boy"
2) Mel and Tim: "I May Not Be What You Want"
3) Mable John: "If You Give Up What You Got See What You Lost"
4) The Counts: "Bills"
5) The Sound Experience: "Don't Bother Me"
6) Adlibs: "In the Dark"
7) Gable Reed: "Who's Been Warming My Oven"
8) Betty Wright: "Sweet Lovin' Daddy"
9) Chairmen of the Board: "Working on Building a Love"
10) Eddie Holman: "I'm Not Gonna Give Up"

John P. Strohm's Online Memoir

I've been enjoying John P. Strohm's online memoir, which he's serializing on his blog.

In many ways, Strohm's entries remind me a bit of Jen Trynin's excellent memoir, "Everything I'm Cracked Up to Be." A shared landscape accounts for part of the similarities — both Strohm, who chronicles his experiences with The Blake Babies and The Lemonheads, and Trynin sprang from the fertile Boston music scene. It's an interesting account of the struggles and joys of young musicians trying to make it in the music in the music industry. But a bigger tie is their shared experiences trying to make headway in the music industry.

The memoir includes anecdotal accounts about rickety vans, tiny audiences and painful contract disputes. There were a lot of good times, too. Stories about Juliana Hatfield and Evan Dando before they were stars are also interesting.

I'm a big fan of The Blake Babies and of Strohm's solo work, at least in part because of his Hoosier ties. I've lived in Indiana, except for a short foray to Michigan, since 1974 and I've spent many hours at concerts by Hoosier bands that influenced him, including The Gizmos and The Zero Boys. I also admire many of the other bands Strohm talks about ... I even learned about a few new ones.

Check out his memoir and pull out and listen to your old Blake Babies and Lemonheads albums while you read; their albums still sounds amazingly fresh.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-23-08

The daily mix:

1) Great Lakes Myth Society: "Debutante"
2) The Drams: "Hummalong"
3) The Go-Betweens: "Was There Anything I Could Do"
3) Admiral Twins: "Good as Gold"
5) Travoltas: "Liv Tyler"
6) The Icicles: "Rock 'n' Roll Girl"
7) Tiger Trap: "Words and Smiles"
8) The Pillcrushers: "Is It True"
9) Gore Gore Girls: "Where Evil Goes"
10) Prefab Sprout: "Faron"

Blues Blog Special: Merline Johnson, 'The Yas Yas Girl, 1937-1947'

"Yas Yas Girl" Merline Johnson's songs were often even bawdier than her nickname, which refers to her ass.

On "Got a Man in the 'Bama Mines," Johnson sings about getting her biscuits rolled and brags about bending his dollar. On "He Roars Like a Lion," she repeatedly tells folks she doesn't fool around with women because she craves only men. Then she explains that her man "roars like a lion and humps like a kangaroo." Unfortunately, he leaves her.

Maybe that's why Johnson sings so many songs about drinking, though Daniel Gugolz says in the liner notes for "The Yas Yas Girl, 1937-1947," that someone would have to watch her before shows or she'd show up drunk.

I don't know about that — not many people do; there isn't much information available about Johnson's life. And to tell you the truth, the liner notes aren't really much help because several pages were left out, making them almost impossible to follow. I do know she had a big, pretty voice with a hard edge. I also know that the 16 songs on this collection offer ample evidence that Johnson sang the blues with as much attitude as any of her more famous contemporaries.

There aren't many folks I'd rather hear sing about getting busted, as Johnson does on "Patrol Wagon Blues." And "Bad Whiskey Blues" is as saucy as any drinking song I know.

The fact that she was backed by folks such as Big Bill Broonzy, Blind John Davis, Eddie Miller and George Barnes helps make "The Yas Yas Girl, 1937-1947," essential listening for fans of old-school blues.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-22-08

The daily mix:

1) Nina Simone: "Tomorrow Is My Turn (L'Amour C'est Comme Un Jour)"
2) The Tams: "Why Did My Little Girl Cry"
3) Beautiful South: "Baby Please Go"
4) The Jam: "The Place I Love"
5) The Sinners: "Nice Try"
6) Keene Brothers: "Island of Lost Lucys"
7) Madness:"It Must Be Love"
8) Lyres: "Love Me Till the Sun Shines"
9) The Waxwings: "Fragile Girl"
10) The Medveds: "Cindy is a Man"

Jazz Blog Special: Bob Cooper, 'Coop! The Music of Bob Cooper'

I discovered Bob Cooper in high school when I was chilling to records by his wife, the singer June Christy. He had one of the coolest tones on a saxophone I'd ever heard.

You know his work, too ... you'll find him on the credits for albums by Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O'Day, Mel Torme, Stan Kenton, Howard Rumsey, Jimmy Giuffre, Buddy Rich, Bud Shank, Nat King Cole, Ray Brown, Art Pepper, Max Roach, Shorty Rogers, Sarah Vaughan, Gene Harris, Dave Pell, Frank Sinatra, Bob Florence, Maynard Ferguson and many other jazz luminaries. He also played on rock and R&B records, including ones by Madonna, Linda Ronstadt and The Treniers. Hell, he even backed The Monkees.

But as great as many of those albums are, I love "Coop! The Music of Bob Cooper" the best.

The album starts with "Jazz Theme in Four Variations." At times, Cooper and his band swing hard. At other times, they serenade listeners with classic cool jazz. The other five tracks are even better. "Day Dream" is one of the prettiest tracks in jazz. And "Somebody Loves Me" is a bluesy big band tune that hops all the way through.

Cooper's band is incredible. It features: Victor Feldman, vibraphone; Frank Rosolino and Johnny Halliburton on trombone; Conte Candoli, Pete Candoli and Don Fagerquist on trumpet; Lou Levy on piano; Mel Lewis on drums; and Max Bennett on bass. The interplay between Cooper and Feldman is riveting.

The album seems to be out of print, but amazon has some used copies. I see the album is also available for download on emusic.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-21-08

Wednesday morning jazz:

1) Dave Brubeck: "Stompin' for Mili"
2) Chet Baker: "Hotel 49"
3) Bob Brookmeyer: "Ain't Misbehavin'"
4) Tubby Hayes: "Vierd Blues"
5) Art Ellefson & Jazz Modus: "As If to Say"
6) Charlie Rouse: "Social Call"
7) Art Farmer: "Will You Still Be Mine"
8) Thad Jones: "If I Love Again"
9) Mary Lou Williams: "Baby Bear Boogie"
10 Brad Mehldau: "River Man"

Going to Pitchfork

Cindy bought us tickets to go to the Saturday shows at this year's Pitchfork Festival in Chicago.

We thought about the Friday shows, but though I'd like to see Sebadoh and Mission of Burma, I didn't really want to take the whole day off from work. We thought about going to the Sunday shows, too, but I've seen Spoon a couple of times and M. Ward will be at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in September. Besides, we're planning to spend most of Sunday buying Cahl brightly colored shirts at the outlet mall in Michigan City.

I'm especially psyched about the opportunity to see The Hold Steady again. I'm looking forward to seeing Vampire Weekend, too. I know a lot of hipsters trash the band, but I like their poppy rock ... and I wouldn't be much of writing teacher if I didn't groove to "Oxford Comma." Grammar songs are sexy, man.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-20-08

The daily mix:

1) Laura Love: "Bang Bang"
2) Miriam Makeba: "Soweto Blues"
3) Clifton Chenier: "The Things I Do For You"
4) Harry Choates: "Harry Choates Blues"
5) Bukka White: "Shake 'em On Down"
6) Little Willie Littlefield: "So Fine and Brown"
7) Annisteen Allen: "Bongo Boogie"
8) Elvis Presley: "Milkcow Blues Boogie"
9) The Plimsouls: "Lie, Beg, Borrow and Steal"
10) Warren Zevon: "Ain't That Pretty at All"

Guy Forsyth: 'Calico Girl'

On the first song of Guy Forsyth's new album, "Calico Girl," he asks listeners where they got the music. The song's really just a bluesy spoken word diatribe about the music industry and an introduction to the album.

The song, aptly named "Where'd You Get the Music," explains that he recorded the album "Can You Live Without" 10 years ago and that the songs are still available on iTunes. But, Forsyth says, he doesn't see any of the money from the album's profits so he recorded the tunes again. Then he laughs maniacally.

On the next song, "Tattle Tale," Forsyth sounds like he's channeling the maniacal gypsy punk of Gogol Bordello. Given the age of Forsyth's original recording, though, you have to wonder whether Gogol Bordello's really been emulating Forsyth.

The rest of the album includes fierce bluesy rock, clever alt-country and pretty folky tunes. And how can you resist a rocker who wields a mean musical saw?

My favorites include "New Monkey King," an atmospheric bluesy rocker that sounds like it belongs on Robbie Robertson's debut solo album; "Children of Jack," a pretty tune that will remind listeners of James McMurtry's music; and "Faith," a balls-out blues romp.

I like "Can You Live Without," but "Calico Girl" sounds edgier, more mature. It's one of my favorite releases of the year. The fact that the album was released by Forsyth's own label, Small and Nimble Records, makes it all the sweeter because you know he won't get ripped off this time.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-19-08

The daily mix:

1) Tom Freund: "North American Long Weekend"
2) Mark Eitzel: "Queen of No One"
3) Robbie Robertson: "Broken Arrow"
4) Mark Knopfler: "Back to Tupelo"
5) Nikki Sudden: "Stay Bruised"
6) Boz Scaggs: "Sierra"
7) John Prine: "Everybody Wants to Feel Like You"
8) The Long Ryders: "Masters of War"
9) The Cash Brothers: "Take a Little Time"
10) Gurf Morlix: "Diamonds to Dust"

Blues Blog Special: 'The Best of Lightnin' Slim'

I'm not buying it when Lightnin' Slim sings that he's so evil his shadow's scared to follow him — he sounds like he's having too much fun when he plays. But I'm sure he had a nasty streak because the 16 tracks on "The Best of Lightnin' Slim" are as raucous and raw as any blues you'll ever find.

Lightnin' Slim's raspy growl and furious guitar licks aren't fancy, but they certainly carry a bite on rockin' tunes such as "I'm Evil," "Rooster Blues," "Love Me Mama" and "I'm Tire of Waiting." With Lazy Lester stirring up trouble on his harmonica behind him, Lightnin' Slim sounds even more imposing on slower tracks such as "Nothing But the Devil" and "Somebody Knockin'" — his voice is like the personification of a train rumbling down the track.

Most blues aficionados I know revere Lightnin' Slim and his swampy Louisiana blues. You should, too. Live on the wild side. Listening to "The Best of Lightnin' Slim" is like having a patron saint of the blues take you on an aural tour of hell.

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

'Pure Bossa Nova: A View on the Music of Sylvia Telles'

I don't need to speak Portuguese to understand that Sylvia Telles is singing about love, longing and whimsy on "Pure Bossa Nova." She could hum a song and I'd understand. The collection is as relaxing and beautiful as any album I own.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-18-08

The daily mix:

1) Anita O'Day: "The Getaway and the Chase"
2) June Christy: "Pete Kelly's Blues"
3) Carmen McRae: "Because You're Mine"
4) Andy Bey: "Never Let Me Go"
5) Mel Torme: "Born to Be Blue"
6) Count Basie and Tony Bennett: "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face"
7) Etta Jones: "They Can't Take That Away From Me"
8) Dinah Washington: "Accent on Youth"
9) Billie Holiday: "Speak Low"
10) Dakota Staton: "A Foggy Day"

'The Best of Jerry Butler'

Almost to the person, my female friends are in love with "Breakfast at Tiffany's." I know a lot of guys who dig the movie, too, including me.

Audrey Hepburn's version of the song in the film is sweet — it hooked George Peppard. I think the definitive version, though, belongs to Jerry Butler, the original lead singer of The Impressions.

"The Best of Jerry Butler" on Rhino was one of the first CDs I ever bought. It's still one of my favorites.

When Butler sings "Moon River," he perfectly captures the wistful vulnerability of Hepburn's Holly Golightly. Butler's versions of "He Will Break Your Heart," "Giving Up On Love" and "I'm the One Who Loves You" weren't in the film, but they would have been perfect for it.

Find a copy of "The Best of Jerry Butler" and listen to it as you watch "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Butler's sweet, sad vocals will pierce your soul ... just like Audrey Hepburn's eyes.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-17-08

The daily mix:

1) Byron Lee & the Dragonaires: "Come Back"
2) Cookie & the Cupcakes: "Mathilde"
3) The Cougars: "Right On"
4) Clarence "Frogman" Henry: "Lonely Street"
5) Jerry Lee Lewis: "Down the Line"
6) Charlie Musselwhite: "Black Water"
7) Duane Jarvis: "A Girl That's Hip"
8) Rockpile: "A Knife and a Fork"
9) Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers: "Dignified and Old"
10) Dave Alvin and the Guilty Men: "Thirty Dollar Room"

Lancelot Link, Secret Rock Star

It's no wonder I grew up with warped sensibilities. But "Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp," beats the hell out of "High School Musical," which I saw approximately 52 times over the Christmas holidays with my nieces.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-16-08

Friday morning jazz:

1) Skip Heller: "Cold Duck Time"
2) Jimmy Bruno: "Stella By Starlight"
3) Jimmy Ponder: "What's New"
4) Carla Bley: "The Lord is Listenin' To Ya, Hallelujah!"
5) Eddie Harris: "Velocity"
6) Bob Brookmeyer: "Morning Glory"
7) Odean Pope Saxophone Choir: "Central Park West"
8) Henry Grimes Trio: "Flowers for Albert"
9) Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra: "Reef and Kneebus"
10) Joe Henderson: "No Me Es Queca"

Best Songs About Crying

I'm in a great mood because I have a good group of students this summer. The pooch is mopey, though, because he wants to go outside and it's raining — Franco hates getting wet almost as much as I hate Jimmy Buffett's music.

So, to taunt the little hellhound, and to amuse myself, I've compiled a list of my favorite songs about crying. It wasn't easy; I have several hundred songs on my iTunes players that include some form of crying in the title.

My ground rules:
• No more than one song by an artist (thus, both The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Cry Baby Cry" couldn't make the list.)
• Only one version of a song.
• Each song must have a form of "cry," "tears," "weep" or "sob" in the title, which is the only reason I'm not including James Carr's "These Aren't Raindrops," which is, in fact, about crying.
• All songs must have lyrics, which eliminates scores of instrumental jazz tunes I love.
• No songs by Jimmy Buffett, Billy Joel and Celine Dion would be considered.

That said, here's my list:
1. Hank Williams: "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"
2. O.V. Wright: "You're Gonna Make Me Cry"
3. Dinah Washington: "Cry Me a River"
4. Alejandro Escovedo: "Pyramid of Tears"
5. Patsy Cline: "I Cried All the Way to the Altar"
6. Aretha Franklin: "Mary, Don't You Weep"
7. Big Maybelle: "I Don't Want to Cry"
8. Elmore James: "The Sky is Crying"
9. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles: "Tracks of My Tears"
10. Ray Charles: "Drown in My Own Tears"
11. Bob Marley: "No Woman No Cry"
12. Gatemouth Moore: "Cryin' and Singin' The Blues"
13. Son Volt: "Tear Stained Eye"
14. Howling Wolf: Crying at Daybreak"
15. The Kinks: "Stop Your Sobbing"
16. Etta James: "Losers Weepers"
17. Solomon Burke and Gillian Welch: "Valley of Tears"
18. Bettye LaVette: "Your Turn to Cry"
19. Roy Orbison: "Crying"
20. The Beatles: "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
21. Chris Gaffney: "See the Big Man Cry"
22. Otis Spann: "Crying Time"
23. Gladys Knight: "Didn't You Know (You'd Have to Cry Sometime)"
24. Hank Thompson: "Cryin' in the Deep Blue Sea"
25. Ernie K-Doe: "I Cried My Last Tear"
26. Jackie Wilson: "Lonely Teardrops"
27. Bob Dylan, "Baby Stop Crying"
28. Billie Holiday: "I Cried for You"
29. Rockpile: "Crying in the Rain"
30. Conway Twitty: "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain"
31. Jimmy Reed: "Cry Before I Go"
32. Betty Harris: "Cry Baby"
33. The Rolling Stones: "Fool to Cry"
34. Shirley Horn: "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying"
35. The Jacobites: "It'll All End Up in Tears"
36. Gram Parsons: "Cry One More Time"
37. Ofer Golany: "A Weeping Eye"
38. Bobby "Blue" Bland: "Don't Cry No More"
39. Teddy Thompson: "My Blue Tears"
40. Bob Mould: "Stop Your Crying"
41. William Bell: "Crying All By Myself"
42. Mary Gauthier: "Your Sister Cried"
43. Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys: "I Laugh When I Think How I Cried Over You"
44. Johnny Dynamite: "The Night the Angels Cried"
45. The Intruders: "Teardrops"
46. Elvis Presley: "Crying in the Chapel"
47. Roger Miller: "Lock, Stock and Teardrops"
48. Charles Brown: "I Cried Last Night"
49. Koko Taylor: "That's Why I'm Crying"
50. Al Green: "Keep Me Crying"
51. INXS: "Bitter Tears"
52. Jessie Mae Hemphill: "Standing in My Doorway Crying"
53. Bessie Smith: "Sobbing Hearted Blues"
54. Sweet Betty: "Your Tears Become My Tears"
55. ? and the Mysterians: "96 Tears"
56. Los Lobos: "Tears Inside"
57. Teenage Fanclub: "Tears"
58. Sonnyboy Williamson: "The Sun is Crying"
59. Garnet Mims: "Baby Don't You Weep"
60. Irma Thomas: "Somewhere Crying"
61. Buddy Miller: "Sometimes I Cry"
62. Marah: Crying on an Airplane"
63. Betty Everett: "Ain't Gonna Cry"
64. Van Morrison: "Don't Start Crying Now/Custard Pie"
65. Otis Clay: "Cry Cry Cry"
66. Tammi Terrell: "Tears at the End of a Love Affair"
67. John Primer: "Crying for Your Love"
68. Annie Ross and Zoot Sims: "I Don't Want to Cry Anymore"
69. Janiva Magness: "I Can't Stop Crying"
70. Jimmy D. Lane: "Tears Without a Shoulder"
71. Brenda Lee: "The Crying Game"
72. Robbie Fulks: "Busy Not Crying"
73. The Skeletons: "Teardrop City"
74. Paul Westerberg: "Tears Rolling Up Our Sleeves"
75. The Gizmos: "Cry Real Tears"
76. Little Anthony and the Imperials: "Tears on My Pillow"
77. Darrell Banks: "I'm Gonna Hang My Head and Cry
78. Lucero: "Tears Don't Matter Much"
79. Dusty Springfield: "Every Day I Have to Cry"
80. Jason Ringenberg: "Trail of Tears"
81. The Spanic Boys: "Tears of Happiness"
82. Pavement: "Ann Don't Cry"
83. Mississippi John Hurt: "Blind Man Sit in the Way and Cried"
84. Steve Earle: "The Boy Who Never Cried"
85. Lavern Baker: "I Cried a Tear"
86. B.B. King: "Crying Won't Help You Now"
87. Golden Smog: "Yesterday Cried"
88. Ruth Brown: "Don't Cry"
89. Lou Rawls: "So Hard to Laugh, So Hard to Cry"
90. Beck: "Lonesome Tears"
91. The Jayhawks: "Sister Cry"
92. Buzz Busby: "I'll Cry Tomorrow"
93. The Shangri-las: "He Cried"
94. The Gentlemen: "It's a Crying Shame"
95. The Ramones: "Come Back, She Cried a.ka. I Walked Out"
96. John Hammond: "Standing Around Crying"
97. Buddy Guy: "Sit and Cry (The Blues)"
98. Jim Lauderdale: "When the Devil Starts Crying"
99. The 5 Royales: "Tears of Joy"
100. Erma Franklin: "Don't Have the Right to Cry"

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-15-08

The daily mix:

1) The Volebeats: "Everytime"
2) Lucero: "Hate and Jealousy"
3) Cub Country: "The West"
4) Pieta Brown: "On the Edge"
5) Kathleen Edwards: "Back to Me"
6) Kirsty MacColl: "Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!"
7) Siobhan MacGowan: "Chariot"
8) Clem Snide: "Nick Drake Tape"
9) M. Ward: "Here Comes the Sun Again"
10) Ray LaMontagne: "How Come"

Good news

I read tonight on Teddy Thompson's myspace page that he has a new album coming out in June. That's the best news I've heard all week.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-14-08

Wednesday night jazz:

1) Ralph Pena: "Whims of Chambers"
2) Dave Pell: "Nap's Dream"
3) Dexter Gordon: "So Easy"
4) Sal Nistico: "Shoutin'"
5) Buddy Rich: "Time Check"
6) Maynard Ferguson: "Country Boy"
7) Avishai Cohen: "Handsonit"
8) Heath Brothers: "Three at Last"
9) Nat Adderley: "Big P"
10) Curtis Amy: "Amyable"

Jazz Blog Special: Ralph Pena, 'Master of the Bass'

I bought "Master of the Bass" when it was released by V.S.O.P. Records in 1996 because I recognized Ralph Pena's name from his work with Jimmy Giuffre, Dave Pell and Bob Brookmeyer. I'm also a sucker for jazz bassists.

Pena, who died in a car wreck in 1969, was an unusually expressive bassist. If you listen closely to the 10 tunes on this album, recorded in 1961 by photographer George Jerman in Pena's garage and in a small bar in Hollywood, you'll hear walking bass lines filled with nuance. You'll hear Pena rumble, too.

I'm fondest of the four tracks that feature Pena performing duets with pianist Pete Jolly because Pena's the focal point. On "Say Si Si," for example, Pena propels the melody with frenzied bass lines. Jolly answers with his own frenetic piano licks. As a result, the tune sounds playful and spicy. Pena and Jolly take "I Don't Want to Be Kissed By Anyone" at a slower pace, but it swings just the same.

The album's other tracks, which feature Herb Geller on alto saxophone and Joe Albany on piano, explore Charlie Parker-style bebop. Those tunes are terrific, too. "Birdtown Birds" is especially good.

Sometimes I get burned when I buy albums on a whim. This time I got lucky. The quality of the recording is surprisingly good and the music's memorable.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-13-08

The daily mix:

1) The Vulgar Boatmen: "Allison Says"
2) Graham Parker: "Bad Chardonnay"
3) American Music Club: "Patriots at Heart"
4) Loggins and Messina: "Your Mama Don't Dance"
5) Marah: "Angels on a Passing Train"
6) Young Fresh Fellows: "When the Girls Get Here"
7) Built to Spill: "Liar"
8) The Rakes: "Retreat"
9) John Vanderslice: "Up Above the Sea"
10) The Figgs: "Taking Turns"

Little Junior Parker

Like a lot of folks, I suppose, I learned about Junior Parker when Al Green dedicated a recording of "Take Me to the River" to his late cousin. After picking up some of Parker's records, I quickly discovered that Parker's voice was almost as almost as silky as Green's, but Parker sounded earthier, probably because he sang gritty blues and played his harmonica like a dervish.

"Junior's Blues: The Duke Recordings, Vol. 1," is apparently out of print, but it's worth searching for a copy. I think its an essential collection for anyone who loves modern blues. Parker's sweet vocals over the top of a rocking beat make "I Wanna Ramble," "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Yonder's Wall" some of the most infectious blues tunes I know.

"Love Ain't Nothin' But a Business Goin' On" probably isn't essential, but it's worth looking for a used copy of it, too. The album's funky title track sounds like a bluesy cover of a Curtis Mayfield tune. Parker glides through a jazzy rendition of "You Know I Love You" and a Lou Rawls-like reading of "Just to Hold My Hand."

I'm rarely a big fan of Beatles covers, but Parker turns "Taxman" and "Lady Madonna" into funk anthems. His cover of Lennon and McCartney's "Tomorrow Never Knows" is regrettable, though — it sounds like a bad Jim Morrison impersonation — but that's a minor quibble.

Parker died of a brain tumor in 1971 when he was just 39. If he'd lived, perhaps he would have received the wide recognition he deserved. He might have even recorded an album of duets with Cousin Al. But I'll settle for the gems Parker left us.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-12-08

The daily mix:

1) Junior Parker: "Love Ain't Nothin' But a Business Goin' On"
2) Curtis Mayfield: "Wild and Free"
3) Roland Kirk: "Doin' the Sixty-Eight"
4) Baby Face Willette: "Swingin' at Sugar Ray's"
5) Bob Marley and the Wailers: "Roots, Rock, Reggae"
6) Edi Fitzroy: "Hotel California"
7) Fela Kuti: "Alu Jon Jonki Jon"
8) James Brown: "Mother Popcorn"
9) Freddie Love: "Everybody's Doin' It"
10) Funkadelic: "You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks"

Peter Robinson's Playlists

Long-time readers of my blog know I'm a big fan of mystery writer Peter Robinson and of the way he integrates music into his novels. Tonight I learned his Web site includes playlists for the music mentioned in a couple of his books.

For example, the "Friend of the Devil" playlist includes songs as diverse as Tom Waits' "Low Down," the Bill Evans Trio's "Waltz for Debbie" and Thea Gilmore's "Sugar." His playlist for "Piece of My Heart" includes tunes such as Kevin Ayers' "Rachel," Pink Floyd's "Astronomy Domine" and The Incredible String Band's "Painting Box."

No wonder I love his mysteries.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-11-08

The daily mix:

1) Jackie Ross: "Take the Weight Off Me"
2) Tammi Terrell: "Tears at the End of a Love Affair"
3) The Temptations: "You'll Lose a Precious Love"
4) Lou Rawls: "If I Were a Magician"
5) Ruth Brown: "Salty Papa Blues"
6) Abbey Lincoln: "Happiness is a Thing Called Joe"
7) Nina Simone: "The Gal From Joe's"
8) Maria Rita: "Dos Gardenias"
9) Elis Regina: "Um Por Todos"
10) Edith Piaf: "Chanson Bleue"

Jackie Ross: 'Take the Weight Off Me'

Jackie Ross' and Little Milton's voices blend beautifully on five duets found on "Take the Weight Off Me," a collection of Ross' recordings in the late '60s and early '70s. They share the same kind of chemistry that Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell did.

There are some gems among Ross' 16 solo tracks, too. Ross, had some success with the perky Motown-like "Selfish One" in the '60s when she was with Chess Records, but I think she sounds way sexier on many of the songs on "Take the Weight Off Me."

Ross sounds both sultry and vulnerable on the slow-burning "I Can't Stand to See You Go." She starts "Need Your Love So Bad" with a bluesy whisper; then, without warning, she erupts, screeching like a female version of Otis Redding. She sounds a bit like a combination of Bettye Swann and Dusty Springfield singing in church on "This World's in a Hell of a Shape" — I've been putting it on a lot of mix CDs for my students and friends lately.

Slick production mars a few songs, but "Take the Weight Off Me" is still required listening for fans of northern soul. It's certainly in heavy rotation at my house.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-10-08

The daily mix:

1) Guided By Voices: "Skills Like This"
2) Voxtrot: "Brother in Conflict"
3) Blondie: "Sunday Girl"
4) The Standells: "Try It"
5) The Velvet Crush: "Kill Me Now"
6) Spoon: "Don't You Evah"
7) David Bowie: "Watch That Man"
8) Todd Rundgren: "Everybody's Going to Heaven/King Kong Reggae"
9) The Dandy Warhols: "Rock Bottom"
10) Jason Ringenberg: "Trail of Tears"

Purdue Convos

The Purdue Convocations 2008-2009 schedule is out and it's going to be a good season for jazz. The schedule features Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Jazz Center Orchestra on Oct. 3, Omar Sosa on Oct. 18 and the Mingus Big Band on Jan. 16.

I'm also looking forward to shows by classical violinist Joshua Bell on Jan. 11 and Portuguese fado singer Mariza on April 14.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-9-08

It's a soulful Friday night:

1) The Blues Busters: "Inspired to Love You"
2) Clifford Curry: "Ain't No Danger"
3) Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs: "Running Around"
4) Ted Taylor: "Somebody's Always Trying"
5) Johnnie and Joe: "You're the Loneliest Song (I Ever Heard)"
6) The Casanovas: "Hush-a-Mecca"
7) The Emotions: "From Toys to Boys"
8) Tim Jarrett: "I Ain't Nothin' But a Fool"
9) Ike and Tina Turner: "I Idolize You"
10) Doris Duke: "How Was I to Know You Cared"

The Blues Busters: 'Behold: The Anthology'

The Blues Busters, Lloyd Campbell and Phillip James, are one of the great soul duos of all time. They were also among the greatest reggae pioneers.

Pick up "Behold: the Anthology." Their rendition of "Don't Lose a Good Thing" is one of my favorite soul burners.

In the meantime, let's groove:

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-8-08

The daily mix:

1) Jimmy Rodgers with Louis Armstrong and Lil Hardin Armstrong: "Blue Yodel No. 9"
2) Jimmy Lunceford and His Orchestra: "'Taint What You Do (It's the Way That Cha Do It)"
3) Harlan Leonard and His Rockets: "Contact"
4) Spade Cooley: "Shame On You"
5) Flatt and Scruggs: "We Can't Be Darlins Anymore"
6) Hank Williams III: "Country Heroes"
7) Fred Eaglesmith: "Wilder Than Her"
8) Townes Van Zandt: "Colorado Girl"
9) Billy Bragg: "If You Ever Leave"
10) John Hiatt: "Icy Blue Heart"

Billy Bragg: 'Mr. Love & Justice'

Folks who complain that Billy Bragg's new album, "Mr. Love & Justice," is a disappointing departure from his older material haven't been listening closely. It's true that most of the songs on the album aren't overtly political — though there are a few — but Bragg's always had a tender side.

The best songs on "Mr. Love & Justice" deal with relationships, just as tunes such as "Must I Paint You a Picture," "You Woke Up My Neighbourhood" and "Sulk" did in the past. Bragg writes grown-up love songs that are both simple and sophisticated ... the kind you'd find on albums by John Hiatt and Ian McLachlan, who plays keyboards on "Mr. Love & Justice."

So, yeah, Bragg doesn't devote the entire album to rants about President Bush and war. But he does say he fears the future and what it might hold. The key to facing it, he suggests, is love.

Makes sense to me.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-7-08

Wednesday night jazz:

1) Erroll Garner: "Exactly Like You"
2) Joey Calderazzo: "I've Never Been in Love Before"
3) Curtis Amy: "Lonely Woman"
4) Russell Gunn: "Blues to Lee"
5) Babatunde Lea: "Fire and Rain"
6) Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Harry "Sweets" Edison: "One for the Count"
7) James Carter: "Born to be Blue"
8) Blue Mitchell: "Hip to It"
9) Ira Sullivan: "My Secret Love"
10) Jack Sheldon: "No Trump"

Jazz Blog Special: Oliver Nelson, King Curtis and Jimmy Forrest, 'Soul Battle'

Oliver Nelson, King Curtis and Jimmy Forrest's torrid rendition of "Anacruses" on "Soul Battle" is one of the burliest jazz tunes I know. The three tenor saxophonists race through an excellent version of "Perdido," too.

But the highlight, at least for me, is "In Passing," a classic call and response tune led by Nelson and answered by Curtis and Forrest. The fat tones of Nelson, Curtis and Forrest's saxophones create a bluesy blend that's as meaty as you'll find in jazz. It's mighty pretty, too

The album, originally released in 1960, also features pianist Gene Casey, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Roy Haynes.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-6-08

The daily mix:

1) Lou Reed: "Crazy Feeling"
2) The Dream Syndicate: "That's What You Always Say"
3) The Beat Farmers: "Maureen"
4) The Clash: "All the Young Punks (New Boots and Contracts)"
5) The Halo Benders: "Don't Touch My Bikini"
6) The Mono Men: "One More Time"
7) Dick Dale: "Hava Nagila"
8) Lonnie Mack: "Suzie-Q"
9) John Ashley: "Born to Rock"
10) Elvis Presley: "Baby, Let's Play House"

Elvis Costello: 'Momofuku'

Elvis Costello rushed through the recording and production of his new album, "Momofuku" and it shows. Thank God.

The album's best tunes — "No Hiding Place," "American Gangster Time," "Turpentine," "Stella Hurt" and "Go Away" — are juiced and jagged, much like the rockers on his early albums. The tracks remind me even more of the jangly barroom energy found in the songs on The Plimsouls' debut album, which the record store folks were playing when I bought "Momofuku" this morning.

I'm a sucker for rock that's raw, imperfect. I love Costello's 2006 collaboration with Allen Toussaint, "The River in Reverse," but I think some of his recent solo releases seemed too studied. OK, bland.

There's nothing boring about "American Gangster Time," my favorite tune on "Momofuku." Costello blasts through the song, and Steve Nieve's Vox organ gives it a '60s garage rock feel. "Stella Hurt" is even harder. Some folks won't like the distorted wave of electronic discord at the end of the tune, but it reminds me of the musical rage on Tin Machine's first album, which I love.

On "Go Away," Jenny Lewis, who sings harmonies on several tunes, adds a surprising toughness that seems to inspire Costello. Lewis and Costello sound almost as if they're having a frenzied argument during the choruses. It's a mighty pretty argument, though.

"Flutter and Wow," a nice marriage of rock and soul, and "Pardon Me Madam, My Name is Eve," a beautiful acerbic ballad, are the best of the slower tracks. A couple of the other slow tunes drag a bit, but that's not particularly distracting when you consider the album as a whole.

"Momofuku" might not be a masterpiece, but Costello sounds like he had a blast making this album and that translates to poppy fun for listeners.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-5-08

The daily mix:

1) The Skeletons: "Nothing to Lose"
2) Peter Bruntnell: "By the Time My Head Gets to Phoenix"
3) Flying Burrito Brothers: "Wheels"
4) Todd Deatheridge and Rhett Miller: "Stopping Me is You"
5) The Blacks: "Theresa Leaves Lonesome T"
6) Bruce Cockburn: "Making Contact"
7) Robbie Fulks: "She Must Think I Like Poetry"
8) The Sadies: "A Good Flying Day"
9) The Sleepy Jackson: "Old Dirt Farmer"
10) Pedro the Lion: "Arizona"

The Skeletons: 'Nothing to Lose'

Apparently, The Skeletons accompanied Steve Forbert on his tour in 1979. I saw a couple of his shows that year, so I must have heard them. They also backed Syd Straw on "War and Peace,"one of my favorite albums, and I'm wondering whether I heard them when they accompanied Straw on her tour for that album. They've also worked with Dave Alvin.

I didn't know any of this until I bought The Skeletons' "Nothing to Lose" a couple of years ago on the recommendation of a friend.

On several tracks, they sound amazingly like Whiskeytown with an earthier singer. Mostly, though, The Skeletons sound like a rock band that's drawn from just about every musician I've ever loved. Their music's like a ragged mix of The Byrds, Jerry Lee Lewis and Graham Parker.

No wonder Steve Forbert, Syd Straw and Dave Alvin love The Skeletons.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-4-08

The daily mix:

1) Otis Clay: "I Don't Know What to Do"
2) Los Lobos: "I Can't Understand"
3) Magic Sam: "All Your Love"
4) Jerry Lee Lewis: ""Night Train to Memphis"
5) The Pogues: "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah"
6) Bobby Fuller Four: "The Magic Touch"
7) Edwin Starr: "Double-O-Soul"
8) Coco Montoya: "Monkey See, Monkey Do"
9) James Cotton: "She's Murder"
10) Rod Stewart: "That's All Right"

Blues Blog Special: Dalton Reed, 'Louisiana Soul Man'

When I bought Dalton Reed's debut album, "Louisiana Soul Man," in 1992, I remember thinking Bobby "Blue" Bland and Otis Clay finally had someone to carry on the soul-blues tradition after they were gone. Unfortunately, Reed died of a heart attack at the age of 42 a couple of years later.

A lot of folks prefer Reed's only other album, "Willing and Able," and it is mighty good, but I always find myself returning to the first one. Call it sentimentality, I suppose — I was working in a town where I didn't know anyone and I played the album damn near every night.

Reed had a silky voice that sounded saucy when the band pushed the tempo on bluesy tunes such as ""Full Moon," "Blues of the Month Club" and "Keep On Loving Me." But when Reed sang a ballad, he sounded downright urgent, especially on Otis Redding's "Chained and Bound."

"Keep On Loving Me," my favorite song on the album, blends the two sides of Reed. It's an uptempo tune that Reed sings like a ballad, with his voice mimicking both the meaty tone of the organ behind him and the deep trill of the saxophone.

Bobby "Blue" Bland and Otis Clay are both still with us, thank God, but they lost a kindred spirit when Reed died.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-3-08

The daily mix:

1) Chuck Prophet: "It Won't Be Long"
2) Bob Schneider: "Super Powers"
3) Keith Richards and the X-Pensive Winos: "I Could Have Stood You Up"
4) Chuck E. Weiss: "Deeply Sorry"
5) Lou Ann Barton: "Stop These Teardrops"
6) Billy Jones: "Make Love Tonight"
7) Shemekia Copeland: "The Fool You're Looking For"
8) Bonnie Lee: "Fast Life"
9) Chuck Willis: "You're Still My Baby"
10) Howard Tate: "My Soul's Got a Hole In It"

Guy Forsyth on Tour

Today while looking up information about Guy Forsyth's new album, "Calico Girl," I learned he's scheduled to appear in Terre Haute twice over the next few months ... on July 19 at a club called The Verve and on Sept. 13 for the Blues at the Crossroads Festival.

I'm tempted to go to one or both of the shows — I haven't been to Terre Haute since I worked there as a features editor when I was a much younger man. But I also see that Forsyth will also be playing on July 2 at this year's American Music Festival at Fitzgerald's in Berwyn, which is just outside of Chicago. That's an evening more enticing option because the festival will include performances by Chuck Prophet, Jon Dee Graham, Marcia Ball, Charles Walker and the Dynamites, The Holmes Brothers and a lot of other great acts.

If you don't know Forsyth's music, check out his "Love Songs: For and Against" album. Forsyth combines blues, country and rock for a gritty mix that's similar to the music produced by Chuck Prophet, Dave Alvin and Paul Thorn.

Try to catch one of his shows. Here's a taste:

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-2-08

The daily mix:

1) John Hiatt: "Drive South"
2) Chris Smither: "Real Fine Love"
3) Rosanne Cash: "Like Fugitives"
4) Warren Zevon: "For My Next Trick I'll Need a Volunteer"
5) John Doe: "Worried Brow"
6) Jemima James: "Small Town Girls"
7) Mary Gauthier: "I Ain't Leaving"
8) Andrew Bird: "Tea & Thorazine"
9) Rufus Wainwright: "Rebel Prince"
10) Aimee Mann: "Goodbye Caroline"

Dusty Springfield Biopic Starring Nicole Kidman

I have mixed feelings about the news that Nicole Kidman will play Dusty Springfield in a film about the pop star's life.

I like Kidman and think she's a fine choice to play Springfield. And, no doubt, the movie will introduce a new generation to Springfield's great music.

I just hope the film's script doesn't seem as if it was ripped from the pages of the tabloids. It's fine, perhaps essential, if the film addresses Springfield's bisexuality. That message might even be positive. And the film probably would seem unrealistic if it didn't include bits about her battles with drugs and alcohol.

I just don't want to see a sordid caricature of her life; I got enough of that sort of thing when I watched biopics about Johnny Cash and Ray Charles. Personally, I'd be happy if the Dusty Springfield movie focused just on her music, which is all that really matters.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-1-08

Thursday blues:

1) Frank Stokes: "Nehi Blues"
2) Jessie Mae Hemphill: "My Daddy's Blues"
3) Big Maceo: "Kid Man Blues"
4) Tampa Red: "It's Like That"
5) Jazz Gillum: "Five Feet Four"
6) Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup: "I Want My Lovin'"
7) Eddie Tigner: "I Dare You Baby"
8) Roosevelt Sykes: "Drunken Gambler"
9) Alberta Hunter: "Amtrak Blues"
10) Georgia White: "Toothache Blues"

Kathleen Edwards at the Music Mill in Indianapolis

Near the end of her set Wednesday at the Music Mill, Kathleen Edwards pranced onto the stage with a birthday cake for Jim Bryson, a keyboard player and guitarist in her band. But when Bryson tried to cut the cake, the knife Edwards had given him got stuck; the cake was made of ice cream and it was frozen. Edwards could barely control her laughter.

The spunky young singer's show was filled with mirth. Edwards joked with the crowd throughout the evening; at one point a loud audience member started plugging presidential candidate Barack Obama. Edwards grinned and said she didn't give a shit about Obama or American politics because she's from Canada.

She also had a bit of fun with her husband, guitarist Colin Cripps, when she announced that she and the band would be flying back to Canada in a few days to make a music video for "I Make the Dough, You Get the Glory," a tune Edwards wrote for Bryson. Edwards seemed delighted when she said the video will give her an opportunity to kiss Marty McSorley, the hockey thug who's prominently name-checked in the song's lyrics.

Mostly, though, Edwards expressed her joy through her music. Every few minutes, Edwards sidled up to Cripps or Bryson to jam. The move's a rock 'n' roll cliche, perhaps, but it seemed sweet and genuine when Edwards did it. She clearly loves playing with her band.

She's a good musician, too. That's the thing that surprised me the most about the show. I knew the sweet twang of Edwards' voice had the power to mesmerize a crowd, but I didn't remember her using a guitar to do the same when I saw her a couple of years ago. Edwards isn't as polished a guitarist as Cripps, but she's clearly more than just a rhythm guitarist these days. She also displayed some virtuosity on the fiddle and harmonica.

Edwards also impressed me with the pacing of the show. She opened with the lovely, almost ethereal, "Mercury," and slowed the tempo for other beauties such as "Asking for Flowers," "Alicia Ross" and "Goodbye California." Between them, she rocked the house with songs such as "6 O'Clock News," "12 Bellevue" and "The Cheapest Key."

As Edwards and the band left the stage, Bryson held the knife above his head, the ice cream cake still attached. Edwards laughed again, of course. Cindy and I did, too ... all the way back to Lafayette. Go see Edwards and her band if you get a chance. I guarantee she'll put a smile on your face.