Cahl's Jukebox, 8-28-08

Thursday morning blues:

1) Arthur Williams: "Ain't Goin' Down"
2) Lucky Peterson: "You can't Fool Me"
3) Little Willie Anderson: "Big Fat Mama"
4) Jimmy Johnson: "A Woman Ain't Supposed to Be Hard"
5) Tad Robinson: "Give Love a Chance"
6) Jimmy Reed: "When Two People in Love"
7) Furry Lewis: "Take Your Time"
8) Sonny Rhodes: "The Blues is My Best Friend"
9) Aron Burton: "Cold, Cold Feeling"
10) Catfish Hodge: "Pancake Man"

Sugar Chile Robinson

I've always thought Michael Jackson was the toughest little musician I ever heard — The Jackson 5's first recordings are still some of my favorite albums. But tonight as I listen to "Sugar Chile Robinson, 1949-1952, I'm wondering whether I've been wrong all these years.

Sugar Chile Robinson was a child prodigy out of Detroit who played boogie woogie piano about as ferociously as anyone ever did. The little guy rocked his vocals, too ... especially when he sang "Caledonia" and "Numbers Boogie." I don't know for sure, but I'd be shocked if he wasn't a model and an inspiration for Little Stevie Wonder.

Let's rock:

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-27-08

Wednesday morning jazz:

1) Herbie Nichols: "Brass Rings"
2) Cal Tjader: "Now's the Time"
3) Dexter Gordon: "Scrapple From the Apple"
4) Joe Henderson: "Without a Song"
5) Valery Ponomarev:"Be Careful of Dreams"
6) Carmell Jones: "Take This Hammer"
7) Cecil Payne: "That's It Blues"
8) Keter Betts: "If I Had You
9) Sonny Red: "The Mode"
10) Henry Threadgill: "Paper Toilet"

Alejandro at the DNC

I've been psyched since early this morning when a friend emailed me that Alejandro Escovedo will perform at the Democratic National Convention this evening. I'm hoping C-SPAN carries it.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-26-08

The daily mix:
1) Matthew Sweet: "Superdeformed"
2) The Posies: "Dream All Day"
3) The Vulgar Boatmen: "Change the World All Around"
4) The Foxymorons: "The Lazy Librarian's Son"
5) Velo-Deluxe: "Simple"
6) R.E.M.: "Man-sized Wreath"
7) Paul Westerberg: "Seein' Her"
8) Roger McGuinn:"King of the Hill"
9) XTC: "Making Plans for Nigel"
10) Blondie: "One Way Or Another"

Carrie Rodriguez: 'She Ain't Me'

I loved the simple beauty of Carrie Rodriguez's solo debut, "Seven Angels on a Bicycle." Her new album, "She Aint Me," is lusher, more textured.

At first I was disappointed. I thought the production on "She Ain't Me" made Rodriguez sound like a lovely clone of Kim Richey or Kelly Willis. But I've grown fonder of the album with every listen.

I love the versatility of Rodriquez's voice. On "El Salvador," for example, she sounds contemplative and sweet. On "Mask of Moses," a duet with Lucinda Williams, Rodriquez sounds passionate, almost rowdy.

"Absence," which Rodriguez wrote with Mary Gauthier, is my favorite song on the album because the focal point is Rodriguez's feisty fiddle and the haunting vocal interplay between Rodriguez and Aoife O'Donovan of Crooked Still.

I'm also digging "Infinite Night," a song about our place in the world. Rodriguez wrote the song with The Jayhawks' Gary Louris, who also sings harmony, and both the vocals and the instrumentals have some bite.

I wish Rodriguez' fiddle was more prominent on the album. I also wish her husband, saxophonist Javier Vercher, had played on more than one song on "She Ain't Me" — I thought his horn added some special layers to "Seven Angels on a Bicycle."

All in all, though, the only thing that matters is that the album features Rodriquez's vocals. She could sing the Miley Cyrus songbook and I wouldn't complain.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-25-08

Monday morning soul:

1) Candi Staton: "I'd Rather Be an Old Man

2) Doris Troy: "Lazy Days (When Are You Coming Home)"

3) Shirley Brown: "Passion"

4) Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs: "Do You Believe"

5) Marvin Gaye: "Flying High In the Friendly Sky"

6) Curtis Mayfield: "Stare and Stare"

7) Larry Santos: "You Got Me Where You Want Me"

8) Carla Thomas: "Stop! Look What You're Doing"

9) Tammi Terrill: "Tears at the End of a Love Affair"

10) Sweet Inspirations: "Slipped and Tripped"

My Dance Card is Filling Quickly

The fall semester starts Monday and I'm expecting this to be one of my busiest school years ever. It's also going to be a great year for live music.

Here's my musical schedule so far:

• Aug. 28: Sonny Rollins at Millennium Park and Ira Sullivan at the Jazz Showcase as part of the Chicago Jazz Festival. 

(Unfortunately, I won't be able to catch shows by Ornette Coleman, Roscoe Mitchell, John Wright, Vijay Iyer, Dave Douglas and many other great artists performing at the festival because I have a yearly reunion with my college friends over the Labor Day weekend. You should go, though.)

• Sept. 5: Governor Davis and the Blues Ambassadors at the Knickerbocker Saloon in Lafayette

• Sept. 20: Wayne "The Train" Hancock at the Lafayette Brewing Company.

• Sept. 25: Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles and James McMurtry at The Continental Club in Austin.

• Sept. 26-Sept. 29: Austin City Limits Music Festival. I'm hoping to see Rodney Crowell, Vampire Weekend, Jamie Lidell,  Gogol Bordello, David Byrne and Brian Eno, Alejandro Escovedo, Old 97s, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Eli "Paperboy" Reed, Erykah Badu, Spiritualized, Conor Oberst, Roky Erickson, Beck, AA Bondy, Gillian Welch, Tristan Prettyman, Joe Bonamassa, Neko Case, Galactic and The Raconteurs. We'll see how my old body holds out in the Texas heat.

• Oct. 1: Etran Finatawa at Duncan Hall in Lafayette.

• Oct. 3: Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra at Purdue's Elliott Hall of Music.

• Oct. 16: Brasil Guitar Duo at Purdue's Loeb Playhouse

• Oct. 18: Omar Sosa at Purdue's Loeb Playhouse.

• Nov. 14: The Gourds at the Lafayette Brewing Company

• Dec. 9: Neil Young at the Allstate Arena in Chicago

• Jan. 11: Joshua Bell at Purdue's Loeb Playhouse

• Jan. 16: Mingus Big Band at Purdue's Loeb Playhouse.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-23-08

The daily mix:

1) Ike Turner: "Senor Blues"

2) Luther Allison: "Big City"

3) Otis Taylor: "Shaker Woman"

4) Alejandro Escovedo: "By the Hand of the Father"

5) Jimmy Rip: "Mojo"

6) Nikki Sudden: "Russian River"

7) Graham Parker and the Figgs: "Chloroform"

8) The Plimsouls: "How Long Will It Take?"

9) Charlie Musselwhite: "One of These Mornings"

10)  John Dee Holman and the Waifs: "Little Queenie"

Jarrard Harris at the Uptown Blues and Jazz Festival

I'm bummed that saxophonist Jarrard Harris didn't bring any CDs to sell Saturday at the Uptown Jazz and Blues Festival in Lafayette. Harris and his band were terrific.

In a preview for the festival, the local paper called their music "smooth jazz." Not hardly. When's the last time you heard a Kenny G acolyte deconstruct "Summertime" and turn it into a wildly improvisational piece? For that matter, do smooth jazz musicians rip through Kenny Dorham's "Blue Bossa," persuading a slew of audience members to gather next to the stage so they can dance?

Harris — a Chicago jazz educator and musician who's played with Slide Hampton, Maria Schneider, Jimmy Heath, Nicolas Payton and Alvin Batitse — is a world-class jazz performer who reminds me a lot of Kenny Garrett. His band — James Austin Jr. on keyboards, Joshua Ramos on bass and Kobie Watkins on bass — was terrific, too.

Austin, who's studied with Barry Harris, added elegance to the performance. His note were sparse, bluesy and emotive. Watkins, who's played with Sonny Rollins, was one of the most energetic jazz drummers I've seen in a while. He jacked up the voltage on several of the tunes. And Ramos was a rock, framing the songs with a perfect time signature.

Jarrard Harris said CDs are available from his Web site, but I'm not finding them. I'll keep looking, though, because I'd music to reminisce frequently about Saturday night's show.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-23-08

Saturday morning jazz:

1) Bunky Green: "East and West"
2) Booker Ervin: "One for Mort"
3) Doug Hamilton Jazz Band: "Modal Blues"
4) Bob Cooper: "Frankie and Johnnie"
5) Clayton Brothers: "Back in the Swing of Things"
6) Sal Nistico: "Shoutin'"
7) Johnny Griffin: "Do It"
8) Buddy Rich: "Mercy, Mercy"
9) Gerald Wilson Orchestra: "Nancy Jo"
10) Carla Bley: "Five Banana"

'The Very Best of Johnny Thunder'

I can't watch "Animal House" without wondering whether Johnny Thunder and his song "Loop De Loop" were the inspiration for Otis Day and the Knights. Thunder's song is a feverish anthem of soulful nonsense. The opening, in particular, sounds like a model for Otis Day's rendition of "Shout." Then again, Thunder's sweet voice has a lot in common with Sam Cooke's and Jerry Butler's.

The album is far from perfect — the sound quality isn't always great and many of the songs sound similar — but Thunder's ballads such as "Good Morning Sadness," "Beautiful" and "My Prayer" are sweet and charming. And "Do the Sloopy" is an irresistible dance tune.

I like listening to Otis Day and the Knights, but, to tell you the truth, I'd a lot rather listen to the real deal.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-22-08

The daily mix:

1) Bree Sharp: "Dirty Magazine"
2) Joe Henry: "Homecoming"
3) The Walkmen: "Postcards from the Islands"
4) Dolly Varden: "Steal the Crumbs"
5) Richard and Linda Thompson: "Don't Renege on Our Love"
6) Chuck Prophet: "She's Looking Good"
7) Kirsty MacColl: "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby"
8) Jonatha Brook: "Red Dress"
9) The Jayhawks: "Miss Williams' Guitar"
10) Robbie Fulks: "Down in Her Arms"

Austin to Ban Water Bottles?

Dear Austin:

I love the fact that you're such a green city. It's one of the most endearing things about you. But please don't ban water bottles at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. I'd die.

Regards,
Cahl

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-21-08

Thursday morning blues:

1) Phil Guy: "Help Wanted Blues"
2) Otis Spann: "Evil Ways"
3) Big Maceo: "Come on Home"
4) Roosevelt Sykes: "The Last Laugh"
5) Robert Covington: "Better Watch Your Step"
6) Jimmy D. Lane: "Shake, Shiver, Ache"
7) John Lee Hooker Jr.: "She Wasn't Nothing But a Devil"
8) U.P. Wilson: "Still With You"
9) Willie Kent: "Come Home"
10) Little Willie Littlefield: "I Want You"

Phil Guy Dies

Chicago blues great Phil Guy, the brother of Buddy Guy, has died, according to his Web site. He was 68.

Phil Guy had a nice voice, but I always thought his vocals merely set up his guitar, which he played with a smooth ferocity. It might have been easy for him to get overwhelmed by his brother's popularity, but Phil Guy never did. He embodied the best of the blues.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-20-08

The daily mix:

1) Billy Childish: "Pretty Baby"
2) The Clash: "Hate and War"
3) Black 47: "I Got Laid on James Joyce's Grave"
4) The Detroit Cobras: "(I Wanna Know) What's Going On"
5) Roky Erickson: "I'm a Demon"
6) Danny's Reasons: "Triangles"
7) Rolling Stones: "She Said Yeah"
8) The Stooges: "Penetration"
9) Sugar: "Clownmaster"
10) The White Stripes: "Bone Broke"

Blues and Jazz in Lafayette

Hoosier blues fans are in for a real treat Saturday when Mississippi Heat comes to the Uptown Jazz and Blues Festival in Lafayette. Lord knows I have a weakness for women blues singers and Inetta Visor has one of the biggest voices in the business. Pierre Lacocque is a damn good harmonica player, too. Their new album, "Hattiesburg Blues," should contend for many blues album of the year honors.

I'm also looking forward to hearing Jarrard Harris, an excellent saxophonist and jazz educator from Chicago.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-19-08

The daily mix:

1) Femi Kuti: "Walk on the Right Side"
2) Stephen Marley: "Chase Dem"
3) Arsenio Rodriguez: "No Quiero"
4) Los Hombres Calientes: "Brother Gettin' Caught"
5) Maria Rita: "Agora So Falta Voce"
6) Laura Love: "A Ha Me a Riddle I Day"
7) Beau Jocque & the Zydeco Hi Rollers: "Keep a Knockin'"
8) Jimmy Cliff: "Wild World"
9) Magnum Band: "Libete"
10 Cookin' Bag: "This is Me"

Going to See Neil Young?

Neil Young has announced his fall tour and I'm trying like hell to figure out how I can get away from work to see him on Dec. 9, a Tuesday night, in Chicago.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-18-08

Monday night blues:

1) Big Bill Broonzy: "I Get the Blues When It Rains"
2) Lonnie Johnson: "I Love You, Mary Lou"
3) Mississippi Fred McDowell and Johnny Woods: "Standing at the Back Door"
4) Peg Leg Sam: "Mr. Ditty Wah Ditty"
5) Neal Pattman: "Goin' Back to Georgia"
6) Smokey Hogg: "Low Down Women Blues"
7) Black Ace: "Whiskey and Women"
8) Rev. Gary Davis: "Mountain Jack"
9) Texas Alexander: "Farm Hand Blues"
10) Will Roy Sanders: "Saddle Up My Pony"

Lil' Son Jackson: 'Blues Come to Texas'

Melvin "Lil' Son" Jackson had been out of the game for a while when Chris Strachwitz, the founder of Arhoolie Records, tracked him down for a recording in 1960. No matter. The resulting songs, which can be found on "Blues Come to Texas," are a powerful document of one of the Lonestar State's best bluesmen.

Jackson, a contemporary of Lightnin' Hopkins, never got fancy. His melodies are simple, but he played some of the liveliest country blues guitar licks you're likely to hear. They set up his sweet, mournful vocals perfectly.

He had a voice you can feel, a voice that makes you flinch when you hear him moaning about woman problems on songs such as "Louise Blues," "Turn Your Lamp Down Low" and "Johnnie Mae." Other highlights include "Cairo Blues," "Santa Fe Blues" and "Rock Me," on which he plays electric guitar.

"Blues Comes to Texas" sets a mood that lingers long after the album ends. Pick it up and prepare to be enveloped in a cloud of emotion.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-17-08

The daily mix:

1) Al Kooper: "Comin' Back in a Cadillac"
2) Frank Black and the Catholics: "If It Takes All Night"
3) The Hold Steady: "Your Little Hoodrat Friend"
4) Supergrass: "What Went Wrong (In Your Head)"
5) Dream Syndicate: "Days of Wine and Roses"
6) Nick Lowe: "The Heart of the City"
7) Bob Schneider: "Get Up On It"
8) Husker Du: "Sunshine Superman"
9) Reigning Sound: "Drowning"
10) Dan Sartain: "Cobras, Part 2"

Steve Cropper and Felix Cavaliere: 'Nudge It Up a Notch'

Steve Cropper and Felix Cavaliere's new album, "Nudge It Up a Notch," isn't really a modern rendering of a classic Stax album, no matter how many folks want it to be. The album sounds more like a combination of Steve Winwood's and Boz Scaggs' greatest hits.

Cavaliere, the leader of The Rascals, still has a great voice. He plays a mean organ, too. And Cropper, one of the architects of the Stax sound, still plays his guitar like Otis Redding's standing in front of him.

"One of Those Days" is the album's best song; it really does sound like a Stax tune. Cavaliere, backed by some great background singers, finds a gospel-like groove and rides it hard.

Cavaliere sounds good on the rest of the album, too, but he and Cropper settle for a pop-oriented vibe on many of those songs. And, frankly, they sound a little too polished.

But, hey, I love Steve Winwood and Boz Scaggs.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-16-08

Saturday morning jazz:

1) Horace Silver: "Back Beat"
2) Malachi Thompson: "Goree Island"
3) Phil Norman Tentet: "I'm Dig"
4) Anton Schwartz: "Radiant Blue"
5) Ernest Dawkins New Horizons Ensemble: "The Messenger"
6) Bernt Rosengren Quintet: "Ever Blue"
7) Webster Young: "Moanin' Low"
8) Janusz Muniak: "Piece for Wietek"
9) Tomasz Stanko: "Morning Heavy Song
10) Rolf Bilberg: "I'm Building Up for a Nervous Breakdown"

Jerry Wexler Dies

Like a lot of music fans, I've been reflecting on producer Jerry Wexler's impact on music since he died Friday. Albums Wexler played a part on form the foundation of my music collection.

Wexler brought us albums by Big Joe Turner, Solomon Burke, Wilson Pickett, Ray Charles, LaVern Baker, Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield, Lou Ann Barton and so many more. After his death, I revisited an interview with Wexler in the Sarasota Herald Tribune and cracked up all over again as I read his account of producing Springfield's "Dusty in Memphis" album.

I also pulled out my copy of Big Joe Turner's "Boss of the Blues," which features the great barrelhouse pianist Pete Johnson, trumpeter Joe Newman and some great swing musicians. I don't know of a better combination of jazz and blues.

RIP, Mr. Wexler.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-15-08

The daily mix:

1) Wilco: "You Are My Face"
2) Buck Owens: Love's Gonna Live There"
3) Jerry Reed: "You Can't Keep Me Here in Tennessee"
4) Blue Mountain: "Soul Sister"
5) Lucinda Williams: "Fruits of My Labor"
6) Sammi Smith: "This Room for Rent"
7) Dusty Springfield: "Losing You"
8) Toni Price: "Am I Groovin' U?"
9) Mitty Collier: "That'll Be Good Enough"
10) Gene Chandler: "Tear for Tear"

Jazz Blog Special: Art Farmer Quintet: 'At Boomers #2'

I'm listening to "At Boomers #2," a live album recorded by the Art Farmer Quintet in 1976, as I watch an Olympic volleyball match. There are a lot of similarities. Both the band and the athletes play with a potent combination of grace and power.

Pianist Cedar Walton is like the setter. He holds everything together, providing beautiful bridges, crisp passes, if you will, between the two principal soloists, Farmer on flugelhorn and Clifford Jordan on tenor saxophone. Walton's own solos are energetic and surprising, especially his blues runs on "Blues for Amos." He's rarely sounded better.

Farmer and Jordan are in great form, too. "Manha Do Carniva," for example, sounds like a ballad, but Farmer's big fat notes and Jordan's lovely runs are played with such vigor that the tune is more like a wake-up call. "What's New," on the other hand, is a subtle gem, with bassist Sam Jones and drummer Billy Higgins gently punctuating Farmer's and Jordan's solos.

The NBC announcers have annoyed me all week. Art Farmer and his pals aren't talking, but they seem to know just what to say as I watch these Olympic athletes.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-14-08

The daily mix:

1) The Mono Men: "Hexed"
2) The Milkshakes: "I'm the One For You"
3) The Cramps: "Mystery Plane"
4) Mr. T Experience: "She's Not a Flower"
5) Minutemen: "Beacon Sighted Through Fog"
6) The Alarm Clocks: "Yeah"
7) Shane MacGowan & the Popes: "The Church of the Holy Spook"
8) The Rakes: "Dark Clouds"
9) Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers: "Modern World"
10) Ian Dury and the Blokes: "The Roadette Song"

Aretha Franklin: 'Jazz to Soul'

I don't let the Aretha Franklin collection "Jazz to Soul" out of my house these days. Over the years I've loaned several copies of the album to friends and students and none ever returned.

That's not really surprising. Almost everyone knows Aretha's recordings of "Respect," "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" and "You Make Me Feel Like (A Natural Woman." Those tunes made her the queen of soul, a musical icon. Hardcore music fans also revere Aretha's "Amazing Grace" album, a gospel gem. But most folks have never heard Franklin's early recordings for Columbia ... and many of the tracks are special.

Disc one opens with a slow, rolling rendition of "Today I Sing the Blues." You expect Aretha to bust out at any moment, but she never does and that, I think, is why the song is so powerful. The tune sounds like passion trapped in a bottle. Every note is energy packed, straining to be let loose.

If you've ever listened to Aretha's soul standards, you already knew she would have been a great blues singer and she proves it with tunes such as "(Blue) By Myself," "Blue Holiday" and "All Night Long," which is as tender and soulful as anything Aretha's ever recorded.

You might not know what a great jazz singer Aretha was when she was young. She obviously learned a lot from Dinah Washington, an early mentor. She sounds uncannily like Washington on "What a Difference a Day Makes," one of Washington's signature tunes. Aretha's voice soars on the choruses.

Aretha must have studied Billie Holiday, too, but she doesn't mimic her. Aretha's interpretation of "God Bless the Child," for example, incorporates the emotions of Holiday's version; it also adds some gospel flourishes that are straight out of the church. Other jazz standards such as "Love for Sale," "Unforgettable," "Misty" and " "Skylark" are pretty straightforward, but all are beautiful.

The album's second disc is a great resource for musicologists looking for the genesis of Aretha's classic sound. The tracks might not be quite as good as Aretha's million sellers, but folks who dismiss the recordings are foolish. Aretha races though a rousing rendition of "Soulville," her voice picking up momentum with every note. My favorites, though, are "You'll Lose a Good Thing," "Land of Dreams" and "(No, No) I'm Losing You." They're slow-burning torch songs that probably should have become classics.

As a whole, the collection sounds like a hodgepodge of styles by a young singer trying to find her voice. Individually, the songs are stunning. So buy "Jazz to Soul." Just don't loan it to anyone.

ACL Update

The good news: Austin City Limits Music Festival organizers have added Fleet Foxes to the ACL schedule; the indie rockers will play at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

The bad news: The Fleet Foxes are in the same time slot as the Old 97s.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-13-08

The daily mix:

1) Elis Regina: "Adanca"
2) Ry Cooder and Manuel Galban: "Bodas De Oro"
3) Nestor Torres: "Luna Latina"
4) Paco Renteria: "Tauromaquia"
5) La Banda Gorda: "El Negro Pega Con To"
6) Alex Cuba: "Piropo"
7) Miles Davis: "Concierto De Aranjuez"
8) Celia Cruz: "Drume Negrita"
9) Tania Maria: "Sebastiana"
10) Louie Ramirez: "Cha Cha King"

The Close Lobsters: 'Foxheads Stalk This Land'

The Close Lobsters' song "Sewer Pipe Dream" might be the creepiest love song of all time.

To start the song, Andrew Burnett sings: "Oh, I had a dead body in my mouth. What could I do but spit it out?" Romantic, huh? But The Close Lobsters' jangly delivery makes creepy sound good. Many of the other songs on "Foxheads Stalk This Land" are goofy, too. Some, such as the lyrics of "I Take Bribes," are flat-out dumb.

The lyrics of album's best song, "I Kiss the Flowers in Bloom," aren't particularly sophisticated either, but the sentiment is almost as sweet as the music. Not many bands in the '80s crafted more infectious music.

If you're a sucker for jangly pop, look for a copy of "Foxheads Stalk This Land." And embrace the lyrics of "Just Too Bloody Stupid": "Pop Like That, Pop Like That."

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-12-08

Tuesday morning blues:

1) Bonnie Bramlett: "Two Steps From the Blues"
2) Angela Strehli: "Telephone Blues"
3) Big Time Sarah: "Red Dress"
4) Alberta Adams: "Messin' Around with the Blues"
5) Ruth Brown: "Why Me"
6) Leroy Ervin: "Rock Island Blues"
7) Gatemouth Moore: "It Ain't None of Me"
8) U.P. Wilson: "That's Your Woman, But She Comes to Me Sometimes"
9) Luther Allison: "Mistake"
10) Syl and Jimmy Johnson: "If I Wuz White"

Blues Blog Special: Big Time Sarah, 'A Million of You'

I fell in love with Big Time Sarah when I heard the first track of her 1993 debut, "Lay It On 'Em Girls." She barreled through Willie Dixon's "I Make Love" and screamed "whoo" before every chorus. I don't think I've ever heard a more joyous blues singer.

On 1996's "Blues in the Year One-D-One," Big Time Sarah' delivered a passionate and nuanced rendition of "Steal Away." Her voice, one of the biggest instruments in blues, sounded sure, strong and seductive.

Her 2001 album, "A Million of You," might be her best album of all. Her version of Brook Benton's "I'll Take Care of You" is one of the sexiest blues tracks I know. "The Sky is Crying" is one of the saddest. I love "Day Dreaming," too, because Big Time Sarah's voice is as rich and full as the horns that accompany her.

I don't know why no one has released an album by the Chicago blues diva since "A Million of You," but I keep waiting ... and hoping.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-11-08

The daily mix:

1) Fleet Foxes: "Ragged Wood"
2) Finn Brothers: "Part of Me, Part of You"
3) Matthew Sweet: "The Ocean In-Between"
4) Elliott Smith: "A Distorted Reality is Now Necessary to be Free"
5) Preston School of Industry: "Get Your Crayons Out"
6) The Rosebuds: "When the Lights Went Dim"
7) The Essex Green: "The Late Great Cassiopia"
8) The Dandy Warhols: "The Last High"
9) Bob Schneider: "Get Up On It"
10) Lowell George: "I Can't Stand the Rain"

Isaac Hayes, RIP

Most folks are probably remembering Isaac Hayes, who died today, for "The Theme from Shaft" or maybe for his role on "South Park." Deservedly so.

But I'm thinking tonight of how important he was as a songwriter and producer, especially at Stax. Hayes had a hand in guiding so much of the music I love. And as tough as his solo tunes could be, I love his tender side more.

So tonight as I celebrate Isaac Hayes' life, I'm listening to Sam and Dave sing "When Something is Wrong With My Baby," which Hayes wrote. It's one of the most beautiful tunes ever recorded and a mighty fine epitaph.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-10-08

Sunday afternoon jazz:

1) Geoffrey Keezer: "Palm Reader"
2) Edsel Gomez: "NYC Taxi Ride"
3) Omar Sosa: "Fragile"
4) John Hicks: "Straighten Up and Fly Right"
5) Art Farmer: "Mox Nix"
6) Gerry Mulligan: "Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are"
7) Ira Sullivan: "My Secret Love"
8) Charlie Parker: "Barbados"
9) Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers: "Waltz for Ruth"
10) Zoot Sims: "Why Cry?"

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-7-08

The daily mix:

1) Johnny Thunders: "Leave Me Alone"
2) Swell Maps: "Let's Buy a Bridge"
3) Knoxville Girls: "Sophisticated Boom Boom"
4) Joan Jett and the Blackhearts: "Five"
5) Sleater-Kinney: "Combat Rock"
6) PJ Harvey: "The Life and Death of Mr. Bad Mouth"
7) The Cramps: "Sunglasses After Dark"
8) Igg Pop and the Stooges: "Search and Destroy"
9) The Ramones: "I Don't Care"
10) The Beat Farmers: "There She Goes Again"

Amalia Rodrigues: 'The Art of Amalia'

I just sent a copy of "The Art of Amalia" by Amalia Rodrigues to one of my best friends, an opera singer who's now a music teacher in Texas.

Rodrigues was the queen of Fado, which is pretty close to the Portuguese equivalent of opera. With apologies to Beverly Sills, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, I don't think I've ever heard a singer with a more beautiful voice. I'm sure my friend, who has a beautiful voice herself, will be overwhelmed by the power of Rodrigues' songs. I know I am.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-6-08

The daily mix:

1) Randy Newman: "Losing You"
2) Sammy Walker: "A Cold Pittsburgh Morning"
3) Jemima James: "Small Town Girls"
4) Billy Joe Shaver: "Most Precious"
5) John Dee Holeman: "Little Country Gal"
6) Jessie Mae Hemphill: "My Daddy's Blues"
7) Frank Stokes: "Take Me Back"
8) Buzz Busby: "Cold and Windy Night"
9) Caitlin Cary and Thad Cockrell: "Waiting on June"
10) Gram Parsons: "Kiss the Children"

Randy Newman: 'Harps and Angels'

When I visit the family for Thanksgiving, I'm taking along some of Randy Newman's soundtracks for Pixar films. I figure the albums will be like get out of Hannah Montana Hell-free cards when I'm hanging with my nieces.

My nieces, the sweetest little girls in the world, love "Toy Story." But they also have acerbic senses of humor, which is one of the reasons I like hanging with them so much.

If I'm lucky, I might be able to wean them onto Newman's latest album, "Harps and Angels," which was released today. It's the most amusing, animated and, yes, acerbic thing he's recorded in years. I've listened to the album only a couple of times because I got sidetracked by NPR's broadcast of a Randy Newman concert in Los Angeles earlier this summer, but I'm digging it.

Both the album and the concert have kept a smile on my face all night. It's filled with barbs aimed at both politicians and society. And though I hope my nieces become lifelong Randy Newman fans, I'd really rather John McCain and Barack Obama commune with the album in their campaign buses. If they do, the country will be a much happier and better place to live.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-5-08

Tuesday morning jazz:

1) Ellis Marsalis: "Little Joy"
2) Ike Quebec: "It's All Right With Me"
3) Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan: "Fall Out"
4) Pee Wee Russell: "Prelude to a Kiss"
5) Joey DeFrancesco: "I'll Remember You"
6) Herbie Mann: "When Something is Wrong With My Baby"
7) Gene Ammons: "I'm Beginning to See the Light"
8) Illinois Jacquet: "What Am I Hear For"
9) Red Rodney: "Red Arrow"
10) Nick Brignola: "Key Largo"

iPhone Music, Part 2

On Saturday, I wrote about the Pandora, Last FM and AOL Radio applications for the 3G iPhone. They're all cool.

Turns out the Tuner Internet Radio application is even better. For starters, you can get scores of NPR and public radio stations using it. And there's an incredible number of choices of blues, jazz, reggae, R&B and rock stations. The college radio stations are cool, too. I don't regret the $5.99 I spent on the application for a minute.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-4-08

The daily mix:

1) Red Garland: "I Left My Heart in San Francisco"
2) Count Basie and Tony Bennett: "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face"
3) Lou Rawls: "Sweet Slumber"
4) Doug Sahm: "What's Your Name"
5) Guy Clark: "Anyhow, I Love You"
6) Elvis Costello: "Shallow Grave"
7) Merle Travis: "Trouble, Trouble"
8) Wynonie Harris: "Long About Sundown"
9 Earl King: "Your Love Means More to Me Than Gold"
10) Bobby Hackett: "Baker's Keyboard Blues"

'Shades of Mitty Collier: The Chess Singles, 1961-1968'

Mitty Collier's husky voice sounds desperate and vulnerable on "Gotta Get Away From It All," perhaps the most powerful tune about an abused woman ever recorded. On "Git Out," a fiery diatribe about a no-good lover, Collier sounds feisty and furious. The songs, both of which can be found on "Shades of Mitty Collier," are a nice contrast.

Most hard-core soul fans probably know "I Had a Talk With My Man," which is also included on this 24-song collection of her Chess recordings. It's a great tune. But Collier recorded a lot of songs that should have become soul classics.

"Everybody Makes a Mistake Sometimes," for example, is a flat-out great soul burner. And "My Babe" is one of the perkiest soul tunes I know.

Here's a taste:

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-3-08

Sunday night soul:

1) Mitty Collier: "Gotta Get Away From It All"
2) Betty Everett: "Why Are You Leaving Me?"
3) Carla Thomas: "You'll Lose a Good Thing"
4) Ann Peebles: "I Pity the Fool"
5) Genie Brooks: "Fine Time"
6) Dumas King: "Wish You'd Come Home"
7) Otis Redding: "Nobody's Fault But Mine"
8) Hal and Jean: "You Better Change"
9) Levert Allison: "Please Send My Love to Someone"
10) William Bell and Judy Clay: "Private Number"

Sharon Jones Wins My Heart

My biggest disappointment about this year's Austin City Limits Music Festival schedule was that the Drive By Truckers and Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings will be playing at the same time on Saturday. I love the Drive By Truckers, I really do, but after watching these videos, I don't know how I can miss Sharon Jones' set. Yowza.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-2-08

Saturday night jazz:

1) Yusef Lateef: "Raymond Winchester"
2) Jupiter: "Sauerkraut Rock"
3) Prince Lasha Quintet: "Red's Mood"
4) Charles Mingus: "Jitterbug Waltz"
5) Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra: "Salz"
6) Booker Ervin: Just Friends"
7) Henry Threadgill: "Paper Toilet"
8) Kenny Garrett: "Kiss to the Skies"
9) Mort Weiss: "Autumn Leaves"
10) New York Trumpet Ensemble: "Cornet Chop Suey"

iPhone Music Applications

I was a bit skeptical about downloading music applications for my iPhone because I own so many applications. But the last week or so I've found myself plugging the phone into my iPod stereo almost every night and listening to music from AOL Radio, Pandora or Last FM.

On AOL, I find myself listen to the blues and jazz channels a lot. My favorite is the Latino jazz channel. The blues women channel is great, but the song choices seem predictable. I like the acoustic blues channel because it gives me a chance to listen a lot of artists I'd never heard of before. I also find myself tuning in to XRT in Chicago. In the '80s, I listened to XRT a couple hours a day when I drove to work in Northwest Indiana. Now, my musical tastes don't jibe as much with XRT's playlists but some days I feel nostalgic.

I've used Pandora and Last FM before, but the fact that I can now listen to them both at home and on the road with my iPhone makes the services seem much more appealing. Pandora, which analyzes your listening habits and chooses tunes based on them, is particularly good; my Mable John soul station is killer. I'm also getting a kick out of listening to some friends' music collections on Last FM.

I haven't listened to much on the radio other than NPR for almost 20 years. But I've got the bug again and when stations from New Orleans and Austin become available on the iPhone, I'll probably become an addict.

Cahl's Jukebox, 8-1-08

The daily mix:

1) Lightnin' Hopkins: "My Little Kewpie Doll"
2) Bill Monroe: "Mother's Only Sleeping"
3) Neal Pattman: "Market Blues"
4) Wayne Raney: "Someday You'll Pay"
5) Bill "Jazz" Gillam: "You Drink Too Much Whiskey"
6) Red Foley: "Birmingham Fever"
7) Hadda Brooks: "I Feel So Good"
8) Carter Family: "Room in Heaven for Me"
9) Blind Lemon Jefferson: "Low Down Mojo Blues"
10) Hank Thompson: "A Six Pack to Go"