Arlen Roth" 'Toolin' Around Woodstock'

I seem to remember an interview back in the late '70s in which Jimmy Carter said Bob Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man" was his favorite song. I wonder if the former president has heard the instrumental rendition by Arlen Roth and Levon Helm for Roth's "Toolin' Around Woodstock" album.

Roth on guitar and Helm on drums answer some of the questions Dylan poses to Mr. Jones in the song, and they do it without uttering a word. It's a stunning instrumental packed with feeling.

You might not know Roth's name, but you know his work. He's played guitar behind artists such as Pete Seger and Paul Simon. He also taught Ralph Macchio his guitar parts for "Crossroads" and played Macchio's solo in the guitar duel with Steve Vai at the end of the film. Roth's also recorded some excellent albums of his own.

His guests on the album are just as impressive. Helm, of course, was the drummer for The Band and played Loretta Lynn's father in "Coal Miner's Daughter." And, in case you haven't heard, he has a new album coming out in a few weeks. The guests also include Sonny Landreth, one of the best slide guitarists on the planet; Bill Kirchen, a member of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen; Amy Helm, Levon's daughter, who's a member of Ollabelle; and Lexie Roth, Arlen's daughter, a recording artist herself.

It's a fun album with a lot of variety.
• Helm's vocals are frisky on Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen" and bluesy on Carl Perkins' "Matchbox."
• Other notable guitarists will probably be talking about Roth and Landreth's slide guitar duets on "Tumblin'" and "Deep Feelin'" for years.
• "Gas Station Frustration," with Kirchen singing and sharing guitar duties with Roth, is the kind of track on which rock 'n' roll built its reputation.
• Amy Helm's and Lexie Roth's vocals on "Just One Look" are as dreamy as Arlen Roth's guitar playing.

I'm planning to give copies of "Toolin' Around Woodstock" to friends for their birthdays. I hope someone does the same for President Carter.

Ballad Of A Thin Man - Arlen R...

Tumblin' - Arlen Roth

Milt Buckner and Arnett Cobb Video

I was looking for information about Panama Francis and found this video in which he's drumming for a group led by organist Milt Buckner.

Buckner assembled a great lineup for the gig. Arnett Cobb's saxophone play is unbelievably sweet. In addition to Cobb and Buckner, who doubles on vibes, the band also includes Buster Cooper on trombone, Eddie Chamblee on tenor saxophone, Earl Warren on alto saxophone, Wallace Davenport on trumpet, André Persiany on piano, Roland Lobligeois on bass, and Francis on drums.

I'm a big fan of Buckner's, so this clip was quite a find for me. Enjoy.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-31-09

Sunday morning jazz:

1) Dave Bailey Sextet: "One Foot in the Gutter"
2) Clark Terry: "Ow!"
3) Thad Jones and Mel Lewis: "It Happens Every Time"
4) Darcy James Argue's Secret Society: "Zeno"
5) Stan Getz: "Ballad for Leo"
6) Louis Smith: "Brill's Blues"
7) Leroy Vinnegar: "Walk On"
8) Charles Mingus: "II B.S."
9) Jimmy Coe Big Band: "Third Bossa Nova"
10) Stan Kenton: "Maria"

The Maddox Brothers and Rose: 'America's Most Colorful Hillbilly Band, Their Recordings 1946-1951, Vol. 1'

As far as I'm concerned, no one's ever covered a Hank Williams tune better than The Maddox Brothers and their sister, Rose. Their rendition of "Move It on Over" is frenetic and funny.

Call it bluegrass. Call it hillbilly music. I think of it as a blueprint for rock 'n' roll. Yeah, the instrumentals are solid twang. And the brothers are cacklin' and hollerin' behind Rose's vocals. But listen carefully and you can hear Jerry Lee Lewis, the Rolling Stones, the Ramones ... at least I can.

I just wish some modern country artists would listen, too. They could learn from all 27 songs on the album.

Move It On Over - The Maddox B...

Jazz Blog Special: Dave Pell Octet, 'I Had the Craziest Dream'

A few months ago, a young friend was riffling through my CD collection and started laughing when she saw the cover of the Dave Pell Octet's "I Had the Craziest Dream" album. She nearly had a fit when she saw the band had covered "The Good Ship Lollipop."

She stopped chuckling when I played the disc for her.

"I Had the Craziest Dream," released in 1955 by Pell and some pals who'd been in Les Brown's orchestra with him, is one of the breeziest albums I own. It's also one of the cornerstones of my jazz collection.

Pell, a tenor saxophonist, and his band play some of the faster tunes, "Mike's Peak" and "Klump Jump," in particular, with zest and, yes, levity. The band races through "My Heart Belongs to Daddy," adding a New Orleans feel to the tune. It's stunning. "People in Love" is a gorgeous ballad guaranteed to send your little ones to Sleepyville.

There are a lot of heavy hitters on the album. The arrangers alone are like a dream team of jazz: Bill Holman, Marty Paich, Shorty Rogers, Andre Previn, Jack Montrose and Wes Hensel. The band included folks such as Don Fagerquist on trumpet, Zoot Sims on tenor saxophone, Bob Gordon on baritone saxophone, Ralph Pena on bass, Paul Smith and Donn Trenner on piano....

Buy the album if you can find a copy. You'll laugh when you see the cover. You'll swing when you hear the music.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-30-09

Saturday morning blues:

1) Baby Tate: "Dupree Blues"
2) Robert Pete Williams: "Two Wings"
3) Lil' Son Jackson: "Louise Blues"
4) Louisiana Red: "The First Degree"
5) Henry Gray: "Lucky, Lucky Man"
6) Cootie Stark: "Shuckin' Corn"
7) CeDell Davis: "She's Got the Devil in Her"
8) Johnny Farmer: "I've Been a Fool"
9) Tomcat Courtney: "Railroad Avenue"
10) Macavine Hayes: "Snatch That Thing"

Eilen Jewell: 'Sea of Tears'

Eilen Jewell's voice is intoxicating. Like a $50 bottle of single-malt Scotch, it's smooth even when she's rocking.

But don't let that fool you. Most of her songs on "Sea of Tears," the excellent follow-up to last year's "Letters from Sinners & Strangers," have a bite. Just listen to the lyrics.

Her band pours a tasty blend of country, blues, jazz and rock into every song. I love the combination of bluesy organ and twangy guitars.

Here's the title track. Enjoy:

Freddie Hubbard Tribute

Trombonist Phil Ranelin sent me a note about a tribute this weekend by the Luckman Jazz Orchestra for Freddie Hubbard, Ranelin's former bandmate and fellow Indianapolis native.

I can't go to the show, which will be at 8 p.m. Saturday at California State University, but if you're anywhere near Los Angeles, I urge you to do so. It's sure to be a memorable event.

'Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women'

One of my friends has had a huge crush on one of the Guilty Women since we saw them play with Dave Alvin in Chicago this spring. That's nothing. I have a crush on all of them.

I'm a sucker for great women musicians, and the Guilty Women are about as good a band as I've heard in a long time. Alvin, of course, isn't so bad either. (For the record, though I've been a fan for years, I don't have a crush on him.)

Together, they romp through a twangy cover of "Marie Marie," a song Alvin recorded years ago with The Blasters.

On "Boss of the Blues," a song on which Alvin recounts the time he and his brother spent driving Big Joe Turner around when they were kids, Cindy Cashdollar on steel guitar, and Amy Farris and Laurie Lewis on violin swing like they're backing Bob Willis. Honorary Guilty Woman Marcia Ball on piano helps them groove like they're backing Turner himself.

I can't stop listening to "Downey Girl," a poignant song about Karen Carpenter, who grew up in Alvin's hometown. Memories and emotions pour from Alvin as he sings. And I don't know when I've heard prettier harmonies. Their cover of Kate Wolf's "These Times We're Living In" is gorgeous, too.

Christy McWilson provides lead vocals on "Weight of the World," a country tune on which you'll find some of the sweetest growls you've ever heard. "Potter's Field," another McWilson tune on which she sings lead, might be even better, again because of the harmonies by the Guilty Women.

Guitarist Nina Gerber, bassist Sarah Brown and drummer Lisa Pankratz drive the group hard on some tunes. They soften the others with gentle fills and perfect timing.

"Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women" might not be the best album Alvin's ever recorded, but I can't think of one that's better.

Boss of the Blues - Dave Alvin

Downey Girl - Dave Alvin

Clearing My Calendar

I see that Slobberbone, a raggedly wicked alt-country band, will be playing a reunion show on Aug. 13 at Abbey Pub in Chicago. Looks as if I need to put in for a couple of vacation days.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-29-09

The daily mix:

1) RB Morris: "The Spy in My Brain"
2) John Prine: "Take a Look at My Heart"
3) John Eddie: "Jesus is Coming"
4) Johnny Flynn: "Hong Kong Cemetery"
5) Paul Thorn: "Woman to Love"
6) Marcia Ball: "My Man is a Two Timer"
7) Keri Leigh and the Blue Devils: "Goin' to the Valley"
8) Tracy Nelson: "Rock Me in Your Cradle"
9) Bonnie Raitt: "God Was in the Water"
10) Chuck Prophet: "No Other Love"

Mary Gresham: 'Voice From the Shadows, the Story of a Muscle Shoals Soul Sister'

I bought Mary Gresham's "Voice From the Shadows, the Story of a Muscle Shoals Soul Sister," on a whim at Chicago's Jazz Record Mart several months ago. I'd never even heard of her, much less listened to her music.

No wonder. Other than a few recordings under the name Chuck and Mariann with her former husband, Chuck Cooper, her voice could be found only on records by other folks, on voice-overs, and at wedding receptions and small clubs in Alabama. Then Garry Cape discovered some uncredited master tapes at Malaco Records and started searching for the singer. Good thing. There are some soul gems from the '60s and '70s on this collection.

Cape said he was overwhelmed when he heard "Stay There and Try to Be Strong." Me, too. It's a sensuous soul ballad on which Gresham sounds as if she's talking straight to her listeners, chiding them, encouraging them to hang on until life improves. Soul burners such as "The Colour of a Man," "The Woman in Me," "Just Me and You" and "Leaving Me" are almost as strong.

Gresham is all funk and sass on "Get on Back on the Right Track." She sounds like the sort of woman who would have slapped her man for doing her wrong. Maybe she should have slapped the record executives recognized the power of these songs. Then again, they ignored Bettye LaVette, too.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-28-09

The daily mix:

1) Curtis Mayfield: "New World Order"
2) Alton Ellis: "Inside My Soul"
3) Bobby Soul: "Funky Freeze"
4) Johnny "Guitar" Watson: "What the Hell is This?"
5) Earl "Chinna" Smith: "Sound on War"
6) Cornell Campbell: "Stars"
7) Toots Hibbert: "Love Attack"
8) The Coasters: "Shoppin' for Clothes"
9) The Clovers: "Devil or Angel"
10) The Treniers: "Sugar-Doo"

Big Time Sarah

As far as I can tell, it's been eight years since Big Time Sarah's last album and I was starting to get the shakes until I found this video, a temporary remedy for my withdrawal symptoms.

'Man of Somebody's Dreams: A Tribute to Chris Gaffney'

At a concert with the Guilty Women in Chicago back in March, Dave Alvin said he's on a mission to make sure everyone knows just how great Chris Gaffney was.

If there were any justice, he wouldn't have to. But "Man of Somebody's Dream: A Tribute to Chris Gaffney," Alvin's lovingly curated celebration of his best friend's songs, is a good start.

The album features some of our finest musicians, all friends or fans of Gaffney. Individually and collectively, they illustrate why Chris Gaffney, who died of liver cancer a year ago, should be a household name.

For me, Alvin's cover of Gaffney's "Artesia" resonates the most. It's a song of both memories and dreams, a song that paints a vivid portrait of people and places of another time. And few songwriters ever painted with such nuanced brushstrokes. Alvin's voice is filled with a mix of heartache and wonder as he sings. You can hear his own memories of a lifetime of nights on the road with Gaff compressed into five emotional minutes.

Dan Penn's presence on the album also says a lot about Gaffney. Penn — a composer of tunes such as "Do Right Woman," "Dark End of the Street" and "I'm Your Puppet" — and Gaffney were kindred spirits. Penn's voice is rough and warm, just like Gaffney's, and his interpretation of "I'm So Proud" is one of the centerpieces of the album.

Calexico's cover of "Frank's Tavern" and Jim Lauderdale & Ollabelle's rendition of "Your Glass House" are the prettiest tracks on the album. Joe Ely's take on "Lift Your Leg" and Big Sur & Los Straitjackets' cover of "Silent Partner" are the most spirited. Boz Scaggs' version of "Midnight Dream" is the most soulful. Los Lobos' cover of "Man of Somebody's Dreams" makes my eyes start to water. Cuts by Alejandro Escovedo, Peter Case, Robie Fulks, Freddie Fender, John Doe, David Gonzales, and James McMurtry are great, too.

Together, they show just how versatile Gaffney was. He wrote and performed songs that incorporated elements of country, blues, soul, Tejano and rock music. Those tunes were filled with angst and anger, happiness and humor ... just like "The Guitars of My Dead Friends," a recording by Gaffney himself, which closes the album.

On it, his voice sounds weathered, almost like Porter Wagoner's on his last album. The song could have sounded too morbid, too melancholy, on a tribute album. It doesn't, though. Instead, it's a stirring reminder of why everyone should know about Chris Gaffney.

To hear a streaming version of the album, visit this link.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-27-09

The daily mix:

1) Kathleen Edwards: "Asking for Flowers"
2) Terry Adams: "A Girl Who Loves the Stooges"
3) Wayne Raney: "Lost John Boogie"
4) Doc Watson and Clarence White: "Beaumont Rag"
5) Mark Knopfler: "Song for Sonny Liston"
6) Eilen Jewell: "Sea of Tears"
7) Bob Dylan: "Born in Time"
8) Eliza Gilkyson: "Mama's Little Baby"
9) Shelby Lynne: "Leavin'"
10) Jim White: "Stranger Candy"

Gangbe Brass Band: 'Assiko'

After seeing a Gangbe Brass Band show a few years ago, I asked an elderly friend, one of the finest jazz musicians I've ever heard, if he'd ever heard anything like the West African group. He just shook his head and smiled.

The band's latest album, "Assiko," released in 2008, captures all of the energy and joy of that concert. They start with a dancing wall of horns and couple that with African percussion and beautiful harmonies.

Listen, and you'll be smiling and dancing, too.

La porte du non retour - Gangb...

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-26-09

The daily mix:

1) Jonah Jones: "Birth of the Blues"
2) Ray Charles: "Carryin' the Load"
3) Buddy Rich: "Naptown Blues"
4) Thornetta Davis: "Only One"
5) Cannonball Adderley: "Jeannine"
6) Freddie Hubbard: "Up Jumped Spring"
7) Buddy and Ella Johnson: "Shut Your Big Mouth (Girl)"
8) Big Maybelle: "Ring, Dang, Dilly"
9) Annisteen Allen: "Mr. Trumpet Man"
10) Little Junior Parker: "Next Time You See Me"

Big Al Downing: 'Back to My Roots'

Wanda Jackson led me to the late Big Al Downing's music. She once employed him as a backup singer for a tour and he played piano on "Let's Have a Party," one of my favorite Wanda Jackson tunes.

He also recorded "You Never Miss Your Water" with Little Esther Phillips. Inexplicably, the tune doesn't seem to be available in CD or MP3 formats, so it's hard to find. Trust me, though, it's saucy.

Over the years, Downing recorded everything from country and rockabilly to blues and soul. He performed all with spirited aplomb.

"Back to My Roots," a late-career album released in 1994, displays all of Downing's sides as he revisits songs from the old days.

"Sneaky Freaky People," a rollicking R&B tune, is particularly spicy. "Please Help Me Mama," a drop-dead gorgeous country ballad, displays just how great Downing's voice was; comparisons to George Jones aren't a stretch. And Downing sings "Long Trucking Night" with the breakneck urgency of a trucker evading the state police.

I love musicians who meld elements of different musical styles, and few ever did it better than Big Al.

Sneaky Freaky People - Big Al ...

Please Help Me Mama - Big Al D...

Jay Bennett Dies

I was shocked this morning when a friend gave me the news of Jay Bennett's death. Bennett, who was just 45, could have been my little brother. When I listened to his music, both with Wilco and alone, it sometimes felt that way.

Bennett wrote intensely personal songs that were often haunting. They seem even more so today. RIP.

Cajun Angel - Jay Bennett

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-25-09

The daily mix:

1) Carlos Guitarlos: "When the Pain Stops Killing Me"
2) Solomon Burke: "That's How I Got to Memphis"
3) Chuck Prophet: "Loving Her Was Easier"
4) Merle Haggard: "Sing Me Back Home"
5) Rosanne Cash: "House on the Lake"
6) Brinsley Schwarz: "I Won't Make It Without You"
7) Vetiver: "Everyday"
8) The Model Rockets: "She's On the Cover"
9) Supergrass: "Rush Hour Soul"
10) The Posies: "Any Other Way"

Rein De Graaf Trio, Ronnie Cuber and Nick Brignola: 'Baritone Explosion!'

"Baritone Explosion!" is a pretty good title for a CD on which baritone saxophonists Ronnie Cuber and Nick Brignola cross horns.

Certainly they muscle their way through a feisty rendition of "Softly As in a Morning Sunrise," which is anything but soft. And their versions of "A Night in Tunisia" and "Blue Train" really are explosions of sound. Cuber and Brignola rock the songs.

But they tiptoe rather than rumble through "In a Sentimental Mood," and there aren't many things more sensuous than a couple of deep baritones lingering on every note. It's sort of like Barry White transposed for jazz.

Pianist Rein De Graaf and his trio are great, too, pushing the tempo on the faster songs and adding color and sensitive fills on the slower ones.

"Baritone Explosion!" is certainly worth checking out.

A Night in Tunisia - The Rein ...

Softly As in a Morning Sunrise...

John Boutté: 'At the Foot of Canal Street'

I've been a fan of Lillian Boutté for years, but I'd never heard her little brother sing until I caught him with the New Orleans Social Club at Austin City Limits a few years. Paired with some of the greatest soul, blues and jazz artists in the world, John Boutté still managed to stand out.

Sweetness is embedded in every note he sings. For example, on "Battle Hymn of the Republic," a song from his "At the Foot of Canal Street" album, Boutté sounds like a jazzy little angel. His rendition of "Black Orpheus," perhaps better known as "Manha de Carnaval," is even prettier, especially with the gentle mix of soul and bosa nova. He also glides through a rendition of Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come."

He's an excellent jazz singer, too. His interpretations of "Someone to Watch Over Me" and "The Masquerade is Over" are exquisite. He brings the same sense of sweet nuance to Naomi Neville's "All These Things."

But my favorite song on the album is Boutté's gospel-twinged "At the Foot of Canal Street," which is seeped in the sights, smells and sounds of New Orleans. If you listen hard, though, everything Boutté sings is influenced by his hometown, and we're the beneficiaries.

Here's a clip of Boutté performing Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927" with Paul Sanchez, John Thomas Griffin and Sonia Tetlow. The song's not on "At the Foot of Canal Street," but it'll give you an idea of Boutté's charm.

In the Midnight Hour

The "live and burning" version of "In the Midnight Hour" is just one of 44 compelling reasons to buy "A Man and a Half, The Best of Wilson Pickett."

In The Midnight Hour [Live & B...

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-24-09

The daily mix:

1) The Beat Farmers: "Blue Chevrolet"
2) Holly Golightly: "Virtually Happy"
3) The Reivers: "Walking the Cow"
4) X: "TV Glue"
5) The Replacements: "Satellite"
6) The Clash: "The Right Profile"
7) The Masonics: "Spitting and Hating"
8) MC5: "Baby Please Don't Go"
9) The Cryptomaniacs: "Vampire Bar Fight"
10) Bush Tetras: "Things That Go Boom"

Lucília Do Carmo: 'Recordações"

Since one of my pals saw Mariza a few weeks ago, he's been obsessed with Fado, Portuguese blues, he calls it.

I think Fado also shares some similarities with opera, but I understand my friend's sentiments. There've been times when I've been a little obsessed with Amália Rodrigues, perhaps the greatest of all Fado singers.

I'm a big fan of Lucília Do Carmo's music, too. I don't understand many of the words she sings, but it's not hard to tap into the passion of her songs. They're theatrical, wistful, beautiful.

My friend was talking the other night about making a trip to Portugal. Sounds like a plan to me.

Leio Em Teus Olhos - Lucilia D...

Se Amar É Pecado - Lucilia Do ...

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-23-09

Saturday morning jazz:

1) Willis Jackson: "Girl of My Dreams"
2) Bobby Timmons: "Dat Dere"
3) Houston Person and Teddy Edwards: "The Girl From Ipanema"
4) Stefano Bollani: "A Voz No Morro"
5) Lafayette Gilchrist: "Between Us"
6) Bruce Williams: "Elijah Blue"
7) Jean-Michel Pilc Trio: "C Jam Blues"
8) Vijay Iyer: "Aftermath"
9) Sex Mob: "This Never Happened to the Other Feller"
10) Kobie Watkins: "Sonny Like"

Jazz Blog Special: Joe Thomas, 'Joy of Cookin''

The funky jazz cover of Sly Stone's "Thank You (Fall Etin Me Be Mice Elf Agin)" might be the biggest attraction of flautist Joe Thomas' "Joy of Cookin'," but "Soul Sermon" is the album's emotional centerpiece.

I love the song because it's the best showcase on the album for Jimmy Ponder, one of my favorite jazz guitarists. Jiggs Chase plays some pretty slinky organ parts on the tune, too. The album's other highlight is "Dr. Ritota," which also features some extraordinary guitar runs by Ponder.

I'm usually ambivalent about the use of flutes in jazz. But make 'em funky and I'll always get on the groove train.

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

Soul Sermon - Joe Thomas

Dr. Ritota - Joe Thomas

Ndidi Onukwulu: 'No, I Never'

I like Canadian blues singer Ndidi Onukwulu a lot. Her songs are filled with youthful energy, but it sounds as if she's channeling the spirit of an old woman. She also blends African rhythms, many learned from her father, a Nigerian drummer, into her music.

My favorite song on "No, I Never," an album released in 2006, is "Old Heart." It's hard to compare the song to anything recorded by anyone else — Otis Taylor comes to mind, perhaps — but I'm sure you'll relate to it. If not, you've never had the blues.

Old Heart - Ndidi Onukwulu

Ndidi Onu

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-22-09

Friday morning blues:

1) Willie Cobbs: "Eatin' Dry Onions"
2) Albert King: "Watermelon Man"
3) Little Sonny: "You Got a Good Thing"
4) Johnny Winter: "Mississippi Blue"
5) Memphis Slim: "Cheatin' Around"
6) Willie Foster: "Achin' All Over"
7) Big Twist and the Mellow Fellows: "The Sweet Sounds of Rhythm and Blues"
8) Johnny Littlejohn: "29 Ways"
9) Sam Myers: "Ninety-Nine"
10) Little Buster: "Just Let Me Burn"

Purdue Convos Schedule

The Purdue Convocations Department scheduled a fine lineup of jazz shows for the coming school year. I'm excited.

• Nov. 7: Dave Brubeck Quartet.
• Jan. 22: Dave Holland Quintet.
• April 9: Miguel Zenon.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-21-09

The daily mix:

1) Peggy Lee: "Things are Swinging"
2) Mel Torme: "I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me"
3) Tony Bennett and Count Basie: "Poor Little Rich Girl"
4) Dakota Staton: "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know"
5) Dinah Washington: "Make the Man Love Me"
6) The Bey Sisters and Andy Bey: "Willow Weep for Me"
7) Eddie Jefferson: "Body and Soul"
8) Abbey Lincoln: "When There is Love"
9) Shirley Horn: "Only the Lonely"
10) Julie London: "Get Out of Town"

Carolina Chocolate Drops

According to the Carolina Chocolate Drops' Web site, the young African-American string band has signed with Nonesuch Records. That's very cool.

Until their first album with the label drops next year, though, I'm happy to listen to "Carolina Chocolate Drops & Joe Thompson," which I got from the Music Maker Relief Foundation. The album, recorded live with 90-year-old fiddle player Joe Thompson, who's been playing dances and gigs since the '20s, is filled with energy and spirit.


This is the good stuff.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-20-09

The daily mix:

1) Randy Newman: "Laugh and Be Happy"
2) Teddy Thompson: "Touching Home"
3) Buddy and Julie Miller: "What You Gonna Do Leroy"
4) Merle Haggard: "Please Mr. D.J."
5) Guy Clark: "The Carpenter"
6) Leonard Cohen: "Winter Lady"
7) Rufus Wainwright: "Going to a Town"
8) Boz Scaggs: "Lost It"
9) Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris: "If This is Goodbye"
10) Richard and Linda Thompson: "Wall of Death"

'Andy Bey & the Bey Sisters'

Even when Andy Bey and his sisters, Geraldine and Salome, were swinging, their vocals floated. So you can imagine how softly sublime their ballads were.

With musicians such as Jerome Richardson, Kenny Burrell, Milt Hinton and Jo Jones backing them, they settled into some of the most relaxed grooves — a mix of jazz, blues and gospel — you're ever going to find.

Highlights of the 20-song "Andy Bey and the Bey Sisters" collection include "Willow Weep for Me," "Sister Sadie," "God Bless the Child," "Everybody Loves My Baby" and "Feeling Good."

For just a taste, check out this video clip:

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-19-09

The daily mix:

1) The Downbeat 5: "Radiates That Charm"
2) Roky Erickson: "Bermuda"
3) Lazy Cowgirls: "D.I.E. in Indiana"
4) The Alarm Clocks: "No Reason to Complain"
5) Jay Reatard: "Painted Shut"
6) Ralph Nielsen and the Chancellors: "Scream"
7) Max Frost and the Troopers: "Shape of Things to Come"
8) Dawn 5: "Mike's Bag"
9) Dave Davani: "Sack O' Woe"
10) The Monks: "Drunken Maria"

The Downbeat 5: 'Smoke and Mirrors'

I've never been to Boston.

I'm not proud of it, especially considering that I've been a history buff since I was a kid. Moreover, one of my favorite former colleagues worked at The Boston Globe for many years. I know, I should have visited him. Guess I'm a bad friend.

My biggest shame, though, is that I've never been to Boston to see The Downbeat 5. I fell in love with the garage rockers in 2003 as soon as I heard their album "Ism." Jennifer D'Angora infused "Don't Come Crying to Me," my favorite song on the record, with sexy attitude. She sounds like she has a mean streak, but you know she doesn't. A nasty person couldn't perform with such joy.

They reprised the song in 2007 on their live album, "Smoke and Mirrors." That version's even wilder. J.J. Rassler makes his guitar scream on every note and D'Angora matches him howl for howl.

"Foggy Notion" "Rack My Mind," "Outcast" and "Number One" always scare the little hellhound because I crank them up so loud. Sorry, Franco, but it'd be sacrilegious not to when you find tunes that combine so much rock 'n' roll fury with a stone groove underneath ... it'd be sort of like you walking by the big cat down the street without trying to scare the hell out of it.

Franco likes The Downbeat 5's covers of Sam Cooke's "Shake" and The Kinks' "Come On Now" because I usually dance around the house when I listen. The band amps the songs up and sounds like they're daring you not to come to the party ... or Boston.

Don't Come Cryin' To Me - Down...

Come On Now - The Downbeat 5

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-18-09

Monday morning blues:

1) Golden "Big" Wheeler: "Connie"
2) J.B. Hutto: "Precious Stone"
3) Albert Collins: "Travellin' South"
4) Larry McCray: "Blues is My Business"
5) Gary Moore: "Walking Thru the Park"
6) Eddie "The Chief" Clearwater: "Hypnotized"
7) Snooky Pryor: "Broke and Hungry"
8) A.C. Reed: "Lonely Man"
9) Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson: "Next Door Neighbor"
10) Willie Kent: "My Friend"

The GP's, 'Saturday Rolling Around: Live From Broughton Castle'

On "Saturday Rolling Around: Live From Broughton Castle," Richard Thompson introduces "Together Again" as a song written by Buck Owens and performed in the style of Fats Domino.

That about sums up the scope of the rest of the album, too. You can certainly tell a lot about the roots of Thompson and his bandmates in a short-lived group called the GP's — which also includes British folk rockers Ralph McTell, Dave Pegg and Dave Mattacks — when you listen to the 1981 recording.

They cover "Pretty Boy Floyd" by Woody Guthrie, "Honky Tonk Blues" and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by Hank Williams, and "Going, Going, Gone" by Bob Dylan. The GP's love Jerry Lee Lewis and Eddie Cochran, too, as evidenced by their covers of "Great Balls of Fire," "High School Confidential," and "Cut Across Shorty." In short, you'll find everything from classic country and folk to blues and rockabilly.

The music's fun and some of it's extraordinary. In fact, I'd have a hard time choosing between The Band's and the GP's versions of "Don't Do It." I also love the GP's renditions of McTell's "Zimmerman's Blues" and Thompson's "Saturday Rolling Around."

But my favorite song on the album is probably "Steel Guitar Rag," which doesn't even include vocals. This is old-school twang filled with the energy of world-class rockers having the time of their lives. Listening to Thompson wail certainly makes you wonder what the folks at Rolling Stone were thinking when they ranked him as only the 19th best rock guitarist of all time.

"Saturday Rolling Around" probably isn't for everyone. There's nothing slick about it. Some of it's ragged. But if you're looking for the heart of the rock 'n' roll spirit, I advise you to track down a copy.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-17-09

A relaxing Sunday morning with some jazz pianists:

1) Shelly Berg: "Where or When"
2) Tete Montoliu: "Come Sunday"
3) Kenny Drew Jr.: "Children's Games"
4) Erroll Garner: "I'll Remember April"
5) Roger Kellaway: "I'm Smiling Again"
6) Phineas Newborn Jr.: "Together Again"
7) Jasper Van't Hof: "New Bob"
8) Mary Lou Williams: "N.G. Blues"
9) Junior Mance: "Whisper Not"
10) Bud Powell: "Fifty Second Street Theme"

Junior Mance

Junior Mance's Web site features an interesting interview with the great pianist (see below). In it, Mance talks what he learned from the great boogie-woogie masters and from Dizzy Gillespie.

I've been a fan of Mance's since I was a teenager when I first heard him on a blues album with Buddy Guy and Junior Wells called "Buddy and the Juniors." That led me to Mance's jazz albums such as "Junior," "The Junior Mance Trio at the Village Vanguard," "Happy Time," "Mance's Special" and "Blue Mance." Like Gene Harris, Mance pours the blues into all of his jazz recordings. To me, there aren't many more potent combinations.

I've seen Mance play just once, and I envy folks who live in New York because Mance is playing there several times this summer. But next time he comes home to Chicago, I'll do everything I can to be there.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-16-09

Saturday morning jazz:

1) David Murray and Mal Waldron: "I Should Care"
2) Nick Brignola: "Key Largo"
3) Red Garland Trio: "Rain"
4) Tommy Flanagan: "Beyond the Bluebird"
5) Modern Jazz Quartet: "Milano"
6) Paul Desmond: "Nancy"
7) Bill Evans: "Funny Man"
8) The Three Sounds: "Autumn in New York"
9) Don Friedman Trio: "Early Evening"
10) Bunky Green "East & West"

Jazz Blog Special: John Hicks, 'Something to Live For: A Billy Strayhorn Songbook'

I own all of pianist John Hicks' tribute albums, and I love them every one. But when I want to chill, I usually reach for "Something to Live For: A Billy Strayhorn Songbook."

Hicks is accompanied only by Dwayne Dolphin's bass, but tonight, with the rain pounding on my roof and the thunder rocking my house, it sounds as if a couple of percussionists have joined the party. And the contrast between Hicks' soft, lustrous keystrokes and the rhythmic pounding by Mother Nature and Thor make Strayhorn's lush tunes seem even more vibrant than normal.

Hicks didn't really need help from the elements, though. The beauty of nature glistens with every luxurious keystroke on tunes such as "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing," "Lush Life" and "Passion Flower."

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

Blues Blog Special: Drink Small, 'The Blues Doctor'

At the end of "I'm Going to Move to the Outskirts of Town," South Carolina bluesman Drink Small good-naturedly taunts his more famous colleagues Muddy Waters, Lightnin' Hopkins, Bobby Bland, Otis Rush, John Lee Hooker, Z.Z. Hill and B.B. King. None of them, Small says, could sing as low as him. It's true, too. Listen to "The Guitar Doctor" and I'm sure you'll agree that Small has one of the deepest voices the blues has ever known.

His guitar playing isn't as unusual, but it's mighty fine. Small rocks his big hollow-bodied electric guitar, Geraldine, on "Rub My Belly." He makes that guitar weep on "Stormy Monday Blues."

Small knocks his guitar playing in the introduction to "John Henry Ford" when he says he's not nearly as good as his uncle, "a back porch player." If that's true, it's a crime that his uncle never recorded, because Small takes his uncle's old National steel guitar and sounds like a country blues god.

It's Small's voice, though, that makes "The Blues Doctor" special. Despite being so low, it's smooth and sweet. And when he sings risque tunes such as "Baby Leave Your Panties Home" and "I'm a Tittie Man," you know he's used that voice countless times to charm the ladies, just as Barry White used to do.

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

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-15-09

The daily mix:

1) The Little Bicycles: "Patrick Moves to N.Y."
2) Pointed Sticks: "Real Thing"
3) Blind Pilot: "One Red Thread"
4) Andrew Bird: "Oh No"
5) The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: "A Teenager in Love"
6) XTC: "Making Plans for Nigel"
7) The High Dials: "Soul in Lust"
8) The Pixies: "Ed is Dead"
9) Pavement: "Passat Dream"
10) The Heavenly States: "Pretty Life"

Slaid Cleaves: 'Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away'

I know the kid Slaid Cleaves sings about in "Black T-shirt," a song from his new album, "Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away." I'll bet you do, too.

I can see the little punk when I listen to Cleaves sing. I can even hear strains of Guns and Roses in the background as the kid's world comes crashing around him.

In fact, my house is filled with Cleaves' characters as I listen to the album. And it's crowded with emotions.

I see some of those characters when I look in the mirror. Others are specters from my past, eerily floating from my subconscious to my sofa. I don't mind, though, because "Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away" is one of the best albums I've heard in a long time.

Cleaves' voice is every bit as rich as his stories. It sounds lonely, wistful. It's the kind of voice everyone from a kid in a black T-shirt to my aging mama can love. Maybe a few cowboys, too. They're all welcome to come listen to the album in my living room.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-14-09

The daily mix:

1) Tim Easton: "Seventh Wheel"
2) Vic Chesnutt: "Prick"
3) Toni Price: "Just to Hear Your Voice"
4) Charlie Sexton: "Once in a While"
5) James Hunter: "Don't Do Me No Favours"
6) Ray Charles: "Feel So Bad"
7) Irma Thomas: "If You Knew How Much"
8) Bettye Swann: "(My Heart Is) Closed for the Season"
9) Etta James: "Wayward Saints of Memphis"
10) Dr. John: "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying"

Merle Travis and Joe Maphis: 'Country Guitar Giants'

If you listen to Joe Maphis playing his double-necked guitar on his solo albums — my favorite is "Fire on the Strings" — you'd swear you were listening to two pickers. When Merle Travis added his guitar, a more traditional big-bodied Gibson with just one neck, you'd swear you were listening to four guitarists, maybe more.

"Country Guitar Giants," which features 30 of their songs, spotlights some of the finest guitar playing ever recorded. Travis and Maphis could fly. Just listen to tunes such as "Free Little Bird," "John Henry" and "Cannonball Rag." They also knew how to make their guitars cry, as they did on "Little Rosewood Casket."

Mostly, though, the songs on the "Country Guitar Giants" represent the sounds of joy. These guys imbued their songs with a sense of joviality that's rare. That's why Travis and Maphis are two of my musical heroes.

They should be among yours, too.

John Henry - Merle Travis, Joe...

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-13-09

Wednesday morning jazz:

1) Abdullah Ibrahim: "Jabulani"
2) Martial Solal: "Monster Piece"
3) Gonzalo Rubalcaba: "Aspiring to Normalcy"
4) Gene Ammons and Dodo Marmarosa: "You're Driving Me Crazy"
5) John Lewis and Sacha Distel: "Dear Old Stockholm"
6) Eddie Green: "Shades of Green"
7) Bobby Timmons Trio: "So Tired"
8) Duke Jordan: "Squawkin'"
9) Elmo Hope: "Mo is On"
10) Duke Pearson: "Prairie Dog"

Darcy James Argue's Secret Society: 'Infernal Machines'

For fun, I loaded "Infernal Machines," the new album by Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, on one of my iPods, along with Don Ellis' "Electric Bath," the Magali Souriau Orchestra's "Birdland Sessions" and East New York Ensemble de Music’s “At the Helm.” Then I hit shuffle.

It supercharged a morning that otherwise might have seemed dreary with my students gone. The albums aren't carbon copies of each other, obviously, but the transitions between songs seemed seamless. For starters, they're all multi-layered ensemble works.

"Electric Bath," for example, reflects the coolest sounds of the '60s. Ellis and his orchestra mix funk, psychedelic rock, bosa nova and a lot of other influences into an invigorating jazz set. Argue's Secret Society riffs off the sounds of his era, too, namely indie rock and soundscape rock. But both Ellis and Argue are the children of Ellington and Basie, so there's a lot of common ground.

I always think of a group of Latin jazz snake charmers when I listen to the East New York Ensemble de Music. Their music is hypnotic, exotic. The starting points for that group and for Argue's band are different, but somehow the rich textures of their music both evoke the same sense of spirituality for me.

Souriau's "Birdland Sessions" has been one of my favorite albums since its release almost 10 years. Much of "Infernal Machines" matches the serene beauty of "Birdland Sessions."

The point is that Darcy James Argue's Secret Society has produced some of the richest, and most varied, jazz you're going to find. "Infernal Machines" belongs in every jazz fan's collection. And if you're feeling adventurous, load it onto your iPods with the albums by Ellis, the East New York Ensemble de Music and Souriau and hit shuffle. I'm betting it will kickstart your day, too.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-12-09

The daily mix:

1) Ervin Charles: "Sweet Woman's Love"
2) Lou Rawls: "Blues for the Weepers"
3) Johnny Griffin: "God Bless the Child"
4) James Booker: "Angel Eyes"
5) Sonny Criss: "Mighty Low"
6) Billie Holiday: "Autumn in New York"
7) Janiva Magness: "You Were Never Mine"
8) Johnny Copeland: "It's My Own Tears"
9) Johnnie Taylor: "Last Two Dollars"
10) Little Milton: "Let Me Down Easy"

David 'Fathead' Newman: 'The Blessing'

David "Fathead" Newman must have been hurting when he recorded "The Blessing" in December — he died of pancreatic cancer just a few weeks later — but you wouldn't know it by listening to the album.

You won't find any fancy pyrotechnics on the album; all nine songs are flawless studies in tranquility. Newman let pianist David Leonhardt, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, guitarist Peter Bernstein, bassist John Menegon and drummer Yoron Israel carry much of the load. But when Newman played, he still had one of the sweetest tones in jazz history.

Knowing now that these would be Newman's last recordings, tunes such as "Someone to Watch Over Me," "As Time Goes By," "Whispers of Contentment" and "The Blessing" seem especially poignant. The songs are tender, reflective. In short, they're an excellent musical epitaph for one of our greatest saxophonists.

Frank Turner: 'Love, Ire & Song'

The blogging world is filled with adulation and ridicule for Frank Turner, an English punk rocker turned troubadour. Count me among his most avid fans.

Some folks knock him for sounding too much like Billy Bragg, and, in fact, the similarities in their voices and in the meter of their songs is inescapable. So what? I love Billy Billy Bragg. To me, though, Turner's songs remind me more of a cross between John Wesley Harding's and Michael Penn's tunes.

The songs on his latest album, "Love, Ire & Song," are both witty and caustic. Turner addresses the struggles of getting older, the pain of finding a true love, and the perils of seeking fame. And he does so with such an infectious style that I can't stop listening to the album.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-11-09

Monday morning blues:

1) Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones: "Well I Done Got Over It"
2) Colin Linden: "Go Back to the Devil"
3) Muddy Waters: "Close to You"
4) Jelly Roll Kings: "Frank Frost Blues"
5) Larry Taylor: "Tell Me Baby"
6) Katie Webster: "Stood Up Again"
7) Nora Jean Bruso: "Miss Mae's Juke Joint"
8) Lavelle White: "For You My Love"
9) U.P. Wilson: "Boots and Shoes"
10) Charles Brown: "Sorry Baby"

Dave Hole: 'Outside Looking In'

I like Dave Hole's voice just fine. I'm mesmerized by the Australian bluesman's guitar playing.

The guy is one of the best slide guitarists in the world today. He's certainly among the fiercest. That's clear from the opening chords of "Jenny Lee," a song from "Outside Looking In," an album Hole released in 2001.

With apologies to Charlie Daniels, if Hole got in a duel with the devil he'd kick Beelzebul's ass. Daniels' too, for that matter. Hole provides one three- to five-minute snippet of steel fury after another on "Outside Looking In."

He has a sensitive side, too. "Nobody," for example, is a slower tune on which he bends his notes so hard they wrap around each other. And "Out of My Reach," a love song, sounds like an electric guitar lullaby.

If I were making a list of my favorite guitarists, Dave Hole would certainly be near the top. Check him out:

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-10-09

The daily mix:

1) Steve Forbert: "Stolen Identity"
2) Amy Rigby: "Wait Til I Get You Home"
3) Bree Sharp: "Dirty Magazine"
4) Guy Forsyth: "Heart Shaped Hole"
5) Buddy Flett: "Baby's Back in Town"
6) Miki Honeycutt: "Not By Man Alone"
7) Jon Dee Graham: "I Don't Feel That Way"
8) Lucinda Williams: "Jailhouse Tears"
9) Lou Ann Barton: "It Ain't Right"
10) Irma Thomas and Tracy Nelson: "You Don't Know Anything But Love"

Omar Kent Dykes: 'Big Town Playboy'

My friends and I had a tough choice in Austin last weekend when we had to decide whether to see Omar Dykes or the Mike Flanigan B3 Trio with Jimmie Vaughan sitting in. We opted to see Mike Flanigan because, like me, one of my pals is a B3 freak and because the others are huge Jimmie Vaughan fans. I don't think we could have gone wrong with either choice.

Dykes' new album, "Big Town Playboy," is a no-brainer for me because Vaughan joins Dykes for a follow-up of their terrific 2007 collaboration, "On the Jimmy Reed Highway." Moreover, they're accompanied by Lou Ann Barton, Gary Clark Jr., James Cotton, Lazy Lester and several other pros.

They're not trying to top Eddie Taylor, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy McCracklin and the other folks who wrote the songs they cover — no one could. But Dykes' and Vaughan's guitars sting pretty damn hard on "King Bee" and their vocals certainly capture the lasciviously fun spirit of the tune.

Dykes' spirited duet with Barton on "Think" is another highlight. It's perhaps a bit more raucous than McCracklin's, and that's just fine by me. I also love Cotton's and Lester's harmonica playing, but that's no surprise.

"Big Town Playboy" feels like it was a recorded in a bar. It's fun and a little ragged. And when I listen, I almost feel as if I caught Dykes' show in Austin. Maybe next time.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-9-09

The daily mix:

1) Ian Gomm: "Hold On"
2) The Mysteries of Life: "New Kind of Love"
3) The Rosebuds: "I Better Run"
4) Teenage Fanclub: "Don't Look Back"
5) Primary 5: "I Wonder Why"
6) Galaxie 500: "When Will You Come Home"
7) Preston School of Industry: "Caught in the Rain"
8) The Hold Steady: "The Swish"
9) The La's: "There She Goes"
10) Thursday's Children: "You'll Never Be My Girl"

Jack-O and the Tennessee Tearjerkers: 'Disco Outlaw'

Jack Oblivion and the Tennessee Tearjerkers' new album, "Disco Outlaw," provides the antidote to the syncopated musical landscape of my college years in the '70s. No matter that it's 30 some years too late.

The tunes on this album are timeless. Dr. Oblivion prescribed straight-up rock 'n' roll with big dollops of blues and boogie. As I listen, I'm reminded of the early Stones, Brownsville Station, Z.Z. Top and Nikki Sudden — and that always makes me feel good.

Ditch Road - Jack-O and the Te...

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-8-09

Friday morning blues:

1) Matthew Robinson: "Too Many Dirty Dishes"
2) Mance Lipscomb: "Joe Turner Killed a Man"
3) Pee Wee Crayton: "Blues After Hours"
4) Barbecue Bob: "Cloudy Sky Blues"
5) Willie Foster: "If You Love Me"
6) Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup: "Death Valley Blues"
7) Paul "Wine" Jones: "Big Bell Ringing"
8) Son House: "Dry Spell Blues"
9) Lamont Cranston: "Madison Blues"
10) Buddy Moss: "Comin' Back"

The Chambers Brothers: 'The Time Has Come'

I can't figure out why The Chambers Brothers' "The Time Has Come," originally released in 1967, retails for $7. I'd have happily paid $19 or $20.

I'm not complaining, though. The album's filled with some of the sweetest funk and soul that came out of the '60s. The brothers' harmonies are great on both the ballads ("Please Don't Leave Me") and the funk ("All Strung Out Over You").

There are some great covers, too, notably of Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions' "People Get Ready" and Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour." And I'm willing to bet that Roky Erickson and the 13th Floor Elevators spent a lot of time digging the psychedelic mix of "Time Has Come Today."

Buy the album; it's one of the best bargains you're ever gong to find.

All Strung Out Over You - The ...

Please Don't Leave Me - The Ch...

The Waybacks: 'Devolver'

I don't know whether Charlie Parker liked bluegrass. I do know that he valued improvisation and creativity, and The Waybacks' cover of Parker's "Scrapple From the Apple" is certainly a fresh take on the jazz classic. The Waybacks' cover sounds a lot like a gypsy version of the tune drifting down from the Appalachian Mountains.

It's just one of several tunes on "Devolver" that I love. My other favorites are the bluegrass version of "Cluck Old Hen," which The Waybacks play with the ferocity of a punk tune, and their cover of Riders in the Sky's "Compadres in the Old Sierra Madre." That tune always takes me back to the church and 4-H camps nestled in the Appalachians where I spent so many of the summers of my youth. It has the crackle of the campfires we sat around, where someone always pulled out a guitar.

Here's a taste:

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-7-09

The daily mix:

1) Slaid Cleaves: "Run Jolee Run"
2) The Spanic Boys: "London Town"
3) Warren Zevon: "Jesus Mentioned"
4) Duane Jarvis: "Prodigal Daughter"
5) Tom Russell and Dave Alvin: "Blue Wind"
6) Patty Griffin: "Making Pies"
7) Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent: "Magdelina"
8) Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez: "Must Be the Whiskey"
9) The Waifs: "London Still"
10) The Handsome Family: "All the Time in Airports"

Warren Zevon Video

Warren Zevon's "My Shit's Fucked Up" expresses the way I feel way too many days.

I know it applies to me on days when I can barely get out of bed and the dog's legs hurt so much he doesn't want to go for a walk. It's the price of getting old.

Precious Bryant: 'Fool Me Good'

"Fever" sounds like a white-hot flame when Little Willie John and Peggy Lee sing it. Their renditions are filled with searing sensuality. The song is fanned by raw emotion when Precious Bryant sings it. It's almost as if Bryant's daring you not to love her.

Then again, everything on "Fool Me Good" is like that. Bryant careens through songs such as "Black Rat Swing," "Fool Me Good" and "Don't Mess Up a Good Thing." And her guitar playing slaps listeners with the same kind of intensity as her vocals.

I believe just about every word that comes out of Bryant's mouth on the album's 15 songs because she sings with such conviction. The one exception is "Wadn't I Scared," a fabulous song, to be sure, but a woman who plays and sings with that much power doesn't need to be scared of anything.

Black Rat Swing - Precious Bry...

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-6-09

The daily mix:

1) Terri Hendrix: "Jim Thorpe's Blues"
2) Toni Price: "Misty Moonlight"
3) Eleni Mandell: "My Twin"
4) Idgy Vaughn: "Truckstop Waitress"
5) Kim Richey: "I'm Alright"
6) Bobbie Gentry: "Sunday Best"
7) Sammi Smith: "I've Got to Have You"
8) Jody Miller: "Queen of the House"
9) Susan Raye: "Whatcha Gonna Do With a Dog Like That"
10) Tanya Tucker: "You're Not Alone"

Spencer Wiggins: 'The Goldwax Years'

A lot of male soul singers had smooth voices in the '60s. Not many of them had Spencer Wiggins' range, though.

Listen to "Once in a While (Is Better Than Nothing at All)," for example, and you'll hear Wiggins gliding through the tune with the sweetness of Sam Cooke and the grittiness of Otis Redding. Then, almost without warning, his voice rises higher than you thought possible. It's even more arresting when Wiggins uses a powerful falsetto scream to incite the dancers listening to the funky "Soul City USA."

But, mostly, I'm hooked on the ballads on Kent Records' collection of his songs, "The Goldwax Years." You can certainly hear his gospel training on "Uptight Good Woman" and "My Love is Real," so it's no surprise that's he's released a number of outstanding gospel albums since the '60s.

And if you're looking for the perfect song to cap a mix disc of love songs, I suggest you include "I'll Be True to You" or "That's How Much I Love You." Valentine's Day is only three-quarters of a year away.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-5-09

Tuesday night jazz:

1) Milt Jackson and John Coltrane: "Blues Legacy"
2) Yusef Lateef: "Jungle Fantasy"
3) Sam Jones: "Some Kinda Mean"
4) Steven Bernstein: "Lucky"
5) Alexander Von Schlippenbach Trio: "Pakistani Promenade"
6) Fred Anderson Quartet: "The Bull"
7) Anat Cohen: "Cry"
8) Branford Marsalis: "Yes and No"
9) Claude Bolling and Stephane Grappelli: "Minor Swing"
10) Charles Mingus: "West Coast Ghost"

The Handy Blues and Barbecue Festival's on My Calendar

I can't take a whole week of vacation time to go to the Handy Blues and Barbecue Festival in Henderson, Kentucky, because I'm visiting my parents in Georgia the following week. I am, however, going to try to head down after work on June 19.

If I do that, I figure I'll get to Henderson in time to see Tad Robinson and Zac Harmon on Friday night and a great lineup of stars on Saturday, including Hubert Sumlin with the Nighthawks, Eric Bibb, Shemekia Copeland, Albert Cummings and Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials.

Yves Montand: 'A Paris, 1948-49'

I bought Yves Montand's "A Paris 1948-1949" because I'm a sucker for music from the '40s. I'm also a fan of the Italian-born French singer's movies.

His voice is warm, romantic. But he also sings with a mirthful spirit that makes his songs irresistible, especially when he laughs during the choruses of songs obviously meant to woo listeners.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-4-09

Let's funk:

1) Rufus Thomas: "Do the Funky Penguin, Part 1"
2) The Brooklyn Funk Essentials: "Take the L Train"
3) Jimmy Castor Bunch: "Troglodyte (Cave Man)"
4) The Chambers Brothers: "I Can't Stand It"
5) James Brown: "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose"
6) Stevie Wonder: "Superstition"
7) George Duke: "Funny Funk"
8) Donald Byrd: "Jelly Roll"
9) Fela Kuti: "Open and Close"
10) David Murray and the Gwo-Ka Masters: "Gwotet"

Sonny Rollins Concert in Austin

Sonny Rollins was blowing pretty hard just to be heard on "Sonny Please," the first song of his concert in Austin Sunday night, because the microphone on his saxophone wasn't working. When the Bass Hall folks replaced his mic between songs, it was like a switch went off inside Sonny. After that, he played like a Tasmanian jazz devil, whirling through one song after another.

I've seen Sonny play many times the last few years, but I haven't seen him that energized since his show at Chicago's Orchestra Hall back in 2005. The crowd had something to do with that. They gave him several standing ovations during the middle of the concert, especially after a scintillating rendition of "My One and Only Love," which also featured an extraordinary solo by bassist Bob Cranshaw.

In fact, the entire band — Clifton Anderson on trombone, Bobby Broom on guitar, Kobie Watkins on drums and Victor Y. See Yuen on congos and percussion — seemed hepped up Saturday night, probably because they, too, recognized how special Sonny's performance was. And who wouldn't be inspired while watching a 78-year-old man dancing wildly and leaning over the stage to serenade the folks in the first row with his horn?

Sonny's performance of "St. Thomas," his calypso-based signature song seemed like a fitting climax. The hall's management thought so, too, because they turned on the lights when the band left the stage after the song. But the audience applauded so enthusiastically that the band returned to play a nasty blues tune ("Mean Mistreatin' Mama," I'm told). Sonny even sang — more like growled — and I've never heard him do that before. I hope to again, though, because if he does I'll know I'm at an incredible concert.

Mike Flanigan Trio With Jimmie Vaughan

Jimmie Vaughan's responsible for turning one of my friends into a jazz fan.

My friend, who's always been befuddled by jazz, started to get it tonight when Vaughan sat in on guitar with the Mike Flanigan B3 Trio. The fact that my friend's been a big Jimmie Vaughan fan for years was enough to lure him to the Gallery, a small venue attached to the Continental Club in Austin. And he started to sway when Vaughan started mixing blues, jazz and rock licks in front of Flanigan's fat B3 organ runs. The fact that the group played a cover of The Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love" didn't hurt, either.

Vaughan nailed the ballads, too, despite a little hum from his tube amp. Folks who think Vaughan's only a straight-up blues rocker have no idea. As another friend, who's a B3 fanatic noted, it was a classic Hammond B3 jazz combo that would have made both Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery proud.

My friends were wiped out from a long day, so we left after the first set. Personally, though, I'd have been thrilled to have listened to the group for four or five more hours.

I don't know if there are any plans for it, but I'd love for Flanigan and Vaughan to record a jazz CD together. That really would be special. My friend who's been a jazz skeptic all his life might even buy it.

Bluesman W.C. Clark at Saxon's Pub in Austin

At Austin's Saxon Pub Friday night, one of my friends noted that W.C. Clark sounds like Robert Cray. I corrected him. Actually, Robert Cray sounds a little like W.C. Clark, I said.

And, really, you could say that about tons of younger musicians. Indeed, Clark tutored folks such as Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan, Charlie and Will Sexton, Lou Ann Barton and Angela Strehli.

He's a master of everything from funk to jazz, but blues is his primary language and you don't need a translator to understand the depth of feeling he pours into every song. Take his version of Ray Charles' "Georgia," for example. I love the song, but, frankly, I'm tired of hearing covers of it. Clark, though, just about made me cry when he sang it, lingering over the high notes like he was searching for lost loves in them.

The thing that amazes me is that both his singing and his guitar playing seem effortless. You never see him strain, even when he's rumbling though "Mystery Train" and "Sweet Home Chicago." The tone of his guitar is as clear and pure on those tunes as it is when he's playing the slow stuff. You barely even see his fingers move.

The same couldn't be said for the crowd, which started boogieing when Clark started playing "Treat Her Right," returning his shouts of "Hey, Hey, Hey" at every chorus. Clark and the audience also got their funk on when he played Clarence Carter's "Snatching It Back."

And, yeah, you could hear the similarities between Clark and Robert Cray when the godfather of Austin blues played "Let It Rain." But I'm guessing that Cray is a big fan of Clark. Why wouldn't he be? As far as I'm concerned, W.C. Clark is as good as any bluesman who still straps on a guitar.

Cahl's Jukebox, 5-1-09

The daily mix:

1) Turpentine Brothers: "Why I Can't I Do"
2) Kevin Ayers: "Only Heaven Knows"
3) Randy Newman: "Only a Girl"
4) Ofer Golany: "Bird on a Wire"
5) Leonard Cohen: "Master of Song"
6) Handsome Family: "Tesla's Hotel Room"
7) Hacienda Brothers: "A Lot of Days are Gone"
8) Willie Nelson: "No Place for Me"
9) Steve Young: "Rock, Salt, Nails"
10) Ray Wylie Hubbard: "The Beauty Way"