Jay Gordon To Set L.A. House of Blues On Fire This Saturday (With His Guitar...)

HOLLYWOOD'S HOUSE OF BLUES LAUNCHES ALL AGES LIVE BLUES SERIES FEATURING SOCAL'S FINEST TALENT IN THEIR CROSSROADS RESTAURANT <<<<<This Saturday Night, March 10 - The Fiery Blues 'N' Rock Guitar Of>>>>> Jay Gordon & Blues Venom

(WEST HOLLYWOOD) - In a development that is guaranteed to make Southern California's fiercely loyal and ever-growing Blues community jump for joy, the House of Blues/Sunset is presenting a new, all-ages, Blues Concert Series in its second floor Crossroads Restaurant and Concert Hall. Guitar ace Jay Gordon & Blues Venom brings his over-the-top, guaranteed to blow your mind playing style to the HOB/Crossroads this Saturday, March 10. No cover charge for any of these shows. 8:30-11:30 p.m. 8430 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. Info: (323) 848-5100 or www.houseofblues.com. Guitarist Jay Gordon (left, pictured here with bassist Sharon Butcher) has been referred to as "the Yngwie Malmsteen of the Blues." Catch his powerhouse playing style at HOB on Saturday, March 10. WHAT THE MEDIA IS SAYING ABOUT BLUES VENOM - NO CURE & JAY GORDON "What really caught my ear with this Blues CD is how each studio-recorded song has the heart and soul of the live show...I can visualize the the cigarette smoke rhythmically gyrating seductively in the spotlight; I can feel the stretch of every note squeezed out of the guitar strings until they snap from red hot finger picking. It's great to hear a contemporary blues artist who's been at this for a while and knows how to write and perform good music." ALL ACCESS MAGAZINE "I believe that it is a mild understatement for me to say that California-based blues rocker guitarist Jay Gordon is an "envelope pusher"...if you have been shipwrecked for the past several years and not heard any of his work, Gordon is another of those phenomenally gifted guitarists/singer/songwriters who for some reason flies just below the collective radars of many mainstream music fans. Gordon plays with the intensity of Walter Trout, Frank Zappa or Alvin Lee, the raw passion of Johnny Winter or Houndog Taylor, and does it all with the precision of the world's finest Swiss watch. Unpredictable, impossible to categorize, and chaotic. It is also brilliant." BLUESROCKERS "BLUES VENOM - NO CURE is a solid album of thirteen songs that show how Gordon can appeal to fans of both traditional blues as well as fans of rock-infused with a healthy does of blues....if you fall into either category, this is an album worth adding to your collection." OC MUSIC EXAMINER (Sat. March 10) - Take the primal wail of American Blues and amplify them beyond the point with no limitations. Jay Gordon continues to shake planet earth with his onslaught of Electric Voodoo Blues. When you listen to BLUES VENOM - NO CURE you will see how Jay has moved the blues forward to the 21st century, infusing the music with the fire and power of rock while carving out his own place in the music world. BVNC features songs like, Dockery's Plantation (for Robert Johnson), World Blues, Slow Burn/Biker Mama, Red Hot Tempered Woman and more, even a bonus track in honor of the late great Phillip Walker. "Getting bit by Jay Gordon's BLUES VENOM - NO CURE is similar to Peter Parker getting bit by a radioactive spider. There is no cure, but that's a good thing," states the world's #1 authority on such matters, BLUES REVUE. "As solid as a blues album can be, and I consider one of the best I have heard this year," the review concludes. Jay Gordon is nominated in the "Best Blues, Roots or Americana Artist" category for the 2012 Los Angeles Music Awards. He receives his nomination this Saturday night at the House of Blues gig from LAMA Executive Producer, Al Bowman. Watch an off-the-hook live performance by Jay Gordon and Blues Venom from the House Of Blues here: BLUES REVUE CD Review ALL ACCESS MAGAZINE CD Review BLUESROCKERS CD Review BLUES FESTIVAL E GUIDE CD Review http://www.jaygordonandthepenetrators.com

New Release: Anthony Gomes - Up2Zero - Review

I just received a copy of the new recording, Up2Zero by Blueswax Magazine's "Blues Artist of The Year" Anthony Gomes. The disk opens with a screamer, Back To The Start, a Texas style blues with a great base, flaring guitar and solid vocals by Gomes. One Last Time is a great T-Bone walker inspired track with blazing guitar work. Gomes shines not only on guitar but also on vocals. Love Sweet Love, more structured for airplay, is a solid track with hints to Jimi, Robin Trower and Robert Cray. Fly Away follows a blues rock format and will also be well suited for commercial airplay exhibits some great guitar tone. Darkest Before The Dawn, the classic song, is extremely well done here with Gomes singing the heartfelt ballad and playing beautiful melodic guitar runs... shifting keys midway and with elegant backing female vocals throughout. Room 414 is an uptempo blues rocker with nods to Crossroads and inferences to the room in which Robert Johnson cut his known recordings. Gomes vocals lead the way for his call and response instrumental vocal trade off. Voodoo Moon leads a new path over the SBW "Help Me" groove with great success. The rhythm is different, the pattern is different and he even does a nice uptempo break in the middle. Anywhere You Run, a third classic airplay type song is well written and played both with lead and backing vocals. Last Bluesman Gone, a tribute to recently passed influences, has the darkness of the swamps and really cool backing vocals. Gomes asks the question what we gonna do. I really like the vocal take on the old spiritual styling of the song and the solemness in which it is delivered. Possibly by accident the most effective song on the release. Up 2 Zero, the title track is a blues rocker has a lot of the hooks of a contemporary blues song. It has enough guitar for the guitar people (paint peeling speed), enough vocals for the vocal people and catchy enough for the casual listener. I can see why it was selected for the title track. The release is wrapped up with N' Abandonne Pas, the french version of Darkest Before the Dawn, done in thoughts of Gomes' roots in Quebec City.
Gomes has indicated that he will be touring extensively in 2012 to support this new release. Should be a great show!


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New Release: Lose Yourself - Ulrich Ellison - Review

I just received the new recording, Lose Yourself, by Ulrich Ellison. First I want to applaud Ellison for endeavoring to make something that is spontaneous and unique rather than following the lead of everyone else. This recording is completely written and produced by Ellison. It opens with Info Stream, an ethereal backtrack of instrumentation and vocal that sets the stage. Awakening blasts out into the air with a hard driving drum, guitar and cello? Yes cello! This is a rocker but more along the lines of King Crimson, Trey Gunn or Mars Volta than Led Zeppelin. I like it! Public Eye has trace glimpses to Pink Floyd but with a more heavy and modern sound. I Feel It Too is much more subdued and predominantly ballad like. Eternity is a cool airy track again with the simplicity / complexity of some of the avant garde players earlier mentioned. It is quite a strong track. Lose Yourself is the converse is the answer to Eternity as I feel the recording is set up somewhat like a blues song where there is a musical question posed in one song and answered in the next. On The Run, again an soundscape track and very interesting but in this case resolving itself with strong guitar and rock reinforcement. Isolation begins with some unusual piano chords and then again built upon with other instrumental compliments. This is a great track! Magic Golden Pill, possibly the most straight forward track on the recording is strong and vocal oriented but of course with cool instrumentation. Rising Anger is a cool almost funky instrumental with a great jagged guitar lead and complimentary drum accompaniment. This is really strong! All Within You a final acoustic ballad to conclude the set.

If you get the chance to check this out...do it! I think that it is very innovative and keeps you listening

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Mike Farris Update

SHOUT! The Newsletter March 2012 Happy belated new year everybody! I'm excited about this year, even if it may be our last one EVER. Historically, the Mayans are known to have been serious “Debbie Downers” and straight up pessimists so, here's hoping 2012 will bring us all a positive attitude, along with love, peace, clarity of vision and God's grace. Just to err on the side of caution, it may be wise to wish for good fertile ground, healthy livestock, and a wise Ace Hardware stock manager in hopes he/she will order plenty of firestarter logs for the coming year...... ALREADY ALRIGHT Making a record can be a scary endeavor for me. I remind myself of it's permanence and the importance of it all because of how this craft can take shape in other peoples’lives- how I will never be here at this moment again. A sort of insanity quickly sets in and I suddenly begin to feel the weight of Beethoven and Steve Cropper bearing down on me- great songs flood my mind-Eleanor Rigby-Soul Of A Man-the theme from Barney Miller...the ghost of Louis Armstrong begins to follow me around- I tremble before the genius of Tom Waits, CaroleKing, Aretha Franklin, Pops Staples- and Foy Vance- my good friend I love to hate -and the hysteria in my head that this record must be perfect, and I mustn't be too wordy and on and on it goes till suddenly- I find that I've become paralyzed with fear. Just then, I happen to find a chair somewhere to sit down and I notice a note on the chair that so eloquently says, “DON'T TAKE YOURSELF SO DAMN SERIOUSLY! I still want to know who put the note there, so that I may give due thanks, but in the meantime- We are getting back into the studio to finish recording our new record,Already Alright. I say our because that's just what it will be- By the time we play our last note-roll the tape on the last take, choose just the right photograph, proofread all the liner notes and shrink wrap it all up and place the little bow on the front- we would have all played our parts. Those who have invested in this thing, be it monetary or good ole blood, sweat and tears for fears-will have built a new-fangled vehicle for which to take around the world and offer rides for anyone who needs a lift. Sometimes the plans need to be redrawn- bigger carburetor, new-age wiper blades-maybe it's just not up to codes. The point I'm trying to make is that, yes, sometimes it takes longer than expected, but this ride we're workin' on is built for comfort, not for speed and, God willin', we got a lot of miles to ride! KICKSTARTER We will be starting phase II of our Kickstarter campaign in the next few weeks with lots of new incentives/prizes for participating so be sure and tell all your friends to come check us out. NEW WEBSITE The new website is pretty much complete and it's a good one! We've joined forces with Lotus Nile to design a more user friendly site, so we can communicate and provide better services for you regarding all things Mike Farris Music. We also have a spring merchandise sale going on now so go check it out .... www.mikefarrismusic.com 2012 TOUR DATES: March 14- Austin, TX- SXSW- KCA Showcase @ The White Horse March 15- Fort Worth, TX- Candera Centerw/ The Steeldrivers March 16- Austin, TX- Sin City Social Club Showcase @ Maria’s Taco Xpress March 18- Austin, TX- Riverbend Church May 4- Nashville, TN- 3& Lindsley acoustic w/ Ray Wylie Hubbard May 10 – The Hamilton – Washington DC May 12 – Narrows Center for the Arts – Falls River MA June 21- Salt Lake City- Utah Arts Festival June 23 -Blackberry Jam – Liepers Fork TN Sept. 2- Laramie, WY- Snowy Range Music (MORE DATES ADDED DAILY - PLEASE CHECK WEBSITE ) That's it for now . Thanks everybody! I remain- the luckiest guy in the world- Mike

Was I Drunk - Georgia White

Georgia White (March 9, 1903 -- c.1980) was an African American blues singer, most prolific in the 1930s and 1940s. Little is known of her early life. By the late 1920s she was singing in clubs in Chicago, and she made her first recording, "When You're Smiling, the Whole World Smiles With You," with Jimmie Noone's orchestra in 1930. She returned to the studio in 1935, and over the next six years recorded over 100 tracks for Decca Records, usually accompanied by the pianist Richard M. Jones and also, in the late 1930s, by guitarist Lonnie Johnson. Her output exceeds that of her rivals Lil Johnson and Merline Johnson, and even Memphis Minnie, during those years.
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Blues Guitarist Bugs Henderson passed away last night

Bugs Henderson was born in Palm Springs, California in 1943 and grew up in Tyler, Texas. Bugs had a burning desire to pick up the 6 string at an early age. At the age of 6 he discovered his first love.
Bugs has played with guitar icons such as B.B. King, Freddie King, Eric Clapton, Ted Nugent, Roy Buchanan, and James Burton. To this day, Bugs' guitar hangs in Hard Rock Cafe' in Dallas along side instruments donated by Lee Ritenour and Chet Atkins.

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Dirty Man - Laura Lee

Laura Lee (born Laura Lee Newton, 9 March 1945, Chicago, Illinois) is an American soul and gospel singer and songwriter, most successful in the 1960s and 1970s and influential for her records which discussed and celebrated women’s experience.
Lee was born in Chicago, but as a child relocated to Detroit with her mother. After a few years, she was adopted by Rev. E. Allan Rundless, who had previously been a member of the Soul Stirrers, and his wife Ernestine, who led a gospel group, The Meditation Singers. Featuring Della Reese, they were the first Detroit gospel group to perform with instrumental backing. The group recorded on the Specialty label in the mid 1950s, appeared on the LP Della Reese Presents The Meditation Singers in 1958, and in the early 1960s recorded for Checker Records.

As Laura Lee Rundless, she replaced Reese in The Meditation Singers in 1956, and over the next few years toured widely around the country. In 1965, as Laura Lee, she launched her secular solo career as an R&B singer in clubs in Detroit, although she also continued to record occasionally with The Meditation Singers. She first recorded solo for Ric-Tic Records in 1966, with "To Win Your Heart".

The following year, she signed with Chess Records and, after initially recording in-house with the label's producers in Chicago, it was decided to send her to Rick Hall’s FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals to record "Dirty Man". This became her first hit, reaching #13 R&B and #68 pop. She stayed with Chess until 1969, also recording "Up Tight Good Man" (#16 R&B) and "As Long As I Got You" (#31 R&B)).

A short spell with Atlantic subsidiary, Cotillion resulted in two singles and then in 1970, Lee moved to former Motown producers, Holland, Dozier and Holland’s newly established Hot Wax label in Detroit. One of her first recordings for Hot Wax, "Women’s Love Rights", became one of her biggest hits, reaching #11 on the R&B chart in 1971 and #36 pop. In 1972, "Rip Off" became her biggest R&B hit at #3 but only climbed to #68 on the Billboard Hot 100. She also recorded an album, Two Sides of Laura Lee, while in a relationship with singer Al Green. Most of her material on Hot Wax was produced by William Weatherspoon, formerly with Motown.

Lee left Invictus / Hot Wax in 1975 and signed with Ariola Records, but became seriously ill shortly afterwards and retired from the music industry for several years. She returned in 1983 with a gospel album, Jesus Is The Light Of My Life, on which she worked with Al Green. By 1990 she was recovered from her illness, and had been ordained as a minister. She has continued recording music, mostly gospel.
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Stormy Monday - Lefty Bates

Lefty Bates (March 9, 1920 – April 7, 2007) was an American Chicago blues guitarist. He led the Lefty Bates Combo, and variously worked with the El Dorados, the Flamingos, Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, Buddy Guy, Etta James, the Aristo-Kats, the Hi-De-Ho Boys, the Moroccos, the Impressions, and a latter day version of the Ink Spots. A regular on the Chicago blues scene, Bates major work was as a session musician on a multitude of recordings made in the 1950s and 1960s.
He was born William Bates in Leighton, Alabama, United States, and acquired his nickname from his left-handed guitar playing. Bates was raised in St. Louis, Missouri, attending Vashon High School and while there help form the Hi-De-Ho Boys. In 1936, they relocated to Chicago, and recorded for Decca Records and played in several Chicago clubs. Bates served in World War II, and later joined the Aristo-Kats, who recorded on RCA Victor.
From 1955, Bates worked in a similar manner with another Chicago-based record label, Club 51, although there he had the luxury of leading "The Lefty Bates Orchestra". At Club 51 he backed The Five Buddies and Sunnyland Slim. In 1957, Bates along with Earl Hooker, backed the singer Arbee Stidham, on his recording of "Look Me Straight in the Eye".

In 1959, Bates played with Reed on his recording of "Baby What You Want Me to Do". By March 1960, Bates was part of the backing trio for John Lee Hooker on his album, Travellin'. In 1961, Bates appeared on Jimmy Reed at Carnegie Hall, plus in the same year played on Reed's recording of "Big Boss Man".

By the time the majority of his studio work had ceased, Bates led a latter-day version of the Ink Spots in the 1970s and beyond.

Bates died of a arteriosclerosis in Chicago in April 2007, aged 87.

Bates was married to well-known area club dancer Mary Cole Bates, who died in 2001.
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WNTI 91.5 Rock-it Science with Greg Lewis - Playlist-links for Mar 8, 2012

Playlist Songs--SONG---ARTIST---ALBUM----

	Just Got Back From Baby's, ZZ Top, ZZ Top's First Album Start: 20:01:00 End: 20:05:00 Duration : 4:00
	Almost Cut My Hair, Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam, Live In Melbourne Australia Start: 20:06:00 End: 20:19:00 Duration : 13:00
	Just The Smile, Rory Gallagher, `Rory Gallagher Start: 20:25:00 End: 20:28:00 Duration : 3:00
	Crazy Mama, Rick Danko, Live Anthology Start: 20:28:00 End: 20:37:00 Duration : 9:00
	Morning Dew, Mungo Jerry Blues Band, Adults Only Start: 20:37:00 End: 20:42:00 Duration : 5:00
	Way Past Gone, Brooke Shive & The 45s, Way Past Gone Start: 20:46:00 End: 20:50:30 Duration : 4:30
	Woman Sawed In Half, Earl & Them, Special Blend Start: 20:49:39 End: 20:54:39 Duration : 5:00
	Kickin' Chicken, Jimmy Thackery & The Drivers feat JP Soars, As Live As It Gets Start: 20:54:39 End: 20:58:39 Duration : 4:00
	People Get Ready, Jeff Beck, Live At BB King Blues Club Start: 21:01:39 End: 21:05:39 Duration : 4:00
	Yonder Come The Blues, John The Revelator, Old Man Rock and Roll Start: 21:06:45 End: 21:10:45 Duration : 4:00
	Bad Scene , Ten Years After, Ssssh Start: 21:10:45 End: 21:14:15 Duration : 3:30
	Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, Tramline, Moves of Vegetable Centuries Start: 21:14:15 End: 21:16:45 Duration : 2:30
	Sweet Honey Dew, Roy Buchanan, Live In Japan Start: 21:16:45 End: 21:20:15 Duration : 3:30
	Little Bit Of Love, Hadden Sayers, Supersonic Start: 21:25:15 End: 21:28:15 Duration : 3:00
	Be My Friend, Free, Highway Start: 21:28:15 End: 21:34:15 Duration : 6:00
	Fire And Water, Michael Burks, Iron Man Start: 21:34:15 End: 21:38:15 Duration : 4:00
	La Beaute du Blues, Paul Personne, Patchwork Electrique Start: 21:38:15 End: 21:41:45 Duration : 3:30
	Ain't Got The Scratch, Buddy Whittington, Six String Svengali Start: 21:44:45 End: 21:48:18 Duration : 3:33
	Going Down Slow, Colin Hodgkinson with Brian Auger, Steaming Start: 21:48:18 End: 21:53:18 Duration : 5:00
	Boogie Real Low, Joel DaSilva & The Midnight Howl, Joel DaSilva & the Midnight Howl Start: 21:53:18 End: 21:57:18 Duration : 4:00
	Nasty Boogie, Champion Jack Dupree, Voodoo Blues.. Start: 21:57:18 End: 22:00:00 Duration : 2:42

It Hurts Me Too - Pigpen / Grateful Dead

Ronald C. "Pigpen" McKernan (September 8, 1945 – March 8, 1973) was a founding member of the Grateful Dead. His contributions to the band included vocals, Hammond organ, harmonica, percussion, and occasionally guitar. In 1994, Pigpen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with the other members of the Grateful Dead.
McKernan was born in San Bruno, California, the son of an R&B and blues disc jockey. He grew up with many African-American friends and felt very strongly connected to black music and culture. As a youth, McKernan taught himself blues piano and developed a biker image. In his early teens, McKernan left Palo Alto High School by mutual agreement with the school's principal. He also began using alcohol in his adolescence.

McKernan began spending time around coffeehouses and music stores, where he met Jerry Garcia. One night Garcia invited McKernan onstage to play harmonica and sing the blues. Garcia was impressed and McKernan became the blues singer in local jam sessions. A high-school friend named Roger gave him his nickname based on his "funky" approach to life. However, in an essay included with the Grateful Dead box-set The Golden Road (1965-1973) it is claimed that a girlfriend of McKernan's gave him the nickname, owing to his similarity to the permanently dirty character in the comic-strip Peanuts.

McKernan was a participant in the predecessor groups leading to the formation of the Grateful Dead, beginning with the Zodiacs and Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions. Bob Weir and Bill Kreutzmann were added and the band evolved into The Warlocks. Around 1965, McKernan urged the rest of the Warlocks to switch to electric instruments. Around this time Phil Lesh joined, and they became the Grateful Dead.
McKernan had a short relationship and longer friendship with Janis Joplin — a poster from the early 1970s featured them together.[6] Joplin joined McKernan onstage at the Fillmore West in June 1969 with the Grateful Dead to sing his signature "Turn On Your Lovelight," despite her dislike of the band's jamming style. The two reprised this duet July 16, 1970 at the Euphoria Ballroom in San Rafael, California.

In 1970, McKernan began experiencing symptoms of congenital biliary cirrhosis. After an August 1971 hospitalization, doctors requested that he stop touring indefinitely; pianist Keith Godchaux was subsequently hired and remained a permanent member of the band until 1979. Ever restless, the ailing McKernan rejoined the band in December 1971 to supplement Godchaux on harmonica, percussion, and organ. After their Europe '72 tour, his health had degenerated to the point where he could no longer continue on the road. He made his final concert appearance on June 17, 1972 at the Hollywood Bowl, in Los Angeles, California.

On March 8, 1973, he was found dead of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage at his home in Corte Madera, California.
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Walk On - WT Feaster Band

The WT Feaster Band is a North American blues band from Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Current members include W.T. Feaster (guitar/vocals), Jake Iseminger (drums/vocal), Austin Shearer (bass), and J. Wesley Smith (piano/organ). Long Overdue, the band’s first full length album, was released in the fall of 2007.
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I Can't Be Satisfied - Hannibal Slim & Captain Coogie

Although these guys have a myspace page, all I can tell is they appear to be from France. Someone clue me in if you know something!

Bman
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Little Red Rooster - Keith Richards and James Cotton

Video of Keith and James Cotton performing "Little Red Rooster" during rehearsals for the Hubert Sumlin Benefit concert.


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Houston Blues Legend Big Walter "The Thunderbird" Dies At 97

​ Big Walter "The Thunderbird" Price, the elder statesman of Houston blues who continued performing well into his nineties, died overnight, according to a Facebook post by local blues musician Steve Krase of Steve Krase & the In Crowd.

Price was 97 and had been in a nursing home in north Houston. As recently as August 2009, he wowed the crowd with a version of Fats Domino's "My Girl Josephine" at his 95th birthday party at the Big Easy, as well as his own "Pack Fair and Square."

The dapper Price, whose driving boogie-woogie piano sound was an important influence on early rock and roll, was born in Gonzales in 1914 and moved to San Antonio around age 11, according to Dutch Web site www.rockabilly.nl. He recorded three singles for San Antonio's TNT label in 1955, and began calling his band "Big Walter and the Thunderbirds."

In 1955, Price moved to Houston, where he cut several singles for Don Robey's Peacock label, including "Pack Fair and Square," which he recorded with several members of Little Richard's band including current Big Easy regular Grady Gaines. Besides R&B, Price also recorded several swamp pop songs around this time, including "Shirley Jean" for Peacock and "Oh Ramona" for Lake Charles' Goldband Records.

Photo by Reg Burns

Big Walter the Thunderbird at his 95th birthday party at the Big Easy, 2009

​ Price recorded for several other labels in the 1960s, but often felt cheated by the music business. He also owned a record store, worked in a strip club, was a disc jockey for Houston's KCOH, and owned his own publishing company, Dinosaur. But he never stopped performing.

After years of seeing his records get released without his consent, in 2004 the Sons of Sunshine label released four CDs, with 46 songs in all: Tell Me, Pain In My Heart, Six Weeks of Misery and Cool Breeze. His last appearance for a U.S. label appears to be on the 2006 CD Texas Southside Kings on Austin's Dialtone Records.

Price never had a hit record, but most rock and roll and R&B musicians in the '60s and '70s knew the Thunderbird. The J. Geils Band covered "Pack Fair and Square" in the 1970s. (Chris Gray)

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Tech Talk - Collings Guitars, DS-3

This is the original 12-fret dreadnought shape, first designed as an oversized Hawaiian guitar almost a century ago. We've retained the shape and wide neck with slotted headstock from that bygone era, but our DS models are thoroughly modern guitars with a unique sound all their own. The longer body, with the bridge closer to the center of the lower bout, delivers an open, airy tone with smoothness and warmth not typically found in modern, 14-fret dreadnoughts. Whether flatpicked or played fingerstyle, these guitars have lots of headroom and the wide dynamic range invites everything from mellow accompaniment to biting leads.

Features Include:

Select Sitka spruce
East Indian rosewood back and sides
Grained ivoroid binding
Black/white wood strip purfling
Multi-color mosaic back strip
Select abalone rosette
Pre-war scalloped bracing
Tortoise-style pickguard
High gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish
Mahogany neck
Bound fingerboard and double bound peghead
Slotted peghead with Rosewood overlay
Inlaid Collings Logo
Ebony fingerboard and belly bridge
No fingerboard inlays
Fully adjustable truss rod
Bone nut and drop-in saddle
Ebony bridge pins and end pin
Gold Waverly slot-head tuners
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Sony Music in association with Capo Records and Legacy re-issue of Rory Gallagher - Live At Montreux - Review

Here is another "must have" release from the Rory Gallagher archives. This set of recordings documents the best of four live performances at Montreux (1975, 1977, 1979 and 1985). This release includes Laundromat, Tore Down, I Take What I Want, Bought And Sold, Do You Read Me, Last Of The Independents, Off The Handle, Mississippi Sheiks, Out On The Western Plain, Too Much Alcohol, Shin Kicker and Philby. There isn't one throw away track on the cd and it is full throttle from the second the first track starts. This great live compilation release clearly demonstrated why Gallagher is a legend and his reputation has remained as a superstar even years after his demise. His guitar tone is terrific throughout and the recording quality is terrific one end to the other. On Too Much Alcohol Gallagher lets up for a few moments on his Strat and plays a great fleeting solo on his dobro. If you want to hear Gallagher torture his guitar relentlessly... look no further! Doesn't he have the best looking strat on the planet!
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Big Shot Reub's Howlin' The Blues at Coyote Bar This Weekend!

What The Media Is Saying About Big Shot Reub And the Reloaders' "Roundhouse Blues"

"Reuben Vigil is the Real Deal." SAN DIEGO ACOUSTIC

"The Reloader's sound is nuanced and textured, with songs that smack of Latin and rock influences as well as straight-ahead, Clapton-inspired blues." NORTH COUNTY TIMES

"Despite his obvious virtuosity, (frontman) Vigil is not a one-man show or grandstander...the Reloaders have a cohesive sound..."Love Comes Knocking" turns up the tempo with some flashy guitar work reminiscent of Stevie Ray Vaughn...the gloves come off in "Survive," where Vigil channels Jimi Hendrix, complete with reverb, wah wah, and other electronic effects. Blues fans should give this album a serious listen." SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR

BIG SHOT REUB AND THE RELOADERS
"HOWLIN' THE BLUES" AT COYOTES BAR/GRILL - SATURDAY, MARCH 10

Read FOUR Great New Interviews With BSR&TR's Reuben Vigil:

San Diego Acoustic; All Access Magazine; Local Music Vibe, Mixalis Greek

(CARLSBAD) - They'll be howlin' (the blues!) this weekend as 619-based blues-rock faves Big Shot Reub & The Reloaders plug in the amps for an all-electric concert at Coyote Bar & Grill, 300 Carlsbad Village Drive, Carlsbad, Saturday, March 10. 6-10 p.m., no cover. Info: (760) 729-4695 or www.coyotecarlsbad.com.

The band and its front-man, Reuben Vigil, were recently the focus of a wide-ranging interview with San Diego Acoustic magazine. Read it here.

Big Shot Reub and the Reloaders brought their tasty musical sounds to L.A.'s House of Blues this past month, as part of the famed club's new "Blues Crossroads" series, and were warmly received. They're back in Hollywood at The Whiskey A Go-Go on Tuesday, March 27.

Capping off a great 2011, the group's "Roundhouse Blues" album was nominated for "CD Of The Year" by Bluesforum. Fronted by guitarist-vocalist Reuben Vigil, BSR&TR have been receiving lots of 'local' love of late, including a stellar review in San Diego Troubadour and a Feature in the North County Times.

ROUNDHOUSE BLUES (Hat and Case Music) has received very positive media response since its late-2010 release. "I plopped this CD into the player and hoped for the best, and low and behold I was pleasantly surprised just how good of an album "Roundhouse Blues" turned out to be," writes BLUES UNDERGROUND. "Talk about some classy blues...this is the stuff you look long and hard for. If you like virtuoso guitar this is one album you need to get!," opines CASHBOX magazine. "On "Roadhouse Blues," Vigil moves flawlessly and tastefully across the frets to produce a very high quality product for any discerning ear to enjoy," asserts BLUESROCKERS. The album was mastered by multi-Grammy-winning Charlie Watts (renowned for his work on Fleetwood Mac's Rumors among others) and engineered and produced by Glen Laughlin (Dickies, Cherry Bluestorms).

Watch a live performance of "So Much Inside Me" by Big Shot Reub and the Reloaders from The Whiskey A Go-Go in Hollywood last summer here:

Big Shot Reub & The Reloaders (Reuben Vigil, lead guitar-vocals); Jodie Hill (bass); Ric Lee (drums) played and performed in various San Diego bands before coming together to record ROUNDHOUSE BLUES, which in Vigil's words, "is a labor of friendship and getting my friends back to work. In this effort all processes have been near seamless. I am a lucky man."

The songs on ROUNDHOUSE BLUES reflect Vigil's diverse influences - B.B. King, Elvis Costello, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix among them. From opening track "So Much Inside Me" ("a jump-swing tribute to the greats, including Wynone Harris and Louis Jordan," explains Vigil) and melodic "Love's Come Knocking" ("a song designed to comfort a mending heart...speaking what you want and not what you have"); to the Latin-flavored "Viva Bracero" ("a tribute to the unskilled laborers that helped rebuild America after the Great Depression"); and uptempo, toe-tapping "Big Shot Roll" ("a salute to the West Coast swing dancers that are an integral part of the San Diego blues scene"), there is truly something for every Blues lover on ROUNDHOUSE BLUES.

Big Shot Reub and the Reloaders NORTH COUNTY TIMES

Roundhouse Blues CD Review BLUES 411
ROUNDHOUSE BLUES CD Review SAN DIEGO TROUBADOUR
Roundhouse Blues CD Review BLUESROCKERS

Roundhouse Blues CD Review BLUES BLAST

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Ruf Records artist: Omar and The Howlers - Essential Collection - New Recording Review

I have been reviewing the new Omar & The Howlers, Essential Collection and that's exactly what it is. Ruf Records has set a February 14 release date for this 2 disc set for Omar and the gang. The twin disk set contains one disk called Best Of and another called Omar's Picks. The Best Of contains 15 tracks including some of my favorites, East Side Blues, a stormy slow blues with great vocals and instrumental appeal as well as fan favorites Mississippi Hoo Doo Man,Big Chief Pontiac, Monkey Land, Boogie Man and of course the blues infused You Made Me Laugh and Jimmy Reed Highway.

Disk 2, Omar's Picks, another 15 tracks opens with cool track I Want You and continues with some just terrific tracks such as Burn It To The Ground, Alligator Wine, I'm Wild About You Baby, Life Without You and concludes with Omar's take on Built For Comfort.

This is a well planned out "Essential Set" with a mixture of Live and studio tracks and it is essential for all Omar and the Howlers fans as well as anyone who isn't as familiar with the band as a great full sampler.

Enjoy!
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