Bman's Blues Report

Sonny Boy Williamson (John Lee Curtis Williamson, March 30, 1914 – June 1, 1948) was an American blues harmonica player and singer, and the first to use the name Sonny Boy Williamson. Williamson was born near Jackson, Tennessee in 1914. His original recordings were considered to be in the country blues style, but he soon demonstrated skill at making harmonica a lead instrument for the blues, and popularized it for the first time in a more urban blues setting. He has been called "the father of modern blues harp". While in his teens he joined Yank Rachell and Sleepy John Estes playing with them in Tennessee and Arkansas, and in 1934 settled in Chicago Williamson recorded prolifically both as a bandleader and a sideman over the entire course of his career, mainly for the Bluebird record label. Before Bluebird moved to Chicago, where it eventually became part of RCA Records, many early sessions took place at the Leland Hotel in Aurora, Illinois. Before the university's towers...

Harold Edwin Burrage, 30 March 1931, Chicago, Illinois - 25 November 1966, Chicago, Illinois Pianist Harold Burrage started out singing blues and R&B during the 1950s and ended up as a linchpin of the emerging Chicago soul sound of the ’60s; he made recordings in both styles and more than a few idiomatic shades in between. Burrage mentored young soul singers Otis Clay and Tyrone Davis, but never had a chance to see them fully blossom. Burrage’s first record was in 1950 with a jumping “Hi-Yo Silver” for Decca. Further singles followed for Aladdin and States before he joined Eli Toscano’s Cobra label. His spell at the label saw him recruit some sterling guitarists on his sessions. In 1956, Burrage cut the amusing “You Eat Too Much” for Cobra, backed by a solid combo featuring guitarist Wayne Bennett (Bobby Bland band) and bass legend Willie Dixon. For 1957’s “Messed Up,” he used Jody Williams while “Stop for the Red Light,” his third Cobra 45, was a novelty complete with auto-wreck s...

March 28, 2012 Just Announced Pat Travers Band 6/15 IMPROV EVERY TUESDAY WITH ONE GROUP MIND 7:30, 8:30, 9:30 The largest stage to see improv in Chicago! UPCOMING SHOWS AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH GREGORY PORTER 4/1 @ 7:30PM LEE RITENOUR 4/4 @ 8PM THIS IS TANGO NOW 4/6 @ 7PM THIS IS TANGO NOW 4/6 @ 9:30PM THIS IS TANGO NOW 4/7 @ 7PM THIS IS TANGO NOW 4/7 @ 9:30PM JUDAH FRIEDLANDER 4/11 @ 8PM STEVE GIBONS' GYPSY RHYTHM PROJECT & BULBUL ENSEMBLE 4/12 @ 8PM RUPA AND THE APRIL FISHES 4/14 @ 9PM SPLIT LIP RAYFIELD / THE LAWRENCE PETERS OUTFIT / THE PAULINA HOLLERS 4/18 @ 9PM LEON RUSSELL - SOLD OUT 4/19 @ 8PM JUDY AT CARNEGIE 4/20 @ 8PM JUDY AT CARNEGIE 4/21 @ 8PM AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH EDDIE PALMIERI 4/22 @ 7PM AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH EDDIE PALMIERI 4/22...

Shawn Starski was born December 25, 1979 in Detroit Michigan, and began his musical career playing bass in the church band. From there…he was turned on to the blues by his older brother and started playing locally up and down the coast of Florida, where his family now resides. Jason Ricci and New blood called for Shawn to hit the road, 7 years and 4 records later, Shawn was a crucial component to the original sound of the band, writing a majority of the music. Both Delta Groove records “Rocket#9,” and “Done with the Devil” did well. “Done with the Devil” was nominated for best blues/rock album of 2010. Starski also played on Kelley Hunts latest release “Gravity loves you” touring with her in support of the album. Starski tours occasionally with the Shaun Murphy band, the former female singer with Little Feat. Also, Starski tours with the Otis Taylor band. If you like what I’m doing, Like Bman’s Blues Report Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience fo...

View this email online. Share This: For Immediate Release: March 29, 2012 (Austin, Texas) - Pierre Bensusan, Chris Hillman, Country Joe MacDonald, Spencer Bohren, Laurence Juber and Frank Vignola! This amazing array of artists and more will perform, teach and be jammin' at Fur Peace Ranch, the guitar school Jorma Kaukonen started in southern Ohio. For details and registration please go to www.furpeaceranch.com. "Focus on the things you love, listen with an open heart, and the music will speak for itself!” - Jorma Kaukonen In 1989, Jorma and Vanessa Kaukonen conceived what Jorma calls "a ranch that grows guitar players." Not a fantasy camp, but a place where both budding ...

William McKinley Gillum (September 11, 1904 – March 29, 1966), known as Jazz Gillum, was an American blues harmonica player. He was born in Indianola, Mississippi. After running away from home at the age of seven, Gillum spent the next few years in Charleston, Mississippi, working and playing for tips on local street corners. He moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1923, meeting up with the guitarist, Big Bill Broonzy. The duo started working club dates around the city and, by 1934, Gillum started recording for both ARC and Bluebird Records. With his characteristic high, reedy harmonica sound, he appeared on many of the highly popular "Bluebird beat" recordings produced by Lester Melrose in the 1930s and 1940s, under his own name and as a sideman. Gillum was the first to record the blues classic "Key to the Highway" (featuring Broonzy on guitar) utilizing the now-standard melody and 8-bar blues arrangement. (The song had first been recorded a few months earlier by Charlie ...

Asked about influences, Sas replies; when I hear Jeff Beck play it starts to itch. He plays with such simplicity and at the same time with such fanaticism. Unbelievable. I am a real Jimi Hendrix fan too. He has not yet been surpassed. Stevie Ray Vaughan I think is fantastic, but the difference between him and Jimi is that if you were to hear him every night you will notice there are only minor differences in his playing. Whilst Jimi could be stumbling over his strings one night and the next night be so brilliant that you would seriously consider selling all your gear. Jimi knew no boundaries. When he was doing Hey Joe, his mind was already busy with totally different things. What he wanted to do with Miles Davis I think is fascinating. I am a real Miles Davis fan. He is the Jimi of the Jazz world. When I was just 16 I saw Buddy Guy. He played with great dynamics. Dynamics, in my opinion, are one of the most important tools in music; a quiet song with a strong bridge or a loud song with...

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Late 2002 saw Oli pick up a guitar for the first time. Two and a half years later at age of 15 he was invited to America as the guest of American Blues band Blinddog Smokin’. This first trip saw Oli on the same stage as Buddy Guy and Taj Mahal. In 2008 Oli was signed to the German Blues label, Ruf Records. Thomas Ruf flew into the UK to see Oli perform and signed him on the spot. Oli’s debut album, OPEN ROAD, was recorded and released in 2008 and received great reviews across the UK and Europe. It was voted the No. 2 Blues album of 2008 by readers of Blues Matters! magazine and it still rides high in the Blues Charts. The Oli Brown Band was the only UK act to be selected for the 2008 International Blues Convention in Memphis. While in Memphis Oli was asked by John Fry (the owner of Ardent Studios) to go in and record a live session for them - this session received 1.3 million hits in three weeks. (Ardent Studios have recorded and mixed albums for The White Stripes, Isaac Hayes, Led ...

Jimmy Bowskill has done a lot in his musical career. He has opened for Dickey Betts, Garth Hudson, ZZ Top, Deep Purple and The Sam Roberts Band. He has toured internationally including shows in Germany, Ukraine, France, Mexico and at the World Expo in Japan in 2005. He has also received a Juno Award nomination for Best Blues Album. All this and he's only 19 years-old. Jimmy seemed destined to be a musician. Born in Toronto on the same day as B.B. King, he was raised in Peterborough, Ontario in a household filled with the music of Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. While he played hockey from the age of 3, once he picked up the guitar at 10, he put everything he had into mastering the instrument. Like any kid of the nineties, he could've been inspired by Nirvana or Radiohead, but instead he was drawn to the blues. "It just seemed so real," explains Jimmy. "It's just a really soulful music and it comes straight from the heart. There's nothing used ...