Little Richard definitive 3-CD box set coming from Specialty/Concord

DEFINITIVE LITTLE RICHARD 3-CD BOX SET, SPANNING SPECIALTY AND VEE-JAY YEARS, COMING FROM SPECIALTY RECORDS ON JUNE 2  Directly From My Heart: The Best of the Specialty & Vee-Jay Years  features 64 classics and rarities spanning the mid-’50s through the mid-’60s. Set features 36-page booklet with notes by Billy Vera.

Photos courtesy of the Specialty Archives LOS ANGELES, Calif. — In the early ’50s, Little Richard Penniman combined the spirit of church music, the barroom-hewn raunch of blues and the swing of New Orleans jazz and turned it into something altogether new — rock ’n’ roll.  When the Macon, Ga. native signed to Art Rupe’s Specialty Records in Los Angeles, he was in turn dispatched to New Orleans to record at Cosimo’s legendary studio. Over the course of several sessions, the Little Richard sound began to develop around hits like “Tutti Frutti,” “Good Golly Miss Molly,” “Long Tall Sally” and “Lucille,” to name a few.  On June 2, 2015, Specialty Records — a unit of Concord Music Group — will release Directly From My Heart: The Best of the Specialty & Vee-Jay Years, an all-new three-CD box set containing 64 songs that chronicle Richard’s Specialty and Vee-Jay years — 1956 to 1965. The collection contains Richard’s classics as well as B-sides and rarities. Also included is a 30-plus page illustrated booklet featuring a handful of rare photos plus new liner notes by singer/songwriter/music historian Billy Vera. Many artists begin their career on small labels and work their way up to the majors. Conversely, Richard began his recording career at RCA Victor, brought to the label’s attention by an Atlanta DJ. There he released four singles, no hits among them. Next he signed to Don Robey’s Houston-based Duke/Peacock Records, initially as part of the Tempo Toppers band and later as a solo. The solo sides remained unreleased until Richard struck gold at his next destination, Specialty Records.   It was at New Orleans’ legendary J&M Music Shop that Richard chanced upon Specialty’s New Orleans A&R rep, Bumps Blackwell, who brought him to the attention of Rupe in Los Angeles. On September 14, 1955, Richard, Blackwell, and New Orleans’ R&B “A team” of session players (Lee Allen and Red Tyler, saxophones; Huey Smith, piano; Justin Adams, guitar; Frank Fields, bass and Earl Palmer, drums) went into Cosimo Matassa’s studio on Rampart Street. Sadly, despite the roomful of talent, the session was, as Vera describes “an exercise in commonplace.”

An unexpected bout of magic would shortly ensue. As Vera writes, “During a lunch break at the Dew Drop Inn, Richard hopped up on the piano and began shouting out a ribald tune he always performed, usually in drag, for those college boys, ‘Tutti Frutti, Good Bootie.’ Blackwell’s eyes lit up, for the first time hearing something special in the entertainer. Spotting local songwriter Dorothy LaBostrie across the room at another table, he asked if she could clean up the naughty lyric for public consumption. She did so back at Cosimo’s and, ‘Wop bop-a-loom-bop alop bam boom,’ a hit and a career were born.” Over the next two years, Little Richard went on to place fourteen songs in the Rhythm & Blues top ten.  These include his iconic performances of “Lucille,” “Jenny Jenny,” “Keep a Knockin’” and “Good Golly Miss Molly.”  The astonishing fact is, all these classics were recorded within a mere 18-month period.  Richard continued with Specialty until 1964, when he was brought to the attention of Chicagoans Vivian Carter and Jim Bracken — whose first initials formed the name of Vee-Jay Records. Having freshly lost both The Beatles and The Four Seasons, and having lost control of the company in a move to the West Coast, the label was on its final legs. It didn’t help that in the studio Richard used his road band, the Upsetters, who were not quite studio quality at a time the Wrecking Crew was setting the standard. On top of that, the Beatles had broken big, and a fellow flamboyant Georgia native named James Brown had broken onto the R&B scene with a brand new bag. With a young Jimi Hendrix on guitar, Richard recorded a Don Covay tune (Covay had once been employed by Richard as his chauffer and opening act), “I Don’t Know What You’ve Got But It’s Got Me,” which reached #12 on the R&B chart. The song was done in James Brown’s style and briefly brought Richard back. However, music had changed, and the R&B sounds of the day were now emanating from Stax and Motown.

Little Richard continued to make records for South Los Angeles’ Modern Records, CBS R&B subsidiary OKeh, Brunswick, and briefly, Specialty again (in 1971), before signing to Reprise, where his “Freedom Blues” cracked the Top 50 pop and Top 30 R&B. His peak recording years behind him, Richard remained on the scene into the ’80s and early ’90s as a colorful personality. Vera elaborates: “Changing his look, wearing an outlandish wig, outrageous outfits and letting his large personality come out, he became a sought after guest on talk shows, like Johnny Carson, Dick Cavett and Mike Douglas, taking over every conversation and talking over even the hosts. Couch potato America loved it and high paying concerts followed.” In recent years, the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Hollywood Walk of Fame star recipient has stayed closer to the homefront. But the three-CD set Directly From My Heart: The Best of the Specialty & Vee-Jay Years is a reminder of the time, place and circumstance that helped define rock ’n’ roll. DISC ONE:    1.   Lonesome and Blue (2:15)    2.   Wonderin’ (2:50)    3.   All Night Long (2:13)    4.   Maybe I’m Right (2:13)               5.   Directly From My Heart (2:19)               6.   Baby (2:05)    7.   I’m Just a Lonely Guy (All Alone) (2:36)           8.   Tutti Frutti (2:23)    9.   Chicken Little Baby (1:42) 10.   True, Fine Mama (2:40)           11.   Kansas City (2:37) 12.   Wonderin’ (2:59) 13.   Slippin’ and Slidin’ (Peepin’ and Hidin’) (2:41) 14.   Long Tall Sally (The Thing) (2:08) 15.   Miss Ann (2:15) 16.   The Most I Can Offer (Just My Heart) (2:24) 17.   Oh Why? (2:07) 18.   Heeby-Jeebies Love (2:09) 19.   I Got It (2:19) 20.   Ready Teddy (2:06) 21.   Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey (2:06) 22.   Rip It Up (2:20)            DISC TWO:    1.   Lucille (2:24)    2.   Heeby-Jeebies (2:10)    3.   All Around the World (2:24)    4.   Shake a Hand (2:51)    5.   Can’t Believe You Wanna Leave (2:26)    6.   She’s Got It (2:24)    7.   Jenny, Jenny (2:01)         8.   Good Golly, Miss Molly (2:08)    9.   Baby Face (2:14)          10.   The Girl Can’t Help It (2:30) 11.   By the Light of the Silvery Moon (2:04)          12.   Send Me Some Lovin’ (2:17) 13.   Keep a Knockin’ (2:11) 14.   Ooh! My Soul (2:10) 15.   I'll Never Let You Go (Boo Hoo Hoo Hoo) (2:19) 16.   Early One Morning (2:12) 17.   She Knows How to Rock (1:59)           18.   Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On (1:52) 19.   Bama Lama Bama Loo (2:13) 20.   Poor Boy Paul (2:03) 21.   Annie Is Back (1:57) DISC THREE: 1. Goin’ Home Tomorrow (3:09)       2. Goodnight Irene (2:37)                 3. Money Honey (2:18)                                                                     4. Lawdy Miss Clawdy (2:17)                                                                       5. Blueberry Hill (1:48) 6. Cherry Red (2:33) 7. Only You (2:24) 8. Memories Are Made of This (2:12) 9. Groovy Little Suzy (2:14) 10.  Short Fat Fanny (2:10) 11.  Cross Over (2:40) 12. My Wheels They Are Slippin' All the Way (2:24)                                                                      13. It Ain’t Whatcha Do (It's the Way How You Do It) (2:20) 14. Something Moves in My Heart (2:12)                                                               15. Without Love (3:16) 16. Dance What You Wanna (2:16) 17. Talkin’ ’Bout Soul (2:08)                                                                     18.  Dancing All Around the World (2:56)                                                             19. You Better Stop (3:05)                                                               20. I Don’t Know What You’ve Got but It’s Got Me (4:05) 21.  Why Don’t You Love Me (Like You Used to Do) (3:06)    # # #

2015 Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival welcomes Gregg Allman - Buddy Guy – Beth Hart – Jonny Lang

The Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival with Gregg Allman, Buddy Guy, Beth Hart, Jonny Lang and many more at Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis, MD  on Saturday, May 16th and Sunday, May 17th, 2015!  Buy tickets today!

2015 CHESAPEAKE BAY  BLUES FESTIVAL

Two incredible days of live music on the beautiful shores of the Chesapeake Bay.  On Saturday, May 16th and Sunday, May 17th, 2015, the Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival will return to Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis, Maryland.   Boasting one of our best line-ups ever, the festival will feature performances by: Gregg Allman, Buddy Guy with special guest Quinn Sullivan, Beth Hart, Jonny Lang, Charlie Musselwhite, Bobby Rush, Tommy Castro and the Painkillers, Shemekia Copeland, Mingo Fishtrap, Jarekus Singleton, the Sisterhood of Soul, the Marcus King Band and the Chesapeake Bay Blues Band.   The festival also includes a variety of food, including local favorite crab cakes and oysters, Beer, wine, smoothies, a large crafter village with something for everyone, and a kids activities! The net proceeds from this event will go to several worthwhile and very special charities, including: Special Love, Inc., Camp Face, We Care and Friends and League for People with Disabilities.   Tickets are on sale now!   For all the details, please visit our website at www.bayblues.org!  For more updates, follow us on Facebook.  Come and get Hooked on the Blues! TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW - BUY TODAY! General Admission tickets are available advanced prices now on our website at http://www.bayblues.org/tickets.html  BUY TICKETS NOW!

Listen to Jorma Kaukonen live on NPR eTown this week

Jorma Kaukonen   The Legendary Hot Tuna/Jefferson Airplane Founder Performs on eTown Radio  With Red House labelmates Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams Tune in to eTown Radio this week or listen online here   Jorma's new album, Ain't In No Hurry, is out now on Red House Records

Photo: Erin Cox   April 22, 2015: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Jorma Kaukonen stopped by eTown Radio earlier this year to record a performance in support of his acclaimed Red House release, Ain't In No Hurry. For the session, Jorma is joined by legendary producer/guitarist Larry Campbell (Levon Helm, Dylan, Hot Tuna) and Campbell's wife, vocalist Teresa Williams, both of whom appear on the album. The episode, which features Jorma and Joe Purdy, is airing around the country via radio and podcast starting today, Wednesday, April 22 through Monday, April 27.   Find a local radio station here: http://www.etown.org/explore/find-a-station/ Stream the episode online here: http://www.etown.org/broadcasts/jorma-kaukonen-joe-purdy/   In a career that has already spanned a half-century, Jorma remains one of the most highly respected interpreters of American roots music, blues, and Americana with a history that influenced popular rock-and-roll. Ain't In No Hurry is a collection of Jorma originals, blues, rockers and classic American songs, including Woody Guthrie lyrics set to music on a new song by by Jorma and Larry Campbell.    A member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and a Grammy nominee as well as one of Rolling Stone's "Top 100 Guitarists of All Time," he is a founding member of two legendary bands, Jefferson Airplane and the still-touring Hot Tuna, and is recognized as one of the leading practitioners and teachers of finger-style guitar. Jorma’s renown goes far beyond his involvement creating psychedelic rock; he is a music legend and one of the finest singer-songwriters in music. He's also an avid motorcyclist, a gallery owner (the Psylodelic Gallery, dedicated to the arts and culture of the 1960s arts) and co-owner of the Fur Peace Ranch, an Ohio-based concert venue and guitar center where Jorma conducts workshops, bringing in such guitar masters as G.E. Smith and Larry Campbell. There's a new documentary film about the ranch, "Fur Peace Ranch: It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This." 2015 will see Jorma on the road playing both solo shows and Hot Tuna dates with high school friend and JA and Hot Tuna bandmate Jack Cassidy.      For more information about Jorma, please visit his website at www.jormakaukonen.com   Recent Press “a master in situ, unfurling melodies and savoring every note.” – Rolling Stone “It is Kaukonen’s original material that best tells the story.” – Forbes "Clearly not content on resting on any of his legendary laurels, Jorma Kaukoenen continues to find ways to wed his muse to the right material and create a colorful tableau." – Relix “Jorma Kaukonen is a master of American music. …[Ain’t In No Hurry is] a loping stroll through the best American music there is” – LA Weekly “Jorma Kaukonen is a force in American music, equally adept at fingerpicked acoustic folk and blues as he is at wailing on an electric.” – Acoustic Guitar “Another great display of his finger picking guitar style.” – Elmore “Sparkling acoustic textures that dominate…In the intricate and intimate style that pervades this album” – Glide “Kaukonen mixes well known and more obscure fare with a handful of freshly penned tunes, most of which sound like lost gems from 100 years ago.” – American Songwriter "Hot Tuna is a Psychedelic-Blues Institution" – Rolling Stone   Jorma Kaukonen 2015 SA 4/25 Pomeroy, OH - Fur Peace Station FR 5/15 Shirley, MA - The Bull Run Concert Series SA 5/16 Beacon, NY - Towne Crier Cafe FR 6/19 Honoulu, HI - Mamiya Theatre - with Hot Tuna  SA 6/20 Kauai, HI - Kauai Performing Arts Center - with Hot Tuna  SU 6/21 Maui, HI - Mill House at Maui Tropical Plantation - with Hot Tuna FR 6/26 Hilo, HI - Palace Theater - With Hot Tuna  SA 6/27 Honoka’a, HI - Honoka’a People’s theatre - With Hot Tuna SU 6/28 Honolulu, HI - Crossroads at Hawaiian Brian’s - With Hot Tuna  TH 7/9 Ogunquit, ME - Jonathan’s - With Hot Tuna  FR 7/10 Plymouth, NH - The Flying Monkey - With Hot Tuna SA 7/11 Beverly, MA - Cabot Theater - With Hot Tuna  SU 7/12 North Truro, MA - Payomet PAC - With Hot Tuna  TU 7/14 Norfolk, CT - Infinity Music Hall and Bistro - With Hot Tuna  SU 7/19 Patchogue, NY - Great South Bay Music Festival - With Hot Tuna  SA 8/1 Pomeroy, OH - Fur Peace Station - With Hot Tuna  SA 9/12 Arlington, VA - Lockin’ Festival - With Hot Tuna  SA 10/24 Woodstock, NY - Woodstock Playhouse FR 11/6 San Rafael, CA - Terrapin Crossroads SA 11/7 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall - With Hot Tuna  SA 11/14 Pomeroy, OH  - Fur Peace Station - With Hot Tuna

Anthony Gomes Live In Memphis

Anthony is performing in Memphis the evening prior to the BMA's. Here are the details: Date – Wednesday, May 6 @ 8 p.m. (Doors open @ 7 p.m.) 3 45-minute sets Venue – Purple Haze Night Club, 140 Lt. George W Lee Avenue, one block south of B.B. King’s on Second.

WIP Theater Presents "Real Guitar Heroes," Rocco Caliapri (Bluesmaster) in Concert

The WIP Theater in Edison Park presents "Real Guitar Heroes" on Thursday night, April 23 at 8:00 p.m. Bluesmaster Rocco Calipari Sr., longtime guitarist for Midwest bands Howard and the White Boys (and) Head Honchos', performs along with three other talented guitarists. More at www.TheWipTheater.com.

ROCCO CALIPARI (HOWARD AND THE WHITE BOYS, HEAD HONCHOS') PERFORMS AT "REAL GUITAR HEROES"/WIP THEATER, THURS., APRIL 23     (EDISON PARK, IL) - Blues guitarist extraordinaire Rocco Calipari performs as part of "Real Guitar Heroes" at the WIP Theater, 6670 N. Northwest Highway, on Thursday, April 23. Showtime is 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $25. Info: (312) 692-9327 or http://www.wiptheater.com/real-guitar-heroes/. Also performing: David Chiriboga (Flamenco guitar); Jack Wilson (2012 Finger-style champion); and Jack Mazzenga (Fretless guitarist-composer).                   Calipari, who hails from Valparaiso, IN, is well-known as the longtime guitarist for stellar Chicago-based blues band, Howard and the White Boys, who recently released critically-acclaimed album, Rosa's Lounge; and, more recently, doing double-duty, as co-lead guitarist in Valparaiso-based blues-rock group, Head Honchos'  - in which he performs along with his son, Rocco Calipari, Jr.     The CHICAGO EXAMINER named Rocco Calipari "One of the Top Blues Guitarists in Chicago" (read article here). "Rocco is the most underrated guitarist on this list," writes Examiner critic, Joe Skotnicki. "This Detroit native can be a fierce, powerful axeman or he can slow it down with a bluesy, soulful, or funky pace. A determined individual who not only plays a mean guitar, but also produces, manages, writes, and teaches guitar. One of the new young contemporary guitarists (for whom) the sky's the limit. "