Favourite Blues Tracks – The Sky is Crying – Elmore James

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I was fourteen when I first heard Elmore James. I just fell in love with that fabulous slide guitar. Nobody else comes close. With all the studio innovations they can’t match Elmore. This was recorded live in the Chess studio. What a sound.

Elmore worked in a hi-fi shop and personalised his own amps to create that sound. Amazing.

Add in the anguished voice and those great poetic lyrics. The sky is crying look at the tears roll down the street.

The sky is crying, look at the tears roll down the street
The sky is crying, look at the tears roll down the street
I’m waiting in tears looking for my baby, and I wonder where can she be?

I saw my baby one morning, and she was walking on down the street
I saw my baby one morning, yes she walking on down the street
Made me feel so good until my poor heart would skip a beat

I got a bad feeling, my baby, my baby don’t love me no more
I got a bad feeling, my baby don’t love me no more
Now the sky’s been crying, the tears rolling down my door

Favourite Blues Tracks – Wang Dang Doodle – Howlin’ Wolf.

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Well the Blues does many things. Some think it’s all about feeling Blue. That ain’t so. This is an example of a Rockin’ Number by Howlin’ Wolf. Willie Dixon sure did a job with those lyrics. There was plenty of humour in there. Willie was the greatest writer of Blues lyrics ever. He could do mean and nasty, down and dirty or fun. This is very tongue in cheek with a smattering of sexuality.

The blues could be fun, dance orientated, good time music or sad reflective themes.

 

 

Howlin’ Wolf – Wang Dang Doodle Lyrics

Tell Automatic Slim , tell Razor Totin’ Jim
Tell Butcher Knife Totin’ Annie, tell Fast Talking Fanny
A we gonna pitch a ball, a down to that union hall
We gonna romp and tromp till midnight
We gonna fuss and fight till daylight
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
Tell Kudu-Crawlin’ Red, tell Abyssinian Ned
Tell ol’ Pistol Pete, everybody gonna meet
Tonight we need no rest, we really gonna throw a mess
We gonna to break out all of the windows, we gonna kick down all the doors
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
Tell Fats and Washboard Sam, that everybody gonna to jam
Tell Shaky and Boxcar Joe, we got sawdust on the floor
Tell Peg and Caroline Dye, we gonna have a time.
When the fish scent fill the air, there’ll be snuff juice everywhere
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
Songwriters: WILLIE DIXON

Favourite Blues Tracks – Bourgeois Blues – Leadbelly

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It was very rare for a Black singer to sing anything political or socially sensitive back in the thirties, forties or fifties. This was the time of segregation and white suppression. You could get yourself beaten or lynched for speaking out.

Leadbelly was one of the few who dared.

This song tells of the terrible racism that existed back then. See – we have got a lot better! Still a way to go.

Lord, in a bourgeois town
It’s a bourgeois town
I got the bourgeois blues
Gonna spread the news all around

Home of the brave, land of the free
I don’t wanna be mistreated by no bourgeoisie
Lord, in a bourgeois town
Uhm, the bourgeois town
I got the bourgeois blues
Gonna spread the news all around

We heard the white man say “I don’t want no niggers up there”
Lord, in a bourgeois town
Uhm, bourgeois town
I got the bourgeois blues
Gonna spread the news all around

Well, them white folks in Washington they know how
To call a colored man a nigger just to see him bow
Lord, it’s a bourgeois town
Uhm, the bourgeois town
I got the bourgeois blues
Gonna spread the news all around

I tell all the colored folks to listen to me
Don’t try to find you no home in Washington, DC
‘Cause it’s a bourgeois town
Uhm, the bourgeois town
I got the bourgeois blues
Gonna spread the news all around

Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival – The Jamie Brownfield Quartet

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An accomplished little combo producing some great sounds – the trumpet was exquisite. An ideal act for a lazy sunny day outside.

Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival – Lisa Mills

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Straight out of the deep South Lisa sure had a voice and a great personality. It was good to hear a singer/songwriter with a guitar holding the stage. A powerful performance – a little too heavy on god for my liking at times (an American trait). I’m not big on god. She did some great bluesy numbers and a bit of country too – refreshing.

Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival 2017 – Ben Beattie’s After Midnight Band with Simon Cunliffe-Lister

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It was a great end to the festival to have Ben’s band blasting out some sax-rich Jazz with Simon helping out. They produced a varied programme with a bit of Chuck Berry thrown in. A great finale for a brilliant weekend of sunshine, stately homes, gardens and music.

The Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival – Rupert Lay Quartet.

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The final day got underway with the Rupert Lay Quartet who were a trio? I was wondering if I had the right group? They also seemed to lack the double bass and steel pans. They gave a beautiful set of great Jazz guitar.

The Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival 2017 – The Alligators

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What better way to finish an evening than with a great blast of R&B. The veteran Alligators are stalwarts and always get the place rockin’ and everyone on their feet. The power trio perform old R&B favourites with a smattering of their own stuff and never fail to impress with their high-power showmanship and aggressive style.

Simon and Ben joined in with an impromptu jam and they obviously had a wail of a time (pun intended).

Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival 2017 – Jessica Lawson and Phil Simpson

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Everyone huddled together in the tent for the late evening session. Jennifer Lawson and Phil Simpson started the evening. Their beautiful songs, engaging personalities and lilting voices set a great tone. It was nice o hear the autoharp. It produces a different quality of sound.

Burton Agnes Jazz and Blues Festival 2017 – Claudia Edward in the tent

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Claudia and the Naked Chords did a second set in the tent. It was quite different to her first set – more powerful and less restrained. The beat pounded, the guitar was strident and Claudia got the audience rockin’

I think Simon only organises these festivals so that he can have a great time playing with all the bands. He rarely misses an opportunity. It sets the tone for the atmosphere of the festival – it is friendly, homely and less formal. Great stuff. Go Simon!!