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MONTHLY
COLUMN:
STATE OF THE BLUES ADDRESS....
Every year, the President gives a State of
the Union address. Governor O’Bannon gives a State of Indiana
address from Indianapolis and Governor Ryan speaks from Springfield
about Illinois. Well, these guys got me to thinking. Not about running for office, but about the state of the blues,
particularly the state of the blues from my vantage point as your
Midwest BEAT Blues representative.
LADIES & GENTLEMEN OF THE BLUES...
This year will be one of the better years for
blues music. I say that based on experience. I clearly
remember when we had some pretty lean blues years, like in the late
seventies and early eighties when punk was all the rage. I even
remember a melee at Comiskey Park about a local DJ burning vinyl where
outfielder Carlos May once played. Those were lean days for
blues fans. Sure, there were a few great blues records made,
like Muddy Waters’ Hard Again, for example, but we didn’t have a
national blues
momentum that resulted in high quality compilations offering the best
that the blues had to offer like we have today.
In 2002, we've got many reasons to celebrate
the blues this early in the year: Alligator Records’ 30th
Anniversary Collection, Blind Pig Records’ 25th Anniversary
Collection, and Cliff’s Picks from Antone’s of the Texas Music
Group.
Last October, Hoosier blues writer Brian
Pearson celebrated the 30th Anniversary Collection from Alligator
Records in this magazine’s CD Spins, and I’ve gladly lined up this
achievement with the other Alligator anniversary issues. This
one’s different: there’s a live CD and a studio CD, plus a bonus
CD video of Hound Dog Taylor and the House Rockers. Talk
about a treasure trove of the blues! I heartily
agree with Brian’s take on this record. I’m pleased to say
that The Blues Foundation has recognized
Alligator Records with a 2002 Keeping the Blues Alive Award, which
will be presented during the First Blues weekend in Memphis this
month.
There’s also the Blind Pig 25th Anniversary
Collection that contains two discs of great music from the likes of
James Cotton, The Chicago Rhythm and Blues Kings and Muddy Waters,
among many others, but a video disc as well.
Down South, the Texas Music Group’s
Cliff’s Picks features 15 tracks handpicked by Clifford Antone, the
founder of Antone’s Records in Austin, Texas. Like the other two,
there’s something new: a 15 minute interview with talent
finder extraordinaire Clifford Antone, where he talks about why he
handpicked each of the song’s for this release. I know why
Pinetop Perkins’ “Ida B” or Matt “Guitar” Murphy’s “Way
Down South” are on there: they’re classics.
THE REAL DEAL: STEEPWATER
While these blues CDs are certainly
noteworthy, there’s no substitute for a live blues show.
There’s also no better way to support your local bluesmen and
blueswomen than to catch ‘em live and grab a CD at the show.
If the Steepwater Band’s first weekend in
February is any indication of the success that is on the horizon, 2002
will be a very bright blues year indeed. The Blues Foundation
may have its excellent First Blues groove on in Memphis between Feb.
7th and the 10th, but here in Midwest BEAT blues country, Steepwater
Band is opening for two guitar legends on two back-to-back nights.
That’s something to celebrate.
On Friday, February 8th, Steepwater will open
for Alligator recording artist Son Seals at Wise Fools Pub. No,
that’s no misprint: this legendary room on Chicago’s near North
side has been resurrected. Last October , the lights went down
and the spotlight went up on another chapter in Chicago blues history
as Son Seals took the Wise Fools stage again as it reopened for live
music.
After all, all of the blues greats played Wise
Fools, including Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and Willie Dixon, among many
others. George Thorogood and the Destroyers got their Chicago
start there, too. In the ‘70s and ‘80s, Wise Fools was
one of the great blues destinations in all of Chicagoland. After their
Soldier Field show in the late ‘70s (with Journey, Southside
Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, and Peter Tosh), the Rolling Stones
played Wise Fools with Muddy and his band until the wee hours.
Instead of taking the Illinois Central home after that show, I should
have taken the El or the CTA bus up Wise Fools that night. Son
Seals recorded his Live & Burning album at Wise Fools Pub in 1978,
and this show with the Steepwater Band will commemorate the recording
of that record AND the recent resurrection of this great live music
venue at 2270 North Lincoln Avenue. For more info visit
www.wisefoolspub.com.
On the 9th, Steepwater Band will open for
Louisiana’s own Sonny Landreth at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn.
One of the best slide players around, Landreth has redefined the
Louisiana sound on such records as South of I-10 and the
Grammy-nominated Levee Town. Unfortunately, the award is for
packaging, but
if I were on the nominating committee, I’d single out Levee Town for
Sonny’s fine slide guitar magic and get-down Zydeco-flavored blues.
Advance tickets for this show are available through Ticketmaster.
For more information visit
www.fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.
These Steepwater shows, so early in the year, give
me hope for live blues. They tell me one thing: the blues
is in good hands. Live, that is.
Until next month, I’m going to closely watch the
Grammy competition in the blues categories. There’s quite a
selection of great blues, from Fabulous Thunderbird founder Kim
Wilson’s live solo record Smokin’ Joint (MC Records), Delbert
McClinton’s Nothing Personal (New West), Sweet Tea from Buddy Guy,
and Keb Mo’s tasty, The Door (Sony/Okeh), among many others.
All in all, a great year for the
blues.
GET WELL YOUR BLUESY HIGHNESS!
At press time, we were worried to learn that
Koko Taylor had collapsed on January 27. Fortunately, the good
news soon followed. The Queen of the Blues is doing just fine now
after undergoing an angioplasty, during which a steel shunt was
inserted into a blocked artery. Her doctors expect the Koko
to make a full recovery.
Whew...you sure had us a might worried there Koko.
‘Cause I hope you know that there’s a whole lot of us who give a
wang dang doodle about you!
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