Carey Bell's Obituary

From today's Chicago Tribune:

Carey Bell: 1936 - 2007
Master of blues harmonica

Mississippi-born musician who came to Chicago in 1950s worked with legends such as the Hortons, Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon
By Trevor Jensen
Tribune staff reporter

May 8, 2007

Carey Bell, a Mississippi-born master of the blues harmonica who put a funky twist on lessons learned from legends such as Little Walter and Big Walter Horton, died of heart failure Sunday, May 6, according to Alligator Records.

Mr. Bell, 70, who had diabetes, had been in Kindred Hospital Chicago North for several days before his death, said Bruce Iglauer, president of Alligator, which recorded several of Mr. Bell's albums.

Mr. Bell was a bridge between the post World War II era musicians who created Chicago-style blues and the players of today, Iglauer said. Arriving in Chicago in September 1956 with his godfather, pianist Lovie Lee, Mr. Bell already was an accomplished harmonica player and immersed himself in the local blues scene. He picked up fresh licks from seminal players such as Sonny Boy Williamson II and Little Walter, whom he first saw at the Club Zanzibar on Chicago's West Side.

While playing within a traditional blues style, Mr. Bell's harmonica blew a "whooping flutter and a rapid upper register skitter," that pushed the instrument into fresh territory, said David Whiteis, author of "Chicago Blues: Portraits and Stories."

"Carey took the sounds and tone that was invented by the great players of the '40s and '50s and added a funkier rhythm [and] staccato lines," Iglauer said "He had a huge tone."

As a young player, Mr. Bell was taught to always complete one note before moving on to the next, Iglauer said. To that end, his playing was filled with long, sustained notes that bent and quivered.

"He had his own very individual, very personal style," said Chicago bluesman Billy Branch, who cites Mr. Bell as his main influence. "Carey's pretty much his own, I mean very unique."

Seeking more work in the 1960s, Mr. Bell took up the bass guitar and played with David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Eddie Taylor and Big Walter, according to a biography provided by Alligator. Back on the harp, he recorded for Chicago's Delmark Records, toured and recorded with Muddy Waters and was chosen by Willie Dixon to play with his Chicago Blues All-Stars in the 1970s.

Mr. Bell's virtuosity came through most clearly on the chromatic harmonica, although he was no less adept with the standard blues harp. "I asked him once, 'What do you play when you solo?'" Branch said. "He said, 'You play anything that fits.'"

In 1972 Mr. Bell recorded an album with Big Walter Horton that was Alligator's second release. In 1990 he played on "Harp Attack!" with James Cotton, Junior Wells and Branch. He recorded "Second Nature" in 2004 with his son Lurrie, an accomplished guitarist.

In 1998 Mr. Bell won a W.C. Handy Award for traditional blues male artist of the year.

Mr. Bell was born Carey Bell Harrington in Macon, Miss. He wanted to play saxophone as a boy but family finances limited him to a harmonica. By 13, he was playing paid gigs with his godfather, and at 19 he was off to Chicago, according to Alligator.

Mr. Bell had a low-key stage presence and his playing was more subtle than that of contemporaries such as James Cotton, Whiteis said. He was missing his left front tooth and couldn't play with a false tooth, Iglauer said. So he always appeared onstage with a gap in his grin. "I've hardly ever seen a musician get as much joy out of playing music," Iglauer said.

"He was funny, he'd crack on you," Branch said. "I'd see him and he'd say, 'When you going to learn to play that damn thing?' or, 'You ready to get your head cut" -- getting your "head cut" being musician's lingo for getting blown offstage.

Branch brought his harmonica when he visited Mr. Bell in the hospital Friday night. Mr. Bell was drowsy but perked up when he heard the music, Branch said.

"I did one of his signature licks, and he looked straight at me, like to say, 'You're stealing my stuff again,'" Branch said.

Mr. Bell was married at least twice and is survived by 10 children, Iglauer said. Further family information was not available.

Services were being arranged.

Carey Bell - Correction

This note came from my friend and harmonica freak extreme, "Big Jim" Themelis:

Just to correct your blog Carey Bell had like 9 or 10 solo albums before Alligator. Hope to see you soon. Jim

Sad, Sad Day - Carey Bell Has Sailed Away

I just got the news from Scott Dirks that Carey Bell passed away yesterday - heart failure, probably due to diabetes. Carey was part of the first "post Walter generation" (I am referring to the two Walters - Little Walter Jacobs and Big Walter Horton). Carey was tied in with Junior Wells and James Cotton; only Cotton survives now.

Carey Bell Harrington and I share a birthday - November 14 - but he was born in 1936 (Mr. G is much younger, thank you). He left Macon, Mississippi for Chicago in September 1956. As a young harmonica player, Carey hung out with Little Walter, Rice Miller (Sonny Boy Williamson II) and especially Big Walter Horton. Carey and Big Walter were very tight - Carey taught himself how to play bass guitar so he could play in Big Walter's band. The two harp players also cut a record together in 1972 (on Alligator, the second release by the blues label). After playing bass for several years with folks like Hound Dog Taylor and Johnny Young, Carey switched back to the harmonica exclusively in 1968. He sat in the harmonica chair for Muddy Waters in the early 1970's and ended up on a couple of Muddy's records. He also played harp in Willie Dixon's Chicago Blues All-Stars band in the 1970's. Carey's career as a recorded band leader didn't really kick off until 1995 when he released his first full-length recording as a solo artist ("Deep Down" on Aligator Records).

Carey Bell was a senior member of a great multi-generational blues clan, the Bell/Harrington family. Blues guitarist superstar Eddy "the Chief" Clearwater is Carey's cousin, the great pianist, Lovie Lee, was Carey's godfather. Most of Carey's ten kids play the blues, I think - the best-known is one of my musical heroes, Mr. Lurrie Bell (see my recent entry about Lurrie). Lurrie continues to be recipient of the slings and arrows of bad fortune - his wife, Susan Greenberg, recently passed away, and now his father is gone, too. Carey and Lurrie played together from time to time - Delmark Records recently released a new DVD of a live performance of the father-son duo at Rosa's Lounge in Chicago.

It hurts to lose these harmonica blues giants - Snooky Pryor last year, now Carey. All of the Mississippi Saxophone fraternity is in mourning.

Magic Slim & the Teardrops at Bill's Blues Bar - 5/5/07

Magic Slim doesn't hit Chicago much these days. He moved to Lincoln, Nebraska a few years ago and is not a regular part of the Chicago scene any more. "Why on earth would anyone trade Chicago for Lincoln, Nebraska?" you may be wondering. Believe it or not, Lincoln is a terrific place. I have been to Lincoln and it is a college town (University of Nebraska) and it is home to one of the finest blues clubs in the world - the Zoo Bar. Because of the Zoo, many bluesmen from around the nation put Lincoln on their itinerary when running cross country tours (Lincoln is right off of Interstate 80, 570 miles from Chicago). Slim decided he liked the town and the club, so he shifted his base.

Magic Slim's "birth name" is Morris Holt. He is one of the last of the Delta-to-Chicago blues guys - born in 1937, moved to Chicago in 1955, came into the blues scene as a leader in 1967. When he was a young man, he was tall and slender - he was given the nickname "Magic Slim" by the legendary Magic Sam (Slim used to play bass in Magic Sam's group). Well, Magic Slim is still tall - I would estimate six foot seven inches - but he isn't slender anymore. He is a big fella - somewhere over 300 pounds, I think. This makes him an imposing presence on the bandstand. He occassionally channels Howlin' Wolf - the size, the feral noises, the whole deal. It is pretty interesting to watch.

I have the good fortune to be acquainted with Jon McDonald, one of the Teardrops. Jon plays rhythm guitar behind Slim and acts as road manager (announces the star, leads the band for a few tunes before Slim gets up to play, sells the CD's during breaks, etc.). Jon is a fabulous guitarist - he played a show with the Mystery Band last summer. He is also a very intelligent person, and deeply into the blues and all of its related musical forms. He, too, is a former Chicagoan - Jon recently headed west and now lives near Palm Springs CA. It was great to see Jon again. He seems very dedicated to Slim.

Magic Slim plays "meat and potatoes" blues - hard-grooving shuffles, blues-flavored funk and slow blues grinders. Most of his tunes are in the keys of A or E. His singing voice is powerful even though he is about 70 years old. Slim's musical range is limited, but within that range, he speaks volumes. I can't think of anyone that is doing a better job of laying down that post-WWII electric Chicago blues. He gets the crowd involved - Bill's Blues was full on Saturday and there was dancing and shouting going on. Magic Slim and the Teardrops is real and pure - a must-see for all people interested in American roots music.

Anthony (Tony) Palmer - The Fret Burner

Anthony Palmer is an astounding guitarist. He has an incredible memory for music, he has blistering technique, he pours all the love, hate, blood and sweat of human existance through his guitar and amp into the world. His nickname (bestowed by Jimmy Burns) is "the Fret Burner."

If there was true justice in the world, Tony would be rich and famous. But he doesn't seem to be the least bit disappointed with the outcome of his efforts. Mr. Palmer is proud to be a sideman; he doesn't lead a band and he doesn't stand up and sing (even though he possesses a fine voice). He supports Jimmy Burns, Katherine Davis, Matt Skoller, Byther Smith and even me, Mr. G. In the past, Tony supported Otis Rush, Joanna Connor, Sugar Blue and Bobby Rush. Tony has said to me, "I want to build a platform for the front guy. I want to lift him up and make things better." This type of unselfish approach isn't common with musicians that have Tony's skills and creativity. So Tony gets a lot of work - a typical week for him could include 6 or even 7 gigs. You can get a great example of Tony Palmer's work by picking up a copy of the Jimmy Burns Band CD/DVD - "Live at B.L.U.E.S." It is a fine piece of work - Jimmy was fabulous, and Tony was in top form.

Tony is a Chicago guy, West Side. He came up with cats like Michael Coleman and Melvin Taylor. He has been on the road for much of his adult life - Europe, Asia, all over the US and Canada. He isn't traveling as much as he used to - his gigs are mostly in the Chicago area. And he has settled in Evanston IL - he is my neighbor, I am proud to say.

Try to get out to see Tony Palmer. He will be playing with Jimmy Burns at the Harlem Avenue Lounge in Berwyn on May 19, and he will be playing with me in the Mystery Band at the Morseland Cafe in Chicago on May 26.

Lurrie Bell at Bill's Blues Bar - 4/28/07

It is always exciting to hear the great guitarist, Lurrie Bell, fronting a band. His pedigree is formidable (son of the great blues harp master, Carey Bell), his life story is about fighting through tremendous difficulties and adversity (addiction, death of his twin children and his wife). He has lived the blues, and his heart is large, large.

But at Bill's Blues last Saturday, the band wasn't "Lurrie and a supporting cast." The band included Carlos Johnson on guitar, Nick Charles on bass and Kenny Smith on drums. These guys are in the top echelon of blues players nationwide. Kenny is the son of Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Muddy Waters' last drummer. Nick Charles has backed up all the major blues stars, from Howlin' Wolf to Billy Branch. And Carlos Johnson - he plays the old-fashion way, using his thumb and fingers - no picks, man. Here is a snapshot of the Awesome Carlos:



Well, with this line up, the music was intense. Lurrie and Carlos traded off leads. Lurrie was muscular and focused on the blues scale; Carlos was more subtle and had jazz flavors to some of his licks. Carlos is also a very skillful rhythm guitarist - his back-up work amazed me. These four artists turned traditional electric Chicago blues into an intensely beautiful and varied musical form. Oh, it was a peak experience for a blues junkie like me.

And Matthew Skoller showed up, too. Matt is a fine harmonica player who has worked with Lurrie and his sidemen on many occasions - Matt's band is one of the top working blues bands in Chicago (and the world). Matt is also the producer on Lurrie's newest CD, which Lurrie just finished recording last week. I admire Matt - he is fighting the good fight, making a living as a blues harmonica player (which takes a lot of determination and courage). So Matt sat in with Lurrie and the band. Unfortunately, that didn't work out so well. The soundman kept trying to adjust the volume on the house mic Matt was using (he was blowing through the PA system). This annoyed Matt and he finally made a string of angry comments and stomped off the bandstand. I understood his frustration (as a harp player, I have been murdered many times by overly-helpful soundmen). But I think the display of irritation on Matt's part detracted from the joy of the gig. I had to leave while Matt was going through his mini-rant to keep the bad vibes from overwhelming the glorious music that Lurrie and company had laid down. Anger on the bandstand is a real downer for the audience - even if that anger is wholly justified.

Back to Big D

I was back in Dallas earlier this week, chasing deals. Spring in the Dallas - Fort Worth area is tornado season, and there were many funnel cloud sightings, heavy rains and scads of thunder and lightning during my visit. It is a bit off-putting to hear the tornado warning on the radio as you are driving through heavy rains... "Tornado warning for the Fort Worth area until 4 pm. Take cover immediately. If you cannot find a tornado shelter, find a ditch and lay flat in it until the all clear signal." Hmmm....if I am lying flat in a ditch, is it likely that I will have access to a radio to hear that all-clear signal? I think not.

Tuesday was a busy day, but I brought my harmonicas with me and wanted to play Tuesday night. I found a jam at the Mardi Gras Cafe'. This place is on the ground floor of an office tower right along Interstate 35E. I drove out in the pouring rain to find the joint; finally located it after passing it up three or four times. I dashed through the parking lot in a downpour, pulled open the door to find - an empty club. There were a handful of musicians (mostly African American guys), and one bartender there. The jam band was into classic soul tunes - old Stevie Wonder, the Temps, and so on. The keyboard player switched to drums; another keyboard player stepped up, a very young college kid played bass and the main singer played passable guitar. So I sat in for a few tunes, had a few laughs, and headed back to the hotel. As I reflect on the jam, I think it was pretty cool - no one there except musicians (and damn few of them), lots of space to play, and no competition or silliness on the bandstand. Plus, the players had some skill and grit.

I will be back at the Mardi Gras when I return to Dallas.

More on Guns

I made my case yesterday for gun control as a way to deny the means of mass murder to people like Cho Seung-Hui. The outlook for serious gun control laws in the United States is really poor. There are over 200 million guns in private hands in our country. Political reality will probably stop any gun control crusade. So how to prevent the next massacre?

Today's Op-Ed page of the Wall Street Journal has some suggestions:

"Restore cultural taboos that once served as constraints on anti-social behavior." What a great idea! Just how do we do that? How do we get the evil spirits back into Pandora's Box? Be real, man!

"Allowing the government,on the say-so of a panel of psychiatrists,to lock up indefinitely someone judged to be suffering from a dangerous, severe personality disorder." Ummmmm.....pretty tough to implement this without trampling on civil liberties - how can we jail people based on the opinions of some shrinks? It isn't like psychiatry is an exact science, that insane violent outbursts can be forecast for indiviual mentally ill people. I wouldn't want the government and the medical community to have this power.

"Eliminate 'gun-free zones;' train and arm responsible adults (like teachers or retail store managers) so shooters would face immediate retaliation when they attack." Hmmmm. While this idea makes me queasy, it is the best concept presented on the WSJ's Op-Ed page. David Kopel pointed out in his piece that an off-duty police officer in Ogden, Utah stopped a mass murderer (the 18-year old Bosnian Muslim, Sulejman Talovic) in February of this year at the Trolley Square mall (a "gun-free zone"), thus limiting the shooter's body count to 5 dead shoppers. Now, Koppel is a controversial figure and notoriously pro-gun/anti-regulation, but he does have a point. Armed, trained people in the form of air marshalls are deployed to stop hijackings of aircraft. So maybe part of the answer to "too many guns in the hands of insane people" could be be "more guns in the hands of sane people." Extensive training, psychological testing and careful controls could allow this concept to co-exist with tighter controls on general gun sales.

One thing is clear - there are more Cho Seung-Hui's among us. They will strike again.

Guns

The insane acts of Cho Sueng-Hui at Virginia Tech would have been hard to prevent. There is a rush to blame the police, or the university officials, but the only guilty party is the shooter. If an individual has the motivation and the means, it is pretty easy to kill a bunch of people in our open society. Cho Sueng-Hui had slipped through the cracks - he was aparently very quiet, his sickness didn't show, he had no criminal record. He was a terrorist with a cause rooted in mental illness.

It was impossible to detect the shooter's motivation; no one can feel guilty about missing this guy's sick mind. But the ease with which he obtained the means of mass murder is something that should make us feel guilty. We have too many dysfunctional people around. We shouldn't be selling guns to anyone who walks into a store and passes a background check. Why do we need all these guns? The mayhem that passes for daily life in this great country is fueled by gunplay. And gun violence is glorified in the popular culture. We get back what we pump out.

If Cho Sueng-Hui had been unable to buy the 9mm Glock and the 22mm Walther, he may still have killed. But the firepower allowed him to kill more efficiently and impulsively. We have to eliminate guns as a legitimate consumer product, place extreme restriction on the sale and posession of these weapons. Eliminating guns won't reduce the number of folks with motivation, but it will make it tougher for those folks to obtain the means.

Thanks, Ray

So Kurt Vonnegut has passed. He is one of those rare people who identified the central dilemma - how to fight the battle to be happy and sane when so many sad, insane events are against you.

The answer for me is always music. And to me, the finest music is Ray Charles singing a great song. I went looking for Ray to find some comfort. Here is what I found.

Thanks, Ray. We miss you, Brother.

Good Bye, Mr. Vonnegut

"Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you've got about a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies -- 'God damn it, you've got to be kind.' "

-- From "God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater," Kurt Vonnegut, 1922-2007

Santa Fe

Loretto Chapel, Santa Fe New Mexico






The Evanston IL branch of the G clan headed west to visit the eldest offspring and only son of Mr. G. Ben has settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his girlfriend, Bianca. She is a native Santa Fean, and her parents live in the city.

Santa Fe is one of the most unusual places in America. It is not a large city - around 70,000 residents - yet it attracts between 1 and 2 million visitors each year. Oceans of wealth have flooded the city, generated by the tourist tsunami. Whenever this happens to a smaller city, the outcome is mixed. Santa Fe's median home price is over 50% higher than the US average; the median family income is a tad lower than the US average. Property taxes are marching upward. Long-time homeowners of modest means are struggling to pay the taxman. Wealthier homeowners are pressuring for more amenities and neighborhoods are changing for the better in many ways (better schools, parks, etc.), and for the worse in other ways (poorer residents forced out, more fences and gated communities, etc.). There are scads of art galleries, high-end shopping destinations, luxury accomodations and other trappings to encourage well-heeled visitors to part with their cash. The official unemployment rate is low; apocryphal evidence suggests that many folks are under-employed and struggling to cover the costs of living in such a popular town. The population has grown at a slower pace than the number of housing units; many of the new homes are owned by non-residents that visit for relatively brief periods.

Santa Fe is one of the oldest cities in the United States and has a long history. The town is a mix of Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and European-American influences.

In spite of its cachet as a spot for movie stars and the rich & famous, Santa Fe retains an undercurrent of edginess. My son, Ben, has found interesting things to do in the town. From African drumming/dance classes to winter snowshoeing expeditions in the mountains, Santa Fe accommodates Ben's broad range of interests. Ben and Bianca are thrifty, hard-working and resourceful, so they are doing well in spite of the high cost of living in Santa Fe. During our visit to the city, we hung out at Ten Thousand Waves, a terrific Japanese spa in the mountains above Santa Fe. My womenfolk loved it. Ben and I went on an excellent hike in the mountains among the aspen groves and rushing streams swollen with snowmelt.

There is a blues joint in Santa Fe - Willies Blues Bar - but I missed the Monday night blues jam. Santa Fe is famous for the Santa Fe Opera and there is a solid symphony orchestra. Lots of country music and tejano music, but not much blues or jazz. The town has excellent public radio stations that cover a broad range of musical genres.

We will be back to Santa Fe.

Borrowing From Jimmy Burns

Tonight, the Mystery Band will be playing at C.J. Arthur's in Wilmette IL. Wilmette is one of Chicagoland's fancier suburbs; not a location generally associated with blues music. I have borrowed from Jimmy Burns, the great blues vocalist and guitarist for this gig. The Mystery Band will consist of me and Jimmy's sidemen tonight. They are a top-knotch blues band - James Carter on drums, E.G. McDaniels on bass and Anthony Palmer on guitar. It is an honor for an amateur like me to share the bandstand with these stars.

Tommorrow morning, at 8 AM, I must be on a jet headed to New Mexico. So this weekend will be hectic.

Kickin' in Cowtown

My day job has taken me to Fort Worth, Texas this week - it carries the "Cowtown" nickname due to its roots. The legendary Chisholm Trail, a major north-south route for cattle drives, passed through Fort Worth until some enterprising citizens of the town established the Fort Worth Stockyards - then the drives ended in Fort Worth. The Stockyards converted Fort Worth into "Cowtown," making it a major hub for the cattle industry (also for farming, ranching, meatpacking and railroads).

The community was established as a military encampment by Major Ripley Arnold in 1849, one of ten forts proposed by Willam Jenkins Worth to protect the Caucasian invaders from the indigenous Plains Indians. The original fort didn't have many engagements with the Indians - one skirmish in four years - so it was abandoned by the military. The beginnings of Cowtown blossomed in the wake of the abandoned military venture. Through the years, this town has grown in the shadow of Dallas - it was major training center for soldiers heading overseas to fight in World War I, it became a boomtown and energy center when the Ranger oil field was discovered 90 miles west of town, and it became a major military aviation center during World War II with the expansion of the Carswell Air Force Base and the building of the famed one-mile long Convair bomber plant. Lockheed-Martin still builds fighter jets in that old plant.

There is scads of money in this community - the Bass family, the Hickses, the Muses, and all the rest. The picture at the top of this entry in the Bass Performance Hall, a top-knotch, and over-the-top, musical venue. The two massive angels attached to the front of the building are blowing horns that jut out some 20 feet from the front of the facade - over the sidewalk and into the street. It is an oddly disturbing sight.

Dallas/Fort Worth beats the snot out of the place I visited last week, Orlando. Texans are very interesting people. Yesterday, I visited with a self-made multimillionaire, "CR," who is currently enjoying his "golden years" (I am guessing he is over 80 years old). This gentleman has his company's reins firmly in his grip. Every discussion with this sly old dog becomes a negotiation. CR is one ornery SOB and I mean this as a compliment. I think he could live another 25 years, and I bet he will retire only when his heart stops beating.

Last night, I had dinner with a group of customers, including "PM." I had not met PM prior to last night - he just joined my customer's company. This fella has a major twang, an extreme nicotine habit, and a powerful thirst for intoxicating beverages. He also uses the "F-word" as a verb, a noun, an adjective, an adverb and a general declarative exclamation. He was hilarious and horrible at the same time.

Earlier today, I met with the CEO of a smallish private equity firm. "JW" is a very successful African-American professional, a Baby Boomer who spent most of his career in municipal government (generally as city manager). JW had scads of interesting stories about his time as City Manager of Dallas. He completed lots of projects, and arguably left Dallas much better off than it was when he started. And his dealings with the major money players in the Dallas/Fort Worth area gave him an open door to a lucrative post-government career.

On top of these three delightful folks, I have had many brief encounters with everyday Texans. From the wait staff to the high-roller in his brand new cowboy hat, everyone is turned up a knotch. It is a energetic place.

A note on music - Dallas/Fort Worth has a pretty strong local music scene, with a number of decent blues players. Hash Brown, the guitarist/harmonica player/vocalist,is one of my favorite musicians in Dallas. Here in Fort Worth, the music is mostly country. You hear that ol' country two-step beat coming from most radios and restaurant sound systems. I have nothing against country music - some of the songs knock me out, and I dig Willie Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel, and Merle Haggard - but I will always prefer blues, jazz and funk.

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Some Folks Should Not Go to Blues Jams

I hate to be cranky, but I like the players at blues jams to at least know the structure of a 12-bar blues progression. This was not the case for the players at the blues jam on Wednesday night in Orlando.

The evening began badly. The convention I am attending is located on the Disney property. I didn't realize how far Orlando is from the Disney property! So I jumped in a cab and found myself ponying up $55 when we reached our destination. I knew that the jam was trouble before I even walked in the door. The jammers sounded like a middle school garage band. I understand that many jams include musicians that have modest skills, but this jam seemed to specialize in that category of player. There were two people hammering on a keyboard (at the same time!!), a morbidly obese alto saxophonist with great tone but no knowledge of the improvisational blues idiom, a guitarist/singer who so mangled "Key to the Highway" that I didn't recognize it until the third verse, a bass player who could not find a note in the chord beyond the root note and a truly awful harmonica blower (I can't bring myself to call him a "player"). The redeeming feature of the jam band was a very feisty female drummer who kept great time and sang like a baritone version of Janis Joplin. The jammers stumbled about for a bit, then a second guitarist started playing. He equated great guitar playing with lots of volume and lots of distortion via his effects pedal. The crowd in the bar agreed with his assessment and lustily cheered his solos. Everyone was having a great time and everyone was super friendly. I am sure that they are wonderful folks. But I fled without playing. I guess Chicago has spoiled me - I am not willing to play with incompetent players anymore. I dropped another $55 on a taxi back to the hotel and felt like a big dummy.

I hope these folks never quit their day jobs.

Off to the Land of the Giant Mouse.......

.......Orlando! Not my favorite place, to be honest, but at least I will be warm. I am going to a convention tomorrow, a gathering of entrepreneurs that are servicing the needs of underserved markets. This is a trip to support my day job. It could be interesting. Or not.

Since I will be there on Wednesday and Thursday nights, I am going to see if I can find a blues jam. There seems to be a few, according to my Google search. Since there are a bunch of convention/Disney oriented gigs in O-Town, I would imagine that there are a bunch of terrific musicians that look for jams on their off-nights. I will throw a bunch of harmonicas into my duffle bag. It is always an adventure to send the bag with harmonicas through airport security. The TSA folks sometimes become pretty alarmed and dig through the bag expecting to find guns and ammo. It is always amusing to watch their faces when the see the harmonicas.

If I make it to a jam in Orlando, I will review it later this week.

Mystery Band on the Cusp on St. Patrick's Day

I am staying in the house on St. Patrick's Day - there are drunks stumbling around on the streets and many will be behind the wheel of large automobiles before the night is over. It is amateur night, a great night to stay home. And it is chilly. Plus my stomach hurts.

Mr. G and the Mystery Band is reaching an interesting tipping point. I have been booking three gigs a month for the group at a small collection of venues (Bill's Blues Bar in Evanston, C.J. Arthurs in Wilmette, the Morseland Cafe and Duke's Bar in Chicago). There are many other venues that would hire the band if they knew about us and had a decent promo package to review. I am beginning to use the same musicians frequently rather than assembling a group of different people from my Roladex every time a gig comes up. I have written about 8 original songs; I generally perform a few of them at every show now. The folks that attend my shows have asked if we have a CD available (we don't). I have a feeling that the Mystery Band could build a reasonable following and get quite a few more gigs if sufficient effort was expended.

I have been toying with the idea of cutting a CD. I would want to do it right. This means renting a decent studio (I know of many in Chicago) and setting up practice sessions prior to htting the studio.

I find myself hesitating.

There are impediments - I have a day job that is important to me, and I have a wonderful family that might not appreciate it if I spent many more evenings out performing/rehearsing/recording each month. So the band is on the cusp, at the tipping point. It may stay in that precarious position for a long time.

The Mystery Band is all about spontaneity and improvisation. I have been thrilled that so many great, great musicians have been willing to play with an amateur harmonica geek like me. If the band becomes better organized, more professional, starts (ugh) rehearsing, will we still have fun? Because fun is the goal of the Mystery Band - for the players and for the listeners, I hope.

More on Paul deLay

Here is a shot of Paul playing the chromatic harmonica. He really was a master of the instrument. Unlike many blues harp players (myself included), Paul was not intimidated by the slide.

When he hit the button on the chrom to activate the side, he said he was "pulling the trigger." Yeah man.

More on Paul deLay's Passing

This is from an email I received from Peter Damman, Paul's guitarist and manager:

"Big loss to all of us. But his was a fast and graceful exit from the stage."


Amen, brother.

We Have Lost Paul deLay

I missed the news on Wednesday. Paul deLay was one of the greatest harmonica players in the world, and a terrific vocalist, songwriter and composer. His energy and passion lit up every show he played. He was a mountain of a man, and he got sick and died in a few days - undiagnosed leukemia. He played two long sets on Saturday night, for crying out loud!

I have Paul's CD's, I heard him play live out in Portland, I spoke to him and told him how much I admired his artistry. He was one of my musical heroes. He lived an epic life.

Here is the obit from the Oregonian. This one hurts, people.

From The Oregonian
Paul deLay, local blues legend, dies
Posted by John Foyston March 07, 2007 14:01PM


Paul deLay, the larger-than-life Portland bluesman who redefined the harmonica and its musical potential, died this morning at Providence Portland Medical Center from end-stage leukemia diagnosed just days before. He was 55.

"He was the most inventive harmonica player in the history of the planet," says John Mazzocco, who played bass with deLay for several years in the 1990s. "He was gifted -- he had incredible tone, but more important, he could look at things differently than any other harmonica player. He was the best in the world."

"He was the best harmonica player in the blues world," says bassist Jimmy Lloyd Rea, from Baker City. "His big body -- mind, heart and soul -- was in every note he ever played."

DeLay recorded a dozen albums in his four-decade career, won several music awards and was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award. He and his band toured constantly, and his last show was just last Saturday -- a benefit show at Klamath Fall's Ross Ragland Theater.

"What amazes me is the energy he brought to the show," says guitarist Pete Dammann, who played in deLay's
bands for the past two decades. "He wasn't pirouetting onstage, but he was joking and yakking with the crowd, and he played hard. We did two long sets, and nobody had any idea anything like this was going on."

Neither did deLay. After that show, Dammann says, deLay felt under the weather, presumably from bronchitis he'd suffered on the band's recent jaunt to Mexico for several benefit shows. But doctors found that deLay was suffering from leukemia so advanced that his organs began shutting down and he lapsed into a coma from which he apparently never recovered.

Paul Joseph deLay was born Jan. 31, 1952 in Portland, where he lived all his life. In the early 1970, he and then-drummer Lloyd Jones and guitarist Jim Mesi formed an electric blues band called Brown Sugar and played to eager crowds up and down the West Coast. They laid the foundation for Portland's reputation as one of the country's great blues towns.

Nineteen seventy-six saw the formation of the Paul deLay Blues Band, which toured hard for more than a decade. At the same time, deLay suffered from alcohol and cocaine problems. In January of 1990, deLay was busted for cocaine trafficking and eventually served time in the federal prison in Sheridan. But before that sentence, deLay cleaned up and started writing
and recording his own music with a new band.

While deLay was in prison, his band played on as the No Delay Band, and it was waiting when he got out. They went on to record ground-breaking albums such as "Ocean of Tears" and "Nice and Strong," and Evidence Records released his two post-bust albums -- evidence that whoever said there are no second acts to American lives had never heard of Paul deLay.

Al Viola - A Musician's Musician

Al Viola passed away last Wednesday. He was a senior member of the skilled guild of studio musicians that powered so many records after World War II. Al could play pretty much anything on the guitar. He was Frank Sinatra's preferred guitarist. He also played on Marvin Gaye's records, and played lots of movie music, including the soundtracks for Blazing Saddles and The Godfather.

Here is a line from his New York Times' obit:

"His last performance was in late January at a jazz supper club in Sherman Oaks, California."

So he lived his 87 years, played his last gig, and died three weeks later. Not a bad exit for a man who dedicated his life to jazz guitar.

Charlie Musselwhite at the Old Town School of Folk Music

Photo by Rick Trankle/Alex Cuevas

Charlie Musselwhite visited Chicago this past weekend to headline at Buddy Guy's Legends on Saturday night. The local Chicago harmonica nerds, led by harmonica guru Joe Filisko, convinced him to stay over an extra day to visit with the Monday night Chicago Blues Harmonica class at the Old Town School of Folk Music. (that is Joe with Charlie in Rick Trankle's picture above). It was intense - the room is designed to hold 18-20 people, and we had over 50 wildly enthusiastic Musselwhite fans crammed into the classroom. It was a mixed crowd, ranging in age from 16 to 70, male and female (but mostly male), black and white (but mostly white).

Charlie is one of the living blues harmonica gods, up there with James Cotton and Kim Wilson. He is unique because he has "big ears" - yes, he is a blues guy, but he loves Brazilian music and Cuban music, and he has collaborated with musicians from those countries. "Every culture seems to have its music of lament," Charlie told us. "It's all blues to me."

Charlie is also the harp player that Tom Waits calls when he wants harmonica in a tune (check out Musselwhite's work on "Mule Variations"). And Charlie's songwriting seems to get stronger every year.

So I got to sit at Musselwhite's feet (literally - I was on the floor because all the chairs were full). He is a friendly, self-deprecating guy. There is a gentleness to his personality that is very appealing. He has a million stories, and he shared many with us. He also provided some equipment tips. He also shared an interesting fact - he said "I never had a plan, and I still don't. I have just been trying to have fun, and things have worked out. I have had some rough patches, but things have worked out OK with the harmonica."

Charlie's mother was the victim of a homicide in December 2005. The elderly woman was killed in Memphis by a 24-year old neighbor in an apparent home invasion/robbery. Charlie's wife, Henrietta, survived a shark attack in 2000 while vacationing in Maui. So Mr. Musselwhite has had his share of bad events.

He has long been a hero to me, and I know the rest of the folks at OTS last Monday felt the same. Charlie ended the evening by playing "Cristo Redemptor." Beautiful! Then he joined us at a local bar - he drank club soda, having sworn off alcohol 20 years ago. He loosened up - showed off his tattoos.

Photo By Rick Trankle/Alex Cuevas

Even though he is clean and sober these days, the man can still party.

More Great Musicians Crossing Over

I have been traveling and shoveling snow like a madman recently (today, the thaw finally arrived in Chicago). This has kept me away from the blog for a couple of weeks. We have lost a couple of wonderful musicians in the last week or so.

Jazz bassist Eldee Young died of a heart attack on February 12th. He was performing in Thailand, a country that he visited often in recent years. The picture above shows Eldee with Redd Holt - Redd is standing, Eldee is sitting. Eldee was 71 years old and as exuberent as ever.

Young was a member of the Ramsey Lewis Trio during the days of Ramsey's cross-over hits - "The In Crowd","Hang On, Sloopy" and all the rest of those mid-60's soul/jazz records. Ramsey Lewis disbanded the trio in the latter part of the 1960's, Drummer Redd Holt and Eldee stayed together as Young-Holt Unlimited. Eldee and Redd had a big hit in 1968 - a funky instrumental called "Soulful Strut" that has been covered and sampled by a broad range of contemporary musicians (including the British teenage soul kid, Joss Stone). Here is a link to Eldee's obituary in the Chicago Tribune. Eldee was also a terrific singer, totally unheralded but very much a talent. His bass playing is up there with Ray Brown, in my opinion. He will be deeply missed.



Peggy Gilbert was a true pioneer. As a young girl, she decided she wanted to be a jazz saxophonist. This was not a carrer path for women that was actively encouraged in the 1920's and 1930's. She persevered, played, and led various "All-Girl" jazz bands for many decades - she was still an active player after she reached the age of 90!. Peggy died from complications associated with hip replacement surgery. She was 102 years old. Here is a link to the LA Times obituary. Peggy fought the good fight and broke ground for women in jazz.

I am sad that these two slipped away before I could shake their hands and express my respect for them.

Chord On Blues Tries to Rise From The Dead

I noted in early January that Chord-On Blues, the huge, beautiful club in St. Charlse, IL, shut its doors. Here is a letter that the manager of the club circulated recently:

A Letter to Our Loyal Patrons
The Best Blues Fans in the Country

As most of you know by now, Chord On Blues closed it’s doors on Friday January 5th. After celebrating our 10th Birthday on New Years Eve, it became brutally clear that we could no longer afford to absorb the losses we were incurring. Not even for one more day. So, we closed the doors saying that we were going to step back and regroup. In the interim, many of you have sent e-mails of support and encouragement. I can tell you that those letters have been THE single most moving experience in ten years of business and rocked me to my core. So … after 30 days of “regrouping” we have decided a couple of things. 1) 30 days is not enough time to restructure a 10 year old business. 2) Not having the nation’s finest blues musicians on our stage is too much to bear. So … we need a band aid or a bridge to what will eventually be our future. To that end I’m happy to announce a few shows that we hope will help bridge the gap.

On Saturday February 10th we’re pleased to announce that we will be able to honor our contract with Chris Duarte. Over the past 6 years or so, C.O.B. has become a Chicagoland home for Chris and his tour depended on this gig. I hope you can all come down and get your blues groove on with one of the most dynamic guitarists in the country.

And then … From Friday February 23rd to Sunday February 25th, we’ll throw a three day Blues Festival, tentatively titled, The Chord On Blues Winter Fest 07 / One More For The Road or Never Say Die! The lineup consists of all the bands from January that I had to cancel. This is my way of trying to get that money back in their pocket. Money they sorely need. If you were ever going to support a show here at C.O.B. this is the show. It’s going to be one hell of a party and will help keep these talented and humble musicians working.

As for our future plans … We’re going to do at least one show a month. They will be hard to market as the dates will revolve around the artist’s tour so the dates will fluctuate between the beginning, middle and end of the month. The only way you will know about them is through e-blasts to our e-mail list and our web site. PLEASE sign up for our e-mail list. We do not share it with anybody … EVER! My hope is that by reducing the amount of shows we do each month, we can fill the room up and give these bluesmen and women the crowds they deserve. We will certainly continue to bring in the artists that you have supported in large numbers. People like Lonnie and Ronnie Brooks, Tab Benoit, Walter Trout, Tinsley Ellis, Coco Montoya etc.

Our show in March is Hamilton Loomis on Friday March 16th. He was here last fall and played to a half full house. I’m bringing him back because it’s one of the best shows we’ve had in here. Trust me on this one and never mind the fact that he’s not a house hold name. Ham is great and he has the chops and stage craft to make himself one of the most popular acts in the blues biz.

For a month now I’ve been trying to find the words to write this letter and convey to all of you how much your support over the years has meant. Many bluesmen who have counted on us for their Chicago play have now lost another venue, as many have closed throughout the country. I don’t want to add my name to that list. Not after 10 years. I’m hoping this band aid will in fact be a bridge to a new and improved version of Chord On Blues. As always I invite your comments so please feel free to call or drop me an e-mail.

Thanks for your support, Sincerely Steve Chapman

RIP - Terry Lee McMillan, Harmonica Player and Percussionist

I am not a huge country music fan, but I appreciate the skill and professionalism of country music cats. Terry Lee McMillan was an excellent harmonica man - and he recorded with Ray Charles !! Here is his obit from the Country Music Television web site:

Ace harmonica player and percussionist Terry Lee McMillan died Friday (Feb. 2) at his home in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., following a long illness. He was 53. A spokesman for the funeral home handling the services said the family has declined to specify the exact cause of death.

McMillan was born Oct. 12, 1953, in Lexington, N.C., and began his professional music career in the early 1970s. Early on, he toured as a member of Eddy Raven's band. In 1975, he went on the road with Chet Atkins. After stints backing Jeannie C. Riley and Jerry Reed, McMillan turned his attention to playing recording sessions. Although a gifted drummer and percussionist, he gained his reputation in the studio for his distinctive harmonica style. He won the Academy of Country Music's musician of the year award in its specialty instrument category for four consecutive years beginning in 1993.


In the early 1980s, McMillan signed with RCA Records as a solo act, but his tenure at the label was short-lived. His only charted single, "Love Is a Full Time Thing," peaked at No. 85 in 1982.

McMillan's earliest recording sessions were with Mickey Newbury, Steve Young, Elvis Presley, Marshall Chapman, Ray Charles and J J. Cale. He subsequently performed on TV specials with Neil Young, Garth Brooks, Randy Travis and Chet Atkins among others. Intermittently, he returned to the road with such artists as Larry Carlton, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and Michael McDonald. McMillan's harmonica work is prominently featured on Brooks' 1993 hit, "Ain't Going Down (Til the Sun Comes Up)."

After his family's house was destroyed in a 1992 house fire, McMillan became a devout Christian and focused extensively on inspirational music. In 1993, he released his first album, I've Got a Feeling, on Step One Records. He also released an album for Giant Records, Somebody's Comin', in 1997. In the years that followed, he became a frequent guest on Christian television programs.

"In 1993," according to Definitive Country: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Country Music and Its Performers, "[McMillan] was chosen ... to be a member of [a band] that performed at President Clinton's Arkansas inaugural ball. The rest of the band was Michael McDonald, Bruce Hornsby, Kenny Loggins, Carole King and Judy Collins. [McMillan] played a standout version of 'Amazing Grace' on the harmonica."

He is survived by his wife, three children, a stepchild, two grandchildren, his father and a brother.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday (Feb. 7) at Atchley Funeral Home in Sevierville, Tenn. Burial will be in Smoky Mountain Memory Gardens.

RIP, Terry. Its sad that you died so young.

GLOOM

So the Bears got whipped in the Super Bowl and it is nine below zero in Chicago this morning. The sun is out, but everything feels gloomy.

The Cold, The Bears, The End of the World

The wind is stiff this evening, making a frigid night damn near unbearable. It will be worse tomorrow and miserable all week as the low teperatures hit negative territory. Chicago is facing its coldest weekend in ten years. Naturally, this cold snap hits when the Bears are in the Super Bowl. I am not interested in going to any Super Bowl parties in this miserable cold; I am sure I am not the only one with this attitude. The Mystery Band has a gig tomorrow night; I have a feeling that I will be playing to an empty house.

I am a Bears fan, but I have a hard time watching them play. Football is stressful. Every game is important and the agony of defeat offsets the thrill of victory for me. I am going to try to watch the Super Bowl, but if the Bears start doing poorly, I probably will have to turn it off.

It is ironic on this extremely cold weekend that the UN's report on global warming was released, and boy, was it depressing! Maybe world governments will get together and try to slow down the big warm-up. I wouldn't bet on it. And I wouldn't bet on human ability to change the weather trend. Yes, the world will end. Or, said more correctly, humans will probably become extinct. The timeframe for our extinction is too lengthy for the average schmo to panic. And besides, the Big Game is on this weekend.

Go Bears.

Farewell Susan Greenberg

The sad news of Susan Greenberg's untimely death has rippled through Chicago's blues community. Susan was a terrific photographer and artist - the image above this text is one of Susan's pictures and you can see some of her work on her website - click here. As you will see from her photos, Susan was a lover of the blues. She was also the life partner of one of Chicago's finest blues guitarists, Lurrie Bell - that's Lurrie in the picture I posted above this entry. I mentioned Lurrie in my last entry on January 20. Susan passed away on the same day I posted that entry. Lurrie has struggled with many demons, and the story in Chicago is that Susan pulled him out of the abyss, helped him regain his life. Susan and Lurrie had major trauma, also - Susan gave birth to twins, who both died shortly after birth. They overcame this tragedy, and celebrated the birth of a daughter, Aria, just two years ago. Susan passed at the age of 44, too young, a victim of lymphoma. I met her a few times at Lurrie's gigs; didn't know her well, but had huge respect for her.

If you are religous (or even if you are not), pray for Lurrie Bell and Susan Greenberg's family.

Shows that I Missed

January is only two-thirds over, and I am already feeling bad that I have missed a bunch of great musical performances. Here is my list of January gigs that I was too busy, lazy or tired to attend:

Trouble No More at the Harlem Avenue Lounge in Berwyn - January 19: Trouble No More consists of local blues heroes. My friend, Tom Albanese, is the harmonica player in the band and he kicks serious butt. Trouble No More used to back the late, great vocalist, L.C. Walker; the band lost momentum when L.C. passed away. This gig was the first major appearance by Trouble No More since L.C. died last year.

Lurrie Bell at Bill's Blues Bar in Evanston IL - January 13: Lurrie is approaching 50 years of age - he has been playing with the major blues dudes in Chicago since he was a little kid. The son of blues harp star Carey Bell, Lurrie heard the blues in the cradle and was playing guitar at the age of 6. He has fronted bands and supported an unbelievable list of stars - Willie Dixon, Koko Taylor,and tons of other big names. Lurrie went through the depths of a miserable blues life - 20 years of mental illness, drug abuse, homelessness and hosptialization. Lurrie is on his feet again, trying to make up for lost time. Can't help but wish him well. He is one of the best blues guitarists in the world.

Buddy Guy's January Shows at Legends in Chicago: The live music business sucks in January. That is one of the reasons why Buddy guy takes up residence at his own club in Chicago for about 10 nights during the dreary mid-winter period. These shows sell out every year, and I always call too late to get a ticket.

Frank Catalano Quintet at Andy's In Chicago, January 6: Frank is a wild tenor man - intense tone, great mastery of multiple idioms, energy to burn. He is a young fella - under 30 - and he arose from the suburbs of Chicago(can't remember which one), a product of the lavishly funded music programs that rich school districts still support. Catalano has played with the old guys (Tony Bennett et al) and the youngsters (N'Sync and DJ Logic). He has even played with Mr. G and the Mystery Band!!

Von Freeman Quintet at Andy's In Chicago, January 13: What can you say about Vonski? He is still whippin' that tenor madness on the people at the age of 84. Frank Catalano and other young tenor sax heroes owe Von Freeman a huge debt.

Well, it is impossible to hear all of the great music that is available in the city of Chicago. I hope to hit more hot gigs in the coming weeks.

Swamini Turiyasangitananda (aka Alice Coltrane) and Michael Brecker - RIP

We lost two musical giants - Alice Coltrane and Michael Brecker.

She was born Alice MacLeod in Detroit MI; she died Swamini Turiyasangitananda in Los Angeles. In between these two identities, she was Alice Coltrane. I suppose she remained Alice MacLeod and Alice Coltrane after she became Swamini Turiyasangitananda - it is hard to drop your history, even when spirituality pulls you away from the material world.

I read in today's paper that Alice's Sanskrit name, Swamini Turiyasangitananda, means "the highest song of God." She founded an ashram in 1983, pursuing the Eastern philosophy and religon that she discovered through John Coltrane. She married John in 1965 after knowing him for a few years; he died from liver cancer in 1967. Alice was a fluid and energetic pianist; she also played jazz harp ( the real harp, not the harmonica). She was off the scene for many years, but started making music again in 2004, cutting a record (Translinear Light) that was produced by her son, Ravi Coltrane. Alice was 69, which seems too young to lose a great soul.



The loss of Michael Brecker was even worse, if that is possible. He was only 57, taken out by leukemia. I am a huge fan of Michael Brecker; the "Dreams" LP of 1970 shook me hard as I was opening my ears to jazz and funk; I loved the Brecker Brothers albums that Michael cut with his trumpet-playing brother, Randy. Michael was a Coltrane disciple; I bet he knew Alice well. His mastery of the saxophone was complete. He played with James Brown; he played with Chick Corea. To me, he was the finest saxophonist of the Baby Boom generation - he could cover anything and everything. His own music was also stunning. I will put his stuff in rotation on my iPod today.

Michael Brecker was a family man; wife and kids. Michael's wife, Susan, spearheaded a search for a bone marrow donor - but a match wasn't found in time for Michael.

Chord On Blues Shuts Down

I got a news flash from a member of the Eddy Clearwater Band. The 14,000 square foot blues club/supper club, Chord-On Blues, has shut down as of January 5, 2007. Here is the announcement from the club's web site:

Chord On Blues
Temporarily Closed
We regret to inform you that as of Friday January 5th, Chord On Blues will be closed for an indefinite period of time. For the past ten years it’s been our honor to support the finest blues musicians that the country has to offer. It’s been equally gratifying to serve our customers who are the most passionate blues fans I’ve had the pleasure to know. At this point we will step back, regroup and return better than ever. We will keep our customers informed via our e-mail list so we encourage you to log onto chordonblues.com and sign up if you aren’t already. The Grille at Chord On Blues, located to your left, remains opened and unchanged so we hope you’ll continue to visit us next door. We apologize for the inconvenience we’ve caused you and hope that you will return when we reopen. Please feel free to call with any comments, questions or concerns at 630-513-0074.

Sincerely
Steve Chapman vp/gm

Chord On Blues was a great place, and operated for 10 years on the Fox River in the Chicago suburb of St. Charles. It is quite a hike from Chicago - I think about an hour's drive - but it was worth it. A huge club with a large stage and great sight lines, Chord On Blues booked Chicago blues artists and acts that were passing through town - people like CoCo Montoya, Chris Duarte, Poppa Chubby, Tab Benoit, Kim Wilson (with and without the Fabulous Thunderbirds) and lots of other acts that often don't get booked in the Chicago blues clubs. The Blues Foundation selected Chord-On Blues as the 2006 "blues club of the year." Apparently this honor did not improve business very much...

There were many nights when the band played to a very sparse audience at COB. I hope they succeed in re-opening the club. The blues community in Chicago and around the nation will really miss Chord-On Blues - it was world class. It is tough to make money running a blues venue.

Inner Peace through Funk

Have you ever had a series of events knock you down a bit? Nothing hugely tragic, but just an accumulation of small to medium-sized bummmers? And you start to feel tension in your jaw muscles as your face is fixed in a frown of worry and stress? And your sleep gets a little less restful because when you hit the sack, you are turning stuff over and over and over in your mind without finding any solution to the problems you think you have?

This has been my state of mind for the past couple of days and I discovered a Way Out that I am delighted to share with anyone who stumbles across this blog.

One type of music can provide a path to inner peace, at least temporarily - old school Funk!

Since the mighty James Brown passed, I have been digging through music that he made and influenced. I used to own some old vinyl records of early 1970's grooves cut by the James Brown band (the JB's). JB himself was involved in the music as a sideman (not frontman) and also acted as producer. I got my hands on a couple re-issues of James Brown's Funky People (Part 1 and Part 2). Oyez! Lyn (the Female Preacher) Collins fronts the JB's for five of the tunes on the 2 discs, and her work on "Rock Me Again & Again & Again & Again" is one for the ages. Lyn faded from public view after her time with JB (she was in the background even then). She became a session vocalist and did some recordings in Europe during the 1980's. And she left us on March 13, 2005. Lyn apparently suffered some sort of seizure while eating and ended up choking on her food - the oxygen deprivation sent her into a coma, and she died three days later when her heart gave out. She was 56 years old.

I want to believe in heaven - I love the idea of JB and the Female Preacher testifying together again in the hereafter.

I started my musical efforts on the trombone and first heard Fred Wesley when I was about 18 years old. His sound on the Funky People discs is still fresh and still kills me dead. Fred wrote many of JB's arrangements - if James Brown gave birth to funk, Fred Wesley was his obstetrician.

Soif you are feeling low, put some JB's on the headphones. You WILL feel better. Funky music is cheaper than therapy.

Sammy Fender

Tonight, the Mystery Band will be playing at Bill's Blues in Evanston. Tomorrow night, Sammy Fender will be holding forth at Bill's Blues. I have played with Sammy on occassion and like him very much, so I am going to promote him today on my blog.

Sammy has been on the blues scene for a few decades now. He is in his early 60's (I think) and he still kicks out white hot energy. He has that leather-lunged blues shout and he plays solid blues guitar (but he can be LOUD). Sammy does a marvelous version of "Stand By Me" that is a crowd favorite - it usually turns into a major sing-along.

Sammy's pedigree is peerless - his aunt is Koko Taylor; Magic Sam was his cousin. He has played with Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Junior Wells, Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy and a host of equally talented but lesser-known bluesmen. Sammy also claims to be one of the original members of the Impressions, but I haven't been able to confirm that.

Mr. Fender is one of those lunch-bucket blues guys in Chicago that hasn't been on many records (I think he has had a self-produced live recording in 2002, and his previous release was in the early 1980's). So hit Bill's Blues on Saturday to hear a blues veteran with a big voice and a big heart.

Barrelhouse Chuck in the Wall Street Journal

It isn't often that my day job and my blues obsession collide. It happened today when I worked my way to the last page of the last section of the Wall Street Journal. The Journal's jazz critic (Nat Hentoff) did a long piece on Barrelhouse Chuck Goering. Nat heaped praise on Chuck (all richly deserved). Here is a link to the article.

Barrelhouse Chuck is up there with Erwin Helfer and Pinetop Perkins as one of the elite blues piano players in Chicago. He has a great new disk out on the Sirens label, "Got My Eyes On You." Chuck plays around town in a variety of settings and a bunch of different groups. He has played with my harmonica pal, Harry Garner, on occassion.

Barrelhouse Chuck is one of the 45-55 year old guys that played with many of the masters (Muddy, Wolf, Big Walter, Junior Wells, Otis Rush, etc. etc.). We have lots of these guys in Chicago - folks like Harland Terson (bass), E.G. McDaniel (bass), Anthony Palmer (guitar), Mark Wydra (guitar), Twist Turner (drums) and many others. Chuck is trying to keep the flame lit. Buy his record; go out and see his shows. You can see Chuck at Mocha Cafe & Wine Cellar on Saturday, January 20 (8:00 pm- 11:30 pm 742). The Mocha Cafe and Wine Bar is located at 742 Sheridan Road, Highwood, IL 847-579-4010.

Hoppin' John/Bootsy Collins

Mr. G crashed early on New Year's Eve. After a lovely (and heavy) meal with the wife and girlies, bed seemed like a better destination than the local blues bar. So I had a great night's sleep, woke up clear-headed and energized, and dug into the day's activities. I have a great pot of Hoppin' John on the stove - black eye peas, crushed red pepper, chicken breast, rice, onions and tomatoes. Black eye peas bring the good luck in the New Year, doncha know.

I went to the YMCA for a little exercise and cranked up Bootsy Collins on the ol' iPod. I have been thinking about Bootsy since I heard the news about James Brown's passing.

Bootsy is another one of my heroes. Just look at this guy:

He is one funky-ass SOB. When he was 18, back in 1970, he joined James Brown's band. JB's success in the 1970's was, in part, due to this crazy bass playa. His music is pure joy. If you can sit still while listening to Bootsy Collins, you must be dead.

Duke's Bar

The Mystery Band played at Duke's Bar last night. The crowd was sparse; I guess everyone is saving their partying energy for New Year's Eve. Highway RickEY stopped by and sat in on drums for a few numbers. Big Alex also came out - he lives in the neignborhood. We had a "small world" moment - the Mystery Band's sax player, Mike Finnerty, was Big Alex's saxophone teacher in high school. Big Alex dropped the sax in favor of the harmonica.

Duke's Bar has an interesting vibe. It is a smallish joint with a long bar and a small side room where the musicians perform. This bar has been a mainstay on Glenwood Avenue in Rogers Park (next to the El tracks) since 1968. In years past, Duke's was a place for hard-core drinkers and petty criminals (drug dealers, second story men, pimps and their women). In September of 2005, the joint was purchased by Neil Lifton and his wife, Mary. Neil is a New Yorker who plays a little electric guitar. He has run out the sketchy characters and Duke's is a bit more civil. I like Neil and Duke's is a solid Chicago neighborhood tavern.

I am sure this will be my last post of 2006. It has been a good year for Mr. G personally, but a very crappy year for the larger world. I'm glad to have 2006 in the rear view mirror.

Katherine Davis at Katerina's in Chicago - 12/26/06

Katherine Davis is one of Chicago's finest blues singers. Her voice is fabulous, but it the soul behind the voice that is the real story. Here is a link to Katherine's web site - check it out to get her complete back story.

Katherine was the headliner at Katerina's last Tuesday. She had a couple of major talents helping her that evening. Erwin Helfer was at the grand piano and the under-appreciated Skinny Williams was blowing the saxophone.

Katherine covers the entire history and range of blues music. She can belt out the classic post-war Chicago blues anthems; she also sings jazz and will go way back to pull out a chestnut like "The Dark Town Strutters Ball." She put her entire range on display during the set I caught at Katerina's. Her voice pours out and it is easy to hear the opera training that she received in her younger days. Her stage presence is remarkable - she connects with her audience in a very personal way. And she is back performing in spite of her grief over the recent loss of her husband, Caleb Dube (see the September 27, 2006 entry in this blog for more on Caleb). Perhaps her singing is part of her journey through the grief.

Erwin Helfer is carrying the flame of blues and boogie piano, the flame created by Sunnyland Slim, Jimmy Yancy, Otis Spann, "Cripple" Clarence Lofton and Speckled Red. Erwin is a conservator, but he makes these classic styles his own through his joyful drive and variations on the old riffs and themes. He carries his rhythm section with him - his rock-steady left hand that lays down the bass and the beat better than most bass-drum combos on the planet. Erwin and Katherine have worked together often; there was a lot of affection between these two fine musicians during the performance at Katerina's.

I had never heard Skinny Willams play before last Tuesday. He is a killer tenor man! His tone reminded me of Ben Webster, but he was ripping out the R&B and funk licks like a combination of Eddie Harris and Lennie Pickett. Skinny and Erwin tossed off a great version of "Chicken Shack" during their set.

Katherine's daughter was in attendence for her mother's gig. She was with a tall, stately gentleman who was invited to the bandstand to play piano and sing. I didn't catch the guy's full name (last name was Dunlap, I believe); he is a gospel artist in Chicago and his voice was huge when he sang the blues. I am always amazed at the quantity and quality of anonymous musical talent in the great city of Chicago.

Katherine said she might show up at the Mystery Band gig at Duke's tonight. Hope she makes it....

We Lost The Godfather

James Brown crossed over at 1:45 AM this Christmas morning. I am therefore listening to old skool JB this morning instead of Christmas carols.

Some musicians change everything. James Brown was one of those musicians. He grabbed lots of people, black and white. I remember hearing him back in my junior high school when I was all of 13 years old. We had no black people at John Muir Junior High - San Leandro, California was mostly white, with some Asian and Mexican folks. There was a creek on the northern edge of town - on the other side of that creek was Oakland, and an all-black neighborhood. So I grew up in the tail-end of the segregated era (San Leandro is nicely integrated now). Occassionally, the kids on the opposite sides of the creek would mix. That is where I first heard James Brown's music. James Brown was the entry-point for me into what I consider the best parts of American culture - I explored all the Motown artists, Ray Charles, and kept heading back in time, eventually finding Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, J.J Johnson, Count Basie, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, B.B. King and dozens of others. I also soaked up the music generated by the "offspring of JB" - Sly Stone, Tower of Power, Kool and the Gang, Parliament/Funkadelic, and on and on.

James Brown was the wellspring. He invented so much; he is much imitated, never equaled. And he is another American success story - abandoned by his parents at the age of 4, raised (and ignored) by relatives, on the streets of Augusta GA at a very tender age - and yet, he found his talent and put it out in the world for everyone to see and hear.

In his own way, he brought people together.

"Long hair hippies and Afro blacks. They all get together across the tracks and they party. On the good foot."

RIP JB.

Mr. G and the Mystery Band - New Years Gigs

The Mystery Band is getting busy as we head into 2007! As I posted earlier this month, on Saturday December 30, Mr. G and the Mystery Band will be back at Duke's Bar in Rogers Park (6920 North Glenwood, Chicago IL, 773 764 2826). Music will start around 9:30 - NO COVER!! This version of the Mystery Band is the jazz gang - it includes Mike Finnerty on tenor sax, Andy Meecham on guitar, Mike Linn on drums and Mike Azzi on bass. As always, Mr. G will toot the harmonica and howl at the moon. Come on out for an early New Year's party!

On Friday, January 5 2007, the Mystery Band will return to Bill's Blues Bar (1029 Davis Street, Evanston IL 847-424-9800, www.billsbluesbar.com). I am still trying to line up the personnel for this gig - Twist Turner will be there, pounding on the drums. The rest of the band's make up is a Mystery (ahem). But I will post the names on this space once folks call me back to confirm.

By the way, the Mystery Band is building an official website. It isn't much to look at yet, but it will improve over time. Here is the link: http://www.mrgandthemysteryband.com/

Four Departures and a Return

It Has Been a Sad, Sad Month So Far

Homesick James Passes: Chicago blues legend Homesick James Williamson passed away Wednesday, December 13, at 11:15pm. He was in his mid-90s, but his own accounts of his age varied. He passed away resting comfortably in his home in Springfield, Missouri. Funeral arrangements will be made by his family, and the funeral will take place on Saturday, December 23 in Covington, Tennessee. Williamson was playing guitar at age ten and soon ran away from his Tennessee home to play at fish fries and dances. His travels took the him through Mississippi and North Carolina during the 1920s, where he crossed paths with Yank Rachell, Sleepy John Estes, Blind Boy Fuller, and Big Joe Williams. Settling in Chicago during the 1930s, Williamson played local clubs and recorded for RCA Victor in 1937. Williamson made some of his finest recordings in 1952-53 for Art Sheridan's Chance Records (including the classic "Homesick" that gave him his enduring stage name). James also worked extensively as a sideman, backing harp great Sonny Boy Williamson in 1945 at a Chicago gin joint called the Purple Cat and during the 1950s with his cousin, slide master Elmore James (to whom Homesick is stylistically indebted). He also recorded with James during the 1950s. Homesick's own output included some singles for Colt and USA in 1962, a fine 1964 album for Prestige, and four tracks on a Vanguard anthology in 1965. He also recorded a CD for Michael Frank's Earwig Records around 1994, "Goin' Back in the Times." I think there were other CD's in the 1990's, but I don't have a full discography.

Ahmet Ertegun Passes: Ahmet Ertegun, founder and A&R man for Atlantic Records, passed in New York City on December 14 at age 83. He and his label were singlehandedly responsible for recording some of the greatest stars of the blues, such as Ray Charles, Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, and LaVern Baker. He also was a giant in the world of soul and rock, signing acts ranging from Aretha Franklin to Led Zeppelin. Here is a link to his New York Times obituary.

Tina Mayfield Passes: Word just came in that Tina Mayfield passed away this week. Tina was the wife of Percy Mayfield, and also looked after Lowell Fulson after Lowell's wife Sadie passed on. Tina was very outgoing and supportive of the blues and remained an easily accessible public figure, especially in California, until the last few years when cancer took its toll on her health.

Jay McShann Passes: Blues and jazz piano legend JayMcShann passed away on December 7, 2006. He was 90 years old. Jay was famous for hiring a young alto saxophonist to play in his Kansas City-based big band. The kid's name was Charlie Parker.

The Return of Sugar Blue: A blues crony of mine spotted a very rare sight in Chicago this past weekend. Sugar Blue (real name - James Whiting) was in attendance at Rosa's Lounge last Saturday night celebrating his birthday. He sat in with Jimmy Johnson, who was booked for the gig that night. Sugar Blue is a unique harmonica player - he is a speed demon with loads of technique. He now resides in Europe. Sugar Blue had his 15 minutes of international fame when he was a sideman for the Rolling Stones (that's Sugar blowing the harp on the Stones' tune "Miss You."). Sugar Blue is in Chicago for a week to record a new self-produced CD. To keep track of Mr. Blue's travels go to http://www.sugar-blue.com/home.html or http://www.myspace.com/sugarblueharp

Mr. G and the Mystery Band December Gigs - In Chicagoland

'Tis the season for the Mystery Band Holiday Parties! We have a couple of biggies coming up!

Mr. G and the Mystery Band will be rockin' the house at Bill's Blues Bar (1029 Davis Street, Evanston IL 847-424-9800, www.billsbluesbar.com) on Saturday December 16. Music starts at around 9 PM; the Mystery Band will be sharing the stage with Two for the Blues, another great local blues band. This version of the Mystery Band includes some of Mr. G's favorite professionals - Anthony Palmer on guitar, Twist Turner on drums, Shoji Naito on guitar and E.G. McDaniel on bass. Mr. G will blow the harp and sing. Come on out and celebrate your favorite holiday (Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Whatever!).

On Saturday December 30, Mr. G and the Mystery Band will be back at Duke's Bar in Rogers Park (6920 North Glenwood, Chicago IL, 773 764 2826). Music will start around 9:30 - NO COVER!! This version of the Mystery Band is the jazz gang - it includes Mike Finnerty on Tenor sax, Andy Meecham on guitar, Mike Linn on drums and Mike Azzi on bass. As always, Mr. G will toot the harmonica and howl at the moon. Come on out for an early New Year's party!

These will be the last Mystery Band Shows of 2006!! Don't miss 'em!!

Losses and Eroded Defenses

Hell, yes, I am aging - 52 years old now. It doesn't sound that old, and it isn't, but I can feel the small changes. I feel losses. My defenses are eroding. I am more exposed to the force of my own emotions, and to the grind of daily events.

Joe Jackson of Chicago was angry. He had apparently invented a new toilet for use in trucks - no doubt a welcome innovation for the nation's long-haul truckers. Well, Mr. Jackson felt cheated - I guess he lost a patent lawsuit, but the specifics behind his rage have not been made public. So yesterday afternoon, Mr. Jackson went to 500 W. Monroe Street, the CitiCorp Center and location of a main commuter rail station in Chicago. He held a security guard at gunpoint and went up to the 38th floor to the law offices of Wood, Phillips, Katz, Clark & Mortimer. He sought out Michael R. McKenna, a successful patent attorney. He chained the law office doors behind him. He began shooting. Mr. McKenna died; so did two other men. And the Chicago SWAT team took out Mr. Jackson. Four dead people in a calm and orderly law office in a Class A office tower just west of Chicago's Loop. The train station was shut down, the skyscraper was evacuated. There was no defense; random insanity can reach out and grab anyone. Then the station re-opened two hours after the killings, and the mundane daily grind resumed.

The past year has contained many losses. We lost two blues harmonica greats in 2006 – Sam Myers and Snooky Pryor both died. We lost several other blues greats during the year – Robert Lockwood Jr., Ruth Brown, Etta Baker, Floyd Dixon, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Willie Kent, Henry Townsend, and the great Austin TX blues club owner, Clifford Antone. If you are unfamiliar with these artists, do yourself a favor and buy some of their music.

It has been wicked cold in Chicago for the past week - in the single digits with a nasty wind. My defenses have eroded - the cold hurts a little more this year than it did last year. I sometimes get mugged by a memory and choke up. I miss people have been gone for a long time. I was never a tough guy. As I age, this fact becomes more apparent.

Buzz Kilman

Buzz Kilman is a pretty big deal around Chicago. He has carved a niche for himself as a radio personality - sort of a comic foil to people like Steve Dahl and Jonathan Brandmeier. He is also a member of the "closet blues harmonica" fraternity, and is therefore my blood brother.

Buzz played the local blues club in Evanston IL last night. He is an enthusiastic performer, and he brings out a crowd of fans. I don't think Buzz will get mad if I say that he is not channeling Little Walter. He is a pretty good harp blower who has great stage presence and audience rapport.

I have a gig tonight at Duke's Bar located on the far north side of Chicago. I am going to try to connect with the crowd the way Buzz did last night.

Curtis Salgado Gets A Liver

I posted on September 2 about Curtis Salgado, the great Portland OR harmonica player and vocalist. He is fighting liver cancer, yet still tearing up the stages up and down the West Coast. Well, good news - Curtis got his liver transplant. Here is the blurb from the Portland Oregonian:

Portland musician Curtis Salgado received a new liver Saturday evening at an Omaha, Neb., hospital from a deceased donor. He had been planning on transplant surgery this week with a liver donated by a friend who had traveled with him to Omaha.

Curtis now has a much improved prognosis. I hope he can continue to perform after his recovery is complete.