The Blues Blogger

A While Back

I wrote a post called My Vinyl Daze. It was a two part post where I discussed the time I spent as a teenager working in an upscale record store. One of the things I really enjoyed back then was vinyl album art… Today those very covers act like a time capsules; taking me back to memories I haven’t thought of, in some cases over 30 years. It was this fascination that introduced me to the work of blues rock and fusion legend Gary Moore. One such LP was Colosseum II ‘s 1976’s release Strange New Flesh …

I Drove My Father Nuts

Like all teenagers, I began experimenting with different things… Ya Dig?

It was around this time I really got into fusion and Gary Moore was one of the reasons I walked through that musical door… Strange New Flesh and other Colosseum II albums like Electric Savage were huge staples in my teenage years. My bedroom would then boom with these new wild sounds… All I can say is this, “My poor father!” What he must have thought as I was listening to music with titles like Dark Side of The Moog… Here is a brief sound clip of the first two songs I ever heard that introduced me to Gary Moore.…

 

 Track 1 & 2 Clip [2:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

As You Can Hear

this wasn’t exactly big band music. In a nutshell, it drove my father crazy, and for whatever reasons that a rebel teenager comes up with, I used it as additional ammo to drive my dad around the bend… Interesting thing though, I always did love my father’s choice of music. But this was kick ass stuff of the seventies baby! And it was different than anything I had ever heard before. A kid has to discover learn and grow…

I still shake my head in disbelief when I think that 32 years has passed since I first heard Gary play on those Colosseum II albums… After a brief stint with Thin Lizzy, (what teenager of the 70’s wasn’t into The Boys Are Back In Town?) I sort of lost touch until 1990’s remarkable release Still Got The Blues. Every time I listen to that album, I winced with awe with every soulful and tasty note that Moore plays… When I heard about the latest release Bad For You Baby, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had heard many of his collaboration’s with blues greats such as Albert King and BB King and many others, but I seemed to drift off again… So many people’s expectations were set quite high since that classic release in 1990.

I have listened to Bad For You Baby many times, and I must admit this album comes closer than ever to matching what I think most of his fans will expect. I found that I was listening to the songs on this album over and over again. Yes… Moore was back in my personal musical rotation and it was great to be around that sound once again.

Track Listing

1. Bad For You Baby
(Moore)
A gritty blues rock number that sets the stage for the rest of the album. The above clip says it all!

2. Down The Line
(Moore)
Johnny Cash style playing, but with that Moore tone and feel.

3. Umbrella Man
(Moore)
A captivating… edgy and catchy groove.

4. Holding On
(Moore)
Moore slows down the pace to perform this bluesy R&B number. He gets help with the assistance of some nice vocal work by Cassie Taylor.

5. Walkin’ Thru The Park
(Morganfield)
Boogie tune that kicks it up a notch.

6. I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know
(Kooper)
Gary’s version of a Al Kooper classic. Moore takes control on this one, and makes the song his own.

7. Mojo Boogie
(Lenoir)
Twelve bar blues… With some great playing

8. Someday Baby
(Morganfield)
Blues shuffle with a foot tapping gritty feel.

9. Did You Ever Feel Lonely?
(Moore)
A soulful blues number with plenty of fantastic guitar work…

10. Preacher Man Blues
(Moore)
Cassie Taylor joins Gary again with a funky number…

11. Trouble Ain’t Far Behind
(Moore)
A beautiful and soulful piece of music that proves Moore was born to play the blues.

Bad For You Baby

is a combination of long-established blues tunes and Moore penned originals. He covers a lot of blues territory with a focus that’s exhilarating, very tasteful and one hundred percent pure Gary Moore. The album is addictive! And his unique tone and phrasing is in full form.

Gary Moore

was born in Belfast Ireland on April 4th, 1952. He has played music since the age of 8 and learned to play right handed despite being a lefty. Moore was influenced by the likes of Elvis Presley and The Beatles, and then later by musicians like Jimi Hendrix and John Mayall, which opened him up to the art of the blues.

Moore became the protégé of blues pioneer Peter Green, who he admired since the days of the Blues Breakers. He even obtained some of his guitars when Green quit the music scene. Many of Gary’s albums feature Green’s famous sounding 1959 Gibson Les Paul, and attributed to his identifiable sound and voicing. It was Peter Green that helped mold the career of a young Moore, and his deep appreciation of Green can be heard on his album, “Blues for Greeny.”

Moore has sustained a career that continues to receive the respect of all the major players, and now spans five decades. He has been involved in line-ups of several rock, jazz and fusion bands, most notably Colosseum II and Skid Row, and of course Thin Lizzy.

Throughout the years, Moore has preferred to better his technique and expose his true self, rather than enjoy commercial success. He is a tremendous inspiration to all his fans, peers and music lovers around the world.

Eventually To Keep The Peace

in the household I had to turn off the music once in a while… And when I did… It was my writing that my teen aged mind turned to… Today, it just feels great to be finally writing again… Regardless of your path, life always seems to come full circle… Nothing profound… Guess that just means I’m getting old.

For people who are not familiar with Gary Moore, you can’t go wrong making Bad For You Baby you’re first experience. The music on this album has a wide range of tastes for all fans of guitar based blues and rock to explore and relish.

Your Comments Are Welcome

Comparing Moore’s past and present work was really neat and represents a wild memory from my past. Do you have a Gary Moore story or favorite song or album that you would like to share? Here is one of mine… Please leave your comments below.

Respectfully Blue,

The Blues Blogger

Tags: Blues News, Blues Reflections, New Releases, Reflections, Reviews, The Seventies by The Blues Blogger
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The following article was originally posted on Blogcritics.org and TheBluesBlogger site on December 15, 2007. I received some email requesting that I re-post the original article as many of my newer readers may not have seen this… As Dion has just recently released a new album called “Giants of Early Guitar Rock.” I thought the timing might be good… For more information on Dion’s new album you can go to the link located here. I hope you enjoy it.
-tbb

This weekend was really exciting for me. After several months of building up strength due my recent heart attack, I finally took my Golden Retriever Lucille for a walk. I missed going for walks with my dog as it was an opportunity for some exercise, some bonding time with my canine buddy and a chance to use my MP3 player.

I recently received a copy of Dion’s latest release Son of Skip James. I never really paid much attention to Dion’s career lately, so I didn’t know what to expect. I did recall reading that he was focusing more on his early blues influences, so I loaded the album on my MP3 and Lucille and I set out for our short journey.

Now I am not a music reviewer, so I won’t pretend to be. I didn’t feel the need to dig into any profound meanings or dwell on the historic detail of each song. I just wanted to go out for a walk with Lucille and let the music do its thing … Anyway …I started listening and I’ve got to admit, I really got into it . The album opens up with Dion’s rendition of Chuck Berry’s “Nadine.” and from there Willie Dixon’s “My Babe.” A tune made famous by recent Rock n Roll Hall of Fame inductee Little Walter. As I listened to the third song; Junior Well’s “Hoodoo Man Blues” I knew I was going to be entertained by this. I found that each song held my attention and I didn’t feel the necessity of skipping ahead. This release is self produced and accompanied only by Dion’s acoustic guitar, great voice and only a few other musicians. The selection of tunes is fantastic. I have included the complete song listings and their original artists below:

TRACK LISTING/ ORIGINAL ARTIST

1. Nadine - Chuck Berry
2. My Babe - Willie Dixon
3. Hoodoo Man Blues - Junior Wells
4. Drop Down Mama - Sleepy John Estes
5. Hoochie Coochie Man- Muddy Waters
6. Baby I’m In the Mood For You - Bob Dylan
7. I’m a Guitar King - Tommy McClennan
8. The Thunderer- Dion
9. Interlude - Spoken Word - Dion
10. Son of Skip James - Dion
11. Preachin’ Blues- Robert Johnson
12. If I Had Possession (Over Judgement Day)- Robert Johnson
13. Devil Got My Woman - Skip James
14. Dust my Broom- Robert Johnson
15 I Just Wanna Make Love to You- Willie Dixon

As the album continued I got to a couple of Dion originals which can be heard on track’s 8 thru 10. These are excellent tunes that compliment the rest of the selections…. I kept trying to remember the last time I heard a Dion recording? One thing for sure, he never sounded like this to me before! Then as I normally do I drifted off and reflected on one of the many stories from my early childhood as told by my family and friends…

Fall 1961

My sister was 15 and I was only a year old at the time. My parents were working and my sister was given the task of looking after me on the weekends. I don’t think she was ever crazy about the idea. It really didn’t help her image. One afternoon she was strolling me home from the park and the usual comments from the neighborhood would begin.

NEIGHBOR: Hey I never knew you had a baby.

SISTER: (disgusted) That’s not my baby! He’s my little brother.

NEIGHBOR: Sorry I just thought …

SISTER: (interrupting) Well you thought wrong … Are you for real? … What kind of idiot are you?

My sister would briskly make her way back home cussing under her breath. As we headed into the house she placed me in the jolly jumper that was in the living room. She was gentle, but I got the impression she would imagine that the apparatus was a slingshot. She would then head to our console turntable smiling with anticipation and play the same LP she’d been playing for weeks on end. The volume was raised really high and you could hear the needle as it hit the vinyl with all its crackle and pops. The room filled with the sound of Dion’s “Runaround Sue.”

Then the dancing began. My sister would go into a trance as Dion would takeover our living room. By the time the song “The Wanderer” was heard, this love affair/dance ritual would attract a few of the neighborhood boys who would line up inconspicuously at the living room window to watch my sister make all her moves. I don’t think that was her intention, but she got attention that’s for sure. I of course would bob and weave with the rhythm in my rig….

Dion DiMucci

was born July 18, 1939, in The Bronx NYC. His recording career began in 1957 when he brought some of the neighborhood boys together, naming them The Belmonts after an Avenue in the heart of The Bronx. Dion and the Belmonts put together a string of hits from 1958-1960 that included songs like, “I Wonder Why” and “Teenager in Love. His band went on tour with such talented artists as The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, and Buddy Holly. A last minute decision not to spend $36 dollars to board a plane one frigid night back in February 1959 spared Dion his life. When he learned the following morning that he lost many of his friends in the infamous plane crash, later dubbed The Day the Music Died, it left him sombre and confused.

In 1960 Dion went solo and scored enormous hits with “Runaround Sue”, “The Wanderer” and later in 1963 with “Ruby Baby.” It was these songs that elevated him to the top rock n roll recording stars of his time.

After a brief hiatus and some personal challenges, he found a new focus and would resurface in 1968 with the hit “Abraham, Martin and John.” For the next 15 years Dion would came out with several gospels albums embracing his faith in God, and would be nominated for a Grammy in 1985.

In 1987 Dion put together a concert at The Radio City Music Hall that would celebrate his career. He shared the stage with several performers such as Bruce Springsteen and Paul Simon; who both recalled Dion as one of their major influences. In 1988 Dion’s autobiography The Wanderer: Dion’s Story was published. The following year, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a speech given by Lou Reed.

Dion was a big part of my sisters and many teenage girls’ existence back in the late fifties and early sixties. You would think he’d grown up mostly on good old rock n roll, but that wasn’t the case. Instead Dion grew up listening to southern radio stations and was really influenced by Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, and Robert Johnson. Another great childhood inspiration was Hank Williams.

When the British invasion hit, Dion had a bit of a break from the limelight. It was around this timeframe that he started to once again listen to some of the classic blues artists that he recalled from his youth. Even though his management company was against it, he did some blues oriented recordings that were not too successful. In 1964 Dion met the legendary Skip James, who was a major influence to Robert Johnson. He looked up to artists such as Skip James as a father figure. This would be a moment he would never forget.

My father pulled up to the front of the house

in his Chevy Bel Air and he had my 9 year old brother with him. He looked with curiosity as he saw my sister and me bopping to the sound of Dion that was flowing out the window. Slowly he got enraged when he noticed the teenagers gawking at his daughter through the window. He approached the boys from behind who were unaware of my father’s presence.

FATHER: (tapping one of the boy’s shoulders) OK. Show’s over. What the hell is wrong with you?
(raising his voice) You better scram …

Both of these young fellows took off like the wind. No one wanted to confront the angry father of a teenage girl. No harm was meant and both my dad and my brother got some entertainment out of the situation. As they entered the house my sister was still in her trance, but would eventually be caught off guard by my dad’s sudden appearance. She went to the turntable, and with a heavy sigh her moment with Dion ended.

FATHER: Are you purposely trying to kill me?
Don’t you realize the disgusting creatures you’re attracting?

My sister ignored my dad and went off to her room, which is where she really wanted to be and would spend most of her time. My brother went to his bedroom and came back to the living room with his acoustic guitar.

BROTHER: Hey dad! Check this out …

He started to play Dion’s The Wanderer in a familiar but slightly different style. My dad started paying close attention to my brother’s playing and was nodding with approval. He then reached for something in his jacket pocket and pulled out his harmonica. Then both of them played one of their many impromptu jams. The house filled up with a natural acoustic resonance that made me continue to bop in my jolly jumper.

My reflections of the past

and my listen to Dion’s Son of Skip James album was all too soon coming to an end. The album closes with several Robert Johnson’s selections and one from Skip James. Willie Dixon’s song “I Just Want to Make Love to You”, which was first recorded by Muddy Waters, closes things off.

All these great blues artists that Dion celebrates would have an influence on him for his entire life, but it wasn’t until his 2006 Grammy nominated album, “Bronx in Blue,” that Dion truly concentrated on his love and dedication of the blues. With his release “Son of Skip James,” he continues the blues tradition and it’s very natural and entertaining.

The last time I did this walk with Lucille it wasn’t so pretty I thought. Today was a different story. I was getting close to home… What an unexpected surprise to hear Dion embrace his musical roots so naturally and full of life and vibrancy. You really get the feeling that he hears something in these songs that he needed to get out. I’m glad he did.

Now my stroll is over. I am happy to report that I have gained newfound respect for Dion and that Lucille and I feel great…

All The Best,

The Blues Blogger

Tags: Blues News, Blues Reflections, Reflections, Reviews by The Blues Blogger
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Want an Opportunity To Win a Copy of Back To The River?

Here’s What You Need To Do…

Subscribe to The Blues Blogger by email located just to the right of this page, and also make an interesting comment on this post. That’s it! If you’re already subscribed, all you need to do is make a valid comment and you will then be entered in the random draw for a chance to win one of two copies of Back To The River..… Let’s hear from you! But remember, this random draw closes Sunday Nov 30th at 11:00 pm Eastern Time in the U.S.

I Love Music!

These are the opening three words I wrote for TheBluesBlogger site. It was a year ago this weekend that I published my about me page and my first blog post. For the first time in many years, I had a lot of time to relax and reflect on my life. While in the hospital recovering from a heart attack last year, one thing I kept dwelling upon over and over again… “I want to write again.” With my love of music weaved together with my past and current experiences, I created the The Blues Blogger. The name was something I came up with one lonely scary night in the hospital… When I finally got home, and I checked on the domain, to my surprise it was available! You can click on the link to go to my about me page.

Throughout my life it was always music that inspired, motivated, energized and now soothes my soul. This past year, I’ve written about many past moments that have influenced me. There is another that I haven’t mentioned on this blog yet, but is an important flashback… I recall playing a game with my wife TBBW when she was pregnant with our son. An interesting yet simple game… We would play our favorite music and see whose tunes would get the baby to kick. I think TBBW would have to agree, that even in the womb, blues and jazz would get that little guy rocking… Its no wonder my son today shares both our passion for music…

Recently I was asked to write something regarding the upcoming release from Susan Tedeschi. I had listened to her music and was a fan, but wasn’t overly familiar with her work. I loved her collaboration on the song Too Many Tears on the latest Buddy Guy album Skin Deep. Her most recent labor of love, Back To The River, due on October 28th has made me pay close attention and realize her enormous talent… Like any typical Blues Blogger post, I needed to listen to her album and do a little research on Tedeschi’s background. As I was listening and reading about her life, I thought to myself how Tedeschi’s two children must really groove being brought up in a household where music was everywhere. And such sweet soulful and heartfelt sounds indeed! Does all this sound familiar?

Susan Tedeschi

was born on November 9, 1970 in Boston, but was raised in Norwell, Massachusetts. She was always musically inclined, making her public debut as a 5 year old understudy in a Broadway musical. She would also perform for family members, and enjoyed listening to her father’s vinyl record collection of such artists as Mississippi John Hurt and Lightnin’ Hopkins. Playing in bands since the age of 13, she started her first group at age 18 called the Smokin Section.

Her father played acoustic guitar and harmonica and encouraged Susan and her two brothers to play and sing along. There always seemed to be music being played in the Tedeschi household and Susan’s love of music would come naturally.

“I had a lot of influences in addition to Janis Joplin,” the singer said. “Buddy Holly, Freddy King, Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples were always being played by my parents. I’d be taken to the Newport Festival and see Muddy Waters and Lightnin’ Hopkins. My grandfather had an Irish bar and bands would play a lot of Irish songs there, especially IRA anthems. I was surrounded by music, and a lot of it wasn’t the usual top 40 stuff.”

Tedeschi attended Berklee College of Music and received her bachelor of music in composition and performance. During those days, she began sitting in with local blues jams at venues and absorbed herself in the Boston music scene.

In 1994 she formed the Susan Tedeschi Band and a year later she began playing guitar and further honed her skills. In 1997 the band was signed by Indy label Tone-Cool Records, and in February of 1998 released Just Won’t Burn, featuring guitarist Sean Costello. The album would go on to receive very positive reviews from blues publications and immediately turned Tedeschi into a rising national blues star.

Lilith Fair

In 1999 Tedeschi would find herself playing several dates in the all-woman traveling festival, Lilith Fair, organized by Sarah McLachlan. As she toured more extensively throughout the United States, her bold stage presence and powerful voice began to draw larger crowds. With a tremendous amount of hard work, Tedeschi was eventually opening for the likes of Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Taj Mahal and Bob Dylan.

Tedeschi’s 2000 Grammy nomination for best new artist strongly raised her profile. Her nomination put her along side rising stars such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Macy Gray and Kid Rock. This further led to major magazine and newspaper reviews. However, she would refuse to play the superstar game, and turned away from the music business rather than build on her Grammy momentum.

While on tour in 1999 she met slide guitarist Derek Trucks while opening for The Allman Brothers Band, and in 2001 they would get married. They have two children; Charles Khalil Trucks named for saxophonist Charlie Parker, guitarist Charlie Christian and poet Khalil Gibran, and Sophia Naima Trucks; her middle name picked as a tribute to a John Coltrane ballad. They reside in Jacksonville Florida which brings them home Back To The (St. John’s) River.

Their marriage coincided with the Tom Dowd produced 2002 release Wait For Me, where she received her second Grammy nomination. There was a live disc in 2004 and then the soulful Hope and Desire in 2005. On that disc Tedeschi concentrated on her vocal chops, choosing some great songs to cover and leaving the bulk of guitar work to her husband and Doyle Braham II. She also tours to rave reviews with Soul Stew Revival; a combination of members of The Derek Trucks Band and her own band with additional ingredients tossed in for good measure.

Back To The River

Three years in the waiting, this upcoming release focuses on Tedeschi’s songwriting abilities. She has co-written all but one of the eleven tracks on this outstanding project. I have included the first three songs that you can stream below… Talking About is the opening track and features Doyle Braham II… 700 Houses and its powerful imagery expresses Tedeschi’s grief with all the recent natural disasters around the world… Back To The River, the title track is about her desire and journey back to her family and home base…

Track Listing

 

 1. Talking About [4:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

 

 2. 700 Houses [4:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

 

 3. Back To The River [3:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

4. Love Will [3:47]
5. Butterfly [4:06]
6. People [3:25]
7. Learning The Hard Way [4:37]
8. Revolutionize Your Soul [4:44]
9. True [3:20]
10. Break In The Road
11. Can’t Sleep At Night [3:51]

I’m hooked on Back To The River. In today’s busy and fast times, it’s challenging for people to sit back, listen and just let things wash over you. But with this upcoming release, I made it a point to do just that! While listening to tracks from this album, I just went with the flow, and this article pretty much wrote itself. As a result, I’ve been deeply moved by this honest look at life and love through today’s emotional and sensitive times. Tedeschi has worked hard to get Back To The River to sound this good and it truly shows.

“These songs,” she says, “are about real life issues that have been on my mind. I don’t think it’s my job to impose my opinion on people, but I do feel it’s my responsibility to write songs that reflect the times and how I feel about them. Becoming a parent makes you start to think on a different scale, and it made me realize that you can write more than love songs. Even if a song can’t change the world, you can still capture a little tiny bit of truth and deliver it to people.”

My son who is now 13 has also become a fan. I’ve been hearing him play some of Tedeschi’s previous works that he has downloaded from my online music account. (He knows he should be asking me first- right Buddy?) Oh well, he’s just doing it because he thinks Tedeschi’s a “pretty cool lady.” I couldn’t agree more… I have this feeling my son would have been kicking up a storm even if he had heard her vibe over 13 years ago. Start spreading the news, because this is Susan Tedeschi’s most personal, creative and sincere work to date. You’re going to love it!

Upcoming Tour Dates:

November 2008

6 - Virginia Beach, VA - Sandler Center for Performing Arts
7 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live!
8 - Hartford, CT - University of Hartford
11 - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Center
12 - New York, NY - Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza
14 - Albany, NY - Hart Theater
15 - Pittsburgh, PA - Byham Theatre
16 - Alexandria, VA - Birchmere
18 - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theatre
20 - Chicago, IL - Park West
21 - Minneapolis, MN - Pantages Theatre
22 - Madison, WI - Barrymore Theatre
24 - Indianapolis, IN - Vogue Theater
25 - Louisville, KY - Brown Theatre

Now It’s Time to Turn This Post Over To You

Are you a Susan Tedeschi fan? Have you ever seen this soulful blues rock artist at work? Any Tedeschi favorites you would like to share? Add your comments below… And don’t forget your opportunity to win one of my favorite new releases of the year.

Good Luck & Enjoy,

TheBluesBlogger

Tags: Blues News, Blues Reflections, New Releases, Prize Giveaway, Reviews by The Blues Blogger
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A random draw was just placed and …

Congratulations Goes To

mottvilles2cool

You are the lucky winner of 55 Years of Blues. I will email you shortly to get the details of where to ship your prize.

I just want to thank everyone who signed up and participated in my first CD/DVD Giveaway… Lately I’ve received many flattering emails and I appreciate all your positive comments and energy. The readers of this blog are amongst the coolest people I know.

Stay Tuned… You never know what may come next!

TheBluesBlogger

Tags: Blues News, Prize Giveaway by The Blues Blogger
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