Charlie Musselwhite – Bremen, Germany 04.22.2010

Charlie Musselwhite Band
Bremen, Germany
Kulturzentrum Schlachthof
Jazzahead! 2010
2010-04-22
SET LIST:
01 Just Your Fool (Walter Jacob)
02 Going Home (Charlie Musselwhite)
03 Just A Feeling (Walter Jacob)
04 As The Crow Flies (Tony Joe White)
05 Long Lean Lanky Mama (Charlie Musselwhite)
06 Stranger In A Strange Land (Charlie Musselwhite)
07 Long Legged Woman (Charlie Musselwhite)
08 Cristo Redentor (Duke Pearson)
FM (analog cable) – Audacity – xACT
Nordwestradio
Nordwest Live – 2010-09-19
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Colosseum – An Introduction To…Colosseum

This is genuine mind-expanding music that doesn’t quit, and even better yet, it expands the perceptions and the range of thought in several dimensions at once — something nearly unthinkable to consider when listening to any ’60s or early-’70s music in the 21st century. And the whole context is totally unexpected. Who would ever imagine that, when Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies formed Blues Incorporated in 1962, someday the group would spawn a virtuoso prog rock band like Colosseum, whose work owed so much to those blues roots? That’s the first thought likely to flash through your head when listening to the first of a brace of Dick Heckstall-Smith saxophone solos, or the equivalent moments by James Litherland or Dave Clempson on guitar, on An Introduction to Colosseum. The 72-minute compilation carries listeners across the group’s four albums and sounds ranging from soulful, jazz-influenced instrumentals to the funkier pieces on their second and third albums, as well as their magnum opus as a progressive rock outfit, “Valentyne Suite.” You’ll probably be struck instantly by the amazing array of bold (yet not flashy) virtuosity in jazz, soul, blues, hard rock, and elements of classical that are on display, and instantly perceive the link with the early-’60s British blues embodied by Korner, Davies, Heckstall-Smith, et al. Colosseum represented a solution to a problem that a lot of listeners, writers, and music scholars had given up on as hopeless (and not necessarily worth reviving), revealing how blues could make the leap to larger musical contexts. When Chess Records tried it with Rotary Connection or those psychedelic Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf albums, or the Rolling Stones did Their Satanic Majesties Request, it seemed as though blues-rock had run into a dead end in trying to merge with larger musical forms, but the range of material here — very obviously connected to the same source from whence the Stones sprang — proves that there was a way to make that leap without losing the appeal of the original source. The two live cuts at the end of the disc (including Jack Bruce’s “Rope Ladder to the Moon”) from the group’s concert album on the Bronze label also show how good this group could sound on-stage — a little loud at times, but still cohesive and intense. As a single-CD anthology, it’s difficult to imagine too many releases outdoing this one, and as it promises an “introduction” to the group, its reach never exceeds its grasp or its ambitions

 

Willy Deville – Come A Little Bit Closer – The Best Of Willy Deville Live

Willy DeVille was one of the finest American songwriters of his generation. Drawing influences from Blues, Rock, Cajun, Latin, Country and more he created a rich blend of music that acknowledged its roots but was uniquely DeVille. He was also a consummate live performer with a style, charisma and presence that few could match. This new compilation brings together these two elements to give you “Come A Little Bit Closer – The Best Of Willy DeVille Live”. Tracks are taken from performances ranging from Amsterdam in 1977, through concerts at Nijmegen and Montreux in the 80s and 90s and into the 21st century with concerts from Berlin and back to Amsterdam in 2005.

Seasick Steve – You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks

Like T-Model Ford, Seasick Steve (aka Steve Wold) began recording his own music much later in his life than other musicians. A storytelling singer reviving traditional country-blues, Wold spent his childhood in California, but left home at 14. As a hobo, he traveled for several years, jumping trains and working odd jobs. After drifting around the U.S. and Europe, he finally ended up in Norway. Aside from his respectable musical background (which includes recording early Modest Mouse, appearing on BBC television, and playing with John Lee Hooker), Wold is also noted for his unusual custom-made stringed instruments. By the time he was in his sixties, he’d finally released some official material. His first solo album, Doghouse Music, out in late 2006, was performed almost entirely by Wold. Another record, Cheap, was recorded with the Swedish rhythm section the Level Devils. An amorous, seven-track, Valentine’s Day EP called Songs for Elisabeth (six of the cuts were culled from previous releases) arrived in 2010.He may refer to himself as “a song and dance man,” but American blues musician Seasick Steve – is indisputably a living legend. His latest album, You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks, is about to be released through his new label Play It Again Sam for the UK/ Europe and the rest of the world and on Jack White’s Third Man Label in USA. The twelve-track album, recorded through the fall of 2010, was produced by The Dog hisself (Seasick Steve) and Henry James Wold and mixed by Vance Powell at Air Studios Studios in London.