...And So It Begins

Three Hundred Sixty

Artist(s) - Ike and Tina Turner
Album - Workin' Together
Released - 1971
Label - Liberty Records
Genre - Pop/Funk/Soul/Blues Rock

Tracks:
Side One
Workin' Together
(As Long As I Can) Get You When I Want You
Get Back
The Way You Love Me
You Can Have It
Game of Love
Side Two
Funkier Than a Mosquita's Tweeter
Ohh Poo Pah Doo
Proud Mary
Goodbye, So Long
Let It Be

Enjoy!

Persuade Me Anytime

Three Hundred Forty-Three

Artist - Billie Holiday
Album - Greatest Hits!
Released - 1967
Label - MCA
Genre - Jazz/Blues

Tracks:
Side One
Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)
Don't Explain
Solitude
Easy Living
Good Morning Heartache
Crazy He Calls
Side Two
God Bless the Child
That Ole Devil Called Love
Them There Eyes
You're My Thrill
Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do

Enjoy!

Blues-Y

Three Hundred Thirty-Seven

Artist - B.B. King
Album - Back In The Alley (The Classic Blues of B.B. King)
Released - 1970
Label - MCA Records
Genre - Blues

Tracks:
Side One
Sweet Little Angel
Watch Yourself
Don't Answer the Door
Paying the Cost to be the Boss
Sweet Sixteen
Side Two
Gambler's Blues
I'm Gonna Do What They Do To Me
Lucille
Please Love Me

After a long day of being lazy and finally making my way out of the house, I bring to  you this gem of gems that I found while searching through records at a local shop.  B.B. King's greatest songs from 1964 and 1967, each one is quite a delight to listen.  As much as I enjoy blues and I think B.B. King's style is truth.

Enjoy!

Can You REED?

Three Hundred Twelve

Artist - Jimmy Reed
Album - Now Appearing
Released - 1966
Label - Vee-Jay Records
Genre - Blues/R&B

Tracks:
Side 1
Close Together
Got Me Chasing You
Wanta Be With You
Jimmy's Rock
Tell The World I Do
Side 2
You Know You're Looking Good
I've Got The Blues
Laughing at the Blues
Down The Road
Ain't Gonna Cry No More
You're My Baby

Quite recently, the 12 strong guitar has come into its own.  The utilization of the instrument, by Eric Darling in the hit recording "Walk Right In," has a lot to do with bringing it to the attention of the music minded public.  This is not to say however, that the instrument was completely forgotten over the past years.  As a matter of fact, performers such as Huddie Ledbetter used it regularly for many, many years.

It has been said that the 12 string guitar is the perfect instrument for interpreting the blues.  The instrument is a most difficult one to play as the motion that is required to ordinarily strike one string, results in the simultaneous sound of two strings.  In this recording, the vocal boss of the blues, Jimmy Reed, displays his unique talents not only with the familiar Jimmy Reed harmonica sound, but with the 12 string guitar.  The same soul searching feeling of Jimmy Reed, the vocal great, is transmitted by Jimmy Reed the 12 string guitar and harmonica great.

Indeed, Jimmy Reed equals greatness.  His guitar playing, his sound and everything in between is just so wonderful.

Enjoy!

Phemonenal

Two Hundred Nineteen

Artist - Johnny Cash
Album - I Walk The Line
Released - 1964
Label - Columbia
Genre - Blues/Folk

Tracks:
I Walk The Line
Bad News
Folsom Prison Blies
Give My Love To Rose
Hey Porter
I Still Miss Someone
Understand Your Man
Wreck of the Old 97
Still In Town
Big River
Goodbye, Little Darlin' Goodbye
Troublesome Waters

A phenomenal probably unique to the Country and Western and fold song fields is the composer who is also the best singer of his own songs.  One of the notably gifted - and most successful - examples in recent years is Johnny Cash, whose hit recordings of original compositions have appeared repeatedly on national best-seller charts.  Endowed with a vibrant, virile baritone voice, he is one of the best songwriting talents since the legendary Hank Williams.

The title of Johnny's new collection, I WALK THE LINE, is also the title of the million-seller that catapulted him into the national spotlight only a few years ago. Appropriately, the song leads off this album which includes six Cash originals and one collaboration.  After he sings Bad News ("I'm bad news, always gettin' into trouble"), the effect of which Johnny heightens by a devilish chuckle, he follows with three other famous Cash originals, the grim Folsom Prison Blues ("I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die"), the poignant Give My Love To Rose ("the words a dyin' fella said") and Hey Porter ("tell me the time, how much longer will it be till we cross the Mason-Dixie line?"), a jubilant going-home song.  I Still Miss Someone is a sentimental song Johnny wrote to brother Roy's words.

I WALK THE LINE offers Johnny Cash, renowned story-teller-in-song, at his creative and performing best.

Enjoy!

Roots

One Hundred Fifty-Sixth

Artist - Taj Mahal
Album - Satisfied 'N Tickled Too
Released - 1976
Label - Columbia
Genre - Blues

Tracks:
Side One
Satisfied 'N Tickled Too
New E-Z Rider Blues
Black Man Brown Man
Baby Love
Ain't Nobody's Business
Side Two
Misty Morning Ride
Easy to Love
Old Time Song - Old Time Love
We Tune

Enjoy!

Taking it Slow

In my not so normal state as of late, here is my one hundred eleventh pick.

Artist - Jimmy Reed
Album - Jimmy Reed Is Back
Released - 1976
Label - The Roots Records
Genre - Blues

Tracks:
Side A
Ain't No Time For Fussin'
Keep The Faith
Wake Up At Daybreak
Turn Me On Like A TV
Knocking On Your Door
Just A Poor Country Boy
Side B
Tribute To A Friend
Crazy About Oklahoma
When I Woke Up This Morning
I'm Leaving
I Got To Keep Rolling
My Baby Told Me

Our of obscurity, having disappeared from the Blues scene for almost five years, Comes the Truss Boss Man of the Blues.  The authentic ambassador of the Delta Blues, since the early 1950's, Jimmy Reed's music rose to National Fame in the R&B Market, and crossed over into Country and Pop Markets.

Just a little snippet of what the back reads about such a talented musician as Jimmy Reed.  Enjoying the his style of blues shows that even after he fell off the map, once he came back, he was still in tune what what he felt was real.  A good surprise in listening to this album is the harmonica.  It's not too often, or maybe I haven't heard many blues albums lately, but it was soothing listening to the harmonica as he belted out each song.  A great record to calm my mood after a very energetic and active day.

Enjoy!

For A More Relaxing Time...

Make it my seventy-first pick.

Artist - Fats Domino
Album - I Miss You So
Released - 1961
Label - Imperial
Genre - Funk/Soul/Rhythm and Blues


Tracks:
Side 1
I Miss You So
It Keeps Rainin'
Ain't That Just Like A Woman
Once In A While
I Hear You Knocking
Isle of Capri
Side 2
What A Price
When I Was Young
Fell In Love On  Monday
My Bleeding Heart
Easter Parade
I'll Always Be In Love With you

You can OBVIOUSLY tell what kind of album this is by the title of the tracks, but backtracking to the title of this post.  In 24 hours, two people referenced Lost in Translation, one of my favorite movies, so I had to. A little snippet of the back of the cover:

Fats Domino is one of the few blues singers who has become a staple in the rock'n' roll and pol field.  He not only bridged the gap successfully, but he was one of the first rock'n' roll singers to do so when the strong beat music burst upon the music scene some years ago.  Fats is a rare artist who attracts both adults and teenagers to his brand of music.

Now, I believe this was written for the time that this album came out, but believe it or not, it still holds true.  I know for a fact that I have a lot of love for music in the 50's and 60's, especially when it deals with soul/funk/blues.  Something about the composition of the sound that I enjoy and I can relate to that I enjoy the most.  Plus it puts me at ease.  All in all, I came across this album while I was digging for some new tunes and I had to buy it.  Give it a listen and relax.  You will thank me later.

Enjoy!

Heart in the Hand

On this lazy Sunday, it took me a while to get into the day.  Since yesterday, I feel like I have not been myself and yet tried to do my normal activities.  I simply just wasn't feeling it,  but deciding on today's pick made me just a bit happier.  For my forty-fourth:

Artist - Otis Redding

Album - The Dock of the Bay

Released - 1968

Label - Volt Records

Genre - Soul, Rhythm and Blues

Tracks:

Side One 

(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay

I Love You More Than Words Can Say

Let Me Come on Home

Open The Door

Don't Mess with Cupid

Side Two

The Glory of LOve

I'm Coming Home

Tramp

The Huckle-Buck

Nobody Knows You (When You're Down and Out)

Ole Man Trouble

The Dock of the Bay was Otis Redding's six album which was released posthumously a year after his death in 1967.  Considered one of the major influential figures in soul and blues, each track on this shows that he indeed was a prominent figure.  (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay was one of Rolling Stone Magazine's top 500 songs of all time and it's almost hard to believe he died shortly after making this record in a plane crash.  I always feel like when I hear music that hits me a certain way and the artist dies after making such great music, it makes me think of what potential they could've had.  What influences could they have on today's music if they were alive?  It's sad to say that talented musicians leave too soon, but their music does live on for us to enjoy and for our future.  After giving this record a thorough listen, I absolutely love I Love You More Than Words Can Say.  As tough and guarded as I feel like some people think I am, I am an absolute sucker for love and love songs.  This is a great song and I've always admired Otis Redding's music.

Enjoy!

Friendships are Beneficial

As the days go by, so do my picks.  With this selection, number twenty-four definitely has the kinds of friends I want.

Artist - Joe Cocker
Album - With A Little Help From My Friends
Released - 1969
Label - A&M Records
Genre - Rock, Blues


Tracks
Side One
Feeling Alright
Bye Bye Blackbird
Change In Louise
Marjorine
Just Like A Woman
Side Two
Do I Still Figure In Your Life?
Sandpaper Cadillac
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
With A Little Help From My Friends
I Shall Be Released

What do you call an album that has  musical greats such as Jimmy Page, Carol Kaye, Tony Visconti, Matthew Fisher, Henry McCullough and BJ Wilson?  You call it SUPERB!!  This is singer Joe Cocker's first album and with the musical greats mentioned above that contributed to these tracks definitely makes for one hell of a record.  When I hear Joe Cocker sing, I immediately think of The Wonder Years, since the track With A Little Help From My Friends (which is originally performed by The Beatles) was the theme song.  Oh how time flies between then and now.  Surprisingly, this record is has Blues written all over it, with a dash of rock.  Each song has a soulful sound as Joe Cocker sings with his very different sounding voice.