Tuesday, July 29, 2008

This week in the Shack

Maybe you haven't been rocked enough.

1. Buddy Guy - Who's Gonna Fill Those Shoes (4:08)
2. Herbie Hancock/Jonny Lang/Joss Stone - When Love Comes to Town (8:41)
3. B.B. King/Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown/Dr. John - Hen Layin' Rooster (3:35)
4. Muddy Waters - Mannish Boy (6:05)
5. Etta James - Dust My Broom (3:35)
6. James Cotton - Back to St. Louis (7:04)
7. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - The Things (That) I Used to Do (4:54)
8. Delbert McClinton - Rebecca, Rebecca (6:39)
9. Memphis Slim - Raining in My Heart (3:20)
10. Candye Kane - It Should Be Rainin' (5:08)
11. James Cotton - Jelly, Jelly (5:04)
12. Count Basie/Joe Turner - Honey Hush (2:39)
13. Freddie King - Boogie Man (3:44)
14. Guy Forsyth - This is Hip (5:47)
15. John Lee Hooker - Decoration Day (5:08)
16. Otis Taylor - 3 Days and 3 Nights (4:21)
17. Buddy Guy - Hard Time Killing Floor (2:49)
18. Muddy Waters - Deep Down in Florida (9:46)
19. Ruth Brown - If I Can't Sell It, I'll Keep Sittin' on It (5:23)
20. Count Basie/Joe Turner - The Honeydripper (6:45)
21. Willie "Big Eyes" Smith - I Can't Trust You Man (W Smith) (6:02)
22. Little Walter - Blues With a Feeling (3:10)
23. Marc Cohn - 29 Ways (3:05)
24. Koko Taylor - Come to Mama (4:47)
25. Johnny Guitar Watson - I Want To Ta-Ta You Baby (5:47)
26. Buddy Guy - Country Man (6:17)
27. Jimi Hendrix - Red House (3:43)
28. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Tin Pan Alley (AKA Roughest Place in Town) (9:11)
29. Chris Thomas King - Baptized in Dirty Water (5:06)
30. B.B. King; Tracy Chapman - The Thrill Is Gone (5:00)
31. Bob Margolin - Ice or Fire (3:46)
32. Bettye Lavette - Down To Zero (3:10)
33. Syl Johnson - Me and Bobby McGee (5:42)
34. Johnny Winter - Murdering Blues (5:01)
35. John Lee Hooker - I'm Bad Like Jesse James [Live] (5:34)
36. Etta James - Crawlin' King Snake (5:32)
37. Eric Clapton - Driftin' Blues (3:08)

(blues 3)

Sunday, July 20, 2008

This week's set is a return to soul music, with a focus on sixties-era Motown and the big Stax names. I hope you dig it.

1. Martha & the Vandellas - Jimmy Mack (2:53)
2. Solange - I Decided (Part 1) (4:17)
3. Diana Ross & the Supremes - Baby Love (2:35)
4. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles - Mickey's Monkey (2:46)
5. Major Lance - The Monkey Time (2:48)
6. The "5" Royales - I Know It's Hard But It's Fair (2:45)
7. Wilson Pickett - I've Come a Long Way (3:12)
8. Otis Redding - The Happy Song (Dum-Dum) (2:45)
9. Solomon Burke - Party People (2:36)
10. Sam Cooke - Cupid (2:47)
11. King Curtis - Soul Serenade (6:06)
12. Clarence Carter - Too Weak to Fight (2:17)
13. Niamh Kavanagh - Destination: Anywhere (3:09)
14. Aretha Franklin - (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman [Mono Single Version][*] (2:48)
15. Kevin Mahogany - Tears of a Clown (3:33)
16. Gladys Knight & the Pips - Every Little Bit Hurts (3:06)
17. Marvin Gaye - I Wish It Would Rain (2:50)
18. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - All Over Again (4:43)
19. Junior Walker & the All-Stars - Cleo's Back (2:30)
20. Archie Bell & the Drells - Tighten Up (2:39)
21. Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators - If This Ain't Love (Don't Know What Is) (3:28)
22. King Curtis - Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours (2:36)
23. The Bar-Kays - Soul Finger (2:21)
24. Otis Redding - Shake [Live] (2:33)
25. Mel & Tim - Backfield in Motion (5:29)
26. Wilson Pickett - In the Midnight Hour [Live & Burnin'] [Live] (8:09)
27. Sam & Dave - Soul Man (2:40)
28. Aretha Franklin - Think (2:17)
29. The Four Tops - It's the Same Old Song (2:46)
30. Martha & the Vandellas - I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playin' (2:38)
31. The Jackson 5 - ABC (2:58)
32. Stevie Wonder - That Girl (5:13)
33. Aretha Franklin - Make It with You (4:52)
34. Diana Ross & the Supremes; The Temptations - The Weight (3:03)
35. Booker T. & the MG's - Green Onions (2:54)
36. Curtis Mayfield - Mighty Mighty (Spade and Whitey) (6:56)
37. Marvin Gaye - Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) (3:16)
38. Al Green - Let's Stay Together (3:17)
39. Isaac Hayes - Never Can Say Goodbye (5:16)
40. Etta James - I'd Rather Go Blind (2:35)
41. Donny Hathaway - A Song for You (5:27)
42. Ray Charles - Georgia on My Mind (3:39)
43. Bettye Lavette - I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (2:11)
44. Otis Redding - Amen (3:06)
45. Ann Peebles - I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down (2:49)
46. Funk Brothers, The - Do You Love Me - Live Bootsy Collins (3:21)
47. Junior Walker & the All-Stars - Shotgun (2:59)
48. Wilson Pickett - Sugar, Sugar (2:58)
49. Baby Washington - Breakfast in Bed (3:10)
50. Mary Wells - My Guy (2:51)
51. Joan Osborne - Sara Smile (3:36)
52. Chi-Lites, The - Oh Girl (3:36)
53. Major Lance - Get My Hat (Nothing Can Stop Me) (3:00)

(Soul 4)

Saturday, July 12, 2008

I stumbled back into the house after Austin Blues Party shortly after 4 a.m. on Monday morning. In the preceding seventy-nine hours, I had danced for approximately twenty-four (including three and a half hours deejaying), taken almost eleven hours of classes, and slept for around fifteen hours (including several short afternoon naps), and had an incredible time. It's been almost a week, and I'm not recovered yet - although that probably has something to do with deejaying at Kick Butt Blues last night until just this side of two in the morning, too.

My live dj gigs have suddenly picked up considerably for the next few weeks - I'll be spinning at events next Friday and Saturday (the latter in College Station) and the following Thursday and Saturday. I intend to keep updating the Shack with new playlists roughly on a weekly basis - but if I fall behind in the next few weeks, it's because of these gigs.

And, speaking of playlists, I've put a new one up in the Shack. Because of all the fabulous dancers I met last weekend - locals who were new to the blues scene and visitors from across the country - I decided to break with my pattern and do another all-Texas set. I'm all about spreading the word about local music, and our musical heritage; and also, anything that helps persuade out-of-town dancers to return is a good thing.

This set again focuses primarily on the blues, stretching from early artists Blind Willie Johnson and Lightnin' Hopkins up to the present day. There's a little bit of soul, courtesy of southern soul man Joe Tex and soul/blues crossover artists like W.C. Clark and Ruthie Foster, and just a bit of gospel. I've also added in some roots music, because it's next to impossible for me to think about Texas music without artists like Steve Earle, Guy Clark, and, especially, Ray Wylie Hubbard, so many of whose songs are about local people and places. Don't mind Ray's surliness in "Screw You, We're From Texas" - we really do like those of y'all from out of state; it's just his way of reminding you that we think we're a little bit different down here. One day perhaps I'll do an all-Texas roots show so I can send out some James McMurtry, Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez, Eliza Gilkyson, and their like; but until then, well, maybe you just ought to come down to Austin and hear them playing around town.

Here's the new set list; I hope you dig it:

1. Blind Willie Johnson - When The War Was On (3:01)
2. Boxcar Preachers - Can't Get That Stuff No Mo' (3:04)
3. Lightnin' Hopkins - That Mean Old Twister (3:09)
4. Asylum Street Spankers - Deep Ellum Blues (4:55)
5. Preacher Lee Graves - I'm from Texas (2:02)
6. Seth Walker - Love's Not The Problem (3:32)
7. Ray Wylie Hubbard - Name Droppin' (3:31)
8. Guy Forsyth - Don't Turn Me In (5:14)
9. Papa Mali - Walk on Guilded Splinters (9:49)
10. Marcia Ball - Watermelon Time (4:04)
11. Delbert McClinton - Going Back to Louisiana (4:31)
12. Freddie King - Living on the Highway (4:16)
13. W.C. Clark - Get Out Of My Life, Woman (3:27)
14. Ruthie Foster - Heal Yourself (4:31)
15. Susan Tedeschi - Security (2:56)
16. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Cold Shot (4:01)
17. Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Cross My Heart (3:13)
18. Nick Curran - I'll Be Around (2:37)
19. Gary Clark, Jr - Sick Feelin' Blues (5:31)
20. Guy Clark - Dublin Blues (4:29)
21. Guy Forsyth - Adam's Rib (5:27)
22. Seth Walker - Sun Down (4:00)
23. Andrew "Smokey" Hogg - Dirty Mistreater (2:37)
24. Lightnin' Hopkins - My Baby's Gone (2:45)
25. Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers - Downward Road (5:37)
26. Ray Wylie Hubbard - Screw You, We're from Texas (4:01)
27. Johnny Winter - My Time After Awhile (6:16)
28. Lyle Lovett - My Baby Don't Tolerate (3:42)
29. Susan Tedeschi - You Got the Silver (2:52)
30. Janis Joplin - Ego Rock (Album Version) (8:00)
31. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Life by the Drop (2:27)
32. Malford Milligan - Can't go On (3:37)
33. LZ Love & Lightning Red - Wang Dang Doodle (5:05)
34. Ruthie Foster - Death Came a Knockin' (Travelin' Shoes) (3:36)
35. Joe Tex - Papa Was Too (Original) (3:01)
36. W.C. Clark - Soul Kind of Loving (3:05)
37. Omar and The Howlers - Snake Oil Doctor (6:10)
38. Pinetop Perkins - Chains Of Love (With Ruth Brown) (6:32)
39. Marcia Ball - Peace, Love & BBQ (4:05)
40. Gary Clark, Jr - Don't Throw Your Love On Me So Strong (4:18)
41. Lou Ann Barton - One Good Man (5:21)
42. Asylum Street Spankers - Summertime (6:20)
43. Steve Earle - Tom Ames' Prayer (3:22)

(Texas 2)

Friday, July 4, 2008

Austin Blues Party 2 began last night, and I'm already tired. I got to the Syndicate's weekly dance at the Fed at about 9:15 last night, and left Kick Butt Blues shortly after 3:00 this morning. I'm running on five and a half hours of sleep and an enormous quantity of caffeine and motrin, and it's just day one. One day I'm going to have to admit that I'm almost forty and my body can't take this kind of abuse any more, but I don't plan for it to be today.

In honor of this weekend's four-day celebration of the blues, I've put a new blues program up on the Shack.

1. Skip James - Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues (3:27)
2. Watermelon Slim - Cynical Old Bastard (2:36)
3. Alvin Youngblood Hart - Joe Friday (2:42)
4. Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee - Rock Island Line (3:18)
5. Dr. John - Milneburg Joys (2:39)
6. John Hammond, Jr. - I'm Tore Down (4:10)
7. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble - Willie the Wimp [Live] (4:34)
8. Gary Moore - That's Why I Play the Blues (4:05)
9. Eddie Boyd, Buddy Guy, Lonesome Jimmy Lee, & Freddie Below - Five Long Years (3:18)
10. Eric Clapton - Sinner's Prayer (3:20)
11. Randy Newman - Blue Monday (2:22)
12. Big Bill Morganfield - Dead Ass Broke (2:46)
13. Watermelon Slim - Smokestack Lightning (4:25)
14. Guy Forsyth - This is Hip (5:47)
15. James Cotton/Johnny Winter/Muddy Waters - Black Cat Bone/Dust My Broom [#] (5:53)
16. B.B. King - The Thrill Is Gone (5:26)
17. James Cotton - Call It Stormy Monday (6:46)
18. Skip James - Skip's Worried Blues (4:22)
19. Sonny Terry And Brownie McGhee - Midnight Special (5:23)
20. Blind Willie Johnson - God Moves on the Water (3:01)
21. Guy Forsyth - Crossroads (2:38)
22. John Hammond, Jr. - You Know That's Cold (3:52)
23. Gary Clark, Jr - Sick Feelin' Blues (5:31)
24. Chris Thomas King - St. James Infirmary (4:38)
25. Etta James - Miss You (5:59)
26. Deborah Coleman - Jesus Just Left Chicago (4:40)
27. Johnny Winter - Murdering Blues (5:01)
28. Luther Johnson - Crawlin' King Snake (4:05)
29. Bob Margolin - Ice or Fire (3:46)
30. Freddie King - I'd Rather Be Blind (3:45)
31. Otis Rush - Mean Old World (7:01)
32. Buddy Guy - Stone Crazy (7:10)
33. Jethro Tull - Stormy Monday Blues (4:07)
34. Chicken Shack - When My Left Eye Jumps (6:30)
35. Memphis Slim - Pigalle Love [Live] (4:04)
36. Chris Thomas King - John Law Burned Down the Liquor Sto' (3:50)
37. Asylum Street Spankers - Blade of Grass (3:35)
38. Keb' Mo' - Stack O Lee (2:02)
39. Taj Mahal - Down Home Girl (3:41)
40. Jon Cleary - Port Street Blues (Live) (6:14)
41. Marcia Ball - Just Kiss Me (6:41)
42. Delbert McClinton - Old Weakness (Comin' on Strong) (3:09)
43. Omar Kent Dykes & Jimmy Vaughn - Hush, Hush (3:01)
44. Alvin Youngblood Hart - How Long Before I Change My Clothes (5:55)