The Front Porch Blues Show
JD Esquire
Rich Blackmarr will host the Front Porch Blues Show this evening. The opening set will be a nod to Mardi Gras earlier this month and will feature a couple Carnival classics from Professor Longhair as well as Al Johnson and the Wild Tchoupitoulas. The great NY-based jazz/blues singer Catherine Russell will perform in Sacramento on Tuesday, so we'll play several of her blues songs. Thereafter, the program will survey blues recordings from 1960 including a focus on instrumentals from the likes of B.B. King, George 'Harmonica' Smith, Johnny Copeland, Lloyd Glenn with Lowell Fulson, Don & Dewey, Robert Parker, Monte Easter, and more. These will be interspersed with great blues vocals from Sonny Terry, Roosevelt Sykes, Ruth Brown, Martha Carter, Wynonie Harris, and Irma Thomas. Plus some surprise duets.
Genre
Blues
Missed the Show?
Sunday 3/24/2019 @ 8:00PM - 10:00PM
| Artist | Song | Album | Label | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professor Longhair | Goin' To The Mardi Gras | VA - Collector's Choice: Featuring Professor Longhair | Rounder | 1959 version that New Orleans pianist/singer Fess (Roy Byrd) recorded for the Ron label |
| Professor Longhair | Big Chief, Part 2 | VA - Mardi Gras In New Orleans | Mardi Gras Records LP | Nov. 1964 rec. for Watch Records by Longhair was a rare big band production; Earl King whistled and did the vocal |
| The Wild Tchoupitoulas | Meet De Boys On The Battlefront | The Wild Tchoupitoulas | Island LP | 1976 album featuring the prominent Mardi Gras indian tribe led by Big Chief Jolly (George Landry) and backed by the Meters; after the success of this record, the group appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival |
| Al Johnson | Carnival Time | VA - Mardi Gras In New Orleans | Mardi Gras Records LP | 1960 rec. on Ron by singer/pianist Al Johnson became an annual Mardi Gras hit song |
| Airbreak | ||||
| Catherine Russell | Romance In The Dark | Catherine Russell - Strictly Romancin' | Jazz Village | 2012 |
| Catherine Russell | Kitchen Man | Catherine Russell - Cat | Jazz Village | 2006 |
| Catherine Russell | Quiet Whiskey | Catherine Russell - Inside This Heart Of Mine | Jazz Village | 2010 |
| Airbreak | ||||
| Sonny Terry | Diggin' My Potatoes | Sonny Terry - Sonny Is King | Prestige/Bluesville | Oct. 1960 rec. for Bluesville by Terry (voc/hca) with Lightnin' Hopkins (gtr), Leonard Gaskin (b), Belton Evans (d); version of Washboard Sam song |
| The Jim Conley Combo | Nite Lite Slop | VA - Mighty Instrumentals R&B Style 1960 | Rhythm And Blues Records 2 cd set | 1960 Chicago rec. on Dempsey by the Conley band |
| Lightnin' Hopkins | Mean Old Frisco | Lightnin' Hopkins - Bluesville Story 1960-1962 | Not Now Music 3-cd set | Nov. 1960 rec. for Bluesville by singer/guitarist Hopkins; track released on Lightnin' album, first of a 10 LP contract with Prestige Records |
| Don & Dewey | Jump Awhile | VA - Mighty Instrumentals R&B Style 1960 | Rhythm And Blues Records 2 cd set | 1960 LA rec. for Fidelity by the duo of Don 'Sugarcane' Harris and Dewey Terry; the latter is featured on barrelhouse piano here. |
| Roosevelt Sykes | Satellite Baby | Roosevelt Sykes - The Honeydripper | Prestige/Bluesville | Sept. 1960 rec. for Bluesville by singer/pianist Sykes with band incl. King Curtis (ts), Robert Banks (org), Leonard Gaskin (b), Belton Evans (d) |
| The Bill Parker Band | Boogie Bayou Shuffle | VA - Mighty Instrumentals R&B Style 1960 | Rhythm And Blues Records 2 cd set | 1960 Louisiana rec. for Eddie Shuler's Goldband Records by drummer Bill Parker and band |
| Ike & Tina Turner | You're My Baby | The Legendary Ike Turner - Jack Rabbit Blues: The Singles 1958-1960 | Secret Records | flip side of A Fool Too Long, which was follow-up to Ike & Tina's first hit A Fool In Love on Sue Records |
| Etta (James) & Harvey (Fuqua) | Spoonful | Etta James - Tell Mama | Charly compilation | Sept. 1960 Chicago rec. for Chess by singers James and Fuqua |
| Airbreak | ||||
| B.B. King | Powerhouse | VA - Mighty Instrumentals R&B Style 1960 | Rhythm And Blues Records 2 cd set | May 1960 LA rec. for Kent by King; not released until 1967 on a single. |
| Arthur Prysock | Good Rockin' Tonight | VA - Good Rockin' Tonight: The Old Town Records Story | One Day Music 3-cd set | 1960 rec. for Old Town by singer Prysock, brother of Red Prysock; version of Roy Brown/Wynonie Harris hit from 1949 |
| George 'Harmonica' Smith | Loose Screws | VA - Mighty Instrumentals R&B Style 1960 | Rhythm And Blues Records 2 cd set | 1960 LA rec. for Sotoplay by harmonica ace Smith backed by group including Jimmy Nolen (gtr), Chuck Thomas (d) |
| Wynonie Harris | Bloodshot Eyes | VA - Roulette Rock'n'Roll Volume 2 | Sequel Records | 1960 rec. for Roulette by singer Harris was a revival of his 1952 hit |
| Johnny Copeland | Late Hours | VA - Mighty Instrumentals R&B Style 1960 | Rhythm And Blues Records 2 cd set | Aug. 1960 Houston rec. for Home Cooking by guitarist Copeland; this was his 3rd single |
| Ruth Brown | Taking Care Of Business | Ruth Brown - Taking Care Of Business: Singles As & Bs 1953-1960 | Jasmine 2-cd set | Aug. 1960 NYC rec. for Atlantic by singer 'Miss Rhythm' with backing band incl. Taft Jordan (tpt), King Kurtis & Budd Johnson (ts), Bert Keyes (p), voc. chorus |
| Lloyd Glenn with Lowell Fulson | The Shakedown | VA - Mighty Instrumentals R&B Style 1960 | Rhythm And Blues Records 2 cd set | July 1960 LA rec. for Chess by Fulson's regular recording session pianist Lloyd Glenn; the only Chess release under his name |
| LaVern Baker & Ben E. King | A Help Each Other Romance | LaVern Baker - The Complete Singles As & Bs 1949-62 | Acrobat 4-cd box set | June 1960 NYC rec. for Atlantic by singers Baker and King backed by studio group incl. King Curtis, Budd Johnson, Al Caiola, Everett Barksdale, others |
| Airbreak | ||||
| Martha Carter | I'm Through Crying | VA - New Orleans Ladies: Rhythm & Blues From The Vaults of Ric and Ron | Rounder Records LP | Spotted by Eddie Bo this Sept. 1960 New Orleans rec. for Ron Records by singer Carter was a local hit. |
| Monte Easter | Weekend Blues | VA - Mighty Instrumentals R&B Style 1960 | Rhythm And Blues Records 2 cd set | 1960 LA rec. for Swingin' Records by trumpeter Easter backed by band incl. Jimmy Nolen (gtr); became a local hit |
| Irma Thomas | I May Be Wrong | VA - New Orleans Ladies: Rhythm & Blues From The Vaults of Ric and Ron | Rounder Records LP | Early 1960 New Orleans recording for Ron Records by Irma Thomas was a follow-up to her #22 hit Don't Mess With My Man |
| Robert Parker | Walkin' | VA - Mighty Instrumentals R&B Style 1960 | Rhythm And Blues Records 2 cd set | 1960 New Orleans rec. for Ron by tenor saxist Parker with band incl. Mac Rebennack (gtr) |
| Bobby Marchan | This Is The Life | VA - The Sky Is Crying: The Fire Records Story | One Day Music 2-cd set | 1960 rec. for Fire by Marchan, former singer with Huey Smith & Clowns; Marchan also had big 1960 hit with There Is Something On Your Mind |
| Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown | Slop Time | Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown - Boogie Uproar: The Complete Aladdin/Peacock Singles As & Bs 1947-1961 | Jasmine 2-cd set | Houston rec. for Peacock by Brown; instrumental features his violin |
| Carla & Rufus (Thomas) | 'Cause I Love You | VA - Poison Ivy: Gems From The Atco Vaults 1959-1962 | One Day Music 3-cd set | 1960 Memphis rec. for Atco by the father/daughter singing duo |
| Airbreak | ||||
| Clifton Chenier | Rockin' Accordion | VA - Mighty Instrumentals R&B Style 1960 | Rhythm And Blues Records 2 cd set | 1960 Louisiana rec. for Jay Miller's Zynn Records; this zydeco instrumental was a local hit |
| Magic Sam | Mr. Charlie | The Essential Magic Sam - The Cobra and Chief Recordings 1957-1961 | Fuel 2000 | April 1960 Chicago rec. for Chief by singer/guitarist Sam Maghett with Boyd Atkins (ts), Johnny Jones (p), Odell Campbell (b), S.P. Leary (d), and Ammons Sisters (voc) |
| Elmore James | Done Somebody Wrong | Elmore James - King of the Slide Guitar: the complete trumpet, chief & fire sessions | Charly 3-cd set | May 1960 NYC rec. for Fire by James (voc/gtr) with saxes, prob. Johnny Acey (p), Jimmy Spruill (gtr), Homesick James (b-gtr), Sam Myers (d) |