Beat This Beginning: Crossfire

Last weekend as I started out on the road trip, I had the shuffle going in the car. As the opening notes of today's taste hit my ears, it was like I was hearing it for the first time. Now I have listened to this song hundreds of times, but that morning it sounded fresh and well... perfect.

So it hit me, if I've had this feeling on this song, there must be hundreds of songs where you know them note for note, but may still have missed something really juicy about them. And that's how we got here today.

Today we introduce a new feature which we will jump into from time to time, where we will highlight a song with a great opening riff. The song is "Crossfire" by Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Now if you've read this blog with any regularity you know SRV just makes me smile. He had it all, and we will never know his true greatness, but what he left behind is a legacy of which any musician would be proud.  As one of my top three guitarists, it's funny that the opening of "Crossfire" is not centered on his guitar work. Sure he comes in with some great punctuation, but an opening drum beat, a little bass and some hot keys all set the tone before Stevie drops in.

Of course the rest of the song ain't half bad, and Stevie kicks it up pretty good, but have a listen to how it starts.

Good stuff.
Leave a comment if you have any other great beginnings we should take a listen to.

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Blues at the Crossroads: Muddy and the Wolf

There are legends in all categories of music. If you are lucky, sometime in your lifetime you may actually get to see a few. The blues genre has a long lists of legends, each with a distinct style and sound. While the soul of the blues is universal, there are variations in rhythm, the addition or types of horns, and attitude. Chicago, Memphis,  Kansas City, New Orleans, every city has their own sound. Last week I was able to see a show which spotlighted the Chicago blues sound of two of its legends: Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.

The show featured The Fabulous Thunderbirds and more specifically, vocalist/harmonica master Kim Wilson. Special guests were quite a who's who in the blues business. Guitarists Tinsley Ellis, Jody Williams and Bob Margolin, along with the one and only James Cotton on harmonica.

It was one hell of a show. My full review can be found on ourvinyl.com at this link: Blues at the Crossroads Check it out, I hope you can get a bit of the feeling I did that night.

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Play Guitar? What Else You Got?

So you play the guitar. Nice, I wish I could. Think you're pretty good...real nice, great to have that gift. Let me tell you something...ya got nuthin'.

Today, I've got a guy who plays guitar...some mean blues if you please. But he also takes it another step...he makes his guitars. uh huh.

Out of Mississippi, James "Super Chikan" Johnson, grew up on the delta. His first instrument was a piece of wood with baling wire wrapped around it, what is known as a "diddley bow." Growing up in a musical family, by his 20's he was playing bass around the south. Working as a truck driver, he found himself with a lot of time on his hands. That's when the songwriting began. His first album Blues Come Home to Roost, was released in 1997 and instantly garnered critical acclaim.

As his grandfather before him, Super Chikan began to fashion instruments out of discarded items. Old army gas cans and cigar boxes were made into guitars. Crazy stuff, check out some of them here. Soon his hand-made guitars were gaining as much interest as his music, even receiving an Artist Fellowship from the Mississippi Arts Commission.

But let's get into the music. Man, does he look like he's having fun...

Playing a diddley bow on "Sippiseekansas"
How about a ceiling fan on "Hookin' Up"
and closing out a show playing a Shotgun Guitar


For a short documentary on the man check out "Cluckin' and Pluckin'" and find out how he got his nickname and creates his one-of-a-kind guitars.

Some good blues to start the day, end it, or just to boogie in the middle of it.

"If your feet any tappin', baby you're dead."

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Fly On My Sweet Angel: Jimi Hendrix

On this day in 1970, the first of three major musical influences of the 60's died. James Marshall Hendrix exited this life barely two weeks before the young life of Janis Joplin also tragically ended. Jim Morrison would die the following July. All too young, all left with the unfulfilled promise of what might have been.

"Fly on my sweet angel, Fly on through the sky,

Fly on my sweet angel, Forever I will be by your side"

When you can hear a song and know instantly who is playing the guitar, that musician in a distinct and very heady class. No one sounded like Jimi Hendrix. And he played the guitar like no one else. Left-handed, Hendrix took a right-handed guitar, restrung it and flipped it over to play. This changed the sound and was one reason only Jimi sounded like Jimi.

Today, we're just gonna go with some hot licks from the man who changed how things were done. And guess what, I'm not putting on a link to "Little Wing." But don't worry, it will turn up again before too long.

Thought we'd try a few lesser known tracks, just to show off that little old guitar playing.

"Crying Blue Rain"
"Catfish Blues"
"Born Under a Bad Sign"

And because it's just so damn good...

"All Along the Watchtower"

Generations will come and go. Kids will still pick up a guitar, look in the mirror and try to emulate those first few bars of "Foxy Lady."

Standing the test of time, always.
Fly on Jimi.

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Doc Watson: One Damn Fine Picker

Sometimes the glory in being a musician comes not from hit records or playing to stadiums filled with adoring fans. Sometimes the glory of being a musician is just that...being a musician.

Doc Watson was a musician.

Blind since before his first birthday, Doc learned to play the guitar and honed his craft in the 40 years before he would record his first record. Both a flat picker and finger picker, Doc collaborations with Earl Scruggs, Chet Atkins, Ricky Skaggs, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, are legendary. The winner of 3 Grammy Awards, Doc's influence on the modern style of guitar playing is immeasurable.

Here's an interesting mini-documentary on the creation of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" which featured Doc, Maybelle Carter, Earl Scruggs and others.

Now, let's have a taste of one of the greats...

"Deep River Blues" ...Doc showing us a thing or two
"Rolling in my Sweet Baby's Arms" ...Doc Watson, Ricky Skaggs, Earl Scruggs..just great stuff
"Whiskey Before Breakfast"  ...Doc won a Grammy for this in 2007 at the age of  84
"I'll Fly Away" ...one month before he died, still on the road.

...and that's how you do it son.

Easy journey Doc.

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Oh, This Is Good, Actually It's Wonderland

A few months ago while listening to a Blues channel, I heard today's taste for the first time. Because my mind has as many holes as the proverbial Swiss cheese, I wrote down her name. I am so glad I did...and you will be too.

Coming out of Texas, Carolyn Wonderland eats the blues for breakfast and kicks the crap out of them for the rest of the day.

Able to play a mean guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, piano and trumpet... Carolyn Wonderland has one more weapon at her disposal, her voice...oh and a lot of attitude.


"Judgement Day Blues"  watch her play, listen to her wail
"Walk On"  kickin' it up big time, bring out the trumpet too
"Misunderstood" a little slide guitar, if you please
"The Wind Cries Mary" Hendrix yes...on electric mandoline

and the song that I first heard
"What Good Can Drinkin' Do" written by Janis Joplin

It's taken til now to find her, but there's no going back.
This is a bucketful of tasty treats...down 'em all.

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Sailing Away Today: Nice & Smooth

Writing, you may have noticed, is my thing. So musically, the lyrics are what catches me first, then I go into the instrumentation. Specifically today, we're talking guitars. Boy this is gonna piss off some people to be sure.

Just like anything else, your favorite rock guitarist is a subjective thing. Yes... Eddie, Jimmy, Jeff...all masters, no argument from me. I can appreciate the depth of their ability and their soul.  Just not what soothes my soul.  My top three: Clapton,Vaughn & Knopfler...with Clapton and Knopfler on top...though no particular order. Disclaimer: No disrespect intended to any guitar players who might read this.  I like smooth, not frenetic...and then Stevie Ray is just Stevie Ray (can you say "Little Wing?")  Having seen all of them play live, well those are memories to savor.

The taste for today is from one of my top three.  The first time I heard "Sultans of Swing" with that guitar solo, it was 'whoa, can I hear that every day for the rest of my life?'  Kinda of how I felt and still feel about the guitar and piano solos of "Layla"...it never gets tired.

On this morning's menu is Mark Knofler doing a little something from one of his solo albums.  The title song from "Sailing to Philadelphia," features James Taylor helping out on the vocals. It's not a knock your socks off guitar piece, just a nice blend of vocals and instrumentation. This entire CD is wonderful, if you have the chance to check it out.

Sail away.

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