In the Pocket with Mr. Solid

Return to the Musical Mother Land Part I

By John Lee

My better half, Nancy Rapp, and I recently traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, the Mississippi Delta, and to the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival (the King Biscuit Blues Festival) in Helena, Arkansas. Here’s what we did from my perspective:

Day 1 - Friday, October 3rd

My buddy Dan Newton, our guitar player and keyboard man from The Crossroads Band, gave us a ride to SeaTac Airport. We caught a 10:30 AM flight to Minneapolis, Minnesota and then we caught a connecting flight to Memphis. Travel went by without a hitch. It just took awhile!

We picked up our rental car, which was supposed to be a Ford Focus, but Hertz upgraded us to a Toyota Camry. A very nice car, and good mileage too! Our motel, the Hampton Inn, was located in south Memphis not too far from the airport. A very short ride, for sure. Just before we left the airport we grabbed a copy of "The Memphis Flyer," a weekly newspaper that combines politics, arts, and entertainment similar to our "Seattle Weekly." When we checked in to our room, we picked-up a copy of the Memphis daily paper, "The Commercial Appeal." Then when we went right to the "Go Memphis" section (arts and entertainment) and saw that the great Stax artist William Bell was playing a free show that night backed by the great band, The Bo-Keys. It was 8:30 PM and the show started at 7:00 PM. The show would be done or nearly over by the time we pulled it together, so William Bell was a no-go. We looked to see what else was going on and saw that the Pink Palace Museum was having a four day crafts fair and fund raiser at Audubon Park, right near the University Of Memphis. We decided to check that out the next morning just before our trip to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

We both were very hungry, and talked about eating at Popeye’s right across the street. Popeye’s it was for some damn good fried chicken, red beans and rice, and biscuits. For fast food that was some mighty fine eatin’. Plus, the restaurant played some great New Orleans R&B. Popeye’s originated in the Big Easy. We were already on our way to getting in a Southern state of mind. It had been a long day and a good night’s sleep was in order. Tomorrow would be our first full day in the great city of Memphis, Tennessee.

Day 2 - Saturday, October 4th

We started our day off with a real nice complimentary breakfast in the lobby of the Hampton Inn. A breakfast buffet that included eggs, sausage, grits, biscuits, fruit salad, yogurt, muffins, bagels, sweet rolls, cereals, and three kinds of juice make the Hampton Inn breakfast a crowd pleaser! Full and awake we headed out to The Pink Palace Crafts Festival in Audubon Park. There were 205 artists selling things like blown glass, ceramics, woven rugs and wood carving, so there was always someone doing a demonstration. With 40 food vendors, music, and dance, it all added up to a lively good time. Hey, I even found some chai tea.

After two enjoyable hours we headed toward The Stax Museum of American Soul Music, located on the original studio site, at 926 E. McLemore Avenue. This museum is a shrine with over 2,000 artifacts and exhibits honoring the music of Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Carla and Rufus Thomas, Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Eddie Floyd, William Bell, and dozens of other Stax recording artists. There is also a section honoring the Hi and Goldwax soul labels. The Hall of Records - a hallway with all the singles and albums of the Stax label on display on both sides of a walkway is a total wonder. The display of the knee-high platform boots/shorts and cape outfit that Rufus Thomas wore in the Watts/Stax film is almost worth the price of admission! There were also two temporary photo exhibits that were really well done and of great interest to me. The first was a collection of photos titled "Otis Redding- from Macon to Memphis," an exhibit from the private collection of Zelma Redding, Otis’ widow. The second was a collection of photos by Howard Morehead of Ray Charles called "I Shot Ray Charles." Both sets of photos were outstanding. The Stax Museum is a must see spot on the music lovers list when you visit Memphis.

While we were at the Stax Museum, we saw a map that showed what people lived in the neighborhood near Stax, and it showed Royal Recording Service just four or five blocks away. Royal is the studio where most of the great Hi Records recordings were made. Al Green, Ann Peebles, Syl Johnson, Otis Clay, and many others made their legendary records at this studio. The great musician, bandleader, and producer, Willie Mitchell, who produced most of the Hi records sessions owns the studio, and Royal is very much an active studio today. The address is 1320 Lauderdale. The four blocks going from McLemore Avenue, past the studio to South Parkway has now been renamed Willie Mitchell Boulevard. Nancy took pictures and we paid homage to the birthplace of some of the sweetest soul sounds around.

We took our ride back to our motel to freshen up, then to downtown Memphis for dinner and some music. We went to the Rendezvous for ribs. This world famous eatery is located in an alley and downstairs justthree blocks from Beale Street. The food is so good I refer to the Rendezvous as “a basement of pure culinary pleasure.” We both had the ribs. After our incredible meal we headed to actor Morgan Freeman’s juke joint, the Ground Zero Blues Club, just one block over from Beale Street. There we heard the much heralded Memphis guitar man Preston Shannon. Mister Shannon’s band was a tight six piece ensemble that played original blues, covers and Memphis R&B, songs like Eddie Floyds "634-5789" and Otis Clay’s "Tryin to Live My Life Without You." I dug the sounds and I got to chat a minute with Preston Shannon. He seemed to be a real nice fellow. I hope the Northwest folks can hear him live sometime.

After two sets at Ground Zero we hit the streets and cruised down Beale Street, which was packed. We stopped in to A. Schwab's, a store that’s been on Beale Street since 1876. Originally an old fashioned general store, now A. Schwab's sells mostly souvenirs and knick-knacks. There are things there that you won’t find anyplace else. The place is a gas. After 30 to 40 minutes tripping around A. Schwab's, it was time to get some sleep. We took the short drive on I-55 and I-240 to our room, looking forward to another day in the home of the blues, the center of Soul, and the birthplace of rock and roll, Memphis, Tennessee.

Day 3 - Sunday, October 5th

After we finished eating breakfast at the Hampton Inn, we went back downtown, took a monorail to Mud Island River Park and went to the Mississippi River Museum. The museum is a fantastic study in the history of the river from the time of the early American natives, to the Spanish explorers, and the development of shipping and commerce up and down the river from Minnesota to New Orleans. There is a substantial section devoted to the Civil War and another that shows the blues and its influence along the mighty Mississippi. The exhibit ends with a great view of the river. If you go to Memphis, I would highly recommend the Mississippi River Museum. Right at the museum is a shop that rents bikes, canoes, kayaks, and pedal boats. Nancy and I rented two bikes at $10.00 each for two hours. We cruised around the park and then to a large neighborhood on the island called Harbor Town. We rode along this very lengthy park that runs along the river for about a mile and a half. We had lunch at a deli and grocery where we both had a very good Greek salad. Then we drove our mountain bikes back to the rental shop.

We left the island and walked thru downtown. Almost right away we heard it - live music, very good live music! We found the group at a park in the heart of downtown Memphis. As we were listening I realized we were checking out the classic Memphis group The Bo-Keys. The Bo-Keys are an eight piece band that plays the Memphis sound to a tee. Skip Pitts on guitar is the man who played the wah-wah guitar on Isaac Hayes’ opus “Shaft." One of the two trumpet players is Ben Cauley, former member of the Bar-Keys and the only man to survive the Otis Redding plane crash in 1967. The bass player is Scott Bomar, the extraordinary bass player who put together the soundtrack for the film “Black Snake Moan" with Samuel A. Jackson and Christina Ricci. The Bo-Keys played a nice 20 minutes, and then they were joined by vocalist John Gary Williams, former singer with the Stax recording group, The Mad Lads. Mister Williams belted out “Knock on Wood” by Eddie Floyd and “Dock on the Bay” by Otis Redding. Then Ben Cauley joined Mister Williams in a Sam and Dave medley. It was mighty good. It was hard to tell it wasn’t the legendary soul duo just by listening. They all played at least 2 hours and it was some of the finest music I’ve heard in awhile. It turned out to be a get-out-the vote event. What a marvelous accident!

We headed to 143 Beale Street and B.B. King's Blues Club for a little BBQ and some boogie. B.B. Kings is a funky, large club that has good views from the ground floor and the balcony too. We were given a balcony table with an excellent view of the stage. We ordered the B.B. King nachos and instead of salsa, it came with BBQ sauce. I liked it fine, but Nancy didn’t care for it. I ordered the BBQ chicken and Nancy the Caesar salad. It was a tasty meal. The music was the rock/blues guitar playing and singing of Corey Osborn. The rest of the group consisted of a bass player, drummer and a Hammond organ player. We caught a lengthy set and then went back to our room. A real hoot about B.B. King's is there was a rest room attendant. When you wash your hands the gentleman gives you a shot of soap and then a towel. He also had cigarettes, gum, chicklets, and cigars for sale too. A throw back to an earlier time, for sure - what a trip!

Day 4- Monday, October 6th

Right after breakfast we went right to Sun Studio located at 706 Union Avenue, not too far from the heart of downtown Memphis. We had about a 30 minute wait until the next tour, but the gift store is a fun place to hang out and check out all the souvenirs, including t-shirts, CDs, and books available for purchase. The gift shop is where the tour begins and in the early days it was a café where all the studio participants would hang out and grab a bite to eat. The tour begins in a small museum upstairs with lots of memorabilia and a complete rundown on the studio's history. The young lady who was our tour guide did a great job and had a great sense of humor. Sun Studio opened on January 3rd, 1950, under the name of the Memphis Recording Service. Sun is well known for the early recordings of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis, but before them, Sam Phillips recorded early sides for B.B. King, Little Milton, Howlin' Wolf, and Rufus Thomas to name a few. "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats featuring a very young Ike Turner on piano, the song many people consider the first rock and roll tune, was recorded at Sun in 1951. The tour ends in the actual studio and the tour guide gave us more history and more tidbits of great interest. The tour of Sun Studios is a must for any American music fan. Sun Studios is another shrine in the musical Mecca of Memphis, Tennessee.

The Man, the Myth, the Legend - John Lee!

We headed back to the heart of downtown, parked our rental car and hopped on the Riverfront trolley which travels on a loop along the Mississippi River and then thru the heart of downtown by way of Main street, going thru the Pinch District and the historic South Main District where the Civil Rights Museum is located. The Civil Rights Museum is housed in the Lorraine Hotel and Motel where civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. We didn’t take in the museum this trip, we did two years ago, but it is a moving and emotional experience that gives you a great understanding of the civil rights struggles in the middle of twentieth century America. I highly recommend it.

After a nice ride on the trolley we developed an appetite and stopped at the Arcade Restaurant right on the trolley line at South Main. The Arcade is a Memphis institution with a great past. Opened in 1919 and owned by the same family for three generations, the Arcade has an eclectic menu that features down home breakfasts with specialty items like sweet potato pancakes and lunch items like pizza. I had a salad and a side of hash browns. Nancy had a small pizza and a side salad. The Arcade also features ham and biscuits, salads-with nice gourmet greens, and Elvis’ favorite, the peanut butter and banana grilled sandwich. Both Elvis and R&B/soul legend, Rufus Thomas frequented the café and each has a booth named in their honor at this cool and funky classic diner styled eatery. Scenes from many major motion pictures were filmed here including "Mystery Train," "Walk the Line," "21 Grams," "The Firm," and "The Client." I really dig the Arcade, it’s a great spot to catch a delicious and reasonably priced breakfast or lunch in downtown Memphis.

Filled up, we hit the streets and headed to the heart of downtown. We ended up at the majestic and beautiful Peabody Hotel. The original Peabody was built in 1869 but closed in 1923. In 1925 the Peabody was resurrected in its present location on Union Avenue. Just like Memphis itself, the hotel was very much a part of music history. In the late '20s and early '30s, Furry Lewis, Frank Stokes, and Tommy Johnson made their first recordings at the Peabody for record labels like Paramount and Vocalion. In the 30s and '40s The Peabody was one of only three live radio sites to broadcast the likes of Harry James, Paul Whiteman, and Tommy Dorsey to a dance craving nation.

We ordered a drink and settled in to check out the Duck March. Let me tell you about the Peabody Hotel and the ducks. In 1933, the hotel’s general manager, Frank Schott and a close friend were duck hunting in Arkansas, and, as legend goes, the two were feeling no pain from a fair amount of Lynchburg, Tennessee's finest, Jack Daniels! They came back to Memphis and to the lobby of The Peabody to put a number of live decoy ducks in the fountain. Live decoy ducks were legal at that time, and the patrons of the hotel thought this was great fun. To this very day ducks are in the Peabody’s fountain seven days a week. At 11:00 AM, the ducks that live on the roof are escorted into the elevator, transported to the ground floor, out of the lift, down a red carpet, and into the ornate fountain in the grand hotel’s lobby. The ducks frolic there, until 5:00 PM, when they are led back down the red carpet, into the elevator, and back to their home on the roof. We went to the roof after the ducks and took in the spectacular view of Memphis and the Mississippi River with our drinks in hand. It’s things like this that can make this life so much fun.

We walked back to our car by way of Beale Street and said our goodbyes to downtown Memphis for this trip. We drove back to our room, and when we got into the lobby, we found that the Hampton Inn had put out a complementary spread of quesadillas, tortilla chips, salsa, and soft drinks. Very nice! The day before, I had asked the front desk for a cloth to clean my shoes, and they were so impressed that I didn’t just use a wash cloth that the management gave me a coupon for a free film and microwave popcorn. We picked the delightful Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson movie, "Bucket List," a nice kicked-back thing to do on our last night in Memphis.

Day 5 - Tuesday, October 7th

We had our last complimentary breakfast at The Hampton Inn, checked out of our room, and took our ride out of Memphis and into Mississippi, the land of the Delta blues in the pouring down rain. A half hour into our trip, we stopped at a visitor center and picked up a lot of info on some of the places we wanted to visit like Greenwood, Indianola, Leland, Clarksdale, and Greenville, Mississippi. We made a stop in Greenwood, about 120 miles from Memphis, the home town of guitar great Hubert Sumlin and the burial site of Delta blues legend Robert Johnson. (we didn’t visit Mr. Johnson’s resting place this trip) and the location of Mattie’s soul food restaurant where we ate two years ago. Mattie’s is no longer in business, but we did find a BBQ and delta cooking spot called Steve’s that has great food. We both had black eyed peas and turnip greens. I had ribs and Nancy had chicken. Most definitely very good food!

While we were finishing up our lunch, the owner came by and gave Nancy a piece of chocolate cake on the house. I took a pass. You've got to cut back somewhere, sometime. As we were leaving, we struck up a conversation with Steve and some regulars. They were good old boys and much different than a lot of the folks you run into in the Northwest. We hit it off with Steve and he gave Nancy and I both a Steve’s BBQ t-shirt. Cool. We said our goodbyes and got in our ride - next stop Indianola and The B.B. King Museum. If you ever find yourself in Greenwood, Mississippi and your hungry, do yourself a favor and eat at Steve’s. It is most definitely good eats!

We cruised down Highway 82 about 30 miles and stopped to check into our motel, the Best Western-Blues Traveler Inn. We freshened up and went to the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center about eight blocks away, a few blocks off the main highway. The museum is not only a testament to the man born Riley B. King, but also a glowing tribute to the great American art form known as the Blues! The museum took us on the incredible journey of B.B. King from his life as a sharecropper in Indianola (B.B was born and raised in the area) his musical education in Memphis, his rise to super stardom, and his place as the world’s ambassador of the blues. The museum is a wonderful experience with 100s of pieces of memorabilia illustrating Mr. King’s influence and the many contemporaries who shared his journey like Bobby Bland and Rufus Thomas. This is a new addition to the list of great American musical shrines that should not be missed by the true music fan. We spent two enjoyable hours at the museum and both Nancy and I were getting hungry.


We left the museum and drove down Highway 82 which cuts right thru the heart of Indianola. We found a nice Mexican restaurant called the Guadalajara with good eats and excellent salsa. On the way back to our room we stopped at the Sunflower Market to pick up some laundry detergent and a 12-pack of Barq’s root beer. We needed to do laundry and I dig root beer. Then we caught a much needed good night’s sleep. Having so much fun can be exhausting!

Day 6 - Wednesday, October 8th

We started the day with a complimentary breakfast provided by the Best Western. It was just OK - nothing compared to the spread at the Hampton Inn in Memphis. The weather had turned beautiful once again. The day before was overcast and raining, and it was dusk and too dark when we got out of the B.B. King Museum to get some pictures of some of the blues sites around Indianola. So we set out to get some photos, and then check out the towns of Leland and Greenville, Mississippi. First up, we checked out the well known juke joint, Club Ebony, which has been providing great music and good food since 1945. Over the years, Club Ebony has been a regular road stop for many great musicians like Count Basie, Ray Charles, James Brown, Willie Clayton, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Milton, Ike Turner, Bobby Bland, and B.B. King. Mary Shepard owned and operated the legendary club for the last 30 years, but recently sold it to B.B. King.

We next headed just a few blocks from Club Ebony to the corner of Church Street and Second that is the spot where B.B. King would play when he was as young as 17. This spot is highlighted by a Mississippi Blues trail marker (Club Ebony also) that commemorates and honors places and people of importance in Mississippi blues history. There will over 120 Blues trail markers when the project in complete. According to Steve Cheseborough, country blues musician and author of the must have "Blues Traveling-The Holy Sites of Delta Blues" guide book, B.B. King began playing church songs at this corner and folks would smile and were friendly, but when he played the blues, they gave money. It didn’t take the young Riley B. King long to figure out which side of the bread was buttered! We also stopped by a park named for Mr. King, and then drove down highway 82 toward Leland, Mississippi and the Highway 61 Blues Museum.

This part of the Delta is flat and filled with many cotton fields and catfish farms. As we entered the Leland city limits we were greeted by a sign that stated "Welcome to Leland Mississippi-Birth place of Kermit the Frog." Muppet creator Jim Henson was born and raised in this area. The visitor center houses a small Jim Henson Muppet museum. We dug on some Muppet history and found directions to the Highway 61 Blues Museum (Leland is at the junction of Highways 61 and 82). The museum highlights, with cool and funky exhibits, many of the great blues musician that are from the area such as Jimmy Reed, Willie Foster, Son Thomas, Charlie Patton, Eddie Cusic, Little Milton, Honey Boy Edwards, Eddie Taylor, and Tyrone Davis. Johnny and Edgar Winter were born in Leland, and though they moved to Texas with their parents, they would come back every summer and visit their grandparents. They are also featured at the museum. We spent about an hour checking out this heartfelt space and ran into three women from Washington, DC and Patrick Thomas, son of the legendary Son Thomas played some blues on his electric guitar. We had a very nice time.

We hit the streets and checked out the four music murals that dot the small downtown. My favorite was the Jimmy Reed mural. We hit the road and drove down Highway 82 to the Delta’s largest town, Greenville Mississippi, home to blues players T-Model Ford, Lil’ Dave Thompson, and piano wizard Eden Brent. We cruised around town, but saw nothing in particular. I guess we were letting the heat take a little wind out of our sails. The temperature had been between 80 and 88 degrees everyday and we were getting hungry. We had seen a billboard that was advertising a show by the great soul/blues singer Willie Clayton on Saturday October 11th at Harlow’s Casino. One thing I’ve learned is Mississippi casinos have great buffets. So we drove about 10 miles and had some of the best Delta cooking I’ve ever experienced. Ribs, fried chicken, two kinds of catfish, fried and baked ham, turnip greens, cooked carrots, mashed potatoes, gravy, red beans, rice, a huge salad bar with lots of fresh fruit, and a large selection of desserts that included peach cobbler, bananas foster and ice cream. Man, this was top shelve cuisine - damn good eats!! At $9.00 for all you could eat, we most definitely filled up.

With our hunger in check, we drove back to Indianola and our hotel to do a couple of loads of laundry. While we were waiting for our laundry to complete their cycles, we watched "Dream Girls" on HBO with Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and Jennifer Hudson. This was a fictional telling of the story of the Motown super group, The Supremes. Not a bad film. I really thought Eddie Murphy was a standout as an authentic, very fragile, R&B singer. Hey, with the late lunch we had, we didn’t need dinner. The next day we would drive to our new digs in Clarksdale, Mississippi and partake in the Arkansas Blues Festival in Helena and the Pinetop Perkins homecoming at the Hopson Plantation in Clarksdale. I’ll be back soon to tell you all about it.

Note: I would like to give a nod to the book "Blues Traveling-The Holy Sites of Delta Blues" by Steve Cheseborough, whose fine writing and historic information was an invaluable resource for some of this content. Thanks, Steve.

Quotes of the Month

The Stax Museum of American Soul Music has a very cool phrase on their brochure that I really like, "Nothing against the Louvre, but you can’t dance to Davinci.”

Some of the lyrics to Son Thomas’ Beef Steak Blues are the finest of the genre:

“Give me beefsteak when I’m hungry,
Whiskey when I’m dry,
Pretty women when I’m living,
Heaven when I die...”

Electric bassist John "Mr. Solid" Lee was born in Alaska and has been active in the Seattle blues scene for about 30 years. He currently plays with the Crossroads Band. Photo by Mike Coyote.

In the Pocket with Mr. Solid

A Weekend in the Life of a Journeyman Professional Blues Band

By John Lee

Over the last ten to fifteen years gigs for a Northwest blues or roots music group have become less and less in number. These days, the band might have a Saturday or maybe a Friday and Saturday night. But every once in a while a weekend shows up that you have three engagements in one weekend, then it feels like back in the day when it seemed you were playing music for people all the time. The Crossroads Band had one of those weekends just this spring of 2008. The Crossroads Band are: Steve Bailey - harp, guitar and vocals, Dennis Ellis - saxophone, flute, and vocals, Dan Newton - guitar, keyboards, and vocals, John Lee - bass and vocals, and David Hudson - drums.

Here’s what happened from my perspective:

Anacortes, Friday May 16th 2008. The Crossroads band was booked to play the kick-off dinner for the Waterfront Festival in Anacortes, Washington, in a decorated warehouse on the waterfront, about 75 miles north of Seattle. It was an early start (6PM) and the bonus is that the client provided a PA system. This was truly wonderful, because we didn’t have to haul Steve Bailey’s PA and set it up and tear it down. It was a dinner, so we had a soft take-off (played quietly). After a 45 minute set the speeches and acknowledgments took place. This was a cue for the band to grab a bite to eat. The buffet included salmon, chicken, and beef. The buffet also had the usual starches, veggies, and salads. I especially liked the garlic mashed potatoes. The food was done well and much appreciated by me and my musical brethren.

The Crossroads Band - Anacortes Waterfront Festival - Photo by Steve Berentson

We began set two with a little more bite to our sound. But just as we began to work up a good groove, someone motions that they had more announcements. A bit more talking from some of the city fathers, then we were allowed to finish up with a fairly lengthy set with a very nice amount of dancing couples. A nice warm up for the next two days, when we would play one 45 minute set, and a one hour set.

Dennis and Steve had come in Steve’s van, Dan and I in my car (Dan and I live fairly close to each other), and Dave drove with some family members. On our way back to Seattle and beyond , we ran into a one hour construction delay on I-5 near Everett, Washington, about 35 miles from Seattle. What the hell! This is 11PM on a Friday night. We all finally worked our way home for an evening of much deserved rest. The next day we played the granddaddy of Puget Sound street fairs, the University Street Fair in north Seattle.

Seattle’s University District, Saturday May 17th 2008. We had a nice time slot at 3PM and the weather was beautiful, 80 degrees and sunny. The band played a really nice set that included Crossroads favorites including “Too Young to Die,” “How Long,” “Can’t Judge A Book,” and “Don’t Leave Your Daddy Home.” Two of the songs, “I Want Some Love,” and “Up One Side And Down the Other” were written by Dan Newton. Dan is a talented and sharp guy with three and a half years of music theory at North Texas State University and a masters degree from the University of Washington in Russian Language and Russian Literature. He is working on his Phd at this time. Dan is a multiple threat musically, playing outstanding guitar, rockin’ piano, and delivering nice vocal work. He’s also one hell of a songwriter. Dan is a good man to have on your team.

After the street fair set, we all headed to my house for a dinner of Memphis Beale Street chicken, potato salad, and a tossed green salad. After a very tasty meal the band piled into Steve’s van and headed towards the Grand Coulee Dam and our rooms for the Sunbanks R&B Festival. Along the way we listened to Bumble Bee Slim and Johnny Otis’ tour de farce group, Snatch and the Poontangs. We were having too much fun. The band arrived at the Grand Coulee Motel at 11PM and somehow I ended up with my own room. The other four guys had to share two rooms. Sometimes things work out and you get a little extra quite time. It’s all good!

Grand Coulee Washington , Sunday May 18th. My motel room was quite comfortable and I slept well, but not long. By 8:00AM and I was showered, dressed and awake! When you live both as day people and as night people (I have a day job too) the sleep patterns get very strange. I walked out onto the steps leading to my room, and I saw Steve Bailey. We both mentioned breakfast, and we looked up and saw a sign that said “Flo’s Café.” We entered and found the place to be down home and full of locals. We ended up talking to one local man who is retired and living close by. The omelets were quite good and seemed to live up to the café’s motto: “10,000 Flies Can’t Be Wrong”.

Steve Bailey is my long time friend. I’ve played in a number of musical settings with him, most notably Steve Bailey and the Blue Flames. Steve is another one of those multi-talented guys. Steve Bailey is a world class blues harmonic player, a damn fine guitar man in both single note and slide styles, a good singer, and an excellent songwriter. Plus, he speaks fluent Spanish (he was a Spanish teacher at one time). Steve is a very good recording engineer also. He’s engineered dozens of Northwest recordings (hey he’s guiding The Crossroads Band’s latest CD effort right now. We have six basic tracks in the can right as I speak.)

We walked down the hill to a Safeway grocery store for a cold beverage and on the way back we run into our drummer man Dave Hudson. Dave was the driving force behind The Hudson Blues Band for many years, and he is a fine player with a great love for blues and classic R&B. Most drummers don’t even have Muddy Waters or Howlin Wolf recordings in their collections. Dave not only has the material in his collection, he knows the titles of all the songs. Most drummers listen to jazz recordings and aspire to that style. Brother Hudson is a breath of fresh air and one hell of a drummer! Dave was looking for espresso and I had seen a stand near Safeway. Steve headed back to his room, and Dave and I made the slight decent toward the stimulants! Dave had some kind of coffee drink, and bought me a chai latte with coconut syrup.

Dave and I headed back to the motel, and, as I went to my room, I ran into piano man D.K Stewart and his drummer, Carlton Jackson out of Portland , Oregon. D.K. Stewart is one of the finest keyboard players in all the Northwest, having played with some of Portland’s great blues and R&B artists like Curtis Salgado and the late Paul deLay. They gave me a copy of their new CD, "The DK4- In the House." There was just time for a short chat, then a quick goodbye. They had a 5PM gig outside of Portland .

I dropped into Flo’s which was now packed, and our great honkin' sax man Dennis Ellis was there for breakfast. Dennis and I chatted for a few minutes. Dennis is a fine sax player, an excellent flute player and outstanding singer. Dennis brings a swing and cool scuffle element to the band. He’s also easy to be around and a very, very funny guy. I also ran into Tom Hunniwell, the excellent music photographer who I know from back in Seattle . It’s always good to see Mr. Honeywell. I walked back to the motel and found Dan awake and ready to go. It was time to get dressed again and head to the festival site.

We arrived about 11:30AM at the Sunbanks Resort where the festival in held twice a year. The first person we checked out was Billy Stoops, the energetic Southerner who is the driving force behind The Sunbanks R&B Festival, and also the band Junkyard Jane. Steve Bailey knows Billy from awhile back. I first talked to Billy Stoops on the telephone about booking Crossroads into Sunbanks a year and a half ago, and I joked with him about owing me a few bucks for my phone bill. We ran into a few other folks we know, like Rhea Rolf, former president of the Washington Blues Society, and Cholo Willsin, who, back in the day, was a doorman at Larry’s Greenfront in Seattle ’s Pioneer Square . Cholo has been associated for many years with the Winthrop R&B Festival and most recently with the Blues for Food Fest. www.myspace/bluesforfoodfest (Crossroads will be featured at this year’s Blues for Food Fest August 30th, 2008 at the Magnusson Park amphitheater in North Seattle ).

We played a nice one hour set that featured some real nice sax by Dennis Ellis and excellent piano work by Dan Newton. After our show we hung around and chatted with a dozen or so blues fans, then we went to the Cantina (a bar and restaurant located at the Sunbanks Resort) to cash in our food coupons provided by Mr. Stoops for a meal provided to all the festival musical participants. The cook wouldn’t start until 3:30PM and the bartender said all she could put together were appetizers. So that’s what we did, we had appetizers. Coming and going to the Cantina we came across 10 or 12 people who said they dug the band. The Sunbanks R&B Festival site is very pleasant, a sparely wooded area leading up to a large stage that has its back almost at the lake's shoreline. We hung around near the stage for a while longer and caught most of the File Gumbo Zydeco Band’s set. Then it was time to head back to Seattle . It would take four hours to get home.

The Crossroads Band at the Sunbanks R & B Festival - Photo by Tom Hunnewell

Dan Newton - Photo by Tom Hunnewell

David Hudson - Photo by Tom Hunnewell

Dennis Ellis - Photo by Tom Hunnewell

John Lee - Photo by Tom Hunnewell

Steve Bailey - Photo by Tom Hunnewell

We had to travel a long way to play music for a relatively short period of time, but it was a very rewarding weekend. The band played good music and we got to hang out together in a setting other than a bar or nightclub. I’m very lucky to get to play good music and be friends with such a talented and solid bunch of guys. I feel like I can relate to what the roots music legend Delbert McClinton said in the title of one of his recent albums “One of the fortunate few.” Then the next day, it was back to our other lives!

American Music Icons Bo Diddley and Jimmy McGriff Pass On

Bo Diddley - December 30, 1928 to June 2, 2008

Born Ellas Bates, Bo changed it to Ellis McDaniel when his mother’s cousin adopted him. Then he eventually took the stage name Bo Diddley with the help of his Bomp ba-bomp-bomp, bomp- bomp “shave and a hair cut” rhythm”. Bo was on his way with the 1955 single "Bo Diddley/I’m A Man" to becoming one of the most influential guitar players and songwriters of early rock and roll. With a style steeped in blues and R&B he created such classics as "Mona," "Pretty Thing," "Can’t Judge A Book," "Road Runner," and "Who Do You Love" to name a few. Many groups from the 1960’s covered Bo’s songs, including the Rolling Stones. The legendary bluesman Muddy Waters took Bo’s "I’m a Man" and made it his own as the title “Mannish Boy.”

I met Bo Diddley for just a few minutes back stage at a show Bo was going to perform in the mid-seventies in Anchorage, Alaska . He was making fried chicken in an electric skillet while he chatted. He seemed pleasant enough. Bo Diddley was 79 years old. R.I.P.

Jimmy McGriff-April 3, 1936 to May 24, 2008

Jimmy McGriff was one of the finest soul/jazz Hammond B3 organ players of all-time. McGriff broke onto the national scene with the instrumental version of Ray Charles’s “ I Got a Women” in 1962. Jimmy McGriff never liked being called a jazz musician, he always said he was a blues player. Mr. McGriff was childhood friends with the legendary Hammond B3 man Jimmy Smith in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . Organ great Richard “Groove” Holmes played at Jimmy McGriff’s sister's wedding. For over 40 years Jimmy McGriff played blues, R&B and soul drenched organ driven instrumentals with some of the most soulful musicians of his time like saxophones players, Hank Crawford, David “Fathead” Newman, Red Holloway, and drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie. McGriff also made some nice recordings with blues vocalist and harmonica player, Junior Parker. He was as good as it gets. Jimmy McGriff was 72 years old. R.I.P.

Quote of the Month

My dear friend, the late Jim Schroy, as we were leaving a Little Richard show at Seattle’s annual Bumbershoot Festival, said “ That’s the best concert I’ve ever seen by somebody from Mars.” Little Richard was so odd, that after what I witnessed that day, I think Jim might have only scratched the surface.

Electric bassist John "Mr. Solid" Lee was born in Alaska and has been active in the Seattle blues scene for about 30 years. He currently plays with the Crossroads Band. Photo by Mike Coyote.

In the Pocket with Mr. Solid

By John Lee

“Honeydripper” – a film by John Sayles

I recently had the pleasure of viewing John Sayles’ latest work, a blues fable titled “Honeydripper,” starring Danny Glover, Charles Dutton, and Lisa Gay Hamilton. Mister Sayles wrote, directed, and even has a small role in this very heartfelt film. “Honeydripper” ran for only one week at Seattle’s Uptown Theater.

John Sayles and his partner, Maggie Renzi, who is listed as producer, financed and did the distribution of the film themselves. If someone of John Sayles talent has trouble getting financing, you know the film industry is in trouble!

Tyrone “Pinetop” Purvis (Danny Glover) is a piano player and proprietor of The Honeydripper, a 1950 juke joint located in Harmony, Alabama. Tyrone has financial troubles and has decided to let go the classic blues singer, Bertha Mae (Mable John) who has been playing the Honeydripper for awhile. The landlord sends a pair of hard-asses to put pressure on Tyrone to pay back rent payments or vacate the premises. Tyrone makes arrangements to book the blues star “Guitar Sam” on an up and coming Saturday night to help him pay his bills and save the Honeydripper.

A drifter with a homemade electric guitar (played by Austin, Texas guitar player Gary Clark Jr.) shows up and asks Tyrone for a gig at the Honeydripper. Tyrone turns him down and the young man goes away and is soon arrested by the bigoted, redneck local sheriff played by Stacy Keech for “…gawkery with the intent to mope.” Tyrone goes to the train station to pick-up Guitar Sam for the big Saturday night and finds the blues star is in the hospital. Out of options, Tyrone is forced to make a deal with the sheriff and bail out the guitar playing drifter. This is a contentious situation, not knowing the young guitar players ability and also because the sheriff has a thing for Tyrone’s wife and her fried chicken sandwiches!

The musicians used in the film are tremendous. Sax player Eddie Shaw, leader for many years of Eddie Shaw and the Wolf Gang, named from his many years with the legendary Howlin’ Wolf, is superb in the big show back-up group. Mr. Shaw also has played with the likes of Muddy Waters and Freddie King in the real blues world. Arthur Lee Williams is a harp player from Tunica, Mississippi, and, besides leading his own group based out of St. Louis , Missouri, Mr. Williams has also played with the legendary Delta players Frank Frost and Sam Carr. His superb blues harp playing lends an authentic deep-south feel to the production.

Mabel John is excellent as the Ida Cox/Bessie Smith styled singer, Bertha Mae. Mabel John has had a incredible career as a recording artist for both the Motown and Stax labels. She was a Raelette back-up singer for Ray Charles twice. Mabel John at this time is a minister and gospel record producer in Los Angeles, California . She is the sister of the late, great Little Willie John. The part of Bertha Mae was to be played by the late, great Ruth Brown. Mabel John really does the part justice, and her old friend Ruth Brown would be proud! Keb Mo’ has a very cool part as a street musician who is blind, but sees the events taking place around him very clearly. The soundtrack is cool too.

“Honeydripper” won this year’s NAACP Image Award for best independent film, which it richly deserves. It will come to DVD June 24th 2008. Do yourself a favor and check out this soulful and heartfelt film. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed! For a more in depth look at John Sayles latest film go to: http://honeydripper-movie.com/

“The Chess Rhythm & Roll” 4 CD Boxed Set
I recently picked up a CD boxed set that I thought was out of print. “The Chess Rhythm & Roll” boxed set concentrates on the R&B and Rock and Roll from the great record label, Chess Records’ prime years of 1947 to 1967. Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Etta James are some of the well known artists on this excellent 99 song set! Many of the classic tunes are here, like Jackie Brenston’s “Rocket 88,” Dale Hawkin’s “Suzie Q,” “Ain’t Got No Home” by Clarence “Frogman” Henry, “See You Later Alligator” by Bobby Charles, and “High Heel Sneakers” by Tommy Tucker. Little Milton is here (he also recorded at Sun, Stax and Malaco. What output!), as well as Earl Hooker, Rosco Gordon, Jimmy Nelson, Jody Williams, T.V. Slim, Willie Mabon, Eddie Bo, and Clifton Chenier. The Four Tops are included, recording with Chess before super stardom on Motown Records. I found this boxed set at my favorite online record store, Blue Beat Music http://www.bluebeatmusic.com/ out of Santa Cruz California. “The Chess Rhythm & Roll” CD Boxed Set would be a great addition to anyone’s music collection. I know you’ll dig it.

Joe Turner 1944- 2008

Bassist Joe Turner passed away January 31st, 2008. A large man, who was known as Big Joe Turner, was a consummate bass man who played with some of the greats: B.B. King for five years, Albert King for seven years and Little Milton for four years. Mr. Turner also played with Gatemouth Brown, Issac Hayes, and Al Green. For many years Big Joe Turner led his own group, The Memphis Blues Caravan, touring Europe extensively. The big man always seemed to play the right parts for ever tune. He will be missed. “One of the greatest bass players I have had the pleasure to work with” said B.B. King. R.I.P., Joe Turner.

Left to right: Hi Tide Harris, BB King, Albert King, and Joe Turner. Kyoto (Japan) Blues Festival -1978.

Quote of the Month

” I never wanted to be famous, I just wanted to be great”- Ray Charles

Electric bassist John "Mr. Solid" Lee was born in Alaska and has been active in the Seattle blues scene for about 30 years. He currently plays with the Crossroads Band. Photo by Mike Coyote.

In the Pocket with Mr. Solid

By John Lee

"Doctors, Professors, Kings & Queens, The Big Ol’ Box of New Orleans" – 4 CD Boxed Set

It seems that every Christmas, I receive a number of cool music related gifts. Christmas 2007 was no exception. First off, I picked up a boxed set by way of a gift certificate - “Doctors, Professors, Kings, & Queens , The Big Ol’ Box Of New Orleans” is a very good overview of the many genres that make up the sounds of the Big Easy.

Many of the legends are represented like Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, Doctor John, The Neville Brothers, The Meters, and Irma Thomas. The brass bands, like The Dirty Dozen Brass Band are here, plus Cajun, Zydeco, Dixieland, Mardi Gras Indians and a good amount of classic New Orleans R&B, including Earl King, Aaron Neville, Ernie K. Doe, Huey “Piano” Smith, Clarence “Frogman” Henry, and Johnny Adams. Songs like “Sea Cruise” and “Tell It Like It Is” are included in this fine set. Allen Toussaint, probably New Orleans’ greatest songwriter of R&B, does his classic, “Southern Nights.” The newer generation is also represented, like Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Jon Cleary and his Absolute Monster Gentleman, Galactic, and The Radiators. This is a great introduction to the soulful gumbo of sounds that make up the influential music of New Orleans. There are 85 songs in all. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

Almost as cool as the music included in “The Big Ol’ Box of New Orleans” is the 88 page booklet that comes with it. Great photos of musicians, the French Quarter, Café Du Monde, and sections of The Big Easy, before the devastating affects of Hurricane Katrina are also included. Each of the eighty-five songs on this great set is given complete credits and a list of players and what recording it is taken from.

Things are improving in New Orleans , and this year’s Jazz and Heritage Festival is, from what I understand, up to eleven music stages for 2008. That is the number of stages before the devastating storm of August 2005. My great hope is The Big Easy will mostly recover and continue to give America and the world that great music, tasty food and incredible architecture that make it one of the most culturally important and soulful places anywhere on our planet. “Laissez les bon temp roulez” - Let the good times roll!!!!

“The Encyclopedia Of JAZZ & BLUES- Celebrating the lives of the greatest artists in jazz and blues history” - by Keith Shadwick

The other nice music related gift I received this holiday season was The “Encyclopedia of JAZZ & BLUES” by Keith Shadwick. The first section is Jazz and the second section is the blues. The giants of each style like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Ray Charles, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King and a host of others are given a two page spread with a picture, bio, and comments about styles and contributions, major records and vital info like what instrument and birth date, and, if it applies, date of death. All the other jazz and blues artists are given a half of a page with the same information but slightly more condensed. All bios include a portrait of each artist.

I disagree with some of Mister Shadwick’s categories. For instance, John Hammond, the contemporary country blues musician, is listed as a blues composer. Mr. Hammond is a great interrupter of Delta style blues, but I’m sure he’s written very few songs. Modern harmonica man James Harmon is listed, but The Fabulous Thunderbird’s Kim Wilson is not. Maybe the T-Birds’ flirtations with the pop charts leaves Mr. Wilson off the list? There might a few more glitches, but this is still a very cool and informative book. It’s very enjoyable to just reacquaint yourself with many of the great musicians you’ve been aware of for so many years. I would like to thank my extended family, Rolin and Norma Rapp in Aurora, Illinois for the encyclopedia, my best to both of them and their tribe.

There are hundreds of Jazz and Blues legends in this 448 page coffee table paperback (an Oceana book by Quantum Publishing Ltd. London, England Copyright 2001, revised & updated edition printed 2007). Check it out!

Francis Clay is dead.

The blues world lost a truly fine drummer recently who might have been over looked by the causal observer.

Francis Clay passed away January 23, 2008. Mister Clay was a consummate blues drummer who played with dozens of legendary musicians including George “Harmonica” Smith, organist “Brother” Jack McDuff, Sunnyland Slim, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and Jimmy Reed to name a few.

That’s Francis Clay on the highly acclaimed Muddy Waters’ album “Live at Newport.” When I saw Mr. Clay with the James Cotton Band (James Cotton-vocals and harp, Luther Tucker-guitar, Alberto Giaquinto-piano, Bobby Anderson-bass, and Francis Clay-drums) in 1967, it was the finest blues band I had ever seen at the time, and it still ranks right at the top of my list. Francis Clay was the main reason why that band cooked so hard. He was one hell of a drummer and the blues world has lost one of its great sidemen. Rest in Peace Francis Clay.

Francis Clay - 1923 to 2008. R.I.P

Quote of the Month

The legendary jazz orchestra leader, Count Basie said, “Of course there are a lot of ways you can treat the blues, but it will still be the blues.”

Check ya on the rebound!

Electric bassist John "Mr. Solid" Lee was born in Alaska and has been active in the Seattle blues scene for about 30 years. He currently plays with the Crossroads Band. Photo by Mike Coyote.

In the Pocket with Mr. Solid

By John Lee

"The B.B. King Treasures - Photos, Mementos & Music from B.B. King’s Collection" by B.B. King with Dick Waterman

To celebrate his 80th birthday, B.B. King recruited the famed blues photographer and former manager, Dick Waterman, to help him put together a book that spans the complete life and career of the man most people know as “King of the Blues." Dick Waterman managed the likes of Muddy Waters, Son House, Paul Butterfield, and Bonnie Raitt. This truly unique and delightful book is a great work that gives the blues fan a great understanding of Riley B. King’s long and soulful rise to the top of the blues world.

"Treasures" has an introduction and a epilogue, but the bulk of the book is four parts: Part One - "Indianola Mississippi Seeds," Part Two - "Beale Street Blues Boy," Part Three - "Paying the Cost To Be the Boss," and Part Four - "Blues Is King." The story of B.B.’s life and career takes him from the cotton fields of Mississippi , to his education on Memphis’ Beale Street, his arrival at America ’s mainstream, and then blues ambassador to the world.

This outstanding book also includes 12 removable artifacts and a 60 minute CD. The artifacts are recreations of posters, backstage passes, and tickets, etc. from different times in B.B.’s life and musical career. The CD is comprised of some unreleased musical selections and audio interviews spanning the years. One of the interviews is conducted by Seattle ’s own world class blues photographer, Jef Jaisun, in January of 1970 when Jef worked for the “underground” newspaper The Berkeley Barb. Good stuff!

I highly recommend "B.B King- Treasures" and, along with “Blues All Around Me,” the autobiography of B.B. King, co-written with David Ritz, you will be in the know about all things B.B. I’m sure you’ll dig it!

More Record Labels of Blues, R&B, and Soul

As I thought more about the history of recorded music in America and the important record labels of blues, R&B, and Soul, I figured a list of the top ten wasn’t enough. Here are a few more I think need to be mentioned, starting with the two record labels I had mentioned at the end of the last “In the Pocket” piece, Mercury and Okeh.

Here goes:

11. Mercury Records in Chicago Illinois . This label began as a pop recording company featuring the likes of Frankie Laine, Vic Damone, and Patti Page. This fine label had a large catalogue of superb jazz sides, and some top flight blues and R&B also! Two of their top artists on the R&B and blues side of things were Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson and Dinah Washington. They also recorded excellent sides for Johnny Otis and his Orchestra, Big Bill Broonzy, “St. Louis” Jimmy Oden, “ Memphis” Slim, and Sunnyland Slim to name a few. Seattle ’s own Ernestine Anderson also made some fine tunes for Mercury. For a good overview check out the 8 CD boxed set “The Mercury Blues and Rhythm Story." This stuff swings with the best!

12. Okeh Records founded in 1916 by a German named Otto Heinemann, recorded what many say is the first recorded blues tune, “Crazy Blues” by Mamie Smith in 1920. Okeh pressed early sides in the 40’s with the likes of Louis Armstrong, King Oliver and Duke Ellington to name a few. For many years the label recorded numerous sides featuring America's multiple nationalities like Greek, Polish, German, Italian, etc. The label began in New York City , then opened shop in Chicago also.

The label's talent scouts did a lot of traveling to record different artists in cities like Baltimore and New Orleans . From the R&B side of things, Okeh recorded some of the toughest honkin’ rhythm and blues around. Joe Williams (who later would become well known singing big band blues with Count Basie), Big Maybelle, Paul Gayten, Chuck Willis, Annie Laurie, Titus Turner, The Treniers, and “Screamin’ Jay Hawkins were some of the artists to make records for Okeh. Screamin’ Jay had the monster hit “I Put a Spell on You” for Okeh. I really dig a very obscure group that recorded for Okeh, Chris Powell and The Five Blue Flames. Check out the three disc set, "The Okeh Rhythm & Blues Story 1949-1957." This stuff is very, very cool. It’s a stone groove!

13. Cobra Records in Chicago , Illinois . Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, and Magic Sam made their first recordings for Cobra. I believe these sides helped define the modern blues guitar style. Led by the songwriting, arranging, and the playing of Willie Dixon, Cobra made some truly great recordings of blues and R&B from 1956 to 1958. Walter “Shakey” Horton, Sunnyland Slim, and Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm were some of the artists that made some very hip sides for Cobra. Check out the two CD boxed set: "The Cobra Records Story- Chicago Rock and Blues: 1956-1958." Short lived, but oh so nice!

14. Fire/Fury Records, New York City operated out of a Harlem record store by Bobby Robinson. Fire/Fury recorded some mighty fine sides with the likes Lightnin’ Hopkins, Elmore James (probably Elmore’s finest efforts), King Curtis, Bobby Marchan and Lee Dorsey from New Orleans, also Buster Brown and Titus Turner are some of the cool artists that made fine sides for this powerhouse small label. Wilbert Harrison recorded the R&B classic, “ Kansas City ” for Fire. Gladys Knight cut “Every Beat of My Heart”, written by Johnny Otis for Fire/Fury records before her super stardom with Motown Records. Check out the two CD boxed set: "The Fire/Fury Records Story." Great sounds!

15. Jewel/Paula Records grew out of Stan’s Record Shop in Shreveport , Louisiana , run by Stan Lewis and his wife Paula. Stan Lewis began recording southern artists for Chess, Imperial, and Specialty as a producer and A&R man.A very young Dale Hawkins was recorded by Mr. Lewis when he worked at Stan’s Record Shop. "Susie-Q" was a big hit on Chess in 1957.

In 1963 Stan Lewis started Jewel/Paula with such artists as the soul/blues of Ted Taylor and Little Johnny Taylor, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Toussaint McCall, and Memphis Slim recorded great sides for the label. Charles Brown, Sunnyland Slim, Lowell Fulsom, John Lee Hooker (is there any label Hooker didn’t record for?), Joe Turner, Peppermint Harris, and Roosevelt Sykes also made cool records for Stan Lewis’s dynamite southern independent! Check out the two CD boxed set: "The Jewel/Paula Records Story-The Blues, Rhythm and Blues and Soul Recordings." It’s a slice of obscure American music history.

16. Duke Records. The record label was formed in Memphis Tennessee in the year of our Lord 1952 by David J. Mathis and Bill Fitzgerald. In August 1952 nightclub owner, record store operator, talent manager, and Peacock Record label owner Don Robey bought Duke and by 1953 he moved the full operation to Houston ,Texas and the label became known as Duke/Peacock Records.

Don Robey’s Peacock label had a roster of Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Memphis Slim, Floyd Dixon and Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton (whose song on Peacock, "Hound Dog," would soon be covered by Elvis). Peacock also had a top-notch roster of gospel artists including The Dixie Hummingbirds and The Mighty Clouds of Joy. Duke’s top acts at the time of the merger were Johnny Ace and Roscoe Gordon. In the 1960’s Duke made excellent recordings by Bobby “Blue” Bland and Junior Parker. May 23rd, 1973 Don Robey sold Duke/Peacock records to ABC-Dunhill. Mr. Robey stayed on as a consultant with ABC until his death June 16, 1975.

17. Excello Records in Nashville, Tennessee. Even though Excello was in country music’s capitol of Nashville , Excello was the home of the swamp blues of 1950’s and 1960’s Louisiana . Slim Harpo, Lightnin’ Slim, Lazy Lester, Lonesome Sundown, Silas Hogan, and Arthur Gunter all recorded for Excello. The Rolling Stones covered Slim Harpo’s “I’am a King Bee”. A very cool label for sure.

18. Ace Records out of Jackson , Mississippi . Run by the former Specialty Records producer, Johnny Vincent. From 1953 to 1963 Ace had a great blues and R&B roster that included Huey “Piano” Smith, Earl King, Joe Tex, Jimmy Clanton, Frankie Ford, Frankie Lee Sims and Dr. John(the stage name of Mac Rebennack). Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) made his early sides for Ace. Elmore James also recorded for Ace. A very small label, but so much to give!

19. Malaco Records - Jackson, Mississippi . Started in the 1970’s to help promote true soul music, Malaco over the last three and half decades has had a roster of recording artists that reads like a who’s who of black American music in the last part of the twentieth century! Bobby Bland, Latimore, Z.Z. Hill, Dorothy Moore, Tyrone Davis, King Floyd, Little Milton, Denise LaSalle, Shirley Brown and the great Johnny Taylor are some of the cool artists to have come thru Malaco. This label has single handedly kept soul and soul-blues alive to this day. Hats off to southern soul! Check out the Malaco Records six disc boxed set: "The Last Soul Company-A 30 Year Retrospective." Shake it on down!

The top ten list turned into a list of nineteen! The more I thought about it and the more research I did, the list just kept growing. I think this final list is a pretty good summary. If anyone has any additions please let me know and I will give mention at a future date.

Atlas Jazz Explosion CD

For my birthday in 2007 my good friend Charlene Grant gave me a fabulous CD of honkin’ saxophone driven sides from the Atlas Record label, titled "Atlas Jazz Explosion." The liner notes begin by saying, "During the 1950’s the boundary between Jazz and Rhythm and Blues was sometimes a blurry one." A large portion of this compilation is two saxophonists, Jackie Kelso and Charlie Singleton. Jackie Kelso was a member of Roy Milton’s Solid Senders and The Johnny Otis Band does eleven tunes to start the CD. Charlie Singleton closes out the CD with nine numbers.

In between are three tunes by pianist Freddy Washington, featuring two with vocalist June Davis. Two numbers are from drummer Harold Austin and band, including "Jesse’s Idea Part 1" and "Jesse’s Idea Part 2." This is a very cool set of tunes by an obscure but a very proficient group of players. If you dig either swing jazz or honkin’ R&B, I thing you’ll dig "Atlas Jazz Explosion"!

Mavis Staples - "We’ll Never Turn Back" CD

Mavis Staples is legendary for her vocal work with her family group, The Staple Singers, crossing over from the gospel world to garner hits on the top 40 charts in the 1970’s on Stax Records. "We’ll Never Turn Back" is stone gospel music done in a roots style, very much like the recent recordings by The Blind Boys of Alabama. This very fine CD begins with bluesman J.B. Lenoir’s haunting “Down in Mississippi ." It also includes the traditional songs “We Shall Not Be Moved”, “This Little Light of Mine” and “Jesus Is on The Main Line.” There are twelve tunes in all.

Ry Cooder leads an excellent group of musicians, including the fine drumming of Jim Keltner for this soulful recording. Mr. Cooder also was the producer for this spirit-filled venture. If you dig The Staple Singers or traditional gospel music, I’am sure you’ll dig Mavis Staples latest album. I won this cool CD in a random drawing from the very hip internet radio station http://www.allmemphismusic.com/.

Ike Turner is Dead

The great Ike Turner passed away December 12, 2007. It is unfair that one of the only things that people remember is that Ike Turner had at one period in his life physically abused Tina Turner. Ike was a human, and, like us all, made mistakes.

Musically, his impact on the American sound can not be denied. He recorded what many consider the first rock and roll song, "Rocket 88" (as Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats) at the legendary Sun Studio. Around that time Ike also recorded with Howlin’ Wolf, Elmore James, and B.B. King. That’s Mr. Turner on piano for B.B.’s first hit “3 O’Clock Blues.” Throughout the '50s Ike led one of the toughest R&B bands in the land, Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm, mostly playing guitar. He also played piano on many of Otis Rush and Buddy Guy’s Cobra sides.

Then of course the legendary Ike and Tina Turner Revue brought world-wide super stardom for Ike and wife Tina. For many years Ike Turner used cocaine to deal with life on the road. It became a problem and he eventually was busted and he served time in the late 1980’s. After his release from prison Mr. Turner began playing and touring again. His last CD “Risen with the Blues” garnered him a Grammy in 2007 in the traditional blues category. Ike Turner was a major force in shaping R&B and soul music. He will be missed.

Ike Turner - 1931 to 2007. RIP

Quote of the Month

Scotty Moore, the great guitar player on the early Elvis Presley sides on Sun Records was being interviewed in front of a live audience in the late 90’s and was asked what it was like to play with the King. Mr. Moore said “I’ve always told people I played in a band directed by an ass.” The crowd broke out in laughter, but Scotty Moore was quick to reply, “You don’t understand. In those days we had no monitors on stage. So the only way I knew where we were in the song was to watch Elvis’ ass keepin’ time.”

I would like to wish everyone a very happy New Year, and all the best in 2008. I would especially like to wish the best and my heart-felt thanks to my long time friend Mike Lynch, who is also the Editor in Chief of this great blog, Jet City Blues. Thanks for everything big guy! Check ya all on the rebound!

Electric bassist John "Mr. Solid" Lee was born in Alaska and has been active in the Seattle blues scene for about 30 years. He currently plays with the Crossroads Band. Photo by Mike Coyote.

In the Pocket with Mr. Solid

By John Lee

The Top Ten Record Labels of Blues, R&B, and Soul

I have many times thought about which American record labels have had the greatest influence on the Blues, Rhythm and Blues and Soul music of the post World War Two era. I’m going to lay on you my opinion of which labels are the most important, along with some of the dynamic and important artists each one brought to the party!

1. Chess Records - This Chicago label is possibly the most important of them all. Two artists that made their greatest sides for Chess, and helped influence American music to a very large degree are Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry. Chess was also home to many of the finest blues and R&B recording artists of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Etta James, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter Jacobs, Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), and Bo Diddley all made their finest recordings for Chess Records. Buddy Guy, Elmore James, John Lee Hooker, and many others made excellent records for Chess. For a great overview of the blues and rhythm and blues sides check out the "Chess Blues" and the "Chess Rhythm and Roll" box sets. They both are a stone groove!

2. Atlantic Records in New York City launched into stardom two of the greatest artists of R&B and Soul, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles. They also had a roster of music giants like Ruth Brown, Wilson Pickett, The Drifters, The Coasters, Ben E. King, The Clovers, Joe Tex and Solomon Burke to name just some of the greats in the east coast labels stable. Check out the "Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1947-1974" box set. There are eight CD’s, and 203 selections in all. It’s a weekend dance party for sure!

3. Stax Records in Memphis , Tennessee is celebrating 50 years in 2007. With a roster that includes Otis Redding, The Staple Singers, Eddie Floyd, William Bell, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Booker T. and the MG’s, Sam and Dave, Albert King and the superstar Issac Hayes. This southern soul label helped change pop music for the best. With a great group of in house studio musicians, Booker T. and the MG’s ( Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn and Al Jackson), along with the Memphis Horns and great songwriters like David Porter, Issac Hayes, and William Bell, Stax produced some of the finest music America had to offer in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Check out the Stax box sets or the two CD 50th anniversary set. You will dig them for sure. Stax has resurrected the label with the great Issac Hayes as the first artist on the “new school” version of Stax.

4. Motown Records brought black soul music deep into the American mainstream and made superstars out of Diana Ross and The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, and Marvin Gaye to name some of the biggest stars. John Lennon of The Beatles called Smokey Robinson America’s greatest poet. This Detroit record company changed pop music in the U.S. for sure. Check out "Hitsville USA -The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971" box set for 104 of Motown’s greatest sides!

5. King Records, located in Cincinnati , Ohio . One name tells of this record company’s importance: James Brown! Besides the Godfather of Soul, King had Roy Brown, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, Little Willie John, Wynonie Harris, and Freddie King to name a few. This label started out in the late 1940’s as a country label, but soon became a top flight purveyor of hard edged R&B. Do your self a favor and pick-up "The King R&B Box Set." It’s a mighty good time. I know you’ll dig it!

6. Specialty Records based in Los Angeles . This great R&B label produced Little Richard's best recordings that were made in New Orleans , with some of the finest musicians of the 1950’s (like drummer Earl Palmer). The record company also made top-notch recordings with Larry Williams, whose songs "Slow Down," "Bad Boy," and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" were covered by the Beatles. Specialty’s roster also included dynamic recordings by Jimmy Liggins, Joe Liggins, Roy Milton, Don and Dewey, and the master blues lyricist, Percy Mayfield, to name a few. Sam Cooke did his first recordings on Specialty with the gospel group, The Soul Stirrers. Lou Rawls was also featured on the label with the Chosen Gospel Singers. Before the Meters and the Neville Brothers, Art Neville did some fine tunes for Specialty. Check out the five disk boxed set, "The Specialty Story." It is a must for the honkin’ R&B fan.

7. Sun Records out of Memphis, Tennessee. Before Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis, owner Sam Phillips recorded the likes of B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Milton, James Cotton, Junior Parker, Rufus Thomas, and Ike Turner. Many of these artists were recorded at Sun Studios, but the recordings were leased to other labels. "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and the His Delta Cats (essentially Ike Turner’s group) was turned over to Chess records. Many consider Rocket 88 to be the first Rock and Roll song. After many of the Sun Studio recordings became solid sellers for other labels, Sam Phillips began to press records on his own Sun Records label, sold Elvis’s contract, and then he pushed along the career of Jerry Lee Lewis. The Sun Studio is still active today, with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Ringo Starr and the Stray Cats recording tunes there recently. Check out the three disc box set of classic Sun studio material titled "The Sun Records Collection."

8. Hi Records, in Memphis again! Producer Willie Mitchell brought the world great soul and rhythm and blues recordings from the likes of Al Green, Ann Peebles, Syl Johnson and Otis Clay. Al Green had hit after hit for the label. Hi began with Bill Black’s Combo and saxman Ace Cannon instrumentals. Hi Records then moved into the realm of deep R&B and Soul. Very similar in its structure as its Memphis brother, Stax, with a great studio nucleus comprised of Teenie Hodges on guitar, brother Charles on organ, and brother bassist LeRoy and drummer Howard Grimes simply called Hi Rhythm. This stuff is sweet soul music at its best! Check out the three disc set Hi Times, "The Hi Records R&B Years." This set is a great overview of the Hi Records story.

9. Vee Jay Records in Chicago. Jimmy Reed had numerous hits on Vee Jay. John Lee Hooker recorded some very influential sides here. The Spaniels, Jerry Butler, early Gladys Knight and the Pips, Gene Chandler, and Elmore James are just some of the great R&B artists that graced this Midwest label. Check out the three disc boxed set, "Vee Jay 40 Years of Classis Hits 1953- 1993!"

Jimmy Reed

10. Swing Time Records, based in Los Angeles is the dark horse on my list. This fine, but short-lived label was the first record home for Ray Charles in 1950. Lowell Fulson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Big Joe Turner, Charles Brown, and others made great sides for Swing Time. Check out the two disc boxed set, "The Swing Time Records Story: R&B, Blues & Gospel 1946-1952. "

There were other important record labels that helped spread the R&B gospel, like Mercury and Okeh to name two. The order I listed the record companies is in no way meant to make one labels significance more important than another. This list is most definitely one person’s opinion and should not to be etched in stone, but blues, R&B, and soul are all meat from the same bone!

At a later date I’ll talk about early blues music and the labels that were the most important and influential. Until then, keep the faith and always stay on the good foot!

"Dreams to Remember- The Legacy Of Otis Redding" DVD

John Firman (aka Johnny Nocturne) sent me a very cool DVD about the life and music of the late, great Otis Redding. John Firman, my cohort in the group The 3J’s, sent this nice film along to me because he knows how much I dig Otis Redding! Interspersed with interviews and performance film clips, the DVD gives a great insight into what made up Otis Redding the artist and Otis Redding, the man.

The film has extensive interviews with Otis’ wife, Zelma Redding (who also produced the DVD), Stax records founder Jim Stewart, daughter Korla Redding Andrews, Memphis Horns trumpet player Wayne Jackson, and long time collaborator and guitarist Steve Cropper. These interviews really convey Otis Redding’s great humanity, drive, energy, and artistry. There are forty minutes of interviews in all. A few interviews with Otis himself are also included, one being conducted by Dick Clark on American Bandstand.

The DVD also includes sixteen performances throughout Europe and America . Some of the performance clips are on television shows like Where the Action Is, Hollywood A Go-Go, and The Beat. These clips use lip-synch, and Otis doesn’t appear to be very comfortable with this TV approach. The live clips in Europe and at the Monterey Pop Festival with The Stax/Volt Review show him with microphone in hand and at his soulful best.

It has been forty years since Otis Redding’s death in an airplane crash at the young age of 26. He was just reaching his creative peak when he was taken from us. I am sure he would have gotten better had he been given “Just One More Day.” I know you will dig "Dreams to Remember- The Legacy of Otis Redding."

Quote of the Month

R&B stands for Rhythm and Blues. When John Firmin (Johnny Nocturne), saxophonist and leader of The Johnny Nocturne Band, and also a member of The David Bromberg Band and the 3J’s refers to the category known as modern R&B, he says “ I understand the rhythm part, but were in the hell is the blues?” Amen brother!

Electric bassist John "Mr. Solid" Lee was born in Alaska and has been active in the Seattle blues scene for about 30 years. He currently plays with the Crossroads Band. Photo by Mike Coyote.