I've been diggin into my LP's of Blind Willie Johnson, Son House and of course Robert Johnson lately. I think listening to the latest Ry Cooder disc - "Pull up Some Dust and Sit Down" gave me a taste for some old blues and man I've been diggin it! Here's a little taste of my favorite re-discovery - Blind Willie Johnson

It's Friday and while BofA wants more of your money, folks are Occupying Wallstreet and Greece is agreeing to buy more German beer, there are plenty of bright spots out there for those about to fUnk!

Yes!  George Porter Jr., one of the ORIGINATORS, the fUnky four THE METERS - has a new CD! 

 "Can't Beat the Funk"  Head on over to our friends at homegrown music to pick it up - put your money to good use!

http://www.homegrownmusic.net/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=HGMN&Product_Code=GPorter2&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

Yes times are tough shit seems outta whack and when the world gets me weary, I put on some music to soothe my soul.  John Lee Hooker had it right - music is the healer.

So I picked up the new Ry Cooder LP - on vinyl and it is a healer. Every song speaks to the world we find ourselves in today - economies going crazy, politicians doing nothing but bickering, bankers getting fat and regular folks struggling. 

Somehow as Ry sings about it and the grooves roll alternating between low down blues and mariachi and R&B, somehow it just doesn't seem as bad.

My favorite track - "John Lee Hooker for President" - an imagined scenario of John Lee Hooker running for President and giving every man and every woman one scotch one bourbon and one beer! Three times a day!  Oh yes this is the voice of a blues prophet!

Here's to finding the music that soothes and inspires - cast your vote for Ry Cooder!

 http://www.nonesuch.com/albums/pull-up-some-dust-and-sit-down

I first met B.B. King in the '70's as I sat in front of the TV watching Sanford and Son. 

http://youtu.be/mTMNKrdwfGE

Growing up in the cultural mecca of Bloomington, Illinois I wasn't exposed to blues or jazz music on the radio or in my parents record collection, but through the magic of TV - I discovered the best the blues had to offer, B.B. King!  Thus my journey began.

I next encountered Mr. King in 1981 on the back of flatbead truck at the Champaign County Fairgrounds.  B.B. and Bobby Blue Bland were playing a benefit for the Heart Association and I drove my dad's truck (true story) 60 miles to sit in the bleachers and see in the flesh the REAL deal - the stuff I had been listening to on "Live at the Regal", "Live in Cook County Jail" and "Together Again.. Bobby Blue Bland and B.B. King".  Seeing your idol a larger than life icon in your mind, for the first time can be inspring, uplifting or alternately dissapointing.  Well B.B. King does not have a bad show in him - this was amazing and further inspired me down the path of "how does he do that???"

Since those first two encounters I've had the pleasure of seeing B.B. perform about a dozen times and on one occasion - 1984 at the Park West in Chicago, I sat close enough to the stage to actually shake his hand after the show!!!  I've introduced my son, my daughter, my life partner and anyone I can to the beauty and joy that is B.B. King's musical expression. 

So today on his 86th birthday let's all raise a glass to a man who gives joy when he sings the blues - the one the only King of The Blues, The Man - B.B. KING!!

The long process of listening, tweaking, balancing and doing it all over again is almost done!  Don't get me wrong - it's a BLAST to hear a song come alive - to tweak the horn mix so it's just sweet enough, just fat enough, just fOnky enough, BUT, man it's work!

The whole recording experience is so detail oriented and such a different experience and skill set from PLAYING music.  I mean - you play a gig, the feedback, the experience, the joy, the reward of music is instantaneous! Make a record - man it takes a while to get the goods!!

Allright that's nuff for now.  Back to the ever-evolving pursuit of the fOnk...