Playlist: April 25, 2012

The Plāto'nes, Cult Leader Blues
     Sun 4/29 @ The Marsh Berkeley: Philosophy Talk Live
Quinn DeVeaux & The Blue Beat Review, Packin' Up
     Fri 4/27 @ Bottom of the Hill
Wendy DeWitt, Jungle Boogie
Lara Price,  Voodoo Woman
Xandra Corpora, Thank You (in-studio)
     Fri 4/27 @ College of San Mateo Theatre: Ladies of the Blues

Special in-studio guests: Go Van Gogh

     Fri 4/27 @ Vitus

Go Van Gogh, Uncle Fester (in-studio)
Go Van Gogh, Hollywood 20 (in-studio)
Go Van Gogh, Romeo's Lament (in-studio)
Wganda Kenya, El Lobo
Go Van Gogh, Thirteen (in-studio)
Go Van Gogh, Sirens (in-studio)
Roger & The Gypsies, Pass The Hatchet

3rd Annual Left-Hand-a-thon

Albert King, Watermelon Man / Why You Treat Me So Mean
Otis Rush, Right Place, Wrong Time
Lefty Dizz, R.M. Blues
Johnny Jenkins, Help Me to Understand
Phil Guy, Last Time
Trampled Under Foot, Get It Straight
Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, The Victor
Elizabeth Cotten, Oh Babe It Ain't No Lie
Jimi Hendrix Experience, Sunshine Of Your Love (live)

Playlist: April 18, 2012

Curtis Salgado, A Woman Or The Blues
     from the new album Soul Shot
     Thu 4/19 @ Biscuits and Blues
California Honeydrops, Pardon Me Love (live)
     from the new album Honeydrops Live
     Sat 4/21 @ Monroe Hall
Mr. Lonesome & The Bluebelles, Too Much of a Little Bit
     Fri 4/20 @ Cafe Bravado
Go Van Gogh, Romeo's Lament
     Thu 4/19 @ Roots Division
     Wed 4/25 on Fog City Blues

Special in-studio guests: Carolina Chocolate Drops

Boodle-De-Bum-Bum (in-studio)
West End Blues
Country Girl
Kerr's Negro Jig (Full Band Version)
Snowden's Jig [Genuine Negro Jig]
Mahalla
Daughter's Lament
George Jackson
     from the new album Leaving Eden (Deluxe Version)

Chocolate Drops 4/18 and the FCB Five-Year Revue 5/17

I'm in Oregon, about to put on Philosophy Talk live on three college campuses on three consecutive nights -- what we've dubbed the "Have Thought, Will Travel: Oregon Trail 2012 Tour." But I digress.

What I'm really excited about is this week's Fog City Blues. Since I'm away, it'll be a pre-recorded program I produced after interviewing one of my favorite groups of late, the Carolina Chocolate Drops -- a multi-instrumental string band blending old and new in some seriously infectious ways.

Fun fact: one member of the band and I share an alma mater in Oberlin College (along with a couple of members of our own California Honeydrops -- what's up with Obies and their band names?). In any case, the Chocolate Drops played a couple of their bluesier tunes live in the studio (one of which we played on the air last week), talked about some other songs on their new album Leaving Eden, and generally made it a terrific way (for me) to spend a Sunday morning in between their Bay Area gigs. Tune in Wednesday at 9pm to hear the band and their music, or check it out after the broadcast at KALW's Local Music Player.

Speaking of local music, earlier this year the program celebrated five years on the air, and next month we're taking that anniversary to the stage. On Thursday May 17 it's a Fog City Blues 5th Anniversary Revue at Viracocha in San Francisco, featuring live music form some great friends of the show: Tin Cup Serenade, Panique Gypsy Jazz, and the Quinn DeVeaux Trio.

 

This is a kind of event I've been thinking about for some time (the initial spark coming from my wife Andrea). It's a great way to bring the show out from behind the radio microphone. Local Bay Area musicians have been a major inspiration in putting together the show each week, not least when they come perform live on the air -- a pure privilege for me to enjoy from right across the control board. So I hope you and yours will join us at a great San Francisco venue for an evening of some of the best Fog City Blues.

Playlist: April 11, 2012

Carolina Chocolate Drops, You Be Illin'
Carolina Chocolate Drops, No Man's Mama (in-studio)
     Wed 4/18 on Fog City Blues
Taj Mahal & Etta Baker, Railroad Bill
     Fri 4/13 @ Montalvo Arts Center
Quinn DeVeaux & The Blue Beat Review, Tiger In Your Tank
     Sat 4/14 @ The Starry Plough
Bombino, Ahoulaguine Akaline (I Greet My Country)
     Tue 4/17 @ New Parish
     Wed 4/18 @ Kuumbwa Jazz

Special in-studio guest: Saul Kaye

Mi Chamocha
Sea of Reeds (in-studio)
Kol Han'shamah (in-studio)
Blessed Be The Name
Can't Be Satisfied / Two Wolves (in-studio)
Adon Olam
     from the new album Jewish Blues Vol.III: T'filah!

Jimi Hendrix Experience, Tax Free (live)

Junior Parker, Taxman
Eddy Clearwater, I.R.S. Man

Robert Cray Band, 1040 Blues

J.B. Lenoir, Tax Payin' Blues
Fiddlin' John Carson, Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All

Mance Lipscomb, The Titanic
John Brim, Humming Blues
Hound Dog Taylor, Ain't Got Nobody
Lester Chambers, Rent Me
Herbie Hancock, Head Hunters
Louis Armstrong, Go Down Moses

Playlist: April 4, 2012

Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks, You Gotta Believe (live)
     Fri 4/06 @ Davies Symphony Hall: 70th Birthday Bash
California Honeydrops, Pumpkin Pie (live)
     Fri 4/06 @ New Parish
     Sat 4/07 @ Moe's Alley
Carolina Chocolate Drops, Boodle-De-Bum-Bum
     Sat 4/07 @ Slim's
     Sun 4/08 @ Mystic Theatre
Saul Kaye, Adon Olam
     Thu 4/05 @ Blue Water Bistro
     Sat 4/07 @ B'nai Israel Jewish Center
     Wed 4/11 on Fog City Blues

Special in-studio guests: Amber Gougis & Karina Denike

    Sat 4/07 @ Viracocha: The Immortal Billie Holiday

Billie Holiday, What A Little Moonlight Can Do
Amber Gougis, I've Got A Right To Sing The Blues (in-studio)
Karina Denike, Until The Real Thing Comes Along (in-studio)
Amber Gougis, Gone With The Wind (in-studio)
Karina Denike, You Go To My Head (in-studio)
Amber Gougis, Let Me Love You (in-studio)
Karina Denike, Twenty-Four Hours A Day (in-studio)
Billie Holiday, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Muddy Waters, I Can't Be Satisfied
Muddy Waters, I Be's Troubled
R.L. Burnside, I Be Troubled
Guy Davis, Can't Be Satisfied
Jeffrey Wright, I Can't Be Satisfied
The Rolling Stones, I Can't Be Satisfied

Muddy Waters, Let's Spend The Night Together
Muddy Waters, Kind Hearted Woman
Muddy Waters, Smokestack Lightnin'
Muddy Waters, Good Morning Little School Girl
Muddy Waters, Southbound Train
Big Bill Morganfield, Born Lover
Mud Morganfield, You Can't Lose What You Never Had
Muddy Waters, Got My Mojo Working (live)
Otis Spann, Blues For Martin Luther King