Playlist: January 22, 2014

Bayonics, Sing a Simple Song
     from the new album UnderCover Presents Sly & The Family Stone's "Stand!"
Quinn DeVeaux & The Blue Beat Review, Highway 61 Revisited
     Sat 1/25 @ Armando's
     Sun 1/26 @ B-Side BBQ
Bill Frisell, A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (live)
     Thu-Sun 1/23-26 @ SFJazz Center

Special in-studio guests: Aki Kumar, Jon Lawton & Vance Ehlers

     Sun 1/26 @ Little Lou's BBQ: Kim Wilson with The Bay Area Blues All-Stars

Worried All Night Long (in-studio)
She Don't Want Me No More (in-studio)
Runnin' Blue (in-studio)
Hoochie Coochie Coo
Blue Baby (in-studio)
Let Me Get Closer
Freight Train (in-studio)
Ajeeb Daastaan
     from the forthcoming album Don't Hold Back

Bill Frisell, A Change Is Gonna Come (live)
Sam Cooke, A Change Is Gonna Come
Hot Club of Cowtown, Dark Eyes (Ochi Chornye)
     Thu 1/23 @ Freight & Salvage
George Cole Quintet, Ridin' to the Poorhouse
     Sun 1/26 @ Freight & Salvage
Beso Negro, World of Warcraft
     Sat 1/25 @ Hopmonk Tavern
Ralph Carney's Serious Jass Project, Gypsy Without A Song
     Wed 1/29 @ The Chapel
Matt Montgomery with Awesöme Orchestra Collective, Though I Try
     Sun 1/26 @ Malonga Casquelord Center for the Arts
Ron Hacker, Champagne and Reefer
     Sat 1/25 @ The Saloon
Ann Cole, Got My Mojo Working
Etta James, The Wallflower (Dance With Me Henry)

Playlist: January 15, 2014

Zakiya Harris, I Want To Take You Higher
Marcus Shelby, Somebody's Watching You
     Fri-Sun 1/17-19 @ The Independent: UnderCover Presents Sly & The Family Stone's "Stand!"

Syl Johnson, Come Together

     Thu-Sat 1/16-18 @ Biscuits and Blues

Booker T Jones, Crazy
     Fri 1/17 @ Yoshi's Oakland

The Brat Pack, Jailhouse Blues
Sugar Pie DeSanto, Blues Hall of Fame
     Sun 1/19 @ Biscuits and Blues
Shovelman, 60 Watt Bulb
     Fri-Sat 1/17-18 @ Regency Ballroom
Beso Negro, Grow
     Fri 1/17 @ Regency Ballroom
     Sat 1/18 @ Smiley's
Go Van Gogh, Cassie's Bubble
     Sat 1/18 @ Revolution Cafe
Frank Bey & Anthony Paule, Still Called The Blues
     Sat 1/18 @ Poor House Bistro
Little Jonny & The Giants, Aki Daki Stomp
     Aki Kumar 1/22 on Fog City Blues

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, There Ain't No Santa Claus On The Evenin' Stage
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, Trout Mask Replica
Ornette Coleman, Invisible
Bo Diddley, Diddy Wah Diddy
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, China Pig

Mississippi Fred McDowell, 61 Highway
Robert Wilkins, That's No Way To Get Along
Long John Baldry, I Love Paris
Eartha Kitt, C'est Si Bon
Ruth Brown, Mambo Baby
Allen Toussaint, St. James Infirmary
Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Lord You Sure Been Good To Me
Jay McShann, Kansas City
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Hootie Blues

Playlist: January 8, 2014

Sonny Boy Williamson, Nine Below Zero
Mark Hummel, Love In Vain
     Thu-Sun 1/09-12 @ SFJazz Center: Blues Harmonica Blowout Tribute to Sonny Boy Williamson

Special in-studio guests: Lyz Luke, David Möschler et al.

     Fri-Sun 1/17-19 @ The Independent: UnderCover Presents Sly & The Family Stone's "Stand!"

Sly & The Family Stone, Stand!
Awesöme Orchestra Collective, Stand!
Tumbleweed Wanderers, Everyday People
Con Brio, Sex Machine
Jazz Mafia's Subharmonic, You Can Make It If You Try
Sly & The Family Stone, I Want To Take You Higher

Elvis Presley, Medley: Nothingville/Big Boss Man/Guitar Man
Tampa Red, Turpentine Blues
Wilbert Harrison, Let's Stick Together
Slim Harpo, Te Ni Nee Ni Nu
Cyril Neville, Magic Honey
Wild Tchoupitoulas, Hey Hey (Indians Comin')
Curtis Salgado, He Played His Harmonica
     Thu-Sun 1/09-12 @ SFJazz Center
Quinn DeVeaux, BFF
     Mon 1/13 @ Osteria: Acoustic Bistro
Little Jonny & The Giants, I Wish You Would Love Me
     Fri 1/10 @ Poor House Bistro
     Wed 1/15 @ The Saloon
Mighty Mike Schermer, Keep Reachin' For The Top
     Fri 1/10 @ Mojo Lounge
     Sun 1/12 @ Half Moon Bay Brewing Company
Toronzo Cannon, Big Ray Bop
     Thu-Fri 1/09-10 @ Biscuits and Blues

Playlist: January 1, 2014

Johnny Otis Orchestra, Happy New Year Baby
Lonnie Johnson, Happy New Year Darling
Roy Milton Solid Senders, New Year's Resolution Blues
Lil Son Jackson, New Year's Resolution
Sonny Boy Williamson, Sonny Boy's Christmas Blues

Special in-studio guest: Mark Hummel

     Thu-Sun 1/09-12 @ SFJazz Center: Blues Harmonica Blowout Tribute to Sonny Boy Williamson

Sonny Boy Williamson, One Way Out
Mark Hummel, I Wonder Why
John Mayall, Another Man
Sonny Boy Williamson, Don't Kill Me (ilve)
Rick Estrin, Gettin' Out of Town (live)
Mark Hummel, Stop Now Baby
Sonny Boy Williamson, Checkin' Up On My Baby
Mark Hummel, Blue Light
Sonny Boy Williamson, Stop Now Baby

Best of 2013 in-studio

Ron Thompson & Mark Hummel, Where Can You Be (in-studio)
Brass Menažeri, Oliverov Čoček (in-studio)
Shoestring Trio, Puttin' On the Ritz (in-studio)
Tin Cup Serenade, Money Is King (in-studio)
Bhi Bhiman, Naive Melody (in-studio)
Whiskerman, Amen (in-studio)
Karina Denike, Boxing Glove (in-studio)
Con Brio, Give It All (in-studio)
Mack Blackman, The Pearls (in-studio)
Wendy DeWitt, Summertime (in-studio)
The Hound Kings, Recession Blues (in-studio)
Slim Jenkins, Rein It Back (in-studio)

Playlist: December 25, 2013

Vince Guaraldi Trio, A Charlie Brown Christmas
Beso Negro, Scrambled Eggs
     from the new album Burn It Down
     Sat 12/28 @ The New Parish
Howell Devine, Boat's Up The River
     Sat 12/28 @ Speisekammer
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Winter Wonderland
     Sun 12/29 Biscuits and Blues

California Honeydrops, Cry For Me (live)
     Tue 12/31 @ Yoshi's San Francisco
Slim Jenkins, Devil's Angel
     Tue 12/31 @ Cafe du Nord
Quinn DeVeaux, Weight
     from the new album Late Night Drive
     Tue 12/31 @ Bimbo's 365 Club
Joe Louis Walker, I'm On To You
     Sun 12/29 @ Powerhouse Pub
     Tue 12/31 @ Biscuits and Blues
Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, The Devil You Know
     from the forthcoming album The Devil You Know
     Fri 12/27 @ Club Fox
     Tue 12/31 @ Empress Theatre
Junk Parlor, Cojek Majstore
     Sat 12/28 @ Hotel Utah Saloon
     Tue 12/31 @ Throckmorton Theatre
Inspector Gadje, Romani Dream (live)
     Tue 12/31 @ Ashkenaz
Calexico, Algiers
     Tue 12/31 @ The Fillmore
Wendy DeWitt, San Francisco
     Sat 12/28 @ Marin County Farmer's Market
     Tue 12/31 @ Main Street Station
The Orioles, What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

The Ramones, Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight)
Bob Dylan, The Christmas Blues
Sammy Davis Jr, It's Christmas All Over The World
Larry Harlow, El Dia de la Navidad
Ray Brenner and Barry E. Blitzer, The Problem

Bhi Bhiman, White Christmas
Rev. A. W. Nix, Begin a New Life on Christmas Day
Rev. Edward Clayborn, The Wrong Way to Celebrate Xmas
Rev. Emmett Dickinson, Christmas - What Does It Mean To You?
Walter Davis, Santa Claus Blues
Roosevelt Sykes, Let Me Hang My Stocking in Your Christmas Tree
The Beatles, Pantomime - Everywhere It's Christmas
Bob & Doug McKenzie, Twelve Days of Christmas

Playlist: December 18, 2013

California Honeydrops, Baby Boy's Blues
     Mon 12/23 @ ClouD 9
Junk Parlor, Si Tu Savais
     Sat 12/21 @ Old Western Saloon
Hot Club of San Francisco, Don Rodolfo
     Thu 12/19 @ Napa Valley Opera House
Christmas Jug Band, Lonesome Reindeer Blues
     Fri-Sat 12/20-21 @ Sweetwater Music Hall

Special in-studio guests: Lavay Smith & Chris Siebert

     Thu 12/20 @ SFJazz Center: The Magic of Duke Ellington

Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
Ella Fitzgerald, Caravan
Ella Fitzgerald, Bli-Blip
Johnny Hodges & His Orchestra, That's The Blues, Old Man
Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra, Kissing Bug
The Harlem Footwarmers, Rockin' In Rhythm
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues

Professor Longhair, Tipitina
James Booker, Professor Longhair Medley: Tipitina / Bald Head
Mark Hummel, Blue And Lonesome
     Wed 1/01 on Fog City Blues
Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers, Almighty Dollar
     Sat 12/20-21 @ Biscuits and Blues
Charlie Musselwhite, It Ain't Right (live)
     from the new album Juke Joint Chapel
Mike Bloomfield, Santana Clause (live)
     from the forthcoming box set From His Head to His Heart to His Hands
Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Nut Popper #1
Elvin Bishop, Dyin' Flu (live)
     Sat 12/21 @ Club Fox
Kim Nalley, Silent Night
     Sun 12/22 @ Biscuits and Blues

Playlist: December 11, 2013

Blind Boys of Alabama, Every Grain Of Sand
     Thu 12/12 @ Montalvo Arts Center
     Fri 12/13 @ Mondavi Center
     Sat 12/14 @ Uptown Theatre
California Honeydrops, I Found A Love
     Thu 12/12 @ Fulton 55

Special in-studio guest: Saul Kaye

Tzaddik Katamar (in-studio)
Lecha Dodi (in-studio)
Mizmor Shir L'Yom HaShabbat (in-studio)
Ana B'Koach
Walking in the Light / Mi Chamocha
Open the Gates (in-studio)
Shalom Aleichem
     from the new album Kabbalat Shabbat

Playlist: November 27, 2013

Michael Bloomfield, I'm Glad I'm Jewish
     from the forthcoming box set From His Head to His Heart to His Hands
Saul Kaye, Ma'oz Tsur
     Wed 12/11 on Fog City Blues
Kugelplex, Still Playing for Latkes
     Sun 12/11 @ Salle Piano & Events
     Wed 12/04 @ Oakland City Center Plaza
     Wed 12/04 @ 19 Broadway
Meshugga Beach Party, Dreidel, Dreidel
     Sun 12/08 @ Judd's Hill Winery
Jeremiah Lockwood, Ethan Miller, and Luther Dickinson, Dreidel

Special in-studio guest: David Katznelson / The Idelsohn Society

     New album It's A Scream How Levine Does The Rhumba: The Latin-Jewish Musical Story 1940s-1980s
     Fri 12/05 @ CJM: Record Release Mambo Party

Irving Kaufman, Moe the Schmo Takes a Rhumba Lesson
Abbe Lane w/ Tito Puente & His Orchestra, Pan, Amor Y Cha Cha Cha
Joe Quijano, Sabbath Prayer (Plegaria)
Slim Gaillard, Meshugganah Mambo
Harvey Averne, Cucaraca Macara
Larry Harlow, Yo Soy Latino
The Ghetto Brothers, Ghetto Brothers Power
Mark Weinstein, Just Another Guajira
Mickey Katz and His Orchestra, My Yiddishe Mambo
The Alegre All-Stars, Tema Alegre
Pérez Pado, The Twist of Hava Nageela
Celia Cruz con Orquesta, Hava Nageela
Little Eva, Uptown

Sylvester Cotton, Thanksgiving Blues
Guy Davis, Thanksgiving Day
Vasti Jackson, Happy Thanksgiving (The Thanksgiving Song)
California Honeydrops, Pumpkin Pie
Carolina Chocolate Drops, Cornbread And Butterbeans
The Emotions, Mashed Potatoes
Matthew Childs, Funky Onions
Don Thompson Quartet, Cheese Blintzes
Dorothy Lamour, Sweet Potato Piper
Harold Burrage, You Eat Too Much

Playlist: November 20, 2013

Cowboy Junkies, Disintegration
Lee Harvey Osmond, Parkland
     from the new album The Kennedy Suite
Dori Caymmi, O Que é Que a Baiana Tem?
     Wed 11/27 @ Yoshi's Oakland
Ruth Wallis, It's a Scream How Levine Does the Rhumba
     from the forthcoming album It's a Scream How Levine Does the Rhumba: The Latin-Jewish Musical Story 1940s-1980s

Special in-studio guests: Junk Parlor

     Thu 11/21 @ Blush Wine Bar
     Fri 11/22 @ Amnesia
     Sat 11/23 @ Lagunitas Brewing Company

Junk Parlor, Strange Man (in-studio)
Junk Parlor, Wild Tones (in-studio)
Junk Parlor, Vampires Never Die (in-studio)
Tchan-tchou Vidal, Everybody Loves Somebody
The Gun Club, Sex Beat
Junk Parlor, Rondo a la Turk (in-studio)
Junk Parlor, Pocket Full of Dreams (in-studio)
Junk Parlor, Summertime in the City (in-studio)
Junk Parlor, Cojek Majstore
     from the new album Wild Tones

Bob Dylan, Like A Rolling Stone (instrumental)
The Electric Flag, Texas
     from the forthcoming box set From His Head to His Heart to His Hands
Elvin Bishop (w/ Finis Tasby), River's Invitation
     Fri 11/29 @ Center for the Arts
     Fri 12/13 @ Biscuits and Blues
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, Someone Somewhere
     Sat 11/23 @ Biscuits and Blues

Ron Thompson, Monkey Fiddle
     Tue 11/26 @ Biscuits and Blues
     Wed 11/27 @ Poor House Bistro
HowellDevine, Shotgun Blues
     Thu 11/21 @ Poor House Bistro
     Sat 11/23 @ Speisekammer
     Wed 11/27 @ Biscuits and Blues
Beso Negro, Burn It Down
     from the new album Burn It Down
     Fri 11/22 @ Sweetwater Music Hall
Little Wolf & The Hellcats, Big Leg Woman
Johnny Jenkins, I Walk On Guilded Splinters
Dr. John, Locked Down
Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, Finger Poppin' Time
Hoagy Carmichael, Georgia On My Mind
  

Inside the National Recording Registry: The Wild Tchoupitoulas

A radio feature I produced about the 1976 album The Wild Tchoupitoulas airs nationally this weekend on PRI's Studio 360:

This is the first episode in the series we've been producing for Studio 360 for five years now (and three years for NPR's Weekend All Things Considered before that). It's also the first one to air since we won a Peabody Award earlier this year. No pressure, right? Well, as it turns out, they do treat you nicer the next time. Our editor at Studio 360 only asked for a single change (one I'd anticipated, though I did tweak a few more things before sending the final mix) – which was a good thing, because I've now got to get cracking on my next contribution to this year's series, the "difficult listening" of Ornette Coleman's 1959 album The Shape of Jazz To Come. Anyway, for now here's more info on the Wild Tchoupitoulas from Studio 360's website:

If you've spent time in New Orleans – or watched the HBO show Tremé — you may know about one of the most idiosyncratic customs of that highly idiosyncratic town. The Mardi Gras Indians are African-American social clubs that take on the names of fictitious Indian tribes. They each have their own special expressions, rituals, and costumes: “lots of brightly colored feathers, sequins, and beaded suits,” describes Offbeat Magazine’s Jan Ramsey. It’s a tradition that dates back into the 19th century.  

In 1976, a record came out that brought the music of the Mardi Gras Indians to a wider audience. The Wild Tchoupitoulas featured all four Neville Brothers and the Meters, an all-star New Orleans backing band. The album was chosen for the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry this year.  

The Wild Tchoupitoulas were, for a time, led by George Landry, known as Chief Jolly — an uncle to the Neville brothers — and the album was made as a tribute. “He was, as far as I’m concerned, a giant,” remembers Cyril Neville, “and one of the people who put New Orleans culture on the map.”

Playlist: November 13, 2013

Macy Blackman & The Mighty Fines, Rockin' Good Way
     Sun 11/17 @ Biscuits and Blues
Trombone Shorty, Hit the Road Jack
     Sat 11/16 @ SAP Center at San Jose
     Sun 11/17 @ Ace of Spades
     Mon 11/18 @ Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Go Van Gogh, Go Van Gogh
     Sat 11/16 @ Revolution Cafe
     Tue 11/29 @ Cafe van Kleef
Junk Parlor, Darlin Oh Darlin
     Tue 11/19 @ Corkscrew Wine Bar
     Wed 11/20 on Fog City Blues

Special in-studio guests: Wendy DeWitt and Kirk Harwood

     Sun 11/17 @ SFJazz Center: First Annual SF International Boogie Woogie Festival

Unknown Boogie Boogie (in-studio)
Texas Stomp (in-studio)
Nervous (in-studio)
Carl Sonny Leyland, Witches' Kitchen
Bob Seeley, Industrial Strength Boogie Woogie
Summertime (in-studio)
Dollar Boogie (in-studio)
Boogie Woogie Rambler (in-studio)

JJ Grey & Mofro, 99 Shades of Crazy
The Stone Foxes, Spoonful
     Fri 11/15 @ The Fillmore
Dick Dale, Front Porch Blues
     Sat 11/16 @ The Uptown
     Fri 11/22 @ Moe's Alley
Otis Rush, Me
The Allman Joys, Lost Woman
     Wed 11/20 @ Sweetwater Music Hall: A Tribute to Duane Allman
Neil Young & The Bluenotes, One Thing
Brass Menažeri Balkan Brass Band, Plavka Devojka (in-studio)
California Honeydrops, In Your Power
Muddy Waters, Just To Be With You
Howlin' Wolf, Tail Dragger
Howlin' Wolf, Smokestack Lightnin'

Playlist: November 6, 2013

Quinn DeVeaux & The Blue Beat Review, Lil 45
     from the forthcoming album Originals
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Jumpin' In The Morning
     Thu 11/07 @ Yoshi's Oakland
     Sat 11/09 @ Speisekammer
Wendy DeWitt, It's Too Late
     Sat 11/09 @ Bobby G's
     Wed 11/16 on Fog City Blues
Junk Parlor, Pocket Full of Dreams 
     from the new album Wild Tones 
     Sat 11/09 @ The Sleeping Lady 
Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, Elder Greene Blues 
     Sat 11/09 @ Cafe du Nord

Downchild, Can You Hear The Music?
     from the new album Can You Hear The Music?
Layla Zoe, Glory, Glory, Hallelujah
     from the new album The Lily
Harrison Kennedy, Chairman of the Board
     from the new album Soulscape
Monkeyjunk, Je Nah Say Kwah
     from the new album All Frequencies
Fathead, First Class Riff-Raff
Dawn Tyler Watson & Paul Deslauriers, Why
Cowboy Junkies, Forgive Me
Blue Rodeo, Out Of The Blue
     from the new album In Our Nature

Wild Tchoupitoulas, Brother John
Cyril Neville, Blues Is the Truth
     from the new album Magic Honey
Eric Bibb, Freedom Train
     from the new album Jericho Road
Guy Davis, Lost Again
     from the new album Juba Dance
Fabrizio Poggi (feat. Guy Davis & Auggie Meyers, Glory Glory
Fabrizio Poggi, Baton Rouge LA

R.J. Mischo, Minnesota Woman
     Sat 11/09 @ Mojo Lounge
Cash'd Out, Cocaine Blues
     Fri 11/08 @ Brick & Mortar Music Hall
     Sat 11/09 @ The Blank Club
Johnny Cash, Apache Tears
Oscar Isaac,  Fare Thee Well (Dink's Song)
     from the new soundtrack Inside Llewyn Davis
Bob Dylan, Wallflower
Doug Sahm, Blues Stay Away From Me
Rory Block, Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor
Ike Turner, Matchbox