Playlist: November 25, 2015

Sly & The Family Stone, Underdog
Sly & The Family Stone, St. James Infirmary (live)
     Cynthia Robinson (1946-2015)
Amber Gougis, Let Me Love You
     Sun 11/29 @ Studio Grand

Sylvester Cotton, Thanksgiving Blues
Guy Davis, Thanksgiving Day
Carolina Chocolate Drops, Cornbread And Butterbeans
California Honeydrops, Pumpkin Pie
Lonnie Johnson, Sweet Potato Blues
The Robins, Turkey Hop Part 2
The Emotions, Mashed Potatoes
Sly Stone, Buttermilk pt.1
Matthew Childs, Funky Onions
Harold Burrage, You Eat Too Much

Sly & The Family Stone, Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone, Everyday People

Inside the National Recording Registry: Stand!

It's that time of year again, when our Peabody Award-winning series Inside the National Recording Registry begins airing on PRI's Studio360. I wound up producing the first two pieces this year, the first of which I had my eyes and heart set on from the moment this year's Registry was announced:

I was honored to interview Freddie Stone and George Clinton myself for this story, but I'm writing this on the day we learned of the passing of the band's original trumpeter and distinctive vocalist, Cynthia Robinson. We had sought out Cynthia for an interview earlier this year but were unable to make it happen. An early draft of the story had Sly Stone biographer Jeff Kaliss highlighting some of Cynthia's contribution (around three minutes in):



I've certainly got more tape of Jeff and Freddie talking about Cynthia's role on the album and in the band. More significantly, however, friends of the show Micah Dubreuil and Will Magid (who both took part in last year's mega-tribute to Stand!) interviewed most of the Family Stone members, including Cynthia, for what is sure to be the definitive audio documentary about the band:

Playlist: November 18, 2015

Elvin Bishop, Old School

The Sam Chase, Everyone Is Crazy But Me

     Thu 11/19 @ Hopmonk Tavern: Haitian Children's Benefit

     Sat 11/21 @ 19 Broadway

     Mon 11/23 @ Slim's 

Sean Hayes, Boom Boom Goes the Day

     Sat 11/21 @ The Chapel

Mark Growden, Old Lady From Brewster

     Fri 11/20 @ The Lost Church

Junk Parlor, Melusina

     Thu 11/19 @ The Chapel

     Sat 11/21 @ Club Deluxe

Special in-studio guest: Kim Nalley

     Sat 11/21 @ Biscuits and Blues

Movin' On Up (in-studio)

Sugar In My Bowl (in-studio)

Trombone Song (Big Long Sliding Thing) (in-studio)

Big Hooded Black Man 

     from the new album Blues People

Listen Here / Cold Duck / Compared To What? (in-studio)

I Shall Be Released (in-studio)

Summertime

     from the new album Blues People

Bob Dylan, Visions of Johanna (take 4)

Bob Dylan, Outlaw Blues (take 2)

Bob Dylan, It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry (take 1)

Bob Dylan, It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry (take 3)

Bob Dylan, Just Like A Woman (take 4)

Bob Dylan, Jet Pilot (take 1)

Bob Dylan, Lunatic Princess (take 1)

Bob Dylan, Medicine Sunday (take 1)

Bob Dylan, I Wanna Be Your Lover (take 1)

Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited (take 7)

Bob Dylan, Leopard-Skin Pill Box Hat (take 3)

Bob Dylan, Leopard-Skin Pill Box Hat (take 13)

Bob Dylan, Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues (take 3)

Bob Dylan, Pledging My Time (take 1)

     from the new box set The Cutting Edge 1965-1966

Playlist: November 11, 2015

Allen Toussaint, Long Long Journey
     Allen Toussaint (1938-2015)
Kim Nalley, Ferguson Blues
     from the new album Blues People
     Wed 11/18 on Fog City Blues
Marcus Shelby Orchestra, Emmett Till (Bobo)
     Thu 11/12 @ Red Poppy Art House: Beyond the Blues
Con Brio, California Cowboy
     Sat 11/14 @ The Fillmore

Special in-studio guest: Lech Wierzynski (California Honeydrops)

     Thu 12/03 @ The New Parish
     Fri 12/04 @ Freight & Salvage
     Sun 12/06 @ Hopmonk Tavern

California Honeydrops, Cry Baby Blues
California Honeydrops, Crazy Girls

California Honeydrops, Jolie
Dennis Brown, Make It Easy On Yourself
Lech Wierzynski, Come Back Baby (in-studio)
California Honeydrops, Long Way
Abdullah Ibrahim, Mannenberg
California Honeydrops, A River's Invitation
     from the new album A River's Invitation

Bob Dylan, Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands (Take 1)
Bob Dylan, Like A Rolling Stone (Takes 1-3)
Bob Dylan, Mr. Tambourine Man (Take 3)
Bob Dylan, Visions of Johanna (Take 14)
Bob Dylan, Desolation Row (Take 5)
     from the new box set The Cutting Edge 1965-1966

Playlist: November 4, 2015

Dorado Schmitt, Just a Gigolo
     Thu-Sun 11/05-08 @ SFJazz Center
Barrio Manouche, La Marcha Gatina
     Sat 11/07 @ La Peña Cultural Center
Rebirth Brass Band, Let's Go Get 'Em
     Sat 11/07 @ Heron Arts
Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Sugar Plum
    Fri 11/06 @ The Fillmore

Special in-studio guest: Tiffany Austin

     Sat 11/07 @ Red Poppy Art House

Walk the Line
     from the new album Nothing But Soul
T'ain't Nobody's Business If I Do (in-studio)
I'm Gonna Leave You (in-studio)
I Get Along Without You Very Well (in-studio)
Miss Rockwell (in-studio)
Baltimore Oriole
     from the new album Nothing But Soul

Bob Dylan, Visions of Johanna (take 5)

Bob Dylan, California

     from the forthcoming box set The Cutting Edge 1965-66

California Honeydrops, Long Way

     from the new album A River's Invitation

Wendy DeWitt with Kirk Harwood, Sonoma County

     from the forthcoming album Getaway

Bhi Bhiman, Bennie Please

     Thu 11/05 @ Rickshaw Stop

Ruthie Foster, Death Came A-Knockin' (live)

     Fri 11/06 @ City Winery

     Sun 11/08 @ Red White & Blues Festival

Hot Tuna, AK-47 (live)

     Sat 11/07 @ Great America Music Hall

Andy Santana & the West Coast Playboys, Greaseland

     from the new album Watch Your Step!

     Sat 11/07 @ Empress Theatre

Bey Paule Band, This Party's Done

     Sat 11/07 @ Biscuits and Blues

     Sun 11/08 @ Red White & Blues Festival

Playlist: October 28, 2015

Quinn DeVeaux & The Blue Beat Review, One
Nathan James, Look Out Your Window
     Sun 11/01 @ Biscuits and Blues
Marcus Shelby, Somebody's Watching You
      Tiffany Austin – Wed 11/04 on Fog City Blues
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, This Land Is Your Land
     Thu 10/29 @ Christopher Cohan Center
     Fri 10/30 @ Mondavi Center
     Tue 11/03 @ Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
   
Special in-studio guests: Barrio Manouche

     Fri 10/30 @ Octopus Literary Salon
     Sat 11/07 @ La Peña Cultural Center

Coquette
La Vida de un Russo (in-studio)
La Marcha Gatina (in-studio)
Jimmy Grant, Bunicul
Dorado Schmitt, Topsy
Pasión Árabe (in-studio)
Lucía

Funkadelic & Soul Clap (feat. Sly Stone), In da Kar
Sly & The Family Stone, Somebody's Watching You

Special in-studio guests: The Sam Chase & The Untraditional

In A Perfect World
I Saw What I Saw (in-studio)
Everyone Is Crazy But Me (in-studio)
Cold Night
Carry My Bones (in-studio)
Rock Bottom Has Never Felt So Good (in-studio)
Down Below

Funkadelic (feat. Sly Stone), The Naz
     Thu 10/29 @ The New Parish
     Sun 110 @ Uptown Theatre

Playlist: October 21, 2015

Huey Lewis & The News, Back In Time
Huey Lewis & The News, Grab This Thing
Gary Clark Jr, Church
Neil Young + Promise of the Real, Workin' Man
     Sat-Sun 10/24-25 @ Shoreline Amphitheatre: Bridge School Benefit

Wolf & Crow, Fear No Evil
Wolf & Crow, O'Mama
     from the forthcoming album Folklore
     Fri 10/23 @ Tank 18
Barrio Manouche, La Muerte de Paco
     Wed 10/28 on Fog City Blues
Mostly Kosher, Ich Hob Du Tsufil Lib
     Fri 10/23 @ Red Poppy Art House
     Sat 10/24 @ Ashkenaz
Ol Silver Tongue, Smoking Hot Pistol
     Fri 10/23 @ Marc 49
Lara Price, Get It When I Want
     Wed 10/28 @ The Saloon
Lady Bianca, Frying Pan
     Sat 10/24 @ Piedmont Piano Company
JW Jones, Blue Jean Jacket
     Thu 10/22 @ Torch Club
     Fri 10/23 @ Poor House Bistro

Elvin Bishop, Honest I Do
Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Our Love Is Driftin'
Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Driftin' and Driftin'
Elvin Bishop, Calling All Cows
Elvin Bishop, Calling All Cows (live)
Elvin Bishop, Everybody's In The Same Boat

Chuck Berry, House of Blue Lights
Eddie Lang & Joe Venuti, Jigsaw Puzzle Blues
Carolina Chocolate Drops, I Truly Understand That You Love Another Man
Elana James, Down The Line
Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco, Celia & Johnny
Celia Cruz, Ritmo Tambo y Flores

Playlist: October 14, 2015

Neil Young, Say Hello to Chicago (Solo)
Neil Young, Say Hello to Chicago (Big Band)
     Sat 10/17 @ Greek Theatre
Junk Parlor, Alphabet City
     Sun 10/18 @ The Shop
Wolf & Crow, Orchid Child
     Wed 10/21 on Fog City Blues

Special in-studio guest: Quinn DeVeaux

     Sat 10/17 @ Poor House Bistro
     Sat 1/031 @ Leo's

Untitled (in-studio)
What the Heart Want (in-studio)
Hey Right On (in-studio)
Muddy Waters, Little Anna Mae
Al Green, Old Time Lovin'
Into the Mystic (in-studio)
Yours Truly (in-studio)
Quinn DeVeaux & The Blue Beat Review, Left This Town

Blue Rodeo, Stealin' All My Dreams
Gordon Lightfoot, Steel Rail Blues
Colin Linden, Delia Come For Me
     from the new album Rich In Love
David Gogo, There's A Hole
     from the new album Vicksburg Call
Monkeyjunk, Show Me Yours
     from the new album Moon Turn Red
Steve Martin & Edie Brickell, So Familiar
     from the forthcoming album So Familiar
David Barrett, Gary Smith & Aki Kumar, It Takes Three
Little Jonny & The Giants, I Wish You Would Love Me
     Sun 10/18 @ The Saloon
Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, Bad Luck
     from the forthcoming album Method To My Madness
     Fri 10/16 @ Uptown Theatre
     Sat 10/17 @ Biscuits and Blues
Nappy Brown, The Right Time
Sugar Pie DeSanto, There's Gonna Be Trouble
Victoria Spivey, Dope Head Blues
Paul Simon, Paranoia Blues
Thelonious Monk, Nice Work If You Can Get It

Playlist: October 7, 2015

Quinn DeVeaux & The Blue Beat Review, Raindrops
     Sat 10/10 @ Public Radio Party
     Wed 10/14 on Fog City Blues
Seth Augustus, It'll Be Me
     Sat 10/10 @ The Hatch
RDL+, 94 Hour Blues
     Sun 10/11 @ Studio Grand
Royal Jelly Jive, Pterygophora
     Fri 10/09 @ The Independent

Special in-studio guests: John Brothers Piano Company

     Thu 10/08 @ Leo's

Mint Julep (in-studio)
Dumka (in-studio)
The Marionettist (in-studio)
South American Fantasy (in-studio)
C.H.P.

John Lennon, San Francisco Bay Blues
John Lennon, (Just Like) Starting Over
The Beatles, Ain't She Sweet
John Lennon, Stand By Me
The Beatles, Twist and Shout
John Lennon, Beef Jerky
The Beatles, One After 909
John Lennon, Tight A$
The Beatles, You Can't Do That
John Lennon, New York City
The Beatles, Leave My Kitten Alone
John Lennon, It's So Hard
The Beatles, Day Tripper
John Lennon, Well Well Well
The Beatles, Rain
The Beatles, Revolution (demo)

Playlist: September 30, 2015

Blue Rodeo, Stealin' All My Dreams
The Tragically Hip, Pigeon Camera
     Fri 10/02 @ Masonic Center
Ringo Starr, Right Side of the Road
     Thu 10/01 @ Masonic Center
     Sat 10/03 @ Sonoma Music Festival
John Brothers Piano Company, Black Widow Bump
     Wed 10/07 on Fog City Blues

Oct. 2-4: Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

Fantastic Negrito, She Don't Cry No More
Pokey Lafarge, Goodbye Barcelona
Beth Hart, Tell Her You Belong To Me
Steve Earle & The Dukes, You're The Best Love That I Ever Had
Hot Tuna, Children of Zion

Junk Parlor, Into Dust
     from the new album Melusina
     Fri 10/02 @ Revolution Cafe
North Mississippi Allstars, Boogie
Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Welcome Home
     Thu-Fri 10/01-02 @ The Fillmore

Buddy Guy, Come Back Muddy
     from the new album Born To Play Guitar
Guy Davis, Kokomo Kidd
     from the new album Kokomo Kidd
Joe Louis Walker, Gospel Blues
     from the forthcoming album Everybody Wants A Piece
California Honeydrops, This Time
     from the new album A River's Invitation
Mitch Woods, Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
     from the new album Jammin' on the High Cs
Lara Price, Crazy Lucy
     from the forthcoming album I Mean Business
Mighty Mike Schermer, Most People
     from the new album Blues in Good Hands
Andy T – Nick Nixon Band, Blue Monday
     from the new album Numbers Man
Duke Robillard, Backyard Paradise
     from the new album The Acoustic Blues & Roots of Duke Robillard
Johnny Mathis, Caravan

Playlist: September 23, 2015

Johnny Mathis, Kol Nidre
Mighty Mike Schermer, Hear Him Call You Baby
     from the new album Blues in Good Hands
     Wed 9/30 @ Biscuits and Blues
California Honeydrops, Cry Baby Blues
     from the new album A River's Invitation
     Sat 9/26 @ The Catalyst
Whiskerman, Troublemaker
     from the forthcoming album Champions
     Sat 9/26 @ The Pocket

Special in-studio guests: Slim Jenkins

     Tue 9/29 @ Local Edition

Jet Settin' Girl (in-studio)
Cheating Heart (in-studio)
Six Feet Deep or Mexico (in-studio)
Blindsided (in-studio)
Mad Dog
     from the new album Lamp Down Low
Bad Man (in-studio)
Crash (in-studio)
Down In Heaven 
     from the new album Lamp Down Low

Royal Jelly Jive, Troy

     Fri 9/25 @ Lost On Main

     Sat 9/26 @ Mystic Theatre

Con Brio, A Sex Supreme

     Fri 9/25 @ Lost On Main

     Sat 9/26 @ Torch Club

John Brothers Piano Company, Plaster of Paris

     Sat 9/26 @ Sweetwater Music Hall

Kermit Ruffins, Kermit's Second Line
     Thu 9/24 @ The New Parish
     Fri 9/25 @ Brick & Mortar Music Hall
     Sat 9/26 @ Homponk Tavern
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, Handle With Care
     Sun 9/27 @ Biscuits and Blues
T Sisters, It Was Me
     Fri 9/25 @ Moe's Alley
     Sat 9/26 @ Sweetwater Music Hall
Karina Denike, Persephone
     Thu 9/24 @ Cigar Bar
     Wed 9/30 @ Cafe de Nord
Kally Price, Spreadin' Rhythm
     Thu 9/24 @ Yerba Buena Gardens Festival
Quinn DeVeaux & The Blues Beat Review, Leave My Woman Alone
The Beatles, I Got A Woman
Ray Charles, The Midnight Hour
John Coltrane, Blues To You

Playlist: September 16, 2015

Slim Jenkins, Hand Me Down Blues (in-studio)
     Tue 9/22 @ Local Edition
     Wed 9/23 on Fog City Blues
Joe Louis Walker, Too Drunk To Drive Drunk (in-studio)
     Thu 9/17 @ Palms Playhouse
     Fri 9/18 @ Biscuits and Blues
Barrio Manouche, Lucía (in-studio)
     Fri 9/18 @ Royal Cafe
     Sat 9/19 @ Mill Valley Fall Art Festival
Junk Parlor, Summertime in the City (in-studio)
     Sat 9/26 @ Smiley's Schooner Saloon
Olli Soikkeli, Moscow Nights (in-studio)
     Thu-Fri 9/17-18 @ Monterrey Jazz Festival

Benjamin Brown, Yours (in-studio)
Shovelman, Moonshine (in-studio)
The Hound Kings, SSI Blues (in-studio)
Aki Kumar & Little Jonny, Blue Baby (in-studio)
     Sat 9/19 @ Delta Blues Festival
     Sun 9/20 @ Poor House Bistro
     Tue 9/22 @ The Mojo Lounge
Wendy DeWitt, Nervous (in-studio)
     Thu 9/17 @ The Saloon
     Fri 9/18 @ Graffiti
The T Sisters, The Crying Song (in-studio)
     Fri 9/25 @ Moe's Alley
     Sat 9/26 @ Sweetwater Music Hall
Lost Dog Found, These Times Are Tough (But Baby So Are We) (in-studio)
     Fri 9/18 @ Concerts on the Green
     Sat 9/26 @ Trentadue

B.B. King, When the Saints Go Marching In (live)
B.B. King, I Gotta Find My Baby
John Brothers Piano Company, C.H.P.
     Thu 9/17 @ Great American Music Hall
Frankie Bourne, Fog City Blues
     Fri 9/18 @ Milk Bar
Xandra Corpora, The Battle of San Francisco (in-studio)
Quinn DeVeaux, Goin' Back to Oakland (in-studio)
Karina Denike, Musée Mécanique (in-studio)
Roy Rogers, She's A Real Jaguar (in-studio)
Jeremiah Lockwood, The Bright Sunny South (in-studio)
Bhi Bhiman, Up In Arms (in-studio)
Ol' Silver Tongue, Nobody Special (in-studio)
California Honeydrops, Up Above My Head (in-studio)