Vee Jay Records boxset

Vee Jay Records boxset
Various Artists
Writer: Rick Galusha
Rating: 7


The landscape of music recording is littered with now legendary recording labels including; Sun, Chess, Stax and Atlantic. Long before Gary, Indiana's Jackson Five became a Motown phenomenon, Vee-Jay Records was making history as a successful label owned and operated by a married African-American couple; Vivian Carter and James Bracken; much like Stax the label name is an amalgamation of the owner's names.

Eventually the label would move down-the-road to Chicago. Within the blues idiom perhaps their most significant signing was also their best; Jimmy Reed who got 17 charted singles with Vee-Jay. According to their website (www.vee-jay.net), "When we first met Jimmy Reed in 1953, he was actually working in Chicago in the stockyards, where he was cutting up cattle. ..one day and we heard Jimmy play. We asked him, "Do you have any songs that you have written?" And he says, "No, but I've got some I made up." And that was how we got Jimmy Reed…Jimmy was something else. He'd get drunk the day of the session, so I had a police officer that I'd get to "arrest" him the night before and take him to jail. I'd come down the next morning and pick him up and take him to the studio. I never told him that, because I don't think he would have appreciated it that I put him in the tank overnight. That was the only way I could get him down to the studio sober. On most of his dates, he was dead drunk. If you notice, he slurred very badly. He could read, but he was playing guitar at the same time, so his wife would have to whisper the lyric in his ear. Sometimes, you could hear her leaking through on the microphone."

Other famed blues artists aligned with Vee-Jay included; Billy Boy Arnold, Eddie Taylor, Elmore James, Jay McShann, John Lee Hooker, Camille Howard, Hank Ballard, Pee Wee Crayton, Snooky Prior, The Staple Singers, Jerry Butler, The Five Blind Boys of Alabama, Betty Everett, Little Richard and Billy Preston. An observant eye will notice a significant overlap with the New Orleans/ Los Angles based 'Specialty Record' label.

Specifically tracks that blues fans will enjoy include; Jimmy Reed's, 'Ain't that Loving You Baby,' John Lee Hooker's, 'Dimples,' Gene Allison's, 'You Can Make It If You Try,' Elmore James' 'It Hurts Me Too,' and Betty Everett's, 'You're No Good' as later covered by Linda Ronstadt or Gloria Jones' 'Tainted Love' as later covered by Soft Cell.

Most rock fans will favor a faint memory that it was Vee-Jay that released the first four American singles for the Fab Four as Beatlemania kicked off in the United States. However their reaches into pop music included, The Four Seasons and their song, 'Sherry,' The Dell's, 'Oh What a Nite,' Hank Ballard's original version of, 'The Twist,' Dee Clark's 'Raindrops,' and Gene Chandler's, 'Duke of Earl.'

In general this is a very interesting snapshot of a successful regional record company that for a brief moment lived in the crux where 'the blues' melded into 'rock n' roll.' It is clearly not a collection of songs that everyone is going to "must own" but it is a very tasty supplement to a healthy collection or at the very least a fine foundation from which to begin a musicological exploration into the history of modern American music.

Pandora.com gives music fans control over their music

Technology Column – Rick Galusha

With greater and greater rapidity the technological advances we see on computers are being applied to cellular telephones. Once ‘just a phone,’ the cell phone is now a music player, an on ramp to the internet, a credit card, a camera and video recorder, a planner, a calculator, a radio (including satellite), a video game, a tv (including cable) a key for real estate lockboxes, an audio/video GPS device and some allow editing on Excel or Word spreadsheets.

It doesn’t take much imagination to foresee that the advance of cellphones spells the death keel for iPods, PDA’s, GPS and other forms of technology. The move is afoot to condense numerous electronic gadgets into one and some advocate that it be the ever evolving cellular. The current cellphone networks play a trump card in the ensuing battle. In a recent product presentation for the Verizon ‘Juke’ phone it was said that Apple sold “one hundred million iPods” and that the Juke was being introduced in order to go after that market. The Motorola Q9 is already out and designed to hold a 32 gig chip for music and video – if you can find a chip that big. Clearly the audio/ visual assets of the new Q are also targeted after the successful iPod.

I’m no tech guru – I’m probably more like you, stumbling across things that friends recommend. Recently a fantastic music related website came to my attention; Pandora.Com. This is a music intense website that allows the listener to steer what’s played on the streaming musical broadcast. What’s more, you can influence the stream by choosing more than one ‘core’ artist to help Pandora’s algorithms pick more songs that may, or may not, appeal to you. As the songs play the listeners is invited to give a ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’ vote on a song/ artist. Two thumbs down on an artist and, unless you’ve picked them as a core artist, their music is banned permentatly from the station. So the ability to have some influence over what’s being played makes this site delicious. What adds to the flavor is that the site will inevitably play bands you’ve never heard of and suddenly you’re off on a new musical exploration. Listeners are invited to have numerous ‘radio stations’ on the site (up to 100), for multiple genres of interest, and you’re encouraged to share “your superior station” with that friend whose musical taste simply can’t hold a candle to yours.

Like a lot of websites, Pandora.com does have a mobile-phone aspect to it so, at least theoretically, you could stream it on your phone and then Bluetooth it over to your car or home stereo. So unlike a lot of music websites, Pandroa.com has a limited aspect of mobility to the website too. Currently Pandora works on only select phones on the AT&T and Sprint networks. At the bottom of the homepage is the ‘mobile’ tab. Also, you can subscribe to Pandora. I can’t imagine this website being around for long enough – it really is wonderful and the perfect at work audio companion – but I wonder how the income stream can support the Ivy League educated executives the website lists.

Under the “Pandora Presents” tab is an educational adjunct to the site. Created by serious musicologists, Pandora.com includes a series of podcasts that range from ‘what’s a trip hop beat’ to ‘the blues scale’ to ‘word choices in lyrics.’ So musicians as well as curiosity seekers can learn more about the ‘how’s’ and ‘why’s’ of how music is really made. These are near college level lectures filled with information and they can be automatically downloaded to your computer.

Album Review: Angels of Destruction

Rock n' Roll used to be about "down" with the man and "up" the establishment. It's used to be a young man's game. Like it or not I have matured into the establishment. Consequently I shy away from reviewing rock records. However Marah, the band, have released their seventh album, 'Angels of Destruction' and it is compelling.

Based in Philadelphia, Marah has seen more than its fair share of personnel changes over the past fifteen years. Entertainment Weekly columnist Stephen King described Marah as, 'the best rock band in America that nobody knows about." Since their initial national release, "Kids in Philly" Marah have been a critic's darling but seen little success outside of hipsters and record geeks. In spite of that horrible handicap, their latest album, "Angels of Destruction" is a superb example of an exceptionally well thought out rootsy based rock that brings together of bit of Springsteen's "Wild & Innocent" album instrumentation together with an earthy Subdudes-like Americana sound and a Patti Smith or Velvet Underground street sense into an immediately accessible rock record. Heavy on pop-like melody lines the band leans on obscure lyrics amid layered arrangements. Its clear this band has a rock-n-roll heart; a sense of history as they steal from the best and make it their own. On first blush the listener can easily get into the songs and, with repeated listens, dig in deeper to the vast textures. All the songs on the album were written by the band with brothers David and Serge Bielanko contributing the most.

On the opening track, 'Coughing Up Blood' the band uses an up-tempo beat that carries throughout the album. This panoramic tune is propelled across a sonic landscape by drummer Dave Petersen brushes on the snare emulating a purring engine. 'Angles on a Passing Train' is a cityscape epic that slowly builds into a beautiful near ballad of movement amid an urban setting where David Bielanko sings, "Here we go, its just around the corner, Angles on a passing train, Step into the light" Throughout the album the band uses Christian imagery at arms length much like early and now later period Springsteen records. While the overt texture of the album is roots rock there is a faint underbelly of electronic sound effects that come to presence towards the end of the song.

By the firth track, 'Blue but Cool' the band is in the pocket of an exceptionally strong album. Amid a heart achingly moving melody line Bielanko sings, "Reelin' from a tongue kiss on the outskirts of foreverness…I wonder what they think of this back at infatuationess. Now that we are home darling, how come we both keep starin' at the front door?"

This should be Marah's long predicted breakthrough album. Early in 1998 Lucinda Williams' album, 'Car Wheels on a Gravel Road' came out very early in the year under Spin Magazine's declaration that it was destine to be "the album of the year." While Willliams is an enigmatic figure, Spin's gesture came off as a premature bandwagon gaff. Marah's 'Angels of Destruction' will be this year's opening calling card that shines among a rather otherwise dreary release schedule.

Susan Tedeschi - Live from Austin, Texas

Susan Tedeschi Live

Monday, January 31, 2005

Artist: Susan Tedeschi
Title: Live From Austin, Texas

Years ago, when Susan Tedeschi appeared on the cover of Blues Revue magazine, before the release of her first album, I assumed it was some pretty good record industry hype and, as is usually the case, a clanging gong usually best left ignored. Boy was I wrong. This latest album (and companion DVD), ‘Live From Austin, Texas’ was recorded in conjunction with the PBS program Austin City Limits. This is her third album and it just knocks my socks off.

If you’re not square with Tedeschi yet I would describe her as a young less polished Bonnie Raitt with a stronger roots bent to her songwriting. This new album is comprised of her best songs including the deliciously delicate ballad, ‘Love’s in Need of Love Today’ as well as the intense blues-based, ‘Wrapped in the Arms of Another.’ Also included is a live version of the song, ‘In the Garden’ which she recorded with Stevie Ray Vaughan’s band Double Trouble.

Married to Derek Trucks, nephew to the Allman Brother’s Butch Trucks, Mrs. Trucks career had slowed down considerably to start and raise her new family. It’s nice to see that her chops remain sharp and her vocals have continued to improve. All in All this is a very good album by an artist who I plan to follow. Quite good entertainment!

Other artists included in New West recording label’s series of live recordings from PBS’ Austin City Limits are; Steve Earle, The Flatlanders, and Delbert McClinton. I suspect we will continue to see amazing archival releases of some of today’s best root musicians. As former radio deejay and area music-head Bruce Karlquist said to me, “Even if I don’t recognize the name, if it’s on Austin City Limits it’s probably something worth checking out.”

Bright Eyes and Standing Bear meet in history, for the 2nd time

Inshtatheamba

Friday, January 07, 2005

With the January 25th release of two albums by Omaha's Saddle Creek recording artist Conor Oberst [I'm Awake, It's Morning - and - Digital Ash in a Digital Urn] fans around the world recognize the name,‘Bright Eyes’ as the musical moniker Oberst performs under.

Fewer will recognize the name Mato Nanji: leader of the BMG blues rock recording act Indigenous. Nanji’s Americanize name translates to Standing Bear: a name quite a few Omahan’s will recognize as the name of a local recreational dam site and a prominent bridge in North-Central Nebraska. Nanji, a Nakota Sioux is a direct descendent of the historical Standing Bear, a Ponca Sioux.

Few, if any, will recognize the name Susette LaFlesche but all three of these names played a role in one of our nation's most significant Civil Rights cases that occurred 125 years ago.

In March of 1879 Ponca (Sioux) Tribal Chief Standing Bear was arrested by a reluctant General George Crook. Prior to this date the Ponca’s had been forcibly relocated from their homeland in North Central Nebraska (near what is now Valentine) to the Indian reservations in Oklahoma. This trek is now referred to as, The Trail of Tears.’ Due to the severe living conditions more than 500 members (over a third) of the tribe died including Standing Bears son. At the dying request of his son Standing Bear and a handful of tribal members walked more than 500 miles back to Nebraska in January of 1879 to bury his son in the tribe’s native homeland.

Crook was ordered to arrest Standing Bear and once again forcibly return him to the distant reservation. While he followed his orders it would be reveled, after his death, that Crook also secretly meet with Omaha Herald Editor Thomas Tibbles to help the Indians. (The Omaha Herald had not yet merged to form the now Omaha World Herald). “Tibbles idea was this: that the newly passed 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteed equal protection under the law to all persons. Since it clear that the government had no right to hold a white person in captivity unless that person had been convicted of a crime, it therefore had no right to hold the Poncas on a reservation against their will. Standing Bear could therefore petition a judge for a writ of habeas corpus, a type of legal order which would require the army to either prove the Poncas guilty of a crime, or to release them.” [pg 169]

Tibbles talked a young lawyer named John L. Webster to accept the case “pro bono” or without pay. Interestingly Creighton University’s law school now abuts Webster Street. Webster then sought the assistance of A.J. Poppleton. Somewhat verbose Poppleton’s closing arguments took a mere four hours while Webster’s lasted six hours. Opposing U.S. District Attorney Genio M Lambertson (the only one of the three to NOT have an Omaha street named after him) took five hours to sum up his case.

In a courtroom at Fort Omaha (30th & Fort), dressed in full Native regalia Standing Bear would deliver an oft-misquoted speech to the court in his own defense. Sitting Judge Elmer Dundy would decide that Standing Bear, and therefore all Native Americans, were “a person” and thereby have rights within the American Judisical system. This would mean that the Government could no longer detain these peoples on reservations against their will.
“Later that year Tibbles resigned his post at the Herald to go East on a speaking tour with Standing Bear. The two of them hoped to raise awareness, create sympathy for the Indians, and see that the Poncas got their land back. Accompanying them was a remarkable young woman named Susette LaFlesche, daughter of the chief of the Omahans. Partly of French ancestry, “Susette LaFlesche” was the woman’s “white” name. She had another: Inshtatheamba, meaning Bright Eyes. Beautiful, educated, and highly intelligent Bright Eyes served not only as Standing Bear’s interpreter, but as a powerful speaker in her own right. Eventually she and Tibbles were married.” [pg 177]

While free to live where they want, eventually the Ponca did receive their land back although the tribe remains divided between Nebraska and Oklahoma to this day.

Book referred to: ‘A Dirty, Wicked Town. Tales of 19th Century Omaha’ David L. Bristow. Caxton Press.

Fat Possum's Nathaniel Mayer

Nathaniel Mayer

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Artist: Nathaniel Mayer
Title: I Just Want to be Held
Label: Fat Possum

I don’t know how they continue to do it but once again the Fat Possum Record Label releases a terrific rootsy rock n’ blues album.

Nathaniel Mayer’s release, “I Just Want to be Held” ties together many of the genres that make up Rock Music’s bedrock sound.” With a voice that crosses between an anguished Joe Cocker and besoddened James Brown, Mayer wheezes his way through a litany of ten songs including three covers. Mayer’s rendition of John Lennon’s “I Found Out” is a perfect epiphany between the tune and lyrics of rock’s tortured Saint and the grit, grime, and broken glass of Detroit’s inner-city decay. Few should dare to cover a tune from Lennon’s pain ridden solo era and yet Mayer takes Lennon’s misery and ratchets it up. Pure musical beauty is the worst way emoting what “the blues” was meant to evoke in the listener.

Growing up in Detroit in 1960’s it’s clear that Mayer’s music is a blend of the pop sensibilities of Motown and the blues overtones from having heard migrants on the so called Blue Highway. The Blue Highway is a reference to massive movement of rural Southern Blacks to northern urban industrial cities after WWII looking for work and a way off the farm. A manifestation of this mass migration is the blues that were recorded in the 1950’s including; Muddy Waters & Buddy Guy in Chicago and John Lee Hooker’s stint in Detroit. And maybe it’s me but I hear a lot of Iggy Pop’s thrusting musical anxiety buried deep within Mayer’s music. Mayer’s use of the organ to accent and drive the songs harkens back to AM pop music of the mid-60’s while his lyrics delve well beyond the cliché ridden crapola so often served up as the blues.

When I consider rap music; like the blues of the 50’s, Soul Music of the ‘60’s or Funk/Disco of the 70’s & 80’s, it reminds me that this “sound” is simply White America’s fear & fascination of Black American culture being sold back in the highly stylized packaging. Like modern rock music however eventually this exaggerated ‘fear for sale’ gets marginalized and pasteurized so that it’s “fit” for television, radio and movie soundtracks: it’s about as dangerous as spoilt milk. I mean isn’t Eminem simply Elvis Presley of his generation? Which brings me to my point, ala’ Jack Nicholson, you want the blues? You can’t handle the blues! Cause if you could you’d be so heavily into the Fat Possum Record Label it would be selling like a Bright Eyes album!

Check out this Nathaniel Mayer record, it’s the perfect mix between pop music, the blues, and soul. What a great way to kick off the year!

W. C. Handy Awards '05

W. C. Handy Awards '05

Tuesday, December 28, 2004

As might be expected the W. C. Handy Awards cause the Grammy Blues nominations to pale by comparison.

When the blues industry (fans, writers, artists, & radio) wants to recognize acts they award them a W.C. Handy Award. Handy was a black jazz musician that is credited with having “discovered” blues music while waiting for a train in the South around the turn of the previous century.

Historically the W.C. Handy awards have been a pretty good indication of where the genre has been. It is also a high ground for blues purists. Historically 'death' has been a pretty good way to clean up Handy Awards. Voters also lean towards highly commercial a/k/a big budget efforts which, more often then not, flop: B.B. King & Eric Clapton’s, Riding with the King, or Peter Green’s (Fleetwood Mac), Robert Johnson Songbook. There is also a strong leaning toward 'name' artists' especially when they near the end of their career.

So here’s my handicap for this year’s awards, I have shaded the titles I think will win the award and I have (rg)’d the ones I think deserve to win. With all due respect for these artists that have taken the risks, done hard time on the road, and worked beer stenched barroom stages for decades, I based my personal choices more about where I feel the art form of American Blues needs to be headed rather than where it has been. Unlike artists, labels, or managers, I have no dog in this fight and hope all artists get recognition and more importantly more album and ticket sales in the coming year!

Always quick to jump in with both feet (and usually landing in my own mouth) I think the W.C. Handy Awards is missing the boat by not having a series of categories that embraces younger, louder, more electric acts that will bring with them youth and a wider audience. I know, I know, I KNOW... you have to draw the line at some point but a quick glance at this list shows us not only great names and great talent but an aging base of performers that are often past their musical prime. Am I advocating throwing them out? NO WAY! I just think we need to widen the circle and try to welcome a new fan base into the fold.

I also think the awards system is failing to recognize the other side of this business which accepts great financial risks: the blues labels. I think the Awards need to recognize labels that assist in making it possible for these artists to reach fans that are unable to see them. I would target the label(s) that are "square dealers" with the artists and fans, using technology to keep the industry competative, as well as, having a marketing cohesiveness that exhibits a commitment to the blues art form.

As with any award process, the Handy’s are homogenized to the point of blandness but it is a wide-net and actually is a pretty good representation of “pure” blues recordings and performances for the year.

2005 - 26th W.C. Handy Blues Awards

Acoustic Blues Album of the Year Paul Oscher - "Alone With The Blues"Billy Branch & Kenny Neal - "Double Take" Corey Harris - "Mississippi To Mali" Paul Rishell & Annie Raines - "Goin' Home" (RG) Carey & Lurrie Bell - "Second Nature"

Acoustic Blues-Artist of the Year Paul Oscher Corey Harris David "Honeyboy" Edwards Paul Rishell & Annie Raines (RG) Eric Bibb

New Artist Debut Watermelon Slim - "Up Close & Personal" John Lee Hooker, Jr. - "Blues With A Vengence" (Grammy nomination) Nora Jean Bruso - "Going Back To Mississippi" Michael Powers - "Onyx Root" The Bo-Keys - "The Royal Sessions" (RG)

Blues Album of the Year W.C. Clark - "Deep In The Heart" Mavis Staples - "Have A Little Faith" (RG) The Holmes Brothers - "Simple Truths" Guitar Shorty - "Watch Your Back" Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers - "Keepin' It Real"

Blues Band of the Year Little Charlie & The Nightcats Smokin' Joe Kubek Band (RG) Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers Magic Slim & The Teardrops (Lincoln resident) Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets The Holmes Brothers

Blues Entertainer of the Year Bobby Rush Kim Wilson B.B. King Pinetop Perkins (Grammy Nomination) Solomon Burke (rg)

Blues Song of the Year "Alone With The Blues" - WRITER Paul Oscher , Performed by Paul Oscher "Have A Little Faith"- WRITER Jim Tullio and Jim Weider, Performed by Mavis Staples "Run Myself Out Of Town"- WRITER Wendell Holmes, Performed by The Holmes Brothers "Piecework Politicians" - WRITER James Harman, Performed by James Harman "Nothin' Ever Hurt Me"- WRITER EG Kight, Performed by EG Kight

Comeback Blues Album of the Year Big Joe Duskin - "Big Joe Jumps Again!" (rg) Gary U.S. Bonds - "Back In 20"

Contemporary Blues Album of the Year Charlie Musselwhite - "Sanctuary" (rg) The Holmes Brothers - "Simple Truths"Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters - "Now My Soul" Guitar Shorty - "Watch Your Back" Michael Powers - "Onyx Root"

Contemporary Blues-Female Artist of the Year Janiva Magness Marcia Ball Shemekia Copeland EG Kight Deborah Coleman (rg) [Playing With Fire Artist]

Contemporary Blues-Male Artist of the Year Kim Wilson Chris Thomas King (rg) Charlie Musselwhite James Harman Robert Randolph

Historical Blues Album of the Year Hound Dog Taylor - "Release The Hound" (Alligator Records)Charles Brown - "A Life In The Blues" (Rounder Records)Muddy Waters - "Hard Again" (Epic/Legacy) Johnny Winter - "Second Winter" (Columbia/Legacy)(rg) Lucille Bogan - "Shave 'em Dry" (Columbia/Legacy)Muddy Waters - "I'm Ready" (Epic/Legacy)

Instrumentalist-Bass Bob Stroger Willie Kent Bill Stuve Calvin "Fuzz" Jones Mookie Brill Sherman Holmes

Instrumentalist-Drums Jimi Bott Popsy Dixon Sam Carr Sam Lay Willie "Big Eyes" Smith

Instrumentalist-Guitar Ronnie Earl Duke Robillard Kirk Fletcher Bob Margolin Roy Rogers

Instrumentalist-Harmonica Kim Wilson Charlie Musselwhite Rod Piazza James Harman Paul Oscher

Instrumentalist-Horns Calvin Owens - Trumpet Mark Kazanoff – Saxophone Roomful of Blues Horns Greg Piccolo - Saxophone Sax Gordon - Saxophone

Instrumentalist-Keyboards Henry Butler (rg) Honey Piazza Dave Maxwell Marcia Ball Jon Cleary

Instrumentalist-Other Robert Randolph - Pedal Steel Guitar (rg) Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - Fiddle Sonny Rhodes - Lap Steel Guitar Otis Taylor - Banjo Andra Faye - Mandolin

Soul/Blues Album of the Year Mavis Staples - "Have A Little Faith" Bobby Rush - "Folk Funk"W.C. Clark - "Deep In The Heart" Tad Robinson - "Did You Ever Wonder?" (rg) Charles Wilson - "If Heartaches Were Nickels"

Soul/Blues-Female Artist of the Year Mavis Staples (rg) Bettye LaVette Etta James Toni Lynn Washington Barbara Lynn

Soul/Blues-Male Artist of the Year Bobby Rush Tad Robinson (rg) Little Milton Solomon Burke W.C. Clark

Traditional Blues Album of the Year James Cotton - "Baby Don't You Tear My Clothes" Jody Williams - "You Left Me In The Dark" (rg) Duke Robillard - "Blue Mood: The Songs Of T-Bone Walker" Pinetop Perkins - "Ladies Man" (Grammy Nomincation) Sam Myers - "Coming From The Old School"

Traditional Blues-Female Artist of the Year Jessie Mae Hemphill Nora Jean Bruso (rg) Ruth Brown Koko Taylor Maria Muldaur

Traditional Blues-Male Artist of the Year Robert Lockwood Jr. Jody Williams (rg) Sam Myers Hubert Sumlin Pinetop Perkins (Grammy Nomination)