Illinois Blues - www.IllinoisBlues.com - Blues news across the USA.

Your Blues Internet Magazine

October 2, 2007

We have some great Blues content for you this week. In this issue we feature an interview with one of Chicago's great Bluesmen, Carlos Johnson.

Carlos is a fixture on the Chicago Blues scene. If you have never heard him, check out the video of this great Blues player live at a Chicago area club.

Also in this weeks issue we feature a review of the Carlos Johnson CD, Live at B.L.U.E.S on Halsted by our featured reviewer James “Skyy Dobro” Walker. Check it out below (SCROLL DOWN).

We also feature a CD review by a new reviewer, Dale Clark. Dale reviews King Robinson and the Housewreckers CD - Hit the Big Time.

We are pleased to announce that IllinoisBlues.com now allows musicians in every state of the USA and foreign Countries to list upcoming Blues performances for FREE on the our Blues Shows page.

Links to these listing are included at the bottom of each Blues Blast for thousands of Blues fans everywhere to come see your shows.

Also Blues artists are not the only ones who can list shows on IllinoisBlues.com! Club owners, Blues societies, promoters and you the Blues fans can list your favorite Blues events and artists performances for all the world to see. If your favorite Blues band is playing near you and you want to help promote their show, list it for them on IllinoisBlues.com at the link above.!

It has come to our attention that many public email systems (Yahoo Mail, Hotmail etc,) are blocking embedded YouTube videos included in the Blues Blasts since early August. They are also being blocked by several major private email systems (MCHSI and others). We were surprised as no one complained until this week. After researching the problem, it does not appear there is a way around this. BUMMER!

We are disappointed you have not been able to see these great Blues video clips. We apologize for this. We will no longer be embedding these videos in the Blues Blast but will provide a link instead. This way WILL work.

We wanted to make sure all of you got the chance to see these GREAT clips you may have missed. Listed down below (SCROLL DOWN) is a list of these videos with links for you to see them. You can check them out using the links to these videos on our website. If you want to see the videos in context in the Blues Blast simply click on the issue date to see our Blues Blast archives where these videos work just fine.

Also this weekend the Mother of all Blues Fests, the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival is in Helena, Arkansas. This Fest was formerly called the King Biscuit Festival and is a FREE fest in the heart of the Mississippi Delta country. Upwards of 80,000 have been known to attend this 3 day fest that features a wealth of real Delta Blues performers. See their Festival listing below (SCROLL DOWN).

IllinoisBlues.com is a sponsor of the fest and we will be there capturing all the fun for YOU. Come join us if you can!

Carlos - First of all I was too young to remember. All I have to go by is my Mom and dad telling me I had a plastic guitar and they were drinking some coffee and then they heard me playing a rhythm and some notes and they both were amazed that I was playing this little plastic guitar. I don't know how old I was. I guess that's how it all started.

I started playing professional at 12 years old. My first big paying gig was a block party on the south side of Chicago. That's how it got started.

Carlos - There are too many to name. Actually it started off with me being small, my Mom was into Country and Western and Blues, my Dad was into Jazz and classical. All I know is there was always music in the house.

I didn't till later differentiate what was Jazz, what was Blues, what was Classical. It was just all musical to me. Maybe that is why I am so diverse.

My musical influences were anywhere from Conway Twitty to Led Belly. You can pick and choose out of that one.

Carlos - Food , I was playing Jazz and there were not enough gigs and Blues at least put a few pennies in your pocket and plus the Blues moved me in a spiritual or emotional way. I don't know which one but there was something about it that got my attention and headed me in that direction

IB - Who were some of the Chicago greats that you have played with. Any stories to tell about the experience?

Carlos - I have played with just about everyone in Chicago, Koko Taylor, Son Seals, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Big time Sarah, Valerie Wellington, Bonnie Lee. The list goes on and on. Actually there are not too many artists/bands I haven't played with in Chicago

Some of the experiences , some I can say and some I cannot without risking a lawsuit. (Ha, ha just a joke).

Stories: We were playing in France with Koko Taylor and she had a wardrobe malfunction (without Justin Timberlake). Only Koko didn't realize that she had a malfunction until I brought it to her attention. She never missed a beat or a bounce! The crowd went wild with applause.

IB - You play left handed. Do you just flip it over or do you string your guitar left also?

Carlos - I play guitar left handed. I play a right handed Gibson 1970 335 and flip it over with the strings strung upside down.

I also play a left handed guitar with the strings strung left handed. I guess you could say I'm bistrigual.

IB - I found one of your earlier albums called The Healer with Chicago Bluesman Lefty Dizz. He played left handed too. Many people are not aware of Lefty's great guitar work. Can you tell us about your work and time with Lefty?

Carlos - Lefty Dizz was a great guitar player. A lot of people didn't know this because his theatrics on stage were quite frightening. Like if he had a 335 in his hand and was tossing it up in the air and spinning it around that was a little intense but he never dropped it.

We were very close. We used to call each other Father and Son and argue about who was the Father and who was the Son. But I was younger so I always won that argument.

There's a lot of stories. Him and his Red Eye, his whiskey. We used to hang out Myself, Lefty, Sammy Longhorn (my first hands on Blues teacher) and Queen Silvia Embry, who was his bass player. There were many great times with Lefty and he is missed terribly.

IB - Who are some other great "lesser known" (outside of Chicago) CHICAGO Bluesmen you have had a chance to work with?

Carlos - Anthony Palmer ,Guitarist from the Luther Allison Band, Chico Banks , Guitarist/Vocalist, Matthew Skoller, Harmonica Player/Vocalist, Rob Blaine, Guitarist/Vocalist. Just to name a few

IB - Please tell us about your equipment that lets you get that great tone. Gibson ES335? What year? Amps, pedals and anything else?

Carlos - My equipment is a 1970 Gibson ES335 and Rivera Amp. I do not use any pedals or effects, just my guitar and amplifier. I only use Gibson strings.

Carlos - My advice for the younger Blues Players is to use your ears first before you get into any theory or technical aspects of playing the Blues. You'll find out that you have a lot more feeling for the Blues instead of just playing notes.

Carlos - This is one particular question that has bothered me for a long time because I believe in creativity. As I see it the Blues as an entity it's almost like a xerox copy. You copy that copy and pretty soon the copy fades out so I don't know if it's an evolution or extinction but it's a very good question.

We as Elders of Blues have to, such as myself I am a middle Elder not up there in the 80s or 90s like Homesick and the rest of them ,we need to kind of stick to the basics so when we do try to xerox something it will have some of the original imprint so it won't fade out, it won't die. It kind of puts you in a quagmire to try to understand between evolution and extinction.

We all want to evolve, we all want our own signature. Led Belly listened to someone and put his twist on it. B.B. listened to David T. Walker and he put his twist on David T. Walker and he came out to become B.B. King which is an entity in itself. So it's difficult. We have to walk a very thin line to appreciate and realize what the heritage of Blues really is.

So I think to answer your question is, I think it's not dying as long as we have people such as myself ,Billy Branch and a lot of the middle aged Blues artists really try to keep a significant tag on where we came from.

So as long as we keep educating our younger musicians , our "to be" Blues Artists, and instill that into them, I think that it will never die.

IB - What is the future for Carlos? Is there something left that you have not done or someone you want to work with that you have not gotten a chance to yet?

There's a ton of things I want do. There is always something to do till the day you leave this planet. You never ever get through learning. You learn something new every day. There are a lot of areas I would like to explore. Maybe some Big Band Blues or something on that level , some acoustic stuff maybe, just a guitar and harmonica, just different facets of the Blues. Continue to progress as much as I can.

There's a lot of people that I would love to play with that I haven't played with before like Clapton, and all the rest of the top echelon of Blues. I have had the opportunity to play with Homesick James ,Lefty Dizz and a bunch of other cats.

As long as God lets me keep waking up another day I am going to keep working at it.

Visit the Carlos Johnson Website to find out where you can see this Great Bluesman LIVE!

James “Skyy Dobro” Walker , noted Blues writer and IllinoisBlues.com contributor reviews a CD from Carlos Johnson - LIVE at B. L. U. E. S. on Halsted

Carlos Johnson
LIVE at B. L. U. E. S. on Halsted
P-Vine Records (Japan)
www.bls-act.co.jp

Chicago IL is called the “Home of the Blues” for many reasons. It is certainly debatable which city should hold that title, but until you find another city where one can hear live Blues seven nights per week in several clubs, Chicago is the “Home!”

B.L.U.E.S. on Halstead Street is one of Chicago’s oldest and most intimate clubs. It is a smoke stained, smallish, narrow room so far from swank that it is the stereotypical Chicago juke-joint of today. It is the setting for this live recording made June 29 & 30, 2006.

There are well over 80 Blues musicians who live and work in the Chicago area, and one that is about to be much better known, based on this new album, is Carlos Johnson. Born in Chicago on January 17, 1948 and raised on the South Side, Johnson spent 30 years learning his craft as a sideman. The spotlight hit him in May of 2004 when he accompanied Otis Rush on a Japanese tour. Suffering from a stroke a few months earlier, Rush could barely play or sing. Johnson, who had worked in Rush’s band at one time, filled in ably and dazzled the Japanese fans.

Johnson’s smoking left handed guitar style reflects influences of Otis Rush as well as Albert King. Like King, he strings his guitar like a righty, which, when inverted to play left handed, puts his bass strings on the bottom and the treble strings on the top. There is also a jazz influence in his licks derived from the early ‘70s when he was playing jazz as well as blues.

Some of that jazz is heard in the 5:47 minute opening track, an original instrumental, “C.J.’s Swing.” Carlos’ bouncy guitar notes float above the rhythm like a migrating Monarch butterfly darting in and out, up and over, this way and that, but always progressing onward. One 10-second passage is a snippet from the theme song from Dick Clark’s American Bandstand show. The well rehearsed rhythm is provided by The Serious Blues Band: Dave Rice – keyboards, James Knowles – drums, and Sam Green – bass and background vocals.

We first hear Johnson’s instantly likeable vocals on the second track, an original titled, “Lisa.”

Kicking the song off to the howls of delight from the audience, Carlos implores his love interest, “Come on baby, baby, baby, ride with me....” Some horns, un-credited in the album liner notes, can be heard adding to the rhythm (plus on other songs, too). By the way, the liner notes are in both Japanese and English.

Worth the price of admission, the third track is a 10:38 minute killer version of “I’ll Play the Blues For You.” Dave Rice takes a nice piano solo followed by organ. Johnson explores different tones as he weaves lead guitar throughout the song. The result is pure magic.

By the 4^th track, the band is in full party mode on Tommy Tucker’s “High Heel Sneakers.” Carlos takes a mid-song break to narrate a childhood remembrance from a Baptist Church with a “kicking choir – kicking so hard people would just pass out!” On Johnson’s signal, Rice plays a Gospel groove on his organ with the band “kicking!”.

Slowing the tempo, Johnson picks plaintive notes to open the next track, his 9:42 minute original “I’m Cold And I’m Wondering.” Full of sad introspection, the song features Dave Rice on an emotional piano/organ middle bridge.

Picking things up to mid-tempo, the band romps and rolls on the BB King popularized, Peter Chapman penned, “Everyday I Have The Blues.” With guitar licks inspired by the “King,” Johnson shows why he is respected by audiences everywhere. Carlos takes a moment near mid song to introduce the band members prior to taking a set break.

Track 7 continues with a lush instrumental arrangement of R. Benson’s “What’s Going On.” Johnson punctuates his phrases with some of the sharpest and highest notes on the album.

In tribute to fellow lefty, the late Albert King, Carlos and the boys throw down an 8:48 minute version of “Don’t Throw Your Love On Me So Strong.”

Cut 9, the final track is the Mel London/Otis Rush collaboration, I Wonder Why.” At 10:59 minutes, the instrumental is a fitting closer. Prior to kicking it off, Carlos dedicates the song to Otis Rush (“He’s a little under the weather...he’s at home. His thoughts are with us.”) and Rush’s wife, Masaki.

IllinoisBlues.com also features a review by a new reviewer, Bluesman Dale Clark. Dale reviews King Robinson and the Housewreckers CD - Hit the Big Time.

King Robinson and the Housewreckers
Hit the Big Time
Highland Lake Records, 2006

I liked this band and have enjoyed playing this CD. This is a modest album with a quiet, carefully crafted, mature, self-assured feel.

The harmonica playing of the mythical frontman King Robinson (Rob Sulski) is often outstanding. There is a penetrating harp squeal on “Ice Cream Man,” a gentle rocking harp undercurrent on Little Walter’s “Done Got Tired of You,” a gut bucket of filthy harp grunge on “So Sorry Darlin’,” and the lovely patient development of the harp line on “Doin’ the Best I Can.”

The guitar work of Bruce Williams, Mike Landers, and Eric Van Duyne also deserves commendation. There is an impressive guitar solo on “Five Long Years,” and some great jazzy guitar “noodlin’” on “I’m Worried” and “Crawlin’ Kingsnake.”

The album notes include a hilarious tale of how a Mississippi blues man’s love child came to be raised in a Polish –American household in Chicago. But it is this fantastic legend and the title of the collection that goes to the crucial issue of Hit the Big Time. Does the music merit the legend, and have King Robinson and the Housewreckers hit the big time?

Thirteen of the fourteen songs are covers, the fourteenth a brief acoustic guitar instrumental. The arrangements of the songs are a good mirror of much of the blues being played in the American Midwest these days. What is missing on this King Robinson and the Housewreckers record is the desire to say something of their own that would make us want to spread the legend, and also the insistence of musical innovation that signals arrival at the “big time.” I commend “big time” ambition, but announcing it raises big questions that require big answers that are still to come.

The stage at Harlem Avenue Lounge is raised by about eighteen inches. This is one of those details that helps make this venue one of the best for live blues. The acoustics and the visibility both benefit, and there literally is not a bad seat in the house.

However, place Big Ray center stage, and the light fixtures are in harms way. Big Ray is the personable and talented singer and leader of Chicago’s Most Wanted. The Wanted tonight also included virtuoso guitarist Rico McFarland and fellow tall man Jessie “Slim” Cross on bass.

Besides being excellent instrumentalists, Rico and Slim each contribute strong lead vocals and on-the-mark harmonies. Pookie on sticks stayed locked in with Slim giving the Wanted a solid pocket all night long.

This is a truly professional ensemble moved seamlessly from one song to the next, making the sets seem too short. Big Ray is a blues showman with a very respectable singing voice. Friend and yet another tall guy, guitarist Luke Pytel contributed and guest Teresa joined in with a very nice rendition of Chaka Khan’s “Tell Me Something Good”. Although not straight blues, the band backed Teresa up with music and vocals, as if this song was in every night’s set list.

The third and final set at Harlem Avenue is always a treat. I call it the musician’s set, as old friends and visitors frequently get on stage to contribute. Toronzo Cannon was in the house as was “retired” guitarist Harry Hmura, who certainly still had his chops.

When you’re blues hunting, make sure you look for Big Ray and Rico, because regardless of what configuration they present with, they will be great entertainment. Of course, what else would you expect from Kenny Z’s Harlem Avenue Lounge in Berwyn, Illinois?

ARKANSAS BLUES & HERITAGE FESTIVAL • HELENA, ARKANSAS • OCTOBER 4,5 & 6
2007 Lineup & Festival Schedule

Main Stage - Thursday 10/04
12:00/12:25 - 2007 Emerging Artists
12:30/12:55 - 2007 Emerging Artists
1:00/1:25 - 2007 Emerging Artists
1:30/1:55 - 2007 Emerging Artists
2:00/2:30 - 2006 EA Winner - The Eric Hughes Band
2:40/3:15 - SBBS Winner - Big Red & The Soulbenders
3:25/4:10 - IBC Winner - Sean Carney Band
4:25/5:25 - Sterling Billingsley
5:45/6:55 - Diunna Greenleaf
7:15/8:30 - Wayne Baker Brooks
8:50/10:05 - Blinddog Smokin’ w/Special Guest Bobby Rush
10:30/11:45 - The Lee Boys

Main Stage - Friday 10/05
12:00/1:00 - RJ Mischo & His Red Hot Blues Band
1:15/2:20 - Lil’ Dave Thompson
2:35/3:45 - Sam Carr & The Delta Jukes w/Dave Riley
4:00/5:10 - Smokin’ Joe Kubek Band & Bnois King
5:30/6:40 - Pinetop Perkins & Bob Margolin
7:00/8:15 - Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials
8:45/10:00 - Sherman Robertson
10:30/11:45 - Michael Burks, Larry McCray, Carl Weathersby
Main Stage - Saturday 10/06
12:00/1:00 - Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges
1:15/2:20 - Willie King
2:35/3:45 - Terry Evans
4:00/5:20 - Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets
5:40/6:55 - The Robert Lockwood, Jr. Band w/ Wallace Coleman & Cleveland Fats
7:10/8:25 - Hubert Sumlin & The Willie “Big Eyes” Smith Band
8:45/10:00 - Kenny Neal
10:30/11:45 - The Mannish Boys

Houston Stackhouse Acoustic Stage - Friday 10/05
12:00/1:00 - Jason Freeman
1:20/2:20 - Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges
2:40/3:40 - Bill Abel
4:00/5:00 - Jimmy “Duck” Holmes
Robert Lockwood, Jr. Heritage Stage - Friday 10/05
5:30/6:40 - Dorothy “Miss Blues” Ellis
7:00/8:10 - Wallace Coleman
8:30/9:40 - Brad Webb
10:00/11:15 - Cleveland Fats

Houston Stackhouse Acoustic Stage - Saturday 10/06
12:00/1:00 - Mississippi Spoonman & Carla Robinson
1:20/2:20 - John-Alex Mason
2:40/3:40 - Moreland & Arbuckle
4:00/5:00 - Roy Book Binder
Robert Lockwood, Jr. Heritage Stage - Saturday 10/06
5:30/6:40 - Rev Payton & Big Damn Band
7:00/8:10 - Dave Weld & The Imperial Flames
8:30/9:40 - Blind Mississippi Morris
10:00/11:15 - Big Al & The Heavyweights

Emerging Artist Stage - Friday 10/05
1:00/2:00 - En Gedi
2:00/3:00 - Ken Tucker Band
3:00/4:00 - The Memphis Snake Doctors
4:00/5:00 - TBA
5:00/6:00 - The Brethren
6:00/7:00 - The Corey Osborn Band
7:00/8:00 - David Pinsky & The Rhythm Kings
8:00/9:00 - Scott Simpson & Company
9:00/10:00 - The Electric Mudd

Emerging Artist Stage - Saturday 10/06
1:00/2:00 -The Corey Osborn Band
2:00/3:00 - AJ & The Two Tone Blues Band
3:00/4:00 - KM Williams
4:00/5:00 - The Outhouse Ramblers
5:00/6:00 - Arsen Shomakhov
6:00/7:00 - The National Debonaires
7:00/8:00 - Memphis P. Tails
8:00/9:00 - TBA
9:00/10:00 - Allison Thrash
10:00/11:00 - Michael Juan Nunez

3207 N University Peoria Il 61604
Located in the Community Bingo Building
309-681-1241

Fri 10/5 Nickologic Groove Project Sat 10/6 Judy Page Fri 10/12 Sally Weisenberg Sat 10/13 Rooster Alley Fri 10/19 Phat Noiz Blues Band Sat 10/20th The Soul Mystics

Click a link to see a video that was blocked in your Blues Blast or Click the Issue to see the whole Blues Blast issue.

- 1978 PBS special featuring the rock band Journey playing some great Blues with special guests Luther Allison, Albert King, Pinetop Perkins (at the tender age of 65) and harmonica great Jerry Portnoy.

- Piedmont Blues Artists Cephas & Wiggins with John Cephas explaining the origin of the Piedmont Blues style and playing a song with Phil Wiggins to demonstrate.

- 2005 International Blues Challenge winner Diunna Greenleaf at a recent festival.

- Sonny Landreth as the opening act at Eric Clapton's 2007 Crossroads Guitar Festival.

- David "Honeyboy" Edwards in early 2007 with Earwig Music CEO Michael Frank on harmonica.

- Aunt Kizzy'z Boyz at finals of the 2006 International Blues Challenge in Memphis.

- Sister Rosetta Tharpe video gives you a glimpse of how great of a performer she was.

- Gary Primich interview with David Barrett. You get to hear his style and technique close up when he plays at the end of the interview.

- Gary Primich LIVE with Fabulous Thunderbirds guitarist Nick Curran this March on the street in his hometown of Austin, Texas.

Attention Musicians! Internationally-renowned Blues Educator Hawkeye Herman and the MVBS present a FREE workshop: "How to Get Involved in Blues in the Schools" Saturday 6 October from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. (one hour break for lunch on your own). Walk-ins welcome, but early registration is encouraged by calling 563-32-BLUES

The Illinois Central Blues Club will be conducting its first Solo/Duo Blues Challenge on November 3, 2007 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Alamo, located at 115 N. 5th St., Springfield, IL. The winner will receive $200 in travel monies to represent the Club at the Blues Foundation International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN during February 2008. Entries must be received by Monday, October 15, 2007 Complete challenge rules and info available at: http://www.icbluesclub.org. Questions? Contact Mark Edmiston, at 217 622-0340 e-mail markredmiston@msn.com , or Charlotte A. Montgomery 217 899-9840

WEFT radio in Champaign, IL is a Public radio station with a wide range of music programs including some great Blues. They have Blues programming at lunchtime during weekdays and also at various times on the weekend. CLICK HERE to see a list of their Blues shows.

WEFT recently went LIVE with internet streaming on the World Wide Web so now you can tune in on your computer even if you do not live close enough to pick up their FM radio signal.

CLICK HERE to go to their streaming page and select your music player software to listen in!

From the UK. 60 minute show of the best in blues on BFBS Radio & Skybird Radio,
every Friday evening at 7:00pm (UK Time). You can listen to the archived shows and more.
CLICK HERE to listen to the latest show now.

Other IMPORTANT News Help Save the music! CLICK HERE to Keep Blues Radio Alive!

South Side Cindy & The Slip Tones

New CD

Mighty Mighty

CLICK HERE to Purchase this CD

Dave's Blues Radio Show
Tuesdays - 11:30am to 2:00pm
Playing Blues, R&B, Gospel music from 1935 to 1970's
on WEFT 90.1fm www.weft.org
NOW Streaming LIVE! CLICK HERE
Requests? - dwright@ntslink.net

7:00 PM Wednesday, Oct 17
Too Slim And The Taildraggers- Brandon Casey’s Bradley, IL

Nybakke Vacuum Shop Presents
The Stamps Quartet With Ed Enoch (Elvis Presley's Back up vocalist)

Saturday, November 3, 2007 7:00 pm
Trinity Lutheran Church
801 S. Madison, Bloomington
309-662-7272
www.nybakke.com

Admission is free! Please bring non-perishable food items to benefit the Clare House.

Hammond organ with leslie for the real blues sound...only $850...we can deliver for $$ contact Rob tyedyetheatre@hotmail.com

Female delta Blues guitarist/songwriter seeking rhythm guitarist (slide a plus), and harpist for recording & blues festivals. Chicago suburb. Serious inquiries only. judy4blues@yahoo.com

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