Yesterday in Music – 1943 – The Birth of a Blues Guitar Great – Mike Bloomfield

Mike BloomfieldSo yesterday would have been the 70th birthday of one of my guitar heroes, the great Michael Bloomfield. From Wikipedia:

Michael Bernard “Mike” Bloomfield (July 28, 1943 – February 15, 1981) was an American musician, guitarist, and composer, born in Chicago, Illinois, who became one of the first popular music superstars of the 1960s to earn his reputation almost entirely on his instrumental prowess, since he rarely sang before 1969–70. Respected for his fluid guitar playing, Bloomfield knew and played with many of Chicago’s blues legends even before he achieved his own fame, and was one of the primary influences on the mid-to-late 1960s revival of classic Chicago and other styles of blues music. In 2003 he was ranked at number 22 on Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”. Full Biography Read More

A Glimpse of the Past and thoughts about the Ashton Family.

So as someone who enjoys genealogy research, it’s always nice to see the name of your ancestor in a census, on a marriage certificate or a ship’s passenger list. It always makes you think of what their lives must have been like.  When I came home from work at Target last night, my wife said “look what I found” She had found among the papers of Louise Marter, who had a massive amount genealogical information she had collected over the last 30 to 40 years. Louise passed away a few months ago and Kathy has been given the task of going through the boxes and boxes of papers to decide the relevancy of each piece of paper  Better her than me because Pack-Rat Edward would be tossing nothing!! Anyway back to  last night’s find. it was at list of school children in the Beverly schools in 1865 and 1866 and there among children was my great-grandfather John or Johnny Ashton Read More

2013 – American Roots Music – from Rattleshack

Rattleshack band

So there once was a group of musicians that lived back in the woods, and they played traditional American roots music, with story songs about, hangings, murder, and moonshine running, with titles like “Hillbilly Hick”, and Sons O’Dixie. After the release of their début album, they will be touring throughout the country playing dates in Rougham Suffolk, Cambridge, Wisbech, Cambs and in October they will be playing sets both days at the Prickwillow ploughing festival and country fair near Ely, Cambs. Not sure what part of the south they’re from – well you should be because this terrific new band is from jolly old England!!RattleshackRattleshack is their name and playing great American roots music is their game!!  Their début album is self-titled and great. According to the band they were: Read More

2013 Blues – Austin Young and No Difference – Blue as Blue Can Be!

Blue as Blue can eOh, to be seventeen years old and as talented as Austin Young. The young Colorado Blues musician has a long and stellar career ahead of him if his 2013 release, Blue as Blue Can Be is any kind of indicator!! I’m not exactly sure where I came across his name, hum, it may have been last weeks, New Releases Now newsletter, but wherever I saw it I’m glad I did because the album is flat-out terrific as are Young’s guitar playing and his vocals. Read More

Life’s Soundtrack – Black Sabbath’s 13!

Black Sabbath 13I have never been a Black Sabbath or Ozzy Osbourne fan, so the release of 13 the first Black Sabbath album in 35 years to feature Ozzy really did nothing for me. But we were going to a picnic at the shore today, about an hour plus away, and both my son Nick and wife like Ozzy, so I went to Mog and put the album on the iPhone. Now while I am not an Ozzy fan, I did enjoy the first season or two of  The Osbournes, mostly to laugh at Ozzy’s incoherence. So I was surprised, as we listened to the album, that Ozzy’s vocals were really good, and more importantly for the most part I could understand the lyrics!! On the way back, I put the album on again and commented that I didn’t understand how an incoherent Ozzy could perform like this! Nick said some people are saying that there’s been some auto tuning with Ozzy’s vocals, but my wife explained it by saying when he’s singing he doesn’t have to think! He just reads and sings and doesn’t have to form coherent sentences! Like a stutterer who can sing without stuttering. Anyway, I’ve heard enough Ozzy over the years to know that overall this album is pretty close to vintage Ozzy and Black Sabbath. I did enjoy Tommy Iommi’s guitar work and the overall sound of the band. So I think that most of the band’s fans will like this album a lot! I know my wife liked it! From Ultimate Classic Rock’s:Black Sabbath, ’13′ – Album Review” Read More

Morning Blues Rock from Mile Train!!

I'd Rather Feel adSo this yesterday the album, Folksongs of the American Longhair, by Brother Dege was listed on my Just For You on Mog. It was listed because I recently listened to US Rails. Since the cover looked interesting, mostly because brother was holding a dobro , I gave it a listen and I really liked it. After the album finished, a mix of similar artist came, as I listened I thought I like that track and that one after a few tracks I looked to see the artists. The list included bands I never heard of including: Mile Train, Devil’s Hollow and Cashbox. After a few more tracks, I switched to the full albums for each of these artists, and I think I’ll be adding some new artists to my library. Read More

Book 25 of 2013 – Breaking Point – C.J. Box

Breaking PointSo the other night, while the “Lost Boys” that populate Dave Eggers What is the What, were in Atlanta and Kansas, I took a side trip to Saddlestring Wyoming  and read another one of Joe Pickett’s adventures. Book 25 for the year is Breaking Point, the 13 th in C.J.Box’s great series and it’s another good one. I had checked the book out a couple of weeks ago, but I got immersed in two other books and it sat on the shelf. Finally, a few nights ago I picked it up and I don’t think I set it down until I was done! Box can really tell a story with believable characters and suspense that doesn’t let up! Read More

Today in Music – Birthdays for James Cotton (1935) and Willie Dixon (1915)

Willie DixonToday we celebrate the birthdays of two of the most influential blues artists of all time, one for his artistry with his instrument and the other, while a good musician, for his influential songwriting! The first is blues harpist James Cotton born on this date in 1935 and the second the legendary Willie Dixon (July 1, 1915 – January 29, 1992)! Now some of you may not remember or know Willie Dixon, but he was an unbelievably good songwriter and his compositions include: “Little Red Rooster”, “Hoochie Coochie Man”, “Spoonful”, “Back Door Man”, “I Just Want to Make Love to You”, “My Babe”, “Wang Dang Doodle”, and “I Can’t Quit You Baby”…a few of the artist who recorded his music includes:  Bob Dylan, Cream, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and The Rolling Stones not bad, eh?  From Wikipedia: Read More