J.J. Grey & Mofro – Brighter Days

So the other day I was listening to Bluesville on XmRadio and “Country Ghetto” by J.J. Grey & Mofro was playing. Now I had sampled the band’s previous album Georgia Warhouse and I wasn’t too impressed. But always one to change my opinion, I tried his new release Brighter Days and sure enough my opinion his changed! I  am really enjoying the album. From his website: Brighter Days is Grey’s first-ever live DVD/CD. The two-disc set includes a full-length movie and a long-awaited live album. Directed by filmmaker/musician Spookie Daly (whose work has been aired on MTV Networks, Much Music and…

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New Blues: J.J. Grey & Mofro – Brighter Days

So the other day I was listening to Bluesville on XmRadio and “Country Ghetto” by J.J. Grey & Mofro was playing. Now I had sampled the band’s previous album Georgia Warhouse and I wasn’t too impressed. But always one to change my opinion, I tried his new release Brighter Days and sure enough my opinion his changed! I  am really enjoying the album. From his website: Brighter Days is Grey’s first-ever live DVD/CD. The two-disc set includes a full-length movie and a long-awaited live album. Directed by filmmaker/musician Spookie Daly (whose work has been aired on MTV Networks, Much Music and…

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Rant and Run Ana Popovic – Unconditional

The Rant The American Prospect: Robert Kuttner: Land of the Free, Home of the Turncoats Ok so I know I keep saying that all these bloggers are describing how I feel till you’re sick of it…. but THEY ARE and Robert Kuttner outlines it well!! IT’s mind boggling that out of one side of their mouths come statements about America;’s exceptionalism and out of the other so let’s destroy it?? Am I missing something? Today, America feels more like 19th-century Germany. Contending interests cannot be brokered. Passions trump reason. Faith overrules science. An ordinary policy difference is a Kulturkampf, casually…

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Emerging Artists – Part 2 – Monroeville!

So I am glad that I wrote yesterday’s post about emerging bluegrass artists BEFORE my run, because after my run I was wiped out! The run was a solid 4 plus miler and my fastest time over that course this year! Anyway I apologize to the third bluegrass band that I’ve been listening to Monroeville for not posting about their self titled debut album. Monroeville is a six member band hailing  from the East Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina areas. The members are: Daniel Salyer – Vocals., Bass Travis – Vocals, Dobro Seth Taylor – Guitar Zane Petty – Banjo…

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Life’s Soundtrack – A Jazzy – Blues Monday!

So the Doofus of the Day Award for yesterday goes to yours truly. As he went to work at 3:00 yesterday in the midst of the torrential downpour only to discover that he was not scheduled to start work until 6:00!  When he returned to work at 6:00, he discovered that both people scheduled to work in front of him had called out!! Oye what a night! Anyway, today was a jazz day at work a nice mix a little Miles, a little Coltrane, some Montgomery Brothers, Jimmy Smith, and Gary Burton. A couple of times I checked to see…

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Thursday Music Mix – Quintus McCormick, Blind Corn Liquor Pickers and Shake Russell

So some days are diamonds, some days are dirt. Well today was a musical diamond day! I put three albums on the iPod this morning and I really like them all! The first up was a blues album from the Quintus McCormick Blues Band whose latest album Put It On Me  is currently number 39 on the Roots Music Report Blues Chart. When I went to Napster they only had 30 second clips for the album but they did have his debut album Hey Jodie , so that’s what went on the player. and I tell you it’s a great album. According…

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Blues and Bluegrass Part 1 – Albert King Born Under a Bad Sign

So tonight my musical mix consisted of some old blues and some new bluegrass. On the way to Target and during my grocery shopping blues was the genre and the album was Albert King’s first album on Stax Born Under a Bad Sign. The album. Now I have never been a big fan of Albert or Freddy King, the other two thirds of the “Kings of Blues” the other third of course being B.B King. So while I don’t have any of Albert’s music in my collection I am well aware of his influence on the generation of blues musician…

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Piedmont Blues: Cephas & Wiggins

So since I don’t seem to have the time and/or the inclination to write long involved posts right now, what I may due is to start writing shorter little pieces in between the rarer longer posts! So here’s the first album quick hit! One of the blues albums that I’ve been listening to for the last several weeks is the last album from Cephas & Wiggins Baltimore Blues recorded and released in 2008 by Smithsonian Folkways prior to John Cephas death in 2009 at the age of 78. Cephas & Wiggins was composed of guitarist John Cephas  and harmonica player Phil Wiggins…

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Blues: Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots

So most of the blues I listen to is guitar driven ala Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King and Michael Bloomfield and every so often there’s some harp but very few piano driven blues. Well, Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots changed that and put boogie piano  jump blues on my musical charts! Their second album Lit Up is great. From the boogie woogie  opening track ” Big Dog’s Running this Town” this Memphis based blues band had me! While the piano playing and vocals of  Victor lead the way the WildRoots are no slouches!  The album was produced by Victor’s co-writer…

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Life’s Soundtrack: John Reischman and the Jaybirds and The Wilders

So yesterday began with a trip to Newark’s beautiful Doremus Avenue on the shores of the Passaic River and while the views are not breathtaking, the music was good! The trip started off with the most recent release from John Reischman and the Jaybirds Vintag & Unique. I noticed the album early in the week when I was reviewing the Folk DJ Chart for June. The albums was number 9 on the chart. The album is a good mix of great instrumental and fine vocal tracks! The band and John Reischman are based in Vancover, British Columbia. John is one…

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