Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Cab Calloway - Reefer Man High Quality

Here's a gem. Cab Calloway singing Reefer Man.

It's no secret that I have a thing for really good bass players..they just seem to catch my attention and hold onto my heart :)

I wish I knew who this bass player was, his palm slap style is crazy and has me swooning! On the second time around, I couldn't take my eyes off the trumpet player in the back with his antics and his gold hat. Not to mention how much fun these boys seem to be having..sure looks like Calloway runs a tight ship. Enjoy- and by the way, I've added this tune to my set list. Now if only i can figure out a way to perform with Dave Videl on guitar again. That was a pleasant surprise last saturday at the Heritage, I wasn't expecting Jack to ask me to sing. Dave's the best guitar player I've played with yet, and now I know exactly what guitar sound I want.

LANALOU'S Fri March 18th is our next show. Details to be released soon, very soon!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

PLUGGED IN!

Last night we recorded our reheasal. Here are the four tunes which we hammered out. The song "Mellow Stuff" is my favorite right now, and one of the most vocally challenging, as the melody is up and down like a mexican jumping bean, and ends on a very low note. We learned it, practised it once, then recorded it off the cuff. Steve and Wayne are so damn fine! The history of the original recording is very interesting. 'Mellow Stuff' was recorded in Chicago, and nothing is known about the singer, Lil Johnson except that she recorded from 1929- 1935. No record of where she was born or where she died.

The others songs we whirled through were,
'Sugar in my Bowl' by Bessie Smith ( my other fav)
'Last Time I Fool Around With You by Muddy Waters (an obscure Muddy Waters song)
'St. Louis Blues' WC Handy made popular by Bessie Smith in the Movie by the same title.

Hope you enjoy my journey into the past, to revive some of the most inspirational music I know.

www.myspace.com/wendybiscuit

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Wendy Biscuit at the Main










Here we are at The Main on Main. I find this video prophetic. Liziloo made the recording on her old blackberry, without being prompted. We Performed two 45 minute sets, thank goodness my voice held out. the only real glitches that evening were, by chance alone, captured on the hand held mobile device. The boys are great, but I lose time..last time i'll make that mistake. I wasn't sure if I would post such an error, however i remembered that i wanted to document all my explorations while discovering the blues. Another point of view, alot of the old great singers lost time regularily- it was part of the swing. Not in my case though, i'm simply losing time :) Steve Ranta, Wayne Evans, Wendy Biscuit perform Smoke that Cigarette by Tex Williams and Billy's Blues by Billy Holiday . One of these days we'll get a good recording!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

The Deacon Moves In-Little Esther & The Dominoes (1951).wmv




Oooooo....This tune is so dirty! even for 1951. But Little Esther has a way doesn't she?
my favorite line is

'want that true religion
yeah you got the tender pigeon'

I thought there was
censorship in the 50's!