Johnny Winter Live in Sweden 1987

Johnny Winter
Live in Sweden 1987   
Gazell/MVD

A live performance by Doctor John on which his trio is joined by Dr. John for several tracks, "Live in Sweden 1987" has been issued on CD and DVD. This performance is around his time recording Alligator with his trio of Jon Paris, bass and harmonica, and Tom Compton on drums. It is a pretty straightforward set, and the video is square format, not wide by any means.

This is typical Johnny Winter with his high energy attack with a rock edge. The set opens with a rocking rendition of his mentor, Clarence Garlow's "Sound the Bell," which is followed by a nice rendition of "Don't Take Advantage of Me," and then a rollicking treatment of J.B. Lenoir's "Mojo Boogie," with Paris adding harp behind Winter's slide guitar. Dr. John adds some New Orleans piano and vocal on "You Lie Too Much," with Winter providing solid backing, followed by a rocking treatment of Muddy Waters' "Sugar Sweet" with Paris adding harp and Dr. John taking some of the vocal. They also share verses on "Love Life & Money," with some fiery Winter guitar. The album closes with a furious tempoed, "Jumpin' Jack Flash." The DVD has a bonus song, "Prodigal Son" from a 1972 performance.

Very little here that will surprise Johnny Winter fans. The DVD comes from pretty straight-forward video of the performers (with a brief bit of Winter and band on the bus before the gig). There is a fair amount of Johnny Winter available on DVD and this may appeal more to his fans or to those not already having much by him on DVD or CD.

I received a review copy from the company issuing the DVD.This review originally appeared in the July-August 2016  Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 367).  Here is a performance of "Mojo Boogie."

Bluesland Portrait of a Music

BLUESLAND

A Portrait in American Music 
Masters of American Music
EUROARTS DVD 

Euro-Arts has reissued on CD the 1993 documentary, Bluesland- A Portrait in American Music, that was part of the American Masters series. A mix of performances (some in short clips), interviews and commentary from pundits Robert Palmer and Albert Murray, this was an exploration of blues music as both a musical idiom and it's transformation as a way of coping with the things in everyday life that give one the blues.  

The mixing of quotes from Willie Dixon and Otis Spann, clips of performances and recordings and the pundits interpretations (and Murray and Palmer have very distinct perspectives). Palmer terms W.C. Handy the father of the blues industry while Murray refers to him as father who helped the music spread and regards it as part of jazz. This perspective can be discerned by their writings on blues as well as their comments here. Palmer deals with the facts of the people playing blues while Murray is more about the allegorical aspects of blues.

The perspective is tied together by a narration from actor Avery Brooks and has bits and performances from Bessie Smith, Lonnie Johnson (great blues ballad from TV) and recordings from Charlie Patton and Louis Armstrong. The classic recording of the latter's West End Blues, precedes Murray distinguishing folk art and fine art in the blues idiom, which leads to minimizing the achievement of the "folk" bluesman. So Basie epitomizes the blues as fine art, as a video of One O'Clock Jump, is shown, but at the same time the Basie Band and vocalist Jimmy Rushing (seen singing) had a definite impact on B.B. King. 

The perspectives of Murray and Palmer have points of agreement as opposed to those of disagreement, both both making cogent observations. Palmer, noting some blues is described as primitive suggests that Mozart, with it's very simple rhythm, might be called primitive, segues into Murray's discussion of African talking drums. Regardless of whether one is more sympathetic to Murray or Palmer, Bluesland, provides an enlightening overview of blues music and it's expression within jazz. It remains fresh and illuminating over a decade and a half after it's initial broadcast. Recommended.


This review originally appeared (I have made minor changes) in the June 2010 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 326). I received my review copy from the publication.

Count Basie Swingin' The Blues

COUNT BASIE
Swingin the Blues 
Masters of American Music 
EUROARTS DVD

Among the recent reissues from the Masters of American Music video series is one Swingin’ the Blues, devoted to Count Basie, the great big band leader and pianist. Issued by EuroArts on the Lower 5th imprint, it presents the near hour appreciation of Count Basie with some choice video clips and interview recollections by Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison, Al Grey, Illinois Jacquet, Jay McShann, Buddy Tate, Earle Warren, Claude Williams, Joe Williams and Albert Murray (who co-authored Basie’s autobiography), along with a number of interview clips of the Count himself.

Additionally, there are a number of performance clips from Basie himself from several periods of his career which feature Joe Williams, Jimmy Rushing, Eddie ‘Lockjaw’ Davis, and Lester Young. The sources range from the soundies (an amusing Rushing performance of Take Me Bake Baby, a film short (the clip of Young is from the classic film The Blues), and television (Basie with Judy Garland).

The mix of recollections and oral history with the clips helps us understand the development of the Basie sound as Basie remembers how he came to Kansas City and gradually put together his own band and Jay McShann remembers Basie and his band and the impact they had. Earle Warren, Edison, Williams and Tate recall there time with the band (Williams ironically recalling that John Hammond had him let go from Basie at a time when Claude was highly regarded as a guitarist) and the personalities including Lester Young, and Buck Clayton as well as how Basie could set the tenor of a number with just one note, the use of the two tenors, and the All American rhythm section. Murray adds his own perspective on Basie’s place in the music.

This documentary then traces how Basie had to disband the big band for a sextet before gradually bringing back the big band and the new personnel and sounds with arrange- ments from the likes of Neal Hefti, Frank Wess and Frank Foster and numerous new legendary soloists like Lockjaw Davis and Al Grey.

Joe Williams recalls how Basie asked him to join the band, which he agreed to so long as he did not to do any of Jimmy Rushing’s material. And he brought Basie an old Memphis Slim tune, Everyday I Have the Blues, that helped reignite Basie’s profile. And that led to more commercial successes as well as partnerships with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., and others.

Like others in the Masters of Modern American Music series, the program on Count Basie; Swingin’ the Blues, fleshes out a musical icon in a most entertaining and informative manner. 

This review originally appeared in the June 2010 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 326). I received my review copy from the publication.  Here is a classic video of Basie with Buck Clayton on trumpet.

An Engaging Evening With Paul Jones and Dave Kelly

Members of the British group, The Blues Band, guitarist Dave Kelly and harmonica player Paul Jones, go unplugged for a live performance captured on a new DVD, An Evening With Paul Jones and Dave Kelly (SPV Blue). Jones, who was one-time member of the British group, Manfred Mann may be best known, but Kelly, brother of the great Jo-Ann Kelly had pretty strong credentials in playing blues. Given over four and a half decades experience by both, one isn’t surprised by how engaging they are not simply in their musical performances but their banter to the audience.

Songs range from adaptations of classic country blues like Charlie Patton’s Moon Going Down, to originals like Without You, which Paul Jones notes had an unusual musical structure but more importantly was a B side of a Manfred Mann single. Not all the performances are in a strict blues song form such as Velocity and Love, a spirited performance, but Kelly’s Mr. Estes Said is a strong original blues that incorporates some classic lines in this moving tribute to the late blues poet. Paul Jones does a moving interpretation of Blind Willie Johnson’s Nobody’s Fault But Mine, with his harp prominent and Kelly adding some spare guitar. There is nice use of split screen on this. A washboard player backs Kelly on a driving interpretation of Mississippi Fred McDowell’s Few Short Lines.

Paul Jones’ contributes his moving tribute to Sonny Boy Williamson, that was composed after Williamson’s passing. It segues into a lively Dust My Blues, modeled after one of Elmore James’ recordings. You’re Wrong, was a recent composition of Jones performed solo. It is followed by Kelly nicely handling Robert Johnson’s When You Got a Good Friend. Erskine Hawkins’ swing classic Tuxedo Junction, serves as a showcase for Jones’ skilled harmonica playing and exhibits the influence of Sonny Boy Williamson on his approach.

The two trade verses on a powerful rendition of Muddy Waters’ I Can’t Be Satisfied, and then this DVD closes with a relaxed pace with Kelly taking the lead vocal on Jimmy Reed’s Baby What You Want Me To Do. It is an amiable close to a very enjoyable concert DVD. This was recorded in 2004 and there is a second volume available, which on the basis of watching and listening to this, is worth checking out as well.

I was provided a review copy by a publicist. To whet your appetite, here are the two in recent performance.

Varied & Vintage Coleman Hawkins in Europe

Coleman Hawkins, In Europe: London, Paris & Brussels (Standing Oh!vation), is an import DVD that collects video from four different European locations with Jazz’s first great tenor saxophonist heard in different group contexts from 1962 to 1966. The DVD contains nearly two hours of performances from those shows as well as a bonus of almost a half hour in bonus performances from the 1960 TV film, After Hours with another group featuring Hawkins.

In Europe opens with a quintet that he co-leads with Harry ‘Sweets” Edison with a group that includes Sir Charles Thompson on piano, Jimmy Woods on bass and Jo Jones on drums. Filmed in 1964 at London's Town Hall, the full group is featured on Wardell Grey’s Stoned. This is followed by ballad features for Hawkins (September Song), Thompson (What’s New on which Hawkins is heard reciting the melody at the opening), and Edison (Willow Weep For Me). The full group is seen on Edison’s blues Centerpiece, before the set closes with the Ellington standard, Caravan, which spotlights drummer Jones. The next set is from 1966’s Royal Jazz Festival in London and has Hawkins in a quintet co-led with the great Benny Carter and with a terrific rhythm section of Teddy Wilson on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass and Louis Bellson on drums. They launch into a swinging Blue Lou, before short ballad features for Carter, I Can’t Get Started, and Hawkins, Body and Soul, before a lengthy romp on Hawkins’ Disorder at the Border, which gives everyone a chance to stretch out. Musically, these selections may be the highpoint of this video compilation.

A nice 1966 Parisian rendition of the standard Moonglow follows with Hawkins supported by Oscar Peterson on piano, Sam Jones on bass and Louis Hayes on bass is followed by an intriguing 1962 quintet date from Brussels with pianist George Arvanitas, guitarist Mickey Baker, bassist Jimmy Woode and drummer Kansas Fields. The interesting program opens with an unaccompanied tenor sax solo from Hawkins, Blowing For Adolphe Sax. The rest of the program includes a spirited Disorder at the Border, South of France Blues (aka Blues in G and Rifftide. “South of France Blues” is reminiscent of “After Hours” and is a chance for guitarist Baker, a respected session man on hundreds of sessions and the Mickey of Mickey & Sylvia fame, to shine in addition to Hawkins.

As if these performances were not enough, the 1960 TV show After Hours is included, with a sextet co-led with trumpeter Roy Eldridge, a rhythm section of guitarist Barry Galbraith, pianist Johnny Guarnieri bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Cozy Cole with vocalist Carol Stevens. Legendary NYC radio announcer William B. Williams does the voice over to set the scene of a late night after hours club where the musicians just pop in to play and if the setting is a little contrived, the music is very solid.

I would not be surprised if Standing Oh!vation is a successor to the Improv-Jazz series of DVDs and like those, the packaging is not very elaborate. It lacks the superb annotation that is characteristic of the JazzIkons series of DVDs and the reproduction of the original film does not seem to be as good, but certainly the video here is quite satisfactory and the performances are quite welcome to have available. Fans of the Hawk and swinging jazz will enjoy these.

This review originally appeared in the March 2009 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 314) and my review copy was provided by a publicist. It may be hard to find as well but worth searching out.  Jazz Loft (www.jazzloft.com) does show this in their online DVD catalog.

Coleman Hawkins from you tube performing South of France Blues.

Zoot Sims Is "In A Sentimental Mood"

MVD Visual has released in the US the Gazell Records video of Zoot Sims, In a Sentimental Mood. This video was filmed in November, 1984, just months before the tenor saxophonist passed away. It was filmed at the library of Sonet Records in Lidingo, Sweden with Sims backed by Bassist Red Mitchell and guitarist Rune Gustafsson. The library setting and the drummer-less trio makes for an intimate performance. An interview by Mitchell of Sims (actually more of a conversation) is interspersed between the performances.


The performances focus on ballads starting with the Ellington classic that gives this DVD its title and ending with Autumn Leaves. The swinging Sims was a masterful ballad playing which, like his basic approach to the saxophone, reflected the influence of Lester young perhaps with a slightly vibrato that might have been picked up from Ben Webster. Mitchell provides a foundation as Gustafsson lends some chords with each taking solo breaks. Gone With the Wind opens with somewhat more of a breathier sound, perhaps reflecting more Webster here (and Webster did record this on a session with Art Tatum.


The interview portions includes recollections of his early days including a story of his time with Benny Goodman when he had a big apple on the stand and Benny had him solo and took the apple and kept gesturing for Sims to keep soloing as Goodman ate the apple and recalls it was the longest solo he ever had with Benny. After Sims had talked about his early days on 42nd Street, Mitchell himself recalls playing with a trio opening for Charlie Parker at the Onyx Club, and Bird after the set comes by and speaks in a very proper Wasp-ish accent and asks Mitchell to play the next set with him. Mitchell thinks this isn't serious until Bird announces it from the bandstand.


The light banter complements the performances with the filming centering mostly on the players faces and expressions, so we see Sims and his embouchure but little fingering, but their is plenty of character revealed in their faces as well as in the music. In a Sentimental Mood is a delightful video that fans of Sims' ballad mastery will certainly enjoy.


I received a review copy from MVD Video.

Johnny 'Guitar' Watson's North Sea Funk-Blues Romp

Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson was one of the most versatile, innovative performers of the past five decades. A multi-instrumentalist who first recorded as a rollicking Amos Milburn styled pianist before picking up from the late Guitar Slim to become a highly influential guitarist and showman whose impact was evident on the likes of Jimi Hendrix and even Etta James (listen to some of her vocals and Watson’s vocal on his single, “Cuttin’ In.’). Besides hard blues classics like “Three Hours Past Midnight,” and “Too Hot,” he recorded jazz piano for Chess, duets with Larry Williams for Okeh, and then his proto-type rap and funk records that got labeled Disco-blues in the seventies and inspired and got sampled by many hip hop artists. His last studio album “Bow Wow” was even nominated for a Grammy, and at last he had started performing in venues like the House of Blues. 


He had been touring overseas in Europe through the good times and bad, and was died while performing in Japan. Shout Factory’s relatively recent reissue of his DJM recordings fortunately has led to a recognition of the fact that continued to stay contemporary.

There have previously been a couple of fine DVDs of his European performances (from TV shows) available. The British Charly Films has just issued “ Live in Concert -1993,” centered on his North Sea Jazz Festival performance. Its a performance not that different from the other DVDs I have seen by him. This is Watson the funkster whose blues roots are always evident. The ban kicks off with a funk number “Booty Ooty” before bringing him up for “Strike on Computers,” mistitled here as “Jam,” with his complaints how computers are replacing human beings even in the musical realm. 


I suspect that those expecting to see him rip things up on guitar will be disappointed, as he only plays guitar at length on a couple numbers as well as on keyboards, focusing on his singing and interacting with the audience. The songs included are typical including “I Need It,” “Superman Lover,” “Ain’t It a Bitch,” and the long extended “A Real Mother For Ya.” His funky version of “Gangster of Love,” displays how his music evolved from the original recordings which adapted the “Hootchie Kootchie Man”/ “I’m a Man” melody, whereas “Three Hours Past Midnight” is his longest exploration in the blues here, with his playing focusing as much on musical textures as on blistering guitar runs. And he plays the band like he plays guitar, evoking sounds from them, bringing up his saxophone player to wail or play some harp and letting his keyboard players loose.

What sets this apart from the other Watson DVDs are the included extras. These include three numbers from a 1996 German blues festival including a marvelous blues “ Wrong Doing Woman” which incorporates “Three Hours Past Midnight”; a 14 odd minute memoriam from German TV that includes interviews with Watson a clip of him performing “Bow Wow,” as well clips of the video he did to promote that song; a radio interview from 1987; footage of a young Watson on British TV including a snippet of his wild guitar, a piano boogie and playing rhythm guitar behind Bo Diddley; another video performance, this time from 1980 and a biography and discography.

Bill Dahl provides a concise overview of his life in the booklet that accompanies this which includes a listing of his recordings and recordings he appeared on including those with Larry Williams, George Duke, Frank Zappa, Frankie Lee and Herb Albert. These extras are as valuable as the North Sea Jazz Festival performance and make this clearly the Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson DVD to pick up.


This DVD was originally reviewed in the October 2008 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 309) at page 24.

I likely received a review copy of the DVD from Jazz & Blues Report.

Previously Unissued Live Recording Shows Why We Miss Luther Allison

There were few performers in any genre as riveting as the late Luther Allison. having been a fan since his debut Delmark recordings, I remember going to catch him at Oberlin College in 1970 and almost tore off the roof of the Chapel he was playing at. From playing an one-string guitar in Mississippi to taking over Freddie King’s gig and band in Chicago he brought a hold no prisoners approach to his performances, throwing everything into his singing and his guitar playing. One can point to B.B. King as a primary inspiration, but Elmore James and Freddie King seem even most important influences in Allison’s music. He struck me in his earlier days as a cross of the two Kings instrumentally with James’ impassioned vocals. I was privileged to see Luther a number of times in the last decade of his life including when he performed for a DC Blues Society show for the “Soul Fixing Man” tour. I am not sure if the last time I saw him was at Wolf Trap when they still put on a Jazz and Blues Festival, and I remember this gentleman who had seen James Brown, Otis Redding, Miles Davis and others stating that Luther was as great a live performer as anyone he ever witnessed.

“Songs From the Road” (Ruf Records) presents on disc and DVD one of Luther’s last performances at the Montreal International Jazz Festival on July 4, 1997. Shortly after this performance, he would be diagnosed with the disease that in August 2007 would take this wonderful person away from the world. This was a representative performance with his great band of James Sjoberg, rhythm guitar; Ken Faltinson, bass guitar; Mike Vlahakis, keyboards; and Rob Stupka, drums. It was a band that played hundreds of gigs together, toured globally for several years and played with a tightness that reflected this experience.

Luther, of course, held nothing back this night from the opening moments of “Cancel My Check,” to his brief encore on “Serious.” There are several extended performances that never falter unlike most of his contemporaries (Otis Rush being one of the few exceptions) who could neither sustain such inspired playing and vocals that Luther could, and Sjoberg’s solos add another exciting voice while maintaining the fervor of the performances. Much of this are his originals including the rocking B.B. King styled shuffle “Will It Ever Change,” where he tells his woman to listen to him (with Sjoberg taking the opening B.B. King styled solo while Allison takes the longer break later), while he takes a Magic Sam recording,“What Have I Done Wrong,” and places his own stamp on it.

“(Watching You) Cherry Red Wine,” was always one of the climatic parts of any Allison performance as he sings about this woman destroying herself drinking herself into oblivion, while “There Comes a Time,” is a soulful number as Luther confesses to be a good man who went astray and begging to be taken back by his woman, with another killer solo here. His vocal here is a standout here. Luther takes out the slide for “It Hurts Me Too” (as well as Bernard Allison’s “Low Down and Dirty”), doing Elmore James memory proud with his fervent rendition of the classic.

The DVD contains 7 of the songs from the CD (“Will It Ever Change” is not listed but present) and adds “Move From the Hood.” The 59 minutes of the performances on the DVD video are electrifying with great camera work catching all sweat and passion that he put in his performances. The Montreal Jazz Festival has recorded and filmed records many if not all of the performances in the past couple decades and generally do excellent work. The DVD also includes a 23 minute interview and a ten minute excerpt “Tribute to Luther Allison” from a documentary. This writer understands that a 50 minute CBC broadcast was compiled from this performance This CD/DVD makes all of the music from that day available.

What a joy to listen and watch previously unissued performances by Luther Allison after all these years. It doesn’t get much better than this release which is quite reasonably priced and should be available from itunes or amazon and better retailers.

The above review speaks to Luther Allison’s phenomenal music, but anyway who had a chance to meet Luther knows what a down-to-earth and warm person he was. The review copy CD was provided by the publicity form for the record label (this for FTC regulations).

New Jimmy Smith DVD Captures Organ Legend at Park

Among the latest in the Jazz Icons® series of DVDs (Naxos/Reelin’ in the Years) is the great organist Jimmy Smith from a French television broadcast of a 1969 performance at the fabled Salle Pleyel “Live in ‘69.” While one might find incredulous Bob Porter’s claim (in his foreword to the accompanying booklet for this CD) that it should be blasphemy to suggest that Smith was not one of the four or five greatest jazz musicians of the past fifty years, there can be no denying the greatness that Smith brought to jazz and really took the organ in jazz to new heights and was one of the jazz greats of the last half century.

He is seen with his trio of guitarist Eddie McFadden, who was on some of Smith’s Blue Note dates, and drummer Charles Crosby, best known for stints with B.B. King and Roland Kirk. The Paris concert opens with a blistering “Sonnymoon For Two,” followed by a lovely “Days of Wine and Roses,” with lovely single note playing by McFadden, as Smith adding some choice voicings before his own solo. Then the trio kicks off on a twenty minute plus rendition of “The Sermon,” with McFadden’s fleet bluesy solo as Smith’s fills, comps and otherwise pushes the guitarist’s playing as the camera catches Smith’s smiles of approval, before Smith launches his solo, with perhaps the most inspired playing from this evening which is saying much. Church organ sounds open up “Alfie,” as the trio takes the tempo down before concluding the first set with an upbeat “Satin Doll,” with Smith sounding like a full big band. The second set opens with a hot swinging rendition of “Organ Grinder’s Swing,” followed by some deep blues jazz organ as he rocks “Got My Mojo Working,” with a very able vocal and see Crosby’s sticks superimposed on Smith’s hands on the B-3. Smith opens “See See Rider” with some moody chords before stating the melody and getting down in the alley with McFadden playing some gritty blues . Another blues follows with a boogaloo groove before “My Romance” changes the mood, followed by a slightly slower rendition of “Satin Doll,” that leads into the credits ending a truly superb video. Ashley Kahn provides a full appreciation of Smith as well as places this performance in its context and the Reelin’ in the Years Production folk have done a terrific job in transferring the original French TV broadcast to digital video and the sound is first-rate. Which is fitting because Smith and his trio is inspired throughout on an evening of great music (nearly 85 minutes).

Pursuant to recent FTC regulations, I disclose that this DVD was received from the firm handling publicity for the Jazz Icons® release.

New Albert Collins Coming Out

Live in Montreux and should be in stores March 3

I have several other Collins DVDs and have not been disappointed with any of them. There is a you tube clip to preview it. It is from 1992 and while not long before he passed, this clip seems like another excellent performance.

Here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvtI0nGSVoQ

I expect to post a review of it soon, but it looks like a winner.

Son Seals' Blues Journey

Frank ‘Son’ Seals was arguably the most important discovery of Alligator Records and its chief honcho, Bruce Iglauer. Such albums as The Son Seals Blues Band, Midnight Son and Live and Burning are among the finest blues of the past four decades. Son Seals passed away in 2004 and his friend Peter Carlson has produced a documentary just issued on DVD, A Journey Through the Blues: The Son Seals Story (VizzTone), which will appeal to his many fans and will hopefully introduce others to this marvelous artist and person. The centerpiece of the documentary is interview footage of Son along with Bruce Iglauer, members of Son’s family, Koko Taylor, Dr. John and others set against footage of Son in performance, although the soundtrack for the documentary is taken from his recordings. Son’s early days in Arkansas, growing up in a home that served as a juke, learning drums and then guitar and the move to Chicago which led to his being discovered by Alligator are discussed here as well as an overview of his music and performances. There is footage (without sound) of his terrific nineties band that included saxophonist Red Groetzinger among others. Its a nicely done, although short bio-doc of him that is well put together. Also included are three live concert performances of Son from three different events that display how powerful a performer he was, although these are taken from after 2000 and it would have been nice to have included footage of his earlier bands (assuming such exists with sound). Also the three performances are a little under 1/2 hour. Maybe a European tv show of Son with his great band with Lacey Gibson and A.C. Reed will show up. Son was one of this writer’s favorite performers and I miss him as does anyone who got to meet and talk to him. I simply wish there was more than provided here on a well done video.