In a Blue Mood

Last night I visited Chester Chandler, aka Memphis Gold, at his Arlington, Virginia apartment along with his wife Barbara and some of his fa...

I missed seeing Memphis Gold on Tuesday as I ran in Charlie Sayles on my way home on the Metro (Washington's subway). We stopped at his...

Its just been over ten years since Arhoolie Records issued its first anthology of the sacred steel music tradition. In the intervening decad...

During a discussion in on post-war blues list at yahoo.com, one of the editor's of the Penguin Guide to the Blues conceded that it shou...

Johnnie Taylor was one of the great soul and blues singers of the past five decades (emphasis for the eurocentric editors of the Penguin Gu...

1994 saw Blue Note release Charles Mingus, The Complete Town Hall Concert . As long a fan of the late bassist, composer and leader, it certa...

1994 saw Analogue Productions Original issue a marvelous album by the legendary Jimmy Rogers with an all star band. These are arguably his b...

It has 15 years since Columbia, based on the success of its Robert Johnson set, issued a variety of excellent blues reissues. One of note w...

This is a slightly updated review that origianlly appeared in 2002 in the DC Blues Calendar. Like Cephas & Wiggins other Alligator CDs i...

This is a review I wrote in late 2001 that appeared in the DC Blues Calendar. Mighty Sam remains such a great voclaist it is well worth call...

This is another review from late 2001 with minor editing of original to correct it. This CD is also available and as stated in the review, i...

The following review of Larry Davis' Funny Stuff appeared in late 2001 but I would not change it today. It is still in print (I just ch...

Brotherhood of Breath was a legendary free jazz big band featuring a number of South African artists who left their homeland because of apar...

The lineup for the February 9, 2008 Benefit for Chester 'Memphis Gold' Chandler has been announced. It has some of DC's best blu...

In light of Memphis Gold's recent serious injury, it is appropriate to reprint my review that originally appeared in the D.C. Blues Cale...

2007-1231_Falls_Church_Watch_Night-278 Originally uploaded by NoVARon Memphis Gold performing New Years Eve in Falls Church (VA) as part...

Wayne Kahn, a champion of the Washington Music Scene posted the following in his weekly email newsletter about Chester Chandler who performs...

Completing my lists of recordings I found outstanding from 2007 is a list of Jazz. This list includes new and historical releases. I have l...

In a second of three posts here are some reissues of first release of vintage blues and R&B that I believe merits your consideration. ...

The first of three posts to include CDs that I consider outstanding releases of 2007. This focuses on the blues and soul releases. I have ...