Category: Roots Music Safari

So this afternoon’s soundtrack will be the new album from Kara Grainger Shiver & Sigh. Here’s some background from Amazon.com

Australia native, now Los Angeles based, Kara Grainger first picked up the guitar at age 12. She started performing in the late ’90s as lead vocalist and guitarist with the successful Sydney-based blues outfit, Papa Lips. With her brother, acclaimed harmonica player Mitch Grainger, Kara and Papa Lips enjoyed a quintessentially Australian experience. Fuelled by national ABC Radio play for their two albums, “Harmony” and “High Time Now,” the band toured up and down the sun drenched beach towns of Australia’s east coast in an old Tarago van. They blew away audiences, soaked up the outdoor lifestyle, and notched up experience at all the significant blues and folk festivals along the way. In 2006, Kara signed to Australia’s Craving Records as a solo artist who encouraged her to go to the United States to record the album. In 2008 she moved to Los Angeles, but continued to split her time between LA and Australia. Her debut CD, 2008’s “Grand and Green River” received first prize in the IAP awards in Austin, Texas and also was in the top 40 Americana charts for over 34 weeks. In 2011, she released “LA Blues” Read More. Read More

So one of those early bluesman who mightily influenced blues and rock performers in the 60s  and 70s was born on December 5th! Now the year he was born that may be in question in his review at the AllMusic Guide, Cub Koda writes: Read More

A review of the Roots Music Blues Chart this morning led me to the blues of , Eugene “Birdlegg” Pittman and his 2013 Dialtone release Birdlegg.(#38) Since 1980 Birdlegg has been playing the blues in and around Oakland, California with his band the Tight Fit Blues Band. The band’s lineup would change from time to time but regularly included Texas-born bass player and singer Country Pete McGill and even once featured legendary Chess session guitarist Luther Tucker. Through the years he often told folks:, “I don’t do floors, windows or shoes—I play the Oakland blues!”Birdlegg was named Blues Harmonica Player of the Year by the Bay Blues Society in 2004 While a many blues harpist try to mold their playing around the sound of Little Walter. Birdlegg goes back a little further in time and his muses are Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) and Sonny Terry – two of mu favorites!! I knew I liked his playing!! A few years ago after 35 years in the Bay Area Birdlegg packed his bags and moved to Texas. He reunited with his ex-wife, who he hadn’t seen in years and started playing around town. It didn’t take long for him to establish himself as a favorite on the Austin blues scene! From KXAN  – Blues make a comeback on 6th St. Read More