So after listening to The Slide Brothers, I started thinking about other artist who play slide guitar and the first one that jumped into my head was Australian blues artist, Dave Hole! So this afternoon I listen to his most recent release Rough Diamond, which was released way back in 2007! From his website:
Ok so before yesterday I did not know much about the tradition of sacred steel in gospel music. A tradition where lap steel guitar replaces the organ. From Wikipedia:
Sacred steel is a musical style and African-American gospel tradition that developed in a group of related Pentecostal churches in the 1930s. The Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth, was founded in 1903 by Mary Magdalena Lewis Tate. Following her death in 1930, the church divided into three branches, known as the Keith, Jewell and Lewis dominions. The steel guitar was embraced in the worship of two of these dominions, the Keith Dominion (officially, The House of God Which Is the Church of the Living God the Pillar and Ground of the Truth Without Controversy), headquartered in Nashville[1] and the Jewell Dominion (Church of the Living God, Pillar and Ground of the Truth, Which He Purchased With His Own Blood, Inc.) headquartered in Indianapolis.[2] Brothers Troman and Willie Eason introduced lap steel guitar to worship services in place of the traditional organ.[3] This new instrument was met with great enthusiasm and taken up by others including the Bishop J.R. Lockley. The three toured together and later Willie put the new style down on record, recording a total of eighteen sides in the 1940s and 50s. Since then, sacred steel has grown and flourished within the Keith and Jewell Dominions in churches in at least 22 states, including Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina and Tennessee. The most famous practitioner is Robert Randolph of the Robert Randolph and the Family Band. Randolph, the son of a deacon and a minister, took up pedal steel guitar at 17. Just seven years later, he has become one of the most original and talented practitioners of the sacred steel form.[4]
So the other day I noticed an interesting band named, The Unseen Strangers at number 25 on the Roots Music Folk Chart. The album was Follow the Sound, I looked around at several music sites and I couldn’t find the album. What I did find was their 2010 release Time Travel, so I settled for that album. Well I shouldn’t say settled because the albums is terrific! First there’s the picking which is outstanding. Any band that kicks off an album with an instrumental, in this case, a track titled “Windmill Road” has my attention immediately! On the second track, it was the tasty fiddle and then the mandolin on the next track, after it may have been the banjo! Because you see that the picking throughout the album is great! Then there are the vocals and songs which are just as good and when you put it all together you get a really fine bluegrass from this five man band from Canada!!
So the other day I noticed an interesting band named, The Unseen Strangers at number 25 on the Roots Music Folk Chart. The album was Follow the Sound, I looked around at several music sites and I couldn’t find the album. What I did find was their 2010 release Time Travel, so I settled for that album. Well I shouldn’t say settled because the albums is terrific! First there’s the picking which is outstanding. Any band that kicks off an album with an instrumental, in this case, a track titled “Windmill Road” has my attention immediately! On the second track, it was the tasty fiddle and then the mandolin on the next track, after it may have been the banjo! Because you see that the picking throughout the album is great! Then there are the vocals and songs which are just as good and when you put it all together you get a really fine bluegrass from this five man band from Canada!!
So yesterday February 15th back in 1981, the music world lost one of its greatest guitarist to heroin addiction, when Michael Bloomfield died. While Bloomfield started with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. I didn’t discover his music until The Electric Flag album “A Long Time Comin’ The album quickly became a favorite and Bloomfield’s guitar artistry was a big reason. I followed his career through his work with Al Kooper and the Super Session Album and then The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper. I didn’t discover his later solo work until the late 90s early 2000s. Here’s some background info from Wikipedia:
So finishing second at the International Blues Challenge in the Solo/Duo Category were brothers Pere and Victor Puertas who together form The Suitcase Brothers. They represented the Barcelona Blues Society and boy can they play the blues. I listened tonight to their first album Living with the Blues and I am in awe of Victor’s harp playing! Here’s some information about the brothers from their Myspace page:
So if you’re like me and sometimes you need some good old-time mountain music, check out Trout Steak Revival! Their latest album Flight, is now number 15 on the Folk DJ Charts and it’s a good one! The band calls Denver Colorado home and members hail mostly from Colorado and the mid-west. The band formed in 2009 after extensive close friend jam sessions during backpacking trips and backyard parties.
Selwyn Birchwood Band
So last weekend 230 Blues bands from around the world converged on Memphis for the 29th International Blues Challenge. The bands play in Blues Clubs up and down Beale Street with the grand finale held in the Orpheum Theater. Here’s Matt Marshall’s recap of the winners as posted at the American Blues Scene:
Ok so, last night I was reviewing the Roots Music Report Blues Chart and came across The Rusty Wright Band at No 47 and their latest album THIS, THAT & THE OTHER THING. It only took listening to the first track “A Whole Lotta Rosie” to know that Rusty Wright can play guitar and that I was going to like this album. I listened to several tracks on the way to and from work tonight at Target and I REALLY like this album. I’ll write more about it after a few more listens. But until then here’s a taste as we go “Into the Morning” with The Rusty Wright Band and “A Whole Lotta Rosie”.
