From their July 2nd, 1977, performance at Oakland Coliseum, in Oakland, California, here is Lynyrd Skynyrd performing one of, if not their signature song, "Sweet Home Alabama". This is the legendary lineup of the band with Ronnie van Zant on lead vocals, the three-guitar army of Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, and Steve Gaines, Billy Powell on piano, Leon Wilkeson on bass and Artimus Pyle on drums and backing vocalists, Cassie Gaines, JoJo Billingsley, and Leslie Hawkins. This post is to commemorate the original Lynyrd Skynyrd band and the tragic plane crash where many of the original members including Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gaines, as well as the band's road manager, Dean Kilpatrick, lost their lives in a Mississippi swamp on October 20th, 1977. May the original members who the music world lost on that tragic day, Rest In Peace, and always be remembered, and may the music of Lynyrd Skynyrd live on forever.
This great clip includes Texas guitar legend John Thurman "Long John" Hunter (1931 - 2016). He decided to buy a guitar, after attending a B.B. King concert in the early fifties. The rest is history, He decided to move to Juarez, Mexico, where he played for years in the Lobby Club. In the meantime, he released several record hits.
He is accompanied on this recording by Ray Sharp (1938, Fort Worth, Texas). Sharp released a big hit in 1959 "Linda Lu". A song that was covered by great artists and bands, like Tom Jones and the Rolling Stones. On the original version Sharp played together with the legendary Duane Eddy.
Walkin' from the 1988 Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival Jam Session. Phillip Harper, Howard Johnson, trumpets; Steve Wilson, alto saxphone; Benny Green, piano; Bob Hurst, bass; and Kenny Washington, drums.
Taj Mahal performing the song "Fishing Blues" at a 1993 concert. One of those songs that has a great story behind it. Mahal says it right in the intro, a song from the East Texas musical tradition and Henry "Ragtime" Thomas. It makes you want to head down to the lake, onto the dock, or in a boat, grab your rod and reel, and a can of nightcrawlers and see if you can't catch something. So, this one is for all the music fans out there who also enjoy fishing.
This week's Sunday Special. The famous song "hello Josephine", was born in 1960 as "My girl Josephine", written by Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew. The change came around 1965 when a British band called The Scorpions covered the song. Antoine Dominique "Fats' Domino Jr. February 26, 1928 - October 24, 2017) was already a world-famous artist at that time. In 2005 Fats was missing for some time, when the hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. His house was demolished, and he lost all his prizes and golden records. It didn't stop him from continuing to travel the world to give more concerts.
BBC-TV, 1971. The Mahavishnu Orchestra. You know, you know. John McLaughlin, guitar; Jerry Goodman, violin; Billy Cobham, drums; Jan Hammer, keyboards and Rick Laird, bass.
Full Concert Friday revisiting the "New Orleans Swamp" episode of the "Soundstage" concert program on PBS circa 1974. Here is the set list and the musicians who played that night.
PROFESSOR LONGHAIR:
2. Shake Rattle & Roll 1:20/
3. Tipitina 5:00/
4. Whole Lotta Lovin' 8:40/
5. Everyday I Have The Blues 11:20.
EARL KING:
6. Mama & Papa 15:10/
7. Those Lonely, Lonely Nights 19:05.
The METERS:
8. Looka Py Py 22:40/
9. Jungle Man 25:50.
Dr. John:
10. Call A Doctor 29:50/
11. Qualified 32:30/
12. Quitters Never Win 38:00/
13. Such A Night 42:15/
14. Right Place 46:20.
Finale-EARL KING-END JAM:
15. Big Chief 50:10
DR. JOHN & PROF. LONGHAIR-METERS--EARL KING-Night Trippers/ SOUNDSTAGE 1974 "NEW ORLEANS SWAMP"
DVDR130122
Summertime (Gershwin). Off-Opera Jazzfest on the 10th of August 1994. Al Jarreau, vocals; Neil Larsen, keyboards; Charles Johnson, guitar and Steve Gadd on Drums.
Al Jarreau was a groundbreaking artist in jazz, known for his distinctive vocal style that blended jazz, pop, R&B, and soul. He was a master of vocalese, a style in which singers use lyrics to mimic instrumental solos, which allowed him to “sing” like a saxophone or trumpet, an approach few others achieved with the same level of artistry. Jarreau’s voice was remarkably flexible, ranging from deep bass notes to falsetto, and he had an extraordinary ability to incorporate scat singing, vocal percussions, and rhythmic precision into his performances. His improvisational skills set him apart, making his concerts captivating and unique experiences.
Jarreau was also an innovative storyteller through his music, breaking genre barriers by blending different styles and reaching a broad audience. He won seven Grammy Awards in three distinct categories—jazz, pop, and R&B—which underscored his versatility and widespread influence. His work on songs like “We’re in This Love Together,” “After All,” and his famous theme for the television show Moonlighting expanded his reach beyond traditional jazz listeners and brought new fans into the jazz world. Al Jarreau’s ability to connect with listeners across various genres has solidified his legacy as one of the most innovative and influential jazz vocalists.
Don Ellis Jazz Festival Montreux, July 9, 1977. Don Ellis tp., el-tp., fl-h., Glenn Stuart tp., Gilman Rathel tp., Jack Coan tp., Alan Kaplan tb., Richard Bullock b-tb., Sidney Muldrow fr-h., Jim Self tuba, Ann Patterson as., ss., oboe, fl., pic., Ted Nash fl., as., cl., James Coile ts., fl., cl., James Snodgrass bs., pic., fl., oboe, b-cl., Pam Tompkins viol., Laurie Badessa viol., Jimbo Ross viola, Paula Hochhalter cello, Randy Kerber p., e-p., clavinet, synth., Darrell Clayborn b., Leon Gaer e-b., synth., Dave Crigger dr., Mike Englander dr., Chino Valdes perc., Ruth Ritchie perc.
Don Ellis was a pioneering American jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader, known for his innovative approach to jazz that blended complex time signatures, Eastern European influences, and modern electronics. His work, particularly in the late 1960s and 1970s, pushed jazz boundaries and introduced a unique, experimental sound that resonated with both jazz and rock audiences.
Ellis was fascinated with unconventional time signatures and rhythms. He explored complex meters such as 5/4, 7/4, and even 19/8, which were rare in jazz at the time. His album Electric Bath featured these innovations and won him a Grammy nomination.
Blending jazz with influences from Eastern Europe, India, and rock, Ellis helped create a sound that was both challenging and accessible, appealing to younger audiences at the height of the jazz-rock fusion era.
Ellis was one of the first jazz musicians to experiment with electronic effects on his trumpet, using devices like the ring modulator to produce unusual, futuristic sounds. This contributed to the psychedelic and avant-garde appeal of his music.
Ellis composed several film scores, with the most notable being his work on The French Connection (1971), for which he received critical acclaim. His score was distinctively intense and contributed to the film’s gripping atmosphere.
His big band arrangements expanded the scope of what large jazz ensembles could accomplish, influencing later jazz composers and big band leaders. He challenged traditional big band sounds with unconventional instrumentation and structures.
Don Ellis’s work broadened the definition of jazz, especially in terms of rhythm and instrumentation, and he left a lasting influence on both jazz musicians and composers who sought to innovate within the genre.
Live Under The Sky 1988 (Tokyo Yomiuri Land). Terri Lyne Carrington on drums, Hiram Bullock on guitar, Steve Logan on bass, Ricky Peterson on keyboards, Don Alias on percussion. Slam and Rush Hour
On June 11th, 1976 a very special concert took place in the studios of the Dutch TROS tv-programme "Music all Inn". The audience witnessed a great concert of Gladys Knight and (her family group), the Pips, and as a special guest starred Al Foster, the drummer who played for a long time with Miles Davis. Gladys (May 28, 1944 - Atlanta, Georgia) became really famous when she started to work with the record label Motown, where great hits as "heard it through the grapevine" were released. In the mid-seventies last millennium, she changed to the Buddha label, where she published "Midnight Train To Georgia'.
The Dutch Metropole Orchestra is legendary in Holland. It was founded in 1945 shortly after WWII ended. After years of suffering, Dutch people needed hope and... good times! In 1980 Rogier van Otterloo started as conductor. He was already famous, for writing the soundtracks of box office movies as 'Soldier of Orange' and "Turks Fruit" (Turkish Delight).
All The Things You Are - The Joe Henderson All-Stars at the 1988 Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival (concert produced by Michael Cuscuna): Joe Henderson, tenor saxophone; Roswell Rudd, trombone; Howard Johnson, tuba; Don Pullen, piano; Cameron Brown, bass and Ralph Peterson on drums.
From a 2017 performance at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado, here is Joe Bonamassa with his blues "Slow Train" released on his 2011 "Dust Bowl" studio record.
From his "Tour de Force" live record recorded at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, England, here is Joe Bonamassa with his cover of B.B. King's song "Chains & Things".
This week's Sunday Special. Heard this song on a blues dedicated radio show one night on the local Minnesota jazz station, Jazz 88 FM. This is Louisiana Red with "Red's New Dream". Louisiana Red also had an original dream, and wrote a song about it, back in the 1960s. I shall post that one, too.
From 1962, Louisiana Red, the bluesman, wrote a song about a dream he had about confronting Cuba's dictator, Fidel Castro, and Russian President Nikita Kruschev, and giving him the business about how evil he was.
Red's Dream: Louisiana Red [1962]
It was a dream, dream I had last night I dreamed I went to the UN And set the whole nation right
I dreamed of callin' old Castro To the morning flo' Looked him right in the eye and said, "Boy, You got to go! I'm tired of your foolishness And if you don't behave, I'm goin' grab you by your beard, Give you a Georgia shave!"
It was a dream, a dream I had last night I dreamed I went to the UN And set the whole nation right
Then I told old Khrushchev Sittin' there looking bad, "Get that junk outta Cuba 'Fore you make me mad. Dig up them missile bases Take them planes and all Or I'll grab me a bat With your head for the ball!"
It was a dream, dream I had last night I dreamed I went to the UN And set the whole nation right
Then into Washington they call me An' I went Hadda be the guest Of the President He said, "Red, I'm glad to see you, So glad you come down here To help me run the Russians From the western hemisphere!"
I said, "You can run the country I'm goin' to run the Senate Oughtta make a few changes With a few soul brothers in it. Ray Charles and Lightnin' Hopkins And a guy like Jimmy Reed Bo Diddley and Big Mabel Be all I need!"
It was a dream, a dream I had last night I dreamed I went to the UN And set the whole nation right
From his 2002 record "So, It's Like That", here is Joe Bonamassa and his band performing the tune "Takin' The Hit" on the Rockpalast television program in Germany, circa 2006. The song is also the opening track to his live at Rockpalast record which was his first music video. This recording saw Bonamassa playing in a power trio. Joe Bonamassa on guitar and vocals, Eric Czar on bass, and Kenny Kramme on drums.
From a concert recorded in Sweden, on June 9th, 1980, here is the one and the only, the late, great Albert King, one of the three Kings of the blues, along with Freddie and B.B., covering Elmore James' blues chestnut "The Sky Is Crying".
The Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks Band performs Muddy Waters' "Got My Mojo Workin' " at the MGM Fenway in Boston, MA on 10/1/24. Brought to you by Less Than Face Productions. Audio by Bill K.
Honky Tonk (Davis) Live in Oslo, 1971. Miles Davis, trumpet; Gary Bartz, saxophone; Keith Jarrett, keyboards; Michael Henderson, bass; Mtume, percussion and Ndugu Leon Chancelor on drums.
Three of the all-time greatest jazz guitarists perform their unique skills on the guitar:
Barney Kessel, born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA on October 17, 1923, was known for his chord-based melodies and was a prolific member of the so-called ‘Wrecking Crew’ group of musicians that accompanied and played on records as diverse as The Mamas & Papas, Sonny & Cher and The Beach Boys. He was voted best guitarist in Down Beat Magazine in 1956, 1957 and 1958 and recorded numerous albums. The Gibson Guitar Corporation introduced the Barney Kessel model guitar in 1961 to honor his skills. Barney died on May 6, 2004.
Herb Ellis was an American guitarist who probably was best known as member of Oscar Peterson’s Trio in the 1950’s. He was born on August 4, 1921, as Mitchell Herbert Ellis. He played with Jimmy Dorsey’s band and played on numerous Verve records supporting jazz giants like Ben Webster, Stan Getz, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Herb died on March 20, 2010.
Charlie Byrd was one of America’s greatest guitarists. Born on September 16, 1925, in Suffolk, Virginia, he was strongly influenced by Django Reinhardt’s style and Brazilian bossa nova. He played in Woody Herman’s band in the late 1950’s and recorded ‘Jazz Samba’ with Stan Getz. Also he recorded the famous bossa nova albums with JoĂŁo Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Byrd died on December 2, 1999.
The three great guitarists are accompanied by Joe Byrd, Charlie’s brother, on bass and Chuch Redd on drums
The repertoire included:
• "It's the talk of the town" by Marty Symes, Al J. Nieburg, Jerry Livingston;
• "Undecided" by Sid Robin, Charlie Shavers;
• "A felicidade" by Vinicius de Moraes, Antonio Carlos Jobim;
• "Manha de carnaval" by Antonio Mariz, Luis Bonfá;
• "Nuages" by Django Reinhardt;
• "Goin' out of my head" by Teddy Randazzo, Bobby Weinstein;
• "Flyin' home" by Sid Robin, Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman.
*"Speak Low"
*"Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out."
The concert was taped on 17 July 1982 in the Congress Gebouw, The Hague, The Netherlands during the North Sea Jazz Festival.
This is an old jazz video from my VHS collection. According to me it is RARE.
It is a TV5 production.
I have no copyrights of the material/video except the effort and the skill transferring from tape to HDD and the upload here if it could called a copyright at all.
Live in Montreux
Chick Corea, Joe Henderson, Roy Haynes, Gary Peacock
This important live recording from 1981 features the great pianist with a stunning group: Joe Henderson on tenor sax, Gary Peacock on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums. Haynes worked with Corea on many prior occasions, and Henderson was about to collaborate with him on the Griffith Park albums of the early ’80s, but this is the first time the three appear together. Peacock’s presence is an additional delight. The probing bassist contributes the multi-layered, magnificent “Up, Up and….”
Three of Corea’s compositions here — “Hairy Canary,” “Folk Song,” and “Slippery When Wet” — would later wind up as bonus tracks on Stretch’s 1994 reissue of the 1981 CD Three Quartets. In addition, there are valuable renditions of two dense and challenging Corea tunes, “Psalm” and “Quintet #2,” along with two standards: Thelonious Monk’s “Trinkle, Tinkle” and Cole Porter’s “So in Love.” The latter culminates in a four-minute Haynes drum solo.
Overall, the record is essential for fans of any and all of the four musicians involved.
— AllMusic
Album Tracks
Introduction Hairy Canary Folk Song Psalm Quintet, No. 2 Up, Up and ... Trinkle Tinkle So In Love Drum Interlude Slippery When Wet
EP/single/78 RPM versions of "On The Road Again" by The Memphis Jug Band circa 1928.
Also from 1928, here is The Memphis Jug Band with their song "Stealin', Stealin'", which I believe was also later covered by Janis Joplin. Great music, lives on, forever.
From his live "Muddy Wolf at Red Rocks" performed at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado, here is Joe Bonamassa with Waters' "You Shook Me" featuring his blues band. It features Joe Bonamassa on lead vocals and lead and slide guitar, Reese Wynans on Hammond organ and piano, Michael Rhodes on bass, Anton Fig on drums, and Mike Henderson on harmonica.
From a concert on September 27th, 1985, in Zeche, Bochum, Germany, here is one of the best bluesmen ever, Luther Allison, with his tune, "Serious". Note how Luther Allison teases Michael Jackson's "Beat It" into the song, right near the end.
Sonny Rollins remembers Jackie McLean, then from the 1988 Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival, Jackie McLean and Sadao Watanabe play Dexterity with Mulgrew Miller on piano; Bob Hurst on bass and Kenny Washington on drums.
Jackie McLean (1931–2006) was an influential American alto saxophonist and composer, known for his contributions to the hard bop and post-bop jazz movements. He had a sharp, distinctive tone and an adventurous, cutting-edge approach to improvisation.
McLean started his career in the early 1950s, playing with iconic figures such as Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. He gained a reputation for blending traditional bebop with the emerging sounds of hard bop and later pushed into more avant-garde territory.
Throughout the 1960s, McLean was a key artist on the Blue Note label, where he recorded several landmark albums, including *"Let Freedom Ring" (1962)* and **"One Step Beyond" (1963)**. His music from this era reflected a strong sense of social consciousness, resonating with the Civil Rights Movement and African American cultural expression.
McLean was also an educator and activist. In the late 1960s, he joined the faculty of the University of Hartford and founded the university’s African American Music Department and the Hartt School's jazz studies program. His commitment to music education had a lasting impact on future generations of jazz musicians.
Jackie McLean's legacy is that of a bold, innovative musician who constantly pushed the boundaries of jazz while staying rooted in its rich traditions. His sound continues to inspire contemporary jazz musicians today.
Sun Ra, born Herman Poole Blount (later Le Sony’r Ra) in 1914, was a visionary American jazz composer, bandleader, pianist, and philosopher. He is best known for his pioneering work in free jazz, his eclectic fusion of genres, and his elaborate, otherworldly persona. Sun Ra claimed to be from Saturn, often speaking of cosmic philosophy, Afro-futurism, and the spiritual significance of music.
In the mid-1950s, he founded the “Arkestra,” a large ensemble that would evolve over time and serve as a vehicle for his unconventional musical ideas. His music spanned everything from swing and bebop to avant-garde free jazz, with a strong emphasis on space-age sounds, electronic instruments, and African rhythms. The Arkestra performances were often accompanied by theatrical elements, such as elaborate costumes, futuristic imagery, and mystical themes.
Sun Ra was a key figure in the development of the avant-garde jazz movement, blending philosophy, mythology, and music into a unique vision that influenced a wide range of genres. He remained active until his death in 1993, leaving behind a massive catalog of recordings and a lasting legacy in both jazz and experimental music. His work also had a significant impact on Afro-futurism, inspiring later generations of artists, musicians, and thinkers.
Revisiting (once again), a favorite Phish song of mine. This is the classic, "Bathtub Gin" which it's whimsical melody and trippy lyrics. This particular version comes from Phish's October 26th, 2024, concert held at MVP Arena in Albany, New York.
Canned Heat is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles in 1965. The group has been noted for its interpretations of blues material and for its efforts to promote interest in this type of music and its original artists. It was launched by two blues enthusiasts, Alan Wilson and Bob Hite, who took the name from Tommy Johnson's 1928 "Canned Heat Blues", a song about an alcoholic who had desperately turned to drinking Sterno, generically called "canned heat" (from the original 1914 product name Sterno Canned Heat),[1] After appearances at the Monterey and Woodstock festivals at the end of the 1960s, the band acquired worldwide fame with a lineup consisting of Hite (vocals), Wilson (guitar, harmonica and vocals), Henry Vestine and later Harvey Mandel (lead guitar), Larry Taylor (bass), and Adolfo de la Parra (drums).
This week's Sunday Special. From Bret "Jazz Video Guy" Primack. Darn That Dream featuring baritone saxophone legend Gerry Mulligan on piano, Rich DeRosa drums, Frank Luther bass.
In this rare material, we see the Monty Alexander trio playing together with the famous dutch Metropole Orchestra. It was founded in 1945 shortly after WWII ended. After years of suffering, dutch people needed hope and... good times! In 1980 Rogier van Otterloo started as conductor. He was already famous, for writing the soundtracks of box office movies as 'Soldier of Orange' and "Turks Fruit (Turkish Delight)".
Montgomery Bernard "Monty" Alexander (born 6 June 1944) is a jazz pianist. His playing has a Caribbean influence and bright swinging feeling, with a strong vocabulary of bebop jazz and blues rooted melodies. He was a regular guest at the North Sea Jazz Festival. In this footage that we found in the archives, he performs in the Dutch TV show "Music All In".
The Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks Band performs Blind Faith / Eric Clapton's "Presence of the Lord" on 10/4/24 at the Wang Theater in Boston, MA. Brought to you by Less Than Face Productions. Audio by Casey C.
