Date: December 23, 2011

Category: News

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Do you have the Christmas Blues? How About a Little Dean Martin??

You are going to have fun exploring this Blog!! It has lots of music and short stories as my gift to all of you for supporting The Blue Shoe Project!

Disclaimer – I have to make a disclaimer though. My aim of this blog is not meant to be a celebration of or detraction from any religious convictions. My respect for all religions and beliefs goes deep. This post is about the music and about a time of year when we all take a moment to reflect on our lives, our accomplishments, our losses and our blessings; however they may be celebrated or mourned. I am just thankful to all of you for being there with us on this journey.

I have a challenge! The first one who can find in this blog my inspiration that started me on my Blues journey will receive a free Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen – Live in Dallas CD, a matching T-Shirt and a poster from the original event!! Just send me an email.

Dean Martin singing the Blues? When you think of the Blues, Dean Martin is not the first artist that comes to mind. How many of you grew up to this well-dressed, martini-sipping crooner? His version of Christmas Blues gives you a sense of just how much the Blues has permeated our culture. He can sing the Blues for sure. It’s not Muddy Waters, but what the heck. Have a favorite Deano Song to share?

Just a Teeny Weeny Bit. I had the good fortune to meet Little Milton in January of 2005, probably best known for his much covered Just a Little Bit (of your love). We had just come off the Delta Bluesmen event and we were invited to a concert at Lincoln Center in New York. Everyone who was anyone was there. I was on the bus going from the hotel to Lincoln center with Little Milton and Robert Lockwood, Jr. They were talking about how things had changed and how the money just wasn’t there anymore. It was a fortuitous opportunity. He wrote a song called Lonesome Christmas that seems fitting. It was snowing that night and even the Bluesman was feeling the Blues. In this song he sings “sitting by the fire with you drinking eggnog with Hennessey in it, just like we used to do”. Priceless! It was the prize sip of Robert Lockwood, Jr. In fact, he used to be their spokesperson, true story! Here’s Lonesome Christmas to warm things up.

The Flying V. Albert King recorded Santa Claus Wants’ Some Loving for Stax Records in 1974. That isn’t Stevie Ray Vaughan on guitar; it’s his idol, Albert King. Albert King was influenced by Texan Blind Lemon Jefferson and audiences came to identify King by his Gibson Flying “V” guitar. Anyone you see playing one would tracing their desire and appreciation back to Albert King, can you say ZZ Top? Coincidentally, he was born on the same plantation as B.B. King near Indianola, Ms. His song with Texan Stevie Ray Vaughan Blues at Sunrise is absolutely amazing. Here’s a bonus track, a part of Blues at Sunrise since there wasn’t a full version. Just what you will need on on New Years Day. Brings a tear. We lost him way too soon.

The Texas Cannonball!  Since we brought up Texans, I remember an old boss of mine gave me a Freddie King cassette tape, Texas Cannonball and wow! It’s one of the moments in my Blues journey when my interest got turned up about 100 degrees. He had this line “Hit me in the eye, maybe I can see better” I have used on occasion when something just doesn’t look right. In Freddie King’s – Christmas Tears you can hear the influence of T-Bone Walker.  Many, many rock and roll guitarists have looked to Freddie King for inspiration. Just listen to Jeff Beck’s version of Goin Down? The studio version is my favorite. There are many live versions, but this turned way up on a great stereo is close to nirvana. We lost Freddie way too soon. Eric Clapton pays tribute to King in a live version of Christmas Tears that I am going to slip in as a bonus track, because I can. You’ll just have to deal with it!

It’s Lightnin’ Out There! I don’t know about you, but Lightnin’ Hopkins is one of my all time favorite Bluesmen. Like Freddie King, he was another Blind Lemon Jefferson protégé. Honeyboy Edwards told me the story of how he got the name “Lightnin’. He was in a recording session with a piano player in Houston for Aladdin Records. The record exec Lola Anne Cummins felt they needed something more in their names and called Hopkins “Lightnin” and Wilson Smith, the piano player “Thunder”. Here is Lightnin’s Santa to help you with your list!

The Truth about the Blues – There may be some of us that have memories of love ones lost around the Christmas season. There is a universal truth about the Blues that is hard to explain – listening to the Blues actually makes you feel better. It empathizes that there are others that are feeling or have felt your pain too. I have memories such as this that come up every year about this time. In a way the way the Blues works can’t be explained, but it speaks to your soul. Here is one of the most soulful and heartfelt songs about loss you will ever hear. Another bonus track of Lightnin’s Last Night. His fret work is amazing! I hope it makes you feel better like does me.

Charles Brown not Charlie Brown! Continuing down the Texas trail, Texas piano great Charles Brown’s Merry Christmas Baby (Please Come Home For Christmas has become an American classic. It was a hit in 1960 on King Records. Charles was from the refinery town of Texas City, Texas, decimated by refineries that caught fire after two ships exploded in April 1947; the worst industrial disaster in U.S. history. Any Houstonian’s out there?

Brown epitomized the smoother Blues sound coming out of Los Angeles, part of the “Texas clean up movement in Blues”. Artists who moved west and pioneered this sound included Texan’s T-Bone Walker, Amos Milburn, Floyd Dixon and Pee Wee Crayton, Okie Lowell Fulson and a host of others. Officially it’s categorized as the “West Coast Blues” style that often included saxophone and arrangements (written music) versus the ad-hoc approach of its Country Blues predecessor for a bruch up on Blues styles, see my blog post Jazz Versus Blues. This live version of Merry Christmas Baby gives you sense of the lounge scene that spawned this style of Blues. Watch his hands on those 88’s!

Home of Boogie Woogie… Marshall, Texas born piano player Floyd Dixon was part of the same crop of musicians that went west with Charles Brown and pioneered this new style. Side note, Marshall, Texas is ground zero for the birth of the “boogie-woogie“ (see Jazz versus Blues blog post), Blues style. His Empty Stocking Blues is another good example of the West Coast style. Floyd is as smooth as it gets.

Probably Dixon’s most well known song is Hey Bartender. I saw Koko Taylor perform this song on the Dallas City Hall plaza in 1980 and that officially started my Blues journey, if there is to be a starting point. When we were at the Grammy Awards and we heard them announce that our album had won the Grammy for Best Traditional Blues album, Koko, who’s album was up for the same award was sitting in the front row. Before I did anything, I knelt down on one knee in front of Koko, held her hand, and said thank you for inspiring me to do this work. Give a listen to Floyd’s version of Hey Bartender.

Sorry Mr. President… Since we’ve moved from Texas to the west coast, we can’t forget the great Etta James who was born in LA. Just listen to the smooth delivery of this 1959 classic This Time of Year (When Christmas is Near). What do you think about them snubbing Etta for Beyonce, who sang Etta’s signature song and 1960’s hit song At Last for the inaugural address? With all due respect, I would have never taken that gig and told the inaugural team, “Sorry, Mr. President, you go and get Etta, no one can do it better, and no one would appreciate it more.” I mean, how would you feel? Well here is another bonus track. This one’s for you Etta!

Since we are paying tribute to Etta James, let’s turn to someone who would have done the right thing. To get your blood warmed up and keep off the winter chill, how about Christina Aguilera’s version of Merry Christmas Baby with Dr. John? This lady has pipes that go to China! Did you see her in Burlesque?!!! I feel a bonus track coming on, maybe two! That opening scene where she sings Etta James’ hit Something’s Got a Hold On Me warms me to the bone I tell you! She also does a version of At Last . If you haven’t seen Burlesque, rent it over the holidays, snuggle up on the couch, get your favorite squeeze and a cup of something hot, and let me know how things turn out! The music is off the charts, crazy good!

It’s Mardi Gras Time!! Let’s head east and south to my favorite place to visit of all time, New Orleans and A Saints Christmas for you football fans. If you ever get a chance to see Kermit Ruffins live, take it. In fact, Jazz Fest is just around the corner so you might as well do your planning now! This little ditty is his wish for Christmas, a Superbowl win for his beloved Saints. He’s from the 9th ward (think Hurricane Katrina and the show Treme) and founded the Rebirth Brass Band, one of the best New Orleans touring acts, period. They’ll get you movin’ and groovin’ in a hurry to that sweet New Orleans sound. Enjoy!

Neville Mardi Gras Christmas!! Since we are in New Orleans, I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to Aaron Neville and some rockin’ Cajun music with his Louisiana Christmas Day “you better believe I’m going around that tree for a Christmas Mardi Gras!” What can I say about Aaron, he’s an icon! That’s all there is to say. Although he has done so much great mainstreme work, I love his down home music best, featured here.

Krall On Home… I could go on forever but will leave you with one of my new favorite artists, Diana Krall. I missed the tour with Robert Plant and can kick myself. She is just an amazing soul and musician. One of the best to come along in many, many years. I know you are all secretly wishing for a White Christmas. Let us know if you get one!!