Live, Uncut & Uncensored Conversations With
"Musicians You Should Know
MUSIC ON THE COUCH
Live, Uncut & Uncensored Conversations With
"Musicians You Should Know"
SHOW ARCHIVES
MARCH 2014
Click On Image To Listen To Show
SHOW # 208 - 03/03/14
PEACH REASONER
Her name is Peach and in 2001 the L.A. Music Awards named her Blues Artist of the Year. She released the album, The Real Thing in 2006 and then took time away from the business for her personal life. She is back out performing again and promoting the album with a series of videos on youtube. Peach and I talked about her life and being back on stage again while we sampled some tuneage from the album.
BLUES411 REPORT - Segment Begins At The 51:00 Mark
Chefjimi joined me to talk about his current Baker's Dozen and the radio show on MojoWax Radio on Live365.com We also talked about the upcoming BMAs, the festivals Jimi will be going to over the next month or so and we began a discussion about headlining acts at festivals and that led to the seemingly new decision to tear at the British Blues groups who "ripped off the man"
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BRENT JOHNSON - Segment Begins At The 1:16:00 Mark
Brent Johnson has been playing guitar since he was a child and was writing music for his bands in high school. By the time he was 22 he was playing with "The Braille Blues Daddy", Bryan Lee. After 10 years of touring with this legendary musician, Brent has released his debut album with his band The Call Up, entitled Set The World On Fire. He and I chatted about how he first found the guitar and then met Bryan and what he hopes to accomplish with this band and album.
LISA BIALES - COUCH KID NEW MUSIC - Segment begins At The 2:04:00 Mark
Lisa Biales first came and took her Seat On The Couch back in September of 2012 when she has released her album Just Like Honey, which was produced by E.G. Kight. Then like a great 'Couch Kid', she returned in May of 2013 at the release of her album Singing In My Soul, which as a collection of songs from the early part of the 20th century and features Lisa's takes on W.C. Handy, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and others. Tonight she came back again with another new album, this one produced by E.G. Kight & Bruce Hornsby and featuring the stellar guitar work of 'Couch Kid' Tommy Talton. The album is entitled Belle Of the Blues and we got to play some songs the evening before it was available for sale.
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SHOW # 209 - 03/10/14
TIM WILLIAMS
Tim Williams is a blues-based singer / songwriter / multi - instrumentalist. He is a 40 year veteran of the 'Roots' music scene in North America, roots which stretch back to the coffee-house scene of his native California in the mid 60's. He is also the 2014 IBC Winner in the Solo/Duo Category and he joined me to talk about his journey from the coffee houses of LA in the 60's until his big night at the Orpheium Theater in January.
GEORGIA FLOOD - Segment Begins At The 45:25 Mark
The Georgia Flood is brothers Brooks Mason Kelly & Lane Kelly and they describe their sound as a 60's style Blues-based Rock band similar to Cream, The Black Keys, Hendrix, and Blind Faith. Barely out of college, these two young men are shaping the sound of the blues in the greater Atlanta area and beyond. With their self-titled debut and recent EP Play It Loud, they are showing they have the chops. I sat with Brooks and Lane and we talked about how they got to where they are and where they want to go.
EDDIE COTTON - Segment Begins At The 1:22:36 Mark
Eddie Cotton, Jr. is an electric blues guitarist from Clinton, Mississippi. A minister’s son, Eddie grew up singing and playing gospel music at church and playing the music of blues legends like B.B. King at home. His new album, Here I Come is a collection of 10 originals.
Eddie and I charted his career and how he got to today. He is so full of life and a pleasure to have as a guest.
MARY BRIDGET DAVIES & SAM ANDREW - COUCH KID NEW MUSIC - WORLD PREMIER
Segment Begins At The 2:03:20 Mark
Mary Bridget Davies is a 'Couch Kid' and is now appearing on Broadway in A Night With Janis. Recently she and original Big Brother founder Sam Andrew, along with Jim Wall, and Ben Nieves all got together in Cleveland and laid down 14 tracks that will become Coast To Coast (On A Piece Of Toast). When I heard about the project, I asked Mary to come on and she accepted and then we got Sam and Jim to join us (Ben was in India on vacation) and it ended up being a WORLD PREMIER of three of the songs off the album. We talked about this session and what they were up to and much more.
SHOW # 210 - 03/17/14
TOM HOLLAND
Growing up on the south side of Chicago suited Tom Holland well. It's where he learned first hand from the blues worlds top players and landed Holland his gig as a member of the legendary James Cotton’s band for the last 11 years. While not playing with Cotton, Holland fronts The Shuffle Kings, a true Chicago Blues band. Their album, No Fluff, Just The Stuff is filled with great music. Tom and I discussed his growing up in Chicago, how he came to play with james Cotton and his love of all things The Blues. He is one funny guy who knows how to tell a story.
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SARASOTA SLIM - Segment Begins At The 51:00 Mark
Gene Hardage is known as Sarasota Slim. He grew up in Sarasota, and has been playing music "longer than I'd like to admit, luckily this makes me somewhat legendary in certain circles", as Slim likes to say. He toured with Lucky Peterson and earned his "Sarasota Slim" nickname from local legend Rock Bottom. His latest album is Get Up - Get Down and it will show you that this man should be getting love from other blues-loving areas of the world. It is a great album. Gene and I talked about his career, the music he is making today as well as the music he will be making in the near future with his friend Nitro, which he calls "real blues".
SMOKE WAGON BLUES BAND - COUCH KID NEW MUSIC
Segment Begins At The 1:34:00 Mark
Corey Lueck first joined me back in December of 2012 to talk about his band, and their album, It Ain't Easy. Tonight, Corey returned to discuss their new release Live In Hamilton, which the band recorded in one day over three sets last May. Corey and I talked about what the band has been doing since we last spoke, the new rhythm section and this album which captures the energy of a Smoke Wagon Blues Band performance.
DAMON FOWLER - COUCH KID NEW MUSIC - Segment Begins At The 2:06:00 Mark
Damon Fowler returned to The Couch. He has been here as a solo in December of 2010 and then last year when he appeared with Victor Wainwright & JP Soars and spoke about the debut from Southern Hospitality. His new album, Sounds Of Home was released in January and is a collection of 9 originals and 2 covers produced by Tab Benoit. Damon and I got to catch up on his frenetic schedule and talk about his album and how his 2014 is shaping up.
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SHOW # 211 - 03/24/14
LAITH AL-SAADI
Laith Al-Saadi began singing at age 4 and began playing guitar at 13. At 15 years old Al- Saadi formed his first blues band, Blue Vinyl. By the time he was 18 years old they had opened for Blues greats like Buddy Guy, Luther Allison, Son Seals, and Taj Mahal and toured the Netherlands. During his college years, Al-Saadi freelanced with many of Detroit's greats like Thornetta Davis, Jocelyn B and The Reefermen. He has released the album Real and it contains 7 great originals. Laith came by and we discussed his talent and how he has been able to make a living as a musician his entire life. We also talked about the new album and where Laith is hoping to take his career in 2014 and beyond.
GB ROOTS - Segment Begins At The 50:10 Mark
GB Roots is the powerful collaboration of guitarist/banjo player Dave Barber, and female bassist Kirby Green. Dave and Kirby began collaborating while studying music at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, AB. For the past few years they've been songwriting, recording and performing as backups for others and also as GB Roots throughout Canada.
Their album is entitled The Key and I sat with Kirby and David and talked about their individual careers and their career together both on the stage and off as husband and wife.
ROOT DOCTOR - Segment Begins At The 91:35 Mark
Root Doctor Featuring Freddie Cunninghamhave established themselves with their engaging live shows. They have been creating music together since the 80's through some changing rosters that have included the likes of Greg Nagy and Tom Holland and they continue to thrive. Their new album is entitled New Attitude and I sat with Freddie, keyboardist Mike Skory, bassist James Williams and guitarist Bill Malone(drummer Bob Gardner was not on the call). We spoke about their individual lives and how they came together back in 1989 and where they are headed today and tomorrow.
JAMES ARMSTRONG - COUCH KID NEW MUSIC - Segment Begins At The 2:16:45 Mark
James Armstrong originally Sat On The Couch back in 2012 and he returns with his new album, Guitar Angels which dropped on February 18th. James and I talked about his last two years, playing shows and working on the new album after the success of Blues At The Border, his last release. We played cuts from Guitar Angels and discussed his plans for 2014.
SHOW # 212 - 03/31/14
Jj THAMES
Jj Thames was raised in a blue-collar family. She began performing at the tender age of 9 years old, and became a blues- shouting banshee by the time she was just 18 years old. How did that transition come about? What brought Jj to Reggae and hard rock for a period in her life? What is it like to live and perform on a cruise ship? Who is the 'Blues Diva' who became a huge influence in Jj's life? Click the play button to hear music from her debut, Tell You What I Know, and the answers to these and many other questions about this young woman's life, her joys and her tragedies.
SUGAR BROWN - Segment Begins At The 52:16 Mark
Ken "Sugar Brown" Kawashima was born in Bowling Green Ohio. His attachment to the Blues came while he studied at the University of Chicago by day and prowled the blues clubs at night, backing artists such as Taildragger and "Big Eyes" Smith. He now lives in Toronto, and his latest album is entitled Sugar Browns Sad Day. How did the blues find this classically trained pianist...as Sugar says "It was a moment..." What drew him to the clubs in Chicago? How did he meet Taildragger and what did he learn from him as they played together? If he had to make a choice between a big date and teaching his classes, which would he select? Sugar answers all of this and more during his time on The Couch, while we also check out his album, which transports you back to 1950's Chicago and Chess Records.
POLLY O'KEARY - Segment Begins At The 1:40:53 Mark
Polly O'Keary began playing music in bars in Mexico at 16, and after a early rock career that included a record deal, she fell in love with blues at 28. She was first named Washington Blues Society Female Vocalist of the Year in 2004, and has won it twice more since then.
Her first and second albums were well-reviewed, and the second was named Album of the Year by the WBS, and Polly was named Songwriter of the Year. She spent time touring with Too Slim & The Taildraggers and is now back in the Northwest with a new trio, The Rhythm Method. Polly and I explore all this and more while we listened to the new album, Compass.
TWEED FUNK - COUCH KID NEW MUSIC - Segment Begins At The 2:25:30 Mark
Tweed Funk originally visited while at the IBC in 2012. We had such a blast then, they came back for a full Sit down in April of 2012. Since then, they have come by during the IBC each year and this past January we made plans for the guys to bring the new album to Music On the Couch. Lead Vocalist Smokey and bassist Eric came by to talk about First Name Lucky and tell us what the band has been up to over the last year. We played some cuts from the album while we talked about the honors bestowed upon the band and its members this past year and what they are excited about for the rest of 2014.