Deltachord

Apsense

John “JB” Bigham, the front man for The Soul Of John Black, has amassed an array of credits already. He wrote tunes for Miles Davis and played with Davis at the 10th annual Paris Jazz Festival and appears on Live In Paris, the DVD recorded there.

Bigham played guitar and keyboards for Fishbone, an innovative rock-funk-ska band; he also wrote songs, aided in production, and sang background vocals. Two of the albums he worked on with Fishbone were The Reality Of My Surroundings and Give A Monkey A Brain. He was in the group for eight years.

As a sessions musician he has worked with Eminem, Dr. Dré, Rosey, Joi, Nikka Costa, Bruce Hornsby and Everlast.

Though The Soul Of John Back is basically a duo, bassist Chris Thomas, being the second member, you can find a long list of the other members at:

http://www.myspace.com/thesoulofjohnblack

Thomas has an exciting resume too including working with Harry Connick, Jr, Daniel Lanois, Joshua Redman, Betty Carter, Ellis Marsalis and Macy Gray.

The CD The Good Girl Blues highlights Bigham’s talent as a blues/funk artist. It exhibits his virtuoso abilities on guitar in the blues genre, as he plays all of the guitar parts and this includes acoustic, electric, and slide guitar, plus he plays various styles of blues….from Memphis funk to delta blues to urban blues. You can hear his influences in the songs…Lead Belly, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Blind Boy Fuller, Al Green, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix…and they are a list of great artists.

In Good Girl Bigham plays a hard rocking guitar with call and response backup vocals. Feelin’s has a cool funk sound and slide guitar, even wah-wah. Fire Blues is a slower blues song with spooky electronic sounds and cool tambourine playing. You need to go listen and hear this for yourself. Hey, you’ll also want to listen to the self-titled CD The Soul of John Black, which you can hear at CD Baby.

On the self-titled CD you’ll hear soul, pop-rock, funk, and folk music. This is a Band/Duo that you don’t want to miss!

You can hear The Soul of John Black’s CD The Good Girl Blues at:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/soulofjohnblack2
http://www.myspace.com/thesoulofjohnblack

Website:

http://www.thesoulofjohnblack.com/

The first time I heard Lil Greenwoods voice, I knew it was the very best singing voice, I had heard in ages. Wow! You can hear the class and experience of a giant artist in her performance. She first sang publicly at her father’s Baptist Church.

This fantastic singer is from Prichard, AL in Mobile county. She has recently released a new album entitled Back to My Roots, with David Amram who is a legend in his own right.

She says she learned to dance at a Holiness church in Prichard, according to her interview with Ravi Howard in the June 2007 issue of Zalea. She goes on to say that the first club she sang at was a local club owned by Mr. Crouch.

In 1948, she made her way to San Fransico and some friends took her to a club, where she was hired at a substantial rate for that time. So Duke Ellington saw her at The Purple Onion and his ears were agog with delight.

Here is the quote by Ellington in the April 1960 issue of Ebony:

“This girl has a voice that’s a mixture of Marian Anderson, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington and Mahalia Jackson; and I don’t know but what she’s better on spirituals than when she’s walking and singing the blues.”

Ellington invited her to sit in at a recording session and nicknamed her “One Take Lil.” After this, she toured with the Ellington Orchestra in Boston and at the Newport Jazz Festival and beyond. She and Ellington performed their last concerts in cathedrals around the world. She is featured on Ellington’s album My People.

As an aspiring jazz diva, Lil quickly learned many more secular songs because unfortunately the hymns and spirituals she knew weren’t popular with the San Fransico jazz fans. She also started writing her own songs such as Walkin’ and Singin’ the Blues included on her new CD Back to My Roots, which features Jazz, spiritual/gospel, and blues tunes.

During her long career she performed and socialized with Ray Charles, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn, and others. She never smoked, drank, or did drugs because of respect and love for her father. She sang on the album Cryin Time by Ray Charles.

Lil recorded many R&B sides for Modern and Federal in the early 1950’s. Richie Unterberger of All Music Guide reports that “Greenwood was one of many California-based singers in these years recording in a style intersecting jazz with blues and a bit of gospel, forming a dominant part of post-war R&B before that gave way to doo wop and rock’n'roll.”

She also recorded for NRC, Reprise, and Tangerine. She appeared on The Tonight Show, Good Times, and The Jeffersons continues Unterberger.

When asked by Ravi Howard of her opinion of younger artist today she said:

“I notice that they are getting into so much trouble. They’re making more money than I had made in those years. Yet their lifestyle is just unbecoming to what their artistic values are, and that bothers me quite a bit. The thing I detest most is the lyrics most people put in their songs. This talking about women is nothing that has anything to do with the culture of our life.”

I couldn’t agree more with Lil Greenwood’s assessment of some of the song lyrics written today and for quite a few years passed. That is why when I review an artist I don’t write about the songs with objectionable lyrics, if I review that artist at all.

The song Cry As Children Do, has a wonderful fifties ballad sound, Hello Little Boy is a jazzy tune with bopping piano, jumpin’ sax, shimmering cymbals, and great organ sounds… of course Lil is hoppin’ on the tune too. You’ve Changed is classic piano bar music with nice lead guitar licks softly played.

For a great bossa nova sound listen to Keep a Light Showering Down. A classic spiritual theme and sound is heard in God Is My Candle…it runs chills through the body. The organ, and the hi-hat dominate the music is a fine way, but Lil’s voice is powerful throughout…and the sax blows like the notes of soul…while the piano rings out New Orleans flavor.

With That’s the Truth Daddy, Lil gets sassy and the sound is pure jazz greatness. The call and response back up vocals have a jivin’ swing thing happening.

Her rendition of Summertime recalls the “American Folk Opera” Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin, from which the song originated. Her performance is rich with drama and emotion..she strongly belts the song out. Lil is accompanied by moving piano work that is perfect for the mood her voice sets.

I Laughed At Love is opened with groovin’ flute work that reminds me of where Jethro Tull and The Marshall Tucker Band got their flute playing inspiration from, that being in jazz.

The drums and flute rock–I mean really roll in I’m Blessed and I’m Proud. It starts with a commanding statement by Lil Greenwood, then the flute and drums kick in and the cowbell jams. This a song to make your soul sing. Lil does this howl, howl, howl routine that you just have to hear to know what I’m talking about.

She sounds wonderful singing I’m In A Holiday Mood… a good Christmas song.

Last, but still good is Going Down to Mobile sung by David Amram and is a grand tribute to Lil Greenwood and her ability to inspire with postive feelings, thoughts, and actions.

Do yourself a favor and listen to Back to My Roots and buy it for future listening pleasure.

References:

Zalea, Mood Music, Ravi Howard, June 2007
http://www.lilgreenwoodmusic.com/
About The Album, Harold (Buz) Rummel, January 2007
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porgy_and_Bess
http://www.mmguide.musicmatch.com/
All Music Guide, Biography, Richie Unterberger

Hear Lil Greenwood at:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/greenwoodamram1

Burn Lil Greenwood MP3’s at:

http://www.mmguide.musicmatch.com

At last Hip-Hop gains style, soul, and jazz overtones. I’m talking about Amber Ojeda. You’ll dig the piano melody in Here I am…and the synth string sound adds a dramatic tone.

So Lovely has a smooth jazzy touch. Ambers voice–textured like liquid emotion draws the listener into her music. Love From The Band another jazzy tune has a good beat. Amber is distined to be in the R&B annals of music.

Amber hails from Los Angeles, CA. and is classed in the top 100 artists of My Space. She is frequently on Kick Radio’s Global Top 40 Show. They awarded her as the Best of the Best on the Internet.

She hosted the National School Program for MADD, and had a recurring role on “Veronica Mars”. The new show on Style Network, “Dress My Nest” will feature her songs.

Live Shows:

June 30, 2007 Tanger Los Angles, CA
Sept.08, 2007 Kava Lounge San Diego, CA

Hear Amber Ojeda at:
http://www.myspace.com/amberojeda

The Searchers had a hit in 1963 Sweet For My Sweet, which leaped to the top of the UK charts. The Drifters originally recorded it and Mort Shuman wrote it.

They targeted a hit in 1964 with Needles and Pins, US. Chart #13 and British chart #1, co-written by Jack Nitzsche and Sonny Bono. It is my favorite Searchers song, competing with Love Potion Number 9, which hit the Top Ten in the U.S. The Beatles were the first group from Liverpool to score a hit and The Searchers were second.

Two six-string guitars are playing in the intro (Needles and Pins), which sounds like a 12-string, as the echo switch is still on because the engineer luckily forgot to turn it off and decided it sounded great, so it is said. They definitely had a unique guitar sound in 1963.

The were originally a skiffle group founded in 1957 by John McNally and Mike Pender. Apparently, they were John Wayne fans, as they got their name from his 1956 Western called The Searchers.

The group changed members many times, but the main members are John McNally, Frank Allen, Billy Adamson, and Mike Pender

As the members changed, the name sometimes changed too. The other names are Tony and The Searchers and Johnny Sardon and The Searchers.

The band had a residency at the Iron Door Club and sessions were taped, so that a contract came about with Pye Records. They also got a deal with Kapp records in the U.S.

In 1965 the fascination with The Merseybeat sound dwindled and only bigger groups like The Beatles (a Merseybeat group that developed other sounds) and other British Invasion groups like The Rolling Stones (with their blues based sound) survived as very popular bands.

The Searchers had good fortune in the late 70’s and Sire Records cut a deal for two albums: The Searchers and Love’s Melodies. Bruce Eder, All Music Guide says,”Those records, The Searchers and Love’s Melodies, were the best work the group ever did, highlighted by achingly beautiful yet vibrant and forceful playing and singing, and an unerring array of memorable hooks and melodies.”

The group had a sizeable audience well into the eighties. In 1985 Rhino released the Searchers the Greatest Hits.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Searchers_%28band%29
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2285
http://www.answers.com/topic/the-searchers-band
Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
http://www.tsimon.com/searcher.htm

See The Searchers Official site:

http://www.the-searchers.co.uk/

Hear The Searchers at:
http://www.rhapsody.com/thesearchers

Five for Fighting: 100 Years Performed by Five for Fighting. Single for voice, piano and guitar chords. G Major. 11 pages. Published by Hal Leonard. (HL.352716) See more info…

Hello out there, Dear Reader,

Last night, the thrill lived…as B. B. King and The B. B. King Blues Band rocked and wooed the house at the Saenger Threatre in Mobile, AL. USA. Baby! Oh yeah.

My fourth shot of the blues king’s humor, master single note guitar playing, showmanship, personality plus, enthralled and entertained to the maximum effect.

Let’s not short change his most incredible band..the horn section, drummer, keyboard player, bass guitarist, rhythm guitarist–they are all excellent.

I first went to one of his concerts when I was about 15 or 16 years old, with my mother, a friend of hers, and my best friend. If you haven’t seen him and his fantastic band, do it.

Hey, and if you are in Mobile, AL, check out the Saenger Threatre. It’s a wonderful historical building.

O.K. Merseybeat Fans, I’m behind on the Mersey, forgive me, it will happen soon.

Deltachord

It is surprising how classical music keeps popping up in our quest to learn about popular music or is it? Arlene Smith the lead of the Chantels was trained as a classical singer and had performed at Carnegie Hall at age twelve.

Anyway, The Chantels, originally The Chantelles (name taken from rival school, St. Frances de Chantal) were versed in the Gregorian Chant and classical music at St. Anthony of Padua school located in the Bronx. Changing notes and parts became simple to them because of this excellent training. They sang classical music and Latin hymns in the choir.

They practiced in the girls lockeroom a lot and after each game they sang. Girls didn’t hang out on street corners practicing in those days as the male doo-wop groups did. It wasn’t suitable behavior.

The Chantels started performing at talent shows at the PS 60 Community Center and elsewhere.

They became a national success before many other female R&B groups did. In 1956 they were on Broadway and Richard Barrett, who sang lead for The Valentines saw them and recorded them on the Goldner’s End label.

Their first recordings were He’s Gone and The Plea. Next they recorded Maybe (#15 Pop, #2 R&B, & Top 40 three months, in 1958).

Other songs flew on the charts like Every Night (#39), I love You So (#42), Whoever You Are, How Could You Call, and Will I Told You (# 29).

When 1959 came around, Arlene Smith went solo. Annette Smith became the new lead and in 1961. Look In My Eyes (#14 pop, #6 R&B) blasted out on Carlton Records their new label. They released their final single in 1970.

The original group members were Arlene Smith (lead soprano), Sonia Goring (second soprano), Rene Minus (lower alto and bass), Jackie Landry Jackson (second alto) and Lois Harris (top soprano). The Chantels changed personnel over the years.

The original Chantels did a one song reunion for the R&B Foundation Awards in Hollywood in 1996 and they sang Maybe for a Pittsburg PBS Show.

In 2002 The Vocal Group Hall of Fame inducted them.

References:
http://www.history-of-rock.com/chantels.htm
http://www.thechantels.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chantels
http://www.electricearl.com/dws/chantels.html

Hear The Chantels:

http://www.rhapsody.com/thechantels

Our journey through music takes us to an intriguing Victorian guitarist, Catherina Josepha Pelzer, born in 1821 at Mulheim, on the Rhine. Her father, Ferdinand Pelzer, was an important German guitarist, who taught her to play.

She debuted in London at nine years old and her family quickly moved to England. Catherina’s distinction as a soloist grew rapidly. She gained popularity with upper crust of the day and began to teach guitar in their circles. She became a prominent teacher and several guitars were made “to her specifications” relates Freeth and Alexander and she had a photograph of herself playing one of the guitars on her visiting card, they continue.

She wrote an extensive book for classical guitar, “drawing on the work of Giuliani and Sor;” but reports Freeth and Alexander, authors of The Illustrated Directory of Guitars, the average student wasn’t interested in such a complicated text.

The authors explain that she resolved this problem by writing a simpler book entitled Learning the Guitar Simplified by Mme. Sidney Pratten. This book garnered huge success and went through twelve editions before she died in 1895.

According to dolmetsch.com she wrote 250 works and a few methods for guitar and also instructions for playing the gigliera.

She married an Englishman, Robert Sidney Pratten who played the flute and was renowned in his own right. A portrait of her is online. The addy is listed below. There is also one in the book by Nick Freeth and Charles Alexander.

References:

The Illustrated Directory of Guitars, Nick Freeth and Charles Alexander

http://www.dolmetsch.com/cdefsp.htm

http://library.csun.edu/igra/vol1/pergolesi.html

Online portrait:

http://www.npg.org.uk