Jazz On The Beach 82 & Blues Beach 23
Jazz On The Beach 82 & Blues Beach 23
Taj Mahal, Jazz and Blues Radio
I’ve been a fan of Taj Mahal ever since hearing his second album The Natch’l Blues in 1968 and it’s still one of my favourite records by him or anyone else. Taj will be 81 next month and releases his new album Savoy next week, a collaboration with longtime friend and producer John Simon (The Band, Leonard Cohen, Blood, Sweat & Tears) of mostly classic thirties and forties repertoire arranged and performed with wit, style and a a great deal of charm. I played the lead single Gee Baby Ain’t I Good To You on the show a few weeks ago, and for this week’s Jazz On The Beach playlist there’s the opening track, Stompin’ At The Savoy, that sets the scene for what’s to follow with Taj talking about how his parents met for the first time at Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom during the initial run of Ella Fitzgerald with the Chick Webb Band in 1938.
Taj also appears on this week’s Blues Beach playlist with his version of Blind Willie McTell’s Statesboro Blues from his first solo album (also released in 1968) featuring the wonderful slide guitar playing of Jesse ‘Ed’ Davis that was so influential to a young Duane Allman. Ry Cooder’s playing rhythm guitar, he and Taj had recorded a version of the song together in 1965 for their band The Rising Sons which was not officially released until 1992.
There’s plenty more good music on both of this week’s playlists. On the jazz side there’s Japanese jazz fusion from 1976 with Cat from trombonist Hiroshi Suzuki, Tubby Hayes’ Seven Steps to Heaven recorded live at The Hopbine in 1972, Chelsea Carmichael’s driving There Is You And You from her excellent 2021 debut, David McMurray interpreting The Grateful Dead with Scarlet Begonias for his upcoming Blue Note album, Hammond B3 organist Freddie Roach’s killer groove on ‘Taint What You Do and following on from last week there’s Way Back Home from the The Jazz Crusaders from 1970. There’s also a sad farewell to Ahmad Jamal who passed away on Sunday with his wonderful version of Poinciana recorded at Chicago’s Pershing Hotel in 1958.
On the Blues Beach playlist this week there’s J.B. Lenoir The Whale Has Swallowed Me which chose itself after a humpback whale was spotted on Monday just off the Kent coast, Louisiana Red and Black Ace introducing themselves with I Am Louisiana Red and I Am The Black Ace, Earl Hooker jiving with Bunky ‘Big Voice’ Odum on Two Bugs And A Roach and Eddie Burns rockin’ on Papa’s Boogie. As well as the previously mentioned Jesse ‘Ed’ Davis there are plenty more slidewinders including J.B. Hutto, Homesick James, and Hound Dog Taylor as well as Chuck Berry’s instrumental Deep Feeling that surely influenced Peter Green for Albatross.
A couple of things…
You may never be a musical genius like Herbie Hancock but you can wear the shades. Blue Note’s collaboration with Jacques Marie Mage is ‘a classic expression of those glasses worn by Herbie Hancock on the cover of Takin’ Off’. So, how about Columbia Legacy (or the Miles Davis Estate) doing a collaboration with someone for a green shirt like the one on the cover of Milestones?
Three gorgeous new designs from Joe Doe Guitars in Brighton for their collaboration with Vintage Guitars that take their cues from ’50s cars and Las Vegas casinos.
Joe Doe Hot Rod, Gambler and Gas Jockey Record Store Day - Saturday 22nd April
Take a look at the list in the link and support your local record store. I’ll be looking for Phil Ochs Best of the Rest: Rare and Unreleased Recordings, a new Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers Live at Jazz Workshop 1970 and the reissued Yusef Lateef Detroit Latitude 42° 30' Longitude 83°.
Radio Times
Listen live to Jazz On The Beach every Wednesday from 10.00pm - midnight and Blues Beach every other Thursday from 6.00pm - 7.00pm via the internet on DealRadio.co.uk or the TuneIn Radio app. Or alternatively, just ask your smart device to ‘Play Deal Radio’.