Obscure origins of ‘You Don’t Love Me’
Willie Cobbs Obscure origins of 'You Don't Love Me'The Blues Time MachineDownload “You Don’t Love Me” is a classic blues song that has roots in the 50′s and is still being recorded and re-invented....
View ArticlePopping And Bopping: The Electric Bass In Jazz
Stanley Clarke performs on stage during the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz festival in 2007. Credit Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images/Getty Images Written by Nick Morrison Originally posted on September 6, 2011...
View ArticleAnn Hampton Callaway
Ann Hampton Callaway: Singing the standards, Streisand and making it up as she goes. May 10, 2013.
View ArticleEarly blues with fife & drum
Fife and drum players Early blues with fife & drumThe Blues Time MachineDownload Written by John Kessler In 1942, Alan Lomax discovered a community of musicians in North Mississippi, who played...
View Article‘High Water Everywhere’ and the father of Delta Blues
Charley Patton 'High Water Everywhere' and the father of Delta BluesThe Blues Time MachineDownload Charley Patton is considered by many to be the father of Delta Blues. What does that actually mean? A...
View ArticleRobin Lloyd reviews the film “The Girls in the Band”
Sax section, International Sweethearts of Rhythm (credit: thegirlsintheband.com) Based on actual conversations: WHY WE NEED THIS MOVIE #1 Me: I’m going to watch this movie, “The Girls In The Band.”...
View Article‘Bring it on Home,’ the long way through time
Sonny Boy Williamson 'Bring it on Home,' the long way through timeThe Blues Time MachineDownload Sonny Boy Williamson was a blues originator who helped shape the sound of modern blues. In his life, he...
View ArticleThe Greyboy Allstars
The Greyboy Allstars perform live on May 17, 2013 in the Jazz24/KPLU Seattle studios.
View ArticleJohn Henry’s Legend Lives Through Music
John Henry, steel driving man. Credit: Ken Thomas John Henry's Legend Lives Through MusicThe Blues Time MachineDownload The Legend of John Henry is an iconic myth of American railroad history, a battle...
View ArticleCarlos Cascante y su Tumbao
Carlos Cascante y su Tumbao perform live in the Jazz24/KPLU Seattle studios on May 30, 2013.
View Article‘All Your Love’ tracked through time
Otis Rush 'All Your Love' tracked through timeThe Blues Time MachineDownload By John Kessler Otis Rush brought such passion and emotion to his singing and guitar playing that his music has been called...
View ArticleFrank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo: ‘Better than caffeine’
Vinny Raniolo (left) and Frank Vignola performing live in the Jazz24/KPLU Seattle studios on May 30, 2013. Credit: Justin Steyer Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo: 'Better than caffeine'Live Studio...
View ArticleFrank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo- ‘Classical Medley’
Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo perform “Classical Medley” in the KPLU/Jazz24 studios on May 30, 2013.
View ArticleFrank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo- ‘It Might As Well Be Spring’
Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo perform “It Might As Well Be Spring” in the KPLU/Jazz24 studios on May, 30 2013.
View ArticleFrank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo- ‘Tico Tico / Apache’
Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo perform “Tico Tico / Apache” at the KPLU/Jazz24 studios on May 30, 3013.
View ArticleFrank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo- ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’
Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo perform “Flight of the Bumblebee” at the KPLU/Jazz24 studios on May 30, 3013.
View ArticleSlide guitar wizardry surfaced in ‘Stranger Blues’
Slide guitar master Tampa Red. Slide guitar wizardry surfaced in 'Stranger Blues'The Blues Time MachineDownload Tampa Red was a slide guitar pioneer who helped create the template for modern blues. His...
View ArticleGregory Porter: Football’s loss is jazz’s gain
Gregory Porter performs live in the Jazz24/KPLU Seattle studios on June 21, 2013. Credit: Justin Steyer Gregory Porter: Football's loss is jazz's gainLive Studio SessionsDownload On his first trip to...
View ArticleGregory Porter
Gregory Porter performs live in the KPLU Seattle studios on June 21, 2013.
View Article‘My Babe’ has gospel roots
Sister Rosetta Tharpe The Blues Time MachineMy BabeDownload Chances are you know the song “My Babe”, made popular by Little Walter in 1955. Except for the lyrics, “My Babe” is nearly identical to the...
View Article‘Shake ‘Em On Down’ created the cutting edge for blues
Bukka White 'Shake 'Em On Down' created the cutting edge for bluesThe Blues Time MachineDownload By John Kessler Most blues started in the country before becoming urbanized, and Bukka White brought his...
View ArticleMany rivers converged to make a New Orleans classic: ‘Iko Iko’
Mardi Gras Indian. Credit: Joel Mann Many rivers converged to make a New Orleans classic: 'Iko Iko'The Blues Time MachineDownload It’s one of the most iconic songs from New Orleans, and like the city,...
View ArticleYip Harburg: A Lyricist For The Ages
E.Y. “Yip” Harburg. Courtesy of the Yip Harburg estate. By Nick Morrison During his 84 years on the planet, Yip Harburg contributed brilliant lyrics to some of the finest melodies of the American...
View ArticleThe long flight of Muddy’s ‘Honey Bee’
Muddy Waters The Blues Time MachineListen HereDownload Muddy Waters was born in rural Mississippi, and learned his blues at the feet of Son House and Robert Johnson. By the 1940’s he took that delta...
View ArticleStill a mystery who wrote ‘One Way Out’
Sonny Boy Williamson Still a mystery who wrote 'One Way Out'The Blues Time MachineDownload It’s another one of those mysteries — who actually wrote “One Way Out”? Elmore James recorded it in 1961, but...
View Article‘Early in the Morning’– samba, rumba and history
Louis Jordan’s music was a bridge between jazz and rock. 'Early in the Morning' - samba, rumba and historyThe Blues Time MachineDownload Louis Jordan is one of the pioneers of American music, and an...
View Article‘Walkin’ Blues’ still has legs
Legendary bluesman Son House. 'Walkin' Blues' still has legsThe Blues Time MachineDownload It’s one of the defining songs of the Blues, written by one of its formative figures, Son House. The opening...
View ArticleWaters’‘Trouble No More’ came out of Estes’‘Someday Baby Blues’
John Estes The Blues Time MachineWaters’ ‘Trouble No More’ came out of Estes’ ‘Someday Baby Blues’Download Written by John Kessler Sleepy John Estes was a master of country blues with a “down-home”...
View Article1,000 Jazz Albums You Should Hear Before You Die – The Complete List
Wynton Marsalis plays trumpet in 2003. Photograph: Rafa Rivas/AFP/GETTYIMAGES Written by Kevin Kniestedt This list, which took the better part of four years, was inspired by those who said that jazz...
View Article‘Back Door Man’– good blues is rarely about behaving yourself
Howlin’ Wolf The Blues Time Machine‘Back Door Man’ – good blues is rarely about behaving yourselfDownload Written by John Kessler Willie Dixon didn’t make his career writing songs about people who...
View Article‘Somebody’s got to go’– the path from from blues to rap
Lonnie Johnson, one of the first guitar masters. 'Somebody's got to go' - the path from from blues to rapThe Blues Time MachineDownload Written by John Kessler Lonnie Johnson was one of the first...
View ArticleJazz April Birthday: Herbie Mann
Herbie Mann 1930-2003. AP file photo Written by Robin Lloyd Herbie Mann was among the first jazz musicians to specialize on the flute and was jazz music’s preeminent flautist during the 1960s, an early...
View ArticleJazz April Birthday: Buster Williams
Buster Williams. Credit: lushlife.com Written by Robin Lloyd Bassist Buster Williams is a living legend of jazz,who has worked with Miles Davis, Count Basie, Herbie Hancock, Art Blakey, Chet Baker,...
View ArticleJoan Osborne- ‘Work On Me’ and ‘That’s Where It’s At’
Joan Osborne and Keith Cotton perform ”Work on Me”. Then Joan Osborne performs “That’s Where It’s At” along with the Holmes Brothers. April 19, 2013.
View ArticleJoan Osborne and The Holmes Brothers
Joan Osborne and the Holmes Brothers are a recipe for soul. April 19, 2013.
View Article‘Another Man Done Gone’– a powerful tale of woe on a chain gang
Vera Hall 'Another Man Done Gone' - a powerful tale of woe on a chain gangThe Blues Time MachineDownload Written by John Kessler Repression of African Americans didn’t stop at the end of the Civil War,...
View ArticleJazz April Birthday: Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus 1922-1979. Credit: wolfgangsvault.com Written by Robin Lloyd. Charles Mingus was a virtuoso bass player, accomplished pianist, bandleader and composer. Influenced both by church choirs...
View ArticleBo Diddley’s ‘Before You Accuse Me’ influential as the master
Bo Diddley Bo Diddley's 'Before You Accuse Me' influential as the masterThe Blues Time MachineDownload Written by John Kessler Bo Diddley may not have had the commercial success of some other...
View ArticleStill ‘Broke and Hungry’ 80 years later
Blind Lemon Jefferson circa 1926 The Blues Time MachineBroke and HungryDownload Blind Lemon Jefferson was one of the defining guitarists of Texas Blues of the 1920’s. Influenced by the country and...
View ArticleBooker T. Jones
Booker T. Jones performs live in the KPLU Seattle studios on June 28, 2013.
View ArticleBooker T. Jones: The heart of soul
Booker T. Jones performing live in the Jazz24/KPLU Seattle studios on June 28, 2013. Credit: Justin Steyer Booker T. Jones: The heart of soulLive Studio SessionsDownload During the 1960s there was a...
View ArticleTrance Blues inspired by Skip James
Skip James Trance Blues inspired by Skip JamesThe Blues Time MachineDownload Skip James was one of the first influential blues players. Although he came from the same Mississippi culture that produced...
View ArticleObscure origins of a blues classic: ‘Catfish Blues’
Catfish Blues The Blues Time MachineCatfish BluesDownload It’s one of the most widely played songs in the blues, but not much is known about Robert Petway, the man who recorded the definitive early...
View ArticleThe Wolf Howls on “Smokestack Lightning”
Howlin’ Wolf Blues Time MachineSmokestack LightningDownload In the span of Howlin’ Wolf’s life and career he saw virtually the entire progression of blues from a rural, acoustic music through the birth...
View Article‘The Sky Is Crying’ with three legendary guitarists
Stevie Ray Vaughan The Blues Time Machine‘The Sky Is Crying’Download Elmore James is a giant of the blues. His work as a songwriter, singer and guitarist put him near the top of the short list of...
View ArticleGershwin’s masterpiece ‘Summertime’ becomes a rock classic
Cheap Thrills- Big Brother & The Holding Company Blues Time MachineSummertimeDownload “Summertime” is considered one of George Gershwin’s finest songs. Collaborating with his brother Ira and...
View ArticleBlues turns electric with “Crawling King Snake”
Cover image of These Are My Blues Blues Time MachineCrawling King SnakeDownload Big Joe Williams was part of the first generation of blues players, and lived to help spark the blues revival of the...
View Article4 Ways To Sing “The Same Thing”
Muddy Waters 'The Same Thing'The Blues Time MachineDownload This deceptively simple blues song is a masterpiece of restraint and execution. Recorded first in 1964, it features the voice of Muddy Waters...
View Article‘The Milk Cow Blues’– alive and well 80 years later
Sleepy John Estes Blues Time MachineThe Milk Cow BluesDownload Sleepy John Estes was a Tennessee-based blues singer of the 1920’s and 30’s. Though not a flashy guitarist, his voice was packed with...
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