Hambone’s Blues Party

 Top 5 Spins for November:

Mavis Staples

Live: Hope At The Hideout, ANTI- Records

            Chicago’s own living legend Mavis Staples recorded a live set at the funky  Hideout club in summer 2008.  Mavis’ voice is in fine form and her band, led by Rick Holmstrom on guitar, never oversteps its bounds. I have seen Mavis a number of times; performing in front of an appreciative audience always brings out the best in her.  Top songs from this set include:  This Little Light, Why Am I Treated So Bad and Down in Mississippi.  From spirituals to R&B to Civil Rights protest songs, no one brings the depth of experience and emotion to a tune as does Mavis.  This is truly an uplifting and sanctified album.

 Various Artists

55 Years of Blues, Delmark Records, CD & DVD

            Bob Koester founded Delmark Records over 55 years ago.  This release contains a CD of various blues artists that have recorded for Delmark over the decades.  From Big Joe Williams to Otis Rush to Magic Sam to Syl Johnson, this album demonstrates the history of the blues.  As an added bonus, this package also contains a DVD of live performances. Your blues experience is enhanced when you can watch bluesmen like Jimmy Burns, Byther Smith, Dave Specter, Tail Dragger and the late Little Arthur Duncan, perform on the DVD.

Joe Louis Walker

Witness To The Blues, Stony Plain Records

            Joe Louis Walker has been powerful force in the blues for over 20 years. He is a triple threat: guitarist, singer and songwriter. His new CD, which was produced by Duke Robillard, bears witness to his life as a bluesman.  JLW tackles all styles of blues in this release.  There is a smoking and scintillating duet with Shemekia Copeland on the cut Lover’s Holiday. You will enjoy this one a lot.

Sarah & The Tall Boys

Shiny and New, Indie Release

            This Chicago band is hard to categorize: part alt-country, part blues. Simply put, they play great Americana music.  Sarah Potenza has a huge, throaty voice. This album features mostly original songs with an excellent backing band. They played live in the radio studio last week on my show and I was impressed with their performance and material.

Big Mama Thornton

Hound Dog/The Peacock Recordings, MCA

            Hambone thought it would be nice to hop into the Way-Back Machine and listen to some classic female R&B. Discovered in Houston by legendary entrepreneur Don Robey in 1951, Big Mama Thornton is best known for recording the original version of Hound Dog in 1952.  Elvis would top the charts with his cover in 1956. Big, brassy and ball-bustin’, Big Mama took grief from no one. Unfortunately, she never received the accolades she deserved. If you like raucous, rockin’, blues-shouting R&B, you’ll dig this. 

Hambone’s Blues Party is broadcast from the back seat of Hambone’s Cadillac, parked on the corner of Jazz Avenue and Blues Boulevard. His radio show can be heard on WDCB 90.9FM and simulcast at www.wdcb.org every Thursday night from 10 pm to midnight CST. Hambone features the best of contemporary blues and classic R&B and soul.  He plays blues with some rhythm, blues with some jump and blues with some soul.

HAMBONE'S TOP SPINS ARCHIVE