Membership Has Its Privileges!

JUNE 3, 2010

Wild Child Butler

"You Had Quit Me"

The next goodie from our friends over at Acoustic Sounds/Blue Heaven Studios is a small but powerful recording by George "Wild Child" Butler, from his final recording: "Sho' Nuff"

This one showcases Wild Child's harmonica and powerful voice flanked on each side by Jimmy D. Lane and Jimmie Lee Robinson on acoustic guitars - and nothing else. But it needs nothing else, as this deeply emotional and powerful track strikes at the very heart of the blues with plain-spoken authenticity.

Butler is another one of those Blues greats that died too soon, as well. Marc Sherforgen of Acoustic Sounds wrote this obituary on March 1, 2005:

The great bluesman George "Wild Child" Butler died Tuesday, March 1 in a Windsor, Ontario hospital, the result of a pulmonary embolism. He was 68.

Wild Child was born in Autaugaville, Alabama on October 1, 1936 and earned his blues stripes beginning in the late 1950s when he took his unique harmonica sound and singing from rural Alabama juke joints to the clubs of Chicago. In the late 1960s, he performed mostly in New Orleans and Houston before returning to Chicago and then touring extensively. Wild Child eventually settled in Canada with his wife Elaine, who survives him.

Wild Child's recording debut came on the Sharp label in 1964. Between 1966 and 1968, he recorded singles produced by Willie Dixon for Jewel Records. He later had releases on Mercury, TK Records, Charly, Rooster Blues, MC Records, Bullseye Blues and APO Records. His final record, Sho' 'Nuff, was released in 2001.

Wild Child's performance resume includes tours with Jimmy Rogers, Sam Lay, Lightnin' Hopkins, Cousin Joe and Roosevelt Sykes. He also played periodically with Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Dixon, Jimmie Lee Robinson, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson II and many other famous bluesmen. George Butler came upon his nickname even before he could walk. The little boy took to harassing the women who visited his mother in their rural Alabama shack. He would crawl across the floor and pull on their skirts and legs until the women began telling Beatrice Butler that her son was "a wild child."
From the time Wild Child picked up the harp at age five, he played it upside down. Not until about 25 years ago did somebody tell him that the high notes were supposed to be played on the right side of the harp. By then, Wild Child had developed his upside down sound, and that style combined with his syncopated singing has been tough to pigeonhole.

"They've always called mine the swamp sound," Wild Child said in 2001. "It's not too fast and not too slow. They calls it snapping blues. I was told from Willie Dixon that I had a way-out strange voice. He said he could hear it between Howlin' Wolf and Lightnin' Hopkins. He said ain't nothing been around like that."

Dixon also once told Wild Child: "You are the moan of the suffering woman, the groan of the dying man. You ain't nothing but the blues."

Wild Child was a very talented songwriter who performed and recorded almost all originals. He and APO Records were planning another recording session when he died. Wild Child had finished writing all of the songs. To those who knew him, Wild Child will be remembered for his exceptional kindness. He had a child-like innocence and enjoyed laughing about simple observations. He sincerely cared for his friends and checked up on them regularly, even those who never checked on him. APO Records appreciates him as an always-loyal friend who shared generously of his time and talent.

We're able to share this track with you thanks to the continued generosity of Chad Kassem and the crew at Acoustic Sounds. As always, you can get the whole recording from the Acoustic Sounds online catalog:

ACOUSTIC SOUNDS: SHO' 'NUFF

May 11, 2010

I recently sent out an email to all member of the Black Cat community about the good fortune I had in receiving some sampler CDs from Asthmatic Kitty, one of my favorite independent record labels.

What had happened was that I had ordered some vinyl from the label - two Sufjan Stevens LPs which round out my Sufjan vinyl collection - and they included this cool sampler CD in with the delivery of my order. I popped it in the big rig and listened, and it was very cool. Several artists on the label, every one different than the next, and I had this thing in constant rotation (on repeat) for I don't know how many hours.

Asthmatic Kitty really encapsulates my hopes for the indie-label industry, because they are finding fantastic artists and putting out quality music. You may not know these guys, but hopefully you will get to know them.

So - I had an idea while listening to the sampler. What if i were able to get a hold of some of those CD samplers from the label and comp them out to Black Cat members and clients? That would help to spread the word about the label and its artists, turn some people on to some cool new music, all in all - win:win

So I pitched the label the idea, and in return for my little leap of faith they sent me 100 CD samplers!

That was incredibly cool and generous of them!

So I sent out the email to all the Black Cat members: send me your physical mailing address, and I'll send you a CD sampler totally free.

I'm happy to report today that the first 50 or so CDs went out, and there are about 50 left. I'm also including one with every new Veloce order. When we're out of CDs, we're out ... first come first served.

Hope you all like them!

April 26, 2010

Black Cat Goody #3 !

Moving deeper into the APO Blues Catalog this time, Chad and the gang have shared this track with us from Jimmie Lee Robinson's "… all my life" CD.

Jimmie Lee was one of the late great treasures of the Blues, with a rich history of selfless contribution and as one of the guardians who helped to preserve the music and culture of the Blues.

Jimmie Lee was the very first artist to record at Chad's Blue Heaven Studios, an honorable and auspicious baptism for the church's new function as a living monument to preserving the Blues and Blues artists. His passing in July of 2002 was truly a very sad moment in latter-day Blues history. APO records remembers him:

Jimmie Lee Robinson, who died in July of 2002, was the soul of APO Records. He was the first to record at our Blue Heaven Studios, having made three records (one still to come) in the converted church, and he was there several more times to perform, guest on other APO records and just to hang out with the family.

...

In addition to his recording career, Robinson was a dedicated activist and committed steward for blues preservation. His chief cause was the preservation of the Maxwell Street Market on Chicago's south side. That area, where Robinson got his start, has been razed in favor of modern buildings and parking lots in recent years. Robinson once fasted for 81 straight days in protest of the destruction. His efforts were documented extensively, including by the Discovery Channel, the New York Times, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune.

From an obit written by Greg Johnson in August of 2002, which you can read in its entirety HERE , Jimmie Lee is remembered:

"In a press release following his fast in 2000, Jimmie Lee Robinson spoke in memory of the past musicians of Maxwell Street. He said, "They lived in the day's troubles. And when they died, they died from the troubles of this world. And history knows them not. These were the true pioneers of the Blues." So was the life of Jimmie Lee Robinson. Let him not be forgotten."

Chad shares with us one of Jimmie Lee's long-standing hit songs, "Love My Baby," from his APO CD titled "All My Life"

As with all APO's production at Blue Heaven Studios, this is recorded with fantastic fidelity and really gives the listener a chance to intimately connect with the music and the musician. The guitar and harmonica pairing here work together to generate some stupendous chills up the spine, while Jimmie Lee's voice tell's your heart that this is for real and deeply felt.

We won't forget Jimmie Lee Robinson any time soon. He was a giant among men, and thanks to his activism he had helped to increase the importance of preserving the Blues as a music and a culture, and of supporting the artists who are keeping it alive in their glorious music. And though his signature spurs are jangling in heaven now, we have these phenomenal recordings that bring us back in time and let us hear him as if he were still with us.

If you're moved by this track, you can get a deeper dose of Jimmie Lee Robinson from Acoustic Sounds' shop by following this LINK, adding to the heart of your blues catalog with some deep, soulful Blues from one of the greats.

I hope you enjoy it, and if you do - drop Chad and the boys a line and tell them thanks!

- Chris

APRIL 13, 2010

OK, Cats ... here's our first goody from Chad Kassem and the gang at APO!

Off of the CD by Marquise Knox: Man Child we have a track called "Love Making Machine"

Here's the rub (perhaps not so euphemistically) ... when Marquise recorded this record he was just 16 years old! To say that Marquise is a phenomenon would be an abject understatement - he's a wünderkind of the first order, as if channeling Blues greats from bygone eras. For a young man born in 1991 (that just kills me!), he's got incredible depth and feeling, coupled with unbelievable talent.

Not only is the music and performance an abundance of musical riches, the liner notes telling Marquise's story are fascinating - (you'll have to buy the CD to read them).

You've also got here on of the latest CDs from the APO label, recorded live to 2-track at Chad's BLUE HEAVEN STUDIOS, in Salina, KS. Big, meaty, smoky St. Louis Blues goodness permeates this release. You cannot help but want to party when this CD is playing - promise. Just remember to play it loud - the Blues aren't supposed to be bashful!

(Members received a private email with the link to the download)

And be sure to hit the Acoustic Sounds website and pick up this CD if you like this track - the whole thing is just what the doctor ordered!

APRIL 12, 2010

More Black Cat GOODIES on the way!

Among the people I really dig in this industry is a man who has every right to stand tall. When the Digerati were dancing on the grave of analog, he stood firm and carried the torch, sometimes in the face of ridicule for being so quaint in his reverence for the Big Black Disk.

He's a fellow I've known for a long time, and someone who has been one of the few lynchpins that helped to revive the LP as a more broadly favored format. You may even get his catalog from time to time and filter through it with a highlighter and a calculator, trying to figure out how much your addiction will cost you in the near term.

His name is Chad Kassem, and he's managed to build a small empire in this industry by sticking to his guns and ensuring that music lovers have access to a phenomenal selection of music.

But far from being a luddite, Chad has also embraced the digital format for those strengths it has, and has not only offered some excellent digital products in his catalog - he has also contributed to that list with recordings from his own label: APO, or "Analog Productions Originals"

Now here is where I need to inject a little bit of background, because this is actually quite a special story. If you know Chad, you know that the only thing he loves at least as much as great analog sound is Blues music. He founded the label along with a recording studio built into an old Salina, Kansas church - called it "Blue Heaven Studios" - and began to record the art of some of our countries most precious Blues musicians.

Standing tall on the shoulders of such greats as Jimmie Lee Robinson, Honeyboy Edwards, and Jimmy Rodgers, Chad and Co. managed to preserve truly high resolution recordings of these and other great Blues musicians with tremendous fidelity. Being an audiophile, as well, Chad knows that it's important to be as true to the music as is possible.

And so, from this label and these studios we have some wonderful recordings of authentic Blues musicians plying their trade and, in so doing, continuing in the long tradition of preserving a special and unique American culture. In the process, APO has these offerings in analog LP format (of course! - and even D2D recordings!), CD, and DVD.

If you love Blues music, or even if you merely "like" it, these are recordings of artists that you would be remiss not to have. These are among the best, most satisfying recordings I've ever heard and real treasures of Blues history, past, present, and hopefully future.

I reached out to Chad recently and asked him if he might lend me a tune to show off the label. What I received in return was an embarrassment of riches … 5 CDs, along with permission to send out 1 track from each CD to all the cats in the Black Cat membership roster.

So we'll send these out in the coming weeks to all Black Cat Members as part of our incredibly cool things we do for people we know and like, FROM people we know and like!

In the mean time, you might do well to check out the incredible catalog of APO titles that they have over at the Acoustic Sounds store and take home some stunning music from some of America's greatest living Blues musicians!

ACOUSTIC SOUNDS' APO CATALOG

Also: for you real Blues fans! Keep your calendars clear for October 22 and 23 of 2010, because the 13th Annual "Blues Masters at the Crossroads" event will be held at the church / Blue Heaven Studios in Salina, Kansas! Check out the studio website for details:

BLUE HEAVEN STUDIOS

Meanwhile, I'll be prepping these tracks for all of our MEMBERS to download and enjoy in 320k MP3 so you can have a small taste of what it means to listen to some of the best Blues musicians in the world recording in the best Blues Studio in the galaxy!

Not a member yet!? Time to fix that ...

All the best!

Chris

April 1, 2010:

I've been a fan of MA Recordings and a friend of Todd Garfinkle (proprietor and recordist of MA Recordings) for going on two decades. I've got a collection of his CDs that probably spans most of the catalog, and this one is one of my all time favorites. In fact, all of the recordings Todd has done in Argentina with this group of amazing musicians are real stunners, and I think are among those discs that I'd recommend as must-haves.

I asked Todd if I could share a track with our Black Cat members - something from this group (Será Una Noche), and from this CD - their second CD - appropriately called La Segunda. I'll leave it at 320k MP3 to make downloading easier and, if you like what you hear you can check out his website and purchase the CD. I've taken a small excerpt from Todd's site:

Thoughts by Santiago Vazquez - Co-Producer

... On this second album, "La Segunda" we took the concept from where we left off on the first record, but now trying to focus a bit more on some specific aspects. Most of the traditional pieces on this record were composed around the beginning of the 20th century, when tango was young, and in some compositions one can detect the influence of older musical styles that "came" with immigrants, blending and creating what we know as tango. Thus, on this record there are many milongas - rhythms with great african influence - and a habañera, as well as a vals criollo, and original music by members of the group inspired by other Argentinean folk rhythms, such as the baguala and zamba (not to be confused with the brazilian samba) from northwest Argentina, and the aire rivereno from the northeast ...

-- Santiago Vazquez / May, 2003 / Buenos Aires, Argentina

Todd's also done something really interesting: He's now selling the high-resolution files to this album. If you have a high-res music server, you can also buy this in a 24/176.4k format for your computer (WAV) - if you have a USB DAC capable of resolving the high-res files on this DVD-ROM, you will be blown away!

The track I'm including is one of my favorites, called "La Roca" - and it's one of the best tracks you'll hear to judge things like texture, ambience and decay. Here's why:

Often times we concentrate on aspects of sound that are in the "macro" field: dynamics, bass impact and extension, 3-D imaging, etc. But the ability of a system to resolve complex textures, the spaces that the musicians are performing within, and the delicate natural decaying of sounds in a natural acoustic can be equally important indicators of your system's resolving ability (if not more important!).

Todd's recordings are simple and pure. Using two customized, precision omni microphones he captures the entire performance, the space, and everything in between. His results don't lie ... these are truly wonderful recordings that are not only really enjoyable music, but will also give you some additional insight when you're adjusting your system for maximum satisfaction.

If you're interested in this or others of Todd's recordings, please visit his website and check out the offerings. I don't think there's a bad one in the bunch! And be sure to look for the high-resolution DVD ROMs if you've got a USB DAC and a high-res server that can play WAV files.

MA RECORDINGS SITE

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