Friday Freak Flag Flying ~ ”My Child, He Walks Alone” ~ The Corporation

A Milwaukee garage band that Capital thought enough of to sign them unfortunately it didn’t last. Seems their first album sold well but the band never saw much money. So they left and returned home to record the next two on a small label from their neck of the woods, The Age of Aquarius. Short time later they broke up.

In 2008 a CD of the latter two was released.

Ray Manzarek Breaks On Through To The Other Side.

Another continuing sad loss for our Woodstock Generation with the passing of Ray Manzarek. It seems like only yesterday that The Doors journey started but what a mark that was left by this legendary band.

It was fate that both him and Jim Morrison again would meet up at Ventura beach and I guess for the crazy changing wondrous times it would be that same fate along with Robby Krieger and John Densmore that this band’s sound would explode.

Sunday Sleep In ~ ” Driftin’ and Driftin’ ” ~ The Butterfield Blues Band

Friday Freak Flag Flying ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ “Love’s Lines, Angles and Rhymes” ~ The 5th Dimension

This was the 6th album in 4 years for this gigantic vocalizing quintet. And yes the group of session musicians is the same crew that created Phil Spector’s Wall of sound and my God what a sound.

The arrangement of this song was about as precise as they came. Marilyn McCoo’s vocals flowing in and out of the chord changes made it an exciting tantalizing exotica. Turning this piece into part Pop, Soul, Blues and all of its harmonies from the rest of the group blending to a mix of pure perfection.

1971 itself showed many sides of the musical spectrum still letting us forage on the 60s but serving up new flavors we hadn’t yet experienced. The 5th Dimension grew, provided and closed some of the wide gap between generations. Their music soothing and savored by both.

How sweet of a time it was, like desert for all.

Tuesday “Traffic” ~ Rock and Roll Stew

Every song has a memory attached to it and this one is no different. Just another moment from the past so powerful it seems like now.

Bad times, Good times depending of where you were at. After all isn’t that what stew is, a mixed bag of sorts.

Detroit’s Fowl Weather.. Red Wings Down Ducks.. On To The Blackhawks.

In more ways than one.

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “Look At Yourself” ~ Uriah Heep

Sunday Sleep In ~ “Queen Of Hearts” ~ Gregg Allman

Once I was glad
Always happy, never sad
And everyday
Seemed like Sunday…………

I always felt sorry for Gregg, with the loss of Duane then a year later Barry it seemed the whole world was ripped out from under him. How he managed to forge through life at that point let alone music it still astounds me. But with his talent how could it have been kept down.

There’s a sadness in his first solo album “Laid Back” yet the songs come out like a fire from a broken still mending heart. Through thick and thin this man has blessed and given all of us the best part of that heart and that’s why the music within him will always carry on.

Queen of Hearts was just another expression of it.

Thank You Gregg.

 

Friday Freak Flag Flying ~ “I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)” ~ The Electric Prunes

I will always remember this song as it hit the Detroit airways in 66′. I was living on the east side and although me and my friends still too young at the time couldn’t yet grasp the psychedelic aura, we knew we liked this new wave of strange sounding music coming out of our little transistor radio’s.

Everybody saw it coming!

Future latter-day hippies we definitely would become. LOL

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “Chasing Shadows” ~ Deep Purple

A masterpiece that should have been longer like an hour.

In my opinion one of Ian Paice’s finest works on drums. The song written by him and Jon Lord would set the standard in what direction the band would take from this point on. This was DP third album that simply reflected their name, it would also be the last album that Nick Simper and lead singer Rod Evans would be on. But make no mistake the talents of both contributed much to the earlier introduction of this band.

Wednesday “Whiskey Store” ~ Tab Benoit & Jimmy Thackery

Brilliant performance by two blues greats.

Richie Havens, Another Brother From Woodstock Has Passed.

Alvin Lee standing behind God in Heaven waiting his turn to embrace and welcome him. Jam on Brothers… Jam on.

Motown Monday ~ “Stop Her on Sight (S.O.S.)” ~ Edwin Starr

This 1966 release was Starr’s third straight chart hit for Ric-Tic behind “Agent OO Soul” and “Backstreets”. With the moonlighting Funk Brothers and Mike Terry’s blazing baritone sax it was all pure Motown sound. Personally I thought his recordings with this label was his best before reaching Motown’s.

Detroit never sounded so sweet.

Sunday Sleep In ~ “Deep In A Dream” ~ Sonny Clark

Saturday Psychedelics ~ “World” ~ Felt

This Alabama band of all teens sadly only recorded one self entitled album in 1970 (released in 71′). Consisting of Myke Jackson, Mike Neel, Stan Lee, Tommy Gilstrap & Allan Dalrymple were unable to find a label in their neck of the woods who recorded their kind of music. A small label (Nashboro/Nasco) who up to that point had only recorded country/bluegrass & gospel gave them a shot. A couple of months after the recording their 17-year old lead singer Myke Jackson was busted with an ounce of pot and got sent off to reform school for 6 months, thus the band broke apart.

Thursday Thunder ~ From Boston & Americans To The World!

What an awesome moment that had tears running down my face.

Damn Right… USA

God Speed to Boston.

For the victims and the families of the dead.

Personally for those responsible for maiming and killing these innocent people including an eight-year old child, I’d like to blow off your limbs. We show too much tolerance for criminals on our soil. We sent troops to two venues for retribution of 9-11, one which had nothing to do with it costing over 4,000 lives of our service people. We still are in the other venue but for what reason is beyond me.

We killed those two demons so why not serve the same justice to those responsible for Monday’s cowardly act. This infuriated and saddened me at the same time. To take what should have been a victorious moment finishing a grueling marathon and blow the lives and spirits from people. I cannot comprehend such cruelty and these kinds of people have no place among the living.

Hoping for the death penalty here. Vicious deserves the same.

 

Motown Monday ~ “As The Years Go Passing By” ~ Jim McCarty and Mystery Train

The Blues is Alive & Well in Detroit.

This is an outstanding rendition of Albert King’s song by McCarty & Mystery Train and in my opinion this band deserves more recognition nationally as major blues players outside of the Motor City. McCarty who has been grinding out the rock and these blues since the late sixties doesn’t ever seem for me to get enough mention as being among the best guitarists ever and he is.

 

Sunday Sleep In ~ “Lullaby” ~ Dave Brubeck

First solo after 40 years. He never lost it did he…and never will.

Music for Eternity.

Thursday “Storming and Raining” ~ Sam Baker

A befitting song for our weather here in Detroit, where it’s been raining for 3 days with 2-3 inches more on the way and more in the forecast through the next 7 days. Cold rain warmed up with a cup of Hot Blues.

 

This artist seemed to have fallen through the cracks of the music business for whatever sad reason because he had one powerful voice.

Born in Jackson, MS on June 14, 1941 he started his career in the late 50s and shared the stage with the likes of Jimmy Reed and Clyde McPhatter. He put out his first 45 in 1960 on a local label, Copa. This tenor who also exploded into bursts of a fabulous falsetto as you can hear recorded a lot of singles for a few more labels but even though he had the talent just never could land a major one.

The Beach Will Never Be The Same….Without Annette Funicello.

The Passing of America’s Sweetheart was a sad announcement Monday. All I could think of another part of my youth gone, a much to frequent events coming more and much faster over the last year.

No more is it just my parents era of entertainment, it’s mine.

In reality I honestly cannot really remember sitting and watching the Mickey Mouse Club. Born in 57′ I probably had at some point but I can say I watched every single film that Annette Funicello & Frankie Avalon made together. Every single beach movie. No swearing, no naked bodies, just a more innocent time. We begged our parents to let us buy the newest 45rpm and what we watched and listened to made us feel happy.

Annette stood for these times. The world watched her grow up and blossom and she did so with class. The movies and the music will live on and always keep her memory alive and when we see and hear them if only for a moment, it will still be our innocent time.

Thank You Annette.

God Speed to her family & friends.

 

Sunday “Screamin’ The Blues” ~ Oliver Nelson

Screamin’ The Blues composed by Oliver Nelson.
Released in 1960 off this 4th self entitled album.

Friday Freak Flag Flying ~ “Deja Vu” (1970-Full Album) ~ Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

Almost Cut My Hair…Hell No. Still am that same long-haired hippie chick. Just almost a 56 year-old one now. Who cares. This song and Deja Vu takes me back to a place where frankly I still want to be….But then we’ve all been there before.

Motown Monday ~ “Just Like You Did Me” ~ Yvonne Vernee

CORREC-TONE Sonbert & Yvonne Vernee.

Sultry Saturday ~ “Sweet Tooth” ~ Free

Favorite song off Free’s first album Tons of Sobs in 69′.

Simon Kirke’s drumming on this song gave just the right touch of a samba/blues mix along with the rhythm of 16-year-old Andy Fraser’s bass & Kossoff’s guitar to draw me in. Although this debut album didn’t score so well in the UK (197 US) or depict Rodgers still developing voice. I found it a refreshing start. Moonshine was my second favorite being totally a blues number. All four members were under 20.

With 8 originals out of ten, I’d say they set the stage for what was to come.

 

Good Friday ~ “Jesus Is Alright With Me” ~ Doobie Brothers

Favorite Doobie Brothers song. God infused with one of the best blues guitar riff.

Wednesday “Deep Winter Blues” ~ Chris Rea

Last year at this time in Detroit over a week of 70s & mid 80s.

This year it seems winter just doesn’t want to end and it feels like a strangling grip. Go already, I’m fed up with cold.

~

Chris Rea is a gifted musician and artist who has been writing and composing his own music since the latter 70s. His realm reaches the depths and his tone always scores. Cheating death in 2001 with pancreatic cancer, he returned to the studio to compose a 11 CD Blues series called Blue Guitars that also features his artwork. It took a year and a half to produce the 137 songs and I haven’t found a bad one yet.

22 prior albums to this 2005 release of a blues bliss, 3 more past this one. For some strange unknown reason this British guitarist/multi instrument, singer, song writer & composer struck millions of a fan base with the exception of the states and I’m left bewildered. He can take a depressing winter day and turn it into something completely mystical.

The arrangements never miss and his muse just keeps getting wider & better with age like fine wine.

Deep Winter Blues is off Album Number Seven – Blues Ballads. It came with a jazz touch and a different flare.

Tantalizing Beautiful.

Sunday Solitude ~ “You Were Never Mine” ~ Janiva Magness.

My bed has become a nightmare of insomnia madness, yet a evanescence of sorts as I just don’t care to get out of it. Somehow the blues in the end always seems to rescue me ~ ~ ~

~~

Janiva Magness was born in Detroit the same year as me and through the worst of an unimaginable start managed to fight through it and come out of it a blooming star. Only the second woman behind Koko Taylor to ever be named by The Blues Foundation the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year in 2009.

She also captured Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year in 06′, 07′, 09′ and nominated for it again in 2012.

This woman has lived the genre sung and maybe as with most genuine blues artists that’s why she exceeds in it.

You Were Never Mine is off her 6th album Do I Move You released in 2006. I’d say she’s moved a whole lot of people. She has since produced three more albums after signing with Alligator Records.

Her 2012 release Stronger For It is phenomenal. I’ll blog on a particular favorite off that one in the future. Today this featured song struck a chord nerve. Enjoy this lady as she sings blues as they were meant to be. It’s what makes her so real and beyond good.

 

Friday Funk ~ The Funk Brothers Receive Star on Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

Yesterday March 21, 2013 Detroit’s own got their due by Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Our treasures, musicians, sound, style, epitome of the definition of Instrumentation.

Surviving members Eddy Willis & Jack Ashford attending this honor. Joe Messina who has been said to be sick viewed the ceremony via a live stream from his Detroit suburban home. To me this should have been done long ago and about time!

Because what you heard on every single one of the Motown Hits you was the music behind the vocals and they were simply called The Funk Brothers. But what a sound they created. No one on this earth could ever duplicate them if they tried.

The were not only Detroit’s legends they were the worlds. They were musics magicians. Extraordinary talents each and every single one of them. And if I repeat myself more than one time on this blog so be it. It cannot be said enough times

This blog will honestly reiterate one I did honoring them on Jan. 2, 2012. Only I switched up what video auto-played. You will be hearing almost 4 hours of ex-tended Motown that features the artists and the music.

13 Names….13 of the most outstanding individuals who ever created the most recognizable sound around this whole world totally together.

The Motown Sound and Epitome of Class.

Earl Van Dyke
Robert White
Joe Hunter
Johnny Griffith
Eddie Willis
Joe Messina
William “Benny” Benjamin
Richard “Pistol” Allen
Uriel Jones
The Best Bassist In The World “James Jamerson”
Bob Babbitt
Jack Ashford
Eddie “Bongo” Brown

Motown Monday – “7:30 Said” ~ The Lykes Of Us

It’s a shame that a major label never got a hold of this band because their sound was great. Hey day of the 1967 psychedelic wave.

But reality is these teens were a Trenton, Mi. high school band with about three members coming in and going out in the making of the band. The final four on the only record produced would be Larry Lamb, John Tyno, Larry Micallef & Dennis Odine. 7:30 said was actually side b to “Tell Me Why Your Light Shines”.