Rocking with 'Fess :: Professor Longhair

Today marks the two-year anniversary of the the flooding of the Crescent City, New Orleans, brought by the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina. I recently posted about Fats Domino, beloved piano legend and near victim of that great tragedy. A reader requested some Professor Longhair and I was more than happy to oblige.

Professor Longhair's sound was extremely influential, particularly during the late 1940's to mid 1950's but he didn't achieve the renown of contemporaries such as Little Richard, Fats Domino, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Remarkably, by 1970 'Fess was working at a record store living in virtual anonymity, and presumed by some to have died! That year, three New Orleans teenagers set out to find Professor Longhair to invite him to play at their first New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. They didn't find him in time for the first festival but did find him in 1971 working at One Stop Records, on Rampart St. in New Orleans. By then, he hadn't touched a keyboard in years. At the second New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Professor Longhair's return to playing was literally a show stopper. The entire audience was rapt; food vendors stopped peddling during his performance; musicians performing on other stages even stopped playing in order to catch this historic event!

Read more about Professor Longhair:

A brief bio can be found at Wiki (of course), but please check out his official website as well.

From the album "New Orleans Piano"::

Hey Now Baby

Tipitina

From "Live In London"::

Medley: She Walked Right In - Shake Rattle & Roll - Sick & Tired

Go To The Mardi Gras

and extracted from the video (top), 'Fess playing 'Tipitina'...

Tipitina (solo)

Smashing Pumpkins

On June 21, 2005, the day his solo album, TheFutureEmbrace was released, Billy Corgan took out a full-page advertisement in the Chicago Tribune. In an open letter to the city of Chicago, he wrote about the feelings he felt for his hometown as he recorded his solo album and the realization he came to during that soul-searching time: He wanted his band back. He promised to "...renew and revive The Smashing Pumpkins." Wiki: The Smashing Pumpkins

Corgan (on guitars, bass, keyboards and vocals) and original Pumpkins' drummer Jimmy Chamberlin recorded the new Smashing Pumpkins album, Zeitgeist together. The first single, 'Tarantula', is a frantic, blistering celebration of a love that is REAL.

Tarantula


I also had to post the 'Tarantula' video (sans chrome key)! This version doesn't have the 3-D effects of the proper version, but dig it!



"We are the real, if real ever was.
And just because we are the real, they feel we have enough.
We are the real, ‘cause someone gave us up.

I want to be there when you’re happy; I want to love you when you’re sad."





An ammo belt/guitar strap? Now, that's Rock n Roll!





And here are a few of their old hits...

Bullet With Butterfly Wings

Disarm

Tonight, Tonight

1979

Fats Domino - American Music Legend

Almost two years ago, the world nearly lost a wonderful person and true musical icon. On August 29, 2005, Antoine "Fats" Domino, then 77 years old, decided to ride out the oncoming Hurricane Katrina with his wife Rosemary. Their two-story home, along with every other building in New Orleans' 9th Ward, was devastated by the storm and the ensuing flood waters. Thankfully, he and his family survived the tempest that ravaged the city and destroyed millions of dollars in property, along with the livelihoods and dreams of thousands of its citizens.

Through Tipitina's Foundation, Fats Domino released "Alive and Kickin'", the title inspired by his response to fans' inquiries and concerns for him after Katrina.

Like everyone else, Fats lost many precious belongings to the aftermath of the storm. Among things he lost were gold record awards and other achievements, mementos and memorabilia from his career.

On Monday, August 13, in a nightclub in New Orleans, Fats Domino was presented with reproductions of 20 of his gold record awards by the Recording Industry Association of America and Capitol/EMI (right photo). In addition, the RIAA presented him with the "American Music Legend" award for his accomplishments. Fats is only the second ever recipient of the award; Johnny Cash was given the award about a decade ago.

Released on August 14 and available at fine music outlets, Fats Domino Greatest Hits: Walking To New Orleans

Sample and enjoy some of this legend's greatest songs:

Blueberry Hill

Going To The River

Whole Lotta Loving

I'm Walkin'

and my favorite Fats tune...

Walking To New Orleans

The White Stripes - You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)

A video from The White Stripes:

Shop Boyz

From the ATL, Shop Boyz bring their blend of rock and rap to make you bob your head and stomp your foot to a flowin' beat on the hot single, Party Like A Rockstar.


The trio, Demetrius "Meany" Hardin, Richard "Fat" Stephens and Rasheed "Sheed" Hightower worked together at an auto repair garage by day but worked on their 'rockstar dreams' by night. The result is an album, Rockstar Mentality, that brings their vision of 'hood rock' to life.

Another album highlight is the surf music/rap Rollin', a celebration of summertime, top-down cruising in your ride.

Inspired by Shop Boyz' 'Party Like A Rockstar', check this remix created by Cousin Cole: Party Like A Rockstar (Cousin Cole Remix)

Ryan Adams on BBC4

Last month, Ryan Adams and The Cardinals performed at St. Luke's in East London for the BBC4 . A terrific set mixing some old and new songs. Here are a few for you to check out:

Halloween Head

My Winding Wheel

I Taught Myself How To Grow Old

In the August edition of Blender magazine, Ryan offers us some tips on starting a comic book collection.

Back in June on David Letterman, Ryan and the boys performed the song 'Two' from the album 'Easy Tiger'.

Two

And separately, I added a new feature to the blog. Over to the left is what I'm calling 'Press N Play'. Self-explanatory.

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - Cannonball Adderley

From Wikipedia, Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley (September 15, 1928 – August 8, 1975), was a jazz alto saxophonist of the small combo era of the 1950's and 1960's. Originally from Tampa, Florida, he moved to New York in the mid 1950's.
The nickname "Cannonball" was a childhood nickname for the portly saxophonist, a corruption of "cannibal". An articulate speaker with an easy manner, Cannonball educated, amused, and informed his audiences in clubs and on television about the art and moods of jazz (he was a music teacher before beginning his jazz career).


I really dig the song "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy". Check it out along with a couple other tunes.

From 1967's LP, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy "Live at the Club"...

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy

And From Cannonball & Coltrane, released in 1959...

Limehouse Blues

Grand Central

For more on Cannonball Adderley, visit

http://www.cannonball-adderley.com/

Winston cigarettes

J. Geils Band

TheJ Geils Band formed in the late 1960's around Boston, Massachusetts and released their self-titled debut in 1970. After only 2 studio albums, they released "Live" Full House in 1972

which was recorded at the Cinderella Ballroom in Detroit, MI.

I hope the video works, and here are some mp3's to enjoy...

(Ain't Nothin' But A) House Party

Give It To Me

Whammer Jammer (Live)

Hard Drivin' Man (Live)

Musta Got Lost

Centerfold

Freeze Frame

Love Stinks

I Do (Live)

Musta Got Lost (Live)

Dreams Old Men Dream

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams - Acts 2:17

Cold War Kids put on an awesome show @ Freedom Hill!!! I had the pleasure to meet the guys and really appreciate their time and chatting with me! I feel the spirit of their music is vibrant and exciting and so I thought the title of their new song would be an appropriate title for this blog entry.

Here are a few live and alternate version tunes for your listening pleasure:

Every Valley Is Not A Lake (live, acoustic)

Hospital Beds (live, acoustic)

Hair Down (alternate version)

God, Make Up Your Mind (acoustic version)

We Used To Vacation (acoustic version) - Europe vlog version (check it out!)

Hospital Beds (acoustic version) - Europe vlog version (check it out!)

We Used To Vacation (acoustic version) - Minneapolis vlog version (check it out!)

Enjoy! Thanks again, Johnny, Maust, Matt and Nathan!