Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Rolling Stones Drummer Charlie Watts Plots New Big Band Record...

Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts will release a new live album with the Danish Radio Big Band featuring standards, originals and Rolling Stones covers. Charlie Watts Meets the Danish Radio Big Band arrives April 21st via Impulse!/Verve and is available to pre-order.
Watts and the Danish Radio Big Band recorded the LP in 2010 at the Concert Hall of Denmark in Copenhagen after just four days of rehearsals. The seven-track album boasts a Bossa Nova-inspired take on the Stones' "Satisfaction," renditions of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Paint It Black" and a version of Watts' 2000 piece with the Jim Keltner Project, "Elvin Suite."
Watts' relationship with jazz is fittingly inextricable with Denmark. Before the Rolling Stones took off, Watts traveled to Denmark for his day job and embedded himself in the country's flourishing jazz and blues scene while he was there.
Throughout his career, the drummer has worked on numerous jazz side projects. In 1986, he released a record with the 32-piece Charlie Watts Orchestra and during the Nineties crafted several LPs with the Charlie Watts Quintet. That outfit expanded into a Tentet in 2004, while more recently he formed a group, the ABC&D of Boogie Woogie, with pianists Axel Zwingenberger and Ben Waters and bassist Dave Green.
Last year, the Rolling Stones released their first album in 11 years, Blue and Lonesome, a collection of blues covers.
Charlie Watts Meets the Danish Radio Big Band Track List
1. "Elvin Suite, Pt. 1"
2. "Elvin Suite, Pt. 2"
3. "(Satis) Faction"
4. "I Should Care"
5. "You Can't Always Get What You Want"
6. "Paint It Black"
7. "Molasses"

http://www.rollingstone.com

Friday, March 24, 2017

The Quiet One: Bill Wyman documentary in production ...

 



A documentary detailing the life and times of Bill Wyman is in production, with Oliver Murray directing Bill’s life story including unseen footage and photos by Bill.

Titled The Quiet One, the in-production documentary is being produced in collaboration with Bill, and looks set to chart the highs and lows of Bills career. “My life has been an extraordinary adventure,” Bill told Deadline. “The time feels right to delve into the archive and tell my story before I croak.”
According to the full report on Deadline:
Jamie Clark, Jennifer Corcoran of My Accomplice and Jason Bick are producing. Submarine Entertainment’s Dan Braun will executive produce, with archive production by James RM Hunt and Paul Bell of Dog and Duck Films (Amy, Senna).
“Bill Wyman is legendary not only because of the fact that he was a founding member of the Rolling Stones but also because he had unfettered access to the extraordinary world of rock ‘n’ roll over several decades,” said Jonathan Sehring and Lisa Schwartz, co-presidents of IFC Films/Sundance Selects. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Oliver Murray, My Accomplice and Dan Braun to let the world see this amazing behind-the-scenes imagery of the rock ‘n’ roll era.”
Find out more on Deadline.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Chuck Berry died from natural causes...

Chuck Berry died from natural causes.
The rock 'n' roll legend passed away at his home in Missouri on Saturday (18.03.17) at the age of 90, but there will be no post-mortem examination carried out because the 'Roll Over Beethoven' singer's personal doctor will sign his death certificate and state there were no suspicious circumstances, TMZ reports.
Following the news of Chuck's death, a host of stars took to social media to pay tribute to the iconic singer and his influence.
Sir Mick Jagger posted: ''I am so sad to hear of Chuck Berry's passing. I want to thank him for all the inspirational music he gave to us ...
''He lit up our teenage years, and blew life into our dreams of being musicians and performers ... His lyrics shone above others & threw a strange light on the American dream. Chuck you were amazing&your music is engraved inside us forever (sic)''
His Rolling Stones bandmate Ronnie Wood described the musician as his biggest inspiration.
He said: ''He was one of the best and my inspiration, a true character indeed.''
Beatles legend Ringo Starr tweeted alongside a photo of Chuck: ''R I P. And peace and love Chuck Berry Mr. rock 'n' roll music (sic)''
And Beach Boys singer Brian Wilson felt the 'Johnny B. Goode' singer's passing will affect all rock music lovers.
He posted: ''I am so sad to hear about Chuck Berry passing - a big inspiration! He will be missed by everyone who loves Rock 'n Roll. Love & Mercy''
The jacksons recalled Chuck's influence on rock'n'roll music in a social media post.
They wrote: ''Chuck Berry merged blues & swing into the phenomenon of early rock'n'roll. In music, he cast one of the longest shadows. Thank You Chuck.''
Chuck - whose real name was Charles Edward Anderson Berry Sr. - is survived by his wife Themetta 'Toddy' Suggs and his four children, Charles Berry Jr., Ingrid Berry, Aloha Berry and Melody Exes Berry-Eskridge.

Sunday, March 19, 2017

THE PHOTO OF THE WEEK.

At the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, 2012.

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Rock 'n Roll legend Chuck Berry has died at 90...

ST. CHARLES COUNTY, MO. - According to the St. Charles County Police Department, legendary musician Chuck Berry has died.
He was 90 years old.
Police said Saturday they responded to a medical emergency on Buckner Road around 12:40 p.m. Inside the home, first responders observed an unresponsive man and administered lifesaving techniques. The 90-year-old man, later identified as Charles Edward Anderson Berry Sr., better known as legendary musician Chuck Berry, could not be revived and was pronounced deceased at 1:26 p.m.
Berry is widely viewed as among the most influential artists on rock 'n' roll with hits like Johnny B Goode, Never Can Tell, and Roll Over Beethoven.  Berry influenced artists like the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Who and Pink Floyd.
The Beatles had hits with Berry compositions such as Roll Over Beethoven, Rock and Roll Music and Sweet Little Sixteen, and McCartney called Berry “one of greatest poets America has ever produced”  in an introduction to the 2014 release of Berry’s complete studio recordings.
Young played with Berry and Richards at Berry’s 1986 induction into the first class of the Rock ’N’ Roll Hall of Fame, in which Richards said in his induction speech for his hero, “I lifted every lick he ever played.”
Last October 18 Berry turned 90. The date also marked the 30th anniversary of two concerts staged for Barry’s 60th birthday in St. Louis by Stones guitarist Keith Richards. Oscar-nominated director Taylor Hackford filmed those concerts as the centerpiece for his documentary, Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll.
Hackford also celebrated Berry’s 80th birthday by releasing a five-disk DVD set with a behind-the-scenes look at those concerts and complete interviews with rock 'n' roll pioneers who attested to Berry’s greatness and eccentricities.
“I think Chuck Berry should be saluted every time there’s a concert,” said Hackford, who is now finishing a film with Robert De Niro called The Comedian. “He is totally unique and his influence just goes everywhere. But, the Rolling Stones are going to do what they’re going to do and they’re a great, great band. They cut their teeth on Chuck Berry and that was clear. They have many times talked about that influence.”
Prolific Berry Continued To Make Music into his 90s

Just this past October, on his 90th birthday Berry announced plans to team with Dualtone Records to release his first studio album in 38 years next year.  Berry announced the new album, Chuck, on his 90th birthday. He said the album is dedicated to Themetta Berry, his wife of 68 years.
"This record is dedicated to my beloved Toddy," Berry said in a media release. "My darlin' I'm growing old! I've worked on this record for a long time. Now I can hang up my shoes!"

http://www.ksdk.com

Thursday, March 16, 2017

In Memoriam - Harmonica Legend James Cotton 1935 – 2017

The world has lost one James Cotton has died. Cotton, known for his work with Sonny Boy Williamson II, Muddy Waters and as a solo performer, passed away today of pneumonia at St. David’s Medical Center in Austin at the age of 81.
of the greatest harmonica players it has ever known as
James Cotton was born on a cotton plantation in Mississippi on July 1, 1935. By the age of nine he was already a working musician. Sonny Boy Williamson II taught Cotton directly and recruited James to tour with him and Howlin Wolf. Cotton was recorded by Sun Records in 1953 and then spent 12 years touring and recording with Muddy Waters. The harmonica legend was featured on Muddy’s famed 1960 At Newport LP for Chess Records and his work on “Got My Mojo Working” remains one of the great performances in the history of the harmonica.
After parting ways with Muddy, the Mississippi native formed The James Cotton Band in 1966 and toured the world relentlessly. Cotton, known as “Mr. Superharp,” recorded nearly 30 solo albums, won a Grammy, scored six Living Blues awards and was a 2006 inductee into the Blues Hall Of Fame. In more recent years he recorded for Alligator Records and was awarded the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal’s 2015 B.B. King Award for his seven decades of contributions to the blues. Our thoughts are with James Cotton’s family.

https://www.jambase.com