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This week you will hear Shakura S’Aida talk about her life as a blues artist and her new CD Brown Sugar.

On Shakura S’Aida’s (Shak –OO-ra  Sigh-EE-da) first record Blueprint (2008) she was singing blues covers from the 1940s and ‘50s.  This time Shakura wrote nine of the twelve songs on her new record Brown Sugar.  The songs are a little more Rythm & Blues than straight blues.  Whatever the style of music you wish to put this into it’s still very good.  A soulful band with well written songs that Shakura sings from a first hand understanding of the lyric situation.

Brown Sugar has a lot of good songs but probably none any better than “This Is Not A Love Song”.  A slow but strong building song with very nice organ work by Lance Anderson who really does a fine job of setting the feel for several of the songs.

Donna Grantis the co-song writer with Shakura is also the guitarist for the band who adds some very tasteful playing.

Songs in this weeks show:
Mr. Right
Walk Out That Door
Gonna Tell My Baby
This Is Not a Love Song

Buy Brown Sugar from Amazon.Com

Shakura S’Aida at Ruf Records

Shakura S’Aida’s Website

Thanks to Shakura for the interesting and fun interview also thanks to Mark Pucci for setting everything up.

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Blues Music and Interviews
A1Blues.Com
by A1 Mark

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This week you will get to hear an interview with Kirk Fletcher and songs from his new cd My Turn.

Kirk Fletcher was in one of Kim Wilson’s solo band and later asked to join The Fabulous Thunderbirds.  He’s also toured with Lynwood Slim, Janiva Magness, Charlie Musselwhite.  He’s a member of The  Mannish Boys and is on their new cd Shake For Me. Kirk also is a part time member in the Hollywood Blue Flames and plays on about half of their new cd Deep In America.

His last solo recorded was in 2004 Shades Of Blues it’s a great Chicago blues style record that should not be overlooked. The new record My Turn is more blues, and blues-rock.  While this record has a lot of good music it is overshadowed by three masterpieces “Continents End”, “Congo Square” and “Blues for Antone”.

The first time I heard “Continents End” it reminded me of Jimi Hendrix “1983 (A Merman I Should Turn To Me)” and “Moon, Turn The Tides…Gently, Gently Away” probably two of my favorite Hendrix songs from Electric Lady Land.  Kirk is not copying those songs, he is making something new and wonderful.  On “Congo Square” Kirk sounds like Carlos Santana and boy is it good.  Then there is “Blues for Antone” great blues-rock kind of in the style of Albert King.  This song should be nominated for the Blues Foundation song of the year.

Songs in this week’s show.
El Medio Stomp
Continents End
Congo Square
Blues for Antone

Buy Kirk Fletcher Cd’s from Delta Groove Productions

Buy My Turn from Amazon.Com

Kirk Fletcher MySpace

Learn more about Kirk Fletcher at Delta Groove Productions

Thanks to Kirk Fletcher for a really fun interview and to Jody Best for setting everything up.

Blues Music and Interviews
A1Blues.Com
by A1 Mark

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This week hear The Mannish Boy’s Randy Chortkoff talk about his life living in the blues world.

Shake For Me is the newest record by the all star blues band The Mannish Boys.  Reprising their all-star roles in the band are Finis Tasby, Bobby Jones, Kirk Fletcher, Frank Goldwasser, and Randy Chortkoff, joined here by an entirely new and outstanding rhythm section comprised of Willie J. Campbell on bass (The James Harman Band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds) and Jimi Bott on drums (Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Woodbrain).

Randy talks about going to Bill Graham’s Fillmore Auditorium, producing other blues artists, starting his own record label, Delta Groove Productions, and his own band The Mannish Boys.  If you’ve never heard The Mannish Boys you’re in for a real treat.

Mannish Boys in this weeks show:
Searchin’ Blues –  Lowdown Feelin’
Educated Ways – 2010 – Shake for Me
Those Worries – 2010 – Shake for Me
Raunchy – 2010 – Shake for Me

Buy the Mannish Boys record Shake For Me at Delta Groove Productions

More about Randy Chortkoff Their website

Check out other great artists on Delta Groove like Arthur Adams, Elvin Bishop, Hollywood Blue Flames, Kirk Fletcher, Mike Zito, Jason Ricci, Ana Popovic and that one guy that plays blues harp you know Rod Piazza.

Thanks To Jody Best for getting everything set up and for Randy taking time out of his busy day to talk with me.

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Blues Music and Interviews
A1Blues.Com
by A1 Mark

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This week you will hear Guitar Shorty talk about his life as a blues man of the road as well as tracks from his hard hitting new record Bare Knuckle.

Guitar Shorty’s last record won 2007’s Blues Music Award for “Contemporary Blues Album of the Year”. You can bet Guitar Shorty’s Bare Knuckle is another hard hitting record.

Guitar Shorty will be asked about working with Ray Charles Band, his first single with the help of Willie Dixon and about a very famous rock star who went AWOL to see a Guitar Shorty shows.

You’ll also hear the title track from his award winning record We The People plus three new songs from Bare Knuckle.

Songs played this week:

We The People (fom We The People)
Please Mr. President (from Bare Knuckle)
Too Late (from Bare Knuckle)
Texas Women (from Bare Knuckle)

Buy Guitar Shorty’s CD’s from Alligator Records

Check out other great CDs on Alligator Records
Like the new ones  by Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Bnois King , Anders Osborne,
Janiva Magness, The Holmes Brothers and Tinsley Ellis

Guitar Shorty’s Website

Guitar Shorty MySpace

Thanks to Guitar Shorty for the cool stories and Bruce Iglauer for setting everything up.

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Blues Music and Interviews

A1Blues.Com

by A1 Mark

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This week you will hear Bnois King from the band Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Bnois King talking about their new record on Alligator Records called Have Blues Will Travel.

Bnois King like Smokin’ Joe Kubek plays guitar for the band but he’s also the vocalist and wrote or co-wrote all the songs.  Their last record the popular 2008 Alligator release Blood Brothers has been one of my fevered records of the last few years.   It’s been a long wait but the much anticipated new record Have Blues Will Travel come out this Tuesday.

The record is full of great guitar playing, good hooks, and the very pleasant voice of Bnois King.  Bnois really come up with some great lyrics like in the song “RU4 Real”  or “Payday In America” a song every person that works for a living will relate to.

Why take my word for it turn on the show and you will hear for yourself some of the coolest-hottest music of this summer.

Bnois said they will be doing a long tour so be sure to get out there and see them.

Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Bnois King – Website

Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Bnois King – MySpace page

To buy Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Bnois King’s CD’s Have Blues Will Travel & Blood Brothers

Check out other great CDs on Alligator Records like new ones  by Guitar Shorty, Anders Osborne, Janiva Magness & The Holmes Brothers

Buy Have Blues Will Travel from Amazon.Com

I’d like to thank Bnois King and Bruce Iglauer for their time and help in putting this show together.