Tuesday, March 5, 2024: Joe Satriani - Always With Me, Always With You

 

When words would just get in the way.......

Thursday, November 15, 2012: Joe Liggins And His Honeydrippers - The Honeydripper

This tune topped the US Billboard R&B chart (at that time called the "Race Records" chart) for 18 weeks, from September 1945 to January 1946.

It also laid the groundwork for a good amount of influence for later R&B, swing, and is even noted in the development of rock and roll.  This is old school, people, and school is in session.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012: Ivory Joe Hunter - Since I Met You Baby

It's day two here on Guest Presenter Week - and we're with Nick Littrell, our very first guest presenter.

CSOTD: What do you have for us today, Nick?

Nick: Hot Action Cop - Fever For The Flava!

CSOTD: Wait, what?

Nick: From Need For Speed! God, I played that game for DAYS, dude, days. "I got the green glow unda my car!, I got the boom, boom...something something something something..."

CSOTD: Nick, we can't blog Fever For The Flava by Hot Action Cop. It's not a cool song, Nick. In fact, it kinda sucks. It's derivative frat boy background music for every kegger party that took place in 2003.

Nick: Oh, God. Whatever. Do what you want.

CSOTD: I think I'll use this as a teachable moment here. How about you listen to the 1956 blues staple Since I Met You Baby by Ivory Joe Hunter? See, Nick, that's a COOL song. That's more what we're going for here.  Take it away, Ivory Joe, show us what cool really is.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011: Joe Satriani - Light Years Away

Of his album Black Swans & Wormhole Wizards, here is one of the greatest shredders ever.

When I was in high school, I remember a Swedish guitarist called Yngwie Malmsteen, who was all the rage.

If you wanted to play fast, he was one of the great inspirations of the time.  But I remember just listening to his stuff and being bored out of my mind.  Sure, he was fast, but there was no melody, no space, no breathing room for anything other than a thousand notes strung together and played at a breakneck speed.

Joe Satriani was accused, by some, of being that kind of guitarist as well, but I always thought that he rose above those narrow classifications.  I thought he brought a bit of thought and spirit into his shredding.

Here's more proof that I was right.  Enjoy.