Finger Lickin' Blues - Feb. 2011

Feburary CDs are in the mail!

I recently discovered that I have an awful lot of old songs about food in my music collection. Most of this music dates back to the 1930’s and 1940’s. Scratchy old blues music might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I encourage you to at least throw it on while you are in the kitchen whipping up your next meal and give it a listen. Even if you are into more contemporary music, you just might hear an artist here that influenced those who influenced your new favorite rock band. Louis Jordan, Jesse Stone and Wynonie Harris, have all been credited with writing or performing some of the first “rock” songs, so this is where it all started. Most of these songs come with a fun side-helping of double entendre and innuendo if you listen closely enough. Below are a few tasty tid-bits about each song in case you want to dig in and digest a bit more about the artists.

1. Mountain Oysters- Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis- 1948 Saxophonist who played with the likes of Louis Armstrong and Count Basie. And yes, back then they used every part of the pig.

2. Beans And Corn Bread- Louis Jordan- 1949 Louis Jordan has so many songs that pertain to food that it was hard to narrow it down to just a couple for this compilation. This is one of my favorites…I’m a sucker for anthropomorphic food.

3. Coleslaw- Jesse Stone Orchestra- 1945 Jesse Stone was born in 1901 and had a huge influence on rock in roll. Stone used the pseudonym of Charles E. Calhoun and wrote “Shake, Rattle & Roll” which is often called the first rock and roll song. Stone mentored Louis Jordan in Harlem and a few years later Jordan also recorded Coleslaw and had a hit with it. And for the Grateful Dead fans out there here’s a fun fact: The Jerry Garcia Band performed Jesse Stone's "Don't Let Go" live in concert over 100 times.

4. Potato Chips- Slim Gaillard-1952 He was the original hipster and was mentioned by Jack Kerouac in On The Road. In the 1930s Slim invented his own language called “Vout” that he uses in many of his songs.

5. Red Beans- Professor Longhair-1980 New Orleans music and food go hand in hand, like red beans and rice.

6. Chicken, Gravy and Biscuits- Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials- 1989 Chicago car wash employee turned slide guitarist, Lil’ Ed Williams serves up this song just the way it should be- good, hot and greasy.

7. Jambalaya (On The Bayou)- Fats Domino- 1961 There are lots of great versions of this song but this is one of my favorites. Sadly Fats has been in ill health recently and had to cancel some appearances. He lost his New Orleans home to Hurricane Katrina and has yet to completely rebuild it and return.

8. Okra- Olu Dara- 2001 Olu Dara Jones was born in Natchez, Mississippi in 1941 and is an accomplished jazz/blues/world beat musician and playwright. He’s also the father of rapper Nas and has contributed to several of his son’s recordings…including being the inspiration for Nas’ song “Poppa Was A Player”.

9. Chicken Stuff- Hop Wilson & His Chickens-1958 Hop Wilson was a blues steel guitar legend in Houston, TX but hated touring and didn’t record often, so he isn’t well known. Despite his lack of fame, his unique slide stylings have influenced artists like Johnny Winter, Jimmie Vaughan and Ron Wood.

10. Good Biscuits- Memphis Minnie- 1938 Guitar player Memphis Minnie has several songs that focus on food, cooking and baking…And when she says “Don’t let no outside woman bake no biscuits for your man.” You can be sure she isn’t strictly warning about the dangers of carbohydrates.

11. Nobody In Town Can Bake A Sweet Jelly Roll Like Mine- Bessie Smith- 1927 Speaking of food being used as a sexual metaphor…

12. Water Water- Michelle Willson & The Evil Gal Orchestra- 2001 A band from Boston that is chock full of talented and funny musicians. Michelle Willson has a fantastically powerful voice.

13. Coffee Man- Calvin Owens- 2002 Another Houston, TX musician, Owens was a famous band leader for B. B. King and a jazz trumpeter. This song is a little shout out to Willie and Kathleen who are our CD Club’s resident experts when it comes to the coffee beans.

14. I Like My Baby’s Pudding- Wynonie Harris- 1950- Famous in the 40’s and 50’s for his risqué songs, he was a popular African/Native-American blues shouter from Omaha, Nebraska.

15. I Don’t Want Love- Howard McGhee Quartet w/Joe Carroll- 1970 Beebop drummer/vocalist Joe Caroll and trumpeter Howard “Maggie” McGhee team up on this rare recording.

16. Matzoh Balls- Slim & Slam- 1938 Slim Gaillard is back with partner Leroy Elliott "Slam" Stewart.

17. Saturday Night Fish Fry- Louis Jordan- 1949 This song was one of the first “race records” to crossover to become a huge national hit for white audiences as well. The narrative style of the song is said to have had a strong influence on Bob Dylan’s song writing.

18. My Butcher Man- Memphis Minnie- 1933 Just Minnie and her solo guitar telling everybody she’s got the best butcher man in town.

19. Kidney Stew Blues- Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson- 1947 Another great blues shouter and saxophonist. This was his signature song. “Goin' back home, and get my old gal Sue. She ain't the caviar kind, just plain old kidney stew.”

20. Barbecue- Washboard Sam- 1940 Robert Brown was his real name and he was a half-brother to Big Bill Broozy. Washboard Sam was very successful in Memphis and Chicago in the 30s and 40s until the electric blues movement passed him and his acoustic washboard by. He then became a police officer in Chicago.

Bon Appetit! MMM