Entertainment For Lively Minds
Help me find the answers..
to a couple of questions bothering my noggin of late, that I'm sure the collected expertise of the Massive should be able to resolve...
Possibly the greatest One Minute Jazz Off in the history of One Minute Jazz Offs - but who is the combustible drummer cracking off the eleven second solo?
One of the discussions at Friday's Massive meet touched on a mystery blues tune seen in 1885 as part of a BBC2 Evening of the Blues (hosted by John Walters I think). Of all the items and shows: Sonny Boy Williamson live, Leadbelly footage - there was a documentary on Delta blues which was just stunning. One sequence featured a chap in his front room singing a 12 bar tune - with the opening lines to the verses beginning..
'They call me D.E.V.I.L…' next verse 'They call me M.O.N.E.Y…' and so on..
I've spent several years trying to track down, the performer, the song or the documentary - but to date haven't managed to locate any details. Does any of this ring any blues bells amongst the massive. Better yet, can you name the singer and the song?
Ironically I've got the highlights of the evening on VHS somewhere, but the tape was lofted long ago
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I want some of those giant exclamation marks
Have you asked anyone at the Beeb about the blues evening? Probably tracable by an archives person there. I'll have a go (since I work there) if you've not tried already.
Good point - I'll check
This is taken from a 60s show called The Beat, the set remains the same for every show - I've literally never seen a dud clip from this series. Freddie King's backing band include Gatemouth brown on guitar and Billy Cox (later worked with Hendrix on bass)..
Here you go...
...it's either a doc called "Chicago Blues", featured performers Mr Waters, Junior Wells & Buddy Guy...
Or...
The Blues According To Lightnin' Hopkins
Or...
..that performance was part of something called "Blues Medley" which looks to have been pulled together from several sources.
My bet would be the first...in which case Floyd Jones?
Or Johnnie Lewis?
Chris Columbo?
(There might be a clue on the bass-drum, M...)
Very close
Bizarrely I remember seeing The Blues According To Lightnin' Hopkins on Channel 4 around the Countdown/teatime slot in 85.
Top tip with Chicago Blues it was definitely on that night as I remember the Muddy Water scenes, but I think the docu' I'm after was more rural and Mississippi based there was also some film of an elderly married sat in a front room, singing a gospel song about 'if you ever'? Similar in vibe to this...Out of the Blacks Into the Blues (1973) aka En remontant le Mississippi
Well...
...Chicago Blues & that Lightning Hopkins doc are the only 2 in the archive that look as if they went out that night...everything else (it was shown as Arena: Blues Night by the way)looks to be electric based, single artist based or performance compilations...
Is it just me...
...or was the guitarist crap ?
A bit late mate
But maybe this can help. Was it a repeat of a 1976 BBC Doc called The Devil's Music? Go here and see if this sounds familiar
http://missingepisodes.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=totp&action=display...
If so I can't find any video but there is a soundtrack
http://www.amazon.com/The-Devils-Music/dp/B000S587RK
Maybe one of them sounds similar?
I think I can help Mondo...
...I have the whole of 1985's 'Blues Night' on VHS and I know where it is: I can transfer the lot to DVD for you if you wish?
Of course, if it's 1885's 'blues night' you're looking for, I'm not sure I had a VHS then... :-)
As for the drummer in the clip
It's Chris Colombo. He also went by Chris Columbus. Here is a pic of him. It's not very big. But if you look closely at the vid you posted. His name is at the top of the bass drum :)
http://casinoconnectionac.com/issue/february_2009/article/the_time_keepe...
What a bunch of stars you are
@Mark H - that has to be it then, thanks for your help matey.
@Frisky sounds superb, but it must be Chigaco Blues (thanks for the Chris C info too)
@Colin - I'd love a copy (1985 pref'), it sounds a lot of faff and bother for you though? My email addy is planetmondo@gmail.com if you need it. Thanks
No worries Mondo!
...it's what this site's about! I'll get it transferred to DVD in the next 2-3 days then drop you a line.
In the meantime I have an IT exam in 35 mins (yikes!), a Horslips reunion gig tomorrow, a job interview first thing on Thursday, a Brooks Williams bookshop gig on Friday night... and a colossal grievance hearing with my employers just over this afternoon which is a HUGE relief. And the fact that I feel so positive about it is ENTIRELY AND UTTERLY down to the wonderful, unbelievably generous unsolicited help I've had via one of our number: Helena Handcart. Which is precisely where I felt I was heading till she grabbed the rudder and plotted the course. The power of the Massive, indeed!
As the bloke who wrote 'Dr Faustus' so rightly put it, 'All is dross that is not Helena'! :-)
The Massive Community
Great isn't it? In the last couple of weeks I've had some fine and funky Lee Perry CDs from Vulpes and a walloping selection of Mod-rockers from Simon L - all sent to me at home.
Drop me a line at planetmondo@gmail.com when ever's good for you colin
Can I interest you in a full run of Hallmark's Top of the Pops albums 69 - 85. Shout if you fancy..
Thanks again
By a remarkable coincidence...
...I've just started transferring from two VHSs 5 mins ago. I have a timecoded copy (I can't recall from whence) of the whole 'Blues Night' - or, possibly of 5/6ths of it, as the start (from a T Bone Walker clip onwards) is preceded by a clapperboard sayiong reel 2 or 6. So hope the section you really want is not from 'reel 1'!
Kind offer on the TOTP LPs, but I'll pass - really, no need to reciprocate. Happy to do it. I'll drop you a line off list tomorrow to getb an address to post to...