Johnny Ace

Pledging My Love – with the Johnny Otis Orchestra 1954 Born 9th June 1929 – Memphis, Tennessee Died 25th December 1954 – Houston, Texas Johnny Ace – real name John Alexander,  teamed up with B B King and Bobby Bland in the Beal Streeters based in Memphis. He was rumoured to have died while playing  … Read more

John Hammond

I Live The Life I Love (and I love the Life I Live) White Blues guitarist/harmonica player, John Hammond toured the UK in the late sixties wearing denim if I remember rightly. I used to have the above 45 – not a bad track. For some reason his style reminded me of J.B. Lenoir. He … Read more

John Lee Hooker – The Healer

DIMPLES – CHESS USA /Pye and Stateside UKCRAWLIN’ KINGSNAKEBOOM BOOMBOOGIE CHILLUNI’M IN THE MOODWALKIN THE BOOGIE – (1952) The dual twanging guitar sound on ‘Dimples’ by John Lee Hooker was very simple but distinctive and it made this track his big hit with the early blues and soul crowd at the Twisted Wheel circa 1964. … Read more

Big Joe Williams

Ask Anybody Every Day I have the Blues Big Joe Williams was a Nevada Big band singer who could also sing the blues.Every Day I Have The Blues became a standard and was also big hit for BB King. Born 12th December 1918 – Cordele, GeorgiaDied 29th March 1999 – Las Vegas Big Joe Williams … Read more

Joe Turner

SHAKE RATTLE AND ROLL The original and the best. Also done by numerous artists including the souled up version by Arthur Conley. Sometimes confused with Joe Turner who was a piano player in the style of Fats Waller. Born 18th May 1911 – Kansas City, Missouri Died 24th November 1985 – Inglewood, California Joe Turner … Read more

Jimmy McCracklin

THE WALK – London 1958THE DRAG – Top RankDog Pt1 and 2 (Minit)Can’t Raise Me – Liberty UK – Checker USATHINK The Walk by Jimmy McCracklin was R n B at its very best, both a soul hit and a blues hit ‘The Walk’ was a great big favourite at the ‘Wheel’ Manchester. He was not … Read more

Jimmy McGriff

All About My Girl – Sue 1963 I’VE GOT A WOMAN – Sue 1964 THE LAST MINUTE – 1965 Jimmy McGriff beloved blues, jazz, Hammond B 3 organ player of the London Mod’s scene – was also greatly appreciated up ‘North’ in the ‘grim’ land of ‘Northern Soul’ music – Manchester. He was given organ … Read more

Jimmy Rogers

WALKIN’ BY MYSELF – Chess THAT’S ALL RIGHT – 1950 Jimmy Rogers Interview – by David Jaffe The entire process for this interview began in April when I called Chad Kassem at Acoustic Sounds to get a copy of Rogers’ release “Blue Bird” on Kassem’s Analog Productions Originals label. We were on the phone for … Read more

Jimmy Reed

BIG BOSS MAN Bright Lights Big City BABY, What You Want Me To Do Honest I Do Bright Lights Big City Ain’t That Loving You Baby Going To New York SHAME SHAME SHAME  (a constant favourite at all soul venues in the 1960’s) At The original Twisted Wheel Jimmy Reed’s SHAME SHAME SHAME was a huge … Read more

Jessie Hill

Ooh Poo Pah Doo – Minit 1960 – Allen Toussaint produced this great ‘New Orleans‘ sound by Jessie Hill on the Minit label which also has a fantastic sax riff.This was the original – it was also done by Ike and Tina Turner and lots of live bands had it in their act. Billy Graham did … Read more