Every year during this time I feel that it’s important that we take a moment to remember the hard work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Using non-violent methods, Dr. King inspired people to stand up and take action to change a system that was unfair and cruel to not only the African American population of this country but to all minorities who were experiencing discrimination based on their race and the color of their skin. He preached love and togetherness even when his actions were met with violence and hatred. And even when times were at their darkest, Dr. King was somehow able to stay focused and not lose sight of his goal, to have an America that is free of violence, racism, and discrimination. Dr. King may be gone but movement he started lives on today. So in honor of Dr. King I would like to share with you some of my favorite civil rights songs as well as one of my favorite recordings of Dr. King himself. Enjoy.
ARTIS/SONG/ALBUM Mahalia Jackson “Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen” Gospels, Spirituals, and Hymns (played under spoken word intro) Mavis Staples “You Are Not Alone” You Are Not Alone Big Bill Broonzey “When Will I Get To Be Called A Man?” Trouble In Mind J.B. Lenior “Down In Mississippi” Vietnam Blues Sam Cooke “A Change Is Gonna Come” Portrait Of A Legend
Contrary to popular belief, there is still good music being released these days. In 2010 we saw some veteran artists release some late-career classics as well as some strong albums from new artists. Here is a list of my top five albums of the year. I hope you all will give them a listen….
Big Mike’s Top 5 Favorite releases of 2010 (Blues, R&B, and Gospel)
1. Mavis Staples ” You Are Not Alone”
2. Rev. KM Williams “When I Rise”
3. Buddy Guy “Living Proof”
4. Pinetop Perkins & Willie “Big Eyes” Smith “Joined At The Hip”
5. James Cotton “Giant”
Big Mike’s Top 5 Favorite Releases (music other than Blues, R&B, and Gospel)
1. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers “Mojo”
2. Band Of Horses “Infinite Arms”
3. Drive-By Truckers “The Big To-Do”
4. Los Lobos “Tin Can Trust”
5. Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté “Ali & Toumani”
It’s a sad fact that many music fans immediately write off new music from older artists. Now, I will be the first to say that some artists don’t know “when to say when” but at the same time I also feel that many veteran artists are still capable of putting out quality material (even if they have put of a number of sub-par albums in there recent past). Here are some recent releases from veteran artists that I feel could become late career classics.
Mavis Staples “You Are Not Alone” Released in 2010
The new album from Soul legend Mavis Staples is a very welcome surprise. While Ms. Staples has always been a top live performer her recent studio releases haven’t been this consistent the whole way through in years. Released in September of 2010 and produced by Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco fame) “You Are Not Alone” finds Ms. Staples sounding great and full of energy. On this organic sounding record Ms. Staples performs classics from such artists as Little Milton, Pops Staples and Rev. Gary Davis. Also included are two numbers written by Jeff Tweedy especially for her and this release. Hopefully this album will introduce her to a whole new generation of fans.
Pinetop Perkins & Willie “Big Eyes” Smith “Joined At The Hip” Released in 2010
On their new album “Joined At The Hip”, Muddy Waters band alumni Pinetop Perkins and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith show us that age is just a number. For “Joined A The Hip” Willie Smith and Pinetop decided to perform mostly new material instead sticking strictly to a Chicago Blues favorites set list. Even though musically the songs on this album all have a classic sound, it is still nice to hear some veteran artists put their energy into some new tunes instead of resting completely on their laurels. The only down point to this great album is that Willie Smith handles only vocal and harmonica duties and doesn’t get behind the drums. But that is a small point that is outweighed by the fact that these two artists can still make such wonderful music after all these years.
