Heres todays spotlight on three more Bluebird blues artists- St. Louis Jimmy Oden, Big Maceo Merriweather & Washboard Sam. James Oden was a terrific songwriter /vocalist that wrote very funny but sometimes topical songs- first one I heard and paid attention to was Shes Murder that James Cotton covered. My guess is Cotton was pitched the song by Oden when he was living in Muddy Waters basement, where Cotton rehearsed with Muddys band in early 60s. Oden also wrote the classic Goin Down Slow, thats been coved by just about everyone, plus songs like Mighty Earthquake And Hurricane, Monkey Face Woman and other classics. Big Maceo Merriweather was one of the greatest blues piano players to ever touch the ivories and is most known for playing with Tampa Red in the 1940s. Maceo also wrote the classic Worried Life Blues, one of my favorite blues pieces, along with instrumentals like Chicago Breakdown. Maceo had a beautiful smokey blues voice that conveyed a sad quality letting you know he meant what he sang- check Shelby County Blues! Maceo was a major inspiration to both Otis Spann and Johnny Jones( who filled in as Tampas replacement after Maceo has a major stroke that crippled his left side). Washboard Sam played his namesake as an instrument on his recordings on Bluebird. This took the place of the drums for rhythm and had a really funny quality with the bells and cymbals Sam had attached to his washboard. Sam also sang songs like Tell Me Mama( made famous by Little Walter) and Diggin My Potatoes. Almost all his recordings featured Big Bill Broonzy on guitar, who he accompanied on other recordings by Jazz Gillium as well as other more down home Bluebird artists. Look for Worried Life Blues tonight at Jazz Alley in Seattle.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 16:56:07 +0000