1893 Wesley Wilson*
1932 Albert Collins*
1936 George "Wild Child" Butler*
1954 Hans Wintoch*
1957 Olaf Nöll*
1985 Daan Geerlings*
2003 John Brim+
2005 Paul Pena+
Jenn Cleary*
1932 Albert Collins*
1936 George "Wild Child" Butler*
1954 Hans Wintoch*
1957 Olaf Nöll*
1985 Daan Geerlings*
2003 John Brim+
2005 Paul Pena+
Jenn Cleary*
Happy Birthday
Albert Collins *01.10.1932
Albert Collins (* 1. Oktober 1932 in Leona, Texas; † 24. November 1993 in Las Vegas) war ein US-amerikanischer Blues-Gitarrist und Sänger. Seine Fans gaben ihm etliche Spitznamen, wie zum Beispiel Ice Man oder Master of the Telecaster.
Collins war ein entfernter Verwandter von Lightnin’ Hopkins. Er lernte bereits früh Gitarre spielen. Während der 1940er- und 1950er-Jahre hörte er die Stile des Texas Blues, des Delta Blues und des Chicago Blues, woraus er seinen eigenen Stil entwickelte. Im Jahr 1952 gründete Collins seine erste Band und war bald die Zugnummer etlicher Blues-Clubs in Houston, Texas. 1960 machte er seine ersten Aufnahmen. Er veröffentlichte einige Singles, hauptsächlich Instrumentaltitel wie zum Beispiel Frosty. 1965 zog er nach Kansas City, wo er rasch bekannt wurde.
Um weitere Aufnahmen machen zu können, ging Collins 1967 nach San Francisco. Er trat mit Bands wie Canned Heat auf, und 1968 erschien sein erstes Album. Er gab vielbeachtete Konzerte im Fillmore und im Winterland. 1973 zog es Collins zurück nach Texas. Er unternahm erfolgreiche Tourneen in den USA, in Kanada, Europa und Japan. So bekannte Blues-Musiker wie Robert Cray, Debbie Davies, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jonny Lang, Susan Tedeschi und Kenny Wayne Shepherd wurden von ihm beeinflusst.
Collins spielte in der für Bluesmusiker unüblichen offenen Gitarrenstimmung f-moll (f-c-f-as-c-f). Zusätzlich dazu brachte er in Höhe des 7. Bundes seiner E-Gitarre einen Kapodaster an, so dass Collins auch beim Rhythmusspiel in relativ hohen Lagen, ausgehend von der Grundtonart C spielte. Er war weder Plektrum- noch Daumenpick-Benutzer, sondern zupfte mit Daumen und Zeigefinger der rechten Hand. Den Gitarrengurt trug Collins meist nicht wie üblich über Schulter und Rücken laufend, sondern schlüpfte nur mit dem rechten Arm durch den Gurt und trug die Gitarre am Gurt nur mit der Schulter. Außerdem benutzte er sehr lange Gitarrenkabel, die es ihm ermöglichten, sich E-Gitarre spielend unter das Publikum zu mischen oder bei kleinen Clubs die Lokalität zu verlassen, um von der Straße aus über seinen Gitarrenverstärker zu spielen.
Collins wirkte 1987 an dem Konzeptalbum Spillane des New Yorker Avantgardemusikers John Zorn mit; dessen Komposition Two Lane Highway war ein Feature für den Bluesgiarristen. Gary Moore spielte 1990 mit Albert Collins und Albert King als Gastmusiker das Album Still got the Blues ein, wobei „Ice Man“ Collins die anschließende Tour als Gastmusiker begleitete.
Albert Collins starb 1993 in Las Vegas an den Folgen von Leberkrebs.
Albert Gene Drewery a.k.a. Albert Collins (October 1, 1933 – November 24, 1993)[1] was an American electric blues guitarist and singer with a distinctive guitar style. Collins was noted for his powerful playing and his use of altered tunings and capo. His long association with the Fender Telecaster led to the title "The Master of the Telecaster".[2]
Early life
Albert Collins was born in Leona, Texas, on 1 October 1933.[3] He was introduced to the guitar at an early age through his cousin Lightnin' Hopkins, also a Leona resident, who frequently played at family associations (reunions). In 1938 his family relocated to Marquez, Texas, eventually settling in Houston, Texas, in 1941[4] where he later attended Jack Yates High School.[5] Collins initially took piano lessons when he was young but during periods when his piano tutor was unavailable his cousin Willow Young would loan him his guitar and taught Collins the altered tuning that he used throughout his career.[4] At the age of twelve, he made the decision to concentrate on learning the guitar after hearing "Boogie Chillen'" by John Lee Hooker. At eighteen Collins started his own group called the Rhythm Rockers in which he honed his craft while remaining in employment including four years working on a ranch in Normangee, Texas, followed by twelve years of driving a truck for various companies.[4][5] Collins initially played an Epiphone guitar during his first two years with the Rhythm Rockers but in 1952 after seeing Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown playing a Fender Esquire he decided to purchase a Fender. Collins had wanted to buy a Telecaster but due to their cost he opted instead to buy an Esquire which he then took to the Parker Music Company in Houston to have it fitted with a genuine Telecaster neck; this would remain his main guitar up until his move to California and the guitar that he used on his earliest recordings including his signature song "Frosty".[4] (For the rest of his career he played a Fender Telecaster with a "Humbucker" pickup retrofitted into the neck position.) In 1954 Collins, then aged 22 and still without a record release, was joined in the Rhythm Rockers by the 17-year-old Johnny Copeland who had just left the Dukes of Rhythm (a band he had started with Houston blues musician Joe "Guitar" Hughes).[6]
Career
Collins started to play regularly in Houston, most notably at Shady's Playhouse, where James "Widemouth" Brown (brother of Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown) and other well-known Houston blues musicians would meet for the Blue Monday jams.[7][8] By the mid 1950s he had established his reputation as a local guitarist of note and had started to appear regularly at a Fifth Ward club called Walter's Lounge with the group Big Tiny and the Thunderbirds.[9][10] The saxophonist and music teacher Henry Hayes had heard about Collins from Joe "Guitar" Hughes. After seeing him perform live, Hayes encouraged Collins to record a single for Kangaroo Records, a label he had started with his friend M. L. Young.[11] Collins recorded his debut single "The Freeze" b/w "Collins Shuffle" for Kangaroo Records at Gold Star Studios, Houston, in the spring of 1958, with Henry Hayes on saxophone.[12] Texas blues bands of this period incorporated a horn section, and Collins later credited Henry Hayes with teaching him how to arrange for horns.[4] In 1964 he recorded "Frosty" at Gulf Coast Recording Studio, Beaumont, Texas, for Hall Records, owned by Bill Hall, who had signed Collins on the recommendation of Cowboy Jack Clement, a songwriter and producer who had engineered sessions for Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash at Sun Records.[13] His debut album The Cool Sounds Of Albert Collins was released in 1965 on the TCF label and consisted of previously released instrumentals including "Thaw Out" and "Don't Lose Your Cool".[14]
On 19 June 1968 the group Canned Heat were playing at the Music Hall in Houston, and a friend of theirs mentioned that Collins was playing at the Ponderosa Club, which they duly attended.[15] After Collins had finished playing they introduced themselves and offered to help secure an agent for him as well as an introduction to Imperial Records in California.[16] With the offer of a record deal and regular live work Collins made the decision to move, relocating at first to Kansas City in July 1968, where he played in the organ trio of keyboardist Lawrence Wright, and then in November to Palo Alto, California.[4] Collins chose Love Can Be Found Anywhere (Even In A Guitar) from the lyrics of Canned Heat's "Fried Hockey Boogie" as the title for his 1968 Imperial album in honor of Canned Heat and their lead singer Bob Hite, who had also provided the liner notes for the album.[4] In the spring of 1969 he was hired by Bob Krasnow to play on the Ike and Tina Turner album The Hunter, which was released on Krasnow's Blue Thumb label.[17][18] The move to California was proving to be the right decision, with Collins establishing himself as a regular act on the West Coast circuit playing at the Fillmore West and Whisky a Go Go[4] as well as the "Newport 69" festival in Northridge, California, in June 1969 and the Gold Rush Festival at Lake Amador, California, in October.[19][20] In December 1970 his debut album The Cool Sounds Of Albert Collins was reissued as Truckin’ With Albert Collins by Blue Thumb Records.[21]
In November 1971 the Denver label Tumbleweed, which had been newly created by Larry Ray and Bill Szymczyk, released the Collins album There's Gotta Be A Change; it was the label's first official release.[22][23] The single "Get Your Business Straight" b/w "Frog Jumpin'" was released by Tumbleweed in February 1972.[24][25] In 1973 Tumbleweed closed due to financial problems, leaving Collins without a record label.[26] He was signed by Bruce Iglauer, owner of Alligator Records, in 1978 on the recommendation of Dick Shurman, whom Collins had met in Seattle.[5] His first release for the label was Ice Pickin' (1978), which was recorded at Curtom Studios, Chicago, and produced by Iglauer, Shurman and Richard McLeese. On 2 February 1978 Collins appeared in concert with the Dutch band Barrelhouse, which was his first live appearance outside of the United States. The concert was filmed for the Dutch TV show Tros Sesjun and was subsequently released on vinyl in 1979 by Munich Records as Albert Collins & Barrelhouse Live.[27] Collins won a W. C. Handy Award in the category Best Contemporary Blues Album in 1983 for his Alligator release Don't Lose Your Cool.[28]
On 13 July 1985 Collins performed with George Thorogood and the Destroyers at Live Aid, appearing as guest soloist on "Madison Blues"; the US part of the charity concert was held at the JFK Stadium in Philadelphia and together with the simultaneously broadcast concerts from other countries was viewed by over 1.5 billion people.[29] In December 1986 Collins appeared in concert with Etta James and Joe Walsh at the Wiltern Theater, Los Angeles, which was subsequently released on video under the title Jazzvisions: Jump The Blues Away.[30][31] The backing musicians for the concert were Rick Rosas (bass), Michael Huey (drums), Ed Sanford (Hammond B3), Kip Noble (piano) and Josh Sklar (guitar). In 1986 Collins won a Grammy Award with Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland for their album Showdown!.[2] Collins had finished working on his seventh Alligator album Cold Snap by October 1986, which was released shortly afterwards to good reviews and received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Blues Recording of 1987.[32][33] Collins cited the album as personally important to him due to the involvement of organist Jimmy McGriff, an early musical idol whom Collins had played with in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1966.[4] On 12 February 1987 he appeared as a musical guest on the NBC talk show Late Night with David Letterman.[34] Collins made a cameo appearance in the 1987 comedy film Adventures in Babysitting.[35] In 1987 the American composer John Zorn and Albert Collins collaborated on a suite entitled "Two-Lane Highway" which was subsequently released on the Zorn album Spillane. On 22 April 1988 Collins appeared at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in a group that consisted of B.B. King, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan; the group played on the Riverboat President as it journeyed along the Mississippi River in recognition of the musical heritage of New Orleans and artists such as Fate Marable, Louis Armstrong and Henry Red Allen, who had entertained passengers on the fleet of riverboats owned by the Streckfus Brothers.[36][37][38]
Collins was signed to Pointblank Records, a subsidiary of Virgin Records, in 1991.[39] Bruce Iglauer of Alligator Records expressed his disappointment at the departure of Collins while acknowledging that he had signed Collins on a "record to record" basis.[40] On 15 November 1991 Collins performed with Robert Cray, Steve Cropper and Dave Edmunds at the Guitar Legends event in Seville; a series of five concerts to promote the upcoming Seville Expo '92.[41] On 28 October 1991 Collins was filmed in concert for the music show Austin City Limits which was broadcast on 21 February 1992; the concert was released on DVD in April 2008 as Albert Collins Live From Austin, TX.[42] In 1993 Collins played at the Pointblank Borderline Blues Festival in London, which ran from 17 March to 27 March; this would be his last appearance in the UK.[35] Collins was performing at the Paléo Festival in Nyon, Switzerland, in July 1993 when he was taken ill.[43] He was diagnosed in mid August with lung cancer which had metastasized to his liver, with an expected survival time of four months. Tracks from his last album Live '92/'93 were recorded at shows that September. Albert Collins died on 24 November 1993 at the age of 61. He was interred at Davis Memorial Park, Las Vegas, Nevada.[44][45] There was a posthumous nomination for his final album Live '92/'93 at the 38th Grammy Awards of 1996 in the category of Best Blues Contemporary Album.[46]
Work outside of music
In the early days Collins worked as a paint mixer and truck driver to make ends meet.[47] In 1971, when he was 39 years old, Collins worked in construction, since he couldn't make a proper living from his music.[48] One of the construction jobs he worked on was a remodeling job for Neil Diamond.[49] This type of work carried on right up until the late 1970s.[50] It was his wife Gwen that talked him into returning to music.[51]
Death and legacy
After a three-month battle with cancer, Albert Collins died at his Las Vegas, Nevada home on November 24, 1993. He was 60. Surviving him were his wife, Gwendolyn, and his father, Andy Thomas.[52]
Albert Collins was an inspiration to a generation of Texas guitar players including Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmie Vaughan. He was amongst a small group of Texas blues players, along with Johnny "Guitar" Watson and Johnny Copeland, who together shaped the legacy of T-Bone Walker into a modern blues template that was to have a major influence on many later players. From an interview with Robert Cray in Guitar World magazine:
"...it was seeing Albert Collins at a rock festival in 1969 that really turned my head around." Two years later, Collins played at Cray's high school graduation party in Tacoma, Washington, and the ice-pick sound really sunk in deep.
"That was it,” Cray recalls. "That changed my whole life around. From that moment I started seriously studying the blues."[53]
Collins is remembered for his informal and audience-engaging live performances. He would frequently leave the stage whilst still playing to mingle with the audience.[54] The use of an extended guitar lead allowed Collins to go outside of clubs to the sidewalk; one anecdote stated that he left a club with the audience in tow to visit the store next door to buy a candy bar without once stopping his act.[55]
He is also remembered for his humorous stage presence, which is recounted in the documentary Antones: Austin's Home of the Blues: Collins was playing a lengthy solo one night at Antone's and left the building whilst still playing. Collins returned to the stage still playing the solo and resumed entertaining the audience in person. Shortly afterwards a man arrived at the club and gave Collins the pizza which he had just ordered.
George "Wild Child" Butler *01.10.1936
http://worldofharmonica.blogspot.de/2011/07/george-wild-child-butler.html
George „Wild Child“ Butler (* 1. Oktober 1936 in Autaugaville, Alabama, Vereinigte Staaten; † 1. März 2005 in Winsor, Ontario, Kanada) war ein US-amerikanischer Blues-Mundharmonikaspieler und Sänger.
Geboren als jüngstes von 9 Kindern in Autaugaville, Alabama, erhielt Butler schon als Kleinkind den Spitznamen „Wild Cild“. Er verbrachte einen Teil seiner Jugend in Alabames Hauptstadt Montgomery, wo er mit Big Mama Thornton, einer Freundin der Familie, Mundharmonika spielte.[1][2]
Der Farmarbeit zog er ein Leben als Musiker vor. Zeitweise hielt er sich in Chicago und Detroit auf, wo er mit Größen wie Big Walter Horton, Sonny Boy Williamson II. und Sunnyland Slim auftrat. Mitte der 1960er arbeitete er in Texas und Louisiana. 1966 nahm er unter der Leitung von Willie Dixon sein erstes Album auf. Es sollten im Laufe der Zeit sechs weitere Alben folgen.[1]
Zu den bekannten Kollegen, mit denen Butler zusammen arbeitete, zählen Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Sam Lay, Big Jack Johnson und andere. Zuletzt lebte George Butler in Windsor, Ontario, wo er 2005 im Alter von 68 Jahren starb.
Geboren als jüngstes von 9 Kindern in Autaugaville, Alabama, erhielt Butler schon als Kleinkind den Spitznamen „Wild Cild“. Er verbrachte einen Teil seiner Jugend in Alabames Hauptstadt Montgomery, wo er mit Big Mama Thornton, einer Freundin der Familie, Mundharmonika spielte.[1][2]
Der Farmarbeit zog er ein Leben als Musiker vor. Zeitweise hielt er sich in Chicago und Detroit auf, wo er mit Größen wie Big Walter Horton, Sonny Boy Williamson II. und Sunnyland Slim auftrat. Mitte der 1960er arbeitete er in Texas und Louisiana. 1966 nahm er unter der Leitung von Willie Dixon sein erstes Album auf. Es sollten im Laufe der Zeit sechs weitere Alben folgen.[1]
Zu den bekannten Kollegen, mit denen Butler zusammen arbeitete, zählen Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Sam Lay, Big Jack Johnson und andere. Zuletzt lebte George Butler in Windsor, Ontario, wo er 2005 im Alter von 68 Jahren starb.
George "Wild Child" Butler (October 1, 1936 – March 1, 2005) was an American blues guitarist, harmonica player, and vocalist.
Butler was born in Autuagaville, Alabama, United States,[1] and began playing blues music in bands from the late 1950s, but it was not until 1966 that he began to receive notice, after moving to Chicago and signing with Jewel Records.[2] His early sessions were recorded with Willie Dixon, Cash McCall and Jimmy Dawkins as sidemen.[2][3] He recorded an album for Mercury Records in 1969.[2]
In 1981, Butler moved to Ontario, Canada, where he played regularly.[3] In the 1990s, he began recording with record producer Mike Vernon in England, which resulted in two albums released on Bullseye Blues.[3]
Butler died on March 1, 2005 in Windsor, Ontario, of a pulmonary embolism, at the age of 68.
Butler was born in Autuagaville, Alabama, United States,[1] and began playing blues music in bands from the late 1950s, but it was not until 1966 that he began to receive notice, after moving to Chicago and signing with Jewel Records.[2] His early sessions were recorded with Willie Dixon, Cash McCall and Jimmy Dawkins as sidemen.[2][3] He recorded an album for Mercury Records in 1969.[2]
In 1981, Butler moved to Ontario, Canada, where he played regularly.[3] In the 1990s, he began recording with record producer Mike Vernon in England, which resulted in two albums released on Bullseye Blues.[3]
Butler died on March 1, 2005 in Windsor, Ontario, of a pulmonary embolism, at the age of 68.
Daan Geerlings *01.10.1985
Howlin' Stone, four guys with passion for the Blues. They bring their music with the spirit of Robert Johnson and other blues legends from the past. Howlin' Stone plays the blues with a tremendous passion, emotion and energy! One of their biggest inspirations that should not be unmentioned is the late Sean Costello.
From left to Right: Tom Janssen (Lead-singer and guitar), Jules van Bussel (Bass player), Daan Geerlings (Guitar) and Julien Rapmund (Drums).
Howlin Stone at keeping the blues alive - Going down
Wesley Wilson *01.10.1893
(Kid Wilson)
Wesley Wilson (October 1, 1893 – October 10, 1958) was an American blues and jazz singer and songwriter.[2] His own stage craft, plus the double act with his wife and musical partner, Coot Grant, was popular with African American audiences in the 1910s, 1920s and early 1930s.[3][4]
His stage names included Kid Wilson, Jenkins, Socks, and either Sox Wilson or Socks Wilson. His musical excursions included participation in the oddly named duo of Pigmeat Pete and Catjuice Charlie.[2] Wilson recorded songs such as "Blue Monday on Sugar Hill" and "Rasslin' Till The Wagon Comes".[1]
Biography
He was born in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Wilson played both piano and organ, whilst Coot Grant strummed guitar as well as sing and dance.[2]
The duo's billing also varied between Grant and Wilson, Kid and Coot, and Hunter and Jenkins, as they went on to appear and later record with Fletcher Henderson, Mezz Mezzrow, Sidney Bechet, and Louis Armstrong. Their variety was such that they performed separately and together in vaudeville, musical comedies, revues and traveling shows. This ability to adapt also saw them appear in the 1933 film, The Emperor Jones, alongside Paul Robeson.[2]
In addition to this, the twosome wrote in excess of 400 songs over their working lifetime.[5] That list included "Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)" (1933) and "Take Me for a Buggy Ride", which were both made famous by Bessie Smith's recording of the songs, plus "Find Me at the Greasy Spoon (If You Miss Me Here)" (1925)[6] and "Prince of Wails" for Fletcher Henderson. Their own renditions included the diverse, "Come on Coot, Do That Thing" (1925), "Dem Socks Dat My Pappy Wore," and "Throat Cutting Blues" (although the latter remains unreleased)."[2]
Although Grant and Wilson's act, once seen as a serious rival to Butterbeans and Susie,[3] began to lose favor with the public by the middle of the 1930s, they recorded further songs in 1938.[2] Their only child, Bobby Wilson, was born in 1941.[7] By 1946, and after Mezz Mezzrow had founded his King Jazz record label, he engaged them as songwriters.[2] In that year, the association led to their final recording session backed by a quintet incorporating Bechet and Mezzrow.[7]
Wilson retired in ill health shortly thereafter,[5] but Grant continued performing into the 1950s.[2] In January 1953, one commentator noted that the couple had moved from New York to Los Angeles, but were in considerable financial hardship.[8]
Wilson died from a stroke, aged 65, in October 1958 in Cape May Court House, New Jersey.[1]
In 1998, his entire recorded work, both with and without Grant, was made available in three chronological volumes by Document Records.
His stage names included Kid Wilson, Jenkins, Socks, and either Sox Wilson or Socks Wilson. His musical excursions included participation in the oddly named duo of Pigmeat Pete and Catjuice Charlie.[2] Wilson recorded songs such as "Blue Monday on Sugar Hill" and "Rasslin' Till The Wagon Comes".[1]
Biography
He was born in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Wilson played both piano and organ, whilst Coot Grant strummed guitar as well as sing and dance.[2]
The duo's billing also varied between Grant and Wilson, Kid and Coot, and Hunter and Jenkins, as they went on to appear and later record with Fletcher Henderson, Mezz Mezzrow, Sidney Bechet, and Louis Armstrong. Their variety was such that they performed separately and together in vaudeville, musical comedies, revues and traveling shows. This ability to adapt also saw them appear in the 1933 film, The Emperor Jones, alongside Paul Robeson.[2]
In addition to this, the twosome wrote in excess of 400 songs over their working lifetime.[5] That list included "Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)" (1933) and "Take Me for a Buggy Ride", which were both made famous by Bessie Smith's recording of the songs, plus "Find Me at the Greasy Spoon (If You Miss Me Here)" (1925)[6] and "Prince of Wails" for Fletcher Henderson. Their own renditions included the diverse, "Come on Coot, Do That Thing" (1925), "Dem Socks Dat My Pappy Wore," and "Throat Cutting Blues" (although the latter remains unreleased)."[2]
Although Grant and Wilson's act, once seen as a serious rival to Butterbeans and Susie,[3] began to lose favor with the public by the middle of the 1930s, they recorded further songs in 1938.[2] Their only child, Bobby Wilson, was born in 1941.[7] By 1946, and after Mezz Mezzrow had founded his King Jazz record label, he engaged them as songwriters.[2] In that year, the association led to their final recording session backed by a quintet incorporating Bechet and Mezzrow.[7]
Wilson retired in ill health shortly thereafter,[5] but Grant continued performing into the 1950s.[2] In January 1953, one commentator noted that the couple had moved from New York to Los Angeles, but were in considerable financial hardship.[8]
Wilson died from a stroke, aged 65, in October 1958 in Cape May Court House, New Jersey.[1]
In 1998, his entire recorded work, both with and without Grant, was made available in three chronological volumes by Document Records.
Olaf Nöll *01.10.1957
https://www.facebook.com/olaf.noll.92/photos_albums
Back On The Road!
Inzwischen sind sie eine feste Größe der südwestfälischen Blues -und
Rockszene, überregional schon oft der einschlagende Geheimtipp und
3-fache Gewinner des Deutschen Rock & Pop Preises 2013 in der
Kategorie Rhythm & Blues - Back On The Road!
Die fünf Musiker spielen Rock und Blues in einer frischen, explosiven
Mischung, die einfach in die Beine geht. Vom straighten Rock über
Boogie und Shuffle bewegt sich ihre Musik zum ursprünglichen und
urbanen Chicago Blues der fünfziger Jahre.
In der jungen Bandgeschichte von 6 Jahren sind die Herren schon gut
herumgekommen: Als Support für Ian Paice (dem originalen Deep Pur-
ple -Drummer), als eines der Highlights beim Geyserhaus Open Air in
Leipzig und als die Anheizer des renommierten Bluesfestivals Dresden.
Auch im Studio waren die Blues-Rocker überzeugend: Das im Februar
2013 veröffentlichte, vierfach mit dem Deutschen Rock & Pop Preis
ausgezeichnete, zweite Album „best before“ wurde von der deutschen
Fachpresse nach Erscheinen durchweg positiv wahrgenommen:
„[...] und auch mit diesem Longplayer haben sie die Messlatte zur
Oberliga locker erreicht. [...] Gleichzeitig offenbart sich das Quintett
als produktiver Alleskönner, deren Energie derart spürbar ist, dass man
sicher sein kann, noch viele derartige Überzeugungs-Alben zu erhalten
[...].“ (Jürgen B. Volkmar, Rocktimes.de)
„Das Album ist von vorne bis hinten ohne Ausfälle hörenswert. Die
Musiker können ausgezeichnet spielen, der Gesang hat Klasse und die
Kompositionen brauchen internationale Vergleiche nicht zu scheuen. [...]
„best before“ kann uneingeschränkt empfohlen werden.“ (BluesNews)
Über ihre Konzerte sagen die Musiker selbst: „Das beste Rezept für ein
geiles Konzert ist, wenn man mit Herz und Seele dabei ist - dann ist das
Publikum auch dabei!“
So ist also das Motto der Jungs.
Sie spielen nicht einfach nur Blues-Rock, sie zelebrieren ihn.
Inzwischen sind sie eine feste Größe der südwestfälischen Blues -und
Rockszene, überregional schon oft der einschlagende Geheimtipp und
3-fache Gewinner des Deutschen Rock & Pop Preises 2013 in der
Kategorie Rhythm & Blues - Back On The Road!
Die fünf Musiker spielen Rock und Blues in einer frischen, explosiven
Mischung, die einfach in die Beine geht. Vom straighten Rock über
Boogie und Shuffle bewegt sich ihre Musik zum ursprünglichen und
urbanen Chicago Blues der fünfziger Jahre.
In der jungen Bandgeschichte von 6 Jahren sind die Herren schon gut
herumgekommen: Als Support für Ian Paice (dem originalen Deep Pur-
ple -Drummer), als eines der Highlights beim Geyserhaus Open Air in
Leipzig und als die Anheizer des renommierten Bluesfestivals Dresden.
Auch im Studio waren die Blues-Rocker überzeugend: Das im Februar
2013 veröffentlichte, vierfach mit dem Deutschen Rock & Pop Preis
ausgezeichnete, zweite Album „best before“ wurde von der deutschen
Fachpresse nach Erscheinen durchweg positiv wahrgenommen:
„[...] und auch mit diesem Longplayer haben sie die Messlatte zur
Oberliga locker erreicht. [...] Gleichzeitig offenbart sich das Quintett
als produktiver Alleskönner, deren Energie derart spürbar ist, dass man
sicher sein kann, noch viele derartige Überzeugungs-Alben zu erhalten
[...].“ (Jürgen B. Volkmar, Rocktimes.de)
„Das Album ist von vorne bis hinten ohne Ausfälle hörenswert. Die
Musiker können ausgezeichnet spielen, der Gesang hat Klasse und die
Kompositionen brauchen internationale Vergleiche nicht zu scheuen. [...]
„best before“ kann uneingeschränkt empfohlen werden.“ (BluesNews)
Über ihre Konzerte sagen die Musiker selbst: „Das beste Rezept für ein
geiles Konzert ist, wenn man mit Herz und Seele dabei ist - dann ist das
Publikum auch dabei!“
So ist also das Motto der Jungs.
Sie spielen nicht einfach nur Blues-Rock, sie zelebrieren ihn.
Back On The Road -Teaser Live-DVD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9cmklh6VKY#t=27
Hans Wintoch *01.10.1954
Hans die Geige
Hans Wintoch alias Hans die Geige (* 1. Oktober 1954 in Kropstädt bei Wittenberg) ist ein deutscher Rockgeiger, Band- und Studiomusiker.
Musikalische Entwicklung
Wintoch erhielt bereits mit fünf Jahren Geigenunterricht. Von 1961 bis 1965 besuchte er die Musikschule Sangerhausen und von 1965 bis 1969 die Spezialschule für Musik in Halle (Saale). Ab dem 16. Lebensjahr studierte er an der Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Weimar. Während des Studiums wechselte er von der E-Musik zur U-Musik und spielte in verschiedenen Amateurbands.
Sein Start als Berufsmusiker erfolgte 1975 in der Sieghart-Schubert-Formation (später Schubert-Band). Die von Sieghart Schubert geleitete Band, spielte damals jazzorientierten Rock. 1978 wechselte Wintoch in die Band Report aus Halle (Saale). Noch im gleichen Jahr ging er nach Berlin zu Stefan Diestelmann, bevor er im Jahr 1979 bei Magdeburg einstieg. Wintoch, der bei Magdeburg Keyboard spielte, stellte nach einem Auftrittsverbot beim DDR-Fernsehen mit der Band einen kollektiven Ausreiseantrag, den er mit zwei weiteren Bandmitgliedern später zurückzog. Infolge der damaligen Ereignisse verlor die Band ihre Spielerlaubnis und löste sich auf. Wintoch spielte daraufhin kurze Zeit in der Band Kleeblatt, bevor er als Violinist bei Reform aus Magdeburg einstieg. Als 1984 Till Patzer und Werther Lohse von Lift nach einer jazzorientierten Phase zum ursprünglichen musikalischen Konzept dieser Band zurückkehrten und neben Michael Heubach einen weiteren Keyboarder suchten, wechselte Wintoch in diese Band. Doch Lift konnte nicht an ihre früheren Erfolge anknüpfen, so dass Wintoch und Heubach bereits ein Jahr später die Band wieder verließen.
Fortan spielte er als Gastmusiker bei Engerling, Monokel, der Jonathan Blues Band und Kerth. Als Wintoch bei dem DT64-Konzert die Geige in der Rockmusik erstmals als Solist auftrat, war das der Beginn seiner Karriere als Hans die Geige. 1988 veröffentlichte das DDR-Label Amiga seine erste Soloplatte mit Kompositionen von Michael Heubach, Sieghart Schubert und Wintoch selbst. Begleitet wurde er auf dieser Langspielplatte von Wolfgang Kobischke, Michael Heubach, Moritz Schubert und Uwe Hassbecker. Wintoch ist bis heute erfolgreich als Solist tätig und steht regelmäßig mit bekannten „Ostrockern“ wie den Puhdys, City oder electra auf der Bühne. Als ein Höhepunkt gilt das Konzert am 20. Mai 2007 in Mittweida, wo er gemeinsam mit Peter Cäsar Gläser zum Gedenken an den tödlich verunglückten Renft-Musiker Heinz Prüfer den Eric-Clapton-Song Tears in Heaven vortrug. Solistisch bewegt er sich von Rock über Blues und Jazz bis hin zur klassischen Musik.
Musikalische Entwicklung
Wintoch erhielt bereits mit fünf Jahren Geigenunterricht. Von 1961 bis 1965 besuchte er die Musikschule Sangerhausen und von 1965 bis 1969 die Spezialschule für Musik in Halle (Saale). Ab dem 16. Lebensjahr studierte er an der Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Weimar. Während des Studiums wechselte er von der E-Musik zur U-Musik und spielte in verschiedenen Amateurbands.
Sein Start als Berufsmusiker erfolgte 1975 in der Sieghart-Schubert-Formation (später Schubert-Band). Die von Sieghart Schubert geleitete Band, spielte damals jazzorientierten Rock. 1978 wechselte Wintoch in die Band Report aus Halle (Saale). Noch im gleichen Jahr ging er nach Berlin zu Stefan Diestelmann, bevor er im Jahr 1979 bei Magdeburg einstieg. Wintoch, der bei Magdeburg Keyboard spielte, stellte nach einem Auftrittsverbot beim DDR-Fernsehen mit der Band einen kollektiven Ausreiseantrag, den er mit zwei weiteren Bandmitgliedern später zurückzog. Infolge der damaligen Ereignisse verlor die Band ihre Spielerlaubnis und löste sich auf. Wintoch spielte daraufhin kurze Zeit in der Band Kleeblatt, bevor er als Violinist bei Reform aus Magdeburg einstieg. Als 1984 Till Patzer und Werther Lohse von Lift nach einer jazzorientierten Phase zum ursprünglichen musikalischen Konzept dieser Band zurückkehrten und neben Michael Heubach einen weiteren Keyboarder suchten, wechselte Wintoch in diese Band. Doch Lift konnte nicht an ihre früheren Erfolge anknüpfen, so dass Wintoch und Heubach bereits ein Jahr später die Band wieder verließen.
Fortan spielte er als Gastmusiker bei Engerling, Monokel, der Jonathan Blues Band und Kerth. Als Wintoch bei dem DT64-Konzert die Geige in der Rockmusik erstmals als Solist auftrat, war das der Beginn seiner Karriere als Hans die Geige. 1988 veröffentlichte das DDR-Label Amiga seine erste Soloplatte mit Kompositionen von Michael Heubach, Sieghart Schubert und Wintoch selbst. Begleitet wurde er auf dieser Langspielplatte von Wolfgang Kobischke, Michael Heubach, Moritz Schubert und Uwe Hassbecker. Wintoch ist bis heute erfolgreich als Solist tätig und steht regelmäßig mit bekannten „Ostrockern“ wie den Puhdys, City oder electra auf der Bühne. Als ein Höhepunkt gilt das Konzert am 20. Mai 2007 in Mittweida, wo er gemeinsam mit Peter Cäsar Gläser zum Gedenken an den tödlich verunglückten Renft-Musiker Heinz Prüfer den Eric-Clapton-Song Tears in Heaven vortrug. Solistisch bewegt er sich von Rock über Blues und Jazz bis hin zur klassischen Musik.
Geboren 1954 in Kropstädt bei Wittenberg wünscht sich der vierjährige Hans - neidvoll auf die Gestalt und den Klang der Geige seiner Mutter blickend - sehnsüchtigst eine eigene Geige.
Diese bekommt er dann zu seinem 5. Geburtstag auch. Von da an haben ihn Übungseifer und Geigen-Fieber gleichermaßen gepackt!
Hans Wintoch, Musikschule Sangerhausen, Spezialschule für Musik Halle
Er durchläuft mehrere Jahre der professionellen musikalischen Ausbildung:
1961 - 1965: Musikschule Sangerhausen
1965 - 1969: Spezialschule für Musik Halle
1969 - 1973: Hochschule für Musik Weimar
Wegen "zu langer Haare und zu westlich orientierter Kleidung" droht man ihm im Studium sogar mit Exmatrikulation. Doch Hans bleibt sich treu, trotzt allen Drohungen und schließt sein Studium 1973 (Geige/Klavier) erfolgreich ab.
Dem schon sicheren Stammplatz im Orchester des Leipziger Gewandhauses entsagte Hans - zum großen Entsetzen seines Hochschul-Professors!
Doch geprägt vom musikalischen Zeitgeist und Sound von Beatles, BeeGees und Rolling Stones schlug das Musiker-Herz weniger für die Klassik als vielmehr für das Genre "Unterhaltungsmusik".
Musikalisch probiert sich Hans in vielen Besetzungen aus. Sein Markenzeichen: lange Haare, Hippie-Look, den Geigenkoffer stets im Gepäck!
In dieser Zeit entsteht auch sein Künstlername, zurückgehend auf die scherzhaften Ankündigungen eines damaligen Kollegen als "Hans VAN der Geige". Als Holländer wollte er nicht gelten und verwehrte sich gegen das "VAN", übrig blieb "Hans die Geige" - bis heute.
Seit 1983 ist er auf Solo-Pfaden oder mit eigener Band unterwegs - musikalisch mit dem ihm eigenen Stil zwischen Klassik und Rock geprägt von inzwischen 40 Jahren professioneller Bühnenerfahrung.
Diese bekommt er dann zu seinem 5. Geburtstag auch. Von da an haben ihn Übungseifer und Geigen-Fieber gleichermaßen gepackt!
Hans Wintoch, Musikschule Sangerhausen, Spezialschule für Musik Halle
Er durchläuft mehrere Jahre der professionellen musikalischen Ausbildung:
1961 - 1965: Musikschule Sangerhausen
1965 - 1969: Spezialschule für Musik Halle
1969 - 1973: Hochschule für Musik Weimar
Wegen "zu langer Haare und zu westlich orientierter Kleidung" droht man ihm im Studium sogar mit Exmatrikulation. Doch Hans bleibt sich treu, trotzt allen Drohungen und schließt sein Studium 1973 (Geige/Klavier) erfolgreich ab.
Dem schon sicheren Stammplatz im Orchester des Leipziger Gewandhauses entsagte Hans - zum großen Entsetzen seines Hochschul-Professors!
Doch geprägt vom musikalischen Zeitgeist und Sound von Beatles, BeeGees und Rolling Stones schlug das Musiker-Herz weniger für die Klassik als vielmehr für das Genre "Unterhaltungsmusik".
Musikalisch probiert sich Hans in vielen Besetzungen aus. Sein Markenzeichen: lange Haare, Hippie-Look, den Geigenkoffer stets im Gepäck!
In dieser Zeit entsteht auch sein Künstlername, zurückgehend auf die scherzhaften Ankündigungen eines damaligen Kollegen als "Hans VAN der Geige". Als Holländer wollte er nicht gelten und verwehrte sich gegen das "VAN", übrig blieb "Hans die Geige" - bis heute.
Seit 1983 ist er auf Solo-Pfaden oder mit eigener Band unterwegs - musikalisch mit dem ihm eigenen Stil zwischen Klassik und Rock geprägt von inzwischen 40 Jahren professioneller Bühnenerfahrung.
Hans die Geige - mit dem Neuen Symphonieorchester Berlin
Monokel & Hans die Geige - Die Moldau
R.I.P.
John Brim +01.10.2003
John Brim (* 10. April 1922 bei Hopkinsville, Christian County, Kentucky; † 1. Oktober 2003 in Gary, Indiana) war ein US-amerikanischer Blues-Musiker. Zu seinen bekanntesten Songs zählen Ice Cream Man, Rattlesnake und Tough Times.
Unter dem Einfluss früher Blues-Aufnahmen von Tampa Red und Big Bill Broonzy brachte sich Brim das Spielen auf der Mundharmonika selbst bei. Mit dem Gitarristen Homer Wilson spielte er auf den Straßen seiner Heimatgegend. 1941 gingen Brim und Wilson nach Indianapolis, um Arbeit zu suchen. Hier lernte Brim, Gitarre zu spielen. Zu seinen Lehrmeistern gehörte neben anderen Scrapper Blackwell.
1945 zog Brim nach Chicago, wo er mit Sonny Boy Williamson und Dr. Clayton auftrat. In den nächsten fünf Jahren spielte Brim mit den Größen des Chicago Blues, darunter Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Memphis Minnie, Big Bill Broonzy, Tampa Red, Big Maceo Merriweather und viele andere. 1947 heiratete Brim die Blues-Sängerin Grace. Auf Brims Drängen lernte sie Schlagzeug spielen, so dass sie ihn begleiten konnte. Jimmy Reed hatte mit den beiden einen seiner ersten Auftritte.
Mit Big Maceo Merriweather machten die Brims 1950 ihre ersten Aufnahmen in Detroit, denen etliche weitere folgten, u.a für das Label J.O.B., mit Sunnyland Slim, Roosevelt Sykes, Little Walter, Jimmy Reed und anderen. Brim spielte auch Gitarre bei der ersten Aufnahme von Albert King.
Unstimmigkeiten mit seinem Plattenlabel Chess Records ließen Brims Aufnahmen von 1955-56 über 15 Jahre in den Archiven verstauben, bevor sie schließlich veröffentlicht wurden. Brim trat weiterhin auf, machte aber erst 1971 wieder Aufnahmen, zusammen mit seiner Frau und ihrem gemeinsamen Sohn John Junior. Danach vergingen wieder 18 Jahre, ehe 1989 die nächsten Aufnahmen erfolgten, diesmal u. a. mit Pinetop Perkins. 1994 erschien die CD Ice Cream Man, an der auch Jerry Portnoy und Bob Margolin mitgewirkt hatten.
1999 starb Brims Frau Grace. 2000 war er wieder im Studio, um mit seiner Begleitband "The Tough Time Boys" das Album Jake's Blues aufzunehmen.
John Brim (April 10, 1922 – October 1, 2003) was an American Chicago blues guitarist, songwriter and singer. He wrote and recorded the original "Ice Cream Man", which was later covered by Van Halen on their first album.[1] The song was also covered by Martin Sexton on his 2001 double album Live Wide Open. David Lee Roth's version appears on his album Diamond Dave. Brim died of heart cancer on October 1, 2003.
Biography
Brim began playing guitar by studying the recordings of Big Bill Broonzy and Tampa Red. He moved to Indianapolis in 1941 and Chicago in 1947. His wife Grace was also a talented musician who played drums and harmonica.[1]
Brim recorded for several labels, including releases on Chess Records. "Ice Cream Man" was produced in 1953 but was not released until 1969. Other tracks recorded on the Chess label include "I Would Hate to See You Go" (1956). The album "Whose Muddy Shoes" includes all his songs from the 1950s on that label.[1]
Brim also operated a dry cleaners and a record store. He used his royalties from Van Halen’s recording of "Ice Cream Man" to open a nightclub in Chicago.[2]
Brim continued to perform occasionally around Chicago, and was a regularly featured performer on the Chicago Blues Festival beginning in 1991, when he was backed by the local Chicago blues band The Ice Cream Men (drummer Steve Cushing, guitarists Dave Waldman and "Rockin'" Johnny Burgin, and harmonica player Scott Dirks). The band name was coincidental; they were not Brim's regular band, but had been using that name because the members had previously worked with Chicago bluesman Otis "Big Smokey" Smothers, who worked as an ice cream man on Chicago's south side.
He recorded four songs for the German Wolf label in 1989. A CD titled Ice Cream Man was released on Tone Cool Records in 1994.[3] It received a W. C. Handy nomination as the best Traditional Blues Album of the Year.[2]
Brim appeared at the 1997 San Francisco Blues Festival. He made another album in 2000, and continued to give live performances, such as in Belgium in 2001 and at the 2002 Chicago Blues Festival.[2]
Death
On the morning of October 1, 2003, Brim spoke briefly on the phone with his son, before he was struck with chest pains. Brim was rushed to the hospital, but died just before the ambulance reached the hospital, and the doctor discovered that the 81-year old's cause of death was heart cancer. Brim's funeral was held on October 10, 2003.
Paul Pena +01.10.2005
Paul Pena (* 26. Januar 1950 in Hyannis, Massachusetts; † 1. Oktober 2005 in San Francisco, Kalifornien) war ein US-amerikanischer Bluesmusiker.
Der durch ein Glaukom von Kindheit an blinde und im Rollstuhl sitzende Bluesmusiker Paul Pena wurde international bekannt durch den Oscar nominierten Dokumentarfilm Genghis Blues (Roko Belic, 1999). Aufgrund seiner extrem tiefen Stimme wurde er auch "Earthquake" genannt. Er beherrschte die Gesangskunst des Khöömej (Obertongesang) und war ein Meister des Kargyraa (Untertongesang). 1995 gewann er beim internationalen Khöömej Wettbewerb in Kysyl, Tuwa, den Publikumspreis. Er schrieb u. a. den Hit "Jet Airliner" mit dem die Steve Miller Band einen Hit landete. Seine durch den Dokumentarfilm erlangte Berühmtheit führte dazu, dass sein bereits 1973 aufgenommenes Album "New Train" schließlich am 26. September 2000 auf CD veröffentlicht wurde. Auf diesem Album spielten unter anderen Jerry Garcia, Merle Saunders und The Persuasions als Gastmusiker mit. In seiner Jugend lernte Paul Klavier, Gitarre, Kontrabass, Geige und ein wenig Trompete. Er spielte und sang beliebte Jazz- und Kapverdischen Balladen mit seinem Vater, einem professionellen Jazz-Musiker. Später spielte Paul mit vielen Größen des Blues, John Lee Hooker, BB King, Muddy Waters, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Big Bones und T-Bone Walker.
Paul Pena (January 26, 1950 – October 1, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist of Cape Verdean descent.
His music from the first half of his career touched on Delta blues, jazz, morna, flamenco, folk and rock and roll. Pena is probably best known for writing the song "Jet Airliner," a major 1977 hit for the Steve Miller Band and a staple of classic rock radio; and for appearing in the 1999 documentary film Genghis Blues, wherein he displayed his abilities in the field of Tuvan throat singing.
Early years
Pena was born in Hyannis, Massachusetts. His grandparents were from the islands of Brava and Fogo in the Cape Verde islands off the western coast of Africa, and emigrated to the United States in 1919. Pena spoke Cape Verdean Creole with his family while growing up. His grandfather, Francisco Pena, and father, Joaquim "Jack" Pena, were both professional musicians, and taught Paul to play Cape Verdean music, including Morna. Pena performed professionally with his father, including a summer spent in Spain and Portugal, where he studied flamenco music.
Pena was born with congenital glaucoma. He attended the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts, from the age of 5, and graduated in 1967. He then attended Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Pena was completely blind by the time he was 20.
Musical career
In February 1969, Pena's band played for a week at The Electric Factory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, opening twice for both Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention and The Grateful Dead.[1] Pena performed in the Contemporary Composer's Workshop at the Newport Folk Festival the same year. He also played in the T-Bone Walker Blues Band during the early 1970s, including an appearance in the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1972. He played bass guitar and provided backup vocals on Bonnie Raitt's debut album.
After moving to San Francisco in 1971, Pena called the Grateful Dead office, which helped find him work. He opened for Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders at the Keystone in Berkeley and other area clubs many times over the course of the next three years. Pena said of Keystone owner Freddie Herrera, "His idea of an audition was for me to come and open up for Garcia and Saunders. That went on for some time. Whenever he would have somebody, not knowing who would open, he would call me."[2]
Pena's debut album was the self-titled Paul Pena, recorded with guitarist Jeff Baxter, drummer Juma Santos, and former Perkins classmate Ellis Hall on backing vocals, and released by Capitol Records in 1972. His follow-up album New Train was recorded in 1973 by Bearsville Records and was produced by Ben Sidran (keyboardist for the Steve Miller Band). New Train featured Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders, and The Persuasions. Albert Grossman, the owner of Bearsville Records (and best known as the manager of Bob Dylan), stopped release of the record after a dispute with Pena and his then-manager, Dr. Gunther Weil. Pena remained contractually obligated to Grossman, and was unable to record for another label.
Sidran gave an unreleased copy of New Train to Steve Miller, who recorded "Jet Airliner" with the Steve Miller Band for the 1977 album Book of Dreams. Miller's version of "Jet Airliner" was a hit single, and went to #8 on the charts. Pena's primary source of income in his later years were royalties from that single, which was a song about Pena's airplane trip from Boston to Montreal to play the first-ever date with T-Bone Walker's band.
Pena temporarily suspended his musical career to care for his wife, Babe, who was suffering from kidney failure. She died in 1991.
New Train was finally released in 2000, 27 years after it was recorded. In 2001 Pena conducted his last tour, playing a number of dates in support of the album. He opened shows for The String Cheese Incident in March of that year, and for Bob Weir's Ratdog in April. He was a presenter at the 22nd annual W. C. Handy Awards in May. He then appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on June 8, 2001, and played "Jet Airliner".
"Gonna Move," a song from New Train, has been covered by a number of artists, including Les Dudek on his 1978 album Ghost Town Parade, Susan Tedeschi on her 2002 album Wait for Me, the Derek Trucks Band on their 2004 album Live at Georgia Theatre, and by Taylor Hicks on 2006's Taylor Hicks. The Derek Trucks Band also covered Pena's song "Something to Make You Happy" on their 2009 Grammy Award winning album Already Free.
Throat singing
While searching for a Korean language lesson on shortwave radio on December 29, 1984, Pena was intrigued by an example of Tuvan throat-singing he heard on a Radio Moscow broadcast. At the same time he heard an interview with the English musician Jill Purce, one of the pioneers of overtone chanting in the West, on KPFA radio in Berkeley, California, and obtained her recording. Seven years later he found a Tuvan record at a local record store called Tuva: Voices From the Center of Asia, and listened to it "continuously".[3] Based on that record and extended experimentation, he was able to teach himself the vocal techniques called Khoomei, Sygyt and Kargyraa:
After playing the CD continuously for several months and driving many of my friends away by making weird noises while experimenting with my voice, I finally learned a few of the basic techniques of this fascinating group of vocal styles by remembering the styles of some of the blues greats of the past – especially Charlie Patton, Tommy McClennan, and Chester "Howlin' Wolf" Burnett.[3]
Pena also taught himself Tuvan. There were no Tuvan to English translation dictionaries, so Pena used two dictionaries: Tuvan to Russian and Russian to English. He used a device called an Optacon to scan the pages and convert the printed words into tactile sensations he could read with his finger.
Pena attended a performance of Tuvan throat-singing at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco on February 6, 1993. He performed an impromptu Tuvan song in the kargyraa style, which impressed famous Tuvan throatsinger Kongar-ol Ondar. Ondar invited Pena to sing in the second international Khoomei Symposium in 1995 in Kyzyl, Tuva. Pena travelled to Tuva and was the first westerner to compete in the Symposium. He placed first in the Kargyraa contest and also won the "audience favorite" category.
Tuvans affectionately call him "Cher Shimjer" (Earthquake), because of the deepness of his voice. Pena said "My voice is lower than most Tuvans. They have a style that makes your voice lower. When I use that, there's a slow song when I hit a note that's four white keys from the left of the piano."[4]
The 1999 film Genghis Blues documented Pena's journey to Tuva. It won the 1999 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for a Documentary. It was also nominated for an Academy Award in 2000 in the Documentary Feature category.
Health issues
In 1997 Pena was severely injured after his bedroom caught fire. He suffered smoke inhalation and was in a coma for four days.
Pena suffered from diabetes. He also waged a long battle with pancreatic illness, and was originally mis-diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He began chemotherapy treatments and doctors gave him six months to live. In 2000 he was properly diagnosed with pancreatitis, a life-threatening illness.
Pena died in his San Francisco, California, apartment of complications from diabetes and pancreatitis on October 1, 2005.
His music from the first half of his career touched on Delta blues, jazz, morna, flamenco, folk and rock and roll. Pena is probably best known for writing the song "Jet Airliner," a major 1977 hit for the Steve Miller Band and a staple of classic rock radio; and for appearing in the 1999 documentary film Genghis Blues, wherein he displayed his abilities in the field of Tuvan throat singing.
Early years
Pena was born in Hyannis, Massachusetts. His grandparents were from the islands of Brava and Fogo in the Cape Verde islands off the western coast of Africa, and emigrated to the United States in 1919. Pena spoke Cape Verdean Creole with his family while growing up. His grandfather, Francisco Pena, and father, Joaquim "Jack" Pena, were both professional musicians, and taught Paul to play Cape Verdean music, including Morna. Pena performed professionally with his father, including a summer spent in Spain and Portugal, where he studied flamenco music.
Pena was born with congenital glaucoma. He attended the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts, from the age of 5, and graduated in 1967. He then attended Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Pena was completely blind by the time he was 20.
Musical career
In February 1969, Pena's band played for a week at The Electric Factory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, opening twice for both Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention and The Grateful Dead.[1] Pena performed in the Contemporary Composer's Workshop at the Newport Folk Festival the same year. He also played in the T-Bone Walker Blues Band during the early 1970s, including an appearance in the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1972. He played bass guitar and provided backup vocals on Bonnie Raitt's debut album.
After moving to San Francisco in 1971, Pena called the Grateful Dead office, which helped find him work. He opened for Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders at the Keystone in Berkeley and other area clubs many times over the course of the next three years. Pena said of Keystone owner Freddie Herrera, "His idea of an audition was for me to come and open up for Garcia and Saunders. That went on for some time. Whenever he would have somebody, not knowing who would open, he would call me."[2]
Pena's debut album was the self-titled Paul Pena, recorded with guitarist Jeff Baxter, drummer Juma Santos, and former Perkins classmate Ellis Hall on backing vocals, and released by Capitol Records in 1972. His follow-up album New Train was recorded in 1973 by Bearsville Records and was produced by Ben Sidran (keyboardist for the Steve Miller Band). New Train featured Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders, and The Persuasions. Albert Grossman, the owner of Bearsville Records (and best known as the manager of Bob Dylan), stopped release of the record after a dispute with Pena and his then-manager, Dr. Gunther Weil. Pena remained contractually obligated to Grossman, and was unable to record for another label.
Sidran gave an unreleased copy of New Train to Steve Miller, who recorded "Jet Airliner" with the Steve Miller Band for the 1977 album Book of Dreams. Miller's version of "Jet Airliner" was a hit single, and went to #8 on the charts. Pena's primary source of income in his later years were royalties from that single, which was a song about Pena's airplane trip from Boston to Montreal to play the first-ever date with T-Bone Walker's band.
Pena temporarily suspended his musical career to care for his wife, Babe, who was suffering from kidney failure. She died in 1991.
New Train was finally released in 2000, 27 years after it was recorded. In 2001 Pena conducted his last tour, playing a number of dates in support of the album. He opened shows for The String Cheese Incident in March of that year, and for Bob Weir's Ratdog in April. He was a presenter at the 22nd annual W. C. Handy Awards in May. He then appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on June 8, 2001, and played "Jet Airliner".
"Gonna Move," a song from New Train, has been covered by a number of artists, including Les Dudek on his 1978 album Ghost Town Parade, Susan Tedeschi on her 2002 album Wait for Me, the Derek Trucks Band on their 2004 album Live at Georgia Theatre, and by Taylor Hicks on 2006's Taylor Hicks. The Derek Trucks Band also covered Pena's song "Something to Make You Happy" on their 2009 Grammy Award winning album Already Free.
Throat singing
While searching for a Korean language lesson on shortwave radio on December 29, 1984, Pena was intrigued by an example of Tuvan throat-singing he heard on a Radio Moscow broadcast. At the same time he heard an interview with the English musician Jill Purce, one of the pioneers of overtone chanting in the West, on KPFA radio in Berkeley, California, and obtained her recording. Seven years later he found a Tuvan record at a local record store called Tuva: Voices From the Center of Asia, and listened to it "continuously".[3] Based on that record and extended experimentation, he was able to teach himself the vocal techniques called Khoomei, Sygyt and Kargyraa:
After playing the CD continuously for several months and driving many of my friends away by making weird noises while experimenting with my voice, I finally learned a few of the basic techniques of this fascinating group of vocal styles by remembering the styles of some of the blues greats of the past – especially Charlie Patton, Tommy McClennan, and Chester "Howlin' Wolf" Burnett.[3]
Pena also taught himself Tuvan. There were no Tuvan to English translation dictionaries, so Pena used two dictionaries: Tuvan to Russian and Russian to English. He used a device called an Optacon to scan the pages and convert the printed words into tactile sensations he could read with his finger.
Pena attended a performance of Tuvan throat-singing at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco on February 6, 1993. He performed an impromptu Tuvan song in the kargyraa style, which impressed famous Tuvan throatsinger Kongar-ol Ondar. Ondar invited Pena to sing in the second international Khoomei Symposium in 1995 in Kyzyl, Tuva. Pena travelled to Tuva and was the first westerner to compete in the Symposium. He placed first in the Kargyraa contest and also won the "audience favorite" category.
Tuvans affectionately call him "Cher Shimjer" (Earthquake), because of the deepness of his voice. Pena said "My voice is lower than most Tuvans. They have a style that makes your voice lower. When I use that, there's a slow song when I hit a note that's four white keys from the left of the piano."[4]
The 1999 film Genghis Blues documented Pena's journey to Tuva. It won the 1999 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for a Documentary. It was also nominated for an Academy Award in 2000 in the Documentary Feature category.
Health issues
In 1997 Pena was severely injured after his bedroom caught fire. He suffered smoke inhalation and was in a coma for four days.
Pena suffered from diabetes. He also waged a long battle with pancreatic illness, and was originally mis-diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He began chemotherapy treatments and doctors gave him six months to live. In 2000 he was properly diagnosed with pancreatitis, a life-threatening illness.
Pena died in his San Francisco, California, apartment of complications from diabetes and pancreatitis on October 1, 2005.
This is a video concert extra from the rare film,"Genghis Blues" starring the late Paul Pena.He performs using the unique Tuva throat singing method in which two vocal cords are used at the same time producing a frog-like sound heard only in certain parts of the world..Paul Pena also wrote the song,"Jet Airliner" made famous by rocker,Steve Miller in the mid 70's.This is a very rare performance..
