BERKSHIRES MUSIC BEAT USA ! 23

With Gene Christy & Rod MacDow

episode twenty-three . . .

“I think live music may be coming back in again!”

So saith Glen Boden of the Malibu Bros—

Understatement of the year—

THE JEFF KING BLUES BAND on a Saturday night at Portsmitt’s, L to R Jeff King, lead vocal and electric blues guitar, John Haddad, drums and harmonica, and Daniel Broad, vocals and electric bass guitar.

When you hear this group, this week, our Featured Artist on our blog here at

BERKSHIRES MUSIC BEAT USA !

I gotta feeling you’re gonna say the music’s – BACK !!

the JEFF KING BLUES BAND ! (not to be missed!)

. . THE WINTER’S OVAH! AND THE HEAT IS — BACK !!

Oh, boy! I’m gonna luv this one!

You know, people, as we get a little bit older—and I’m not old, mind you (as some of my friends, who claim my mental age is around 14 !! will gladly attest!)

sometimes we lose our grip – – the edge gets a little dulled – – and we say – – how did I miss that?

We’re all familiar with the clichéd idea that we’ve passed through a generation of easy access to the best recorded music ever—and that the “soundtrack of our lives” is always playing in our head—if not the elevator!—

But this week was a real revelation—which afforded me the opportunity to explore and re-assess and grow a little—

Because you see, I’m not a guitarist. So I never actually spent hour upon hour listening over and over to Eric Clapton tracks—

Maybe I should have! Seems like Mick Jagger knew something I didn’t!

Maybe I missed it all in translation, but the Jeff King Blues Band sure caught me up fast!

And so now I’m gonna shut up and let the band play—‘cause this group SAYS IT ALL!

SHE’S INTO SOMETHING

Speaking of Jagger & Richards–Words and music by Muddy Waters, 1958, first put out on Chess # 1733 in April or May of 1959—in October of that year, Muddy and his band crossed over to England, where they were successful before, for their second tour of the Isles—heads up, Mick and Keith! (thanks to JC Marion for these details.)

How’s about a little selection from John Lee Hooker?

FIVE LONG YEARS

Also recorded by—who else?—Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy! Sharpen those pencils, blues aficionados!

As to this next one?

I LUV THIS SONG !!!

It’s called “Tell me your Name,” and it’s by a local guy named Jerry Quinn, and it’s performed here by the Jeff King Blues Band, recorded live on a Saturday night at Portsmitt’s, with the lead vocal by bass-guitarist Daniel Broad—

listen to this!

TELL ME YOUR NAME

On purpose, I didn’t delete some of the usual pre-song chatter on that track—because, you know, the whole idea is to preserve the feeling of being there—I mean, seeing the pictures is one thing, but

Hearing it—wow!

And now it’s time to have drummer John Haddad

step out a little bit with his favorite sidekick—his harmonica—on T-bone Walker’s

T-BONE SHUFFLE

Wow! Thanx, John, that was somethin’ else, man!

AND how about that extended bass guitar solo from Dan Broad ???

NOT TO MENTION– a little lead-guitar pyrotechnics from Jeff King himself !!

Now, we’ve not heard the last of the inimitable Jeff King and his band—

We are definitely going to have them back!

Might as well come out and say it—

BERKSHIRES MUSIC BEAT USA !

Is like the “nightclub of the air” !! — the favorite neighborhood pub where you go for a draft beer and every weekend one of your favorite local bands comes back on a return invite to entertain you again—‘cause they’re “in the rotation.”

And honestly, we have too much recorded music from each of our Featured Artists, every week, as we go along through the year, to fit onto just one blog—

So the Jeff King Blues Band will definitely be back—that’s a promise!

Meanwhile, through the magic of modern electronics, and the Internet, we can actually bring you a blast-from-the-past instant classic on video–from none other than T-Bone Walker himself–doing the original recording of the “T-Bone Shuffle” down in L.A CA, all the way back in–1949 !!!! CHECK IT OUT !!

AND !! —Coming next week –

SINGER / SONGWRITER / COUNTRY-BLUES GUITARIST

– ROBIN O’HERIN !
(the Bonnie Raitt of the Berkshires!)

Don’t miss Robin! You’re gonna love her!

And we have a brilliant schedule of the Berkshires’ finest live music acts coming up soon on this website–all gathered her together in one place!–including the likes of veteran rocker Tom Gardner, the Man in Pink, Dave Healey, Patrick Gray, both father and son, the Gypsy Jazz Ambassadors, headed up by globe-trotting guitarist Andy Kelly, and others too numerous to list here—such as Dave Lincoln, and Dave Lincoln (father and son!) with Dave Healey (aka as The 3-Ds !!!! ) — let’s just say – – everybody in the band is named “Dave!”

Well, now, we must admit that there is happening right now in our special corner of the world

a live music revival

and we’re going to explore, investigate, and celebrate that here on

BERKSHIRES MUSIC BEAT USA !

As for our followers out there in the blogosphere, catch us next week, same time, same station!

Meanwhile, visit our friends:

Bobby Sweet at http://bobbysweet.com/
Rakish Paddy at http://www.rakishpaddyband.com/

Eddie Dillon at http://clancybrothersandtommymakem.com/ed_01.htm

Eddie Dillon – will be coming to the Berkshires this fall! All you devotees of the Celtic scene out there—who know Eddie as a member of the national touring cast of the Clancys–stay tuned for further details, to be announced as soon as available—here on

BERKSHIRES MUSIC BEAT USA !

And don’t forget
Jessica Roemischer at http://pianobeautiful.com/
And

Robin O’Herin at http://www.robinoherin.com/

You can also follow all the doings at Tara’s Tipperary Tavern at

http://www.tarasfamilypub.com/