28 Nov 09
Just spent a night listening to good ol blues on Beale St. in Memphis. What a treat to hear music where the genre actually originated. First a meal of ribs at the Rendesvouz then blues and local ale and dessert at BB King Blues Club. Definitely a slice of Americana worth the effort of travel. For anyone who goes I highly rec the Marriott Residence Inn at Monroe and 2nd. Great service, inexpensive rooms, wonderful staff, hot breakfast included, snacks at night. Memphis is warm, inviting and full of character and characters. Drawback: silvertongued panhandlers. One of them even cried while pitching his sob story. After giving him a few bucks as he walked away he began laughing. Gotta be prepared to be hustled!
30 Nov 09
Originally posted by scacchipazzoHey, I needed the bucks🙂
Just spent a night listening to good ol blues on Beale St. in Memphis. What a treat to hear music where the genre actually originated. First a meal of ribs at the Rendesvouz then blues and local ale and dessert at BB King Blues Club. Definitely a slice of Americana worth the effort of travel. For anyone who goes I highly rec the Marriott Residence Inn a ...[text shortened]... ter giving him a few bucks as he walked away he began laughing. Gotta be prepared to be hustled!
03 Feb 10
Originally posted by scacchipazzoYeah, my brother, we worked as a team.
Happy to oblige! I liked the other dude's approach much better. He gave us a history lesson on the blues, math problems and ethnic humor. He earned his keep indeed!
Once I worked in Thailand for a couple of years upcountry very close to the Mekong river, I needed a bottleneck for my guitar. So I saw there were some dudes gathered round a 50 gallon drum with a fire inside to keep them warm and some SingHa beer bottles lying around. So I picked up one, the quart sized ones, nice long neck.
Took a wire and wrapped it around the neck where it started getting fatter.
Stuck it in the fire and heated it up by the flames and gave it a nice rap and BING, my bottleneck was done. They were looking at me askance clearly wondering what this crazy round eye was doing. So I filed it down a bit on a concrete sidewalk, they were SURE I was bound for the loony bin🙂
I had my guitar with me, an old Guild acoustic, took it out of the case and tuned to open G and started noodling around there in the square at the town of Nakomphenom. I wasn't watching too much, just noodling the blues, but a few minutes later about 300 people were standing around with smiles on their faces. That was one unforgettable day, I guess I introduced acoustic blues to a bunch of Thai's who never heard such a thing before. A good time was had by all!
03 Feb 10
Originally posted by sonhouseCool story. They love Amrican music in SE Asia indeed. The national dessert is NY style cheescake. Better never bring em Memphis style BBQ. They'll invade Tennessee!
Yeah, my brother, we worked as a team.
Once I worked in Thailand for a couple of years upcountry very close to the Mekong river, I needed a bottleneck for my guitar. So I saw there were some dudes gathered round a 50 gallon drum with a fire inside to keep them warm and some SingHa beer bottles lying around. So I picked up one, the quart sized ones, nice l ...[text shortened]... ic blues to a bunch of Thai's who never heard such a thing before. A good time was had by all!
03 Feb 10
3 edits
Originally posted by scacchipazzoIt was amazing to see so much blues in Bangkok, not exactly clapton but they were in there pitching🙂
Cool story. They love Amrican music in SE Asia indeed. The national dessert is NY style cheescake. Better never bring em Memphis style BBQ. They'll invade Tennessee!
BTW, did you see my Lightnin Hopkins post? A rare live tv show, nice song.
I was listening to a Bonnie Raitt show from around 1973 and I remember the song she sang 'Love me like a man' and found the original: written by Diana Krall, here is a link to the original, Diana looks to be a great blues pianist also:
http://popup.lala.com/popup/432627065033650269
This is one sexy babe.
03 Feb 10
Originally posted by sonhouseThanks for the link in this and your blues post! Great music is such a joy! I had not heard great acoustics blues in a while until my Memphis visit. My wife and littlest kid went to see BBKing last month! He had some guests do acoustic blues. One time I heard a local string quartet do an encore and they did Purple Haze! It was really coll. The original idea comes from the Kronos String Quartet. I like classical ensembles doing great bluesy music!
It was amazing to see so much blues in Bangkok, not exactly clapton but they were in there pitching🙂
BTW, did you see my Lightnin Hopkins post? A rare live tv show, nice song.
I was listening to a Bonnie Raitt show from around 1973 and I remember the song she sang 'Love me like a man' and found the original: written by Diana Krall, here is a link to th ...[text shortened]... blues pianist also:
http://popup.lala.com/popup/432627065033650269
This is one sexy babe.
04 Feb 10
Originally posted by scacchipazzoThe musicians have just as much fun with it too! One time in Phoenix, we had an old timey string band, 'Sugarloaf Mountain String Band' and we got a gig playing a piece with a mixed string band and orchestra, the band members were amazed at our minimalist music notation, really primitive, just a list of chords but everyone including the audience and the musicians all of us, had a great time, it was a set of old timey tunes (before bluegrass) with orchestration and it was one of my highlights of my musical experience in the Phoenix years.
Thanks for the link in this and your blues post! Great music is such a joy! I had not heard great acoustics blues in a while until my Memphis visit. My wife and littlest kid went to see BBKing last month! He had some guests do acoustic blues. One time I heard a local string quartet do an encore and they did Purple Haze! It was really coll. The original idea comes from the Kronos String Quartet. I like classical ensembles doing great bluesy music!
04 Feb 10
Originally posted by sonhouseUs listeners really enjoy musicanship of a high order. I struck up a conversation with a street violinist in Quincy Mkt, Boston. Dude was good and quite a character, dapper looking so the ladies stuffed his hat generously. I was shocked when he told me he made $600 on bad nights! I was generous as well! No man crush either, just enjoy great music.
The musicians have just as much fun with it too! One time in Phoenix, we had an old timey string band, 'Sugarloaf Mountain String Band' and we got a gig playing a piece with a mixed string band and orchestra, the band members were amazed at our minimalist music notation, really primitive, just a list of chords but everyone including the audience and the mus ...[text shortened]... h orchestration and it was one of my highlights of my musical experience in the Phoenix years.
04 Feb 10
Originally posted by scacchipazzoI tried busking in Jerusalem, had quite a collection of different acoustic instruments, didn't make enough for lunch🙂
Us listeners really enjoy musicanship of a high order. I struck up a conversation with a street violinist in Quincy Mkt, Boston. Dude was good and quite a character, dapper looking so the ladies stuffed his hat generously. I was shocked when he told me he made $600 on bad nights! I was generous as well! No man crush either, just enjoy great music.
04 Feb 10
Originally posted by sonhouseOnce in Taxco, Mexico, there was this kid who would tell you the story of St. Prisca in under a minute while undulating his belly. He made lots of money. St. Prisca is the local cathedral.
I tried busking in Jerusalem, had quite a collection of different acoustic instruments, didn't make enough for lunch🙂
The dude in Boston had a cool eastern European accent. The chics dug it and him, always in a tux. he had the act down pat. Long hair a la Rieu. I was happy looking at the chics and listening to great violin playing. He audtioned with a minor local orchestra, did not make the cut and did not have enough money to head back to Bohemia where he hailed from. Started making decent money and stayed. I did not see him my last stop in Boston so maybe he finally went back. He really laughed when I said "Whoa, that's stripper money you're making!"
04 Feb 10
Originally posted by scacchipazzoYeah, in busking it always help to have a schtik to go with your music.
Once in Taxco, Mexico, there was this kid who would tell you the story of St. Prisca in under a minute while undulating his belly. He made lots of money. St. Prisca is the local cathedral.
The dude in Boston had a cool eastern European accent. The chics dug it and him, always in a tux. he had the act down pat. Long hair a la Rieu. I was happy looking ...[text shortened]... inally went back. He really laughed when I said "Whoa, that's stripper money you're making!"
05 Feb 10
Originally posted by sonhouseMusic and shtick go together really well. Adds a bit to the enjoyment otherwise attractive people would not make it in music bigger than unattractive, even with somewhat less talent, excepting serious music where talent seems to trump looks. It does not hurt in opera. One time I was at La Incoronazione di Poppea, the oldest opera extant and still in the repertoire. Monteverdi, pupil of Giacopo Peri wrote this masterpiece. Peri invented the genre, Monteverdi propeled it forward. But I digress. The soprano singing Poppea was very average. However, she was on stage in a completely diaphanous robe with nary a stitch underneath. Statuesque is an understatement. She was so beautiful so as to not even provoke lust, just admiration and marvel. The reviews rightly pointed out that she was only average other than for looks!
Yeah, in busking it always help to have a schtik to go with your music.