Gotta keep rolling . . . .

Listen here to this week’s show:

Well, mid summer’s day may have come and gone, but we’re still intent on enjoying the longer days and warmer weather and we managed to find a few songs that seemed to capture the spirit of Cruising in the sun. We found something from a band called Mint and a song called ‘Luv’, which was written in 1969 to promote a Lyons Maid ice lolly of the same name and if you’re keen, you can find a copy of that TV advert on You Tube and you’ll see David Bowie singing along on the chorus. Another couple of tracks that conjured, images of relaxing on a bright summers day, were Spanky & Our Gang with ‘Lazy Day’ and ‘Sunny’ by Marvin Gaye .

Now the summer music festivals are in full swing currently and we loaded up the Cruise Mobile this past week to visit ‘Blues On The Farm’ down in Chichester. It was a great programme and we took the opportunity to slip into our playlist a few tracks from a few of the many great acts on the bill. There was the duo Moreland & Arbuckle, who offered some well-honed American roots and delta blues music, the Blues Band with their own take on some classics, the Royal Southern Brotherhood who shook the stage, and the star of Friday night, the irrepressible Mike Sanchez and his band.

So, we were definitely in good spirits when Tuesday night rolled around this week. We assembled a playlist shaped by some renewed rummaging in the Cruising Library, some memories from our giglist, a few gems from our pending tray and a couple of suggestions from the Cruising Crew. The Cruise Mobile was purring nicely and we kicked off with Big Maybelle and ‘Do Lord’. Then, then there was no stopping us . . . . almost!

Cruising way down yonder . . . . .
Talking Woman Blues – The Blues Band
Almost Grown – Mike Sanchez
Hurts My Heart – The Royal Southern Brotherhood
The Devil & Me – Moreland & Arbuckle
Workin’ Real Hard – Hamilton Loomis
It’s Not The Spotlight – Bobby Bland
Why Do I Still Love You – Lisa Mills
The Prodical Son – Reverend Robert Wilkins
If You Love Me Like You Say – Albert Collins
Nine By Nine – The John Dummer Blues Band
The Hop – Derrick Morgan
Ain’t Gonna Hush – Cordella De Milo with the Maxwell Davis Orchestra

Killer Diller Korner . . . . . with Johnny Alpha
Look At This Boy – Los 5 Del Este

Cruising in the sun . . . .
Luv – Mint
Lazy Day – Spanky & Our Gang
Sunny – Marvin Gaye
Cool Jerk – The Creation
Let The Good Times Roll – The Steve Miller Band
Bring It To Jerome – Smokehouse
You Keep On Worrying Me – Ike Turner
Flying With Whitey – Gene Taylor & CC Jerome’s Jet Setters
Elijah Rock – Albertina Walker
Ubangi Stomp – Warren Smith
Stompin’ Roaches – Wilmar Walker
Gotta Keep Rolling – Rosco Gordon
Ring-A-Ling – Johnny Otis

Our ‘Girls & Guitars’ feature this week turned the spotlight on Mississippi born singer, songwriter and guitarist Lisa Mills. We found her in Chichester, Sussex, at this year’s Blues On The Farm festival, where she gave a great set. She’s no stranger to the UK, having just recorded her latest album, Tempered in Fire, at studios down in Kent. So, we took a track from that album called ‘Why Do I Still Love You’.

Now, this week’s scratchy blues track came from one Robert Timothy Wilkins, an American country blues singer and guitarist, who played ragtime, blues, minstrel songs and gospel. He worked around Memphis as a musician during the 1920s along with Furry Lewis, Memphis Minnie and Son House and became an ordained minister in the 1930s. He is probably best known for his reworking of the song “That’s No Way To Get Along”, giving it a biblical theme and titling it “The Prodigal Son”. The song got covered by the Rolling Stones on their Beggars Banquet album and we chose his early version of “That’s No Way To Get Along” to showcase the Reverend Robert Wilkins.

The great Johnny Otis brought us back home from our musical adventure and as the Cruise Mobile rolled to a stop, we just had time to thank everyone for their good company and to say that if you feel an irresistible urge to comment on our show this week, our website provides just such a facility with all the convenience of modern communications. Whether you do or not, we plan to call by for you next week in the Cruise Mobile, same time, same place, with a seat saved especially for you. So, until the next time we can all go Cruising with The Commissioner . . . have fun!

 

I’m with you all the way . . . .

Listen here to this week’s show:

Well, we have much enjoyed the warm weather around the Grand Duchy this past week. It has encouraged a rather more relaxed lifestyle, with some memorable summer evenings on the South terrace and a rather laid back approach to our preparations for this week’s Cruising with The Commissioner. The grounds of the estate are looking particularly colourful at present and our social diary has ensured a few opportunities to enjoy these in the good company of some friendly faces, who joined us to share a ‘quaff and scoff’ session.

The good weather was a welcome accompaniment for our giglist this week, which included some top sessions from Albany Down and the Billy Walton Band. We managed to get hold of a copy of the (as yet unreleased) new album by the Billy Walton Band, ‘Wish For What You Want’ and offered a taster called ‘True Lovin’ Man’.

This week, we decided to showcase some home grown talent, including a rather fine little groover from the short-lived UK band, The Steampacket, which featured the mighty Hammond of Brian Auger with his take on that Mod Scene classic ‘The In Crowd’, along with Adam Faith, Dave Berry, The Kinks and some ‘regulars’ who recorded live at Klooks Kleek  . . . .  John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Zoot Money and Ten Years After. Of course, whilst our good pals Arfa Pinetop and Johnny Alpha may have differing views on the great recordings of The Pretty Things, they do seem to share a greater affection for The Kinks . . . . ‘so that’s all good’!

We kicked of our cruise with a musical memory of our recent Stateside trip and Louis Jordan’s ‘Fat Sam From Birmingham’ and followed with the appropriately titled ‘I’m With You All The Way’ by Dorothy Berry & Jimmy Norman . . . .

Cruising for the outskirts of town . . .
Fat Sam From Birmingham – Louis Jordan
I’m With You All The Way – Dorothy Berry & Jimmy Norman
Sugar Coated Love – Lazy Lester
The Twitch – Danny White
Top Notch Grade A – Al Reed
The In Crowd – The Steampacket
Watch Your Step – Adam Faith
Don’t Gimme No Lip Child – Dave Berry
That’s My Man – Cassie Taylor
Matchbox Blues – Blind Lemon Jefferson
The Grooviest Girl In the World – The Simple Image
Watermelon Man – The Baba Brooks Band
Louie Louie – The Kinks
True Lovin’ Man – The Billy Walton Band

Killer Diller Korner . . . . . with Johnny Alpha
I’m On My Way – Barbara Dane

Cruising with the windows down . . . .
The Answer – Peter Bardens
Gingerbread Man – Dickie Loader & The Blue Jeans
The Zombies – Tell Her No
Just Your Fool – Cyndi Lauper
Chimpanzee – Count Yates
Crawling Up A Hill – John Mayall’s Bluebreakers
Barefootin’ – Zoot Money & His Big Roll Band
Rock You Mama – Ten Years After
It’s In His Kiss – Merry Clayton
On My Way – Al King
Ain’t I Talkin’ To You Baby – Sheri Washington & Band
Do Lord – Jackie Wilson

Now, this week, our girls & guitars feature took us to Kansas City, Missouri, which is where we’re likely to find Cassie Taylor, if she’s not off on tour with her band. She’s a singer-songwriter and guitarist, who was born in Boulder, Colorado and started her career in the early 2000s touring with father’s band. Since then, she has developed a style influenced by Delta Blues, indie rock and a touch of psychedelia. She’s released two albums, to date, and we took a track from her 2013 album, ‘Out Of My Mind’ called ‘That’s My Man’.

Now, our scratchy blues track this was a classic. It came from “Blind” Lemon Jefferson, who was born in 1893 in Texas and grew to be one of the most popular blues singers of the 1920s, being dubbed “Father of the Texas Blues”. The song we chose became a success for later blues and rock and roll musicians, like Carl Perkins, and was his 1927 recording of ‘Matchbox Blues’.

Despite a few moments of doubt along the way, we arrived back home safe and sound and we parked up the Cruise Mobile and started collecting up the records and CDs and putting them in those neat little piles that we always promise to file away ‘when we have a moment or two to spare’. To judge our success, you’re invited to tune into next week’s show, when we’ll call by for you in the Cruise Mobile, same time, same place, with a seat saved especially for you. So, until the nest time we go Cruising with The Commissioner . . . . have fun!

On my way . . . .

Listen here to this week’s show:

Well, we arrived at Cruise Control on Tuesday with a broad smile and feeling unusually relaxed. The jet lag from our recent stateside trip had finally faded away and we had a pile of rather fine albums beside us that had followed us home from our travels. So, we took the opportunity to sprinkle a few tracks from them liberally through this week’s playlist, along with our customary diversions into scratchy blues and our girls and guitars feature.

Some bright days have visited the Grand Duchy since we’ve been back, but we are still savouring the warmth of America’s Southern states (both the weather and the people). One of the memorable moments of our trip was a visit to Reds Juke Joint in Clarksdale, where we saw an amazing 15 year old guitarist and singer called Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram who, sadly, has yet to release any records, so the best we could do was to recommend some of his videos on You Tube . . . . . and they’re well worth a look.

We set off on this week’s cruise with Gene Taylor & CC Jerome’s Jet Setters and ‘Seven Nights To Rock’ and we followed with one of the many ‘real’ rhythm and blues gems that were recorded at Cosimo Matassa’s studio on Rampart Street in New Orleans . . . . Willie Johnson and ‘ Say Baby’. . . . and our cruising rolled on nicely for there . . . . as you can hear.

Cruising for the horizon . . . .
Seven Nights To Rock – Gene Taylor & CC Jerome’s Jet Setters
Say Baby – Willie Johnson
On My Way – The Fins
Ain’t Giving Up Nothing – Al King
Teach Me How To Shimmy – Michael & DeLee
Dust My Broom – Ike & Tina Turner
Hello Mississippi – James “Super Chikan” Johnson
Watermelon, Barbecue & Beer – Duncan Street
She’s Gone – Romney Getty
Come On In (There Ain’t Nobody Here But Me) – The Harum Scarums
Seventh Son – The Soul Agents
Louie Louie – Toots & The Maytals

Killer Diller Korner . . . . . with Johnny Alpha
Pigmy – Booker T & The MGs

Cruising to the sunset . . . . .
Vanishing Girl – The Dukes Of Stratosphere
Don’t Be Afraid – Rare Bird
Long Train Runnin’ – Stacy Michhart
Try A Little Tenderness – Little Miss Cornshucks
Stick Around – The Insomniacs
I’m Calling You Out – Big Al Carson & The Blues Masters
While You’re Out Looking For Sugar – The Honey Cone
Calidonia Brown – Bobby Reed
Keep On Moving – Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes

Our Girls & Guitars feature this week focused on Canadian singer/songwriter and guitarist Romney Getty. She’s been gaining a reputation since the 2005 release of her first album ‘Fill In Your Gray’ and her She has since released a second album and has been appearing at international festivals. We chose a song titled ‘She’s Gone’ from her debut album to show off her talents.

Now, it was pure chance that we stumbled across this week’s scratchy blues track. We were actually looking for something else when this came to hand and it seemed to suit our needs rather well. This is a track that was recorded for Paramount records in January of 1931, somewhere in Grafton, Wisconsin. It features some well known names, who are credited on the label as The Harum Scarums, but they were Mozelle Anderson on vocals, Georgia Tom Dorsey on piano and vocals, along with Big Bill Broonzy on guitar. This was ‘Come On In (There Ain’t Nobody Here But Me)’.

Well, all too soon it seemed we ran out of time, even if we hadn’t run out of road or music and we came home with Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes and a track from their 2010 album ‘Pills’ called ‘Keep On Moving’.

So, with some sadness, we parked up the Cruise Mobile and started thinking about next week’s playlist and the prospect of your good company again to go Cruising with the Commission. Until then . . . have fun!

 

Cruising on the Southside of the street . . . .

Listen here to this week’s show:

Well, we’re back fresh from our road trip around America’s Southern States and with plenty of stories and music to share, but that will have to wait until the jet lag passes. In the meantime, we were mindful that today would have been the birthday of long-time Cruising Crew member Lil-Sis. So, this week we decided to play a few of her favourites in our playlist.

There was a respectful nod to the 60s Mod scene in music choices with Jimmy McGriff’s much played 1963 stormer ‘All About My Girl’ . . . . . Desmond Dekker’s successful single ‘007’. . . . . and with ‘Let The Sunshine In by Georgie Fame. The bluesiest of the Cruising Crew were well served by our scratchy blues track and tracks by Lonnie Brooks, Long John Hunter and Phillip Walker, together with Mick Clarke and a track from his ‘Crazy Blues’ album.

We started our musical adventure with a great piece of R&B from Lavern Baker and ‘Voodoo Voodoo’ and we didn’t look back . . . . as you can hear . . . . .

Cruising like we used to do . . . .
Voodoo Voodoo – Lavern Baker
Just Hold My Hand – Big Boy Myles & The Sha-weez
Beautiful Delilah – Chuck Berry
All About My Girl – Jimmy McGriff
007 – Desmond Dekker
Time Is Tight – Booker T & the MGS
Band Of Gold – Freda Payne
Our Day Will Come – Amy Winehouse
Highway 61 – Rita Chiarelli
Cocaine Habit Blues – The Memphis Jug Band
Down Down -Status Quo
Brown Sugar – Rolling Stones
Black Night – Deep Purple

Killer Diller Korner . . . . . with Johnny Alpha
Seventh Son – Johnny Rivers

Cruising where we like . . .
Southside Of The Street – The Zombies
She – Jeff Lynn
Street Walking Woman – Lonnie Brooks, Long John Hunter & Phillip Walker
Steady Road – Mick Clarke
Let The Sunshine In – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames
If I Lose You – Billy Fury
Don’t Be Cruel – Bill Black’s Combo
This Old Heart Of Mine – The Isley Brothers
You’ve Got Me Dangling On a String – Chairmen Of The Board
Land Of A Thousand Dances – Wilson Pickett

Our Girls & Guitars feature this week, took us to Canada, to spotlight singer and guitarist Rita Chiarelli. She was born and raised in Ontario and began performing in 1980 as a member of Ronnie Hawkins band. She went on to develop a solo career and has recorded 9 albums to date, including a 1992 album titled ‘Road Rockers’ from which we chose her take on Bob Dylan’s ‘Highway 61’.

Now, our venture into the dusty world of scratchy blues continued this week with a song that appears to have started out being called ‘Take A Drink On Me’ and first recorded in 1927 by Charlie Poole & The North Carolina Ramblers. Since then, it has been variously titled ‘Take A Whiff On Me’ , Cocaine Habit’, ‘Cocaine Habit Blues’ and perhaps (less controversially) ‘Have A Drink On Me’. Variants of the song have been recorded by an impressive list of artists, with our choice coming from The Memphis Jug Band and their 1930 version of the song, which they call Cocaine Habit Blues.

By the end of our 90 minutes, the Cruisettes, Mr Merlot and yours truly we all doing some vaguely co-ordniated dance moves and not without some personal embarassment. So, as Wilson Pickett brought us home with ‘Land of 1000 Dances’, we seized the moment to thank all who were along for the ride for their good company and particularly to Johnny Alpha and The Spongeman (who was indeed masterful in making sure that you could be still Cruising at home these past weeks, while we were cruising in America). So, with a cheery farewell, we parked up the Cruise Mobile for another week and started looking forward to the next time we all go Cruising with The Commissioner. Until then . . . . have fun!