Dwight Yoakum

Dwight's newest CD, his first in seven years, is 3 Pears, and is a fine offering for admirers of his neo- traditional hard country. This record makes more obvious what Yoakum fans have known for awhile, though: Dwight's music owes as much to rock as country, and is ultimately just good music. Dwight's written or co-written everything here except the classic country raveup Dim Lights,Thick Smoke and his songwriting has never been better. This is country, for sure, but not the watered-down pop white bread country many people find so cloying. Dwight's music is fresh and soulful and weaves strands of classic rock, soul and country into a very satisfying blend that anyone who likes good songwriting and electrified Americana should enjoy.

Garcia/Saunders Box Set

Keystone Companions, by Jerry Garcia and Merle Saunders, contains a complete two-night stand at Berkeley's Keystone Theater from July 10 and 11, 1973. Over the years the Grateful Dead guitarist embarked on a number of side projects, and this was one of the best. Predating the Jerry Garcia band, and joining Garcia with Saunders, a keyboardist of wide taste and experience, this show features Garcia's guitar in a set list that includes blues, rockabilly, jazz, funk, Broadway and Motown. It's great to hear a younger Garcia at the height of his musical arc playing in such a relaxed and varied context. Even (and perhaps especially) those not steeped in the music of the Grateful Dead will enjoy this pleasant stroll through the duo's favorite songs and styles.

kEEP tHE bEAT

There's a great new compilation of hits and favorites from former 2 Tone stars The English Beat. The Birmingham band, a punky, second-wave ska powerhouse, was both popular and influential. Along with Madness, The Specials and The Selecter, the English Beat's music, multicultural vibe and even their look shaped a whole scene on both sides of the Atlantic that got people shaking it down to dance-friendly, socially conscious party music. This disc contains some of the best known tunes by the group, including "Mirror In The Bathroom," "Twist and Crawl," "Can't Get Used To Losing You," and "Hands Off...She's Mine." This music, from the late seventies and early eighties, remains fresh and fun. UB40 and other bands took this music farther commercially, but few made it more fun. Of particlular interest to fans of Third Wave Ska like Sublime and No Doubt.
Keep The Beat: The Very Best Of The English Beat
Also of Interest:
The Singles Collection - The Specials
BBC Sessions - The Specials
One Step Beyond - Madness
The Collection - Bad Manners

Playing The Blues

Blues guitarist Buddy Guy looks back on his life in his new memoir, When I Left Home: My Story. I love biographies of musicians and the first thing I noticed about this one was the sound the words made, the rhythm of the spoken voice, in this case the Southern-tinged voice of a working man, a musican, and a survivor. The reader is allowed to feel as if he or she is listening to an interesting older man talk about life and reflect on experiences of joy, loss and endurance. Buddy takes the reader back to his rural childhood, his earliest exposure to music, the ambition that drove him to Chicago, and the ups and downs of a bluesman who spent his nights in front of ecstatic audiences and his days driving a tow truck. Along the way there is much about Chess Records, Buddy's mentors, his successes, his business ventures and his family. Always there is the wise and reflective tone of a man who's lived a life full of music, struggle and triumph. A first rate autobiography.
Related Recordings:
Buddy's Blues                                   Buddy Guy
Blues Singer                                      Buddy Guy
Damn Right I've Got The Blues          Buddy Guy
The Very Best of Buddy Guy             Buddy Guy
Chicago Boss Guitars                        Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Magic Sam
Bring 'Em In                                      Buddy Guy
Skin Deep                                         Buddy Guy
Living Proof                                      Buddy Guy
Hoodoo Man Blues                           Junior Wells, Buddy Guy

Sure Enough Country

Here's a fun one, a two-CD collection of classic country tunes which includes hits from some of the great country stars of the past. It's called The Only Classic Country Collection You'll Ever Need, and disc one achieves the coveted "All Killer, No Filler" status with Ernest Tubb's "Walking The Floor Over You," Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight," Lefty Frizell's "If You've got Money, I've Got the Time," and even Ray Charles' classic take of Buck Owens'"Cryin' Time." Filled out with songs by Kitty Wells, Hank Williams, George Jones, Johnny Cash and Hank Snow, you've got a great country playlist right here. Disc two is almost as good: Roger Miller, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings and several other great singers are included. Some listeners might not feel that Crystal Gayle and Kenny Rogers fit in with this company, but that's really in the ear of the beholder. This CD sounds like the jukebox in an old country dive (or a retro-hip dive) and is perfect when the mood calls for real country.

Black Music Month

Black Music Month, now called African American Music Appreciation Month, is announced in a proclamation from the president of the United States. The entire procalmation is available on http://www.whitehouse.gov/, and this year's statement begins with the words: "As a long-cherished piece of American culture, music offer a vibrant soundtrack to the story of our people and our Union. At times when words alone could not bring us together, we have found in melodies and choruses the universal truths of our shared humanity. African-American musicians have left an indelible mark on this tradition, and during African-American Music Appreciation Month, we pay special tribute to their extraordinary contributions." A lot of media outlets have published articles about this special celebration and some have even recommended music to listen to. The Huffington Post ran an article identifying ten black artists they believe are currently redefining the music industry: Rihanna, Drake, Beyonce, Kanye, Jay-Z, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Jennifer Hudson and Lil Wayne. The library has recordings by all of them, along with hundreds of other innovative and influential African-American musicans. Other resources include books about African American musicians and musical styles including Blues, Soul, Gospel, Hip-Hop, and Jazz. Stop by the library this month to learn about and listen to some great American music.

My Cross To Bear

My Cross To Bear is the title of Gregg Allman's recent memoir and the story of the musician's lonely childhood, loss of his beloved brother, his string of divorces and the decades lost to drugs and alcohol justify the title's evocation of struggle and pain. The book does include the mandatory sex, drugs and rock & roll anecdotes associated with the rock star memoir, and they're generally amusing. The guys in the Allman Brothers Band took their music as seriously as their excess and definitely had some great times. Fans of the band will read about the rise and fall and rise of the storied group, along with accounts of great shows at the Beacon Theater, the stunning success of the "Fillmore" and "Brothers and Sisters" recordings, as well as the tragic deaths, imprisonments and betrayals that darken their history. Mr. Allman comes across as a lonely, somewhat unsophisticated man whose only true love was the music that sustained him through his difficult life. Whatever wisdom he has achieved is expressed in a few tired affirmations and worn aphorisms. His life may not have been all glamor and success but he did live to tell about it and seems to enjoy sharing the memories he retains. A fine telling of a familiar, but still compelling, tale.

The library owns many of the recordings discussed in the book.