B.B. King - Let the Good Times Roll

This is a live performance by B.B. King and his magnificent orchestra doing their version of the classic song "Let the Good Times Roll".
The song was originally recorded by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five in 1946. The song was written by "Lovin" Sam Theard and it was co-credited to Fleecie Moore who was Jordan's wife. Sometimes she would be credited even if she hadn't written the song, to get around music publishing restrictions. The song was a hit when it was recorded by Louis Jordan. (Original Jordan performance embeded below).

It has since been recorded by Ray Charles, Georgie Fame, and B.B. King obviously. I really love BB's version of this song. It's up tempo and it's got such a nice groove. King does an amazing solo, but his rhythm guitarist Leon Warren also does a great solo which King of course rightfully credits him for. BB a man with all the talent in the world and not even a hint of an ego. I also love how BB claps to the time signature, brings remembrance of the old days of the blues and how long King has been in the game. It's a great performance of this classic song.

Enjoy ; )

Cream - Sitting on Top of the World (Robert Cray)

This is a live version of the song "Sitting on Top of the World" live at the Royal Albert Hall in 2005. It was their reunion concert.
The song has a long history of covers and various performers. It was originally written by Walter Vinson and Lonnie Chatmon. It has been covered by an area of well known blues artists such as: Robert Cray, Big Bill Broonzy, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, Willie Nelson, Jack White and B.B. King.
The version Cream covered was the one recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1957. The Cream version was released in 1968. I think that these bluesy interpenetrations of this classic song are both great. I also really like it the way Robert Cray plays it. It's a little more laid back and a little slower, and of course his playing adds to the experience. (Cray version embeded below).

I think it's a really good performance, and I really think that Cream did an amazing job on this. Clapton's playing is superb, Ginger's drumming is fitting and not too over the top and Jack Bruce sings the song beautifully and plays the harmonica on it as well. A great performance, no two great performances!

Enjoy ; )

Ray Charles - Merry Christmas Baby

This is a performance from Ray Charles performing the R & B Christmas standard "Merry Christmas Baby", originally composed and written by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore in 1947. It has been covered by many different artists, including; Chuck Berry, B.B. King, Otis Redding, Elvis Presley, Bonnie Raitt and Bruce Springsteen.
It's a nice little soulful tune for the Holiday season.
Below is a version by Christina Aguilera and B.B. King. It's a very good version, but a bit short, and not as soulful as Ray's version.


Enjoy, and Happy Holidays

Ray Charles - Santa Clause Is Coming To Town

So it's Christmas, and I haven't posted a single Christmas song yet. I'm making up for that now. This is a performance by soul legend Ray Charles performing the classic Christmas song "Santa Clause Is Coming To Town".
The performance is from the "Feed the Future" benefit in 2007.
Ray's version is a bit more soulful than most other versions, but it is still probably more a pop song, or a seasonal song, if that's even a category of music. There just aren't a whole lot of blues Christmas songs.
Ray plays a soulful piano, and also gets out a harmonica and plays that as well.
It's a very good performance of this classic Christmas song, and it's sure to get you in the holiday spirit.

Enjoy ; )

Stevie Ray Vaughan - The Things That I Used To Do

This is a video of Stevie performing his version of this classic blues song. It was first recorded by blues artist Guitar Slim, and after a long time on Southern rural radio stations, it was picked up nation wide and became somewhat of a hit.
The song was produced and arranged by a young Ray Charles, and took several takes to get just right.
It has become a legendary song, and it has been covered by a lot of artists including; Muddy Waters, Jimi Hendrix, Freddie King, Chuck Berry, Buddy Guy and John Mayer. (click links to go to artist's version)
It's a great song, and a great performance. The camera angels are a little weird, and it's not the most well shot video, but the audio is descent and it's an enjoyable watch.

Enjoy ; )

Ray Charles - What'd I Say

This is a performance from Ray Charles. It's live at the Olympia theatre in Paris. The band is the Ray Charles trio, the smaller ans amble Ray played with towards the end of his career. It's a great song and a great performance, and Ray is as full of life and energy as he always was during his shows.
The song "What'd I Say" was improvised one night in 1958. Ray was hired to play a set, but they ran out of songs. Ray and his band improvised the tune and interacted with the audience. It was such a success Ray decided to record the song as a single, the single was released in 1959.
It has certainly become a classic song, and it ranked no. 10 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of 500 greatest songs of all time.
It's a great song, and it has been covered by several high profile rock 'n' roll artists including; Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton, The Thunderbirds feat. SRV , Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash.

A great song, and a great performance, enjoy ; ) 

Lightnin' Hopkins - Goin' Down Slow

This is an old recording of blues legend Lightnin' Hopkins performing the classic blues song "Goin' Down Slow". The first release of the song was in 1941, but the song gained notoriety when it was recorded by legendary blues artist Howlin' Wolf in 1962 (for Wolf version click here).
Wolf's recording made the song a blues standard, and it has since been covered by a lot of artists including; Jeff Beck, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton and Aretha Franklin, to name a few.
I like Lightnin's version because it is everything that I love about the blues, a man and his guitar just playing, it's soul, it's fantastic and no one has been able to replicate that today, it's unique.
Lightnin' was also a huge influence on Stevie Ray Vaughan, but more in terms of Vaughan's song "Rude Mood".

Enjoy ; )