Etta James, with Dr. John - I’d Rather Go Blind (1987)
Here’s one to the memory of Jamesetta Hawkins, better known as Etta James (1938-2012). Today she would have turned 87. Due to a troubled life, with substance abuse, bad relationships and and legal difficulties, she somehow hasn’t gotten the recognition she deserves.Still, she is not forgotten. Now let’s keep the momory of this voice alive
This video is music history. Etta sings together with Mac Rebennack (Dr. John, 1941-2019), a man with a career in music spanning for well over six decades. In addition, the man introducing Etta is none other than B.B. King (1925-2015), one of the true giants in the history of blues.
I thought he was born “grey”!
Любимая моя… My Beloved (LIVE, 2013) what a beautiful dedication to Beloved Women
There are no more such masterpieces…only in Siberia are such talents born. Lord, what tender words in the song and Bykov’s beautiful voice and the extraordinary saxophone accompaniment performed by my favorite singer Alexander Agya, THANK YOU BOTH, goodness and good luck in everything, be LOVED AND BLESSED BY GOD!!!
Now buckle up, today I feel for a long one here
Paul Kantner and Signe Toly Anderson, two of the co-founders of the iconic US band Jefferson Airplane, were both born in 1941, respectively in March and September. As fate would have it, they passed away on the same day, nine years ago today. Signe passed just a few hous after Paul. They were both 75 years old.
About Singe Anderson, she was only part of the band for their debut album Jefferson Airplane Takes Off (1966), which is a little more folky sounding than the psychedelia Airplane is best known for. After having a child she quit the band in late 1966.
After Airplane Signe Anderson did a bit of singing through the years, then in more local bands. Unfortunately she she also faced some health problems in the mid-1970’s (cancer) and then again in the 90’s (broken neck and bypass surgery). This did not stop her from guest appearances with various incarnations of the musicians she started out with, including Jefferson Starship and KCB Band.
To Signe Anderson’s memory, I’ll let Jorma Kaukonen have the last word. When she passed, he wrote this: “Signe was one of the strongest people I have ever met. She was our den mother in the early days of the Airplane…a voice of reason on more occasions than one… an important member of our dysfunctional little family.”
Jefferson Airplane - Chauffeur Blues (live 1966)
Paul Kantner is a whole other story. He was active all along, first as secondary guitarist and singer, and one of the songwriters in Airplane. When they fell apart in the early 70’s, he got involved in various collaborations, among others the excellent album Sunfighter (1971) with Grace Slick. Then the band was revived in the mid-70’s as Jefferson Starship.
After Paul Kantner quit the band (who went on as Starship) in 1984, he formed the short lived KCB Band, along with Marty Balin and Jack Casady. There was even a full reunion of Jefferson Airplane around 1990, which resulted in an album and a tour. In 1992 Paul Kantner revived Jefferson Starship, and performed there more or less up until his death.
To Paul Kantner’s memory I’ve found one of his songs from Jefferson Starship’s fine 1975 album Red Octopus. Here’s to Paul Kantner - I Want To See Another World.
Jefferson Starship - I Want To See Another World
While we’re at it, here’s Signe and Paul together in 1993. For a short while Signe Anderson was actually the female singer in the revived Jefferson Airplane, before her health got the best of her.
Jefferson Starship - High Flyin’ Bird
If anyone did read all this, you are my friend
I’ll close this post with a quote from Signe, taken from her farewell concert with Airplane back in October 1966 - “I want you all to wear smiles and daisies and box balloons. I love you all. Thank you and goodbye.”
News just in that Marianne Faithfull has passed away today. She was 78 years old. She had her breakthrough in 1964, with a cover of the Stones song AsTears Go By, which charted at number 9 in the UK and Ireland. After a relationship with Mick Jagger and few more minor hits in the 1960’s, her career went downhill.
The 1970’s were a troubled time for Marianne Faithfull, struggling with heroin addiction and anorexia nevrosa. It got so bad that for two years she was living on the streets in London. Friends tried to help her with rehab, and to get her back into music. So she did some recordings and made a few live appearances during those years.
Howevr, it wasn’t until 1979 she was able to make a full come back, with the awesome album Broken English, where one of her best known songs The Ballad of Lucy Jordan can be found. After that she released 14 more albums, the latest in 2021. Now it is over. Thank you for the music Marianne, may you be remembered.
Marianne Faithfull - As Tears Go By
Marianne Faithfull - The Ballad of Lucy Jordan
About a month ago I made this post on Marianne Faithfull’s birthday.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen an opera singer here. Here is a post about a remarkable performance of the opera Rigoletto by this magnificent Tenor and, moreover, a very good human being, regardless of his origin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCyjiwXwZuA
This reminded me of Phil Collins and Chester Thompson opening the farewell-concert in Paris Bercy.
Unfortunately they had differences and quit their successful work together. Chester Thompson says today he is over the criticism from Phil Collins about his “limited quality play” on one of the last tours.
Thompson to me is one of the best concert drummers.
Phil Collins drum Solo @ Bercy HD
The music was great and I must admit, I wasn’t expecting the clothing removal part way through and more to the point, at the end!!!
Never really listened to music from Michael Jackson but i like this song and this “Duet” was something special.
The Scottish singer Alex Harvey was born 90 years ago today. Influenced by blues, jazz and soul, he started his career around 1960. However, it wasn’t until 1972, when he formed The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, that things began to happen for him. SAHB had some considerable success in the UK, Ireland and Northwestern Europe during the 1970’s. In addition they were noticed in Australia too. Both Bon Scott and Nick Cave has mentioned Alex Harvey as an inspiration.
Alex Harvey left SAHB in 1979, and went solo. He did one album, before he suffered a fatal heart attack in 1982, one day short of turning 47. Here’s to Alex Harvey’s memory
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Midnight Moses/Framed (live in Oslo 1974)
Sorry for the quality on this clip. It’s decent, but I could have found better one. I still wanted to share it, because this is when I was introduced to Alex Harvey back…some time ago. I was not at the concert, but saw it on Norwegian telly shortly afterwards…in black and white