Blues Harp

Froeliche Jam Night

2009-09-26T14:21:00.000-07:00

A funny jam we had this year in Regensburg, Germany. Diba Kult were the guitar virtuosos, Arpi made tenor vocals while I blew and drew. We tried Sweet Home Chicago. Check it out, it has some good parts.

Son House / Willie Brown

2009-09-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

A little piece from Lomax's recordings with Son House and probably Willie Brown is one of the most sensitive versions of Walkin' Blues.

Love in Vain finnally on. The Rolling Stones, baby!

2009-09-13T21:11:00.000-07:00

Met a wonderful person in DC who actually read Lomax's 'The Land Where...'. Here's to her
! And finally Rolling Stones' 'stripped' semiacoustic version of Robert Johnson's Love in Vain is f'kin' COPYLEFTED!

Leadbelly - Cobain - Lanegan

2009-04-06T01:09:00.000-07:00

Of course, "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" had its global recognition when Kurt Cobain made it the Finale of Nirvana's glorious unplugged concert in New York. However, the song is a pre-classic tune of one of the most productive acoustic bluesmen of all times, Leadbelly.

A fantastic electric version of the song, which is featured by the rugged voice of Mark Lanegan from the Screaming Trees, proves that pure, honest and passionate music surpasses time. Would anyone believe that classic acoustic blues could, in such a profound manner, be intertwined with the early '90s grunge? Today we commemorate 15 years since Kurt died and curbed our generation's music... 75 years ago Leadbelly must have composed the song. Nonetheless, they both constantly play on my iPod:). Hear this up.

Latest jam in Ratisbona

2008-02-20T00:16:00.000-08:00

We called it "Let Me Ride Yer Automobile":)), but it's closer to 'killing time after Weissbier'. It's wrong and flawed, but straight funny.

My most beautiful friend got to Howlin'

2008-02-12T03:47:00.000-08:00

Naturally, you were enchanted by Dixon's Spoonful in Wolf's classic interpretation. Nonetheless, I give you a classic-er one, made by the devil himself and howled by our immortal Wolf.
Here's to you, Elenika!

A.G. Weinberger

2007-11-07T11:28:00.000-08:00

In Memoriam Carey Bell

2007-08-13T10:05:00.000-07:00

Duetul "TRENUL DE NOAPTE" are placerea sa va invite JOI - 16 august, de la ora 20:30, in Gradina De Vara a clubului GREEN HOURS(calea Victoriei nr. 120) , la ultimul concert "IN MEMORIAM Carey Bell", spectacol concept care s-a bucurat de mare succes atat in Bucuresti cat si in aproape 15 orase din intreaga tara.

Este practic si ultimul concert al actualei formule de duet, pentru ca din toamna, mai precis din a doua jumatate a lunii septembrie, Trenul de Noapte va activa in formula de cvartet, odata cu cooptarea unei sectii ritmice de mare talent.

Practic, din acel moment, "TRENUL DE NOAPTE" va deveni CEA MAI BUNA FORMULA DE BLUES DIN ROMANIA !!! , cu un sunet si un repertoriu absolut UNICE !!!, spun cei doi membri ai trupei.

Pana atunci va asteapta JOI - 16 august - ora 20:30 - la GREEN HOURS - la un spectacol de blues de mare rafinament, in care povestile despre blues se impletesc cu umorul si muzica facuta cu pasiune, dragoste si talent, in care cei care nu ati avut ocazia o sa descoperiti o echipa formata din MARCIAN PETRESCU - cel mai bun muzicutist de blues din Romania si Florin Giuglea - cel mai bun chitarist de blues din tanara generatie.

Rolling Stones: Midnight Rambler in Bucharest

2007-07-18T02:41:00.000-07:00

The Stones in Bucharest

2007-07-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

They were huge! The Stones playing all their hits. However, as far as my lil' Special 20's concerned, their power play was most definitely the unexpected 'Midnight Rambler'. As for the rest we had Jumpin Jack Flash, Satisfaction, Brown Sugar or Honky Tonk W. Get a load of the Midnight Rambler from their '75 tour (the gig happens in L.A.):

Rolling Stones la Bucuresti. Camioanele au ajuns, copacii s-au taiat

2007-07-12T04:16:00.000-07:00

E incredibil cum inaintea oricarui mare eveniment din Bucuresti, organizatorii si administratia se gandesc fulgerator cum sa pregateasca terenul. Si administratia trazneste in copaci: invariabil, in pregatirea evenimentelor (poate va aduceti aminte de Formula 3 din jurul Parlamentului - pregatirile au constat intro defrisare nemiloasa) apar baietii cu drujba. Concertul Rolling Stones, cel mai mare din istoria acestei triste tari de beton, e , evident, marcat de taierea arborilor din Parcul National, din jurul stadionului. Ma uitam in jur si am constatat ca e imens Parcul National; sper sa nu il observe si Adriean ca sa mai traga niste office-buildinguri dupa o tura carbon-sanatoasa de defrisare.

Trecand cateva zile pe acolo lucrarile imi dadeau impresia pioniereasca de a-l fi asteptat pe tovarasul Nicolae Ceausescu, in vizita de 23 August, cand varuiam bordurile si de la magnetofonul Kashtan duduia "You start me up..."

Cu cinci zile inaintea concertului ceva e sigur. Au ajuns camioanele cu scule si schele si alte chestii de metal.

The strongest link: The Rolling Stones

2007-07-12T04:07:00.000-07:00

As I don't wanna stick merely to classic blues, I'm gonna make the transition to rock n'roll. Thematically, the Rolling Stones did it brilliantly: see below a live footage from 1972 with a heartbreaking solo by Mick Taylor. The song is, AGAAAAIN, Robert Johnson's Love in Vain.

Sper sa va placa. Mai sunt 5 zile pana la marele concert de la Bucuresti!!!

Blues in Regensburg II

2007-06-18T03:35:00.000-07:00

This is how we switched from straight harp, Amazing Grace - as we were in sorta mystic mood, to a classic cross harp, hardly bent sounds. Still in Regensburg, Bavaria. Same beer, same pot.

Blues in Regensburg: Finale of Love in Vain

2007-06-15T04:19:00.000-07:00

Finale of Love in Vain with two hammered guys, Calin Gruia and me. Arpi was filming the whole thing with his incorporated Apple webcam. All in Regensburg, Germany. Important to know our nicknames: on plastic strings guitar, Herr Calin Gruia aka Pitzi; cameraman and music guru, the great tenor, Herr Vulkan Arpad aka Pici; on blues harp, Hohner Special 20 key of C, Herr Raul Cazan, aka Pizzi. With the stomachs bloating with Bavarian Weissbier and m.j. airheads, we managed to touch, although roughly, the sound of blues. The point was to have a crack time, though.

R.I.P. Carey Bell

2007-05-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

On the 6th of May blues harp master, Carey Bell, died...

He was born November 14, 1936, in Macon, Mississippi, USA. He picked up the harmonica while still a young child, and by the age of 13 he joined his godfather Lovie Lee's Blues band. In September 1956 he moved to Chicago with Lee.In Chicago Bell met the legendary harpmaster Little Walter and became his student. Bell also learned from other harp masters, including Big Walter Horton and Sonny Boy Williamson II. As times were hard for professional blues harmonica players Bell also learned to play electric bass to enhance his chances of being a professional musician. Carey Bell released his first album, entitled "Carey Bell's Blues Harp", in 1969, and has since then released several albums. In 1990 Bell joined forces with fellow harp players Junior Wells, James Cotton and Billy Branch and recorded the fantastic "Harp Attack!" album.In addition to "Harp Attack!" and his solo records Bell also played with other artists, such as Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Earl Hooker, Big Walter Horton, Lowell Fulsom and Robert Nighthawk.On May 6, Carey Bell died of heart failure. He was 70.

(Newsvine)

Enjoy a video footage with this regreted giant of blues featuring Louisiana Red in 1983. They're playing "She's worse".

Master Jon Gindick playing Walkin' Blues

2007-05-23T04:33:00.000-07:00

Before getting into Delta and Chicago blues classics, check out the Cross Harp Professor, Jon Gindick playing on acoustic guitar and harp Robert Johnson's tune, Walkin' Blues. This was among the first songs I learnt on my C harmonica. Here's Master Jon:

Sonny Terry's whoopin'

2007-05-22T03:40:00.000-07:00

Here's one of the few videos of the greatest blues harp player of all time, Sonny Terry, and his buddy Brownie McGee. Together they were magic. In this footage we can dig how the blind hero is whoopin'. It's early 60s and America was blinder than Sonny: bluesmen were filmed, recorded and appreciated by... Germans at the American Folk and Blues Festival right across the Atlantic. The name of the song is Hootin' the Blues. Enjoy.

Intro: Robert Johnson

2007-04-13T07:29:00.000-07:00

Two years ago today, I started to play five Robert Johnson songs on my key of C Marine Band: Love in Vain, Dust My Broom, Sweet Home Chicago, Walking Blues and If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day. This is a tape Jon Gindick made in 1986 that was recently converted to a CD. It's an excellent interpretation on guitar and C harp of the Delta's legend and a groundbreaking style to teach yourself acoustic blues at its perfect stage. In the photos: me and the guitar wizard, Ryla, playing Love in Vain.