Updated January 13 2017. Check the video below for King Oliver with Louis Armstrong on slide whistle, Tampa Red and Georgia Tom. But, first, a mention of Mayo ‘Jay’ Williams, neglectfully not included. Surprisingly, most of the earliest blues recordings, you’ll find, were made in New York City. Perhaps to Chicago’s chagrin, it was New York,…

I’m writing this on morphine, legal morphine prescribed by a hospital, I must add, not recreational morphine taken for entertainment and comfort. I’ve been given morphine because for non-stop, excruciating pain, there can be nothing worse, on this earth, than shingles, especially if you have it severely on four levels like I have. Having suffered…

The year was 1936. The artist was the blues pianist Albert Ammons. The place was Chicago and the song was Albert’s rocking piano track – Boogie Woogie Stomp, a hit record that opened up the world to boogie boogie piano. But I’ll come back to that in a moment. First, in the film, you’ll listen…

Another film about the rocking blues that pre-empted rock ‘n’ roll. This is Part Three.     Got a few minutes to spare watching a video? Come aboard and come for the ride     Come for a Cadillac ride with Jimmy Liggins and his Drops of Joy. Take in Memphis Slim and Arthur ‘Big Boy…

Earliest rocking blues numbers 6 to 10. Our countdown begins in the film below . . .   Since my voice-over to this earliest rocking blues countdown is some 18 months old now, my top ten rocking blues tracks have since changed due to further research. But that shouldn’t stop you enjoying these fabulous old blues tracks that…