The American Folk and Blues Festival was the absolute best of American Blues artists, all of whom traveled throughout Europe in the fall from 1962 -1969. The names of the players involved in this series of concerts rings like a "man-wish-I coulda-been-there!" list for us now; and included such greats as Howlin Wolf, Willie Dixon, T-Bone Walker, Lightnin Hopkins, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Memphis Slim, Big Mama Thornton and many more. 


The first video gives you the background of this phenomenal annual gathering. The rest of the vids are pure blues.... and there's more, so much more. (Three volumes to this series [below].) If you love blues like I do, then this is a MUST HAVE for your collection. And even if you don't love the Blues, you still have to respect the fact that these were the names being talked about by the likes of Eric Clapton, Paul Jones, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards as this first video will tell you. 


For this little NOLA girl, these artists are still fresh in my memory; their music still wafting down the street to Glamp's house on those humid NOLA nights before they left for Europe...




















  

The Carolina Chocolate Drops  kicked up an absolute storm on The Stormy Monday Show so I thought I'd put together a blog post about them and let you see, and hear, a bit more from this fantastic group.







  

Some will surely say her voice is an acquired taste. I am very glad that I acquired it. Blossom had a girlish voice that was distinctive and yet her mix of be bop jazz gave her that "I'm always performing in a smokey jazz club with cool people " feel. Definitely hip and definitely someone you want to add into your repertoire of great jazz performers.

If you want to know more about Blossom, then check out this re-aired interview with Blossom by the infamous Marian McPartland on NPR's Piano Jazz