Sept07

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Blues Guitar NEWS
September 2007

Since 1988
Journalizing on Blues

by Mike Dollins
www.mikedollins.biz

As with all the back issues, click any photo on the main page here to
travel into another blues link. There is more to this book, than looking
at the cover. This our second issue under the new web site. We received
over 8,000 hits on August 21, We thank the many blues friends for
passing the word along. Lots of blues stuff to browse through, and don't
forget to check out Arkansas Blues Legends and our online back issues.

Since we've been
journaling about
blues for two
decades, our friend
list is tremendous.
We are going to start
some links, and
build on that each
month for you to
discover blues from
around the world.

BLUES LINKS

Johnny Mannion

Steve McTaggart

Ted Thorsen

Mark Kerr

Texas Jake

John Krier

Len Rainey

Greg Martin

Terry Knott

BJ Allen

Paul Bibbins

Harmonica Bob

Hairy Larry

Pat Graham

Frank Skinner

Bemol Jean Telfort

Hook Herrera

Jimmy Lloyd Rea

Zanne

Patty Benson

Geezer Sound

Michael Herman

Big D

Barry Brenner

Ben Brenner

Guitar Mac

Roy McCann

Sandy McCann

Michele MN Blues

Blues Dawg

Mary 4 Music

John Mayer

Eli "Dr Blues" Marcus

Uncle Henry

Michael

Blues Radio

Three new blues radio stations join us this month. Click their photos.

Eli Marcus Blues Radio

Over the years I've worked with
many great lady singers that have
gone on to their own fame and
fortune, and I got to tell you that
Stacy Brooks is the real deal singer.
In a world where too many singers
thinking screaming is singing, it is
tough to find a pure lady singer, that
can sing in the Billie Holiday smooth
traditional format, but can let go and
jam when appropriate. Like many
great blues singers, mastering blues,
jazz, R&B and Soul is in her bag of
vocal renditions, and greatly worth
your time to check her sites out.

Check out my good blues buddy, Chet Cannon and his band The Committee who have been
bringing the blues home for folks in and around San Diego since summer of 2001. Featuring Tony
'the tone' Agosta guitar, Phil 'dr. Phil' Diiorio on guitar and vocals, Bob 'Whiteshoes' Bowley on the
percussion, Will 'the thrill' Jackson on bass/vocals, and Chet 'blues shouter' Cannon rounding it out
on the harmonica and vocals.
Chet is the self described Terminal Blues Fan. . . who once attended 26 blues concerts in only 29
days! I'm happy to say they've had opportunity to share the stage with some very talented
musicians. Opening for Candye Kane, Rod Piazza & The Flyers, Chris Cain, Little Charlie & The
Nightcats, and many others.
If you've spent much time at all in San Diego you may have heard the band as they perform
regularly at Patrick's II downtown, Humphrey's Lounge, Downtown Café, and other blues joints
across San Diego. . . . if so, you know it's always a Party! Their main objective is that you have a
good time, and they pour their hearts into every performance meeting their objective.
Their debut Don't Get Me Started! CD nominated best blues album 2006 by San Diego Music
Awards is available from the band, at www.cdbaby.com/cd/ChetCannonatc and their schedule is
always online at www.myspace.com/ChetandTheCommittee They just learned that they were
Nominated as one of San Diego's Best Blues Bands of 2007. Please visit
www.sandiegomusicawards.com today and vote for your favorite San Diego blues band. Just hit
the site, Click Vote Now, scroll to Best Blues, and then Click on Chet and The Committee. (or your
other favorite) it's EZ as pie!
Their "Don't Get Me Started!" CD is available to buy online (or for you to hear samples of before
voting) at www.cdbaby.com/cd/chetcannonatc also visit then at
www.myspace.com/ChetandtheCommittee for their current schedule, photos, live tracks, and more.
Available for your House Party, Blues Festival, Club, Street Fair or other Special events.
E-mail: BluShouter@aol.com Like Chet says, "Let's get out there and have a Good time!"

NOTE: Chet was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in July this year, and we congratulate him on
his recognition for a lifetime achievement in the blues. His Good Blues Update is a who's who of
the Southern California Blues scene. www.BluesHallofFame.com

We had a great chat with Harold Conover, editor of "Chittlin Circuit" and discovered a new in
depth music venue worth a visit and listen. Their radio station alone is hours of super talent
you will not find anywhere else, as after our own heart, they promote and encourage unknown
artists that can't catch a break in the big time music venues where name recognition is the
sole driving force for endorsement and mentoring. Not so at Chittlin' Circuit, as they know for
a fact just because you are not on a major label, doesn't mean you are not talented, it just
means you have'nt landed that deal for major exposure. This is the place, and I call it the
"Rolling Stone" of indie artists, the ones that can't get into the major magazines, whereas at
Chittlin' Circuit they show case working musicians and artists. They review all that is
submitted to them, and have thousands of great music and artists posted on their play lists.
In their own words, this is their quest and mission: “The Chittlin' Circuit is proud to establish
exposure for the following musical formats: R&B, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Reggae, Gospel, Rock,
Country, Blues and Southern Soul. “The Chittlin’ Circuit” is dedicated to creating exposure for
the up-and-comers (independent record labels and movies, recording artists, actors,
actresses, authors, models, stage plays, starving artists, songwriters, producers, dancers and
comedians) to achieve their highest level of potential!!!"

Harold Conover
Editor Chittlin' Circuit

Arkansas Blues Legends
Click Mr. Lockwood's photo

Blues friends of Blues Guitar News
Mouse click their photos, and visit their blues sites.

Blues Guitar Product Review

I always have to have a Tele laying around, even though my
main guitars are all Gibson's. When I had the guitar shop
back in the 80's, I was a guitar collecting nut, but over the
years I've learned to appreciate what I call "Working
Guitars." Sometimes we working musicians forget, that
these pieces of wood are our tools. Now it makes your gig
go smoother to have great gear, and I've discovered a solid
working Telecaster, that is a no nonsense night after night
gigging axe.   It is the Highway One Fender series, and I've
seen the Basses and Starts, which are okay, but the Tele
is a pure flash back to the way they made them prior to
CBS driving Fender into the dirt.   These puppies look like
the real deal vintage 60's Tele's hanging at Voltage
Guitars, in Hollywood.   Satin lacquer finish, simple
appointments, but all the right on pickups, tuners and great
maple necks that the high end Tele's have which go for well
over a grand plus. The Highway 1, Tele comes in around
$700 new, and I got this one for around five used.   Like all
Fenders these days, you got to find the right one, and
check out a few of them. Hunt and peck through the litter
box, and you'll know the right one. When you find that right
Tele, it will talk to you in that secret, guitar language you
can't resist.   Take care, and God Bless;    mike

Now if you like high end, perfection
in your Tele's, check out the new
Johnny Mannion, Trimmed & Burnin'
model. This is a Rolex of Tele's.

Blues Guitar Recording Product Review

Hey y'all, if you made it down this far, thanks for hanging on. Visit
our other sites, and all our blues friends sites too. You'll find acres
and acres of blues guitar related stuff you could get lost in space
on for weeks, months and years. You got something to share or say
send us a note at: mike@bluesguitarnews.com New stuff every
month. Don't forget to visit all the past issues above on the bullets,
as there are miles and miles of blues stories to be found. Thanks
for stopping by, and check out our other sites too. Keep on jammin'
them blues, mike www.mikedollins.biz
MySpace Music Sites: www.myspace.com/bluesguitarmike
www.myspace.com/mikedollinsband and
www.myspace.com/michaeljazz
If you like what you saw, and heard here, tell a friend. Thank you.

Delta Boogie Blues Festival Sept 23rd
Hairy Larry has invited us back up to one of the oldest
ongoing blues fests in the Mississippi River Valley, just
outside of West Memphis, Arkansas. On Blues Highway
49, Jonesboro, AR we'll be jammin' the blues as the
closing act on Hairy's outside band shell in Craighead
Park. Click the Highway 49 sign, and check out the photos
from Delta Boogie Blues Fest. www.DeltaBoogie.com

I've owned a few recording studios over the years, and went digital a few years back. The Yamaha AW16G
served me well back in 2003, but since then computers have gotten bigger, faster and capable of handling the
massive load that multi tracking demands.   I've seen all the latest interfaces that are on the market, and
was content to stay with the Yamaha deck and Mackie mixer. Alesis is rapidly moving ahead of the pack in
producing sensible, intuitive working tools for the home recordest. Too many hardware and software programs
these days need a computer programmer to turn the stupid things on.   Alesis has just come out recently with
what they call the IO/26 FireWire. It is an anything in, and anything out unit. Simple with eight knobs,
headphone volume and a couple of knobs to blend signals. Crazy thing is I always said why doesn't someone
make something like this, and now I have one sitting in my studio. True 8 channels in and 8 channels out high
or low k.   Using Cubase, Cakewalk our Pro Tools, you only need a half way decent sound card, which you will
only need as a monitor, as the IO/26 is USB, FireWire, Fiber Optic and every other kind of input and out you
can imagine. Hook up some powered studio reference monitors, and you are ready to go big time. The unit is
like a Swiss Army knife for audio as you can quickly adapt to any recording situation you can possibly come
with. The little box also serves as a patch bay. Phantom power, switchable guitar and bass inputs, and now
you can monitor all your channels while you overdub just like the real deal studios in Hollywood.   Only limited
by your software and imagination. It comes with Cubase LE, and works super great with the Cubase SL that I
have in my computer.   With a half way decent condenser vocal mic, and a Sans Amp direct box for your bass,
you can produce top quality CD's folks will think you spent thousands of bucks on in a downtown studio. If you
are into home studios stop spending your money on hardware and software you'll dump in six months, and get
one of these for just under $400 bucks, and half the price the big workstation makers charge to buy their
name plate.    Thanks, and God bless to all, mike

Alesis io/26 FireWire

Uncle Henry & Bluez Dawg
Two super friends of Blues Guitar News,
keeping the Blues Alive and Well. Thank you both.

Chet Cannon & The Committee

Al Lubiejewski
Bop n' The Blues