eMusic Features

08.18.10 Spotlight 0

Gus Cannon and the Rise of Jug Band Music

By John Morthland, eMusic Contributor

Jug band music originated in Louisville, Kentucky, around 1905, but reached its fullest flowering in Memphis in the 1920s. Though there were others, two groups in particular dominated Beale Street: the Memphis Jug Band, led by Will Shade, and Gus Cannon's Jug Stompers. The former came first and was more popular at the time, but it's the Cannon/Stompers legacy that has best endured. In 1963 the Rooftop Singers, a Greenwich Village folk trio featuring Erik… more »

02.25.10 Spotlight 0

Bobby Charles: The In-A-While Crocodile

By Lenny Kaye, eMusic Contributor

Robert Charles Guidry was leaving a diner in his native Louisiana when he heard the words that would forever make him Bobby Charles. "See you later, alligator," the 17-year-old jive-talked to a friend, only to hear, like a gospel call-and-response, "In a while, crocodile" from a neighboring patron. He had been playing teen soirees with a combo called the Cardinals (no relation to the r&b vocal group of the same name) in the small town of… more »

They Say All Music Guide

This superior release finds Maria Muldaur returning to her roots and paying special tribute to Memphis Minnie. Assisted by such notables as singer-guitarist Taj Mahal and guitarist Del Rey, Muldaur really excels on the vintage material and in this acoustic setting. Rather than sounding like a revivalist, her sensitive and witty vocals show a real understanding for the music and make her sound like a veteran of the era even though she is about 50 years too young! For listeners who might find it difficult to get into early blues due to the primitive recording quality, Maria Muldaur’s Sweet Lovin’ Ol’ Soul will serve as the perfect transition. This is one of her finest recordings overall. – Scott Yanow