CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM, our Laramie, Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES— an exhibition entitled The Golden Age of Kabuki Prints— with over 700 prints of actors from the Kabuki theater’s zenith during the 18th century — will be at the Art Institute of Chicago through June 26th.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #1 is this essay by former labor secretary Robert Reich on how (being very short) he had a school friend who protected him against bullies … then after he had lost touch, learned that Michael Schwerner was one of three Freedom Summer activists murdered by Klansmen.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Barnaby the Cat— an English kitteh who went missing eight months ago, now reunited after a woman called her vet (about the family’s other cat) … then heard Barnaby’s distinctive meow over the phone.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #2 is another essay by Robert Reich, this time describing how Senate egos can affect legislation, as an aspect of the voting rights setback.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Faith the Cat— who showed up at a Montana shelter disfigured, yet after undergoing reconstructive surgery was adopted by a veterinary technician who tended to her, and now “purrs like a freight train”.
BRAIN TEASER— try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC ...… and the usually easier, less UK-centered New York Times quiz (no common questions).
OLDER-YOUNGER BROTHERS?— TV star John Stamos and singer Enrique Iglesias.
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… among the jump blues/R&B musicians who presaged the rock music era was Big Joe Turner, of whom the songwriter Doc Pomus said, “Rock and roll would never have happened without him”. A strong voice, he was adept at singing more subdued jazz dates later in life in a career that spanned six decades.
Born in 1911 in Kansas City, he tended bar in his teens and became known as The Singing Bartender. He soon met-up with pianist Pete Johnson, who was to be his accompanist for nearly fifteen years. After gaining an audience in the Midwest, they tried a stint in NYC in 1936 (at age twenty-five) and appeared on a bill with Benny Goodman yet, as Turner noted, “New York wasn’t ready for us yet”.
On the suggestion of Columbia producer John Hammond they made a return visit in 1938, which was a success: appearing at Carnegie Hall with Big Bill Broonzy and Count Basie. They earned a recurring spot at the Café Society club, then recorded two of their enduring hits, Roll em Pete and Cherry Red.
They relocated to the West Coast during the war years and spent the next decade recording and performing in the region. They were regionally successful in record sales, yet still not achieving nationwide success, and Pete Johnson relocated back East in 1950.
Joe Turner’s fortunes changed after appearing at Harlem’s Apollo Theater in 1951 … where he filled-in for the singer Jimmy Rushing in Count Basie’s band. And while the pairing wasn’t jelling that night: in the audience were the brothers Ertegun (Ahmet and Neshui) who were starting Atlantic Records and saw his potential. He recorded several nationally charting R&B hits, including “Sweet Sixteen” (later a staple of B. B. King) as well as “Chains of Love” and “Chill is On”.
His break-out hit was one written by the famous in-house songwriter at Atlantic, Jesse Stone — the risqué Shake, Rattle and Roll was #1 on the R&B charts. Then a cleaned-up cover by Bill Haley and the Comets sold well, leading many to seek out Turner’s version. He also had a success re-recording an old tune, Corrina, Corrina.
As the rock era led to a less visible role for R&B artists in the late 50’s (and especially after the British Invasion), he found himself recording with many smaller jazz ensembles (including Dizzy Gillespie and Art Tatum) and finding his niche. As contrasted with singer Big Joe Williams (who was always a jazz singer at heart), Joe Turner’s jump blues were never far from his singing.
In 1966 (twelve years after covering his break-out hit) Bill Haley’s Comets helped revive Big Joe’s R&B career with a joint album recorded in Mexico City. And he became welcome on the oldies circuit, as well as continuing his jazz/blues recordings.
He recorded one final time (with Roomful of Blues) in 1983, before his death in 1985 at the age of seventy-four from a stroke (with his infirmities resulting in his having to sit down to perform).
There is a well-regarded 1998 compilation album from Rhino Records, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, with the British music paper New Musical Expressdeclaring him to be “The grandfather of rock and roll”.
While my favorite song of his is Cherry Red, I found this recording of Honey Hush (in his later years) backed by another veteran Kansas City musician, Jay McShann. The song has been recorded by the likes of Johnny Burnette, Pat Boone, Jerry Lee Lewis, Foghat, Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney.