Soul and Jazz and Funk Latest

The American dynamic duo comprising soulful blues singer BETH HART - interviewed by SJF in 2012 - and virtuoso fretboard meister, JOE BONAMASSA, have already turned heads with their two studio albums, 2011's 'Don't Explain,' and last year's 'See-Saw.' Now the Grammy-nominated twosome is back with an incendiary live set, 'Live In Amsterdam.' The album is available as a 2-CD set and also via DVD and Blu-Ray and showcases the incredible synergy and musical chemistry that Hart and Bonomassa generate in a live setting.

Their set list includes blistering, blues-inflected retoolings of songs immortalised by the likes of Al Green, Bill Withers, Etta James, Ray Charles, Billie Holiday, Donny Hathaway - his Al Kooper-scribed 'I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know' - Melody Gardot, and Ike & Tina Turner in addition to some striking self-penned material. The duo's four-member band is augmented by a three-piece horn section, which brings a punchy and soulful dynamism to their performances.

'Live In Amsterdam' was recorded at the Koninklijk Theater Carré, produced by Kevin Shirley and is released on the Provogue label on Monday March 24th.

For more info go to: http://hartandbonamassa.com/

Read SJF's Beth Hart interview here: http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/interviews/1936-straight-from-the-hart-beth-hart-talks.html

Read SJF's review of 'See-Saw' here: http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/reviews/2221-beth-hart-a-joe-bonamassa-see-saw-provogue.html

(Elmore James photo by George Adins, courtesy Robert Sacré)

Revered singer/guitarist, ELMORE JAMES (1918-1963), was a key figure of the Chicago blues scene in the 1950s and his unique style - combining loud, amplified slide guitar licks with declamatory vocals - was hugely influential, especially regarding the sound of the British beat groups of the 1960s (including the Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac).

The iconic blues maven's life is the subject of a fascinating biography, 'The Amazing Secret History of Elmore James,' by American author, Steve Franz, who also hosts a Stateside radio show, 'Blues Unlimited' (to find out more go to  http://bluesunlimited.podomatic.com).

SJF's US correspondent John Wisniewski recently caught up with Steve to find about more about the background to his book and the enduring influence of Elmore James...

Last Updated on Sunday, 09 March 2014 13:41

Founding member, guitarist and vocalist with BLOODSTONE, CHARLES LOVE has died. Few details are available but it seems the singer died from pneumonia at his home in Kansa City.

Bloodstone was formed in 1962 evolving out of a doo-wop group called the Sinceres. Success was hard to come by and the band eventually went to Europe to find work where they encountered British record producer and soul and blues enthusiast Mike Vernon. By that time the band were; Love on guitar and vocals, Melvin Webb on drums, Roger Durham on percussion, Charles McCormack on bass and Willis Draffen on guitar.

Their first album, 'Bloodstone', included the minor hit, 'That's The Way We Make Our Music' but the big song was the beautiful, timeless ballad 'Natural High' which gave the group a gold record, reaching the Top 10 on both the pop and R&B charts. Apart from that signature quiet storm moment Bloodstone were also known for their blistering funk and soul. The group's other 1970s hits included 'Never Let You Go', 'Outside Woman' and My Little Lady'.

Bloodstone were also active in the 80s with the album 'We Go a Long Way Back' (1982), whose title track reached the R&B chart Top 5. A follow-up single, 'Go On and Cry,' also hit the R&B top 20.

Bloodstone also starred in and wrote all the music for a film entitled 'Train Ride To Hollywood ' (1975) and they enjoyed a renaissance when 'Natural High' was featured in Quentin Tarrantino's 'Jackie Brown' film.

Founding members who died prior to Love include Roger Durham in 1972, Melvin Webb in 1982 and Willis Draffen in 2002. The surviving members of the group are Harry Williams, Charles McCormick and Donald Brown.

Last Updated on Saturday, 08 March 2014 11:29

Soul legend ROBERTA FLACK is the latest addition to the already impressive bill at the forthcoming CHELTENHAM JAZZ FESTIVAL, which is due to run from Wednesday April 30th to Monday 5th May.

Flack - whose iconic songs include 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' and 'Killing Me Softly With His Song' and hasn't performed in the UK since 2006 - will be appearing in the festival's Big Top venue on Saturday May 3rd at 9pm.

Also appearing at the festival will be recent Grammy winner, GREGORY PORTER, plus new soul star LAURA MVULU, pianist/singer JAMIE CULLUM, blues doyen ROBERT CRAY, US jazz vocalist KURT ELLING, SNARKY PUPPY, DJ GILLES PETERSON, legendary drummer BILLY COBHAM, rising jazz star, trumpeter AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE,  CURTIS STIGERS, JOOLS HOLLAND and many more.              

SJF hope to be covering the festival. For more information and tickets, go to:

http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/jazz

Last Updated on Friday, 07 March 2014 15:08

Fans of the Temptations in general and DAVID RUFFIN in particular will be delighted to learn that a new biography on one of soul's finest is all set to be published. The book, 'The Man Behind The Glasses' is a collaboration between Ruffin's family and estate and music writer Ted Schwarz. Ruffin's daughter Cheryl says: "The book will reveal some truths that many never knew about my father through the eyes of family members and close friends – like how he loved to cook and eat; his love for my mother Sandra Ruffin and how they talked about getting back together before he died."

The book will also reveal why to many Ruffin (who would have been 73 in January) appeared a troubled soul. For instance, he was deeply affected by the death of his childhood friend – civil rights activist James Chaney who was murdered in 1964. Chaney was brutally killed in Mississippi (near Ruffin's then segregated home town) along with two other activists; their remains were not located until 44 days later.

On a brighter note the book will also shed new light on the joyous music David made both with the Temptations and on his own.

In conjunction with the announcement of the publication of the biography, the Ruffin family has announced that they will launch an "Official David Ruffin Website" www.davidruffin.net.

One of the first objectives of the site will be to have David inducted into the Rick & Roll Hall Of fame as a solo artist. The Tempts were inducted in 1989 and David was later inducted into the Mississippi Hall of Fame. In 2013 he and fellow Temptations received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement award. Ruffin was also inducted into the newly-established Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame with The Temptations, and as a solo artist. The Ruffin Estate also hope to run a 'My Girl Day' in Detroit in December – 50 years since the iconic record was first released.

Last Updated on Friday, 07 March 2014 11:54