Began the return trip home with a two-hour set from 2003 by The Hoochie Coochie Men featuring Jon Lord. I was well aware of this album and the one released a few years later, but I could never seem to locate a copy of either (until Bobbed Kilts Concerts came through). The Hoochie Coochie Men are an Australian blues ensemble that features Bob Daisley on bass. Yep, you know his name. I discovered him in 1976 with the band Widowmaker and then he joined Rainbow for a couple of years. Most of the world knows him from his association with Ozzy Osbourne and his string of hit albums through the 80's. During the off time from Ozzy, Daisley joined Uriah Heep for two albums, one being "Abominog," a truly underrated heavy metal record. He also found time to work with Gary Moore on seven albums and a couple of tours during a ten-year span, including the "Still Got The Blues" hit record in 1990. The HC Men formed at the turn of the century, releasing one studio album before teaming up with Jon Lord on an improvised tour of Australia. Legendary Cold Chisel vocalist, Jimmy Barnes, shows up on a couple of songs, one being the signature Willie Dixon tune...
I honestly believe that is the best version I've ever heard of this classic. The clip cuts off before Lord says, "We used to do that song in the first band I was ever in but our singer couldn't do it like that. I've got goosebumps on me goosebumps..." Me, too. Barnes appearance wasn't without cause as he and Daisley were working in a band called Living Loud, which included Steve Morse, Lee Kerslake of Uriah Heep and journeyman keyboardist Don Airey. Kerslake was also in Ozzy's band and he and Daisley co-wrote several of the classics you know today, like this one...
Damn, now I've got to look for this DVD...
Speaking of DVD's, the next two-plus hours was culled from Joe Bonamassa's concert at the Beacon Theater in New York last November. I see now where the CD version is scheduled to be released soon. Even with all the live stuff I have from JB, this is a keeper. He has Beth Hart come out for two songs from their collaborative album, John Hiatt for two more, and this rock legend for a pair...
If you haven't seen Mr. Bonamassa in concert, in person, he's always touring in some form or fashion. Playing a bigger venue here in a few months. May have to go again...
Headlining AutoRoo this year was Warren Haynes Band "Live At The Moody Theater," based solely on it's length (156 minutes). Top Bill plays the longest. This version of the WHB only has one album to its credit and it's certainly not two-and-a-half hours long! But by God, they put damn near every single track from that 66-minute record on here and then let people solo on top of that! Yeah, but that stills leaves space for a few of his earlier compositions and one Gov't Mule song, extended, of course. There is a Sam Cooke cover, another from Jimi Hendrix, and this one caught me by surprise...
Highlights of this concert, outside of Mr. Haynes' incredible talents, are the young lady on bgv and the man who can make a sax squeal.
If I had it all to do over again, I'd have finished with JB. The special guests would have much to do with it. Warren's set settled into a sameness more deserving of a set fifty minutes shorter.
More than seven years of professional radio experience and over twenty years in music retailing have provided many opportunities to introduce friends, family, co-workers and customers to great music in four different decades. Out of the biz now for more than five years, I still seek out new music to add to my enormous collection. Most in my age group gave up on finding new music years ago. To quote a line from Crack the Sky, "Why don't they make music for us anymore?" Well, they do, and I share my discoveries in a manner that is intended for those who know me, but can be appreciated by you who do not. I am not a reveiwer paid to have a piece available upon a recording's release, I write only after several listens and sometimes several weeks of spins. Feel free to comment, suggest, and enjoy!
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