Monday, April 26, 2010

Brokedown Engine Blues


It’s Monday again, & a musical one at that. We’re back with a bit of the blues this morning—yours truly taking on the great Blind Willie McTell’s “Brokedown Engine Blues”—tho, I hasten to add, the arrangement I’m using is quite a bit different than McTell’s.

In other news: I had my first gig at the Council outdoor city market for the season on Saturday—51 songs, 4 hours, all blues. That’s the mantra for this performing season—no more dabbling in oldtime country & folk—nothing against those forms of music. I’m just staying with my strongest suit. I’ll be performing at the City Market each month thru the spring & summer, & Eberle & I are booked for the grand opening of a store in Cambridge in early June. I’ll also be looking into performing opportunities in the McCall area, both solo & with my confreres, as the weather at that elevation improves.

McCall is situated over a mile high & still has snow on the ground. Down in this part of the world the tulips & daffodils are blooming &, as some of you may have seen on yesterday’s post, the yellow-headed blackbirds are back, a sure sign that high spring is right around the corner. I also gassed up the lawnmowers yesterday—another sign of the same thing
— & am happy to report they didn’t have the “brokedown engine blues!”

Hope you enjoy the video & have a good Monday!



10 comments:

  1. Lordy, Lordy, my Monday is now off to a great start!

    (51 songs? that was quite a gig!)

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  2. This was a really captivating performance!

    Thanks in general--somehow the RSS feed stopped for me a few months ago and I'm just catching up. So much good stuff, as always.

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  3. Hi Willow & Scotty

    Willow: That's what I do at those outdoor markets--the hard part is remembering the lyrics! Glad this got your Monday off well.

    Scotty: Geez, thanks! Interesting about the RSS feed--I hadn't heard that, but I know these things can be persnickety. You & I need to start a new Lexulous game!

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  4. Of course your morning is our afternoon, but it is a terrific way to settle down after lunch. A nice fresh mug of tea and sit back and listen to John smooth out all the day's edges.

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  5. Hi Alan: & thanks! Glad to give you a break with your tea.

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  6. You rock Johnny "Jack."... Every time I watch one of these it makes me interested in music all over again. Thank you!

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  7. Hi L.E.: Thanks! I wish we were playing some music right now!

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  8. Sweet! I shoulda come over sooner. And that's one heckuva gig! Cheers sir :)

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  9. Great! Accompainied my insomniac surfing. Got me looking up the lyrics. I wondered what "Georgia crawl" meant - a dance. Found it at

    http://www.tabernablues.com/autores/terminologia/

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  10. Hi Dominic: Glad you liked it! A dance, but but by extension, in blues jargon, "shaking that thing." Hope you get some sleep!

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