Blues artist Buffalo Nichols talks about saving money on tour and what happened on the ride home from his first gig.
Popa Chubby and the Beast Band – Live at G. Bluey’s Juke Joint NYC
Popa Chubby isn’t for everyone, but if you’re looking for a guitar slinger to liven up your night, he just might be the guy. Born Ted Horowitz in the Bronx during the final days of the Eisenhower administration, Popa Chubby devoured the rock music that surrounded him in the late 60s and early 70s, Chubby […]
Bonus Monday Video – The Meadowlark Festival
Our friends at The Meadowlark Festival have something special cooking. Let’s start with the setting – the Stone Ridge Orchard and Farmers Market in New York’s Hudson Valley. Pick some apples (and maybe grab some cider…) as you enjoy a wonderful and eclectic weekend of music. Among their featured performers are renowned folk/blues singer-songwriter Chris […]
Samantha Fish on Pizza, Hannah Montana, and New Orleans
Blues artist Samantha Fish talks about how Miley Cyrus helped her get her first gig, her first live record, and curating a style in the age of social media.
Mayer’s Picks – the Best of 2023 (So Far), the Albums
Stand in the Joy by William Prince Stand in the Joy is the kind of album that you can get lost in – Prince’s voice and songs are as soothing as they are poignant. Best listened to with your eyes closed. Sweet Anhedonia by Ben de la Cour Sweet Anhedonia is richly textured and darkly […]
William Lee Ellis – Ghost Hymns
William Lee Ellis plays roots music in its purest form. An acoustic master named after his godfather, legendary bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe, Ellis plays bluegrass, folk and blues in a straightforward, intimate way. His music is a throwback to the days before computers, before television, even before radio, when music was always live and personal. […]
Joanna Connor – Best of Me
When I saw Joanna Connor tear it up at a blues festival awhile back I swore I would never neglect work her again. She’s great. Go see her and buy her music, including her new release, Best of Me. Connor is known for her commanding vocals and brazen guitar licks. Her mastery of the guitar […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring 2023, Part 2
Suicide of Town, Ben de la Cour (from the Julian Records release Sweet Anhedonia) There isn’t a lot of sunshine in Ben de la Cour’s music and Sweet Anhedonia is no exception. Heck, the album is titled after the condition of not being able to experience pleasure. But that’s part of the Nashville singer-songwriter’s magic […]
Michael Jerome Browne – Gettin’ Together
Canadian bluesman Michael Jerome Browne has been traveling the back roads of the music business for decades. A gifted guitarist, Browne showcases his talents with old time country blues on his excellent Gettin’ Together, the recording of which he describes as “therapeutic” after the isolation of the COVID pandemic. “It’s been a long three years,” […]
Taj Mahal – Savoy
At 80, Taj Mahal is more than an elder statesman for the blues. Like his namesake is to India, he is a national treasure. With the old-timey Savoy, Mahal revisits his youth while continuing his lifelong habit of never being pigeonholed in a particular style. After a run with Ry Cooder in an underrated band […]