For this New Sounds, hear contemporary takes on classic blues sounds, from Kentucky-based Nat Myers, Welsh fingerstyle guitarist Gwenifer Raymond, and the Afrofuturist-informed work of Jake Blount and Moor Mother. Howlin’ and playing ’til fingers bleed is the way of Kansas-born, Kentucky-based blues poet Nat Meyers whose music caught the ear of Dan Auerbach, the Black Keys frontman and founder of Easy Eye Sound Records. They met up in Nashville to make Myers’ record, Yellow Peril, which addresses injustices and suspicions aimed at Asian Americans; specifically, Myers is perceived as a Korean-American, as someone who represents a threat to America. Making the record was a way for him to stay lifted and for him to “raise [his] folks up” during the pandemic and onward, (Bandcamp.) Hear the track “75-71” from his record. Also, listen to the spoken-word blues of the Afrofuturist-leaning artist known as Moor Mother, and Afrofuturist-informed and well-researched blues from the banjo player, fiddler, and scholar Jake Blount. Then, there’s a cover of Taj Mahal by England-based folk singer Sam Amidon, and a blues tune that incorporates Indian classical instruments from composer Joel Harrison and sarodist Anupam Shobhakar and musicians. Then, there’s the sound of the blues refracted through the Welsh fingerstyle guitarist and video game programmer Gwenifer Raymond, the Tuvan throat-singing blues from Paul Pena, and much more. – Caryn Havlik Program #4732, Contemporary Blues (First aired 3/27/23) ARTIST: Charley PattonWORK: High Water Everywhere [1:20]RECORDING: Best of Charley Patton SOURCE: Shanachie /Yazoo YAZ-2069INFO: Available at Amazon.com ARTIST: Nat MyersWORK: 75-71 [3:44]RECORDING: Yellow PerilSOURCE: Easy Eye SoundINFO: natmyers.bandcamp.com ARTIST: Yufeng Chung and David ChenWORK: Sojourner's Blues [3:39]RECORDING: Fade to BlueSOURCE: Trees Music INFO: treesmusic.co/fade-to-blue.html ARTIST: Paul PenaWORK: Kargyraa Moan [4:19]RECORDING: Genghis Blues (soundtrack)SOURCE: Six Degrees #657036 1038INFO: genghisblues.bandcamp.com or available at Amazon.com ARTIST: Chris Thomas KingWORK: Revelations [5:12]RECORDING: Dirty Southern Hip Hop BluesSOURCE: 21st Century Blues #2106INFO: christhomasking.com ARTIST: Moor Mother (feat Fatboi Sharif)WORK: Blues Away [2:49]RECORDING: Jazz CodesSOURCE: Anti RecordsINFO: https://moormother.ffm.to/jazzcodes ARTIST: Jake BlountWORK: Tangle Eye Blues [3:51]RECORDING: The New FaithSOURCE: Smithsonian FolkwaysINFO: https://jakeblount.com/the-new-faith ARTIST: Gwenifer RaymondWORK: Worn Out Blues [4:38]RECORDING: Strange Lights over Garth MountainSOURCE: Tompkins Square RecordsINFO: gweniferraymond.bandcamp.com ARTIST: Sam AmidonWORK: Light Rain Blues [4:54]RECORDING: Sam AmidonSOURCE: Nonesuch RecordsINFO: nonesuch.com ARTIST: Marc RibotWORK: Blues for Natalia [4:48]RECORDING: Live from the Greene Space, NYGF 2017SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXR6TNSzUM0INFO: marcribot.com ARTIST: Joachim CooderWORK: Backwater Blues [3:42]RECORDING: Over That Road I'm BoundSOURCE: Nonesuch RecordsINFO: joachimcooder.bandcamp.com ARTIST: Multiplicity:Anupam Shobhakar And Joel HarrisonWORK: Devil Mountain Blues [3:47]RECORDING: Leave the Door OpenSOURCE: Whirlwind Recordings WR 4646INFO: whirlwindrecordings.com Joachim Cooder's remote session from 2020:
For this New Sounds, hear contemporary takes on classic blues sounds, from Kentucky-based Nat Myers, Welsh fingerstyle guitarist Gwenifer Raymond, and the Afrofuturist-informed work of Jake Blount and Moor Mother.
Howlin’ and playing ’til fingers bleed is the way of Kansas-born, Kentucky-based blues poet Nat Meyers whose music caught the ear of Dan Auerbach, the Black Keys frontman and founder of Easy Eye Sound Records. They met up in Nashville to make Myers’ record, Yellow Peril, which addresses injustices and suspicions aimed at Asian Americans; specifically, Myers is perceived as a Korean-American, as someone who represents a threat to America. Making the record was a way for him to stay lifted and for him to “raise [his] folks up” during the pandemic and onward, (Bandcamp.) Hear the track “75-71” from his record.
Also, listen to the spoken-word blues of the Afrofuturist-leaning artist known as Moor Mother, and Afrofuturist-informed and well-researched blues from the banjo player, fiddler, and scholar Jake Blount. Then, there’s a cover of Taj Mahal by England-based folk singer Sam Amidon, and a blues tune that incorporates Indian classical instruments from composer Joel Harrison and sarodist Anupam Shobhakar and musicians. Then, there’s the sound of the blues refracted through the Welsh fingerstyle guitarist and video game programmer Gwenifer Raymond, the Tuvan throat-singing blues from Paul Pena, and much more. – Caryn Havlik
Program #4732, Contemporary Blues (First aired 3/27/23)
ARTIST: Charley PattonWORK: High Water Everywhere [1:20]RECORDING: Best of Charley Patton SOURCE: Shanachie /Yazoo YAZ-2069INFO: Available at Amazon.com
ARTIST: Nat MyersWORK: 75-71 [3:44]RECORDING: Yellow PerilSOURCE: Easy Eye SoundINFO: natmyers.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Yufeng Chung and David ChenWORK: Sojourner's Blues [3:39]RECORDING: Fade to BlueSOURCE: Trees Music INFO: treesmusic.co/fade-to-blue.html
ARTIST: Paul PenaWORK: Kargyraa Moan [4:19]RECORDING: Genghis Blues (soundtrack)SOURCE: Six Degrees #657036 1038INFO: genghisblues.bandcamp.com or available at Amazon.com
ARTIST: Chris Thomas KingWORK: Revelations [5:12]RECORDING: Dirty Southern Hip Hop BluesSOURCE: 21st Century Blues #2106INFO: christhomasking.com
ARTIST: Moor Mother (feat Fatboi Sharif)WORK: Blues Away [2:49]RECORDING: Jazz CodesSOURCE: Anti RecordsINFO: https://moormother.ffm.to/jazzcodes
ARTIST: Jake BlountWORK: Tangle Eye Blues [3:51]RECORDING: The New FaithSOURCE: Smithsonian FolkwaysINFO: https://jakeblount.com/the-new-faith
ARTIST: Gwenifer RaymondWORK: Worn Out Blues [4:38]RECORDING: Strange Lights over Garth MountainSOURCE: Tompkins Square RecordsINFO: gweniferraymond.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Sam AmidonWORK: Light Rain Blues [4:54]RECORDING: Sam AmidonSOURCE: Nonesuch RecordsINFO: nonesuch.com
ARTIST: Marc RibotWORK: Blues for Natalia [4:48]RECORDING: Live from the Greene Space, NYGF 2017SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXR6TNSzUM0INFO: marcribot.com
ARTIST: Joachim CooderWORK: Backwater Blues [3:42]RECORDING: Over That Road I'm BoundSOURCE: Nonesuch RecordsINFO: joachimcooder.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Multiplicity:Anupam Shobhakar And Joel HarrisonWORK: Devil Mountain Blues [3:47]RECORDING: Leave the Door OpenSOURCE: Whirlwind Recordings WR 4646INFO: whirlwindrecordings.com
Joachim Cooder's remote session from 2020: