Category: Running

106 Miles to Chicago – The B Christopher Band – Keeps Me Running!

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The Nerdy Details as I Try to Start Running Again!

Ok so over the last two weeks I have semii-started to run again. I say semi because I have only run three times since July 26th.  Oh, and I had a stress test on August 5th. The first two runs were actually run/walks. On both of those runs I basically ran a little and then walked a little.

On the July 26th run I covered 2.1 miles in 32:27. That calculates to a 15:30 min/mile pace. However, during the run I ran for 14:45 minutes and walked for 17:41 minutes.

Likewise on my July 28th run I walked and ran but did a little better. I covered 2.68 miles in 39:36 for a 14:46 min/mile pace. However, during this run I actually ran more than I walked. I ran for 21:29 minutes and walked for 18:04 minutes.

Finally, on my August 11 run I did better still. On that run I covered 2.16 miles in 32′:53 for a pace somewhat slower than the preceding runs. The final pace was !5:13 min/mile. The good thing though about this run was that I ran (ok,jogged)  for 28:43 minutes while only walking for 4:07 minutes. I ran he whole first mile. Then I walked a quarter mile and almost ran the second mi le. Unfortunately I calculated how far I needed to run to get that last mile and came up a little short!

I’m planning on running again tomorrow morning and I’ll bore you with the details after the run! My goal may be to run for 30 minutes with no walking! Wish me luck!

The Soundtrack  August 11 Run – The B Christopher Band

The soundtrack for the majority of the run was the latest release from The B Christopher Band – 106 Miles to Chicago. The last time an album from the B Christopher Band was used as a soundtrack for a run was back in 2019. when I was a soon to be 68-year -old. The run was a 4.16 mile run at an average pace of 10:28 min/mile. You can read about it here.  Oh, how I long for those days!

About 106 Miles to Chicago

Anyway back to these days. Well I knew that there were a lot  of old songs on this album like n”Hey,Bartender “{, “She caught the Katy”, Sweet Home Chicago” and “Gimme Some Lovin’.”  But the reference to the Blues Brothers in the album’s title flew right over my head!  Anyway here’s the quote that provided the title to this album that is a tribute to the Blues Brothers!

Elwood:  It’s a hundred and six miles to Chicago, we’ve got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark, and we’re wearing sunglasses. Jake: Hit it.

B Christopher is a fantastic guitarist and his band in this album is pretty dam good. It includes: Eddie Testa on lead vocals, Anton Fig on drums, Nick Douglas on bass and backing vocals. Bruce Katz on keys Andy Snizter on tenor and baritone sax, Ryan Keberle on trombone, Tony Kadleck on trumpet,Sharlotte Gibson provides backing vocals, and Studebaker John adds harmonica.

Additionally, Original Blues Brothers member Tom “Bones” Malone plays baritone sax on ‘Gimme Some Lovin’”,

The only bad thing about the album  is it only contains seven songs. And it is only 26 minutes and change long!  Anyway it is definitely and album that should be checked out!

Links for the Further Exploration of the Music of The B Christopher Band

Artist’s Website
Facebook
YouTube
Amazon

Here’s the opening track from 2106 miles to Chicago  “Hey, Bartender”

Nick Schnebelen – What Key is Trouble In? Powers a Great Run

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Nick Schnebelen - What Key Is Trouble In? Cover
Ok so I have been moving forward in many ways and also feeling my age (71) in others. I have been moving forward in my battle with my ADHD, as I try to do more thing that I’ve thought about doing. While doing others when I think about them, rather than putting them off ! And so far it’s working! One of those things I didn’t  put off was this morning’s run!

The Run

I’ve been running on a regular basis over the last few months. Today I was torn between a 3.1 and a 4 mile run. I chose the 3.1 mile option. In addition I told myself I needed to take it easy.

Even though I thought I was taking it easy, my time for the first mile was 11:30. Ok so I thought I’ll take it easy through the rest of the run.

However, my pace hovered around 11:30 and I was running fairly comfortably over mile two. subsequently, I ran that mile in 11:26. I thought can I finish with an average pace less than 11:25 which would be my fastest time for the year!

I ran the last mile in 11:21! And with an old man sprint of 9:52 pace over the last .12 miles of the run, I finished with an average pace of (drumroll please!) 11:22 min/mile! Yeah me!

The Nerdy Details

Total Dist: 3.12 miles Time  35:28. Pace: 11:22 min/mile

Splits

Mile 1 11:31 Mile 2: 11: 27 Mile 3 11:21 Mile 0.12 9:52

Avg HR 145 Max HR 161 Cals Burned: 370 Cals

All in All a great morning!

The Soundtrack – What Key is Trouble In?  -Nick Schnebelen

What Key is Trouble in? has been in my music rotation for a while now and it may be my favorite blues album for 2023.

Nick Schnebelen is a multiple Blues Music Award Winner. Nick joined the elite of the blues community in 2008 as a founding member of the Kansas City band Trampled Under Foot.
Nick and His siblings Danielle and Kris, overwhelmed the competition to win that year’s
International Blues Challenge. Nick won the Albert King Award for “Best
Guitarist”. While the band later won the “Contemporary Blues Album” Blues Music Award.

In 2014 Nick left the band. What Key is Trouble In? is his fourth solo album. The album is comprised of 13 original blues rock  tracks that showcase Nick’s great guitar work.

His band mates include Adam Hagerman (drums), Cliff Moore (bass), Red Young (keyboards), Buddy Leach (saxophone), Aaron Mayfield (organ).

The album was co-produced by Chris Hardwick.

Links for the Further Exploration of the Music of Nick Schnebelen

Artist’s Website
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Amazon

Here is Nick and his band performing “Ten Years After, Fifty Years Later” the opening track of What Key is Trouble In? 

 

Malcolm Wells – Hollerin’ Out Loud Helps a Tough Run!

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Yesterday  The Weather Channel’s morning Running Condition Rating was a 7 out of 10. While that rating is indicative of good running conditions, it’s on the dividing line between good conditions and difficult conditions. For me, today’s conditions were tough. They were tough not because of temperature or humidity but for that damn bright sun! I decided that the soundtrack for the run would be Malcolm Wells and the Two-Timers Hollerin’ Out Loud.

I have started judging the running conditions based on where I first break a sweat and today it was quite early in the run. When I completed the first mile in 10:20 ( a time that would have thrilled me a couple of months ago) I knew today was destined to be a normal run.

At the 2nd mile mark my overall pace had gotten even slower and I was struggling just a little. So I mentally decided to slow down and live to run another day. By the middle of the third mile my pace had slipped to around 10:30 per mile. And all I wanted to do was finish with a pace faster than 10:30.
I had to really force myself to give it all I had over the last 0.1 miles. And with that last sprint which was run  at a pace of 8:28 minutes per mile, I was able to finish with an overall pace of 10:21 minutes per mile. That finish is the one good thing I‘ll take away from today‘s run! Here are the Nerdy Details…..

   The Nerdy Details

Total Dist: 3.12 Time 32:35 Pace: 10:26 min/mile

Mile Splits

Mile-1 10:20   Mile-2: 10:24 Mile-3 10:47

Mile-4 (0.12)8:28

Avg HR 140  Max HR 158 Cals Burned: 384 Cals

The Soundtrack -Hollerin’ Out Loud 

The soundtrack for the run was Hollerin‘ Out Loud the debut release from Malcolm Wells and the Two-Timers. As soon as I heard the Blues harp that kicks off „call My Name“ the first track on Hollerin‘ Out Loud  I knew I  was going to love this album. Then came the great guitar and truly sealed the deal!

Malcolm Wells is a terrific blues harpist who lists the these musicians ascontemporary influences:James Harman, Rick Estrin, Gary Primich, RJ Mischo and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. A few of my favorites!

Malcolm is also a fine composer, arranger and vocalist! Malcolm composed and arranged all eleven tracks on the album.

Malcolm‘s biography on his website is very short

Malcolm was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, in the summer of 1966. He is very good at surrounding himself with talent.

Malcolm Wells Surrounds Himself with Talent

Those that he has surrounded himself with collectively known as the Two-Timers include: acclaimed guitarist Matt Woods, bassist Patrick Recob and drummer Dwight Dario.

Each member has been successful prior to becoming a Two-Timer.

Matt Woods‘ releases have been nominated for a Blues Music Award, two Blues Blast Awards and have twice made the finals in the Blues Foundation’s “Best Self Produced CD” competition;

Patrick Recob, was also a Blues Blast Award nominee, who has played with just about everyone of Malcolm’s influences previously mentioned.

While Dwight Dario‘s has been performing for five decades! He was a seventeen year member of The Big George Jackson Band. Dwight has toured Europe a dozen times and has received several of his own various music organization awards.

Thoughts about Hollerin’ Out Loud

Hollerin‘ Out Loud is a terrific album from track one to track eleven. The songs are varied and interesting and the musicianship on each track is top notch, as are the vocals.

What makes Hollerin‘ Out Loud special for me is Malcolm‘s blues harp and Matt Woods guitar work. My favorite tracks include: “Call My Name”, “Muffin Top”  and “Gentleman’s Bet”

So Check It Out!

Links for the Further Exploration of the Music of Malcolm Wells

Artist’s Website 
Facebook
Album Review
Spotify
Amazon

Here’s “Muffin Top” from Hollerin’ Out Loud

Top 20 Psychedelic Rock Songs Playlist Brightened Sunday’s Run

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So this week started as a good running week. On Sunday I ran my first 6.2 mile (10K) training run. While I ran comfortably at a 10:30 pace through the first three miles, the next three were a struggle and I needed to slow down to make the 6.2 miles. However, I did make it and was pleased with my overall time and pace and the soundtrack consisting of one site’s Top 20 Psychedelic Rock Songs. Here are those pesky “Nerdy Details” about the run!

The Nerdy Details

Total Dist: 6.21 Time1:07:58 Pace: 10:57 min/mile

Splits

Mile: 1 10:35    Mile 2: 10:27    Mile: 3 10:39

Mile: 4 11:01       Mile 5 11:22    Mile: 6 11:37

Mile 7 (0.21) 10:51

Avg HR 143 Max HR 164 Cals Burned: 864. Cals

Now after all of the above, I may need to remind you that I started off this post writing,  my running week started off well. Well, last night as I was going down the stairs to feed our cats before bed. I slipped on the top step and skied down the stairs on my butt. Needless to say both my bottom and my left shoulder (I twisted around) were sore this morning.

As a result,  I chose not to run. Instead I did some light rhythmic movement and then my favorite self-created yoga routine.  Actually, it was probably a needed easy day, as my steps per day average was 16,194 for Su day and Monday. Although, I would rather have done it WITHOUT falling down the stairs. Anyway here is the soundtrack for the run.

The Soundtrack :TOP 20 PSYCHEDELIC ROCK SONGS

The soundtrack for the run was a Spotify playlist. The playlist featured most of the songs listed in a post titled –  Top 20 Psychedelic Rock songs at Ultimate Classic Rock and Culture.

The Ultimate Classic rock list contains songs from a lot of my favorite bands> It includes songs from:  Cream, Traffic, Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane and The Who. It also contains songs from groups I don’t know like Tintern Abbey, Tomorrow  and July. As wells, bands I’ve hard of but never really listened to likeThe Pretty Things and The 13th Floor Elevator.

All and allI thought it was a good list and even though I was struggling over the second half of the run, hearing some of my favorite songs kept  me going! So Check out the complete list!!

 

 

Ally Venable, A Run and Thoughts about My Blog

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aLLY vENABLE hEART OF fIRE

When I started my first blog I titled it Me, Myself, Music and Mysteries. The idea was that there would by posts about Me, the music I listened to and the books I read most often which were mysteries.

The “Me” part would include;  posts about my family both my present family and also my ancestors. As well as posts about my attempts to turn back the hands of my biological clock. I attempt to turn those clocks back by eating right, and exercising regular. My exercising includes yoga,  running and indoor cardio workouts.

So why am I writing all of this? Well quite simply I don’t think I can limit myself to only writing about books and music. My ADHD brain just won’t allow it.

The bottom line is I want to open this blog up again to encompass ALL of my life. And maybe just maybe I can post a little more often.

For now and until such time as I can think of another name for this blog, I’m just adding “and More” to the title!

2026 Update: It took a few years, but I finally found the name I was looking for. The ideas I was wrestling with here eventually became A Sixties & Seventies Man. Instead of trying to fit everything into one blog, I realized my writing was really about the music, books, family stories, genealogy, running, and everyday moments that have shaped my life from the 1960s and 1970s onward. Looking back, this post was the first sign that I was already heading in that direction

The Run

Now with all of the above out of the way I can write about runningI have been putting off running for most of 2021. I ran one time back in the beginning of March, but since the weather has been getting nicer the running itch has gotten stronger, so the other day I gave in and ran or at least traversed 2.8miles as fast as my 69 year old legs can carry me. And while it may not be as fast as I’d like it to be, I’m just glad I can still do it! Here are the nerdy details.

The Nerdy Details

Total Dist: 2.81 Time 33:18  Pace: 11;52 min/mile

Splits

Mile 1 11:50    Mile 2: 11: 56     Mile 0.82 11:47

Avg HR 145 Max HR 167 Cals Burned: 446. Cals

The Almost Soundtrack – Heart of Fire – Ally Venable

The soundtrack for the run was going to be Heart of Fire  the new album from Aly Venable. I say was supposed to because when I started the run I received a message that my phone’s battery was low. So after about a quarter mile I turned my headphones off to conserve the battery. It worked because I still had a battery life after finishing the run. Of course I have know way of knowing if it would have done that if I kept listening to the music.

I guess what I’ll need to do is check the charge in my phone before and after my next run!

Anyway if I had checked the charge on the phone before my last run, this post would have a music tie-in via Heart of Fire from Aly Venable. As it is I will give the album a few more listens before I write about Ally and the album

Here’s a post I wrote when I first listen to Ally Venable. Her able Puppet Show had just entered my music rotation. It is a winner!

Artist’s Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Amazon

The Video

Currently,Heart of Fire is number 18 on the Roots Music Reports Top 59 Albums Chart and climbing! Here’s the Official Music video for the title track from Heart of Fire

 

Dion – Blues with Friends Makes a Struggling Run Better

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Blues with FRiends -Dion

Ok so I’m doing it again. I started to posts yesterday and I didn’t finish either one of them! So now rather than go back and write a little in each one of them I’ll just plot ahead and write a new posts. Recently, I haven’t run very often on Saturdays, but yesterday the weather conditions were slightly better than they were in Friday, so off I went, with the music of Dion providing the soundtrack.

The Run

I quickly  realized, even though the temperature was fairly low, the humidity was going to make this a tough run!

So it became one of those runs during which I need to trick myself. As I reach the 2.5 mile mark my thought become ‘“well you’ve made 2.5 mile you only have 1.5 miles to go you can do that”z. Then at 3 miles it’s 3 miles down only 1 more to go.. “if you’ve gone 3 you can certainly make 1 more“. But even with that semi-positive re-enforcement the last mile was a struggle. Additonally, he emergence of the sun and the lack of shade over the last half mile didn’t help things!  Needless to say I made it, but with no semi-strong sprint at the end. My pace over the last block was more of a slow  crawl. Here are the nerdy details.

The Nerdy Details

Total Miles: 4.08 Total Time 46.52 Pace 11:29

Avg Hr 144 bpm Max HR 157 Cals Burned: 611

I am not going to list the mile splits because the GPS was goofy during they run. Consistently, I was reaching the mile and half mile points well before I normally. Therefore, my pace was actually a little slower than listed above.

The Soundtrack: Blues with Friends -Dion

Throughout the run though I was struggling.  I was still able refocus on this fine new album.’s music. And yes for those of you who remember it is that Dion DiMucci better known mononymously as Dion

For those of you who don’t remember here’s some background from Wikipedia….Dion’s…

…. work has incorporated elements of doo-wop, rock and R&B styles—and, most recently, straight blues. Initially as lead singer of Dion and the Belmontsand then in his solo career, he was one of the most popular American rock and roll performers of the pre-British Invasion era. He had 39 Top 40 hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s as a solo performer, with the Belmonts or with the Del Satins. He is best remembered for the singles “Runaround Sue”, “The Wanderer”, “Ruby Baby” and “Lovers Who Wander”, among his other hits. Read More

About Blues with Friends…

I really enjoyed the album both during the run and  when I listened to it earlier in the week.

From Amazon

Blues With Friends, the new studio album from Dion, is packed with a great batch of songs written during a productive time coming off his latest release. When the legendary Joe Bonamassa was eager to be involved, it inspired Dion to invite others to join the project. He says, “I wanted the best musicians alive like Jeff Beck, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Van Morrison and more to take them in unexpected directions. Wayne Hood, my producer, brought out the best of them.” Read More

The bottom is that Blues with Friends is a terrific album. Three of my favorite songs are “Blues Comin’ on ” with Joe Bonamassa and “Uptown No 7” with Brian Setzer. and “Song for Sam Cooke (Here in America)” with Paul Simon.

The Video

Here it is and it’s a great song….

Check Out Dion on  Facebook or Spotify

Mike Zito Kicks Off An Improvised Workout

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A Cold Morning Leads to an Improvised Workout

So it was 24 degrees outside when I got up this morning. Being the fair weather runner that I am I decided that if I run today it will be later this afternoon. I decided instead to just do a light workout. Maybe a little less strenuous than if it were only workout for the day but a little harder than my normal pre-run workout.

Mike Zito’s Rock ‘n’ Roll: A Tribute to Chuck Berry kicks off my morning workout

I didn’t use a soundtrack per say but made it up as I went along. I started out with some dance-cardio. The first three songs were from Rock ‘n’ Roll: A Tribute to Chuck Berry Mike Zito’s new album. Two songs from Victor Wainwright came next “Piana from Savannah” and “Let’s Go, Get Gone”  At that point, I was 10 plus minutes into the workout and heals burnt over 100 calories.

I was also ready to shift gears and shift into some Kundalini using Snatam Kaur’s “Mul Mantra”. This portion of the workout consists of some Kundalini warm up exercises and the core workout exercises. It last a little over 7 minutes.

The final section of the workout focused on legs and hips. All done to the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s cover of  “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”

The Nerdy Details

Total Time: 35:02.  Calories Burned: 269.  Avg HR 107

HR Zones: Peak 1 min. Cardio: 18 min Fat Burn: 12 min

Now as I sit here writing this, the temperature has risen to a comfortable running level. So I should be out running, but LSU is playing Alabama, and I do want to watch that game. Hmm, looking at the weather for tomorrow I see it’s going to be warmer tomorrow and the Eagles are t playing. I do believe I will be running tomorrow!

Now if I do another 20 minute Cardio workout Later today I could burn as many calories as a run!!

Links for the Further  Exploration of the Blues of Mike Zito

So here’s Mike Zito and Walter Trout performing Johnny B Goode. Which is in many people’s minds associated with what movie?

 

 

 

 

John Mayall Makes A Good Run Better! Try It

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Nobody Told Me - John Maayall

Originally Posted Aug 2019 – Revised and Updated Feb 2026

The Run

Yesterday’s was one of those days that was about as close to perfect as you can get. First we were going to be babysitting our grandson Logan all day while his parents and older sister went to Six Flags. The good thing was we didn’t need to be there until 9:30. That meant that I could run around 8:00 and and be done and showered by 9:30. So I got up at 7:00 did some warm up exercising and was out the door by 8:00.

I ran a 3.1 (5K) mile course that is pretty flat. It’s the fourth time I’ve run since I was sick with an upper respiratory infection and a touch of pneumonia. Overall, it was the best of the four runs. Here are the results….

The Nerdy Details

Total Distance: 3.19    Time :33:38     Pace: 10:33

Avg HR   144       Peak HR  163         Cals 423

Splits   1 – 10:18    2-  10:40      3- 10:51    0.19  9:38

The Soundtrack – Nobody Told Me – John Mayall

he first John Mayall album I bought was 1969’s The Turning Point. I really loved that album an over the next 50 years I have continued to follow his legendary career and he has consistently provided me with great albums!   Nobody Told Me is another.

Throughout his career Mayall has always had a terrific lead guitarist in his band, starting with Eric Clapton! Other guitarists who have worked with Mayall include: Mick Taylor, Peter Green, Harvey Mandel, Walter Trout,Coco Montoya and Rocky Athos.

Guest guitarists on Nobody Told Me  include Todd Rundgren, Joe Bonamassa, Larry McCray, Alex Lifeson (Rush), Steven Van Zandt and Carolyn Wonderland.

Bottom line

The bottom line is that at 85 years young John Mayall sounds as good as he ever has. While I like all the tracks on the album I would have to say that these four are my favorite tracks: “ What have I done Wrong” and “Delta Hurricane” with Joe Bonamassa. “Evil and Her to Stay” with Alex Lifeson and “Distant Lonesome Train” with Carolyn Wonderland.

So if you’re a fan of John Mayall you have probably already checked this album out. So I’d be interested in your opinion. And if you’ve never heard of Mayall check it out and I bet you’ll be checking out several more albums included in his extensive discography!

Here’s the Official Video for the tile track of Nobody Told Me featuring the band’s new lead guitarist Carolyn Wooderla d!

Ok so there were three things that made Tuesday a great day. A good run, babaysitting my 20 month old grandson Logan and finally I finished the 34th book I’ve read this year, Rogue Island by Bruce DeSilva. When it was released in 2010 it won the Edgar for Best First Novel. I will be writing about it shortly!

Links

Artist’s Website

Album Review: Glide Magazine

Facebook

Instagram

Chris Thomas King – Great Blues and A Fast Run (for me!!)

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Bona Fide [ Chris Thomas King

Originally Posted October 2014 Revised and Updated June 2026

With the IQ test over and having done better than my wife anticipated, I now have my eyes set on my first 5K of the year, this Saturday in Delanco. Tonight was my second-to-last workout before the race, and it turned out to be my best run of the late summer early fall!

I tried to run short pickups throughout the run and a couple of times my pace dropped below 9 minutes per mile and was under 10 minute per mile pace through most of the run. I pushed it through the first 3.1 miles of the run and then backed off.

 I was able to pick it back up though for a decent push at the end. Overall the time was 39:32 over 4.03 miles for a final pace of 9:48. which I am happy with!

The Soundtrack

The soundtrack of the run was Bona Fide, the latest release from Chris Thomas King who is somewhere today celebrating his 49th birthday (according to his website and 50th according to AllMusic)!

Who is Chris Thomas King?

King was born on October 14, 1964, in Baton Rouge. His father, Tabby Thomas, is a locally prominent bluesman who owned a club called Tabby’s Blues Box, which opened in 1979 and closed in 2004 following Tabby’s retirement.

As a result, King, started early toward his musical future; even as a youngster he was well known as Rockin’ Tabby’s son and a child genius. While frequenting his father’s club he performed with the late Silas Hogan, Guitar Kelly and Clarence Edwards, three masters of swamp blues.

By sixth grade, King was learning to play the trumpet and later traveling as a rhythm guitar player of famous musicians like Lowell Folsom and Joe Tex. As he matured in the musical setting of New Orleans area blues culture, King was encouraged to experiment and develop his own style. Because each blues musician had a unique playing and singing style, he was discouraged from singing others’ songs or even playing the way they did.

He told Lisa Simeone on National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition, “They would never sit me down and say, ‘Well, this is how it goes.’ They … told me don’t sing their songs … ‘Find your own song and sing that.'”  Full Biography

About Bona Fide

After listening to  Bona Fide, I wondered why I never heard of him (uh, because you never hear of anyone??) Ok here’s one reason. He came on the blues scene according to Wikipedia in the late 80s and early 90s, when I was busy raising four children!! From Wikipedia:

King is known as the pioneer of rap/blues fusion.[1] He conceived the first sample-based blues concept album in the early 1990s by writing and producing the first all-rap/blues album for RCA Records titled 21st Century Blues… From Da Hood.  Read More

AHA! He Spent Many Years in Europe!

From his website, I discovered that he spent many years in the more liberal confines of Europe!!:

Like Miles Davis and Bob Dylan before him, Chris Thomas King was originally celebrated as the young savior of an aging musical culture when he first arrived on the national scene. Branded as a rebel King was banned form blues festivals across the United States.


He fled to Denmark to cool his heels in the more liberal environment that flourished in Europe. While in Denmark he recorded and released the critically acclaimed hip-hop blues album “21st Century Blues from da hood.”

The French embraced him as a major artist with vision and the rest of Europe followed. He toured with his Danish band extensively across Europe playing major festivals and theaters but longed to return to New Orleans.

Upon returning to the United States in 1995, he started his own independent production company and record label, 21st Century Blues. Soon after he found success as a film composer and actor. Winning three Grammy Awards by 2003 and several Country music CMA awards. Full Biography

I Saw Home in Movies! Who Knew?

While I may not have known his name, I did see him and hear him in the movies Ray, where he played bandleader and blues guitarist Lowell Fulson, and in O Brother, Where Art Thou? where he “portrayed a skilled blues guitarist who claims he sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his skill on guitar.

The character is based on blues musicians Tommy Johnson and Robert Johnson, both of whom have been linked to selling their soul to the devil at a rural Mississippi crossroads!” (From Wikipedia) But now that I know the name and love the album Bona Fide,

Final Thoughts and The Video

I will be checking out the rest of his discography – maybe I’ll even check out the music that got him branded a rebel and sent him to Europe to ply his trade!!!

Here’s the closing track from Bona Fide, “Goodbye Chicago”  I say, “Hello Chris Thomas King and Happy Birthday!!”

Post Update and Confession:

I never did get around to exploring the ten albums Mr. King released prior to Bona Fide or the four he released after. However, I did listen to his most recent release 2023’s Big Gray Sky and loved it. I’ll give you my thoughts soon!

John Mayall – A Special Life A Special Run Soundtrack!

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A Special Life - John Mayall

Reposted – Feb 17,2024 – ten years later….I was 62 ar the time of the run!

This week has been a topsy-turvy week. Monday it was in the 80s and then was  cloudy all day. Yesterday (Tuesday) it looked like it was going to rain and the temperatures were in the 60s!

Today (Thursday) it was supposed to be back into the 80s. So last night (Wednesday) I decided that I better run then or face another hot day running!

So of course today turned out a  lot like yesterday. However, I’m still glad that I ran last night!!  I decided to run on of my oldest routes, a slightly up and down run going up and down the highest point in Riverside on Pancoast Avenue.

The run was a good one. While I didn’t set any land speed records, I did feel fairly strong throughout the run. Well except when I was going up the steepest parts of Pancoast!! The only good thing is that I do get to go down hill for a good part of the last mile!!

The splits weren’t too bad. First mile 10:20 – Second 10:28, Third 11:04 – the uphill battle, 4 – 10:42.  Total Time was 42:34. When compared to Monday’s 44:54, it even looks better!!

The Soundtrack – A Special Life – John Mayall

On my last run I ran with on of the younger blues musicians, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, who by the way is celebrating his birthday today. Happy Birthday Kenny Wayne. So last night I decided to run with someone older than me, by almost two decades!! That would be “the godfather of the British Blues” John Mayall,who turned 80 last November. I ran withnbhis latest release A Special Life.

A Special Life is like Mayall’s gazillionth release since he formed the Bluesbeakers in 1965. I started to listen to Mayall during my freshman year in college with the first album that  I bought being The Turning Point and it has through the years been on of my favorites.This time period in Mayall’s music is my favorite. The Turning Point along with Jazz  Blues Fusion and Movin’ On are three of my favorite albums. I loved Johnny Almond’s sax and flute work and every body on the later two albums, Jazz Blues Fusion introduced me to the trumpet of Blue Mitchell. For most of the world John may be best know for the musicians who have been a part of the Bluesbreakers.

From Wikipedia here are of some ex-members of John’s band…..

  • Guitar: Eric Clapton, Roger Dean, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Harvey Mandel, Freddy Robinson, Jimmy McCulloch, Kal David, Walter Trout, Coco Montoya, Randy Resnick,Sonny Landreth, Buddy Whittington, Eric Steckel, Robben Ford
  • Bass: Jack Bruce, John McVie, Steven Thompson[disambiguation needed], Larry Taylor, Tony Reeves, Hank Van Sickle, Greg Rzab
  • Drums: Hughie Flint, Keef Hartley, Aynsley Dunbar, Soko Richardson, Jon Hiseman, Colin Allen, Mick Fleetwood.
  • Keyboards: Dr. John
  • Vocals/Harmonica: Paul Butterfield

I think that the first time I heard Coco Montoya was on John’s 1987 release Chicago Line. What I didn’t realize until a short while back, was that Walter Trout also played on that album. Looking at the list of guitarist see that both Eric Steckel and Robben Ford have recorded with John, so I will certainly look up the albums they played on. 

The Current Bluesbreakers

The current lineup for the Bluesbreakers includes: Rocky Athas on guitar, Greg Rzab on bass, and drummer Jay Davenport. Rocky Athas and Stevie Ray Vaughan both hail from Oak Cliff, Texas.

By the time Athas was 23, he had already established himself on the Texas Blues scene and was named one of the first TEXAS TORNADOS by Buddy Magazine’s Top Ten Guitarists. The list of Texas Tornados went on over the years to include Eric Johnson, Jimmy and Stevie Ray Vaughan, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, and Johnny Winter.

Both Greg Rzab and Jay Davenport grew up in the Chicago blues scene. Rzab has been a member of  Buddy Guy and jimmy Page’s bands, and Warren Hayes’ Gov’t Mule!

Davenport has likewise played with some top blues musicians including: Junior Wells, Valerie Wellington, Pinetop Perkins,Jimmie Johnson and for the last several years he has been the drummer for west-side guitarist Melvin Taylor,  where the other half of the rhythm section was? – Greg Rzab!!.

Last year, Mayall asked about his current band and he replied, “The band I have now is the best band I have EVER had. I think it would be impossible to do better than that!”

 

What American Blues Scene says about the album…..

Mayall is at the top of his game here, and the band comes together nicely, serving up some of the finest fare we’ve heard in a while. This music draws listeners in, and engages them on so many levels! The more we listened to A Special Life, the more we wanted to hear it. Superbly crafted and performed, it is at once earthy, elegant, and soul stirring. Listeners will wear this album out.

So Check IT out!!

The Video

Here’s “Speak of the Devil” from A Special Life – and I will say this may be my favorite track on the album and that I hope that I’m going as good as John, when I hit 80!!!