Buddy Whittington & E-1

Get ready to rock because tonight I’m featuring a monster guitarist, none other than Buddy Whittington. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, he began playing the guitar at the age of eight. His early influences were other Texas bluesmen like Billy Gibbons, Johnny Winter, and Freddie King. But the blues really hit him between the eyes when he heard an album featuring a fiery Les-Paul-wielding Eric Clapton playing with John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers.

While playing local gigs around Texas, he was spotted by none other than Mayall himself who got his contact information, but didn’t follow up until two years later when Coco Montoya left the Bluesbreakers. He was invited to join the band in 1983 and continued with Mayall until 2008, making him the Bluesbreaker’s longest serving guitarist.

As you’ll see and hear in the videos, the man can cook. From the slow blues, one of the most difficult styles to play, to rockin funk, he’s a guitarist’s guitarist. So, this Hump Day special should keep you rollin until the weekend. Enjoy!

Shakey Ground: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtnnORty7XQ

Crosscut Saw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9kW6Up9P1g

Just got back from Baby’s: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSy9T5XDw-M

Slow train rollin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMmyw1bxzaM

That ain’t right: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0fR8orspNE

Help me through the day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj_a-eGVRgE

Romance classified: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZBf17P4z1M

Big legged woman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSKChc2LN5U

Minor blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlIDoYyBnYY

Baby how blue can you get: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y0fqMz9Ipc

I love you more and more every day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4Xasj_peJU

Pay the band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amd14RrWB7w

Same old blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLAhG6w1p7c

Greenwood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsYaSU1TQ0M

Grits ain’t groceries: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rpKf-yTQfE

In my last post, I reviewed F-1 from Dave Phinney and the Orin Swift Winery. Tonight, I suggest E-1 (for Espania or Spain) from his “Locations” series. E-1, is a blend of Garnacha from Priorat, Tempranillo and Garnacha from Rioja and Carignan from Ribero del Duero. The wine is deep purple-black with fragrant aromas of blackberry and boysenberry that follow on the palate. It combines the characteristics I like best about Spanish wines into one excellent bottle and again, at $17.00 a bottle, I went back for two more. This one was a bit more difficult to find in stores, but it’s worth the search. And of course, E-1 is an excellent accompaniment to the powerful guitar of Buddy Whittington.

Cheers!

Jaco Pastorius & F-1

If you know and love jazz then I don’t have to say much about Jaco Pastorius. There isn’t a modern day bassist who hasn’t been influenced by his work. Once you’ve heard him, you’ll recognize that bassists of all stripes cop his licks. From rock and roll to hip hop to jazz you hear the echoes of his unmistakable sound everywhere. In spite of his imitators, there was, is, and will only be one Jaco.

His staccato sixteenth notes were his signature, but the characteristic of his playing that always stuck out for me was his sense of groove. To this day, I’ve never heard anyone who could turn a song into something special just by his groove. Check out The Chicken, Groovin, and Black Market for examples. Try playing Teen Town’s super fast sixteenth notes at full speed to appreciate his dexterity. He was also a master of using harmonics as you can hear on Birdland.

Unfortunately, like many exceptionally creative artists, he was a deeply troubled man and died after a beating by a bar bouncer in Miami.

There’s a lot of music here. The Montreal Jazz Festival link is over an hour of Jaco and his band. He remains one of the best to ever pick up the instrument.

Birdland: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8q6sR6yZCE

The Chicken: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMdoLi5qnYo

Donna Lee: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdqje73KQwg

Groovin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmRlRGlKqko

Third Stone from the Sun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtHbxsdExlE

Teen Town: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I63bOi477cA

Higher: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b64QuU1DYs

Black Market: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuAMSE_xck4

Montreal Jazz Festival: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cpwaq7CxD4

If you’re a wine lover, you may be familiar with the Orin Swift Winery known for wines like The Prisoner or Veladora, both of which are beyond my $25.00 limit for this blog. But Dave Phinney, the winery’s mastermind, has started a new venture.   While waiting for a cab at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, he noticed the country code stickers on the backs of cars. It gave him the idea to make wines combining the best grape varieties from the countries of Europe and use the country sticker as the label. Thus was born his “Locations” wine series.

Tonight’s wine, F-1 (for France), is the second release in the series. It’s a blend of Grenache from the Roussillon, Syrah from the Rhône, and assorted Bordeaux varietals. The wine is a deep ruby-garnet with aromas of dark berries and spice. The palate is rich with flavors of boysenberry, blackberry, and more spice with soft tannins. For $16.00 this is an outstanding example of a French wine. I liked it so much, I went back and bought two more bottles. A great wine with a great bassist. How can you go wrong?

Cheers! 

Steven Curtis Chapman & Veladora Sauvignon Blanc

Today is my 35^th wedding anniversary and in honor of that, I’m featuring one our favorite songwriter/singer/guitarists.  Born November 21, 1962, Steven Curtis Chapman is one of the leading singer/songwriters in contemporary Christian music today. He’s also a heck of a guitarist. He started his career in the late 80s and since then has won five Grammys, and 56 Gospel Association Dove Awards including seven “Artist of the Year” awards, a record for the association. More importantly, to me at least, is his character and the fact that he and his family have weathered some hard times. Three years ago, his son, Caleb (the second guitarist in the “Lord of the Dance” video below), pulled the family car into their driveway. His little sister, Maria, was excited to see her brother that she ran to the car to meet him. Tragically, she crossed in front of the car where Caleb could not see her and she was killed in the accident. Imagine for a moment how a parent might feel. Not only did they have to mourn the loss of their youngest daughter, but also had to re-instill confidence into their son who, I’m sure, was devastated by the events. Read Steven’s account of his family’s progress at http://stevencurtischapman.com/about .

He’s an amazing guitarist to boot.  Try playing his chord progressions some time and see if you don’t end up with cramps. Enjoy!

Lord of the Dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDXbvMcMbU0

The Walk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PJPOGk8GUM&feature=related

Cinderella: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXzRDWHH3B8&feature=related

More to this life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGemjDMLijA&feature=related

Dive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maMPiZj3gEw&feature=related

Just have to wait: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI01b_Klf1Y&feature=related

The Great Adventure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgX5ZGsaunc&feature=related

I will be here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wih3-x0FCbk&feature=related

Heaven is the face: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30gGxT5gLqA&feature=related

Beauty will rise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6sGtkhpqeA

Remembering you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P39oEuI2-s

Not home yet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXkKuxQCgBk&feature=related

I’m pairing Steven with the wine my wife and I drank to celebrate our anniversary, a 2010 Orin-Swift Veladora Sauvignon Blanc ($25.00). Rarely do I like California Sauvignon Blancs. They tend to be bitter, at least to my taste buds. I much prefer a New Zealand version or a French Sancerre. However, the Veladora is the first California Sauvignon Blanc that I really, really enjoyed. Its bouquet is expansive and brings back memories of my grandmother’s gooseberry bushes, augmented by grass, figs, lemon, and citrus. It’s very complex and fresh.

The palate is slightly sweet with exceptional minerality, almost effervesant. It’s completed by the tastes of gooseberries, peaches, and figs, with a faint spiciness. This is by far the best California Sauvignon Blanc I’ve tasted. It compliments the music of Steven Curtis Chapman beautifully. Happy 35^th anniversary to the love of my life, Sandy. Love you!

Cheers!