Blood Brothers
Hello to anyone who might still check this ol' lounge! Miss this place. Been thinking about our ol' buddy, Hugh, lately and missing him. He loved talking music.
Wanted to wish you all a very Happy New Year and hope everyone is healthy, too! 😎 🍺
Good Evening All, I haven't been here in a long long time!
Peg, I have been reading Guitar King: Michael Bloomfield's Life In The Blues. What a great book! He really influenced a lot of players and had some of the greatest teachers in Chicago! Many thanks for all the Michael Bloomfield music you shared. As I am reading the book, I am listening to all the Michael Bloomfield I have (commercial releases as well, especially "from his head to his heart to his hands".
Ron and Harvey, what to do with all of the audio shows! So many artists, so many concerts! It took me a year+, but I loaded all of the audio to iTunes, so I can just randomly sample all the great music sent to me from over the years. There was some research I had to do when the shows didn't have any setlists, so DBetree was also updated in the process. If you have shows from the same generation (copy), chancers are that if you still use itunes, it will find it! To my ears, the sound is just fine!
Certainly do miss everyone, from Ron, Peg, Harvey, Merlin28, OldCoot, McPeach, Phil Robertson, ABBMonk, Rich....and so many many more. Also miss those who left us to early like Capt. Skipper, Hugh... and others.
All the best to everyone ... and Happy New Year!
Great to see you stop by the site Phil! You've always been one of the super folks!
"Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho?"
@philbny PHIL! So glad I stopped in to see if there was any action.
I just posted a bunch of concert shots from my time in Houston on facebook from the KLOL annual charity auction.
A friend found video of the night I shot.
Youtube video was by a friend from way back who I played with on the KLOL radio softball team!
Such a small world.
Hit me up!
Great to "see" you stop by, Phil ... I'm still old school and continue to play CDs in my study ... sometimes my wife even lets me play them in the lounge 
Hope you're doing ok!
Thanks for the email, Peg ... I will reply very soon now I'm finally over my first ever bout of covid ... I have a dodgy immune system and it took 6 weeks to fully shake it off !!!
Hey Gang, glad to see you are all doing well! I continue to learn on this site, most recently how to notify someone if you post. Thank you Ron!
Ron, great set of slides... you do have a magic camera and get great shots. Really liked the one of Frank Zappa!
Peg, I am still working through Michael Bloomfields biography, Guitar King. After each chapter, I have been listening to all the music that that is referenced from the Avalon to Fillmore East/West, and then check to see if I have a copy. Fortunately, I have found most of the music available and got a few commercial releases, such as "The Life Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper", "Live at the Old Waldorf", and "If You Love These Blues, Play'em As You Please". Still have a few hundred more pages to go in the book.
On the ABB front, I listened to Manley Field House, Syracuse University, April 7, 1972 both streaming and the copy that I received (from one of the generous people on this site...maybe from Clay, remastered by Capt. Skipper), and I couldn't tell the audio difference. Could be my ears, but if it was remastered recently, the sound quality was very similar.
On the live show music front, I did load all the audio, which took about a year, and I only started with with DVD/FLAC.... which I started but took a break from. Need to listen to the music for a while vs. converting to an easy format to listen to. Harvey, I listen to CD's but almost always make the digital copy and listen from the computer.
All well, and still miss the "good ol' days" when the lounge and site was hopping with activity. All very memorable.
Got the Syracuse show, haven't listened yet.
As far as remastering, they found the original FM broadcast recording with the "Syracuse Jam" that had been missing from day one.
I'm focusing on putting my concert work on display in my house.
Former wife would never have gone for that.
I'm also working on getting images I've shot signed by the artists.
Quite a few of the acts we've seen locally play the venues often.
Next two chances for me are Eric Gales next month, Mike Zito in March & Shemekia Copeland in April.
Waiting on the mail for a signed 8 x 10 of Albert Castiglia.
He played my son's boss' place in Beaumont on NYE and was impressed by my shot from the Syracuse BluesFest last June.
I also sent a shot of him and Zito from a previous Blood Brothers show.
He signed that and I'll get Mike's in March on it and a solo shot.
I need to upload all of those to my photography website and I'll share that link here for y'all.
On a different note, NY will finally finish the rules here for home grow.
Most people just assumed it was legal a couple years ago but they never established rules for it.
I have grown indoors for years with both sons helping out at times.
I did four outdoor Peyote Gorilla plants last year with great results and look forward to another nice outdoor grow in 24, this time not sweating about any legal issues.
[url] https://www.smugmug.com/app/organize/Concert-shots-over-the-years [/url]
Along with this gallery there are a bunch of individual shows from the last few years.
Mike Menza & his father both played on Dion's Stomping Ground CD.
Saw them open for Tommy Castro in Syracuse.
A good friend comped me tickets, he's on the board of the Syracuse BluesFest and also gives me VIP and this year a photo pass.
It does not suck to shoot the entire night from the pit!
I did two nights last year, Blood Brothers headlined opening night and the finale was Samantha Fish and Buddy Guy.
Ron, I checked my version of Manley House and it has the Syracuse Jam ... the track was called Jam ---> Hot 'Lanta, all on a single 10:38 Minute track. I have to believe you have the same version. I don't remember who sent the show , but it would have come from this site at one point in time (a long time ago!).
Anyway, thanks for the pictures, I take any concert photos with a point and shoot Canon camera so they are just basic shots.
@philbny Hey Phil! It's been SO long!! Nice to hear from you. I'm so glad you're enjoying Guitar King. My name's in there a few times. I'm so grateful for that. David did a fabulous job with that book.
@harvey I was beginning to worry, Colin. So sorry you were sick. That damn virus!! Glad you're on the mend and I look forward to your email.
Ron, I looked thru a majority of your photos. Really nice work!
@pixielf Peg, great to hear from you again. The Michael Bloomfield book is great. It's unbelievable all the music artists that he interacted with when he was playing. I am currently on the 1974 - 1977 chapter ... "Mill Valley and San Francisco. The author does a great job pulling you right into the story... like you were there watching the action.
Also fun is to listen to all the music that is referenced in the chapters. So far I have used my collection
(both commercial and unreleased live recordings, Amazon Music Streaming and Youtube. Most if not all the music he references can be found. There were various live dates that he writes about, and some seemed to have been recorded, others not. Over the weekend I was looking at dbetree and what was out there. I think you have most of the shows that are available! I always knew Michael Bloomfield was one of you favorites but I didn't realize the extent.. it's great!!
As I read through the book, and attempt to play some of the tunes on guitar (very rough attempt), I certainly have a new appreciation for all his music. I have been listening to Super Sessions over and over again.. especially the songs "Albert's Shuffle" and "Stop"..... the rest of the album is great, but those both seem to rise to the top.
Alright Peg.... back to "Guitar King" 🙂
Howdy and Happy 1st day of Spring! Love this time of year! 🌹 🌺
Good morning folks -- Just wanted to shout out to all my brothers and sisters here. My first time back on this site in many moons. I hope you all are doing well. Peace, love, good health to all and healing vibes to those in need. Much love.
@merlin28 ... hey Rob, how are you doing bro ... good to "see" you again ... peace and love to you too!
RIP Dickey! An American legend. I loved him dearly.
RIP Dickey 😞 What can I say that hasn't all ready been said? I loved you as much as anyone can love a musician and their music. Now you're with your brothers in that old Winnebago in the sky. Play on for those of us to come and for the angels to have a change of pace!
Shout out to all my brother & sisters herein the Lounge!
Was just writing back Kitty to say I hope you’re happy & well & yes, great minds think alike to this day (1 min apart), albeit on this sad day - listening to Bougainvillea, one of his masterpieces
A man who is very much responsible for why we here are all friends ... there's going to be one heck of a jam up there tonight ... thank you Dickey ... peace and love to you all my friends
Miss Kitty Widgeon!!! How very wonderful to hear from you, sis! I hope you're enjoying life in the Carolina's. (can't remember which one)
Michael! Great to hear from you as well. It's been ages!! You too, Stephen!
Reading Dickey's thread in AG, all kinds of people showing up. We all loved Dickey so much. This really hurts!
Was on the road to visit Jeanne's mom when we heard the news on Bluesville.
Her dad passed away March 2nd and we're doing our annual Spring trip before my busy season starts.
Wasn't surprising but Dickey's passing is still a shock.
So many old friends have come back to post.
KITTY!!!
Great timing, Springsteen played Syracuse last night.
Don't know if he played Kitty's Back though.
Edit: He didn't.
Take care, y'all.
@Pixelf
I was travelling back home early this morning and saw a post on my phone from Libby on Faceback, with a picture of Dickey Betts and a Libby's comment, "This has hit me pretty hard". Yep... as Ron indicated not unexpected but always a surprise when you hear of someone's passing...and especially when the somebody is Dickey Betts. Before boarding the plane, I listened to three songs... in this order... "Mountain Jam", "Blue Sky" and "Ramblin' Man".... RIP Dickey, you created wonderful music, played for the world and your legacy of music.. well ... the road will go on forever!
I am listening to his Bottom Line Concert from April 19, 1977. ... almost 50 years ago... and he sounds great on that concert.
Also, glad to see Rob (Merlin28) check in.
By chance I recently picked up Alan Paul's - "Brothers and Sisters: The Allman Brothers Band and the Inside Story of the Album That Defined the '70s" finished it about a week ago. Its a great read, and you will get through it quickly as you will not want to put it down. I learned quite of few things about the band (and Dickey Betts) that I never knew before). I would recommend to all to get a copy of the book, if you haven't already.
Hope everyone is doing well...and all the best to the lounge crew.... you are the best ... and will feel that kindred spirit with you all!
Phil
Was just writing back Kitty to say I hope you’re happy & well & yes, great minds think alike to this day (1 min apart), albeit on this sad day - listening to Bougainvillea, one of his masterpieces
Hey Stephen - I'm doing OK and am as happy as possible. I love Bougainvillea :)it's so beautiful. Hoe you're doing well. Dickey's demise hit me pretty hard eventhough it wasn't really unexpected at his age. I've been listening to a Warehouse show from '71 which had a nice Blue Sky on it - not as good as the SUNY Blue Sky, but it's still quite memorable.
Miss Kitty Widgeon!!! How very wonderful to hear from you, sis! I hope you're enjoying life in the Carolina's. (can't remember which one)
Michael! Great to hear from you as well. It's been ages!! You too, Stephen!
Reading Dickey's thread in AG, all kinds of people showing up. We all loved Dickey so much. This really hurts!
Hey Peggy! I love NC. John (midngtrdr69) & I live in the foothills the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's very beautiful. It's hard to believe I will have been here 10 years at the end of May.
It took me awhile to figure out how to get here and post. I had to re-sign up with a new password, etc. I'd never seen this layout before. It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks.
It's great to see all of you again. It warms and lightens my heart during this sad time.
