Audiophiles Do Go to Heaven
"Once upon a time….."
(actually 1998) in a far-away land (actually Kansas) a strange thing happened. No, not an odd-shaped field-crop formation, but a "trip to see the Wizard of Oz" from the perspective of a music fan / audiophile.
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One for the Ageless—Myra Turns 93!
It's time for a special blues and jazz bash! Kansas City's musical matron, Mama Myra Taylor, invites everyone to celebrate her 93rd birthday with a party at Knuckleheads, 2715 Rochester (www.knuckleheadskc.com), on Wednesday, Feb. 24th from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission is free before 8 p.m., $5 after.
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Indie Vinyl
You've surely noticed that much of the New Arrivals content on the Acoustic Sounds website involves vinyl from independent labels - some of the artists obscure, some on the verge of stardom, some the back catalog titles of groups who've since "made it" with major labels. As the vinyl wave continues its crest, nearly every contemporary artist wants their music on LP. We wade through the garbage - and there's plenty of that - to offer you what's worth the space on your platter, aiming for great music preferably very well recorded. And the man behind those selections is John Kass - our Indie Vinyl resident expert. John now has a voice with indievinyl.com. He's already begun to offer his recommendations, descriptions and warnings. The independent vinyl market is a tough one to track - a constant flow of never-before-heard names. John tells you what he thinks is good and what he thinks sucks. So why not take a look? Post some comments and get a discussion kicked off. Believe us: Plenty of this music is worth owning. Now you may be able to buy with a little more security.
King Alex 1934 - 2008
King Alex was a bluesman for nearly 60 years. Primarily as a bass player, he was a sideman to Albert Collins, Claude "Fiddler" Williams and Little Hatch. He was also a member of The Kansas City Turnpikes, one of the few Kansas City blues acts of the '50s, '60s and '70s to actually record. He started leading his own band, The Untouchables, in the early 1970s. In the decade or so prior to his 2008 death, King Alex featured his B.B. King-like voice more than his bass. He released four CDs, his last, Sweet Banana Pie, recorded at Blue Heaven Studios.
Weepin' Willie Robinson 1926 - 2007
The both triumphant and turbulent blues life of Boston singer Weepin' Willie Robinson ended tragically Sunday, December 30 after a cigarette Robinson had been smoking in bed caused a fire that engulfed him in flames. Robinson was 81.
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