Uncle Tom....Setting Music Back 50 Years!

My name is John Rhys. I retired from business in 2007 and was immediately bored stiff. I now had quite a bit of reasonably free time so I contacted my old friend, Eddie Ponder to see if he would like to get together and play some music. Seems he was as bored as I and we decided to meet a couple of times a week to jam some tunes.

Eddie and I had actually been working together since 1973. I had acquired a piece of a small studio in Hollywood called Hollywood Central Recorders and during a musician's jam we held every Tuesday evening, I met Eddie. We became fast friends and I used Eddie on most of my sessions for years.

Now it came to pass that Eddie and I started playing quite well together and we took to going out and playing open mic nights in the Valley. We had fun! A couple of older, dignified gentlemen, playing out and about. And yes....we did get a bit of "Watch out old guys! We're young and we're gonna dust you!", comments. Eddie and I are tighter than a gnat's ass. That alone should tell you what happened. Youthful exuberance toppled by a pair of calm, cool and professional musicians that were there for love of the music alone. We already had our fifteen minutes of fame each and now we just play for the love of playing.

I met Steve Smith in Santa Monica one Sunday afternoon. I was inspired by his ethereal spirit and the fact that he played harp in a very unusual way. We got together one evening and I knew then that there was something special in that man. We have been playing together now for over two years and I must admit, I have never had so much fun in my life.



The name,"Uncle Tom" is based on the fact that my son, David calls me The Old Man. When Eddie, Steve and I decided to go out and perform together we knew we would need a name and I picked Uncle Tom.  Folks have grown used to the name by now and we hardly receive jibes anymore. And besides....We've all been an "Uncle Tom" at one point or another in our lives.

I've been in the music business since 1960. I've been a promoter, producer, publisher and player for all this time and I must say for sure, I enjoy playing most of all.

So here are a few new things on which we've been working and we hope you enjoy them.

Here's a song called "Cut The Deck". It was written by Robert Hunter....lyrics. With Mickey Hart, Ben Yonas and Cliff Goldmacher doing melodic duty. This is a video! However, we discussed the fact that we lip-synced this video as we had no idea as to how to approach the camera while we were recording initially.

View.... "Cut The Deck"

Another video is "Ain't It Funny What A Little Blues Will Do". For some reason my son David, who co-produced this session with me wanted me alone on this song but I decided to over-dub Steve Smith on Harp. This a song we all do together normally. This too is a video.

View...."Ain't It Funny What A Little Blues Will Do"
This song was written by John Rhys. Published by: Hollywood Allstar Music.

Next, there are three songs not yet edited to the film we made but you can listen to them by clicking on the links. They have not been mixed to video, thus they are untouched so you can hear how the songs sounded prior to mixing.

Listen to...."Broadway Social Hall"
Written by Richard Trees. Published by : Hollywood Allstar Music

Listen to...."Honky Red"
Written by Murray McLauchan. Publisher unknown.

Listen to...."When Red Turns Blue"
Written by John Rhys and Bob Verne. Published by: Hollywood Allstar Music and Beanbag Music.

Now....the last three videos:

View...."Honky Red"
You might like to know that since we never really filmed "Honky Red" on the first session, we went back in and did a fairly masterful job of lip-syncing. Check it out.

View...."Broadway Social Hall"  
This video was shot at the time we were recording the tracks with a single, static camera on all three of us. You can see the mic positioning and how it was recorded. A good video to watch if you really want to see Uncle Tom in "live" mode.

View...."When Red Turns Blue"
The same goes for "When Red Turns Blue". This song has become one of our audience favorites and one of ours. 

A BluePower CD Profile....Kemp Harris', Edenton!

 In a world where most people pander their wares to buyers, there occasionally comes someone who just doesn't care about convention and delivers a product so startlingly real, the markets shy away in fear.

Kemp Harris has combined traditional blues and gospel and come up with a most chilling description of the world today.

Edenton shines as a true and authentic blues work. No pretty gloss here, just the raw, crying of a man with a desperate need to be heard. And these songs should be heard. Every radio station in America should play this album, but they won't because the music will scare them and the lyrics will shock them to the core of their mediocre hearts.

This album hearkens back to a time when the blues was a reality; when folks had to say something about the discord and privation in this, the land of the free. Back to the true blues messenger. Back to the truth.

Edenton....It's the real deal!

Here's the music:

1)...."Sometimes"....Kemp Harris
2)...."Tryin' Times"....Kemp Harris
3)...."Mother Earth"....Kemp Harris
4)...."Sweet Weepin' Jesus"....Kemp Harris
5)...."Ruthie's"....Kemp Harris
6)...."Didn't It Rain"....Kemp Harris w/Mabel Marshall & Eleanor Mapp 7)...."Edenton"....Kemp Harris

The musicians are:

Kemp Harris........Vocals & Piano
Jim Lucchese.......Drums
Josh Stoltzfus......Guitar
Brian Verrochi.....Bass

With Special Guests: The Holmes Brothers (backing vocals), Adam Oh (harp) and Lydia Harrell (backing vocals)
Produced by: Kemp Harris, Jim Lucchese and Josh Stoltzfus

Click here to listen to....Kemp Harris', Edenton!

Record company has granted BluePower the right to play the music for promotional purposes!

8 Ball Aitken....Rebel With A Cause!

 For months now, we at BluePower have been searching for product we could enthusiastically endorse. Though receiving plenty of product, nothing stood out as being new and exciting; that is until we heard 8 Ball Aitken's CD. After listening to it a dozen or so times, I knew I had found the product for which I had been looking.

I remembered back to when I was a young record promo man in the Deep South, hauling boxes of new product into radio stations hoping to get some airplay. In those days, good songs always received significant airplay. The CD we're playing today is what I would then call my "Ace in the hole" because it is an album of great songs. Nothing intense or heavy, just fine writing of  some good-time, heart-felt music.

Hailing from "way down under", 8 Ball Aitken has copped some of Australia's finest music awards. (Check out his website to see all.)  His playing, though straight-forward, is pure and goes to the heart of the music. 8 Ball has done his homework, the man rocks without going over the top. Something which has not been prevalent on the American music scene for some time.


Congratulations to all those involved with this product. It's a mighty fine piece of work!

John Rhys/BluePower.com

Here's the music:

1)...."Hand Clappin' "....Red Prysock....Mercury Records
2)...."Cyclone Country"....8 Ball Aitken....Phoenix Movement Records
3)...."Hands On Top Of The Wheel"....8 Ball Aitken....Phoenix Movement Records
4)...."Black Swamp Creek"....8 Ball Aitken....Phoenix Movement Records
5)...."Yellow Moon"....8 Ball Aitken....Phoenix Movement Records
6)...."The Party"....8 Ball Aitken....Phoenix Movement Records
7)...."Hand Clappin' "....Red Prysock....Mercury Records

Click here to play....8 Ball Aitken....Rebel With A Cause!

Click here to see...."Heart In Heaven And Hands On Top Of The Wheel"

Click here to go to 8 Ball Aitken's website!

BluePower Re-Run....An Evening With Barry McCabe!

The strength of the Blues can be determined by the sheer amount of ground the music has covered in the last 80 years. In that time, this purely American art-form has managed to blossom in nearly every country in the world. The Blues has been transformed into nearly every language and is understood by every man and woman ever born. No one can honestly say they "have not" had the Blues at one time or another.

In this presentation, BluePower honors a man for his contributions to the Blues and Rock from the beautiful country of Ireland. Barry McCabe was born in Virginia, Co. Cavan, Ireland and has managed to travel the world bringing his music to hundreds of thousands of people. Barry's music can best be described as Rock and Blues with a Celtic twist.

This show features music from many of Barry's CDs but primarily from his new release, Beyond The Tears.

Tune in to this masterful player, writer and performer as he guides us through many stories of life and the pursuit of happiness. A true storyteller in every sense of the word, Barry McCabe gives his all to his art; to our benefit.

John Rhys/BluePower.com

The songs are:

1)...."Sunrise"....Barry McCabe/Davey Spillane
2)...."In The Dead Of Night"....Barry McCabe
3)...."Oh Well"....Barry McCabe written by Peter Green
4)...."Sheilagh"....Barry McCabe
5)...."Rollin'"....Barry McCabe
6)...."Trouble"....Barry McCabe
7)...."The Emigrant"....Barry McCabe/Davey Spillane
8)...."Talkin' Woman Blues"....Barry McCabe
9)...."Full Moon On Main Street"....Barry McCabe
10)..."Arthur"....Barry McCabe
11)..."Tempted"....Barry McCabe
Listen to....BluePower Presents....An Evening With Barry McCabe!

To Find more on Barry McCabe....Click here!

Happy New Year 2007 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 etc!

Alright! So it takes me a few days to recover from the actual New Year's celebration. With all I have to do, it's a wonder it didn't take six months.

We have a good show this time so I hope you enjoy it.

Happy New Year to all our friends. May you all have a healthy and prosperous time. I know I didn't have time to mention everyone and for that I apologize. Please know you're in my heart.

John Rhys-Eddins/BluePower.com

Here's the playlist:

1)...."Hand Clappin' "....Red Prysock....Mercury
2)...."The House Is Rockin' "....Stevie Ray Vaughan....Epic
3)...."Rack My Mind"....The Yardbirds....Epic
4)...."Mau-Mau Boogie"....Matt Lucas....Ten-O-Nine
5)...."Big Chief" (Parts 1&2)....Professor Longhair....Watch Records
6)...."Why Are People Like That"....Junior Wells....Telarc
7)...."Credit Card Blues"....Terry Evans....Telarc
8)...."Teardrops From My Eyes"....Ruth Brown....Atlantic
9)...."Money Honey"....Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters....Atlantic
10)..."Think"....James Brown....King
11)..."Ride Sally Ride"....Willie King....BlueRoot
12)..."Angel"....Eric Bibb....Ruf
13)..."Driving Wheel"....Robert Lockwood, Jr. ....HOB
14)..."Oh How Happy"....Shades Of Blue....Impact
15)..."Why We Sing"....Kirk Franklin & The Family....GospelCentric

Listen to....Happy New Year 2012!

Can you believe it? Another year has passed quickly away. Where did the time go? I'll have to check my diary.

I know we lost a lot of good folks somewhere along the way this year and I surely hope they have passed this mortal coil in a positive direction.

Myself....Well I consider it lucky now if I just wake up every day and feel pretty good. I am not unique in that regard.

I did want to put a little something together for Christmas just in case a few folks would like to hear a few tunes which are not ordinarily played off the normal channels.

Please join me on this beautiful California, laid back, Christmas Eve.

Thanks for listening....John Rhys-Eddins

Here are the players and performers for this show....:)

1)...."Hand Clappin' "....Red Prysock....Mercury
2)...."Christmas Celebration"....BB King....HOB
3)...."Santa Clause Wants Some Lovin' "....Albert King....HOB
4)...."Sonny Boy's Christmas Blues"....Sonny Boy Williamson....HOB
5)...."Boogie Wopogie Santa Clause"....Mabel Scott....HOB
6)...."Santa Claus, Santa Claus"....Louis Jordan....HOB
7)...."Winter Wonderland"....The Ronnie Cole Trio....Paula Records
8)...."Please Come Home For Christmas"....Charles Brown....Paula Records 9)...."Lonesome Christmas" (Pt. 1)....Lowell Fulsom....Paula Records 10)..."Lonesome Christmas" (Pt. 2)....Lowell Fulsom....Paula Records
11)..."All I Want For Christjmas Is You"....Vince Vance....Waldoxy
12)..."Merry Christmas Baby"....Charles Brown....Paula Records
13)..."Let's Make Christmas Merry Baby"....Amos Milburn....HOB
14)..."Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"....The Saint John's Choir....Savannah, Georgia
15)..."Santa"....Lightnin' Hopkins....HOB
16)..."Santa's Messin' With The Kid"....Eddie C. Campbell....HOB
17)..."White Christmas"....Sugar Boy Crawford...Paula Records
18)..."What Child Is This/Greensleeves"....The Saint John's Choir (organist unknown)
Listen to....A Laid Back Christmas Eve, 2012!

Norman Sellz....A True American Hero!

I joined the automobile business in 1997. I was hired by Mr. Howard Sellz, then owner of Valley Dodge in the San Fernando Valley. To put it mildly, I knew absolutely nothing about the car business. A "Green Pea" to the max.

The first week I worked at Valley Dodge, I met an elderly gentleman whom I found was Howard Sellz' older brother, Norman, affectionately called "The Sarge." The Sarge started teaching me what to do when attempting to sell an automobile. You see, the Sarge had grown up in the auto business in Omaha, Nebraska, and knew all the ins and outs of making a deal. Sarge was very kind to me and helped me through my formative period at Valley Dodge.

I found myself going to his tiny corner office every morning to chat and have my morning coffee. On one of those mornings, Sarge came in wearing a baseball cap denoting the fact that he was a Purple Heart recipient. It was at that point that I really started to realize I was in the midst of a true American hero. As we talked through the months that followed, I discovered he was in the Air Force (a bombardier) and flew in a B-29 and that he was stationed in the Pacific. His eventual mission would be....to bomb Tokyo.

Here is an excerpt from Norman's daily diary....

March 31, 1945
Target, Omura Kyushu, Southern Japan. Hit airfield installation in conjunction with invasion of Okinawa. Sixteen hour mission. No flak, a dozen fighters, 3 of which pressed attacks on us. Quite a few bullet holes in our plane. One of our planes crashed at sea on shoreline of Kyushu. They were picked up two hours later by an American submarine. One man from this crew was killed.

Norman Sellz had a twin brother Edward, who was also stationed in the Pacific and flew in B-29s. Here is the last entry in Norman's diary after his plane was seen going down over Tokyo. The entry was made by Norman's brother, Edward and was added one week later.

April 7, 1945
Target Tokyo. Norman was flying number 9 position when a burst of flak exploded on their left wing. Ship did a slow roll and started to spin towards the earth. Five chutes were seen to come from the rear. Norm was one of them. Our ship was circling around Tokyo Bay. As we took the fighters up, we had to circle one of our submarines in order to protect it. I know that Norman is alright. Buddies of ours who were on the mission saw five chutes open for sure, possibly more and they couldn't have come out front.

Norman Sellz certainly did land via parachute, slap-dab in the middle of an incinerated Tokyo. He was beaten nearly to death before the Kempetai Police took him in tow and threw him in a dismal cell. Their thinking was to get him to confess his war crimes. Norman never said a word. When the police finally grew tired of questioning Norman, they sent him to another notorious compound called Omori Prison.

During all this time, his family had no idea as to whether Norman was alive or dead. And then came this most dreaded of all letters....

This is the first time I have ever seen a Missing In Action report and I can only imagine what Norm Sellz' family must have thought when they received it.

Norman survived that hell-hole of a prison and was released by American troops arriving in Tokyo on August 15, 1945.

NORMAN SELLZ

Age 88, passed away November 12th, at Providence Tarzana Hospital after a sudden illness. He was a WWII veteran, former POW and MIA, decorated with two purple hearts.

All I can say is that I loved that old gentleman and will miss him greatly. He never said he was a hero. He just said he was an American doing his duty and would have gladly done it again. From the time he fell from that B29, he never wanted to fly again.


So long Sarge. I'll see you around the bend Buddy.

John Rhys Eddins
BluePower.com

Years ago, I found a series of records (old 16 inch ETs). I cleaned them the best I could and assembled them because I knew I would need them someday. Today is a good day.

Listen to This Was America, 1942

Saving Detroit; One T-Shirt At A Time!

About a month ago, my wife and I were invited to Detroit. When we arrived at the Detroit airport, we were picked up by a young man who told us he was a musician and entrepreneur. This young man went out of his way to make sure we had everything we needed and then gave us his phone number and said to call should the occasion rise. We just knew....he was good people.

 I had lived in Detroit during the turbulent 60s and had grown to love Detroit for the music and the people. Coming back after all that time had passed only served to refresh my memory of how much I had missed that great city.

Detroit is not the same as I left it those many years ago. I recently heard it is the most dangerous city in America and that crime has gone through the roof. The police department has been cut to the core and has posted signs telling folks to enter the city at their own risk.

One man has decided that folks should not listen to these dire warnings and has started a campaign to turn things around in the Motor City. His name is Salvatore Aiello. He's a rapper, a singer and writer of strange and wonderful material. He also runs a small company that manufactures t-shirts that say "Don't Be Afraid Of Detroit." 

Recently, he has been contacted by several major networks and asked to do interviews which he readily admits he loves doing. "It makes me happy when I stand out here with these shirts and whether I sell them or not, people see the term and they smile and they say "Ha! Don't be afraid of Detroit!" "

It only takes one person of  faith to start a movement and this movement has begun. BluePower salutes Mr. Salvatore Aiello for taking a stand to fight for the city which is his home. And, as we used to say in the day...."Keep The Faith Baby!"

Sal sent us a copy of a song we heard on the way back to the airport. The title is, "The Story Of My Life" and we thought you might like to hear it. It has never been released and I think this is only a demo. Music has been a constant mainstay in the Motor City and this young gentleman could help fuel the fire that keep the home fires burning.

Thanks again Sal for all your help.

Click here to listen to....The Story Of My Life!

I would like to thank all the folks who were so courteous and kind to Lori and I during our visit to Detroit. We send our love to you all.


John Rhys
BluePower.com

If you would like to purchase one of these great T-Shirts, you may give Sal a call and place your order. Here's the number....

1-248-259-4324

Harry Balk....A Producer's Producer!

From theater owner to manager to record company owner, Harry Balk has done it all. Tune in as John and Jeanie discuss the evolution of the music business with a man who helped create the business itself. On this show find out about Little Willie John, Del Shannon and The Shades Of Blue. Plus some inside information regarding Marvin Gaye's LP "What's Goin' On". A truly informative interview. (Picture, left to right, Harry Balk, Del Shannon, Irving Mechanik)

Listen

Solomon Burke....The Lost Interview!

As I was contemplating this final piece on Solomon Burke, I realized I had known Solomon since 1961. That's over 50 years but who's counting anymore. Solomon departed us in 2012 and left a  legacy no one can replace.

I first met Solomon via the telephone in Atlanta where I was working for Joe Galkin. Jerry Wexler had given Solomon his list of local record promoters and told him to call them and speak of his new release on Atlantic, "Just Out Of Reach." He called Joe's office and I was lucky enough to answer the phone. He promoted his new record to me on the phone as he did everything else in his life, full tilt. We became friends on that phone call and remained friends until he died. In fact, Solomon was one of the first interviews ever recorded for BluePower.com.

Solomon called me in mid 2008 and asked if I could come to his home in Northridge as he wanted to introduce me to a new CD he had just completed.

When Steve Altman (who was to film the interview) and I arrived, we were surprised to meet Clarence Fountain, one of the founding members of The Blind Boys Of Alabama and Sam Butler, a student of Clarence Fountain and ex-singer and guitarist for Keith Richards and Joe Cocker. The CD is called Stepping Up And Stepping Out and features Clarence Fountain and Sam Butler and The Boys. Solomon hinted that this album was something I had been hunting for a while and was an excellent example of blues based gospel. Of course I was interested.

This video is called the "Lost Interview" as it was misplaced for some time until it was recently located and sent over to me. When I saw the interview, I decided to put it up as a fitting tribute to my friend, Solomon Burke, one of the finest promoters I ever met.

There are actually two shows here. One video and one audio. The video interview speaks for itself as it's mostly Solomon hammering away at promotion for his latest pet project which, as it turns out, was perhaps one of his last. The audio show is culled from the CD, Stepping Up And Stepping Out. If you like the blues combined with great gospel music, you'll love this CD.

Click here to view Solomon Burke....The Lost Interview!
(Video shot by Steve Altman)

Click to listen to Steppin' Up and Steppin Out!

The music is....

1...."Going Down To The River"
2...."I Know Where I'm Going"
3...."It's A Different World Now"
4...."Between The Darkness And The Light Of Day"
5...."Do What The Lord Say Do"
 ______________________________________________________

As always, thanks for listening. We always try to make the experience real. No purposeful BS. John Rhys