Steve Cropper & The Midnight Hour - Friendlytown

Album: Friendlytown
Size: 106,1 MB
Time: 45:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2024
Styles: Blues-rock
Art: Front

1. Friendlytown (3:59)
2. Too Much Stress (Feat. Brian May) (3:13)
3. Hurry Up Sundown (3:05)
4. Let's Get Started (3:15)
5. Talkin’ Bout Politics (2:57)
6. I'll Take Tomorrow (4:12)
7. Lay It On Down (3:15)
8. You Can't Refuse (Feat. Tim Montana) (3:33)
9. Rain On My Parade (3:50)
10. There's Always A Catch (3:50)
11. In God We Trust (3:22)
12. Reality Check (3:12)
13. I Leave You In Peace (3:32)

Steve Cropper was born in 1941 and formed the “Mar-Keys” while still in high school in the late 1950s. The band became Booker T and the MG’s in the early 1960s and ascended to the position of being the STAX Records house band. They had their own radio hit record with Green Onions which influenced the maturing baby boomer generation in both America and Europe. The Beatles confessed after they came to America that they were influenced by Cropper’s guitar prowess. Over the past seven decades, Steve Cropper has played with, produced, and written songs for a myriad of performers that have earned him two Grammy Awards out of seven nominations. He’s been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Booker T. & the M.G.’s and was a member of Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi’s Blues Brothers band.

At 82 years of age, Cropper put together a new band named “Midnight Hour” after the 1960’s hit song that he co-wrote with Wilson Picket. The band is comprised of Steve Cropper on lead and rhythm guitars, Roger C. Reale as lead vocalist, John Tiven on bass guitar/Hammond organ, piano, sax and vocal harmonies, Nioshi Jackson on drums and percussion, Eddie Gore on Hammond organ, tambourine and vocal harmony along with Billy F. Gibbons of ZZ Top on lead guitar. The subject matter of the album explores personal relationships from a seasoned perspective.

Friendlytown is a remarkable collection of songs that are a testament to Steve Cropper’s enduring ability to consistently push into new musical territories. Even in his 80s he is able to collaborate with an impressive musical lineup to both help compose and ultimately perform the music on an album. He still remains a formidable force in music by producing an album filled with a rich blend of blues, rock, and soul anchored by his guitar collaborating with Gibbons, May, and Montana. /Bob Gersztyn, Blues Rock Review

Friendlytown mc
Friendlytown gofile

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Steve Cropper - Fire It Up

Size: 91.6 MB
Time: 38:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2021
Styles: Blues, R&B, Soul
Art: Front

01. Bush Hog, Pt. 1 (1:12)
02. Fire It Up (3:02)
03. One Good Turn (3:44)
04. I'm Not Havin' It (3:13)
05. Out Of Love (3:42)
06. Far Away (3:26)
07. Say You Don't Know Me (3:18)
08. She's So Fine (3:08)
09. Two Wrongs (3:11)
10. Heartbreak Street (3:30)
11. The Go-Getter Is Gone (3:10)
12. Bush Hog, Pt. 2 (1:18)
13. Bush Hog (2:26)

Steve Cropper is one of the most revered and legendary electric guitar players in rock, soul, blues and R&B.

But the Booker T. and the M.G.’s legend, who was also a member of the Blues Brothers and whose guitar can be heard on everything from Wilson Pickett’s Midnight Hour and Otis Redding’s (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay to Sam & Dave’s Soul Man and Albert King’s Born Under a Bad Sign, has never done much in the way of solo work over his more than 50-year career.

Until now.

The 79-year-old Cropper has just announced Fire It Up, which he calls his “first proper solo album since 1969”. He’s also unveiled the first single from the record, Far Away, a soul-rock jam that boasts a Born Under a Bad Sign-esque bounce and plenty of signature Cropper lead work.

“I haven’t heard myself this way since the ‘60s.” Cropper said in a statement. Regarding his guitar playing, he continued, “I’m a rhythm player. I set the groove. I’m always listening to the singer and the rest of band.”

You can check out the video for Far Away above.

As for Fire It Up, the album is rooted in sessions with the Rascals’ Felix Cavaliere and produced with long-time collaborator Jon Tiven. “It’s made from old grooves, because during a lockdown, you work on stuff that’s been in your head for years,” said Cropper, who serves as both guitarist and producer.

“To be a good producer, you’ve got to be able to hear a song finished in your head before there’s much of anything done,” he continued. “A good production is not accidental. I’m really proud of things that I produce.” ~Richard Bienstock

Fire It Up MP3
Fire It Up FLAC

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Shirley King - Blues For A King

Size: 85,9 MB
Time: 36:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. All Of My Lovin' (Feat. Joe Louis Walker) (2:42)
02. Feelin' Alright? (Feat. Duke Robillard) (4:15)
03. I Did You Wrong (Feat. Elvin Bishop) (3:11)
04. That's All Right Mama (Feat. Pat Travers) (2:47)
05. Can't Find My Way Home (Feat. Martin Barre) (3:12)
06. Johnny Porter (Feat. Arthur Adams) (2:50)
07. Feeling Good (Feat. Robben Ford) (2:31)
08. Give It All Up (Feat. Kirk Fletcher) (2:20)
09. Gallows Pole (Feat. Harvey Mandel) (4:06)
10. Hoodoo Man (Feat. Junior Wells & Joe Louis Walker) (5:28)
11. At Last (Feat. Steve Cropper) (3:16)

Being the blues-singing daughter of B.B. King has earned Shirley King the title “Daughter of the Blues,” but she is an outstanding singer and performer in her own right and capable of singing any kind of music that comes her way. Just witness her newest full-length album, Blues For A King, which crosses musical genres from blues to rock to soul and back again. Even next to such high wattage guests as Joe Louis Walker, Robben Ford, Junior Wells, Pat Travers & Elvin Bishop, King absolutely shines as she performs spectacular version of the blues classics “Gallows Pole” and “Hoodoo Blues Man” as well as the soul hit “Johnny Porter” (originally by The Temptations) plus two songs by British rock band Traffic, “Can’t Find My Way Home” and “Feelin’ Alright?.” The album closes with a powerful version of Etta James’s unforgettable “At Last,” which signals that, at long last, Shirley King is finally getting the attention and recognition she so richly deserves.

You Make Me Feel MP3
You Make Me Feel FLAC

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The Original Blues Brothers Band - The Last Shade Of Blue Before Black

Size: 143,6 MB
Time: 61:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Blues, Funk, R&B
Art: Front

01. Baby What You Want Me to Do (5:14)
02. Cherry Street (3:51)
03. On a Saturday Night (3:06)
04. Itch and Scratch (3:32)
05. Don't Go No Further (5:03)
06. You Left the Water Running (4:34)
07. Don't Forget About James Brown (2:55)
08. Sex Machine (3:35)
09. Your Feet's Too Big (4:08)
10. 21st Century Baby (3:53)
11. Blues in My Feet (3:38)
12. Qualified (6:15)
13. I Got My Mojo Working (4:19)
14. The Last Shade of Blue Before Black (7:09)

The late, great John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd caught a lot of crap for their 1980 film The Blues Brothers, mostly because a few ignorant critics misunderstood the Saturday Night Live duos’ cinematic treatment of the blues and R&B as satire rather than as the reverent, heartfelt homage that the original BB skit and the resulting movie were meant to be.

Regardless of a few bad reviews, and studio concerns about its appeal to white audiences, The Blues Brothers would score $100+ box office worldwide, spawn an equally-misunderstood but probably unnecessary sequel, yield a couple of hit record albums, and introduce its (mostly white) audience to dynamic performances by great talents like Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Cab Calloway, John Lee Hooker, and James Brown.

Flash forward a few decades and the two Blues Brothers movies have come to be considered as cult classics, resulting in a long-running radio program hosted by Aykroyd and a full-time touring band comprised of musicians from the movies. On October 6th, 2017 Severn Records will release The Last Shade of Blue Before Black, a new album by the Original Blues Brothers Band. Featuring bona fide rock ‘n’ blues legends like guitarist Steve Cropper and saxophonist “Blue Lou” Marini (both from the original film) as well as notable musical guests like R&B singer Eddie Floyd, guitarists Joe Louis Walker and Matt “Guitar” Murphy, keyboardists Paul Shaffer (an SNL alumni) and Dr. John as well as Blues Brothers 2000 star Joe Morton.

In a press release for the new album, “Blue Lou” Marini says, “Had anyone told me in 1978 that in 2017 I would still be traveling around the world and playing with the Blues Brothers’ Band, I would have said they were out of their minds. But, amazingly here we are with a new CD and still playing all over the world. This album is a true labor of love and I’m so proud of the organic way it came about. We really wanted to honor our history and to include some of our favorite musicians that we’ve worked with and loved over the years. We have the legends, Eddie Floyd and Dr. John, plus our original band leader, Paul Shaffer and the great bluesman Joe Louis Walker.”

The Last Shade of Blue Before Black was produced by Marini, Cropper, and the Original Blues Brothers Band and recorded by Jay Messina at IQII Studios in Hoboken, NJ. The album’s track list is a heady collection of original material and cover songs by such roots ‘n’ blues artists as Delbert McClinton, Jimmy Reed, Willie Dixon, Eddie Floyd, and James Brown. “We wanted to present some new original material and do some tunes that hearkened to our past,” says Marini. “This is a live CD, with everyone recording at once, mostly first or second takes and live vocals and solos. The only overdubs were some baritone sax parts and a few minor fixes.”

Concluding, Marini states “I’ve often said that the OBBB is the world’s greatest part-time job because of you, our fans. We’ve gotten to see the world and enjoy it in your company. We’ve eaten and drank with you, especially the latter, and you have treated us like kings. Enjoy this music and for God’s sake, PLAY IT LOUD!”

Personnel:
Steve "The Colonel" Cropper - guitar
"Blue Lou" Marini - saxophones
"Smokin'" John Tropea - guitar
Eric "The Red" Udel - bass
Lee "Funkytime" Finkelstein - drums
Leon "The Lion" Pendarvis - Hammond B3
Rusty Cloud - keyboards
Steve "Catfish" Howard - trumpet
Larry "Trombonius" Farrell - trombone
Tommy "Blues Pipes" McDonnell - vocals, harmonica
Rob "The Honeydripper" Paparozzi - vocals, harmonica
Bobby "Sweet Soul" Harden - vocals

The Last Shade Of Blue Before Black

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Steve Cropper, Pop Staples, Albert King - Jammed Together

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:18
Size: 92.3 MB
Styles: Memphis blues
Year: 1969/1988
Art: Front

[5:28] 1. What'd I Say
[6:00] 2. Tupelo
[5:30] 3. Opus De Soul
[3:30] 4. Baby, What You Want Me To Do
[3:13] 5. Big Bird
[2:10] 6. Homer's Theme
[2:59] 7. Trashy Dog
[3:15] 8. Don't Turn Your Heater Down
[3:06] 9. Water
[5:01] 10. Knock On Wood

While this is not nearly as essential as some other Stax wax, it has a loose, raffish appeal and never falls into the murk of a boring super-session chopsfest. These guys were simply havin' fun with some standard soul/R&B covers (e.g. "What'd I Say," "Baby What You Want Me To Do") and some wide-open originals, kickin' back with some serious riffin'. Cropper proffers his usual intense, simplistic soloing, while King swoops and dives in a stringbending fury. The added plus is the silky smooth near-falsetto of Pop Staples, whose vocal on "Tupelo" is suitably eerie... ~John Dougan

Jammed Together

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