There's a full range of styles in this edition of The Roadhouse. Travis "Moonchild" Haddix, Percy Strother, Liz Mandeville, Erja Lyytinen, Holmes Brothers. It's all the marbles - the cat's eyes, the aggies, the jaspers, the steelies. Though you had to be a marbles player as a kid to understand from those terms, you'll certainly understand the variety of blues in this edition of The Roadhouse. It's another hour of the finest blues you've never heard - the 181st Roadhouse.
Aug 02, 2008•1 hr
There's no particular place to go in this edition of The Roadhouse - no real plan or theme. There is, however, a solid hour of blues with a surprise around every corner. I've got Lonnie Brooks, Hubert Sumlin, Dave Gross, Bo Ramsey, Erja Lyytinen - just an indication of the variety of artists in the 180th Roadhouse. They may be diverse, but the artists all fit together nicely to form another hour of the finest blues you've never heard - the 180th Roadhouse Podcast.
Jul 26, 2008•1 hr 1 min
It's the tiny instrument that most closely resembles the human voice in range, timbre and emotion. The harmonica takes center stage in the 179th Roadhouse, and it's an hour of hot blues harp. Watermelon Slim, Mississippi Heat, Big Dave McLean, Junior Wells, and Mannish Boys takes center stage as the backbone of the blues. It's an hour of fine harp playing, and another hour of the finest blues you've never heard.
Jul 19, 2008•59 min
We top off the tank this week to provide the necessary fuel for the upcoming 7 days. But don't worry - it's not nearly as expensive as the gas pump. We're pumping Jimmy Burns, Carol Fran & Clarence Holliman, Junior Wells, Jolly Jumper & Big Moe, and Robin Rogers into the tank of the '57 Cadillac convertible of the blues. It's a 98 octane edition of The Roadhouse and another hour of the finest blues you've never heard.
Jul 12, 2008•1 hr 1 min
The 177th Roadhouse maps new territory – new artists to the show and blues styles I’ve not included in previous shows. JD & The Straight Shot, Steve James & Del Rey, Carolina Chocolate Drops, JJ Grey & Mofro, and a little Professor Longhair take us off in those different directions. Though the styles are different, the feel is the same – another hour of the finest blues you’ve never heard.
Jul 05, 2008•1 hr
As blues festival season gears up in the US, we create a festival of our own. Long days and bright sunlight create a perfect mood for Bluesiana Hurricane, Buddy Guy, Elmore James, Jr., Robin Rogers, and Oli Brown. In anticipation of my own trip to the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, the 176th Roadhouse is a festival all its own, and another hour of the finest blues you've never heard.
Jun 28, 2008•1 hr 1 min
We shift up a gear in this edition of The Roadhouse, back to the hallmark of the show – the upbeat, uptempo blues that will keep you moving in your chair. Susan Tedeschi, Downchild Blues Band, Watermelon Slim & The Workers, Oliver Buck, and Rosco Gordon keep the pace moving, with some surprises along the way. It’s another hour of the finest blues you’ve never heard – the 175th Roadhouse Podcast.
Jun 21, 2008•1 hr
In the face of a 500-year flood in Iowa City, we ratchet up the defiance of Mother Nature with an hour of great blues. Songs about floods, rain, rivers, and water fill the hour, bringing a sense of determination and resolve. Cuts from Bernard Allison, Big Mama Thornton, The Holmes Brothers, Toni Lynn Washington, Kansas City Joe and Memphis Minnie allow us to stare straight into the water this week and resolve that we will not be defeated. In defiance of Mother Nature - the 174th Roadhouse Podcas...
Jun 14, 2008•57 min
The 173rd Roadhouse provides a little shelter from a tough old world. And, it's a lively shelter this week with Kenny "Blue" Ray, Big Jack Johnson, Joe Louis Walker, Eric Bibb, and Michael Burks. Throw in a little blues knowledge, a little conversation with that stoic man behind the bar, and a new member of The Roadhouse family of permissions-based labels, and you've got the perfect hour-long weekly escape. It's truly the finest blues you've never heard - the 172nd Roadhouse Podcast.
Jun 07, 2008•1 hr
The 172nd Roadhouse Podcast features new music from Homemade Jamz Bues Band and Janiva Magness, public domain music from Sister Rosetta Tharp, and great cuts from Elvin Bishop and John Hammond. With a groove from start to finish, it's truly another hour of the finest blues you've never heard - the 172nd Roadhouse Podcast.
May 31, 2008•1 hr 1 min
The 171st Roadhouse is a free-for-all of blues, featuring new music by Homemade Jamz Blues Band and Janiva Magness. Albert Castiglia, Duke Robillard and John Nemeth round out an hour of blues that will have you busy in your chair. It's another hour of the finest blues you've never heard - the 171st Roadhouse Podcast.
May 24, 2008•1 hr
The Little Blue House on the Wetlands is swathed in perfect summer sunshine this week. As a result, The Roadhouse takes a turn toward the youth and carefree attitude of the season. JW-Jones, Dani Wilde, Homemade Jamz Blues Band, Mike Zito, and John-Alex Mason provide a view of where the blues might be in the next few decades. It's a summer youth edition of The Roadhouse, and another hour of the finest blues you've never heard.
May 17, 2008•1 hr 1 min
The 169th Roadhouse looks back at this week's Blues Music Awards, held in Tunica, MS on Thursday. Tab Benoit, Bubby Rush, Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers, Mike Zito, and Koko Taylor take the stage. Some new artists also get to share the spotlight with the legends and 2008 BMA winners. It's an award-winning edition of The Roadhouse and another hour of the finest blues you've never heard.
May 10, 2008•1 hr
New blues reverberate throughout The Roadhouse this week. Unlike last week's edition, the 168th Roadhouse is primarily new blues releases. With new music from Eden Brent, Dani Wilde, Doug MacLeod, Julian Fouth, and JW-Jones, it's a good hour-long ride of cutting-edge blues music. And, it's another hour of the finest blues you've never heard.
May 04, 2008•59 min
For this edition of The Roadhouse, I've got an hour of introductions for you - a show full of artists who have never been featured. They're not necessarily new artists, but they're all brand new to The Roadhouse, and they're a good indication of the big broad world of blues lying out there on the horizon. Chicago Rhythm & Blues Kings, Kevin Gordon, Grayson Capps, Darell Nulisch & Texas Heat, and Joe Calicott set the stage for another great hour of blues - an hour of introductions to arti...
Apr 26, 2008•58 min
The 166th Roadhouse is a mess o' blues. It's pretty heavy on guitar and harp. It features youngsters and veterans, artists previously featured in The Roadhouse, and some new to the show. Sue Foley, Jason Ricci, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Sugar Blue, and a moving track from the final Sean Costello CD. It's an hour packed with blues - a mess o' blues - the 166th Roadhouse Podcast.
Apr 20, 2008•58 min
After a week away, The 165th Roadhouse starts at the beginning, runs through the middle, and ends at the end. It's a puzzle of blues that fell together seemingly on its own, including King Biscuit Boy, Sean Costello, Marcia Ball, Eric Bibb, and Cold Blue Steel. Those are just the milemarkers, though, in an hour-long trek through the finest blues you've never heard: the 165th Roadhouse Podcast.
Apr 12, 2008•55 min
While I take care of some family business in Colorado, we rewind one of the most popular Roadhouse shows posted. Enjoy the big guitars, and I'll be back to new shows next week.
Apr 05, 2008•1 hr
A brief announcement about show number 164 for April 5, 2008.
Mar 31, 2008•4 min
We roll into the streets of Chicago for a one-city edition of The Roadhouse. In the city where electric blues was born, we grab Johnny Shines, Muddy Waters, Big Bill Broonzy, Buddy Guy, and Koko Taylor to lead the show, with ten more great cuts from legendary Chicago blues artists. It's all about Chicago in the 163rd Roadhouse, and it's another hour of the finest blues you've never heard.
Mar 30, 2008•1 hr
The Little Blue House on the Wetlands moves officially into spring this week, and the music in this edition reflects the volatility of spring in the Midwestern US. Johnny Nicholas & Little Walter, Cold Blue Steel, Michael Burks, Johnny Winter, Odetta are the featured artists. We're in little clubs, big studios, acoustic, electric, male, female. The perfect selection of music to match the wild moods of spring. Seasons may change, but the 162nd Roadhouse is another hour of the finest blues you...
Mar 22, 2008•58 min
There's plenty more new music in the 161st Roadhouse Podcast. Two more new releases from Alligator , a couple of tracks released in the past few weeks, and cuts from upcoming Northern Blues . Slick Ballinger, Marcia Ball, Samuel James, Jason Ricci, Michael Burks - a full picture of the blues, and much of it brand new. It's another hour of the finest blues you've never heard - the 161st Roadhouse Podcast.
Mar 15, 2008•59 min
The 160th Roadhouse Podcast is a veritable showcase of new blues music. Fully one-third of the cuts in this edition are pre-release, or released only in the past week. Eddy "The Cheif" Clearwater, Roman Carter, Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King, Bob Brozman, and Samuel James put the sawdust on The Roadhouse dance floor to good use: you'll want to move and dance for the full hour. It's an hour of the finest new blues you've never heard - the 160th Roadhouse Podcast.
Mar 08, 2008•57 min
The 159th Roadhouse Podcast is an upbeat affair. You might call it jump, you might call it swing, you might call it boogie. There's even a liberal sprinkling of West Coast blues. But if you follow the walking bass, you'll know that's it clearly a jumpin' edition of The Roadhouse. Mark Hummel, Jay McShann, Ana Popovic, William Clarke, and Rick Holmstrom will make you move and groove for another hour of the finest blues you've never heard - the 159th Roadhouse Podcast.
Mar 01, 2008•56 min
The Roadhouse takes a twisy road this week. It's one of those editions where I started screening music and just let it lead wherever. Ivory Joe Hunter, Curtis Salgado, Calvin Owens Blues Orchestra, Ian Siegal and Matt Schofield, and Joe Louis Walker take the driver's seat to no place in particular. Destination or not, the 158th Roadhouse is yet another hour of the finest blues you've never heard.
Feb 23, 2008•59 min
The Roadhouse 157 is chock full of new music, catching up on new releases from the past few months. Taking us deep into the Roadhouse atmosphere, Smokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King, Ian Siegal, Honeyboy Edwards, Rick Holmstrom, and Charlie Musselwhite encourage plenty of chair-dancing. It's the first edition of the fourth year of The Roadhouse, an hour of the finest blues you've never heard.
Feb 16, 2008•57 min
The 156th edition of The Roadhouse celebrates three years of the finest blues you've never heard. The focus is on artists you probably heard first in The Roadhouse; some great music from Garageband.com , some artists who have taken the blues world by storm in the past three years, and some who had a great reputation among their peers but not a wider following. Artist, listeners and fellow podcasters participate in the celebration, as well. It's the third anniversay of The Roadhouse - the finest ...
Feb 10, 2008•1 hr 5 min
923 miles straight south of Iowa City lies the biggest party in the country this week. We're heading to Mardi Gras in New Orleans for a celebration of all things zydeco, cajun, swamp, and boogie. Beau Jocque, Katie Webster, Clifton Chenier, Professor Longhair, and James Booker are part of the revelry of Fat Tuesday in New Orleans. Come on along for the king cake on Bourbon Street, the Krewe of Trucks parade on Canal Street, dubloons, beads, and total immersion in another hour of the finest blues...
Feb 02, 2008•59 min
The 154th Roadhouse investigates the mystery of a number pair: 6 and 3. It lies at the heart of the blues, but it's simplicity is deceptive. Son Seals, Johnny Winter, Robert Cray, Robert Johnson, Michael Bloomfield - all have mastered the essence of the blues that lies in these numbers: 6 strings and 3 chords. It's a mystical blues guitar edition of The Roadhouse, another hour of the finest blues you've never heard.
Jan 27, 2008•58 min
The 153rd Roadhouse slips off into the no temp zone. Temperatures in beautiful Iowa City, IA are hovering at 0 degrees Farenheit, with temps in The Roadhouse Studios at 58 F. But I've found few better ways to warm up the room than an hour of the finest blues you've never heard. This week, those cuts include Big Jack Johnson with Kim Wilson, Joe Pitts, Mason Casey, John-Alex Mason, and Carlos del Junco. New and old, hot and cool - it's the 153rd hour of The Roadhouse Podcast.
Jan 19, 2008•59 min
