Van Morrison’s new album ‘Keep It Simple’ comes out today, April 1st. You can still hear the heavy influence of American R&B and blues in Van’s voice and in all eleven songs, which he wrote.
The album conjures up a taste of “Tupelo Honey” and “Into the Mystic,” rather than “Domino” or “Blue Money,” which suites me just fine, even though it will probably disappoint some music critics, who won’t hear a single right away.
There’s a gospel feel, like Sweet Honey In The Rock did on Paul Simon’s “Love Me Like A Rock.” The choir like backing vocals work well against Van’s voice, and sometimes render a sound from yesterday’s hit parade, like “No Thing.” Organ is present throughout the album, which works well with the gospel feel of the backing vocals, but I miss the grand piano of past songs like “Into The Mystic.”
The instrumentation is more guitar based than horns, but it works wonderfully; at times, it’s reminiscent of sixties soul like Wilson Pickett, and at other times sounds more rootsy and down home, like a good old folk song. Case in point, is the waltz like “Song Of …

Fillmore’s Corner is an interesting new music blog site. It’s mostly about playing the Blues, but has some great posts about the music industry at large. Jeff also likes to share new sites he finds with his friends, just like we do.
oesn’t hurt to have a sponsor like Guitar Center either.
Fillmore’s Corner at gckingoftheblues.com
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Here’s a great companion video to our post on John Mayall.
Clapton jamming with his old buddy’s band, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwGL5LDb4u8

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‘Play Hard and Floor It’ is a featured special solos, sessions & encores DVD from KERA TV Channel 13 for a $75 donation to their current fund raiser. So please pledge a donation to Public Television today to show your support for all their wonderful programming over the years. Like this music special featuring Oak Cliff’s Stevie Ray Vaughan from Dallas Texas (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990.)
Rolling Stone magazine ranked Stevie Ray Vaughan #7 in their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time and one of the world’s most influential electric blues guitarists. Stevie used to jam with his younger brother Jimmie Vaughan, along with his swinging blues group of bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton.
“Flood Down in Texas,” “Voodoo Chile” and “Soul to Soul” made him one of our favorite home grown blues guitarists from Texas.
This special solos sessions & encores DVD from KERA Channel 13 for a $75 donation is a
pretty good deal and a rocking great album on www.kera.org/

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Ike Turner, died today at the age of 76.
Ike was well known for being half of the R&B duo of Ike and Tina Turner. Unfortunately he probably received more fame for being abusive in that marriage. However he was a good musician and band leader and was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
Ike Turner was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi on November 5, 1931.
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