Sound Bite Sunday

I grew up in Sand Springs, OK. A place where my appreciation for the blues was nurtured deliberately and inadvertantly. At this point in my life that appreciation has become a signifcant part of my identity as it reminds me of home, informs my world perspective and comforts me in those moments of frustration and despair. Because of my childhood experiences I've grown to enjoy bluesicians such as John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson, Leadbelly and Muddy Waters, but that wasn't my generation of the blues. I was introduced to the blues through my constant visits to this juke joint down the street from my house called QV's(Queen Victoria and yes that was her legal name, gotta love Black folks). I loved going to QV's because they had a Ms. Pacman game, a pool table, a jukebox and some of the most colorful personalities ever! From Wayne Jenkins the most popular neighborhood wino to Baker the neighborhood womanizer(and father to some 10-20 children, no one really knows). QV's was a place where conflict was negotiated, a place where revenge was exacted, a place for celebration, a place to gamble, but most of all it was THE source of music during my adolescence. It was the only place to get the most up to date music from Hip-hop to R&B. But QV only had those tunes in the jukebox for us young folks who came to play Ms. Pacman and an occasional game of pool. For the most part she had the contemporary blues classics spinning. I'm talkin' 'bout Clarence Carter, Johnny Taylor, Bobby 'Blue' Bland, Millie Jackson, Tyrone Davis and Latimore. Yeah, those where the giants, but there are some signature tracks that define my experience in her juke joint. Hopefully y'all can appreciate these quintessential blues artists and tracks...

• Arziel Hill (September 30, 1935, Naples, Texas — April 27, 1984, Dallas, Texas) known popularly as Z. Z. Hill, was a blues singer, in the soul blues tradition, known for his 1970s and 1980s recordings for Malaco. His Down Home Blues album (1982) stayed on the Billboard soul album chart for nearly two years. The title track was the best-known blues song of the 1980s.This track, plus the songs, "Someone Else Is Steppin In" and "Open House" have become R&B/Southern soul standards. Z.Z. Hill has been a integral part of my life soundtrack. Down Home Blues is a quintessential blues cut, rich with a classic bassline and incredible guitar solos. Z.Z.'s signature voice is gritty, passionate and provoking, easily inspiring the most sober of us to grab a fifth of Wild Irish Rose and find somebody to grind on. I only hope that this tune reminds you of or properly introduces you to one of the last great blues icons. Z.Z Hill - Down Home Blues

• Milton "Little Milton" Campbell, Jr. (September 7, 1934 - August 4, 2005) was a blues vocalist and guitarist best known for his hits "Grits Ain't Groceries" and "We're Gonna Make It." Most popular in the sixties, he eventually became one of the lesser known greats of the genre, combining traditional lyrical structure with smoother production. Although Little Milton has greater notoriety for the aforementioned tunes, his 1984 classic "The Blues Is Alright" is somewhat of a modern anthem for the genre and briefly revived his career. If you've never heard the blues, this is a great place to start. Its uptempo, funky and emotional. Guaranteed to get any southern party jumping, listen to Little Milton and learn to testify. Little Milton - The Blues Is Alright

Stay Sucka-Free y'all...

f.negro