moon traveller herald

  Sunnyland Slim with Capt Beefhart. Boston, 1978. Sunnyland liked Beefhart, and they got along well. But Beefhart could hardly sit still or have a (two-sided) conversation then. it seemed like he was up all the time. Slim bought some Johnny Walker and was looking forward to 'sitting down and talking' but Beefhart's wife had to insist he get some sleep at that point. [Paul's Mall, Boston] Slim's got a look here like he is getting ready to go on stage.

  A lot of stories around Sunnyland Slim revolve around cars and weather - for example Paul De Marks testament in Sunnyland Blues about a ride through the snow from Arkansas to S.F. The road has taken many musicians, and there are many tales. It's the life of the road. Jim Haas recently shared a memory of a ride through snow from S.F. to Chicago with Sunnyland, which we are very glad to publish here. For non-stop musical inspiration, be sure to listen to Jim's on-demand Al Compas del Mundo Radioactiva  radio show and visit his Al Compas delMundo blog which chronicles the music.   A December drive from the Bay Area back to Chicago - In Slim's old station wagon with Sister Sarah along for the ride. We took turns driving. Listening to them exchanging small talk and recollections during many hours was an education all by itself. Regrettably, I don't recall much if anything of the subject matter with one exception. Sarah got talking about life back in Mississippi and d...

  This artifact from my bedroom bureau shows how lively the Chicago Blues Scene was in 1978. Every night in July, boffo!  What a line-up! Sunnyland Slim, Otis Rush, Magic Slim, Detroit Jr. Son Seals, Erwin Helfer and Mama Yancey - it just goes on and on. I got to a couple of these nights - hot but it was great to be there. This happened while I worked with Sunnyland on the Prose Poem "Sunnyland Blues." Most of that was Sunnyland conversation - and what testimonies they were. Here below instead I include some excerpts from the book that touch on my impressions of Chicago. These and some verbatims by other musicians weren't particularly received well by the critics. I get it, they were jarring, and might have worked well in a longer more rambling presentation.      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FROM CHICAGO AND ACROSS KING DRIVE - Distended lights of the northwestern trestle. Buses this burden their scores. Ice chests in the gas stations wait for Sat...

  I was idly Web surfing and I found this in the Records of the Wisconsin Historical Society. A beautiful poster promoting Sunnyland Slim appearance at Gordon Commons at the University of Wisconsin in Madison way back in the day (Donation: $1.50; beer 25 cents). Playing with Sunnyland were my friends Harry Duncan and Paul DeMark A story to this one has to do with the billing of "Little" Eddie Taylor - one of the Chicago greats - a story that I will pass on for now. Posters were a People's Art Form back in those days. You would post them on telephone poles, you would cop them after the event, you would put them on your wall, you would study them, and think about what they meant. Posting this today especially because it is Sunnyland Slim's birthday anniversary. As we often say: "He was a man amongst men." Strong character, strong heart, strong voice. Now a strong memory. https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM58549# Eddie Taylor story - Paul DeMark

  Short song of Sunnyland: Cotchball In that time / there was a thing / called cotch balls / cotch is just a three-card game / And I was very bad / I could steal with the back of my hand / palm a dollar / I was a hustler.  

Remembering Sunnyland Slim at the Paradise in about 1978. It was the second week after the Paradise opened. (The first week featured Lou Reed, who everyone said was a schmuck and surrounded by schmucks.) Sunnyland opened for the Talking Heads. Neither their fans nor the band cared too much about Slim. He was happy to do his sets, and the spread backstage was really nice. He was in fine form. This went on for two or three nights. I recall a funny moment I think where Slim asks the audience to give a big round of applause for the Talking Hands. He could really fracture names. - Jack Vaughan

Happy 107th, Mule!

Sunnyland Slim Meets Little Brother Montgomery- This poem depicts Sunnyland's first encounter with Little Brother in Canton, Miss. in 1923. Jack Vaughan, of Boston, Mass. recorded this reading Jan. 19, 2013.

It was a Sunday open air market of music and flea bit items. Caught a good film [DVD] about Maxwell Street in the '60s. It is called "Chicago's Legendary Maxwell Street ... And This Is Free." Very vivid depiction of the Chicago Blues. Of course, now, piano players wasnt on Maxwell Street. Didnt no piano players play in the street. But Robert Nighthawk, Johnnie Young and J.B Hutto [his hand anyway, I think; this is a wild guess - maybe it's Homesick James] appear. Lots of gospel too. Much in the way of Hucksterism. It is not a representation of what the blues would be like in a South Side Club in the '60s or '70s , but it is a more accurate representation than most any blues show you may go to today. I got down there once when it was way past it's prime. Remember this guy who had this giant collection of hub caps on sale. The joke to me in those days was selling so many hub caps. That was a very prominent stolen item back in time. There is a CD accompa...

Paul DeMark was in touch recently with much musical news. His group’s second CD came out, and he is at work in spare time writing about his experiences in music. And the group recently opened for Willie Nelson. The new Delta Nationals’ CD takes a big step beyond the first CD. It is still a compendium of American music but it is all original material this time and it is called “All over the Map” – my fave rave on the outing is Everlasting, co-written by none other than Paul and including Joyce Hough on vocals. Check out the Delta National’s web site . Is this the same guy that I encountered sitting cross-legged on the steps of Cambridge Castle on the East Side of Milwaukee in 1971? Really serious dude who could watch the world go by waiting for the lotus in the stream? Yes! He divulges: Eddie Floyd is an influence. Who’d a thunk?! Paul on the path of dharma is a wonder. This music business can cut-cha – but Paul has stayed on the case and has much to show with All Over the Map, bro....

Guidance: The Devil is a busy man, he will stay right on your trail! Sad sad day since my friend he went away Sad sad day since my friend he went away Once he woke up in a dream – said good things were coming our way.