Issue #2 The Bluesletter BLUES CLUB The Re-emergence of Screaming Joe N al By Joel Slotnlkoff and Tony Cabanellas Screaming Joe Neal was a popular R&BI JS But Little Richard was your favorite? Rock and Roll performer In the late fifties IN Yeah, he was one of my favorites, and and early sixties, Joe dropped out of sight James Brown. I liked him too. You In the late sixties, so It was with wide eyes know I really got into It with him. that we regarded the ad In the local black TC Old you do any out of town gigs during bar Pub magazine for the Bill KIng Band that time period? with Screaming Joe Neal at Lockhart's IN We went to Chicago. And to Kansas Wagonwheel. A visit the following week City. led to Screaming Joe in the flesh, and In JS Who did you go with? fine form. An Interview was arranged for IN It was a guy called •••the guy that cut the following Monday, and Tony C. and I the record on Emerge, we called him met with Joe at the Southern KItchen. Delmar. Tony Knlttlg is the guy that IN My mother was named Essie Neal and I backed me up. In my comer, 100%, you was born In St. Louis, Missouri and we know. TlIat was sixty eight. moved to South Bend, Indfana. I was JS Do you remember anything exciting raised mostfy In",hurch til I was about that happened at any of these clubs? twelve or thirteen I sang In the choir, IN Well, I was performing at the Pepper­ then I started getting Interested In mint Club and I was doing my act on plano. I'd go where people was play­ Don't Quit Me Baby, and when I did It I Ing. It was rock and roll bands, like Ut­ stood up on the organ and Jumped off tie Richard, or like Fats Domino. and broke my ankle, and they had to JS Do you remember any of the local acts carry me off on a stretcher, but the on it, then he signed for it, you know, that were playing around South Bend next night I was back up there on and then I was paying him. And he then? stage In a cast. They went wild! It was didn't let me take the organ, so we had IN Well, Junior Walker. I played with packed too. to go to Chicago on a rented organ. Junior Wa lker. Then he left and went JS How did you get your name? We hung out a week, something like to St. louis. Then I moved to St. Louis. IN I got that In South Bend, Indiana. I ac­ ttlat, and the band say they could Nineteen fifty nine, when I alme. And tually ttlought about walking the floor come the weekend. We tried to get a when I got here I started playing, sit­ Kreamlng like I'm doing, I got the Idea band up there and it was h.ald getting ting In with different bands. I'd sit In of that record, Don't Quit Me Baby, It cause the union thing was 10 tight. with Ike Turner. He hired me on the when me and my wife was together. I We played on Rush Street. We drove spot, My wife's father was working at got that Idea when I was In South up, my name was In lights and a big this steel place. He taken me down Bend, I was screaming. I was crazy picture. You know the people was there and I worked down there for about Little Richard, at first I called waiting but the band had a hard time. awhile, and I drove truck for awhile. myself Little Joe but that didn't click JS And there was a job in Kansas City? Just before I started playing with Ike too good, so I heard of a guy called IN A one nlghter. I went there and ap­ Turner I cut a record with Archie Ship. Screaming Jay Hawkins and I said, "I peared on local television. And did pings, Rock and Roll Deacon. want to be Screaming" and so I just Don't Quit Me Baby. And then after JS Was there anybody you based your said Screaming Joe Neal. that we went to the place, the place style of plano playing on? JS Where did you go from there and who was packed, and I did Don't Quit Me IN Well, In Indiana I listened to a lot of did you go with? Baby, and they klnda went wild. When Jazz. I was listening to Erroll Garner IN Me and Tony went to Chicago and the I came back me and the guy at the Pep­ and George Shearing, but then I heard guy at the Peppermint Club permint Club we klnda broke up .. I laid Little Richard. I like Little Walter, Little wouldn't••.he was buying that organ around for a few weeks and Tony get Richard, Mudcly Waters, all of 'em. for me, I paid down on it and he paid me a few Jobs you know up In Butler - MARCH 5 The ROBERT CRAY BAND with special guest JOHN HIATT at Klel Auditorium. It is true that Chicago boam the nation's MARCH 9 The BILL KING BAND featurIng SCREAMING JOE NEAL at Blueberry Hill, 8:30 PM, 54. largest arril)' of Blues a",1ts and record la· bels. But how people know that before MARCH 10 The BEL AJRS at Off Broadway, 9 PM, 55. many Chicago, there was MARCH I I ETTA JAMES, The Colluseum, 3601 Goodfellow, 7 PM, 5I 7.50 St. louis? MARCH 22 The St. louis Blues Club welcilmes Alligator Recording Artist. LmLE ED I The In the 1920's and 1930's, St. Louis had nu· BLUES IMPERIALS with The ROCKIN' LUCKYS at Off Broadway, 9 PM, $5. merous Blues nightclubs. The area hosted art· MARCH 17 JERRY BURER I The DEW, Club 54,7 I II PM, $15.50, 17.50.20.50. Tickets Regal Ists sud! as pianist Peatle WheatJ~ and Sports, Famous Barr I Tickets Now. guitarist Robert Johnson, consIdered by many MARCH 23 ANSON FUNDERBURGH & The ROCKm with The ROCKIN' LUCKYS at Cicero's Base· to be the greatest blues artist ever. They ment, 9 PM, 55. played with musicians who established resi· APRIL 7 JOHNNIE TAYLOR & KOKO TAYLOR, Club 54. dence here, sud! as plan st, Roosevelt Sykes, Walter DavIs, Henry Brown, Aaron Sparks Local News and Speckled Red; and guitarists Henry Townsend, Lonnie Johnson, Charlie Jordan, JAN.26 The Blues Club presented Big Bad Smitty and the Upsetten with specJalguest O.T. Ma· Clifford Gibson and Big Joe Williams. con and the SilUl B.and. O.T. turned in a fine performance that Included a rendition of his hit St. Lou/sans must remelnber our city's role "Blow Wind" as well as a fine tum on vocals by bass player Ronnie Guyton. Big Bad Smitty blew as the Blues moved north from the deep the roof off with his powerful delivery and the Upsetten, Junior Applewhite on bass, Robert South, where the art form was born of slav· and TheotJs Doll on guitan and Ben Jr. on drums, kept up a pulsing rhythm behind him. They ery. AJso essential Is an awareness that our were JOined In the last set by Jimmy Bernard on harmonica. Blues scene currently Is vibrant, offering a JAN. 27 Johnnie Johnson's Pulsar record release party at Preservation Hall was a rousing suc· wide spectrum of Blues and Rhythm & Blues cess with vocals supplied by Vernon Guy and Barbara Carr. that Is Influenced by sources as divene as jazz FEB. 3 & 4 The William Clarke Blues Band rocked the house with their hard driving Jump and and rock music. Blues featuring the great chromatic harmonica of Bill Clarke, raising the temperature on a pair John Yoch of cold winter nights, at Off Broadway, with a very fine opening set by The Rockln' Luckys on Frld.1J. DIRECTORS: FEB. 7 The St. Louis Blues Club presented Big Jack Johnson & the Ollen with Frank Frost at Off Ron Edwards, Chairman Broadway. BIg Jack and the Ollen and Frank gave a terrific performance made special by the Frank Babcock presence of Sam Carr on drums. Carr was the original leader of the group when they flnt met George Edick here In St. LouIs In 1958, and is Robert NIghthawk's son. The evening was more special yet as St. Bill Greensmlth LouIs' own Arthur Mil ms sat In on harp. Arthur, or Oscar as Frank calls him, played most of Carl Kuelker the harmonlea on Frank's Jewel album, recently reissued as Ride With Your Daddy Tonight, and John May tumed In a terrific performance. The evenIng turned Into a stellar extravaganza of electric, Gene Norman delta blues, as St. Louis' own Big Bad Smitty Joined the band onstage for several of his roaring Oliver Saln vocals and a dose of his own superb guitar work. Joel Siotnikoff FEB. IS Charlie Musselwhite Blues Band delivered a hot set of swinging blues at Cicero's Base· Lou "Fatha" Thlmes ment, with a rousing opener by The Blue City Band Henry Townsend FEB.18 Eddie Klrkfand with Big Bad Smitty opening, Preservation Hall. St. Louis' bluesman Sam Valenti Smitty turned In a fine set of his searing Delta style blues. Pulsar recording artist Eddie Kirkland bedecked In green sequined turban and vest tore the house down with two hot sets of soulful, rocking vocals, fantastIc guitar work and rousing harmonica playing.