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. His slide playing in open Editor: Assistant Editor: tuning was particularly fine. This was a record release party for his fine Pulsar album "Have John Yoch Luana Hays Mercy". FEB. 22 The MannIsh Boys, at Off Broadway. This Austin based group served Texas style R&B, Advertising Rat e s and spIcy New Orleans mambos. 1 TIME 6 TIMES Business Card $ 15 $ 12 National News 1/8 Page $ 30 $ 25 This year's Innaugunl ceremonIes Included a Blues Ball with appearances by KoKo Taylor, 1/4 Page $ 60 $ 50 Willie Dixon, Albert CaJUns, JImmy and Stevie Ray Vaughan and othen. 1/2 Page S110 $100 We are sad to report the demise of Alvin Robinson, a fine RIB belter, whose classic "Down Full Page $200 $175 Home Girl" wonderfully exceeded the cover by the Rolling Stones that brought It to fame. Next Issue Deadline-April 10
Blues Club Job Openings Articles & Photos To: The newsletter needs advertising salespeople and you are appointed. If your business or a St. Louis Blues Club Newsletter friend's would like to support the activities of the Blues Club, buy an ad. Box 21652 The Club needs a volunteer to coordinate the newsletter and poster distribution, and other St. Louis, MO 631 09 tasks as well. We also need someone who types well. Anyone Interested In the position should contact Joel at 647·2447. The St. Louis Blues Club I. a Missouri non· The St. louis Blues Club would like to take this opportunity to thank and welcome our new profit corporation dedIcat ed to preserving memben. Blues music, to fostering growth and apprecl· Frank Awalt Frank E. Dunbar, Jr. John P. & Barbara J. Reed Barbara Lutz atlon of Blues music, and to providing Blues Steve Bermel Keith D. Eccles Susan Moore Donald F. Sloane artists the opportunity for public perfor· Paul Boeger James L. Geary Donald H. Mueller P.T. Walsh mance and Individual Improvement In their Dan Brown Mark Hanson Michael Nelson Dr. Gordon White Betty Bums Loring • Jones Don Occhi Janet Wylie field, all for the educational and artistic ben· Mark Davls Barbara F. Kellner Paul Palmer efit of the general public. LocaI Rec 0rdin9Scene ~iiiiliiiliiiiiiiiiiliiiliiiiii~iiIIiiIIiI ·-""'-iiiIiIiiiII-iiiiIiiiIiiiiii THE BILL KING BAND Screaming Joe Neal made two classic 45's In the fifties and sixties. One was on the Shippings label owned by Archie Shippings, now a minister and the other was produced by Tony Knlttlg. Featuring
SHIPPINGS DISCOGRAPHY Screaming Joe Neal, vcl, pno.; Jerry Brown, bs, tens, gtr. dms. SCREAMING JOE NEAL Shippings 13229 A. Rock and Ron Deacon St. Louis, 1958 B. Ten Me Pretty Baby
The Bronner Brothers Spiritual Quarter With Shippings 14778 A. Painting A Plrture for The Lord CAROL KING B. Open Up Your Heart to Jesus MONA WILLIAMS Shippings 14778 A. Walking Through The Street B. You Ought To Pray Sometime GENE JACKSON Both Bronner Brothers Singles have the same Issue number. THURS, MARCH 9, 8:30 PM
Only one copy of Shippings 13229 Is BLUEBERRY HILL known to exist. 6504 Delmar, Univ. City 54 General Admission/53 with Membership Card A ST. LOUIS BLUES CLUB PRESENTATION Support the Businesses that Support the Blues
Janet Boyer-Music Folk Pete Rothschlld lOIS Big Bend Blvd., Webster Graves Rothschllds Antiques ~ M~:ION'~ • \ 961·Z838 398 N. Euclid Ave.. 361 ....70 "Keeping TradltlONI Music Alive In St. Louis" "For tile TnIIy Unique"
Mark A. Carlson Mark Schilling Renaissance Realty Concert Support Services 2800 McNair Ave., 776·5065 12 I E. Felton Ave., 631·3141 "PrafesslONI St. Ughtlng ~~!r ~~_\ Pat Hagin-Mississippi Nights .It a ReasonUl. Price" 914 Nanh 1st Street, 421 ·3853 ~~~~~~\11 1 "The Ben In NatioMI Ind Lacal Talent" Donald Sloane, M,S.W. 14380 Ladue Rd. 878·0500 Dana Hunsche-Hullabaloo Psychotherapy CORNER of 9th 1908 Washlngton. 4ZI-1965 St. louis' Largest Vlnhge Clothing Stare Three Flags Realtors and GEYER Suite II Bogey Hills Plaza # 1880. St. Charles ) Law OffIces of Gerald Kretmar landi Commercial Investment 7911 Forsyth Blvd., Suite 300. Clilyton 7ZI·8685 "Avoid the Legal Blues" Keith D. Eccles & Associates 231-1860 P.O. Ball 63307 776·Z53Z Jolle Mackney PC & Network ConsultIng I Tech Suppart The Haberdashery Vintage Clothing IlZ Lafayette Ave., 421·0110 Don Occhl LIVE MU S I C 'ilmeless Clothes For All OCCIslans OCCH. design & Decorating 3630 S. Broadway 771·7008 DeSignIng for the Blues Where They're---~ Blues on the Air-
KDHX 88.1 FM Monday: Midnight to 2 AM, Buck Naked with Tom Hall Playing in St. Louis the Art 2·5:30 PM, Blues In Night with Dwyer Thunday: 12·4 PM, Big Bucket of Blues with Tony Cabanellas 11·2 AM, The Night Crawler with Michael Finney Clubs featuring Uve Blues-Call for specific Information Friday: 2·5:30 PM, Blues In the Night with Art Dwyer 9·Mldnlght, Rhythm & Blues Etc. with Orlando Peraza AJ's 241·7400 Hidden Cove 427·9679 Sunday: 7·8 PM, Nothln' But the Blues with Ron Edwards Allen Ave 241·2971 S&P Oyster Co. 256·3300 8-10 PM, Night Train with Papa Ray Broadway Oyster Bar 621·9606 Bailey Bros. 352-8660 Missouri Bar & Grill 231·2234 Off Broadway 773-3363 KCLC 89.1 FM MIssissippi Nights 421-3853 Riddles 725-6985 Sunday: 8·Mldnlght, Blues in the Night-Blues from the I 1860's Saloon 231·1860 Sideline 968-6864 Basement with Magic Sam & Cindy Great Grizzly Bear 231-0444 Webster Bar & Grill 962-0564 Mike &Min's 421·1655 Stagger Inn 618-656-4221 KBDY 89.9 FM Club 54 533-0202 Millie's ca"lbean Room 385·3522 Saturday: Mldnlght·6 AM, Blues and Other Colon with New Club caravan 534-8112 Leon's 383·9882 Ferris Taylor and Robin Macon Blueberry Hili 726-0066 Baby Doll Lounge WSIE 88.7 FM CIcero's Basement 862·0009 Hits 256·4949 Friday: 9·10 PM, Blues from The Red Roaster Frend'l Quarter 947·1343 Playen Lounge 271·7291 Tubby's Red Room Marcia's KWMU 90.2 FM Lockhart's Wagon Wheel Sadie's Saturday: 9=45·11 PM, The Baby Face Leroy Blues Show Po Bob's 876-9408 COlton Club KWUR 90.3 FM Hacienda Lounge 382-4503 Whit's Lounge Sunday: Ellubeth Bardach 2-4 PM, Bobby Lane 4-6 PM KATZ 1600AM Monday·Thunclay: 4·9 PM , Lou UFatha" Thlmes Saturday: 6-10 AM, Gracie 10·3 PM, Lou UFatha" Thlmes St. Louis Blues Artists Monday·Frlday: 6·10 AM, Dr. Jockensteln
Chuck Berry Silver Cloud and BeIAin The St. louis Blues Band Screaming Joe Neal-cont Blue city Band Eddie Fisher Herb Sadler Buffalo Bob and Hili. So I played up there off and on for about once every Daryl Darden Quartet The Bedroom Blues Band two or three months but I was really Just doing•• .and Johnny Johnson Doc Terry & The Pirates the guy from the Peppermint Club lost the club and he Jimmy Lee &The joint Jumpen J.J. &Company had a new club opening, and he called me to play there. Johnny Z & The Midnight Jump Fontella Bass A steady Job and I went there and then I quit again, And Albert King Mojo Syndrome then I was playing off and on for Tony. MOJO Tooth Walter Westbrook JS Old you have any day work during those days? Rockln'Luckys The Slivertones JN No. I dIdn't. I had an operation on my eyes, I had cata· Marcel Strong Rondo's Blues Deluxe racts and I had surgery on my eyes, you know, I couldn't Tommy Bankhead and Mae Wheeler see toa good. I might have worked every once In a while, The Blues Eidorados DavIs Brothen Band but I wasn't seeIng too good. At that time I bought me a David Dee &Hot Tracks Crash &Bum keyboard and I'd practice cause I didn't have no steady Vernon Guy James DeShay job playing. I was really reacly to give It up. What really • Ron Edwards No Money Down did It, when me and my wife separated, and I was really O.T. Macon Tom Hall In bad shape for a long time. It taken me a few yean to Leroy Plenon Band Tom"P~"Ray get over that. Then after that I'd say, why did I stop. Dan Taylor Oliver Saln Band Lee Shouldn't have stopped. But now I want to get back Into Frank Dunbar Barbara carr It full force. I feel good. I feel better than I have In a long Cecil Travis BIlly Peek time. I saw Bill one day, BIll King, and he asked me what Thurman Mccain Robbie Montgomery was I doing, I told him nothln'. Hey, you got a Job. So I Benny Smith &The Sportsmen Henry Townsend was really happy. Went on down there to reheanal, Big Bad Smitty & The Upsetten Bill King Band started playing, and he got a nice band. Broadway Rhythm Soulard Blues Band JS Would you go play places over there after the places over Ross &Hunt James CrutChfield here would close? Beth Tuttle Mr. Chesterfield &The Smoken JN Yeah. With Ike Turner, we'd play double•••play here, St. BIg George &The Houserocken Roughhouse LouIs, then go over there. Maybe the rest of the night, At Bluesomatla Stacy Johnson that time he had a lot of double gigs like that. And that's J.R. Reed Clayton Love how I lost my voice. I was screaming, Plano Slim Arthur Williams f Specializing in the Repair of Stringed Instruments MUSIC 8427 OLIVE BLVD.• ST. LOUIS. "'0 63132 JOE VOLLMER Sales Manager 311"3 Gravois SKIP GOEZ 131.' 997· 1125 664·6000 SI. Louis. MO 63116
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Albert King, the man who originated Blues Power, Is internationally known as one of a select number of blues music luminaries to emerge In the last 20 years. Every hopeful upstart garage blues band that has ever attempted to get It's mojo workln' has covered Albert's Stax material. Younger enthusiasts may not be aware that for many years. Albert King lived. played. and recorded In the St. Louis area. Lovejoy. IL. became Albert's base in 1956. ILovejoy. now known a as Brooklyn. IL. Is near East St. Louis., On the heels of his Parrot recordings. he formed a trio and later expanded It to a larger IHInd. The band worked local clubs and recorded for Bob Lyons' BobbIn label. Albert was In a for· matlve perIod •••phraslng was crystalliZed. stock licks were honed. and his soulful. husky voice was developed. The Bobbin material captured the syn· thesis of Albert King's trademarks-trademarks that would launch his ca· reer in big time blues. A number of what are now highly sought after and 1952. He stayed about two years. working as a drummer for. among dearly prlu
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