september/october 2006 issue 286 free jazz now in our 32nd year &blues report www.jazz-blues.com GUITAR SHORTY INTERVIEWED PLAYING HOUSE OF BLUES ARMED WITH NEW ALLIGATOR CD INSIDE: 2006 Gift Guide: Pt.1 GUITAR SHORTY INTERVIEWED Published by Martin Wahl By Dave Sunde Communications geles on a rare off day from the road. Editor & Founder Bill Wahl “I would come home from school and sneak in to my uncle Willie’s bedroom Layout & Design Bill Wahl and try my best to imitate him playing the guitar. I couldn’t hardly get my Operations Jim Martin arms over the guitar, so I would fall Pilar Martin down on the floor and throw tantrums Contributors because I couldn’t do what I wanted. Michael Braxton, Mark Cole, Grandma finally had enough of all that Dewey Forward, Steve Homick, and one morning she told my Uncle Chris Hovan, Nancy Ann Lee, Willie point blank, I want you to teach Peanuts, Mark Smith, Dave this boy how to ‘really’ play the guitar Sunde, Duane Verh and Ron before I kill him,” said Shorty Weinstock. Photos of Guitar Shorty Fast forward through years of late courtesy of Alligator Records night static filled AM broadcasts crackling the southbound airwaves out of Cincinnati that helped further de- Check out our costantly updated website. Now you can search for CD velop David’s appreciative musical ear. Reviews by artists, Titles, Record T. Bone Walker, B.B. King and Gospel Labels, keyword or JBR Writers. 15 innovator Sister Rosetta Tharpe were years of reviews are up and we’ll be the late night companions who spent going all the way back to 1974. late evenings influencing Shorty’s fu- ture singing and playing style. David Address all Correspondence to.... There are few times in life that credits his grandmother for influencing Jazz & Blues Report you have the opportunity to speak his desire to sing in the church choir. “I 19885 Detroit Road # 320 Rocky River, Ohio 44116 with someone who has forgotten had such a high pitched voice at the more about the blues and music in time, but I really loved singing in the Main Office ...... 216.651.0626 general than most people choir and I really enjoyed those times,” Editor's Desk ... 440.331.1930 will remember in a lifetime. I recently said David. [email protected] had the opportunity to not only lis- David’s uncle soon realized Web .................. www.jazz-blues.com ten to, but to learn from a true certi- that he needed a real guitar Copyright © 2006 Martin-Wahl Communications Inc. fied blues ”Road Scholar,” who nar- teacher. His grandma was instrumen- No portion of this publication may be rated for me an exciting musical jour- tal having David meet his guitar reproduced without written permission ney spanning five generations and teacher “WASH.” from the publisher. All rights Reserved. whose career continues not only to “He was left handed, played the Jazz Report was founded in Buffalo New thrive, but flourish to this day. guitar right handed, and at first York in March of 1974 and began in Cleve- Born in Houston, Texas in 1939, I thought he was a midget, but later land in April of 1978. We are subsidized David Kearney (Guitar Shorty) I learned he was actually a dwarf. We solely through advertisement and ask that struggled through the breakup of his would meet twice a week for you support our advertisers. parents’ marriage at a very young lessons and I picked up things so fast age. At the age of six David went to and found myself getting bored eas- live with relatives in Florida. It was ily. I would skip ahead and complete 2- during this time that he found refuge 3 lessons ahead of time,” David said. "Buffalonious" in the sounds of the guitar. ”I was so It’s during this chapter of the story amazed by the sound of my where David said WASH told him Original mascot from Uncle Willie’s guitar, we would just “Someday he would be paying to see the sit on the porch after dinner, I would me play the guitar.” David stated that Buffalo Jazz Report sit on my uncle’s lap and I would put “I just shrugged it off and couldn’t com- days – mid '70s my hand in his and press down on prehend it.” After much practice, David Created by the strings and we would just became good enough to start travel- Christine Engla Eber play and imitate the sounds we ing to Tampa to play gigs with Walter Watch for new t-shirts bearing his image–coming soon! would hear all around us,” said David Johnson’s band on a regular speaking from his home in Los An- basis. ”Walter would sit me on a stool PAGE TWO September/October 2006 • Issue 286 in front of a music stand and he would have me turn my Otis Rush, Sam Cooke volume all the way down and go through the motions like and others. It was dur- I was playing. He would tell me what key I was in and tell ing this time that me to follow along with the band and act like I was play- Shorty’s guitar ing with the rhythm section. He told me eventually he teacher’s words came would allow me to turn up the volume and that is how I true. “One Night as I got started playing in a band,” David relates. was playing on stage It’s during this time where the nickname “Guitar with Ray Charles, I Shorty” comes into being. “There was a promoter in Florida looked down in front named Dewey Richardson. I was playing weekends with and there WASH, my Walter Johnson when at the end of the show, Richardson guitar teacher, holding announced that there is going to be a very exciting new two tickets and pointing guitar player named Guitar Shorty at next week’s show. I to his heart, reminding was very curious and excited, but at the same time I be- me of the almost pro- came very nervous. Now everyone else in the band was phetic words he had in on the joke except me. I spent the entire next week said years earlier,” said practicing to be sure that I was ready when I got to play Shorty. with this new guitarist. When it was time for the gig, I was Over the ensuing peeking thru the curtain and trying to get a glimpse of this years, Shorty has con- mysterious guitar player. I sat backstage with the rest of tinued to deliver a the band while the promoter was introducing him to the steady stream of rockin’ albums showcasing that full, crowd. The announcer says Ladies and ‘Gentleman, deep resonant voice, intricate razor sharp guitar playing please welcome Guitar Shorty.’ I start looking around and the time tested desire to serve up enough low at the rest of the band and they were all looking back at down blues to permanently cement his reputation as a me laughing. I then realized the joke and it hit me that I solid, “one of a kind” live performer. am supposed to be the exciting new guitar player. I froze The story takes a interesting turn - forward and several of the band members had to pick me up and to Vancouver, 1962. In the midst of nonstop playing and carry me out on the stage. Once I thawed out, I started to recording, Shorty meets and falls in love with a girl named play and the crowd went nuts.” Marsha, who just so happens to be the sister of one James The time spent playing with Walter’s band opened Marshall Hendrix, better known in music circles as Jimi doors for other gigs playing with Ray Charles, Guitar Slim, Hendrix. After meeting Hendrix at a family reunion, September/October 2006 • Issue 286 PAGE THREE Shorty finds out that not only is Jimi familiar with Shorty’s music, but Hendrix tells Shorty how much he has influenced his style and how he had patterned his play- ing style after him. “Jimi told me he would go AWOL from the military just to see me play. He said I was one of the most amazing guitar players he had ever seen,” said Shorty And that is not the end of the story, either....... Just when you think the story can’t get By Mark Smith any better, Shorty’s current projects with Alligator Records have delivered a one-two punch that blues music lovers will still be reeling from years down the road. New Release Blues..... WOW, with a release schedule With the first release of WATCH YOUR BACK (Alliga- this hot you won’t soon be missing the warmth of summer: G. tor 2004), Shorty delivered the goods to an audience des- Love- Lemonade; Maria Muldaur-Heart of Mine: Love Songs perate to hear music packing power and passion. It was of Bob Dylan; Anthony Gomes- Music Is the Medicine; Kelly classic Shorty - strong vocals, witty lyrics and enough in Joe Phelps- Tunesmith Retrofit; Jeremy Spencer- Precious your face screaming guitar to satisfy even the most jaded Little; Albert Cummings- Working Man; Chris Whitley- Dis- listener. On his new release for Alligator, WE THE PEOPLE, location Blues; Delbert McClinton- Live From Austin, TX; Rory produced by Wyzard and Brian Brinkerhoff, Shorty doesn’t Block- The Lady and Mr. Johnson; Bill Perry- Don’t Know just rest on his past laurels and pick up where he left off...on Nothing About Love; Fiona Boyes- Lucky 13; Otis Rush- the contrary, he decided to kick the ballistic buffet into over- Troubles, Troubles; Professor Longhair-Rock ‘n Roll Gumbo; drive, playing with a zeal and passion that is very hard to The Nighthawks- Blue Moon in Your Eye; Johnny Winter- imitate, and all but unmatched in today’s music scene.