June 3rd will make a full year since the world lost Koko Taylor. Koko was one of those performers who managed to transcend labels like "woman in a man's world" and become something truly singular in their own right. Off stage she could be shy and liked to keep her private, family life precisely that: private and for the family. On stage you never once doubted she could do precisely as she'd boasted and hold back the lightning with the palm of her hand...
I would only see Koko once and it remains a memory I feel privileged to have. When she tore it up at the North Atlantic Blues Festival, long as I had already been a fan, I couldn't help but be amazed at this small woman with that great big voice. Lady blew the empty VIP folding chairs back like a blessed wind...
For years, I've loved the short-dose Koko set off the Alligator 20th Anniversary Tour double-disc set.
No matter the spaces I've gotten into, the 5 cuts featuring Koko never once failed to put me right where I needed to be. I bought this set off a convict for a pack of cigarettes and some postage stamps, back around '94. Sixteen years later it remains always in easy reach.The Alligator Records 20th Tour was described by founder Bruce Iglauer this way: "It started as a dream--to put a busload of Alligator artists on the road, barnstorming across the country, playing one-nighters and bringing genuine houserockin' music out of the clubs and into the auditoriums and concert halls. In the spring of 1992 the dream became a reality. We rented a bus, filled it with Koko Taylor and her Blues Machine, the Lonnie Brooks Band, Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials, Elvin Bishop, and Katie Webster and hit the road...sixteen shows in eighteen days!"
Short as it was, the tour cut an explosive arch from Grand Rapids, through the northeast U.S. and Canada, wrapping it up in D.C.. Highlights from this tour obviously ended up on the Alligator double-disc. Those recordings came from their Chicago show on February 29 and Philadelphia on March 12.
The following night the Anniversary Tour rolled into New York and held court at the Marquee Theater...
None of this material has been officially released.
Koko Taylor
(from Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Tour)
Marquee Theater
New York City
March 13, 1992
sbd @ 256
1. Intro > Something Strange Going On
2. Fishing Trip
3. I Don't Care
4. I'm A Woman
5. Jump For Joy
6. I'd Rather Go Blind
7. Hey Baby
8. Thanks/Band Intros
9. Wang Dang Doodle
10. Crowd/Talk
11. It's A Dirty Job*
12. Sweet Home Chicago**
* with Lonnie Brooks
** all star jam with Lonnie Brooks, Katie Webster, Elvin Bishop, and Lil' Ed.
(sorry, no art for this one...)
Despite that NOT ONE NOTE of the above material has ever been commercially released--and this particular boot has been traded freely for years--someone went running to Blogger over this post and filed a DMCA complaint against this blog. So obviously the link for this one had to go away...for now (nudge, nudge, wink, wink...)
I've also had to kill the link to the Chicago Blues Festival set below...but I'm quite sure you folks will know where to find it...
For this second show, I owe my thanks to Zivoin, over at the Blues Collective. Like a whole lot of you folks, I've been a fan of the Collective and MuddySava for quite a while. Hands down, one of the coolest things I remember from those sites was, hours after the news broke about Koko's passing, Zivoin posted this, Koko's last appearance at the Chicago Blues Festival. It was too good a gesture not to pass on.
Thanks Zivoin!
Koko Taylor & the Blues Machine
2008 Chicago Blues Festival
Grant Park
Chicago IL
June 6, 2008
sbd @ 320
01. Intro* 0.15
02. I'm Going Away* 7.22
03. I Just Want To Make Love To You* 7.44
04. Koko Taylor Intro Jam* 1.10
05. Let The Good Times Roll 5.12
06. Ernestine 6.37
07. Come To Mama 6.36
08. It Took A Long Time 5.50
09. I'm A Woman 6.30
10. Wang Dang Doodle 4.15
11. Koko Exit & Band Intros 2.05
12. Wang Dang Doodle Outro Jam* 2.52
Koko Taylor - Vocals
Vino Louden - Guitar & Vocals (2 & 3)
Shun Kikuta - Guitar
Stanley Banks - Keyboards
Melvin Smith - Bass
Ricky Nelson - Drums
Recorded by Michael Herwitt & Dennis Orr
Art included
Link
May you have found your rest, Koko. Thank you for all you've done for us...and for all you've done for me.
Peace, Mudcatz
A "life mask" that strikes me as beautiful...but kinda spooky, ha!
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