CAL GREEN/ Blues Guitar Masters Volume 11
Cal Green was born in
Dayton, Tx. on June 22
nd 1935 but moved at a very
early age to
Houston.
His mother who played spiritual taught him (as well to her elder son Clarence
Green) the guitar and how to read music. As a teenager
Cal saw his recording idol Gatemouth Brown
who encouraged him to go further on guitar. So,
Cal decided to make a living with his music.
Quickly, Cal who had become a very
versatile guitar player, able to play any kind of music, became in demand in
cubs, venues and recording studios. He is featured as a sideman on many Texas blues and R&B
records by Quinton Kimble, Connie McBooker, Big Mama Thornton etc... In 1954,
he got the job of being the lead guitar player of Hank Ballard and The Midnighters
who were becoming a big name in R&B. Cal so was constantly on the road and
in studios. Cal
has plenty of solos on most of Ballard's records, influencing many Rock'n'roll
and rockabilly guitarists like Sleepy La Beef. Cal Green even managed to cut a couple
of singles under his name that, though excellent, didn't sell too much. In
1959, Cal Green and Hank Ballard co-wrote The
Twist that reached n°4 in the Billboard but went to be a monster
international hit when Chubby Checker waxed it some months later, launching one
of the most famous and still popular dance through the decades and until now!
But the things suddenly turned bad
for Cal who was framed for drug possession and served a 21 months jail
sentence! During his time, Cal
played with a band of convicts who were mostly in jazz and Green became a good
Kenny Burrell's disciple! Out of jail, Cal
moved to California, played with Gatemouth
Brown, then El Paso playing with Long John
Hunter before joining for two years Brother Jack McDuff's band in New York! There he
played with many fellow jazz musicians like George Benson and Lou Donaldson.
Back in Los Angeles, Cal
made a good living as a sideman and studio musician, recording a lot behind
musicians of all genres. He also recorded sporadically under his name, some
singles and a jazz album (Trippin').
Some of his own records having been reissued for the new blues audiences from
all over the world, Cal
gained the interest of this public. He was featured on several blues magazines
namely Living Blues n° 24 with a
in-depth essay by Dick Shurman. Cal then came
back to his blues roots and recorded a great album in 1988 that led him to tour
in the USA
and abroad.
Cal Green died in his home of Lake
View Terrace, Ca. on 4 July 2004.
This post gathers all the recordings
he made under his name.
Gérard
HERZHAFT
CAL GREEN, vcl/g;
Mark Patterson, tpt; Wilbert Dyer, a-sax; Jimmy Moore, t-sax; Danny Bank,
b-sax; Ivory Joe Hunter, pno; Menth Martin, bs; George DeHurt, dms. New York City, 23 may
1956
01.
I can hear my baby calling
02.
The search is all over
Cal Green, vcl/g; Mark Patterson, tpt; Jimmy Moore,
t-sax; Jimmy Johnson, pno; James Fisher, bs; George DeHurt, dms. Cincinnati, Oh. 14
january 1958
03.
The big push
04.
Green's blues
Cal Green, vcl/g; band. Houston, Tx. 1960
05.
Huffing and puffing
06.
Honky Tonk
07.
Sawdust floor
Cal Green, vcl/g; band. Houston, Tx. 1962
08.
Fast times in Houston
09.
I knew I was wrong
10.
All that slow jazz got me blue
Cal Green, vcl/g; The Specials, band. Los Angeles, Ca. 1965
11.
I'll give you just a little more time
12.
Stormy
13.
Spanky
Cal Green, vcl/g; Charles Kynard, pno/org; Tracy
Wright, bs; Billy Moore, dms/perc. Los
Angeles, Ca. 1969
14.
Days of wine and roses
15.
Johnny goes to Vietnam
16.
Mellow in blues
17.
My Cherie amour
18.
Sieda
19.
Sweet september
20.
Trippin'
Cal Green, g; band. Houston, Tx. 1972
21.
Revolution rap I & II
Cal Green, vcl/g; Sammy D., t-sax; William Clarke,
hca; Chuck Rowan, pno/org; Mike Saucier, bs; Roscoe Riley, dms. Hollywood, Ca. march 1988
22.
What makes your pretty head so hard?
23.
You don't know how it feels
24.
Big leg woman
25.
Greasy spoon
26.
White pearl
27.
24 hours a day
28.
Back where it used to be
29.
Just want to make love to you
30.
Mister silk
