CAL GREEN/ Blues Guitar Masters Volume 11

 

 

 

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