Themeless in London

What a wonderful array of musicians we have lined up for this Saturday’s show!

I mean, Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, Rosanne Cash, Nat King Cole, Greg Brown, B.B. King, and Barb Jungr …

Barb who? A British jazz singer on an Americana show? What the … ?

Well, I have a confession to make.

A couple of weeks ago, The Big Fat Wide Americana Hour focused entirely on New Orleans.

Then last week, the theme was great covers – remakes of songs that really added something new.

So I promised myself – I swore an oath! – that this week’s show would be themeless. That’s what The Big Fat Wide Americana Hour is all about:

We’re not bound by genres or themes. We’re motivated only by a desire to hear great American music, whatever the style, right?

So, anyway, I was thinking of songs for this week’s very fine, totally themeless show. And, because I usually include one or two jazz numbers, this Barb Jungr song popped into my head.

And stayed there.

Then, with a start, I asked myself what I could possibly be thinking. This show is about American music. And Barb Jungr is a Brit, for Pete’s sake.

But then it occurred to me that the song that was stuck in my head – Who Do You Love? – was a Bo Diddley song.

And you don’t get much more American than Bo Diddley. So why the heck could I not include that song? Well, in fact I could.

So, then, the whole idea of Euro-American musical collaborations occurred to me. I thought ofU2 and B.B. King. I thought of Hans Theeskink and Terry Evans.

And others … including a nicevsurprise I've included for your listening pleasure.

So, I sort of broke my oath. There is a theme for four or five songs. But we’re back ranging freely over themeless territory well before the show ends.

The whole darn show this week is a heck of a lot of fun. If we do have a constant theme, that’s it. Let’s choose great tunes, crank up the volume, get our feet moving, and have a darn good time.

Coming Saturday, April 1. No fooling. Enjoy!

Your friend,

M.D.