collapse

* Member Info

 
 
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
If trouble was money I swear I'd be a millionaire - Albert King, If Trouble Was Money

Author Topic: Blues Mafia????????  (Read 1484 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline hardtimekillingfloor

  • Member
  • Posts: 20
  • Howdy!
Blues Mafia????????
« on: May 15, 2014, 08:12:39 PM »
I have seen references to the blues Mafia on websites and a wiki page that gave very little details and I missed this period of blues history as it was happening.  What is the story of the blues mafia, people, places, activities, rivalries, what ever.  I know it is a group of collectors but that is about all I know.

Offline tinpanallygurl

  • Member
  • Posts: 67
  • Howdy!
Re: Blues Mafia????????
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2014, 08:15:57 PM »
In the 1960s the so-called New York "Blues Mafia" was a group of blues enthusiasts, whose other members were Don Kent, Steve Calt (writer of liner notes and books), Samuel Charters (RBF Records), Lawrence 'Larry' Cohn (CBS/Epic, Columbia/Sony Records), John Fahey (aka 'Blind Joe Death', Takoma Records), Stefan Grossman (aka 'Kid Future', Kicking Mule Records), Tom Hoskins (aka 'Fang', who 'rediscovered' Mississippi John Hurt), Bernie Klatzko (Herwin Records), Jim McKune, Nick Perls (Yazoo and Blue Goose Records), Phil Spiro (who - along with Nick Perls and Dick Waterman - 'rediscovered' Eddie 'Son' House) and Pete Whelan (Origin Jazz Library). (information from wikipedia)

Offline Bunker Hill

  • Member
  • Posts: 2828
Re: Blues Mafia????????
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2014, 11:09:27 PM »
There's a photo of them (the above listed and more) in an issue of  the late Len Kundstat's Record Research magazine - started in 1955.  It may well have found it's was to the internet. If not I'll scan it.

Offline Bunker Hill

  • Member
  • Posts: 2828
Re: Blues Mafia????????
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2014, 01:05:07 AM »
The "old school" - zoom feature available. I do have that issue if anyone requires a PDF.

https://archive.org/details/RecordResearch65

The contemporaries  - top left corner

http://www.wirz.de/music/persofrm.htm

Offline wreid75

  • Member
  • Posts: 250
Re: Blues Mafia????????
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2014, 07:53:08 AM »
I bet there are some good stories to tell from that group  >:D

Offline tinpanallygurl

  • Member
  • Posts: 67
  • Howdy!
Re: Blues Mafia????????
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2014, 10:12:55 PM »
So why is there so little discussion on this topic?  It this post strike too close to home for some people?  Many of us would love to hear about this.  I remember someone in another thread saying that a book idea was being knocked around about the Blues Mafia.  Is that the reason for the uncomfortable silence and the ignoring of the pink elephant in the forum?

Offline waxwing

  • Member
  • Posts: 2804
    • Wax's YouTube Channel
Re: Blues Mafia????????
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2014, 10:39:40 PM »
Well, close to home is right, but it has nothing to do with the guys in the blues mafia. The guy in the portrait shot in the second row down, second from the right is Woody Backensto. From the age of 5 to about 14 I lived just down the block from Woody and his family, played with his three sons, slept over when my folks had to go out of town, took care of their plants and fish when they went down the shore for part of the summer. His wife Jean, and my mom played golf together and both died of cancer on the same day in the mid '80s, and after that my dad and Woody were bridge partners. I mean, family!

What a surprise to see his pic. I had no idea, or no memory, that he had any connection with record collecting. I figured he just worked for some oil or chemical company like most of our dad's in the little south jersey suburb of Philly with tidal creeks running through town. Actually, having now read his obit I see I was right, but he was a well known jazz trumpeter (just not known by me) inspired by Red Nichols whom he later became good friends with researching jazz records.

So thanks for that little trip down memory lane, BH.

Wax
"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it."
George Bernard Shaw

“Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.”
Joseph Heller, Catch-22

http://www.youtube.com/user/WaxwingJohn
CD on YT

Offline ScottN

  • Member
  • Posts: 309
Re: Blues Mafia????????
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2014, 10:49:18 PM »
A lot of the various individuals are mentioned throughout the site and some people might feel they are posting the same thing over and over.  Using the search function for each name might be a way to get to some of the stories.  Searching Calt yields references in 103 threads, Fahey gives 95, Perls 30, etc.

Since Grossman was involved and has his own forum on his site that he checks in on, you might ask one of the original members directly.

Thanks,
              Scott


Offline waxwing

  • Member
  • Posts: 2804
    • Wax's YouTube Channel
Re: Blues Mafia????????
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2014, 11:40:14 PM »
Actually, I've talked with Neil Harpe, who used to post here back in the day, about his having been a youngster hanging with the Washington DC branch of the blues mafia. I thought Hoskins was a member, having been a student at George Washington when he discovered MJH. Other names I remember were Delta X and Backwards Sam Firk (Stephan Michelson and Mike Stewart) who had connections with Fahey, Joe Bussard and, through Stewart's then wife Carol Rosenthal, with Adelphi records, with whom they made several field trips and, well, I'm sure most are familiar with rediscovered artists record on those trips.

Wax
"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it."
George Bernard Shaw

“Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.”
Joseph Heller, Catch-22

http://www.youtube.com/user/WaxwingJohn
CD on YT

Offline Bunker Hill

  • Member
  • Posts: 2828
Re: Blues Mafia????????
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2014, 03:16:57 AM »
I remember someone in another thread saying that a book idea was being knocked around about the Blues Mafia.
I'm not so sure there's a book in the offing on this subject but due for publication in July is:

http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=8666.0

however it appears to be focused upon "contemporary" blues researchers see:

http://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/25pzt3np9780252038334.html

Fab photo on cover of Dick Spottswood which I've never seen before. Unfortunately at $75 beyond my means. However I think it should make for informative and fascinating reading given those who are "spotlighted". Shame Pete Welding didn't live to take part in this. A truly unsung hero of blues research.

I'll shut up now.

Offline Stuart

  • Member
  • Posts: 3177
  • "The Voice of Almiqui"
Re: Blues Mafia????????
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2014, 08:59:19 AM »
So why is there so little discussion on this topic? ... Is that the reason for the uncomfortable silence and the ignoring of the pink elephant in the forum?

Probably because there has been a lot of mention and discussion over the decades--it has been scattered across many publications and liner notes. The silence is not uncomfortable for me and I don't consider the topic to be a pink elephant in the room. Perhaps at some point a comprehensive book will appear on the subject that gathers all the info together under one cover. As Alan mentioned, there is a book due out in July and another one is apparently in the works, although not about the Blues Mafia per se.

http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/9384-do-not-sell-at-any-price-the-wild-obsessive-hunt-for-the-worlds-rarest-78rpm-records/

Offline Bunker Hill

  • Member
  • Posts: 2828
Re: Blues Mafia????????
« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2014, 09:14:14 AM »
Thanks for the info Stuart.

The title of Amanda Petrusich's forthcoming book Do Not Sell At Any Price has a resonance with the title of Bruce Bastin's 1990 book about Joe Davis, Svengali of the New York music scene. The Davis mantra was Never Sell A Copyright.

Offline wreid75

  • Member
  • Posts: 250
Re: Blues Mafia????????
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2014, 08:41:14 PM »
These responses are very helpful.  I get to kind of live vicariously though my Blues forefathers.  Since there isn't anyone left to find I eat up this stuff.  I love the stories almost as much as the music.  I for one am grateful that others are willing to open their memories up to the rest of us




Tags:
 


anything
SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal