|
June 12, 2007
"Can you play something to make me feel happy?"
That's the question asked by some anonymous European fan in the audience to Champion Jack Dupree at the beginning of this video. Dupree (a former boxer) promises something to "knock him out." An utterly charming video -- especially for people who like the barrelhouse piano style, of which Dupree was a master. It's amazing to find something like this on YouTube, as I've been a fan of Dupree since high school when I heard "Blues From the Gutter." (I have the original LP, and I'll be damned if it isn't available on CD at Amazon. According to one modern reviewer, it's "proof that you can sing about things other than women that get you down too, like addictions, having bad blood, bumps on your face and tuberculosis.") By any standard, the man led a fascinating and colorful (if sad) life, which included being orphaned as an infant by Ku Klux Klan arson and imprisoned for two years in a Japanese POW camp. He moved to Europe to escape racial prejudice in 1959, eventually dying in Germany in 1992. "When you open up a piano, you see freedom. Nobody can play the white keys and don't play the black keys. You got to mix all these keys together to make harmony. And that's what the whole world needs: Harmony." MORE: Whoever provided the YouTube link to the video stated that "I do not have any details re the Venue," but I'm wondering whether the second guitarist in the background might be Eric Clapton, who was known to have played with Dupree. It's blurry, but the guy kind of looks like Clapton. posted by Eric on 06.12.07 at 06:46 PM
Comments
Thanks Darleen! Eric Scheie · June 13, 2007 08:16 AM Post a comment
You may use basic HTML for formatting.
|
|
June 2007
WORLD-WIDE CALENDAR
Search the Site
E-mail
Classics To Go
Archives
June 2007
May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 May 2002 AB 1634 See more archives here Old (Blogspot) archives
Recent Entries
Winning by shutting up the loudest?
Fusion News: Chris Wants Some Help "Can you play something to make me feel happy?" Preventive Health care, John Edwards style Praying For Fusion war on dogs? Adjusting my tinfoil sensitivity If you don't like it, move to flyover country! Jonathan Simon Graduates From The University Of Chicago Bombing the bombasts of gaydar hate bombing
Links
Site Credits
|
|
EC in 1968
Not EC in the above video. But thanks for it!