Hello. It's me, once again! And Little Walter

Hi, everybody! It's me, Mitch.

Yep, that Mitch. The Mitch, hahaha! Just kidding. ;)

So, I'm back again! With a renewed and re-discovered desire to write about music, the arts, culture, and life. Still playing blues harp, too.

The year of 2012 wasn't a great year for me, in terms of my health. It's nice to leave it behind!

It's been an exceedingly long time between 'drinks' (or posts), in terms of my blogging activity. I'm not even certain how long it has been between my blog posts. Doesn't matter now.

But I couldn't let this blog die, nor would I want it to go silent for good! I enjoy writing about music, and the arts, far too much for that to happen. I enjoy the research that I do about music, and the process of discovery. I love finding and hearing new artists! It's just fun for me to discover the music and also, the history that's attached to music!

There's been loads of interesting music in my consciousness, since I last blogged. Lots that's worth talking about here! Let's get started, brothers and sisters!

I wanted to talk about this CD box set... that comes to us from 
The Great Little Walter! 
(AKA Marion Walter Jacobs)

It's a great CD set, from the blues harp master -- and generally wonderful musician -- Marion Walter Jacobs, AKA 'Little' Walter. (1930-1968) The box set's called 'The Complete Chess Masters: 1950-1967'. If you're into blues harp, or blues music generally (and both of those things are true of me), then get this set. The music here is spread over five discs, and it's all great!

Jacobs is often compared to Charlie Parker, or Jimi Hendrix; and it's justified! He was simply that good! He changed the landscape of blues music and blues harmonica with his virtuosity, use of amplification/distortion, and jazzy phrasing. Walter recorded as a sideman (w/ Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Otis Rush) and also as a bandleader/solo artist.

It's difficult to overstate his musical impact. He had a sophisticated, imaginative approach to his music, and Walter often treated his harp like a sax. Mind blowing music!

Mitch's Playlist: Edition 0.1

As you may have been able to deduce, this is the second edition of Mitch's Playlist. I believe in keeping things interesting; so each new edition of the Playlist won't necessarily follow the same template. I could talk about artists in general, videos I am watching.

At the moment, I am feeling a sweet relief of having just been released from hospital. Every time this happens, I 'rediscover' music!

• Kansas City Powerhouse -- Count Basie. Hot, big band jazz.
• New Orleans Piano -- Professor Longhair. A fantastic pianist, with an uncanny sense of time!
• Hard Again -- Muddy Waters. Muddy's comeback album; featuring James Cotton and Johnny Winter.
• His Best (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection) -- Little Walter. This man changed blues forever.