JANIS JOPLIN ... AND THE INFLUENCE OF BIG MAMA THORNTON

JANIS JOPLIN 

AND 

THE INFLUENCE OF 

BIG MAMA THORNTON 

Janis Joplin at Her Last Concert 

Harvard Stadium, Boston, Massachusetts 

August 12, 1970 

In his review of "Big Mama Thornton in Europe," discussed in yesterday's post, Bob Koch traces the influence of "Big Mama" on "Pearl":  Thornton "could belt it out," Koch wrote, "but she shows on this album that she could also pull it back when needed, a lesson clearly absorbed by acolytes such as Janis Joplin." 

BIG MAMA THORNTON here 

More JANIS JOPLIN here 

BIG MAMA THORNTON ... AND BUDDY GUY

BIG MAMA THORNTON

& BUDDY GUY

Bob Koch has a striking review out today of a 1966 

album entitled "Big Mama Thornton in Europe."

"Big Mama" was Willie Mae Thornton (December 

11, 1926-July 25, 1984).

Koch lists the "legendary" Chicago musicians 

present for the London studio recording of what he calls "a killer album," starting with Buddy Guy 

(above).

Amazingly, there are still LPs (as well as CDs) 

available for purchase.

THE BLAIR PROJECT: IRAQ MEANS NEVER SAYING "SORRY"

THE BLAIR PROJECT:

IRAQ MEANS NEVER SAYING

SORRY

Tony & Cherie Blair

The Brits are running an inquiry into the U.K.'s role

in the invasion of Iraq, and former Prime Minister

Tony Blair was finally called to testify today. There is

a wonderfully evocative description of the proceedings here.

ON A WING AND A PRAYER ... AND A MOON

ON A WING AND A PRAYER ... AND A MOON

Coming back from a Very Important Political gathering

NIGHT FALLS IN MACHU PICCHU (AGUAS CALIENTES), PERU, IN MORE TRANQUIL TIMES

NIGHT FALLS IN MACHU PICCHU

(AGUAS CALIENTES), PERU,

IN MORE TRANQUIL TIMES

NOW AN ESTIMATED 1500 OR MORE

TOURISTS ARE STILL STRANDED

AS FLOODS CUT OFF ACCESS; A DOZEN

OR MORE MAY HAVE DIED; HUNDREDS OF

LOCALS HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES.

MACHU PICCHU, PERU: A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT -- OR AROUND IT -- AND HAS FLOODED

MACHU PICCHU

PERU

"A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT" --

OR AROUND IT --

AND HAS FLOODED

(The train to Machu Picchu visible on the lower left)

EDUARD SHEVARDNADZE

EDUARD SHEVARDNADZE

b. January 25, 1928

LEADER OF GEORGIA,

SOVIET & POST-SOVIET

FOREIGN MINISTER FOR & WITH GORBACHEV

RESIGNED & RE-HIRED

FIGHTER VS. CORRUPTION

&

BROUGHT DOWN FOR IT

IN THE ROSE REVOLUTION

More on Shevardnadze in Soviet politics

in "Pivot" (RUSSIA REDUX Chapter One)

&

in U.S.-Soviet relations

in "Moscow & the Gulf War"

(an excerpt from RUSSIA REDUX Chapter Three)

CHINA THEN AND NOW: COAL BRAZIER ON A SHANGHAI STREET

CHINA THEN AND NOW

WORKING ON A COAL BRAZIER

IN THE STREET

IN SHANGHAI (1981)

One of a Series

To be published in

HERE BE GIANTS

MOON OVER MOSCOW: BACK IN THE USSR

MOON OVER MOSCOW 

BACK IN THE USSR 

Moscow Apartment Blocks 

Away from the Center 

(1990) 

One of a Series 

From: HERE BE GIANTS 

Some buildings are deliberate symbols; 

some are unintentionally symbolic. 

THE SEATS OF POWER, CHINESE STYLE, III: LIAONING

THE SEATS OF POWER 

CHINESE STYLE 

One of a Series 

LIAONING PROVINCE

LEADERSHIP DELEGATES

TO THE 16th PARTY CONGRESS

BEIJING 2002

(Bo Xilai on the extreme right; more Bo here) 

LENIN IS DEAD. COMMUNISM LIVES ON. IN CHINA?

LENIN IS DEAD.

COMMUNISM LIVES ON.

IN CHINA?

THE LENIN MAUSOLEUM 

Red Square, Moscow 

On this day (January 21) in 1924, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (ne Ulanov) died. The New York Times has a rather intriguing obituary. 

OBAMA & THE SCREW UP II

OBAMA & THE SCREW UP II

No, that is not Martha Coakley

with Barack Obama....

JANIS JOPLIN b. January 19, 1943

JANIS JOPLIN 

January 19, 1943-October 4, 1970 

THE LAST CONCERT 

HARVARD STADIUM 

August 12, 1970 

More Joplin 

A GERMAN TRAIN CONDUCTOR...BACK IN THE DAY...OF THE COLD WAR: MEMORIES OF AN ARMY BRAT

MEMORIES OF AN ARMY BRAT

A GERMAN TRAIN CONDUCTOR

BACK IN THE DAY...

THE DAYS OF

THE COLD WAR...

more

Army Brats

Giessen

THE STEERAGE II: THE USSR, KIEV, & THE UKRAINIAN ELECTIONS

THE STEERAGE II:

THE USSR, KIEV,

& THE ELECTION IN UKRAINE

The presidential election in Ukraine today

(January 17, 2010), has resulted in the need

for a second round (no majority winner).

Above, a reminder of what politics looked like under the USSR. I call it "THE STEERAGE II." Here in Kiev

(Ukraine), on September 1, 1984, is a mass rally for Peace & Knowledge Day. Notice that although the participants have been vetted, the authorities keep their distance -- with a large divide between them and their "constituents," and only (Soviet) security and media allowed in an otherwise "no man's land" separating the leaders from the led. 

For me, there are echoes of "THE STEERAGE," the photograph by Alfred Stiegltiz. The photograph can be seen here, and an interesting discussion of it found here. 

A BOY & HIS DOG & PROPINQUITY

A LAD & HIS DOG

Giessen, Germany

IN HONOR OF

ALLEN ROSS MONASMITH

(HAPPY BIRTHDAY!)

&

PROPINQUITY

THE SEATS OF POWER, CHINESE STYLE II: SICHUAN

THE SEATS OF POWER

CHINESE STYLE

One of a Ser

SICHUAN DELEGATES

TO THE 16th PARTY CONGRESS

BEIJING 2002

CALIFORNIA SUNSET... ON AN OIL RIG

CALIFORNIA SUNSET...

ON AN OIL RIG

GOLDEN BUDDHA: ANOTHER FAVORITE PORTRAIT

GOLDEN BUDDHA

XI'AN, CHINA (1981)

A FAVORITE PORTRAIT: STAVROS COSMOPULOS

A FAVORITE PORTRAIT

STAVROS COSMOPULOS

WARS, ALARUMS, AND EXCURSIONS

WARS,

ALARUMS AND

EXCURSIONS

THEIRS & OURS

"The Ghostly General"

Lima, Peru