2009.10.19
A couple of notes on the Robert Cray show
On Sunday night at Jefferson Center, about midway through his set, Robert Cray picked out a familiar country-blues melody -- Robert Johnson's "Come On In My Kitchen." At least, that's what I was hearing, because I'm a big Johnson fan.
Johnson had actually had repurposed the Mississippi Sheiks "Sittin' On Top of the World," and the Sheiks' tune was what Cray actually ended up singing. So many people have done so many different variations on that melody, it's hard to keep track of who did what when. But for the record, the Sheiks cut their song in 1930, six years before Johnson tracked "Come On In My Kitchen."
At any rate, Cray was amazing last night, and as you'll see from the print review, he is definitely not stuck in the 1930s.
Theres a "Sittin on Top of the World" variation in the oldtime/bluegrass vein too. Its cool to see how similar tunes and themes can be done in the different styles!
Comment by Ken — October 20, 2009 @ 9:48 am
As a bluegrass number, it's always a smash, Ken. I love hearing it that way, too.
Comment by Tad Dickens — October 20, 2009 @ 5:19 pm