Nashville Shopping Vol 1: Jimmy Rogers, Etta James, and Peter Karp
So as you know I took a trip to Nashville last week for our anniversary. Thursday night was Springsteen and it was incredible. Friday was the Nashville Zoo and dinner. And on the third day, he shopped.
I don’t know if I can bring myself to admit how much I spent on music and what all I bought while I was in Nashville, but you’re likely to be reading about a lot of that haul over the coming weeks. Yeah, I said weeks. I bought a lot and due to the need to recover from the trip and handle some administrative things upon our return, I didn’t get to listen to much of it at all.
Shopping for it was fun. Buying it was a little scary when I totaled up the receipts. Now I’m ready for the best part: listening to it.
Of my haul, there are a couple of blues items that stand out as my happiest finds. First, I found a copy of Jimmy Rogers’ Complete Chess two-disc set. It’s out of print, replaced by the excellent 20-song, single disc His Best. Being a fan of the late, great Jimmy Rogers I wanted it all and now I’ve got it.
Additionally, I found Peter Karp’s The Turning Point, which is what I’m listening to now. It’s not really his first record, but it’s one of the first he cut when he returned to the music business after taking time away. It was recorded for an indie label and it’s damn near impossible to find. I know. I’ve looked. I looked a lot last year when I was listening obsessively to Shadows & Cracks. Now I’ve got them both. Former Stones’ great Mick Taylor plays on a number of cuts from TTP.
I’m excited about all the music I found, but the third blues find that really got me excited was Etta James’ Chess Box for $16, used. The set is in good condition and I’ve nearly sprung for this a couple of times new. I can’t wait to dive in to three discs of the greatest female voice I’ve ever heard.
Filed under: Tags: Bloggin' the Blues, Bruce Springsteen, Peter Karp
