JOHNNY SHINES � 1970-11-30 Court Coffeehouse, Tacoma, WA

JOHNNY SHINES
Court Coffeehouse, Tacoma, Washington, U.S.A. 1970-11-30

SOURCE: audience {Taperpat}

LINEAGE: Sony TC-355 reel-to-reel + 2 Sony ECM f-98 mics (1 taped to vocal mic, 1 taped to guitar mic) + Sony PR-150 master reel at 3 & 3/4 ips > (playback) Revox A 77 + Sony TC-377 > Phillips CDR 785 > CD-R > {DocTinker} CD-R > EAC > Cool Edit Pro > flac > Dime > ?? > {T.Parsons} flac > WeTransfer > {dajchance} hard drive > WinRar (unzip) > Dime (2014)

NOTES: Thanks to TaperPat (again!!) for another great historic show. Check the sample in the comments section below.

ORIGINAL NOTES (included in torrent):
This is the only known circulating live show of one of the last great Delta Bluesmen, Johnny Shines! Many, Many Thanks to Taperpat for his excellent taping, for preserving this great recording all the years and DocTinker for sharing it with all of us via Dime-A-Dozen!

Johnny Shines started playing in 1932! His main influences then, were Blind Lemmon Jefferson, Lonny Johnson, Scrapper Blackwell and Charlie Patton! Around 1934 he met Robert Johnson and travelled Arkansas, Tennessee and Missouri, working the Country Suppers and Dances, sometimes playing together and sometimes playing opposite each other. They split up a few months before Robert�s death.

Johnny left for Chicago in 1941, where he formed his own group. Disgusted with the record business he stopped being a professional musician in the 50�s. Around 1965 he was rediscovered and did some fine albums: "Last Night�s Dream" in 1968 (Blue Horizon) w/Otis Spann & Shakey Horton, and two great 1974 Albums: "Country Blues" (XTRA) and "Johnny Shines" (Advent) among others.

In Tacoma 1970, he played a solo acoustic on Set 1 and was accompanied by an unknown washtub bass player on the 2nd set. Johnny�s playing here is an absolute outstanding lesson in country-styled Blues. Contrary to too many other Blues players, his playing here is not the usual sloppy blues style with ridiculous key changes (ala Buddy Guy), but very distinguished, you won�t hear him hit a wrong note! In some ways, it's a lot like an early Jeff Beck. It seems that the phrasing and notes are all in the absolutely correct spots. More would be crowded; less would hollow out the song. His singing here is outstanding and there are a few moments (especially on the Robert Johnson songs) where you can imagine how the great Robert Johnson might have sounded recorded with great equipment.

Here are Taperpat�s own comments about the recording: This show was recorded on a Sony TC-355 reel to reel, using Sony PR-150 tape at 3 & 3/4 IPS. I used two Sony ECM f-98 microphones. One I taped to Johnny's vocal mic, the other to his guitar mic. I didn't know about soundboard outputs at that time in my recording career. Chris Lunn, the promoter was very helpful to me during the evening and my thanks go out to him. The CDs were made on a Phillips stand-alone burner (CDR 785). The tape was played back on a Revox A-77 reel. Side 2 of the reel started squeaking so I switched decks to a Sony TC-377 which fixed the problem. There is a slight residual squeak on part of "Crossroads". I did not attempt to "bake" the reel.

Enjoy this incredible piece of Blues history! Close your eyes and jump inside this time machine.

=== Set 1 (solo acoustic) ===
1. introduction / instrumental
2. Sweet Home Chicago
3. Nameless Song
4. Tell Me Baby (Pony Blues)
5. Ground Covered With Snow
6. Little Girl
7. Stormy Monday Blues
8. Shake 'Em On Down
9. What's The Matter Now
10. I've Got The Blues
11. instrumental /
12. I Love The World
13. Worried Blues
14. What's On Your Mind
15. Rollin' & Tumblin'

=== Set 2 (accompanied by unknown washtub bass player) ===
16. instrumental
17. Hello Central
18. You Don't Have To Go
19. Gonna Surprise Me Baby
20. High Road
21. What's On Your Mind (Milk Cow Blues)
22. Top Cat
23. Try A Little Tenderness
24. instrumental
25. Crossroads [part has slight residual tape squeak]
26. Terraplane Blues
27. Statesboro Blues
28. Hound Dog
29. Dust My Broom