Christmas celebrations

Last year, Christmas Day was spoilt by the news that James Brown had died. This year, the month of December has claimed Ike Turner. Another hero gone and we await the next bit of bad news with a certain amount of dread.

But let's instead celebrate those music greats who are still with us and still giving us pleasure, if only performing occasionally: Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Fats Domino still survive and long may they do so. So too do Solomon Burke, Sam Moore, Irma Thomas, Art and Aaron Neville, Bobby Bland, Dion (who performed the gig of the year in 2007), Al Green and Dr John to name just a few of my personal favourites. Sadly, we rarely have opportunities to see great soul, blues and rock and roll artists perform in the UK, but trips to festivals, including New Orleans Jazzfest, the Ponderosa Stomp and the Porretta Soul Festival provide opportunties to catch other, often lesser known artists, still performing at their peak.

I hope to go on the Stompin' USA trip next year and possibly to Porretta as well, so I have something good to look forward to. In the meantime, I hope for a happy Christmas and a peaceful, prosperous and musical New Year. To anyone reading this blog, have a good one!