Let me take you on a sixty minute ride down to Mississippi and Memphis TN – cradle of rock’n’roll. Of all places on this planet, Memphis is the mythical place where all the rock’n’roll crossroads meet in a very special way. We go there for a very concrete reason. I recently discovered a relatively new record label based there that nurtures new talents that are brewing in the area. The label is called Skeeter Hawk Records and to be more precise, the label is actually based in Hattiesburg MS, but that entire region from Hattiesburg up 300 miles North naturally, artistically and historically gravitates to Memphis. We check out three new names that are on the Skeeter Hawk roster. First, singer-songwriter Mark Mann whose rich talent is well documented on two of his CDs. Wide range of lyrical topics in his songs, capable band and deep understanding of all traditional rock idioms will make you keep returning to Mark’s songs. Besides Mark, Thomas Jackson and his Orchestra is another pleasant surprise on Skeeter Hawk Records. This rock and blues duet, with a little help of their friends created an interesting amalgam of traditional forms, but also some glammed up themes that you perhaps wouldn’t expect from a delta band. But then again, bold fusion of genres and ideas is hard-coded in rock’n’roll. Third band that we present here for the first time is Rooster Blues – a straight forward guitar+drum neo-blues outfit that echoes Black Keys. At least until they unplug and surprise you with their own brand of bluegrass. Does the new stuff from the area stand up to the good old Memphis crazies? Check it out in today’s podcast – between these three artists we sample a cross section of important Memphis artists covering all generations of musicians.

The Memphis Jug Band – Kokomo;
Rooster Blues – Down Is On My Way;
Thomas Jackson Orchestra – Blood Red Blues;
Lorette Velvette – Lost Part Of Me;
Lorette Velvette – Kokomo Blues;
Moloch – Gone Too Long (feat Johnny Woods);
Lee Baker & The Agitators – In ma Bag (Love me Tonite);
Jump Back Jake – Easy Answers;
Jump Back Jake – The Flood (Live);
James Luther Dickinson – The Curse Of The Alphastone;
Jim Dickinson with Chuck Prophet & The Creatures Of Habit – Pain and Drain;
Sid Selvidge – Stay in My Car;
Sid Selvidge – By Your Side;
Mark Mann – Vaeda;
Mark Mann – Zeus;
Tav Falco’s Panther Burns – Snake Drive;
Othar Turner’s Rising Star Fife and Drum Corps – Glory Hallelujah.