My favourite blues piano player, Otis Spann, performing "Ain't nobody's business what I do..."
Spann's Blues from 1966
Spann with Muddy Waters, doing "Cold feeling blues"
And with Willie Dixon, doing "The blues don't like nobody"
From Papa Freddy, Eddie Cochran doing "Twenty flight rock" from the classic 1956 film, THE GIRL CAN'T HELP IT. If you haven't seen the whole film, rent it.
Papa Freddy also sends the Reverend Claude Jeter and the Swan Silvertones doing "Only believe."
Here's the great Slim Gaillard with Slam Stewart on bass and Rex Stewart on trumpet, plus awesome swing dancers, from the 1941 movie HELLZAPOPPIN.
A clip of Question Mark and the Mysterians doing "96 tears," indubitably one of the greatest two chord (G and G minor) songs ever. Check out the 1965 version too! (The roots of Velvet Underground?)
Smokey Robinson on American Bandstand, ca 1970, doing "Tears of a Clown"! ... "Just like Pagliacci!" Righteous.
Etta James, backed by Dr John, doing "I'd rather go blind"
I don't think there is any footage extant of James P. Johnson playing the piano, but I came across a hoard of performances by Jim Hession, a veritable monster on the keys. "The Charleston" seems as good a place as any to start. And since Johnson used a Habañera rhythm does that make this "world music"?
Josephine Baker giving it lots of welly. There was no sound to this clip so some clever person synched it to Los Telez, doing "Juana la Cubana".
Ray Charles, from 1963, doing "In the Evening."
Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band doing "Click Clack" in Paris, 1973.
Mississippi Fred McDowell, doing "Shake em on down"
Bo Diddley renders his classic "Road Runner"
Papa Freddy sends this outrageous version of a Snoop Dogg song by The GOURDS: Gin and Juice. Low tech, tasteless, unreal, and great banjo picking. Bubonic chronic and Tanqueray, who'd a guessed it? Sick!
Also from Fred, Doc Watson, picking the Deep River Blues.
And lastly from Fred comes the Dixie Hummingbirds, imitating all the other gospel harmony groups.
DENGUE FEVER
"One thousand tears of the tarantuala" live
JAMAICA
The Viceroys Inna de Yard, rehearsing "My mission is impossible". Poor camerawork but a real feeling of immediacy.
Extra-classic footage of the great U Roy toasting over the Paragons! TELL ME ABOUT IT!
A clip from the documentary Roots Rock Reggae showing the Gladiators in the studio.
Gregory Isaacs & Roots Radics, in concert, doing "Cool down the pace"
Same team, at Sunsplash in Jamaica, doing "Night Nurse"