Musicians Reveal with Joe Kelley

On the first day recording Times Have Changed – the eleven-track album from Chicago bluesman Ronnie Baker Brooks that brings a sound so big it could topple a Louisiana juke joint – industry-revered album producer and drummer Steve Jordan told Brooks to put his pedal board back in the van. For the first time in his professional life, Brooks, the son of Texas and Chicago blues legend Lonnie “Guitar Jr.” Brooks, would plug a Gibson into TKTK amp and rip it straight from there.

“Back to the basics. The pedals get in the way of your tone – your natural tone. Any distortion I had came straight out of the amp,” Brooks remembers from the Times sessions. “It was almost like going to college, or grad school. It was definitely an education.”

Brooks, 49, likes to treat each album he makes as a platform for him to grow, but the reality is that he’s been climbing the blues world’s latter all his life. He was born in Chicago, and started playing guitar around age six. At 19, he joined his father, who by then had influenced some of the most well-known bluesman of our history: Jimmy Reed, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Johnny Winter, and Junior Wells. For 12 years the two would tour together, putting Ronnie out front with Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Koko Taylor. In 1998, when he was 32, his father told him to go solo.

Baker already had a band by then, one he’d been touring on the side with since 1992. But by 1998 he’d started a label; that year he made his first album, Golddigger, 16 songs tracked out in two weeks. “My dad always said to keep writing, even if you don’t think the song sounds great or you can’t finish it,” says Baker. “Write. Continue to write. The more you write, the better you get.” Take Me Witcha came three years later; his second album on Watchdog Records. Brooks broke out as his own champion on 2006’s The Torch. The Boston Herald called it “ferocious and unrelenting … the year’s best blues album.”

In the ten years since The Torch, Brooks has started a family, toured North America and Europe, and taken feature spots on the records of other bluesmen. He produced Eddy Clearwater’s West Side Strut and contributed guitar work to albums from Elvin Bishop, the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Review, Billy Branch, and Big Head Todd.

Times Have Changed, Brooks’ first album in ten years, carries with it the weight of grown perspective and time spent perfecting old material. Brooks worked it with Steve Jordan, whose work runs from Keith Richard to Stevie Wonder, John Mayer and Eric Clapton. With that comes a lesson in rhythm and blues history. Brooks refers to the director as “a walking encyclopedia of music detail and equipment,” a professor through which Brooks could take that next developmental step. “Once we got the ball rolling, my confidence went higher and higher,” he says. “I’m a better musician for this experience.”

The experience Brooks is talking about is that which came together over the course of a few weeks at Royal Studios in Memphis, the home of Al Green, Syl Johnson, Bobby “Blue” Bland, and O.V. Wright, whose 1974 hit “Blind, Crippled, and Crazy” gets a facelift on Times Have Changed. Jordan and Brooks brought in a mint press of Memphis music royalty: Stax Records staple Steve Cropper (Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave), Archie Turner (Al Green, Syl Johnson, O.V. Wright), jazz saxophonist Lannie McMillan, and R&B icon Angie Stone.

“We used the same mics that Al Green used on his record,” says Brooks. “Matter of fact, we were using much of the same band! It kind of took that vibe.” The first track recorded was a cover of Curtis Mayfield’s Superfly hit “Give Me Your Love.” The second, “Twine Time,” the instrumental jam from Alvin Cash.

“To be honest with you, when Steve said ‘Man, we need an instrumental,’ the first person I thought of was Freddie King. Steve wanted something more appealing to all people, not just guitar players. He said ‘What about ‘Twine Time?’’ I said, ‘Is he serious?’ Yeah, ‘Twine Time.’ But that song was a key to this album.Man, that just lit the fire for this record. It became one of the funnest tracks we did.”

Times also comes laden with original hits. Five of the eleven tracks were penned by Brooks. Raised on others’ music, he’s always considered the songwriting process to be as sacred. “It’s like having a baby,” he says. “You see it come to live. Once you play it live, it grows even more. That was the most fun part of it, for me: the creative side. Coming up with a song people can relate to, and you relate to, it just snowballs. It’s almost like therapy for me. Like the song ‘Times Have Changed’: I wrote that song years ago. I sent Steve my songs and he picked that one. It’s kind of timeless. Every day something’s changing. Now, when I play it live, you can see the effect of it. Initially, it was just an idea: just a riff. Now, this song has influence on people. We were just in Europe this year, after the bombing in Brussels. And we’re playing Brussels. I played that song; people were in tears. It helped them heal.”

It’s on that title track that Brooks brandishes what may be his finest songwriting talent: the ability to humanize social issues and unite different voices into one cohesive thought. That’s no more evident than in the latter stages of the song, in which Brooks deploys his longtime friend, Memphis’ Al Kapone, to drop 32 bars on what the future holds for our people.

“My whole intention, when I started with Golddigger and up through this one, was to be authentic enough for the older generation but have something that the younger generation could latch onto,” says Brooks. “I try to be that bridge. With Tame Me Witcha, I’ve got a rapper on that. On The Torch we went with Al. He’s a bridge. He’s a bridge from blues to hip-hop. With music, it all comes from the heart. It comes from the heart and from the soul. It blues, it doesn’t matter what you’re talking about, it definitely relates.

www.ronniebakerbrooks.com

www.joekelleyradio.com

Originally aired June 16th 2003

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Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Prince featured the "Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault" on his official website www.npgmusicclub.com. This is the first radio show to have ever received that honor. "Joe Kelley Radio" has been on the radio airwaves since 1982. Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault co-host the show and are well-respected in the music business as creative air personalities and supporters of independent musicians . Our web site is located at www.joekelleyradio.com . The show broadcasts 24 hours/ 7 days a week here, and also, live locally, in Fairfield, CT on WVOF 88.5 FM , on Mondays from 6pm-8pm EST.

The show features creative music in funk, R&B, jazz, blues, rock, hip-hop, latin, and gospel. In addition, Joe Kelley has interviewed renowned musicians such as Victor Wooten, Sheila E. , Foley, Robin Duhe, Jef Lee Johnson, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Rhonda Smith, Bernie Worrell, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Bland, Larry Graham, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, Steve Smith, St. Paul Peterson, JD Blair, Tori Ruffin, Kat Dyson, Eric Person, actor Jeff Daniels, Junior Giscombe, John Scofield, EC Scott, John Blackwell, Mystic Bowie, and many others. Finally, "Joe Kelley Radio" hosts an in-house concert series.

Pierre Germain of Montreal's blues band Late Nite visited Joe Kelley Radio for an in-depth interview and music special. The band is known for electrifying concerts and music that is modern yet sticks to the origins of blues music.

Originally recorded on March 17th 2008

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Prince featured the "Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault" on his official website www.npgmusicclub.com. This is the first radio show to have ever received that honor. "Joe Kelley Radio" has been on the radio airwaves since 1982. Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault co-host the show and are well-respected in the music business as creative air personalities and supporters of independent musicians . Our web site is located at www.joekelleyradio.com . The show broadcasts 24 hours/ 7 days a week here, and also, live locally, in Fairfield, CT on WVOF 88.5 FM , on Mondays from 6pm-8pm EST.

The show features creative music in funk, R&B, jazz, blues, rock, hip-hop, latin, and gospel. In addition, Joe Kelley has interviewed renowned musicians such as Victor Wooten, Sheila E. , Foley, Robin Duhe, Jef Lee Johnson, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Rhonda Smith, Bernie Worrell, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Bland, Larry Graham, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, Steve Smith, St. Paul Peterson, JD Blair, Tori Ruffin, Kat Dyson, Eric Person, actor Jeff Daniels, Junior Giscombe, John Scofield, EC Scott, John Blackwell, Mystic Bowie, and many others. Finally, "Joe Kelley Radio" hosts an in-house concert series.

Zany Fat City Express stopped by Joe Kelley Radio for an in-house concert and interview. They were promoting their CD "You Are Here".

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Prince featured the "Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault" on his official website www.npgmusicclub.com. This is the first radio show to have ever received that honor. "Joe Kelley Radio" has been on the radio airwaves since 1982. Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault co-host the show and are well-respected in the music business as creative air personalities and supporters of independent musicians . Our web site is located at www.joekelleyradio.com . The show broadcasts 24 hours/ 7 days a week here, and also, live locally, in Fairfield, CT on WVOF 88.5 FM , on Mondays from 6pm-8pm EST.

The show features creative music in funk, R&B, jazz, blues, rock, hip-hop, latin, and gospel. In addition, Joe Kelley has interviewed renowned musicians such as Victor Wooten, Sheila E. , Foley, Robin Duhe, Jef Lee Johnson, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Rhonda Smith, Bernie Worrell, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Bland, Larry Graham, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, Steve Smith, St. Paul Peterson, JD Blair, Tori Ruffin, Kat Dyson, Eric Person, actor Jeff Daniels, Junior Giscombe, John Scofield, EC Scott, John Blackwell, Mystic Bowie, and many others. Finally, "Joe Kelley Radio" hosts an in-house concert series.

Connecticut based Triple Threat Blues Band was founded in 1982. In their 40 year history, TBB has shown that they are one of the top blues rock bands in the business. Known for their stellar live shows, they were kind enough in 2003 to stop by Joe Kelley Radio in 2003 to rock the walls with an in-house concert and interview

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Prince featured the "Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault" on his official website www.npgmusicclub.com. This is the first radio show to have ever received that honor. "Joe Kelley Radio" has been on the radio airwaves since 1982. Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault co-host the show and are well-respected in the music business as creative air personalities and supporters of independent musicians . Our web site is located at www.joekelleyradio.com . The show broadcasts 24 hours/ 7 days a week here, and also, live locally, in Fairfield, CT on WVOF 88.5 FM , on Mondays from 6pm-8pm EST.

The show features creative music in funk, R&B, jazz, blues, rock, hip-hop, latin, and gospel. In addition, Joe Kelley has interviewed renowned musicians such as Victor Wooten, Sheila E. , Foley, Robin Duhe, Jef Lee Johnson, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Rhonda Smith, Bernie Worrell, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Bland, Larry Graham, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, Steve Smith, St. Paul Peterson, JD Blair, Tori Ruffin, Kat Dyson, Eric Person, actor Jeff Daniels, Junior Giscombe, John Scofield, EC Scott, John Blackwell, Mystic Bowie, and many others. Finally, "Joe Kelley Radio" hosts an in-house concert series.

In a career spanning over 4 decades, jazz/blues/gospel guitarist/composer Stew Cutler has established himself as a bandleader, composer, arranger and teacher. With seven record releases to his credit as a bandleader and countless sessions as a sideman, Cutler’s prolific career is a walk-through musical history. HIs latest album is entitled "The Blues From Another Angle".

Cutler was born and raised in New York City and found his first job with ZZ Hill. Cutler has worked as a sideman with many musical greats including Percy Sledge, Eddie Floyd, Wilson Pickett, Fontella Bass (featured on Bass' Grammy nominated album No Ways Tired), Earl King, Jimmy Castor and many more. Cutler has also worked with jazz greats David Sanborn, Bill Frisell, Lester Bowie, Charlie Hunter, Wayne Horvitz to name a few as well as artists as diverse as Meatloaf, Jeb Loy Nichols, David Fanshawe, Sweet Georgia Brown, and Jimmy Dale Gilmore among others.

www.stewcutler.com

www.joekelleyradio.com

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Prince featured the "Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault" on his official website www.npgmusicclub.com. This is the first radio show to have ever received that honor. "Joe Kelley Radio" has been on the radio airwaves since 1982. Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault co-host the show and are well-respected in the music business as creative air personalities and supporters of independent musicians . Our web site is located at www.joekelleyradio.com . The show broadcasts 24 hours/ 7 days a week here, and also, live locally, in Fairfield, CT on WVOF 88.5 FM , on Mondays from 6pm-8pm EST.

The show features creative music in funk, R&B, jazz, blues, rock, hip-hop, latin, and gospel. In addition, Joe Kelley has interviewed renowned musicians such as Victor Wooten, Sheila E. , Foley, Robin Duhe, Jef Lee Johnson, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Rhonda Smith, Bernie Worrell, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Bland, Larry Graham, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, Steve Smith, St. Paul Peterson, JD Blair, Tori Ruffin, Kat Dyson, Eric Person, actor Jeff Daniels, Junior Giscombe, John Scofield, EC Scott, John Blackwell, Mystic Bowie, and many others. Finally, "Joe Kelley Radio" hosts an in-house concert series.

Dante Pope uses his roots based in the church to uplift and continue the legacy of Black American Music. His debut EP, ‘After Five Music,’ is a nod to his roots from Chicago based in blues, gospel, jazz and soul music. Since it’s release Dante' was selected as the Strathmore Artist in Residence Program, performed his debut at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, was showcased at the DC Jazz Festival and the notable Rockwood Music Hall in New York City. 

Prior to his solo career, Dante' was the drummer and music director for soul artist and lyricist Raheem Devaugh and Wes Felton, known as The Crossrhodes. Their NPR Tiny Desk show was one of the highlights of his during time touring nationally with The Crossrhodes. Dante’ is a GRAMMY Board member in the Washington, DC Chapter and was featured on the 2019 GRAMMY-nominated album called, ‘Black Cowboys.’ The project, a collaboration with Smithsonian Folkways and GRAMMY award-winning artist Dom Flemons, co-founder of the group, the Carolina Chocolate drops. 

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Prince featured the "Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault" on his official website www.npgmusicclub.com. This is the first radio show to have ever received that honor. "Joe Kelley Radio" has been on the radio airwaves since 1982. Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault co-host the show and are well-respected in the music business as creative air personalities and supporters of independent musicians . Our web site is located at www.joekelleyradio.com . The show broadcasts 24 hours/ 7 days a week here, and also, live locally, in Fairfield, CT on WVOF 88.5 FM , on Mondays from 6pm-8pm EST.

The show features creative music in funk, R&B, jazz, blues, rock, hip-hop, latin, and gospel. In addition, Joe Kelley has interviewed renowned musicians such as Victor Wooten, Sheila E. , Foley, Robin Duhe, Jef Lee Johnson, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Rhonda Smith, Bernie Worrell, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Bland, Larry Graham, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, Steve Smith, St. Paul Peterson, JD Blair, Tori Ruffin, Kat Dyson, Eric Person, actor Jeff Daniels, Junior Giscombe, John Scofield, EC Scott, John Blackwell, Mystic Bowie, and many others. Finally, "Joe Kelley Radio" hosts an in-house concert series.

www.dantepope.com

www.joekelleyradio.com

New York City drummer Garry "Gman" Sullivan is at the top echelon of his craft. Sullivan is the longtime drummer for hardcore band The Cro-Mags. He has also toured and recorded with Bernie Worrell and the WOO Warriors, Cyndi Lauper, Jen Durkin, Harold "Fro" Davis and many more talented artists.

Interview originally recorded April 19th 2001.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Prince featured the "Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault" on his official website www.npgmusicclub.com. This is the first radio show to have ever received that honor. "Joe Kelley Radio" has been on the radio airwaves since 1982. Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault co-host the show and are well-respected in the music business as creative air personalities and supporters of independent musicians . Our web site is located at www.joekelleyradio.com . The show broadcasts 24 hours/ 7 days a week here, and also, live locally, in Fairfield, CT on WVOF 88.5 FM ,on Mondays from 6pm-8pm EST.

I have great memories of the summer of 2004. Los Angeles funk and roll band RioSoul was on an extensive east coast tour. They were nice enough on their off day to perform live on my TV show and then the following morning, RioSoul stopped by Joe Kelley Radio for an extensive interview which you will hear here.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Prince featured the "Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault" on his official website www.npgmusicclub.com. This is the first radio show to have ever received that honor. "Joe Kelley Radio" has been on the radio airwaves since 1982. Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault co-host the show and are well-respected in the music business as creative air personalities and supporters of independent musicians . Our web site is located at www.joekelleyradio.com . The show broadcasts 24 hours/ 7 days a week here, and also, live locally, in Fairfield, CT on WVOF 88.5 FM , on Mondays from 6pm-8pm EST.

The show features creative music in funk, R&B, jazz, blues, rock, hip-hop, latin, and gospel. In addition, Joe Kelley has interviewed renowned musicians such as Victor Wooten, Sheila E. , Foley, Robin Duhe, Jef Lee Johnson, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Rhonda Smith, Bernie Worrell, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Bland, Larry Graham, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, Steve Smith, St. Paul Peterson, JD Blair, Tori Ruffin, Kat Dyson, Eric Person, actor Jeff Daniels, Junior Giscombe, John Scofield, EC Scott, John Blackwell, Mystic Bowie, and many others. Finally, "Joe Kelley Radio" hosts an in-house concert series.

Phenomenal drummer John Blackwell was a member of Prince and the NPG, Cameo and Patti Labelle. The Berklee College of Music grad also had stellar solo records. I miss my friend John Blackwell and was honored when he called me one night and asked me if I wanted to hear some of his upcoming record "4ever Jia". I said sure and thought he would play 20 seconds of each cut. However, John played each track through and stopped several times mid-song to relate everything going on with each song. I was honored but it was a four hour phone call. Hehehe. Listen in when John Blackwell stopped by our show in 2010 months later to talk about the John Blackwell Project, touring with Prince and the NPG and much more.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Prince featured the "Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault" on his official website www.npgmusicclub.com. This is the first radio show to have ever received that honor. "Joe Kelley Radio" has been on the radio airwaves since 1982. Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault co-host the show and are well-respected in the music business as creative air personalities and supporters of independent musicians . Our web site is located at www.joekelleyradio.com . The show broadcasts 24 hours/ 7 days a week here, and also, live locally, in Fairfield, CT on WVOF 88.5 FM , on Mondays from 6pm-8pm EST.

The show features creative music in funk, R&B, jazz, blues, rock, hip-hop, latin, and gospel. In addition, Joe Kelley has interviewed renowned musicians such as Victor Wooten, Sheila E. , Foley, Robin Duhe, Jef Lee Johnson, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Rhonda Smith, Bernie Worrell, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Bland, Larry Graham, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, Steve Smith, St. Paul Peterson, JD Blair, Tori Ruffin, Kat Dyson, Eric Person, actor Jeff Daniels, Junior Giscombe, John Scofield, EC Scott, John Blackwell, Mystic Bowie, and many others. Finally, "Joe Kelley Radio" hosts an in-house concert series.

Prince discovered Paul Peterson, aka “St Paul,” at the age of 17. He enlisted him as a keyboard player in “The Time” for the movie “Purple Rain.” Paul took the lead vocalist spot in the Prince produced group “The Family” before becoming a solo artist and scoring hits for MCA and Atlantic Records.

St. Paul has recorded, toured or written with Steve Miller, Peter Frampton, Daryl Hall, Prince, George Benson, Oleta Adams, The Corrs, Kenny Loggins, and Morris Day and The Time to name a few.

Paul Peterson also leads the band F Deluxe (formerly The Family) and is a member of The Mighty Soulmates with Mic Murphy, Andre Cymone and Gardner Cole.

Peterson is also a member of The First Family of Minnesota Music: The Petersons.

Interview originally recorded in 2005.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Prince featured the "Upper Room with Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault" on his official website www.npgmusicclub.com. This is the first radio show to have ever received that honor. "Joe Kelley Radio" has been on the radio airwaves since 1982. Joe Kelley and Gi Dussault co-host the show and are well-respected in the music business as creative air personalities and supporters of independent musicians . Our web site is located at www.joekelleyradio.com . The show broadcasts 24 hours/ 7 days a week here, and also, live locally, in Fairfield, CT on WVOF 88.5 FM , on Mondays from 6pm-8pm EST.

The show features creative music in funk, R&B, jazz, blues, rock, hip-hop, latin, and gospel. In addition, Joe Kelley has interviewed renowned musicians such as Victor Wooten, Sheila E. , Foley, Robin Duhe, Jef Lee Johnson, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir, Rhonda Smith, Bernie Worrell, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Bland, Larry Graham, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, Steve Smith, St. Paul Peterson, JD Blair, Tori Ruffin, Kat Dyson, Eric Person, actor Jeff Daniels, Junior Giscombe, John Scofield, EC Scott, John Blackwell, Mystic Bowie, and many others. Finally, "Joe Kelley Radio" hosts an in-house concert series.