Hokum Scorchers Play a Tampa Red Song

Tampa Red

From the Hokum Scorchers' "Feed the Kitty" album comes a wonderful song- originally done by Hudson Woodbridge (a.k.a. Tampa Red 1936)- called "When You Were a Girl of Seven". This version was recorded in 1992. Lou Reimuller plays the National guitar, sings and plays kazoo. Amy Crehore is on a vintage tenor banjo. Scroll down for the music player on this link:
Hokum Scorchers

This song changes every Sunday night, so it will be different by the time you read this post.

Dingulators

Photo by Maya Lama of Charlie Nothing


Photo by Joan Martin

What are they? Guitar sculptures made out of American Cars called Dingulators™ by artist Charlie Nothing. He is featured in the current issue of "Fretboard Journal" (#6).

Check out his wonderful website:
Charles Martin Simon

The Art of Amy Crehore

"The Tutu" painting by Amy Crehore

Here's an earlier painting of mine that is hanging on one of my walls. Oil on linen, 20" x 24". The girl was inspired by Matisse. This painting features a vintage Regal tenor guitar (one that I own) and a yawning cat. 

The Art of Amy Crehore

artofamycrehore.blogspot.com

Sunday Switcheroo-"Tricks Ain't Walkin No More" (encore) by Hokum Scorchers

Curley Weaver -East Coast Piedmont Blues player
This number, "Tricks Ain't Walkin' No More", was first done by Curley Weaver in 1935. Memphis Minnie also did a version of this song. The Hokum Scorchers recorded this in 1990 for their first cassette. I'm playing the washboard and cups and Lou Reimuller is playing the National Guitar. We are both singing on this one - it's pretty funky and fast-paced. To hear the song, follow the link and scroll down for music player:
The Art of Amy Crehore - Music

This song is an encore - I previously blogged it in April. :)

Also, this song will change on Sunday night, so it will probably be different by the time you read this post.

Jeremy Scott Dresses

Jeremy Scott Jukebox Dress, 2007 Paris Spring Show -Photo by Kirk McCoy
Jeremy Scott Guitar Dress, 2007 Paris Spring Show Photo by Kirk McCoy
My friend and I playing dress-up 1985 (?)

It looks like all manner of clown-attire is "in" and I love these two dresses by Jeremy Scott!!These have the "hokum spirit". I added another little personal photo just for fun because of the big hair.

More here:

Jeremy Scott Retrospective

and read up on style tips in L.A. by Caroline Ryder

(with a good dose of humor) at metromix.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Thanks Boingboing!

Pierrot Detail from "Deja Vu Waltz" by Amy Crehore 2007

My little pierrot thanks you, my cat thanks you, teenar thanks you, the girl with the guitar thanks you, the monkey thanks you, I thank you and even the devil thanks you....for blogging my new painting, "Deja Vu Waltz".

BOINGBOING

The Art of Amy Crehore

Naked Ukulele Lady of 1890 & Guitar Woman of 1910

1910
1890

Somethin' for Everyone on:

Ebay

The Art of Amy Crehore

Ape Fight - Art Lovers

The Strummer copyright 2006 Amy Crehore

It looks like a band called Ape Fight likes my art a lot ...they blogged about it here. They are "6 Dudes from Jersey City NJ". Did they know I'm from N.J. ? They recently blogged my "Strummer" painting from last year's Blab show. Thanks, Ape Fight! I'm working on a painting with a chick, monkey and guitar (I don't just do ukuleles) as we speak.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Combo Waltz performed by the Hokum Scorchers

Here is one of our Hokum Scorcher's recordings called Combo Waltz. I am playing the washboard and cups and Lou Reimuller is playing the National guitar, harmonica and kazoo. This song is based on a Memphis Jugband song from the late 20s, early 30s.

The Art of Amy Crehore

"Little Bit" from Memphis

Portrait by Amy Crehore 1993
Little Laura Dukes with Robert Burse, Dick Rowles, Louis Allen, Wilfred Bell and Will Batts 1930's
Little Laura Dukes 1960

I used to want to be like this little woman when I played with the Hokum Scorchers band. They called her "Little Bit". She played with Will Batt's band all over Memphis and in other parts of the south. She was an explosive singer, dancer and ukulele player. I made this portrait of her with a special frame. She's playing a banjo uke. Unfortunately, my scanner is too small to show the entire frame which has a carved-out sunburst at the top. Recordings of Little Laura Dukes are rare and brilliant. (Photos from "Memphis Blues and Jug Bands" by Bengt Olsson, Studio Vista Books, edited by Paul Oliver)

Here is more about Little Laura Dukes from the back of the album cover of "Memphis Sessions 1956-1961" (Wolf Records, Austria) on which she plays and sings with Gus Cannon and Will Shade -

"Born on June 10, 1907 in Memphis, TN, Laura made early encounters with the music scene in her hometown: her father played drums with WC Handy's Band and often took little Laura to the local theaters and taverns, where she later worked as a singer and dancer. In 1933 she met Robert Nighthawk in East St. Louis and took guitar lessons from him, and the two appeared as a duo in various local joints. Laura later switched to the ukulele. She followed Will Batt's South Memphis Jugband in 1938 and went on the road off and on until 1956. In 1954 she recorded for Flyright with Will Batts and for the Albatross label in Memphis in 1972 and appeared in the TV-documentation "THE DEVIL'S MUSIC- A HISTORY OF THE BLUES"(BBC-1 TV England 1976)."

She plays on 9 songs on this album: "Dirty Mother For Ya", Salty Water Blues", He's Knockin' on my Door", "He's Gone", "Shanghai Blues", "Nobody loves Me", I'm Goin' Down to Lucy Mae's", "Haunted House Blues", "Laura's Blues".

The Art of Amy Crehore

Introducing the first "Tickler" Ukulele

Front of Tickler Ukulele copyright 2007 by Amy Crehore (Built by Lou Reimuller) showing Tickler label

Back of Tickler Ukulele copyright 2007 by Amy Crehore (Built by Lou Reimuller)

Amy Crehore trademark "Tickler Ukulele"

CLICK on IMAGES to ENLARGE

Here is my very first fine art ukulele ("Tickler" brand label). This is a soprano uke that was lovingly hand-built by luthier Lou Reimuller, creator of Teenar Girl Guitar. It has a solid mahogany body and neck with a rosewood fingerboard and bridge. It plays and sounds great!

This "Tickler" brand uke is a one-of-a-kind fine art object which is entirely painted in oils on all sides by myself, Amy Crehore, with my trademark motifs: "The Banana Eater" image is on the back (from my "Monkey Love" series), a monkey and "little pierrot" combination are painted on the front. (The pictures show a little bit of glare.) Contact Amy Crehore for purchase information. (As seen on boingboing.net) See my fine art paintings on my website:

The Art of Amy Crehore

UPDATE: This uke has been sold. (11/07)

Sunday Night Song - Tampa Red

Painting by Amy Crehore for "Feed the Kitty" album cover

From the Hokum Scorchers' "Feed the Kitty" album comes a wonderful song- originally done by Hudson Woodbridge (a.k.a. Tampa Red 1936)- called "When You Were a Girl of Seven". This version was recorded in 1992. Lou Reimuller plays the National guitar, sings and plays kazoo. Amy Crehore is on a vintage tenor banjo. Scroll down for the music player on this link:

Hokum Scorchers

By the time you read this, the song will have changed. I'm rotating songs every Sunday.

Hokum Scorchers Perform Papa Charlie Jackson Song

Papa Charlie Jackson painting by Amy Crehore

Lou Reimuller and Amy Crehore in The Hokum Scorchers band.

Listen to The Hokum Scorchers playing a Papa Charlie Jackson song

Click here: "Papa Do Do Do"

This song is from 1929. The Scorchers recorded it in 1995. Lou is playing the guitar banjo and I am playing the washboard. I think I may have blogged this song already...back in January.

The Art of Amy Crehore

I try to switch songs every Sunday nite to a new song and leave it up for a week. Sometimes I forget.

"Roaming Tomcat Rag" Print

"Roaming Tomcat Rag" painting copyright 2006 by Amy Crehore

I expect to issue some new prints in the near future - all very limited edition, signed giclees. The image above, "Roaming Tomcat Rag", will hopefully be available in September, so watch for that. This was the very the first in my series of "Blues Gals" paintings and it was exhibited in the 2nd Blab Show and featured on boingboing. I call it "my girl with the red guitar". The yellow-green grass is sort of a trademark for me now. I will also be in a show in November that has nature as a theme, so I'm excited about that. See more of my art here:

The Art of Amy Crehore

P.S. Boingboing blog has a new design and here is Mark's new painting.

They opened their comments section, so I decided to try it as well.

Wonderful Thing

"Snake Tamer's Ditty" copyright 2007 Amy Crehore (Click on image to ENLARGE)

Boing boing!!!
Check out the above link. They just posted my new painting with extra links to all of the previous boingboing items about my art and other fun things like Teenar, the girl guitar.

'Amy Crehore recently completed a fantastic new painting, full of mystery and subtle whimsy, entitled "Snake Tamer's Ditty." ' - quote from Mark Frauenfelder, writer/artist
Thank you very much, Mark.

The Art of Amy Crehore

New Song

From Vega Catalog 1923

I'm going to try rotating different Hokum Scorchers songs on my website every Sunday night - just for fun. Have a listen to the Hokum Scorchers playing the 1920's song, "Papa Do Do Do" by Papa Charlie Jackson (this version was recorded in 1995). Lou Reimuller is playing a Vega Whyte Laydie guitar-banjo and I am on the washboard. I will be playing snare drum, tenor banjo, National plectrum, kazoo and singing on future songs. So, stay tuned for more craziness. Oh, and scroll down the page on this link for the player. My website is set up that way...you have to scroll down to read it - like a blog.

LINK

P.S. The song will change every Sunday night!

So, it may be a different one by the time you read this.

The Art of Amy Crehore

I received my Ryo Yoshida book, "Astral Doll", in the mail the other day. It does not disappoint. Mostly all photographs (B&W and color) with little text, Ryo Yoshida really knows how to bring out "soul" in the faces of his dolls and to convey emotion with the eyes. With roots in Hans Bellmer and an affinity for people like Morton Bartlett, Yoshida's work is strikingly beautiful. Some call these dolls beautifully creepy. Creepy is a popular term on the internet - Teenar (Girl Guitar) was also called creepy. These art dolls and mannequins are a little too "real" for some people, but they are fascinating. I love them. More books on this site:

Very Cool Things

The Art of Amy Crehore

Pick Poor Robin Clean performed by The Hokum Scorchers

Listen to Luke Jordan's "Pick Poor Robin Clean" (a song from 1927). Lou Reimuller guitar/ kazoo, Amy Crehore washboard/kazoo. Recorded by The Hokum Scorchers in 1990.
The Hokum Scorchers channel on soundcloud with free downloads.
 

"Let Me Play With Your Poodle" performed by the Hokum Scorchers

Someone was just saying on boingboing (in the comments section) that the song "Let Me Play With Your Poodle" is the dirtiest little ditty ever.

So, I changed the song on my website player to "Let Me Play With Your Poodle" by Hudson Woodbridge (a.k.a. Tampa Red) 1942. My band, The Hokum Scorchers, recorded this song in 1992 for our "Feed the Kitty" album. Lou plays the National guitar and we both sing. The poodle double entendre could go either way - male or female. In the old photo above, Lou seems to be sporting some sort of "poodle hair" (photo taken at Ken Kesey's house). Have a listen here:

Hokum Scorchers

(scroll down for music player)

The Art of Amy Crehore

What am I up to?

I haven't been posting on the blog as much lately, but it's just temporary. I've been sketching a lot in my sketchbook and enjoying the end of summer. Here's a funny old photo of me with my Hokum Scorcher's gear on. The only thing that is missing is my musical partner, Lou. That's his National guitar and, behind it, a "Feed the Kitty" that I made. I am holding a vintage banjolele. Today, I'm looking forward to a visit from an old friend from Richmond, VA. He used to be Lou's partner in a mysterious band called "The Fabulous Daturas".

The Art of Amy Crehore