Dr.Anarcho's Rx for Old Stuff That Don't Suck
 

By Dr. Anarcho 

Asked to name the best things to happen for music lovers in the digital age, I'd have to put satellite radio near the top.

P2P torrent file sharing would be on the list for others, those scofflaws who don't mind ripping things out of the ether of the Internet for free, at the expense of the artists. Let's say that I've seen it done, but didn't inhale. Okay, maybe I inhaled a little, but I didn't hold it long.

The staggering variety of genres, artists and formats is what makes Sirius / XM a cornucopia for music lovers as well as aficionados of talk, comedy, and sports programs.

If you want it, chances are it's on there. If you don't want it, chances are it's on the on there, too. Take it or leave it, as you will.

There is a huge variety of new artists you can be exposed to if you choose. Many of these new artists have been around for decades but have remained unknown to us because of the narrow playlists available in terrestrial radio. Some college stations broaden their aim a little, but time and format limits what one may hear on an FM dial. As good as some of the local stations are, broad musical exploration for the listeners' benefit is outside the scope of what they do.

I recently heard a new (to me) voice on XM's "Bluesville" channel (74). It was a female who encompassed the power, range and feeling of Mahalia Jackson, Etta James, Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner rolled into one.

The voice was Jean Shy's. The backing band was "The Shy Guys."

The song was "Unchain My Heart" a blistering live cover of Joe Cocker's wonderful cover of Ray Charles's immortal hit. I didn't think the song could be improved once, much less twice, but Jean Shy did it.

Shy is not new to the US, just largely unknown outside of a large cult following. She is a European legend at festivals and sold out concert halls and has been since the 1980's. Shy has only recently begun to receive a bit more of her much deserved attention in the States.

Including her Gospel and Jazz efforts Jean Shy has enough albums to fill up Aretha Franklin's inaugural day hat.

Dr. Anarcho's Rx For Old Stuff That Don't Suck is "The Blues Got Soul" by Jean Shy and The Shy Guys.

Shy, on the strength of "the Blues Got Soul" was recently nominated for The 2009 Blues Music Award's "Soul-Blues Female Artist of the Year” for 2008, the highest award given in the blues industry. The awards show will be held at the CookConvention Center in Memphis on May 7, 2009. It will be broadcast live on XM channel 74, "Bluesville."

If Jean Shy doesn't win, something's wrong.

Jean Shy has a voice that sends chills up your spine. If you like Aretha, Etta, Tina and the blues soul legends of the past, you're going to love Jean Shy.

She's been around for years, which makes me ask "Where in the hell have I been, and how did I miss this?"

"The Blues Got Soul" is available for MP3 download at CD Baby.

Tracks are:

1. I wouldn't Want To be you

2. Unchain My Heart

3. Song For You

4. Livin’ the Blues

5. Never Loved A Man

6. One Day (Blues Version)

7. I Can't Save You (From Yourself)

8. We Like The Same Thing

9. Precious Memories

10. Rock Me

11. Old Time Rock and Roll

12. Amazing Grace