Pinetop Perkins
- Pinetop Perkins – by Miki
Some days ago I thought it was now time to render homage to Pinetop Perkins in form of a painting. I had seen him live , even sat next to him in Austin in march 2010, and was then extremely shocked bu the announcement of his death. I did not dare to paint him. But now I had to…
Here is what Kev Moore, my partner, has to say:
“… Our trip to the States has been full of amazing happenstance – being in the right place at the right time on an amazing number of occasions. (Or in the case of this morning, the wrong place, as a plane crashed into a building here in Austin a few blocks away!!!)
But last night, we wandered into Nuno’s on the famous 6th. street, and found ourselves sitting next to Pinetop Perkins who, at 96 years young, is pretty much the oldest living bona fide Delta bluesman. I introduced myself, and shook his hand. It was akin to touching history. Here was a man who was there at the beginning, played Piano for Muddy Waters, Sonny boy Williamson, BB King, the list is endless. I bought a CD, Pinetop Perkins and friends, recorded with the likes of Eric Clapton, and amnazingly, recorded when Pinetop was 94! – and he kindly signed it for me.
But more amazing than that, he took to the stage last night. That grand old man of the blues, joined the house band and proceeded to take us back in time with half a dozen classics, such as Down in Mississippi, and Pinetop Boogie. I leaned over to Miki and whispered, “We are so privileged to witness this.”
My respect and affection for this man knew no bounds. The term ‘living legend’ is bandied about with vulgar regularity in this shallow era, but here was a man who embodied it.
Who would have thought, when I signed the guitar in Helena at the studios of King Biscuit time, and noticed Pinetop’s signature, that I would meet him some weeks later? Life, as I had often suspected, is amazing….”
By the way: Kev has also doen an artwork featuring Pinetop, as he remembered him at Nuno’s
- Pinetop Perkins – by Kev Moore
These two paintings are available directly online as prints on paper or canvas and in many different sizes. Also as greeting cards. Just click on the widgets below if you are interested
To finish on a deep emotional note, here is a photo of Pinetop as we saw him…
Pinetop Perkins at Nuno's in Austin in March 2010 - Photo by Kev Moore
Keith Richards 02
Keith Richards 02 - by Miki
I always wanted to see him (and his mates) live.. and always missed him!
But this won;t happen again, next time the Rolling Stones are on stage, I go there, wherever it is!
Let’s see what the Wikipedia has tp say about him
“Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943) is an English musician, songwriter and founding member of The Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created “rock’s greatest single body of riffs” and, placed him as the “10th greatest guitarist of all time.” Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting partner and band vocalist Mick Jagger are listed among Rolling Stone Magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.[1][2][3] Richards’ notoriety for illicit drug use has stemmed in part from several drug busts in the late 1960s and the 1970s…”
If you want to read more about that extraordinary guy, go yourself to the Wikipedia.
If you are a fan of him and want to purchase a print (available in different sizes, on paper or canvas) or a greeting card, just click on the widget below
Bruce Springsteen and Clarence Clamons
Bruce Springsteen and Clarence Clemons - by Miki
Painting based on the Video “Born to Run”.. fascinating interaction from these two giant musicians!
If you are a fan of him and want to purchase a print (available in different sizes, on paper or canvas) or a greeting card, just click on the widget below
Black Country Communion: YOU ROCK!
BCC, TOU ROCK! - By Miki
Glenn Hughes and Joe Bonamassa in teh superroup Black Country Communiuon.
This new artwork is to celebrate the end of BCC (Black Country Communion) so successful USA Tour End 2011. We are waiting now for them to come to Europe, where their first gig will be in Spain. We wanted to attend it, unfortunately Kevin has self a gig that day.. but it does not matter, we will do what it takes to see them live, and fly on the 12th of July to the Czech republic to attend their show in Locket on the 17th. I hope to come back with some sketches, also it is more probable that I will be so excited and hypnotised that I won’t do anything other than widely opening my ears and eyes!
The “You Rock” in this picture points to… I am sure that Glenn is always playing for him too, and that God enjoys as much as we all do!
Bill Bailey in Black Books
Bill Bailey in Black Books - by Miki
Another very inspiring scene from the episode “The Entertainer” from the English TV show “Black Books”, where Manny (Bill Bailey) discovers his music talent.
If you want to see Bernard and Fran (Dylan Moran and Tamsin Greig) in a duo at the piano, click here.
And if you are a fan of them and want to purchase a print (available in different sizes, on paper or canvas) or a s greeting card, just click on the widget below
Dylan Moran and Tamsin Greig in Black Books
Dylan Moran and Tamsin Greig in Black Books - by Miki
They simply crack me up! For me is Black Books the best comic show ever! Especially that episode where Fran, Manny and Bernard play piano (“The Entertainer”) is just divine.
I am generally especially impressed by Dylan’s acting, so much that I have subscribed his newsletters =an extremely rare attitude from me, who normally hate all these newsletters stuff! -, ready to fly to the UK , Ireland or wherever in the word to see him on stage! I wished so much he would create a new series… but well, in the meanwhile Black Books will do.. again and again and again!
If you are a fan of them and want to purchase a print (available in different sizes, on paper or canvas) or a s greeting card, just click on the widget below
Accordeonist in Florence
Accordeonist in Florence - by Miki
Painting in Mixed Technique: ink, pastel and digital art..
One more from the ‘Street Musicians” series. I have seen that guy in Florence, Italy, at the beginning of May, and he was of course a wonderful painting subject.
To purchse a print (available in many different sizes and on paper or canvas) or a greeting card, please click on the widget below
Black Country Communion
Black Country Communion 01 - by Miki
My first painting of the Supergroup “Black Country Communion”, featuring Glenn Hughes and Joe Bonamassa, . As often with my music paintings, this is painted in a mixed technique involving ink, pastel and digital art.
I have never seen any of them live.. no wonder, considering that I have been introduced by Kev Moore to Joe Bonamassa’s music only about one year ago and to Glenn Hughes some years before that. Two giants of Rock music, and when both join forces, then it is simply divine.
Well, yesterday evening we made the fabulous spontaneous decision to attend the Black Country Communion concert in Loket, Czech republic, on the 17th of July 2011. We will first spend some days in Prague, which we both always wanted to visit, and then some days in Loket. One week altogether. Concert tickets are bought, Flights are booked, now just browsing the net in search of the right accommodation: this is FUN!
Needless to say we are both super-excited! Last time I attended a big live concert was in Toulouse, France, Pink Floyd were on.. I am speaking about the year 1974!!!! I hope to be able then to make some other paintings featuring these rock gods.. and some travel sketches of Prague and Loket of course!
If you want a print (on paper or canvas and many different sizes available) just click on the widget below
For those who need some more “technical” info about BCC, here it is:
“…Black Country Communion is an English-American rock supergroup featuring Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham, Derek Sherinian, and Joe Bonamassa.
Formation and Black Country (2010–2011)
Glenn Hughes has stated that he and Bonamassa had been working together for over a year when they both performed at the Guitar Center: King of the Blues event in Los Angeles in November of 2009 and decided to record together. Producer Kevin Shirley then suggested the group work with John Bonham’s son, Jason Bonham. Bonamassa did not want the band to be a power trio, so he and the others decided to add former Dream Theater keyboard player, Derek Sherinian, to the lineup on the recommendation of Kevin Shirley.[4] The band began having sessions in Shangri La Studios in Malibu,CA. According to Bonham the group were recording as early as January of 2010. He claims, “I just literally went into the studio last week for two days with one person I’d done an album with before, very quickly, and then the other was a friend of my father’s I got to meet later on, Joe Bonamassa and Glenn Hughes, and we’re working on a new project with a working title of Black Country.” The group took their name from the English industrial area where both Hughes and Bonham hail from.
Second album (2011–present)
Glenn Hughes has revealed that he is already writing the band’s second album during an exclusive interview with EspyRock. “What I am doing is writing a follow up album right now for Black Country Communion; I’m writing a second album.”
On January 12, 2011, frontman Glenn Hughes has announced that the band would be releasing their second studio album in June 2011, a mere nine months after their debut album. Hughes has said that the release of the album will coincide with the band’s summer 2011 tour, and that the first batch of songs for the album were already recorded….”
Street Musician in Pietrasanta in Italy
Street Musician in Pietrasanta in Italy - by Miki
One more from my series
“Street Musicians from around The World”
I saw him in Italy some weeks ago, more precisely in the wonderful little town of Pietrasanta not far from the marble town Carrara. I spent 3 days in Pietrasanta, and I saw that guy twice, at different places downtown. Once he had only his guitar and he was reading, in the posture featured on the painting, where I could not see his face. The second time, he was just sitting, looking around, with all that stuff in front of him, apart from the guitar. If I remember well, he had a long grey beard… to be honest, I am not sure if he even played one of these instruments, or is they were there just for “decoration”….in any case a spectacular apparition! I combined both appearances in this one painting. As all my Street Musicians, the painting is done in a mixed technique involving an ink drawing, pastel chalk, gouache and digital art.
If you want a print (on paper or canvas and many different sizes available) just click on the widget below
Jeff Beck 01
Jeff Beck 01 - by Miki
As I often mentioned, I did not know much about rock music before I met Kev Moore. I loved rock, but I hardly know any of the guitar heroes of this world.
“…Geoffrey Arnold “Jeff” Beck (born 24 June 1944) is an English rock guitarist. One of three noted guitarists, with Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page, to have played with The Yardbirds, Beck also formed The Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. He was ranked 14th in Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”[1] and the magazine has described him as “one of the most influential lead guitarists in rock”.[2] MSNBC has called him a “guitarist’s guitarist”.[3]
Much of Beck’s recorded output has been instrumental, with a focus on innovative sound and his releases have spanned genres ranging from blues-rock, heavy metal, jazz fusion and most recently, an additional blend of guitar-rock and electronica. Beck has earned wide critical praise; furthermore, he has received the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance six times. Although he has had two hit albums (in 1975 and 1976) as a solo act, Beck has not established or maintained a broad following or the sustained commercial success of many of his collaborators and bandmates.[3] Beck appears on albums by Mick Jagger, Kate Bush, Roger Waters, Stevie Wonder, Les Paul, Zucchero, Cyndi Lauper, Brian May and ZZ Top. He also made a cameo appearance in the movie Twins (1988).
He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: as a member of The Yardbirds (1992) and as a solo artist (2009)...”
I saw Jeff beck for the first time in a concert with the bass player Tal Wilkenfeld, and I adored him, and her, and both together. And as always, when I love a musician I have to paint her/him. This time I started with Tal Wilkenfeld, just because she is so young and so amazing. And anyway: women first!
You can see her portrait here.
For Jeff, I wanted to try a new style.More impressionist, but keeping the face features quite clear. I painted him in gouache, with brushes and palette knives, a technique which gives surprising results, at least surprising to me. It was the first time I used this technique for a musician portrait, I normally use it only for more or less abstract townscapes. I personally quite like the result, so I will probably try some more of our music heroes in this style.
If you want to purchase a print (on paper or canvas, and in different sizes) or a Greeting card, please click on the widget below
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Contact me at miki@goodaboom.com
