Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson - 'Kidney Stew Is Fine'

 

Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson was a vocalist and played alto saxophone.  Vocally, he's what's known as a "Blues Shouter" and sings similarly to his contemporaries Jimmy "Mr. Five by Five" Rushing and "Big" Joe Turner.  Musically he played, jump blues, jazz, bebop and R&B.  Eddie was also such a proficient musician, that he could blur the lines of the aforementioned genres, sometimes in the same song, and make it look effortless.

Fun Fact: Eddie got his nickname "Cleanhead after an incident in which his hair was accidentally destroyed by lye contained in a hair straightening product, necessitating shaving it off.  Eddie liked the look, and maintained a shaved head from then on.

On the fourth of July weekend in 1971, my husband Jerry and I attended the Newport Jazz Festival.  Under different circumstances, we would have seen "Cleanhead" with T-Bone Walker if a riot had not disrupted that summer’s Newport Jazz Festival.

The riot broke out on Saturday night during Dionne Warwick's set when people without tickets stormed the gates. "Cleanhead" was scheduled for an all-blues program on Sunday night, with Ray Charles was the headliner of a line-up that also featured James Cotton, B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner, and the Allman Brothers.  Due to the riot, Newport Jazz Festival founder George Wein cancelled the rest of Saturday's show and the Sunday and Monday shows.

George Wein in his autobiography, 'Myself Among Others' wrote:

“T-Bone Walker and Eddie Vinson were supposed to have played, T-Bone shook his head and mused about how long he had waited to play Newport.”

George Wein, who was not a fan of rock music or Hippies, blamed the riot on "Drugged out Hippie Allman Brothers fans", which was total bunkum.  I mean, why would Allman Brothers fans storm the gates the day before the Allman's show, and during Dionne Warwick's set no less?  Sorry George, but it just doesn't add up.

Jerry and I were in disbelieve that the rest of the festival was cancelled.  Check out the above line-up for Sunday and Monday shows, that we would not see.  We were going to drop acid for the 1PM show on Monday.  Plus, we had a hotel room booked until Tuesday.

'Kidney Stew Is Fine' from 1969 is a wonderful recording from Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson.  It was recorded in France, and originally released on the French Black & Blue label as 'Wee Baby Blues', and then licensed by the Delmark label, and released in the United States under the title of, 'Kidney Stew Is Fine'.

For the sessions, Eddie brought in two of his closest friends:

T-Bone Walker, who was one of the earliest of electric guitar, Blues and Jazz players, and is undoubtedly one of the most influential guitarists of all time (how many people could have said they influenced B.B. King?).

Jay McShann who was a prominent and influential jazz pianist and band leader, who along with Count Basie helped shape and develop the Kansas City swing sound.  Jay also gave Charlie Parker his first big break.


"Cleanhead" selected an array of great blues songs for 'Kidney Stew Is Fine'.  Highlights include : Big Bill Broonzy's "Just a Dream", Duke Ellington’s "Things Ain’t What They Used to Be", and Percy Mayfield’s "Give Me Someone To Love".

On 'Kidney Stew Is Fine', along with Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson's alto saxophone and vocals are:

Hal Singer − tenor saxophone
T-Bone Walker − guitar
Jay McShann − piano
Jackie Sampson − bass
Paul Gunther – drums

For the freeload, tell us about music festivals you have attended.