Spirit of Muddy Waters by Ramon Taranco
You can hear the studio recording and the recent live recording of this song by visiting the audio page at www.sonicbids.com/ramontaranco and you can download the song from
http://www.ramontaranco.com/music.html
SPIRIT of MUDDY WATERS is composed by Ramon Taranco who also plays electric guitars and sings the lead vocals.
The Story behind the song:
The Spirit of Muddy Waters is Ramon Taranco's autobiographical composition recalling Ramon's struggling first year in New York city...living in a seedy NY hotel dealing with starving feral cats outside his window in the alley and an angry landlord pounding on his door for the rent. In the end overcoming New York's tough love and his own demons to come to a conclusion of clarity....a real New York tale.... and like New York - edgy but beautiful.
Lyrics:
Well there's thirteen black cats/ in the alley/ Well there's thirteen black cats/ looking up at me/ And when I open my window in the nightime/ let their eyes shine on me...and...../ The spirit of Muddy Waters/ keeps me searchin' and searchin'/ The spirit of Muddy Waters keeps me sane/ I hear footsteps in the hotel hallway/ I hear footsteps outside my little room/ There's a loud knocking at my doorway/ Sounds like bad luck and blues....and...../ The spirit of Muddy Waters/ keeps me searchin' and searchin'/ The spirit of Muddy Waters keeps me sane/ All I have is my yellow and black rider/ to keep me from the cold and rain/ and if you think that's enough baby, baby/ You've lost your mind maybe, maybe/ When I get up in the morning/ Won't you hand down my walking cane/ Cause I hear my train a comin'/ I'm gonna take this road a runnin' to/ The spirit of Muddy Waters/ keeps me searchin' and searchin'/ The spirit of Muddy Waters keeps me sane.
Reviews:
Spirit of Muddy Waters has received more known airplay than any other Taranco track and has been heralded by reviewers:
"My favourite track is ‘Spirit of Muddy Waters’, a superb blues track." - Peter Van Laarhoven - UNITED MUTATIONS, BELGIUM: Vosselaar (Jan 21, 2009) http://united-mutations.blogspot.com/2009/01/ramon-taranco.html
“…[Ramon's Adventures of Bo Segovia CD features] a number of New York's best singers…such as… Taranco himself singing "The Spirit of Muddy Waters." - Rudolf Radnai - MUSZEROLDAL, HUNGARY: Budapest (May 11, 2010) Rudolf Radnai - MUSZEROLDAL, HUNGARY: Budapest
“Check out Spirit Of Muddy Waters; Mississippi blues gone electric in a highly listenable song.” - Wildy Haskell - WILDY'S WORLD, USA: Amherst, NY (May 18, 2009) http://wildysworld.blogspot.com/2009/05/review-ramon-taranco-music-from-bermuda.html
Airplay:
Here are known shows & stations that play Spirit of Muddy Waters:
* "Blues Deluxe" (Arlington Texas - syndicated to 100+ stns - the most widely syndicated blues radio show in North America)
* "La Maza Blues" (Buenos Aires - syndicated to 100+ stns - the most widely syndicated blues radio show in South America)
* "La Esquina del Blues" on Radio Havana (Cuba)
* La Hora del Blues (Barcelona)
* "Rock ‘n’ Blues Today" (Italy)
* Midnight Special Blues Radio (Paris France)
* Kanal Blues (Paris France) on the playlist since Feb 2010
* Reddog Media Bluzzradio (Paris France)
* "Spirits" on WDR Funkhaus Europa (Cologne Germany)
* AgF - Auf Gute Freunde Radio (Mannheim Germany)
* Mojo Club Radio (Bucharest Romania)
* The Blues Channel, Radio Vipernet (Bucharest Romania)
* Vent Music Radio (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)
* “Roots and Fusion” on PURE FM (Manchester UK)
* "Blues Connection" & free form on RadioRockCafe
..... (Montreal Canada)
* Rukus Radio (Ohio)
* Soulful Tears Radio (Delaware)
* Bigupradio (Oakland CA)
* Indie 104 (Los Angeles).
* Streetcorner Internet Radio (Houston TX)
* Native Radio (Taos New Mexico)
* "Beginnings" on WUSB FM (Long Island NY)
* “Radio Libre” on WBAI (Manhattan)
Special recognition for SPIRIT of MUDDY WATERS:
* Buenos Aires, Argentina: La Maza Blues host, Pablo Pineiro, played Spirit of Muddy Waters on his program that celebrated the 100th birthday of Muddy Waters. The show is widely syndicated across 9 South American countries, Mexico, UK, France & Spain www.lamazablues.blogspot.com
* Paris, France: Paul Bondarovski, owner/music director of Midnight Special Blues Radio listed Spirit of Muddy Waters at #38 on his April 2009 Top 50 Chart (with rankings based on listener response)
Special recognition for the album, THE ADVENTURES of BO SEGOVIA:
Ramon's The Adventures of Bo Segovia CD has made it onto the Roots Music Report's February 26th 2010 Jazz Chart at #3. http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:NOVdZXP2ixYJ:www.rootsmusicreport.com/index.php%3Fpage%3Dcharts%26name%3Djazz+ramon+taranco+roots+music+report+jazz&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca
During the same week, the album was #10 on the New York State Top Airplay Chart (for all genres of roots music airplay.) http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:OP8dZlrWi_sJ:www.rootsmusicreport.com/index.php%3Fpage%3Dstatechart%26state%3DNY+%22Ramon+Taranco%22&cd=201&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca
The Adventures of Bo Segovia CD has been featured by Midnight Special Blues Radio (Paris, France) owner/host Paul Bondarovski as an "ALBUM-OF-THE-WEEK" & a "HOT PICK." It has also been on the station’s "ALL-TIME FAVOURITES" LIST from February 2009 to the present www.ms-blues.com
Special recognition for Ramon's 1st album, MUSIC FROM the BERMUDA TRIANGLE:
Ramon's 1st CD, Music From the Bermuda Triangle, was on the European Broadcasting Union's World Music Charts
If you would like to hear other tracks from both albums, selections are available on the audio page at www.sonicbids.com/ramontaranco and more recordings are available at www.ramontaranco.com
Details about the recording:
Ramon sings the lead vocals and plays electric guitars. His band is called RAMON TARANCO + HIS HAVANA BLUES REVUE. Ramon pulled together a group of York City all-star musicians to record Spirit of Muddy Waters: Marchelle Jackson (background vocals), William Galison (harmonica), Greg Lewis (organ), Harvie S (electric bass), John Jenkins (drums) and Danny Sadownick (percussion). It is the 7th track on Ramon's 2007 CD release entitled The Adventures of Bo Segovia which was recorded at Excello Studios in Brooklyn.
If you would like a copy of both of Ramon's CDs for your library, I will gladly send them to you. Would you like the CD's sent to:
WNYC Radio
attn: Music for 9/11/11
160 Varick St.
New York, NY 10013
or should my package be addressed to the attention of a programming director or the DJ responsible for compiling the 9/11/11 playlist?
Mary Dempster
