Natchez Burning (without reprise) | Jon Spear Band

Open uri20180224 8446 1swbjxe
Artist:Jon Spear Band
Album:Hot Sauce
Title:Natchez Burning (without reprise)
Year:2017
Track number:12
Total tracks:13
Genres:Gospel & Religious / Blues / R&B
Liner notes

Natchez Burning was inspired by the tragic fire at the the Rhythm Club in Natchez, MS which claimed the lives of 209 individuals on April 23, 1940, and came to be known as the Natchez Burning. The song is dedicated to the Walter Barnes and his Royal Creolians orchestra, all but two of whom lost their lives in the fire, as they
kept playing in an effort to prevent panic.
© License

About the artist

Nominated for the prestigious Blues Blast Magazine award for best Live Blues Recording of 2016, the Jon Spear Band performs regularly in the US mid-Atlantic area where it has entertained appreciative audiences at numerous outdoor festivals, clubs, and other popular venues since 2012. Known for their award-winning original songs, red-hot live shows, and unique arrangements of blues standards, the band’s three CDs charted in the US, France, UK, Spain, and Australia including the annual top 100 Roots Music Report Contemporary Blues Chart for the past three consecutive years.

The band doesn't shy away from using its creative energy in ways that are not just fun and entertaining, but also provacative. As was noted in Don & Sheryl's Blues Blog, "with the Jon Spear Band, you can always bet your last money that the music will be excellent, and the songs built either for the dance floor or to make you think." Blues Blast Magazine commented that "It's nice to see a band put the time and effort into writing and working out an entire disc of new music, and fortunately it has very good production too."

The band's lead songwriter, Jon Spear, has been heavily influenced by the music of the '60s and has never forgotten the power of music to impact how people view the world. His award-winning original song "Noah's Blues" -- a lament about the sad condition of African wildlife -- epitomizes the band's focus on putting important topics into a memorable musical format. Living Blues Magazine called this track one of the highlights of the band's "Hot Sauce" CD serving as "a showcase for Dara James' flashy guitar work that rides a groove channeling Little WIllie John's Fever."

Their original song "Natchez Burning" was co-written by Spear and the band's lead singer, Dara James, whose vocal talents are showcased in this gospel style song.

The Jon Spear Band is a collaboration of some of Central Virginia’s finest and most dedicated blues musicians, brought together by their love of blues music and their active participation in the Central Virginia Blues Society. Although their ages span several generations, the band’s members share a common determination to use their exceptional talents to create unique and memorable music. The Jon Spear Band has existed with various personnel changes since 2012. Members include Dara James (guitar, vocals and harmonica), Andy Burdetsky (bass), John Stubblefield (drums), and Jon Spear (guitar and vocals).

Lyrics

NATCHEZ BURNING (by Jon Spear and Dara James)

Mama mama can you give me a quarter?
To buy a ticket for the dancehall tonight?
A famous band will be there from Chicago
Down here in Natchez make us feel alright

Daddy daddy I got to buy a ticket
Ain’t no one sneakin’ in tonight
There’ll be no gate-crashing over at the dance hall
They got the doors and windows nailed up tight

Oh sister sister, did you hear about the fire
At the Rhythm Club in Natchez town
200 people were trapped inside dancehall
When it burned flat down to the ground

Brother brother did you hear the band a-playin?
Walter Barnes and his Royal Creoles
They kept playin while the dance hall was burnin
Played Marie and Clarinet Lullaby

Daddy daddy I hear my Lord a’calling
Gonna meet my maker and it won’t be long
I feel His hand lift me up to Heaven
On a big cloud of smoke and the wings of a song

When we get to heaven we’ll all be judged there
And when we do I want to stand in line
Behind the man who nailed shut the windows
And trapped all those people just to make a dime