Tag: John Sinclair And His Blues Scholars

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Blow Baby Blow

by John Sinclair & Various Artists

Blow Baby Blow is a compilation album as evidence for John’s half century of investigative poetry, set to music. The provenance of the poems reaches back to the early 1960s and up to 2020. The music takes a different route starting in the mid 1980s and including dozens of recording sessions, live shows and musicians, loosely referred to as the Blues Scholars. John’s whole thing, historical verse set to music, is captured here.

This selection of poems set to music were first intended for release together with his last book ‘John Sinclair, The Collected Poems 1964-2024’ in 2020, the book “Uncollected Poems” was re-presented as Mobile Homeland and added to “The Collected Poems”, run off to print in February 2024 (Ridgeway Press). The album artwork is upscaled from a photograph taken by Leni Sinclair, kindly sent by Celia. Yes, that’s John Sinclair honking on the saxophone!

Proceeds from this album will go towards the John Sinclair Headstone Fund. Please spread the word and enjoy the music, lotsa love.

–Steve Fly
25/12/2025
  more

released December 26, 2025

Poetry and spoken words by John Sinclair + music by various artists.
Foundation Records-36 (2025) JSFR-36

https://johnsinclair.bandcamp.com

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John Sinclair Is Free

A Celebration of Life, Poetry, Music and Film May 17, 2024
Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center 6621 St. Claude, Ave., Arabi, LA.
Thanks to James Reuter / Bearcat Cafe, Renee Broussard, Dennis Formento, Carlo Ditta, Bill Lynn, Jerry Brock and the family and friends including Penny, Celia, Sonny, Beyoncé and Leni Sinclair.
Photo Credits – Leni Sinclair, Pat Jolly, Lynn Abbott and others with all rights reserved by photographer.
https://johnsinclair.us/ The John Sinclair Foundation

“Friday, May 17 @ 7:00 pm
“JOHN SINCLAIR IS FREE”
A tribute in poetry, music and film
Free admission

John Sinclair, poet, activist, concert & record producer, bandleader and scholar of the blues.  A celebration in words and music for the poet, bandleader, & performer, record and concert producer who passed away in Detroit on April 2, 2024.   

Poets:  Valentine Pierce, Megan Burns, Timeless***, Bill Lavender, Chuck Perkins, Dennis Formento, David Kunian of WWOZ, etc.

Music by Carlo Ditta and band; Second line with the Treme Brass Band

Video selections from John’s career in New Orleans curated by Rene Broussard

https://www.zeitgeistnola.org/

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JOHN SINCLAIR RADIO SHOW 1004 – THE SHADOW KNOWS

Episode 1004 is coming from the annual Hash Bash Cup festivities at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Ann Arbor, with music and poetry by Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, Robin Eichele, and the complete set of john Sinclair & his Blues Scholars live at the 1996 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, where the poet was backed by a great band featuring James Andrews on trumpet, Corey Henry on trombone, Jeff “Baby” Grand on lead guitar, Rockin’ Jake on harmonica, Lucky Joe Drake on bass, the great Michael Voelker on drums, and the band’s musical director, Bill Lynn, on rhythm guitar.

The John Sinclair Foundation Presents
THE SHADOW KNOWS
JOHN SINCLAIR RADIO SHOW 1004
Hash Bash Cup, Wyndham Garden Hotel, Ann Arbor, April 1, 2023 [23268]

Yusef Lateef: Happyology
Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers: Blues March
Robin Eichele: the iris
Robin Eichele: night vision
John Sinclair & his Blues Scholars: The Screamers
John Sinclair & his Blues Scholars: Thank You,
Pretty Baby
John Sinclair & his Blues Scholars: the shadow knows
John Sinclair & his Blues Scholars: The Healer
John Sinclair & his Blues Scholars: 21 Days in Jail
John Sinclair & his Blues Scholars: Pea Vine Special

A JOINT PRODUCTION
Hosted by John Sinclair for Radio Free Amsterdam
Produced, edited & assembled by John Sinclair
Executive Producer: Steve “Fly” Pratt

© 2023 The John Sinclair Foundation

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Fly By Night 960 – Sounds From The Village

Steve Fly is selecting music by Alice Coltrane, John Sinclair, Dr. John, MC5, Sun Ra, Idris Ackamoore, Phil Ranelin, McCoy Tyner, Junior Wells and Lionel Batiste.

The John Sinclair Foundation Presents

Fly By Night Radio Show 460: Sounds From The Village

Steve Fly, Trondheim, Norway. 28th April 2022.

[01] John Sinclair And The Pinkeye Orchestra – Bloomdido / Ruby My Dear

[02] Alice Coltrane – Journey To Satchidananda

[03] Dr. John – You Lie

[04] Idris Ackamoore & The Pyramids – Epiphany

[05] McCoy Tyner Feat. John Coltrane – In A Sentimental Mood

[06] MC5 – Motor City Is Burning

[07] Junior Wells – Junior’s Wail

[08] Lionel Batiste – My Blue Heaven

[09] Phil Ranelin – The Sounds From The Village

[10] John Sinclair And His Amsterdam Blues Scholars – Let’s Go Get Em’

[11] Idris Ackamoore & The Pyramids – Silent Days

A JOINT PRODUCTION

Produced by Steve “The Fly” Pratt for Radio Free Amsterdam.

Post-production, editing & annotation by John Sinclair

Executive Producer: Steve Pratt

© 2022 Steve Pratt. Used with permission.

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JOHN SINCLAIR RADIO SHOW 931 – BACK HOME

JOHN SINCLAIR RADIO SHOW 931 – BACK HOME

Episode 931 is coming from Radio Free Amsterdam headquarters in Detroit with an hour of music by Wendell Harrison, Wilson Pickett, Tammi Terrell, Thornetta Davis, Was (Not Was), Wayne Kramer, Tino Gross, The Urbations, the Sun Sounds Orchestra, John Sinclair & His Blues Scholars, Stevie Wonder, and Yusef Lateef.

The John Sinclair Foundation Presents
BACK HOME
JOHN SINCLAIR RADIO SHOW 931
Cass Corridor, Detroit, September 15, 2021 [21557]

Yusef Lateef: Happyology
Wendell Harrison: Love Juice
Wilson Pickett: Danger Zone
Tammi Terrell: All I Do Is Think About You
Thornetta Davis: Can We Do It Again
Was (Not Was): Spy In The House Of Love
Wayne Kramer: Nelson Algren Stopped By
Tino Gross: Dumpster Machine
Urbations: Check It Out
Sun Sounds Orchestra: Special Branch
John Sinclair & His Blues Scholars: My Buddy
Stevie Wonder: Spiritual Walkers
Yusef Lateef: Back Home
Charlie Parker: They Can’t Take That Away From Me

A JOINT PRODUCTION
Produced by John Sinclair for Radio Free Amsterdam
Recorded & annotated by John Sinclair
Executive Producer: Steve Pratt

© 2021 The John Sinclair Foundation

https://johnsinclair.bandcamp.com/

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JOHN SINCLAIR AND HIS BLUES SCHOLARS – FAT BOY

for Charles Moore

There is something
about the American
mind
set on de-
struction, re-
lent-
less, un-
penitent,
eager to bomb
There is the hatred
that fuels the A-
merican mind,
the shriveled-up
heart
the heartless
always ready
to kill
& maim
brutal
with the urge
to crush & destroy
This is where
they built Fat Man, Mr. U-
235
& they sent
Fat Man
& Little Boy
to Japan
to level Hiroshima
& Nagasaki
They love Fat Boy
they feed him the sweets
of their hearts
singing their filthy songs
into Fat Boy’s u-
ranium ears
& let the rest of us
eat the shit
of their hatred
of anything
or anyone
that is not them
Ah! Fat Boy
so round & ugly
so full of hate
stuffed
with the dead spirits
of the Americans
blinded
& lost
in the deserts of Iraq
 

—John Sinclair

Detroit
April 9/June 1, 1982
Flint, MI
April 4, 2003

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John Sinclair Radio Show 842 – Natural From Our Hearts

Episode 842 is coming from Radio Free Amsterdam’s Detroit headquarters in the Cass Corridor with the third of four consecutive programs presenting the entire box set of my elongated blues work in verse, Fattening Frogs For Snakes, as recorded with four different ensembles in four different studios between 2001 and 2010. The box set is about to be issued in April by Jared Kowal at Jett Plastic Recordings in Detroit and I’m taking this opportunity while still recovering from a broken right shoulder to make four more programs without a microphone, of which this is the third, produced by Justin Showah at Travelers Rest Studio in Oxford MS in 2007 with Lightning Malcolm on guitar; Justin Showah on bass, Wallace Lester on drums, and the late great Jim Dickenson on keyboards.
 
The John Sinclair Foundation Presents
DON’T START ME TO TALKING
JOHN SINCLAIR RADIO SHOW 842
Cass Corridor, Detroit, January 2, 2020 [20039]
                 
John Sinclair & His blues Scholars: Fattening Frogs For Snakes with Eric Deaton & Afrissippi
John Sinclair & His blues Scholars: Don’t Start Me To Talking
John Sinclair & His blues Scholars: It Was The Way These People Lives
John Sinclair & His blues Scholars: King Biscuit Time
John Sinclair & His blues Scholars: Decoration Day
John Sinclair & His blues Scholars: Swinging The Blues
John Sinclair & His blues Scholars: Shake ’Em On Down
John Sinclair & His blues Scholars: Doctor Blues
 
A JOINT PRODUCTION
Hosted by John Sinclair for Radio Free Amsterdam
Album produced by Justin Showah at Travelers Rest Studio, Oxford MS
Program produced, edited, assembled & annotated by John Sinclair
Executive Producer: Steve Pratt
Special thanks to Sunny & Beyonce Sinclair, Justin Showah, Guelel Kumba, Eric Deaton, & Jared Kowal
 
© 2007, 2020 The John Sinclair Foundation

John Sinclair Radio Show 842: Natural From Our Hearts
JULY4