Hell's Kitchen Radio #609: Mitch Polzak Moseys On In To The Show

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When I prepare for an interview with a musician, it's mostly based on their music that I craft the questions. I want to know where the ideas for the stories came from. I want to know how they crafted the song, where the melody came from. Then I start to dig. I need to know their influences, musical and otherwise. 

This is when it gets fun. 

Tell me where you grew up. What was the first music that caught your attention? Who in your life do you credit with turning you on to the music that helped define your own journey? 

Once in a blue moon do I interview someone I've only met a few times but feel a quick kinship with.

Mitch Polzak is one of these people. I've seen Mitch play at the Ivy Room in Albany a few times, and once on his home court in Port Costa, where he once was mayor. 

Mitch will look you right in the eyes when he's playing, and you know he's playing just for you. And he is! He told me this himself last Monday when he was my guest. I told him that he had to guest DJ with me, and he did not disappoint! He brought 33 LPs along with him and everything that aired on Monday night was his choosing, except for my opening set and the single Mitch Polzak tune that I pulled out, and it's thanks to his delightful partner, Amanda, that "Sugrarfoot Rag" was chosen.

We caught each other saying "you too?!?!" a lot during the show, and a lot of laughter throughout. The

music ranges from delta blues, bluegrass, folk, Bakersfield Country, train songs, trucker songs, and honky tonk. 

What a magnificent night this was. 

I hope you take the time to listen into the music and enjoy our banter. Better yet, please take yourself and a loved one out to see Mitch perform live. You'll find Mitch was looking for you all along.

Enjoy and please share.

jh

Hell's Kitchen Radio with John Hell
Mondays 8-10PM Pacific
Radio Valencia in SF
http://radiovalencia.fm

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Honky Tonk Blues: Hank Williams
Wham Bam: Buck Owens
It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels: Kitty Wells
Cannon Ball: Merle Travis

Watch My Fingers: Lightning Hopkins
Cumberland Gap: Flatt and Scruggs
Ballad of 40 Dollars: Tom T Hall
Road Runner: Blackie Forestier

Sugarfoot Rag: Mitch Polzak
Sad Hour: Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
Randall Collins: Norman Blake
The Longer You Wait: Merle Haggard

Let The Good Times Roll: Buck Owens
Nitro Express: Redd Simpson
Bucking Mule (Piano): Uncle John Patterson
Tombstone Every Mile: Dick Curless
Caffein, Nicotine, Benzedrine: Gary Stewart
For A Few Dollars More: Ennio Morricone

Cause of it All: Howlin' Wolf
I Got Love If You Want It: Slim Harpo
Fire On The Strings: Joe Maphis
Stone Walls and Steel Bars: Jimmy Martin and Ralph Stanley

This Time: Waylon Jennings
Rain: Charlie Feathers
Alabama Jubilee: Roy Clark

Graystone Chapel: Johnny Cash

A Season in Hell #73: Radio Valencia: Stormy Monday

The rain has finally arrived in the Bay Area, and with it the loss of the 49ers. Dang. I could go on and on about the 2nd year Williams, and his two errors, but he has enough to deal with without me harassing him. Poor kid. The Niners got farther than any of us fans expected they would this year, so for that I salute you.

It still sucks though.

And therefore I bring you tonight's show: Stormy Monday.

I was raised by a father well versed in the genre of Blues. It was often playing in the garage when my dad was working on his old cars. We even had a jukebox, packed with 45s, many of which featured old blues. I've MCd the Northern California Blues Festival a few times, and have quite a large collection of great blues musicians, past and present.

Tune in Monday's, 8-10PM (PST) for A Season in Hell, with John Hell

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Enjoy.

Stormy Weather: Etta James
Got My Mojo Working: Ann Cole
Flip, Flop and Fly: Big Joe Turner

"B" Movie Boxcar Blues: Delbert McClinton
Bottle Up & Go: Hooker and Heat
Shake Your Moneymaker: Elmore James
I Got My Eye You: Buddy Guy

Come On In My Kitchen: Eugene Huggins
Messin' With The Kid: Junior Wells
Bulldoze Blues: Henry Thomas
Suzie Q: Dale Hawkins
Tollin' Bells: Lowell Folsom

Stormy Monday: Allman Brothers Band (02/1970 - Fillmore East)
How Blue Can You Get: B.B. King

Ball and Chain: Janis Joplin and the Kozmic Blues Band (04-01-69)
Trouble No More: Muddy Waters

Two Trains Running: Butterfield Blues Band
Got to get Better in a Little While: Derek and the Dominos
Hear My Train A Comin': Jimi Hendrix

I Ain't Superstitious: Howlin' Wolf
I'm A King Bee: Slim Harpo
Shotgun Blues: Blues Brothers (12-31-78)

Bringin' it all Back Home: Sonny Boy Williamson
I Left My Heart in San Francisco: Tony Bennett (50th anniversary of this fine release)
Cold, Rain and Snow: Dillard Chandler