It was a bittersweet occasion when Detroit blues great Johnnie Bassett's new CD "I Can Make That Happen" once again topped WEMU's "Sweet 16" of most-played CDs for the week. Just after the disc was released nationally, Johnnie passed away on August 4th due to cancer.
As soon as we received the CD at WEMU in early July, hosts started playing it and the phones were ringing with enthusiastic listener response. As far as Johnnie's band members and his label Sly Dog Records were concerned, this recording was destined to bring Johnnie his long over-due international recognition. If WEMU listener reception is any indication, this disc will bring Mr. Bassett his deserved acclaim posthumously. He will be missed by WEMU listeners and staff alike, but his memory will linger on the 89.1 airwaves.
WEMU “SWEET SIXTEEN” AIRPLAY August 6 to August 12, 2012:
LINDA YOHN, MUSIC DIRECTOR
1. JOHNNIE BASSETT “I Can Make That Happen” (Sly Dog Records)
2. CHRISTIAN SCOTT “Christian Atunde Adjauh” (Concord Jazz)
3. JIMMY CLIFF “Rebirth” (Sunpower)
4. RANDY CRAWFORD & JOE SAMPLE “Live” (PRA Records)
5. TUMBAO BRAVO “Casa Versailles” (PKO Records)
6. CASSANDRA WILSON “Another Country” (eOne Music)
7. DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND "Twenty Dozen" (Savoy Jazz)
8. BRUCE BARTH “Three Things Of Beauty” (Savant)
9. BÉLA FLECK AND THE MARCUS ROBERTS TRIO “Across The Imaginary Divide” (Rounder)
10. HOT CLUB OF DETROIT “Junction” (Mack Avenue Records)
11. GREG LEWIS “Organ Monk: Uwo In The Black” (www.greglewismusic.com)
12. ERIC REED “The Baddest Monk” (Savant Records)
13. LAKECIA BENJAMIN “Retox” (Motema Music)
14. ORRIN EVANS “Flip The Script” (Posi-Tone Records)
15. SARA GAZAREK “Blossom & Bee” (Palmetto Records)
16. JAZZ SOUL SEVEN “Impressions Of Curtis Mayfield” (BFM)
~COMPILED BY LINDA YOHN AND DANIEL LONG
