Chicago Cubs news and notes — Edward Cabrera, Michael Busch and the slump-busting George the neighborhood goose

The Chicago Sun-Times {$}): Can’t-lose Cubs sweep Phillies for ninth straight ‘W,’ majors’ longest streak this season. From their stalls in the circular locker room, players — any of them — can shout out teammates for things done well. Some days, here are more of those things than others. Lately, there have been too many to count.“

Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation) – If it’s Never Fun to Head West, But This is as Good a Time As Ever – Cubs vs Dodgers Series Preview. “If you are going to face the Dodgers and Padres in six-straight games, like the Cubs will starting tonight, it sure helps to come in with a nine-game winning streak.”

Evan Altman (Cubs insider): Hodge to 60-Day IL, Lopez Selected, Kingery Optioned” “It’s pretty much a lateral move, with Lopez bringing better defense to the table in what figures to be a very limited role. This will be something like his 43rd stint with the team in the last two years, so he’s very familiar with Craig Counsell and a number of his new/old teammates already do.“

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• Food For Thought:

Everyone knows B. B., so I’ll be short with him: Riley B. King was born in Mississippi and became an American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter known as the “King of the Blues.” In 1946, he followed his cousin Bukka White to Memphis, Tennessee. White took him in for the next ten months. King returned shortly afterward to Mississippi where he better prepared himself for the next visit. Two years later, he returned to West Memphis, Arkansas attracted to music and taught himself to play guitar, beginning his career in juke joints and on local radio. He worked at WDIA as a singer and disc jockey where he was given the nickname “Beale Street Blues Boy”, later shortened to “Blues Boy” and finally to “B. B.” It was there that he first met T-Bone Walker. King said, “Once I’d heard him for the first time, I knew I’d have to have [an electric guitar] myself. ‘Had’ to have one, short of stealing!”

It sounds like B. B. would gladly vouch for T-Bone Walker, who was a pioneer and innovator of the jump blues, West Coast blues, and electric blues sounds. Aaron Thibeaux Walker was born in Linden, Texas. His stepfather, Marco Washington taught him to play the guitar, ukulele, banjo, violin, mandolin, and piano. His stepfather was a musician, and Blind Lemon Jefferson, a family friend, sometimes came over for dinner. Initially, by the time he was 15, he was Jefferson’s protégé and would guide him around Deep Ellum, Dallas for his gigs. By the time he was 25, he working clubs in Los Angeles. In 1942, Charlie Glenn, the owner of the Rhumboogie Café, brought T-Bone Walker to Chicago for long stints in his club. Walker started his recording in 1946-48, and again 1950-1954.

He didn’t release a record for six years — a collaboration that was widely record during three separate years. Walker rarely recorded through the 60’s, then recorded intently from 1968 until his death in 1975.

B.B. King | Live Monterey Jazz Festival with T-Bone Walker (1967) (Video)

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