Littlebear Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Everyone has mentionned my favorites (looks like anyone mentionned his favorites instead of answering the initial request, too, apart from LouieB ): Blind Willie McTell, Lightnin' Hopkins, Otis Rush, Elmore James, Mississippi John Hurt (though you could say he's folk, this one), Sonny Boy Williamson (II), Howlin' Wolf (tell me about dirty, he's been the first garage one, no?)... But one of my faves hasn't been mentionned yet. (big suspense...) Furry Lewis. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Mississippi John Hurt could certainly be considered a blues singer (no point it bringing up the term songster here...). There are lots of interesting blues type figures still to be mentioned. I alluded to Louis Jordan, who is more or less blues as well and a seminal figure of the 40s. Mississippi Fred McDowell of course, Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller, Blind Lemon Jefferson (to catch up on all the blind figures since someone mentioned Blind Willie McTell) and of course slightly more modern Chicago figure Blind Arvella Gray, who influenced Bob Dylan. (How about the always fun Clifton Chenier...not really blues, but he sang lots of blues...) (Sonny Boy Williamson I is also worth a shout out...!!) And some of the women who haven't been talked about Memphis Minnie, Ma Rainey, and all the classic or vaudville blues women. Again it is important to talk about all the labels that have issued and reissued blues material, Delmark, Alligator, Yazoo, Biograph, Document, JSP, Proper, Vanguard, Testiment, Arhoolie, etc. I am sure I am forgetting lots of them. My favorite box set of really old and somewhat strange stuff is on called the Paramount Masters. But for the best all around comps, Yazoo does the best I think. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dondoboy Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 More New Orleans-y Fats DominoLee Dorsey Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mfwahl Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 I started my blues exploration with a Muddy Water live record and a John Lee Hooker 2 disc set. My favorites are Muddy Waters At Newport 1960B.B. King - Live at the RegalMuddy Waters - His Best (1947-1955 and 1956-1964)The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions (w/ Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts) These all basically electric records. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
okp greg Posted March 20, 2009 Author Share Posted March 20, 2009 I'd just like to thank everyone for officially filling up my playlist for the remainder of this decade. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
you ever seen a ghost? Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 I appreciate old country blues, but the only blues that ever held my attention was Bob Dylan circa 64-66 and the Black Keys. I know that makes me lame on many levels, but the genre tends to bore me and has been so prostituted by the Claptons of the world. You know, sing a line and play my riff and the whole time act like I'm doing something painful and unbelievable. Kind of tired. yeah, but the real guys Johnson, Patton, etc. aren't like that at all... -justin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littlebear Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 I'd say Dylan could only dream of sounding like Elmore James. Or Blind Willie McTell (since he sang about it). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dondoboy Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Didn't Blind Willie McTell record under a different name as well as that one? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littlebear Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Here's McTell's magic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIqAKvrzzCo listen to that voice and that guitar... And here's Elmore James' fire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsELdS1tQBU Didn't Blind Willie McTell record under a different name as well as that one? Yep, several ones: Blind Sammie, Georgia Bill... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Somnambulist Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 One of my favorites. Another one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 I used to go see Otis Rush all the time back in the 70s at blues joint in Uptown called the Peanut Barrel Pub. Those were the days. One of the great advantages of CDs was the wealth of blues reissues (and reissues of jazz and traditioinal country as well.) When I was a mere lad there was far less material on LP than there is now. There were also far fewer record labels reissuing material even then. Columbia did a reasonable job around the time of the first Robert Johnson reissues and Yazoo also reissued material that had been on 78s, but now just about every obscure artist is easily available to be listened to. People like Charley Patton and Skip James were pretty much unknown back then, but luckily a few folks (including Skip James, Bukka White, and Son House, John Hurt and a few others) were found by folklorists and dragged around on the folk fest circuit. Then people started getting interested in those that were in fact dead. We can now have a pretty in depth convo about this subject that everyone can take part in as a result of a few people finding old records and making them available to everyone. Let's not forget Tommy Johnson (who was portrayed in the movie O Brother Where Art Thou), who is a great if largely forgotten figure. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 > Yazoo does the best I think. agree! the 1928 recordings from mississippi john hurt were released by Yazoo and Columbia. the columbia version has EQ and sounds compressed and cleaned up. the Yazoo one has all the snap, crackle and pops and the warm feel of a 78 record Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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