Can I get a blues primer?

[4_Legs_Good]

I have to admit ignorance on blues origins, and have had experience listening mostly only to the well known people, like Ray Charles, and the people he influenced, and maybe some old timey folkish/blues stuff too.

Any anyone give me some tips on where to start with the real masters, godparents of it all - at least recording wise? I love scratchy old records too, so I don't mind if the sound quality isn't up to "today's standards".

Essentially I'm asking for suggestions on the most classic/influential blues recordings (older the better!).

David

[taterguy]

1. Robert Johnson

His entire recorded output is only a couple CDs and I think they're still in print.

The Smithsonian has a nice box set of Blues origins. It might be available from your library.

I'll write more when I have time.

[4_Legs_Good]

4. Thanks!

I'll check it out! I have a Smithsonian folk box, which is really cool.

David

[Iggo]

8. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Terraplane Blues is my favorite Robert Johnson tune.

Here's Robert Johnson:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0033iRJLuB8

And here's Eric Clapton live, doing a close approximation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hNfFLs2UQA

[RoyGBiv]

28. Definitely ...

I've run across idiots trying to tell me Crossroads is about Steve Vai's life.

I just give their names to the Devil. :evilgrin:

[Beer Snob-50]

2. i wold steer you toward the godmother of the blues

etta james.

[4_Legs_Good]

6. I'm amazed I don't have any of her recordings!

I'll have to get some.

Thanks!!

David

[crispini]

3. Bessie Smith

Ma Rainey
Blind Lemon Jefferson
Leadbelly

Some of the REALLY early folks. :)

[4_Legs_Good]

5. Oooh cool!

Lots of good stuff to dig into there.

Thanks!!!

David

[Tom Kitten]

7. A couple of informative blogs

This blog has lots of you tube videos, lots of information on artists from the old times until today, maybe a few mp3s to listen to http://squeezemylemon.blogspot.com/

This one is pretty much self explanatory, lots of info about Robert Johnson I see! http://thedeltablues.wordpress.com/

Might be worth checking out?

[Iggo]

9. Also, try some Albert King.

Real accessible for anyone brought up on rock guitarists. Sounds like Clapton and SRV mixed together...which it should. Egzerb:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKY8KIt9kqc

[Bake]

10. Big Bill Broonzy. Robert Johnson (of course!!).

Any of the legendary Mississippi Delta bluesmen.

You can tell whether the particular artist is a bluesman by looking at his name. Usually there are three names. The first is a descriptive term related to a physical impairment. The second is the name of a fruit, usually citrus. The third is the artist's last name, often the name of a President. For example, Blind Lemon Jefferson. Now THAT'S a blues name and a blues artist!!

Bake

[SalmonChantedEvening]

11. Best definition of the blues

"The Blues ain't nothin' but a good man feelin' bad." There are several attributions to this quote, among them Jimmy Rogers, Janis Joplin, B.B. King, D.C. Minner., and Leon Redbone, just to name a few.

Get thee to youtube and say Muddy Waters. There be some Blues.

:)

[4_Legs_Good]

14. I once read a quote, "Everybody loves the blues, except those who lived them"

Thanks for the tip!

David

[peacefreak]

12. Try some Mississippi John Hurt

Etta Baker
Taj Mahal
Jimmy Reed

[CBGLuthier]

13. More of a modern guy

But you can't go wrong with Buddy Guy. Even Mr. Clapton says he is the best.

[ThePowerofWill]

15. To those already mentioned i'll add Son House.....

Also Chess did two very nice records with Muddy Waters named Country Blues Volume I and II which is still available. The recordings are not the oldest, but the style is true, and the recording is clean. You also might want to look at early John Lee Hooker from 1948 till about 1958. Also look at The Memphis Jug Band, and Gannon's Jug Stompers, Neither of the proceeding 2 are exactly blues, but are very enjoyable and fun with such songs as Cocaine Habit Blues, and A Black Woman is Like A Black Snake.

Enjoy your journey back wards, i know i did. You will be surprised at how good some of the old stuff is. Sure most of it lacks the pomp and polish of todays music but much of it is great for it's own reasons.

[Kat45]

16. Delta blues: the early stuff, acoustic. Then later

Chicago blues, electrified. People already mentioned Robert Johnson, and a lot of artists you'd be familiar with, both blues and rock, have covered many of his songs ("Crossroads," for one). Another one who came a bit later and also wrote a lot of great blues songs that continue to be covered was Willie Dixon ("Spoonful," "I Just Want to Make Love to You," "Hoochie Koochie Man").

I also got into blues backwards, started out hearing British blues, which of course was white British rock musicians doing blues songs that had been written by older black bluesmen. I really liked it and started following it back to find these bluesmen and the original blues. I really got into it and I started going to blues shows, trying to catch whoever I could when they came to town. I got to see Muddy Waters (twice), Freddie King, Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, JB Hutto, ALbert Collins, Son Seals, Buddy Guy & Junior Wells, BB King, Robert Cray (twice, as the opening act). I feel quite fortunate to have seen all of these musicians play, particularly since not too many are still living.

Definitely check out Buddy Guy; he's still out there touring and releasing albums. His guitar playing blows me away!

[unpossibles]

17. Robert Johnson and Charlie Patton for sure

Also check out Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Mississippi John Hurt, John Lee Hooker, Buddy Guy, and if you can, check out some old folk field recordings - I've heard a few 'unknowns' that were great.

[mopinko]

18. come to chicago. the blues still live here.

buddy guy's legends blues club still going strong. koko taylor, the queen of the blues. lonnie brooks, albert king. all the alligator records artists.
a modern group that play the traditional tunes is devil in a woodpile. they have 3 albums on bloodshot records, also a great chicago label.
prolly some recordings out there of old chicago blues fests. they used to broadcast live on the public radio station, wbez.

bb king. current earworm is "ridin' with the king", bb and eric clapton.

[4_Legs_Good]

20. Ahhh must be cool!

I need to move somewhere with a little more culture!

Thanks for the heads up! I'll dig around for some festival recordings.

David

[LynzM]

23. Have you heard J.J. Cale with Clapton?

I'll admit vast ignorance of blues, and I'm going to be going through this thread, myself... please don't hurt me :)

[mopinko]

24. haven't heard it.

you know, i haven't paid that much attention to music for a lot of my life. between kids and art.... plus asthma that made clubs torture.
but these days i need my ipod sssooooooooo bad. i have been collecting up a lot of shit.
DH has dragged me along to a lot of great music. and the kids don't need baby sitters anymore. and you can;t smoke in those places any more. i smell a new years resolution.

[sasquatch]

19. Lead Bellie is my favorite

[Common Sense Party]

21. Muddy Waters. B.B. King. John Lee Hooker. n/t

[Amerigo Vespucci]

22. 10 essential classics that barely scratch the surface (but it's a great start)

Buddy Guy, "Stone Crazy"...



http://www.amazon.com/Stone-Crazy-Buddy-Guy/dp/B0000009XP/

Albert King, "Born Under A Bad Sign"...



http://www.amazon.com/Born-Under-Sign-Albert-King/dp/B00006878K/

Howlin' Wolf, "The Definitive Collection"...



http://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Collection-Howlin-Wolf/dp/B000O5905M/

Muddy Waters, "The Anthology: 1947-1972"...



http://www.amazon.com/Anthology-1947-1972-Muddy-Waters/dp/B00005NHLY/

John Lee Hooker & Canned Heat, "Hooker 'n Heat"...



http://www.amazon.com/Hooker-n-Heat-John-Lee/dp/B000002UZU/

B.B. King, "Live At The Regal"...



http://www.amazon.com/Live-at-Regal-B-B-King/dp/B000002P72/

B.B. King, "Completely Well"...



http://www.amazon.com/Completely-Well-B-B-King/dp/B0000062Y4/

Freddie King, "Getting Ready"...



http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Ready-Freddie-King/dp/B000002UHP/

Luther Allison, "Blue Streak"...



http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Streak-Luther-Allison/dp/B000000A10/

John Mayall with Eric Clapton, "Blues Breakers"...



http://www.amazon.com/Bluesbreakers-Clapton-Mayall-Blues-Breakers/dp/B00005K9QP/

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

25. Try and get hold of

the Rhino records collection Blues Masters set. There are about 15 CD's all together. It's organized in a sort of chronological way and a great way to understand the evolution of the blues......

[4_Legs_Good]

27. Oooh, thanks!

That sounds like a great place to start.

David

[Rambis]

26. Big Bill Broonzy, Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Lemon Jefferson

Big Momma Thornton

[appal_jack]

29. i'm an acoustic/Delta junkie

To the many good rec's above, I will add:
Furry Lewis
and
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee

Also, this month's Harper's magazine has a review of American Primitive Volume 2: Pre-War Revenants (1897 - 1939) on Revenant Records that has my interest seriously piqued.

-app

[appal_jack]

30. also not yet mentioned: Slim Harpo

Slim Harpo = swampy blues goodnesss :)

-app

[bbernardini]

31. Three simple words: Johnny "Guitar" Watson

The early stuff was very influential, especially in terms of guitar feedback and reverb. He later reinvented himself as a funkster in the 70s, with equal brilliance. He was a significant influence on Frank Zappa's playing, and in fact inspired him to pick up a guitar. (He later appeared on a number of Zappa albums.)

[dixiegrrrrl]

32. My self taught blues primer was helped by these:

allmusic.com is a great resource of learning.
type in an artist name, a biography comes up, , below that is list of who influenced the artist, what style of music genre are available, who played what.
Using those references, you can usually hear the artist either on the site, by picking a sample, or find them on YouTube or via Amazon album samples.

Allmusic has discographies, and often you can discover how far back a song goes.
There are also many good blues websites. Google and viola...magic.

It's a fun journey, lots of free listening is available. I have saved hundreds by not having to buy a lot of cds until I learned who was who and who I wanted.

Have fun !
:hi:

[peruban]

33. One word: Leadbelly.

King of the 12-string guitar.

Robert Johnson, the original "crossroads" man.

And the Jimi Hendrix Blues album, one of the greatest singular masterpieces of modern blues.

[madinmaryland]

34. Your local paint store should be able to help you, though wouldn't you

want to use a white primer?

:hi:

[Mendocino]

35. Elmore James

Sonny Boy Williamson

Howling Wolf

T-Bone Walker

Start with the best, you can't do wrong.

But Robert Johnson is king.

[Book Lover]

36. Everyone already named here is great

I'd also add Keb Mo, Eric Bibb, Charlie Musselwhite, Guy Davis (someone aready say him?), and John Mayall.

[montanto]

37. OMG I just wrote this long post then deleted it somehow.

Most of the early blues roots are lost in time owing to its primary oral nature in early days.
Some of the stuff that we do have comes to mind: Blind Lemon Jefferson, Leadbelly, Son House, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, and others. These are some of the old guys who were actually in contact with the old days. Later stuff, like Clapton are blues influenced rock primarily.

On edit: Mostly this is delta blues, guitar based, different than Chicago blues which frequently has more piano and different vocal style.