Need Blues Rec's

Tyson · « **on:** 13 Jan 2009, 07:04 pm »

OK, I've got my BB King, my Buddy Guy, my Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. I would like to dive deeper into the blues. Age of recordings does not matter, but historical importance does. So far, Buddy Guy is my fave of the few I already have.

ricmon · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 07:09 pm »

John Lee Hooker and Albert King. These guys are the REALLL DEALLL pickel

kgturner · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 07:10 pm »

Check out Albert King, especially the live studio album he did with SRV, In Session.

Kevin T

rydenfan · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 07:17 pm »

Mike Bloomfield

rockadanny · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 07:21 pm »

Don't ignore the female perspective.

IMO the best female acoustic/steel guitar player, with excellent voice and terrific interpretations is Rory Block (eye candy as well). Not all of her CDs are blues, though most are. Start with "Last Fair Deal". I believe this is available as SACD/Hybrid from MusicDirect, but also from Telarc. She has a terrific catalog.

And for someone with a unique voice who can also play the crap out of a guitar check Sue Foley. Start with her first, "Young Girl Blues", then add, "Love Comin' Down". Sure to please your ears, and again your eyes as well.

Tyson · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 07:24 pm »

I forgot that I had a 3 disk set of John Lee Hooker already, I'll put that in my rotation post haste. Order for Albert King placed! Got the recent "Best Of" from Stax recordings, the SRV Solos and Sessions recording, the Blues Don't Change, the King of Blues Guitar, New Orleans Heat, and Blues at Sunrise CD's on the way

Tyson · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 07:28 pm »

Rory Block and Sue Foley order placed!

rockadanny · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 07:28 pm »

And from the blue-eyed Brit perspective ...

Box set from Peter Green, "Anthology". Four discs of tasty guitar and vocals spanning his entire career.

Also John Mayall. Start with, "Crusade", then "The Turning Point". Two gems (IMO).

Tyson · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 07:32 pm »

Good stuff, thanks rockadanny!

rockadanny · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 07:49 pm »

You're welcome. More to come later ... if you wish ...

ricmon · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 08:00 pm »

I got check this kid out:

While sitting on the throne and looking threw the Acoustic Sound catalog I ran across this:

Marquise Knox
Man Child is the title of Marquise Knox's national debut, and for good reason. Yes, he was just 16 years old at this recording, but no, this is not another one of those guitar-hero, someday-my-vocals-may-mature, I-might-one-day-write-my-own-material records. This kid is flat-out for real! This is a man-sized offering of serious, mature blues. In fact, it's the maturity that provides the shock value here. Sixteen years old?! Listen to that voice and you'll swear he's lying about his age. Guitar licks that are tasty and restrained, none of this hyper-active, self-absorbed speed metal that somehow gets confused with blues.

Marquise has already won the approval of B.B. King, Henry Townsend, Robert Lockwood Jr., Big George Brock, Bob Margolin, Sam Lay…Read those names again. Do you really thing we're talking about a novelty act here?

And he's an original. All but one of the tracks on Man Child were penned by Marquise, and most of them were written in the studio, on-the-fly, a skill learned at least partially by one of Marquise's main heroes, Henry Townsend.

This is a 16-year-old, inner-city kid who somehow has decided to become a dead-serious bluesman of the old-school variety. That just doesn't happen anymore.

Clear the way for the Man Child.

EDS_ · « **Reply #11 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 08:00 pm »

Quote from: Tyson on 13 Jan 2009, 07:04 pm

OK, I've got my BB King, my Buddy Guy, my Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. I would like to dive deeper into the blues. Age of recordings does not matter, but historical importance does. So far, Buddy Guy is my fave of the few I already have.

Historical importance.....

1. Robert Johnson
2. Blind Lemon Jefferson, The Greatful Dead owe BLJ royalties IMO
3. Leadbelly
4. Lightnin' Hopkins - esp. "Goin' Away" available on XRCD. Recorded in 1963 by Rudy Van Gelder. Leonard Gaskin on bass and Herbie Lovelle on drums.
5. Willy Dixon - Dixon wrote about half of the great blues songs from about 1945-1960 - Led Zeppelin owes Dixon royalties IMO
6. Howlin' Wolf
7. Elmore James - "King of the Slide Guitar"
8. "The Story of the Blues" is a great album spanning blues songs from "Pig Meat" ~1930 to "Black Magic Woman" and newer plus songs like "I Just Want a Piece of Your Pie" and "Georgia Crawl" make this a must have.
9. Canned Heat "The Best of Canned Heat"

Newer blues stuff.....
1. Dave Hole
2. Chris Duarte, esp. "Texas Sugar Strat Magic"
3. Jimmy Vaughn "Do You Get the Blues?"
4. Jimi Hendrix "Blues" - gotta have this one too.
5. Doug McCloud " You Can't Take My Blues" proof a white guy can sing the blues. Available on XRCD too.
6. ZZ Top - "Blues" gotta have it.

ETA------------------

Jim Hendrix, "Stonefree a Tribute to Jimi Hendrix", this album has a version of "Red House" by Buddy Guy that is better than and way harder than Jimi's. Clapton and his band also do a very fine version of "Stonefree". You must have this album.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #12 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 08:03 pm »

Duke and Peacock lables had some fine releases back in the day. The real deal. You know about Chess, already. In addition to Sue Foley, give a listen to my home girl, Angela Strehli: "Blonde and Blue" (Rounder).

jazzcourier · « **Reply #13 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 08:13 pm »

Most of the suggestions you are getting here are good,quality music.Unless you have unlimited funds you can spend away and miss some classics,or "cornerstones" of any good music library-So i will mention a few time tested,no holds barred Blues Milestones- B.B. KING-"Live at the Regal" recorded in the early mid 60's in Chicago in front of a Black audience.This is an amazing showcase,not only for his incredible,emotional singing but his guitar playing.You can really hear his trailblazing single string work at sustained volume.This is where ALL the "white" guys got their stuff.Here he really uses the guitar to extend his vocal delivery,this is just pure wailing,gutsy bliss and ear shattering innovation and technique.
Another amazing guitarist and singer is Otis Rush,check out his Cobra recordings from the 60's.His recorded output post 50's is sporadic and uneven,but those 50's sides are gold.Jimmy Rogers-Chess recordings-Muddy Waters band with Little Walter on harp-these recordings from the 50's are among the best,fully realized "Chicago Blues band" sides ever recorded-perhaps even more so then waters himself ! Elmore James-infinite intensity,melding rural slide guitar and profound tube amp overload-this was heavy metal way before the big hair.Someone did mention Mike Bloomfield.The first self titled Paul Butterfield Blues band lp is a must.This was the first "white" band to transmit these sounds to a new audience with immense intensity and integrity.They "stole" the bass and drums from Howlin' Wolf 's band-Jerome Arnold and Sam Lay to lay an authentic foundation.This record always sounds like Muddy Waters doing Punk rock,but in a good way.The drive,swing,power and musical fortitude of the collection of musicians is captivating.I still love this music and have been listening to it since i was 14 years old,that's well over 40 years,i still hear the magic and the mystery and the power of the music.It either speaks to you or not,and when it does it keeps calling you home like no other.I envy those who can warm their hearts by these fires for the first time.Great listening rewards await! Enjoy!

EDS_ · « **Reply #14 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 08:24 pm »

Quote from: jazzcourier on 13 Jan 2009, 08:13 pm

Most of the suggestions you are getting here are good,quality music.Unless you have unlimited funds you can spend away and miss some classics,or "cornerstones" of any good music library-So i will mention a few time tested,no holds barred Blues Milestones- B.B. KING-"Live at the Regal" recorded in the early mid 60's in Chicago in front of a Black audience.This is an amazing showcase,not only for his incredible,emotional singing but his guitar playing.You can really hear his trailblazing single string work at sustained volume.This is where ALL the "white" guys got their stuff.Here he really uses the guitar to extend his vocal delivery,this is just pure wailing,gutsy bliss and ear shattering innovation and technique.
Another amazing guitarist and singer is Otis Rush,check out his Cobra recordings from the 60's.His recorded output post 50's is sporadic and uneven,but those 50's sides are gold.Jimmy Rogers-Chess recordings-Muddy Waters band with Little Walter on harp-these recordings from the 50's are among the best,fully realized "Chicago Blues band" sides ever recorded-perhaps even more so then waters himself ! Elmore James-infinite intensity,melding rural slide guitar and profound tube amp overload-this was heavy metal way before the big hair.Someone did mention Mike Bloomfield.The first self titled Paul Butterfield Blues band lp is a must.This was the first "white" band to transmit these sounds to a new audience with immense intensity and integrity.They "stole" the bass and drums from Howlin' Wolf 's band-Jerome Arnold and Sam Lay to lay an authentic foundation.This record always sounds like Muddy Waters doing Punk rock,but in a good way.The drive,swing,power and musical fortitude of the collection of musicians is captivating.I still love this music and have been listening to it since i was 14 years old,that's well over 40 years,i still hear the magic and the mystery and the power of the music.It either speaks to you or not,and when it does it keeps calling you home like no other.I envy those who can warm their hearts by these fires for the first time.Great listening rewards await! Enjoy!

I love what you just wrote. It is a crying shame that today's kids (and adults) do not know how great Elmore James playing was and how sad is life was as well - in terms of his heart issues and early demise. I believe I'll dust my broom!

ricmon · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 08:30 pm »

jazzcourier

Very nice and profoundly appreciated.

Ric

low.pfile · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 08:42 pm »

Great Thread!!

To the lists above I'll add Lightnin' Slim for Delta style blues. I have I'm Evil.

Sample of Lightnin Slim

just picked up Albert King and more BB King - Live at the Rega, over the holiday.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #17 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 09:02 pm »

- Keb' Mo'
- Eric Bibb
- Robben Ford and the Blue Line (not solo Robben Ford)
- Taj Mahal
- Dave Hole (ditto for what EDS said)
- The Blue Rays
- Little Milton (iirc)

I've listed them in order of play time on my rig.
It would be silly for me to say, "They're all very good", otherwise I wouldn't be recommending them. duh....
But I REALLY like the first three. Keb' Mo' gets a LOT of air time at my house.

Bob

spudco · « **Reply #18 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 09:42 pm »

Taj Mahal - The Real Thing
Burton Gaar - Mighty Long Road
John Mayall - Jazz Blues Fusion
Jonny Lang - Wander This World
Corey Harris and Henry Butler - Vu Du Menz
Roy Buchanan - Live Stock
Walter Trout - Relentless
Tinsley Ellis - Live Highwayman
Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit

Each of these are distinct and amazing - I connot recommend them enough.
Most are live recordings - very well recorded. Some are famous, some are unknowns.
These will knock your house off its foundation!

Delacroix · « **Reply #19 on:** 14 Jan 2009, 02:56 am »

Many fine suggestions made, but you simply cannot miss the blues of T-Bone Walker, many, many fine recordings out there stretching over the middle decades of the 20th century and while I love Buddy, BB and Freddie, the T-Bone is something special, all those jazzy ninths, horn-style arrangements and tongue-in-cheek lyrics make most of his work worthwhile. The Capitol Recordings 3-cd set covers lots, the Mosaic box set if you can get it is even better.

If you want more modern but not just guitar-slingers, try Ronnie Earl, his Grateful Heart album is an all-time fave of mine. And for sheer fun and 'you are there' liveliness, try Doug Sahm's The Last Real Texas Blues Band (an album that will have you ordering a double!).