Need Blues Rec's

Nels Ferre · « **Reply #20 on:** 14 Jan 2009, 04:06 am »

Give Maurice John Vaughan "Generic Blues" a shot. Very nice.

I just saw it is available in non compressed AIFF download over at HD Tracks.

R_burke · « **Reply #21 on:** 14 Jan 2009, 03:32 pm »

Historically significant - newer blues

John Mayall - Turning Point (No Drums)
Howling Wolf - London Sessions (Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton and others combined with and old master)

ZLS · « **Reply #22 on:** 14 Jan 2009, 04:38 pm »

As B.B. King says in Live at the Regal, "Let's Go Way Back In The Alley"

Historically significant are the recordings of Bessie Smith, "The Empress of the Blues" There is strong support for the opinion that she was and is the greatest women Blues Singer Ever.

Blind Willie Johnson, if only for the song "Dark is the night; cold is the ground" This is the song that was sent into outer space as an example of what human being's on earth are in terms of art. This song is down right eerie, it will give you the chills. IMHO if I was forced to choose one song to represent the genre, this would be it.

Little Walter, Harp Player. Acknowledged as "The" Blues Harp Player and a member of Muddy Waters band. "Boom Boom out go the lights" is a great song.

Otis Spann, Piano Player, and also a member of Muddy Waters Band. "Good Morning Mr. Blues" great album and available in an audiophile recording.

Magic Sam, who died young, but was a great Chicago Blues Guitar Player and singer.

Koko Taylor, Queen of the Chicago Women Blues Singers. She got the goods.

Alberta Hunter, old time woman Blues Singer who made a comeback latee in life. The album Amtrack Blues is great. The song "My Handyman Ain't Handy Anymore" is a great example of the "Copulatin' Blues" and laugh out loud funny.

Way back is Ma Rainy, mentor to Bessie Smith, and the first famous woman Blues Singer. Sound quality is terrible, but she is historically significant. The song, "You Got To Prove It On Me" is a lesbian anthem.

Big Joe Turner, a prime example of the Kansas City Blues of the 1930's. "Roll Em Peter" a signature song.

Jimmy Rushing Mister 5x5, singer with the Count Basie Band and an example of the more sophisticated Blues. "I left My Baby At The Back Door Crying" is great.

The first Count Basie Band that came out of Kansas City. Anything that Count Basie played in his entire life was the Blues, period.

Dinah Washington, who when she was allowed to was a great Blues Singer. " Am I Blue", "Good Old Wagon", "Till The Real Thing Comes Along"

There are so many more, but these are just a few historically significant ones.

kenreau · « **Reply #23 on:** 14 Jan 2009, 06:55 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.

Yeah, Buddy....Buddy Guy is always in my top 5 as well.

Other albums I highly recommend;

Junior Kimbrough - All Night Long (or Most Things Haven't Worked Out)
Junior Wells - Hoodoo Man Blues, featuring Mr B.G.
R.L Burnside - Too Bad Jim, et al
Jimmy Rodgers - Blue Bird
Otis Rush - Ain't Enough Comin' In
Muddy Waters - Folk Singer
Albert King - I'll play the blues for you
John Lee Hooker - mentioned many times already.

Here is a bit of a curve - I really like The Black Keys. If you haven't heard them already, they are really worth checking out. Also, they have their own online radio station that is on my favorites list as well.

Ciao,
Kenreau

Tyson · « **Reply #24 on:** 14 Jan 2009, 08:03 pm »

Wow, this is great! Thanks everyone, this gives me a lot to explore.

konut · « **Reply #25 on:** 14 Jan 2009, 08:16 pm »

Combining gospel and blues, Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeaBNAXfHfQ

Gotta love that Gibson SG!

ArthurDent · « **Reply #26 on:** 14 Jan 2009, 08:59 pm »

Lots of classic stuff noted. Don't see Billie Holiday listed as yet. What can one say that hasn't been said better by many. As noted Mike Bloomfield. Early Fleetwood Mac, originally named 'Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac', after Mic & John left Mayall's Bluesbreakers. The live BBC disk is great, and the 'Best of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac' import disk is as good, clean, and dynamic as any remaster of anything I've heard. Any & all John Mayall, have seen him live twice, once with Buddy Guy, amazing.

Not quite so classical, newer Chicago blues, some of Harvey Mandel's early stuff, in particular 'Get Off in Chicago'. Recorded in a couple of evenings with an assortment of Chicago blues musicians of the 60's. In the same vein and timeframe, but a bit more light-hearted, 'The Siegel-Schwall Blues Band'. Jim Siegel & Corky Schwall, Chicago locals that came to age in the 60's listening to Muddy Waters, BB King, Sam Lay, and company. Corky Siegel is as good a harp player as you'll find aside from maybe Butterfield, & John Popper. The Siegel-Schwall 'Reunion' disk has Sam Lay on it, '953 West' is my favorite original. Contemporaries with Bloomfield, Mandell, Steve Goodman, and John Prine on the Chicago music scene.

Haven't noted Savoy Brown listed either. Raw Sienna, Blue Matter, A Step Further On, Getting to the Point. All hard blues rock.

And last but not least Ainsley Dunbar, 'The Ainsley Dunbar Retaliation'. Their self titled 1st, and 'Dr Dunbar's Prescription'. I think he was Mayall's drummer at one point, I'm sure someone more familiar with the extended lineup of folks that Mayall has started on the path can verify or correct.

Enjoy the search, lots of good blues out there to sample.

BobM · « **Reply #27 on:** 14 Jan 2009, 09:06 pm »

Audioquest has a blues sampler that they put out a while ago. It's on SACD also. Good stuff there that is both sonically wonderful and musically great. Samplers are often a good place to be turned on to different artists that you otherwise wouldn't hear. Kind of like a try-buy.

Good luck,
Bob

el-cee · « **Reply #28 on:** 14 Jan 2009, 09:40 pm »

For a visual treat, the DVD of Clapton's Crossroads concert in Dallas in '05 contains some inspired performances by Buddy, B.B., Hubert Sumlin (Howlin' Wolf's axman), Robert Cray, Robert Randolph, and yes, even John Mayer. Highlight is Jimmie Vaughan's tribute to SRV, Six String's Down.

Paul Butterfield Blues Band - East West
Robert Lucas - Completely Blue
Terry Evans - Blues For Thought, Puttin' It Down, Come To The River (All with Ry Cooder)
Susan Tedeschi - Just Won't Burn
Bonnie Rait - early works showcase her slide guitar - Give It Up and Takin' My Time
Freddie King - Texas Cannonball w/Leon Russell (Shelter Records)
Jimmy Rogers - Gold Tailed Bird (Shelter Records)
Taj Mahal - The Natch'l Blues
John Lee Hooker - The Healer (Carlos Santana)
James Cotton - Deep In The Blues

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #29 on:** 15 Jan 2009, 04:18 am »

Lots of good suggestions posted so far....

One that I don't see....Chicago Blues style.....Luther Allison......

He was an excellent musician...and a good man. Try his live double album...

"Live in Chicago".....here's some samples......

Tyson · « **Reply #30 on:** 15 Jan 2009, 05:59 am »

I now have tons of stuff on order, thanks to this thread

mvwhiting_83 · « **Reply #31 on:** 15 Jan 2009, 07:32 pm »

John Lee Hooker - Burning Hell, It Serves You Right To Suffer... The Healer is pretty fun
RL. Burnside - First Recordings

kenreau · « **Reply #32 on:** 16 Jan 2009, 05:45 am »

Quote from: lonewolfny42 on 15 Jan 2009, 04:18 am

Lots of good suggestions posted so far....

One that I don't see....Chicago Blues style.....Luther Allison......

He was an excellent musician...and a good man. Try his live double album...

"Live in Chicago".....here's some samples......

Yes, Luther, that's one I could recall hearing but not recall his name earlier. Fantastic electric blues, sim. to Buddy Guy. Excellent recommendation. Soul Fixin' Man is a great album imho.

chadh · « **Reply #33 on:** 16 Jan 2009, 05:29 pm »

I thought it was worth mentioning a new one I just picked up: "Snakeskin Violin", by Markus James. You can check it out here: http://www.firenzerecords.com/

This doesn't stand in the "historically significant" category, but musically in takes an interesting turn. A Mississippi bluesman goes back to the music's roots, recording in Mali and Mississippi with West African musicians playing traditional instruments. But don't be fooled: it's still unambiguously a blues album.

To echo some earlier comments - T-Bone Walker and Otis Rush are both wonderful, and worth a listen. I'm not sure whether Freddie King has been mentioned, but his influence is freely acknowledged by the likes of Clapton and Page. Also, check out Johnny Winter who proves that skin pigmentation of any kind is irrelevant to how well you play the blues.

These days, I find myself buying less and less blues, simply because this is one form of music that seems to lose so much in the translation from live performance to recording. If you like Buddy Guy on album, trust me when I say that you are in no way prepared for the energy he creates when playing live. Live performances by blues legends Buddy Guy, BB King, Otis Rush (RIP), Lonnie Brooks and Luther Allison are amongst the most sublime musical experiences of my life. And club shows from more obscure, and certainly less talented, bands are usually a lot more fun than listening to even the most artfully crafted blues album.

Chad

p.s. Buddy Guy and BB King are performing together in Detroit in February. And guess who has tickets?

low.pfile · « **Reply #34 on:** 22 Jan 2009, 04:26 am »

almost forgot... Alvin Youngblood Hart
listening to Big Mama's Door now. I think it's a great recording. Traditional picking/slide guitar blues.

Added a playlist of the complete album (full tracke, not just samples) : Big Mama's Door
http://www.last.fm/user/bpmandfps/library/playlists/2hspu_big_mama%2527s_door
last.fm may create a popup player just click on the arrow in circle to play

also
live - acoustic

I saw him sometime around 1991-95 at Cafe DuNord in SF. What an old soul for such a young guy (he was just around 30[?] then )

edit: added streaming playlist

bunnyma357 · « **Reply #35 on:** 22 Jan 2009, 04:42 am »

The Blues Masters series is a really nice starting off point for different styles of blues.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=blues+masters&x=0&y=0

The two favorites I've found beyond a lot of the more popular ones are Hound Dog Taylor & His House Rockers, and Blind Willie Johnson (His "Dark was the night, cold was the ground" gives me chills).

If you like Buddy Guy type stuff you might also check out Guitar Shorty. If you don't have it, Rhapsody is a great source to check stuff out before picking what you want. Another good way to find stuff is to use Pandora and set up a "Buddy Guy Station" and see what other artists pop up.

Jim C

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #36 on:** 23 Jan 2009, 12:46 am »

It's great for me to know that so many of you guys are down with blues. I didn't know. It was the music I grew up on along with R&B groups a lot of whom recorded on Atlantic. Federal was another. Hank Ballard and the Midnighters were one on that label. Duke had solo artists Junior Parker and Bobby Bland, Johnnie Ace and others. And don't forget King Records! Used to go to the Dallas Sportatorium and see R&B reviews when I was in the 6th grade. This was in the day of segregation and the best seating section was reserved for colored folks. Blues and R&B was THE youth music in Dallas in those days. Freddie King was a local hero. Saw Howlin Wolf when I was 15 at a BYOB dance hall in Fort Worth. I remember him on the dance floor, flat on his back, singing and playing. And that's where all the patrons were, too. Lookin around, I remember seeing empty tables with ladies purses and whiskey bottles unattended. Gotta tell ya this . . saw Albert Collins outside on a patio at a joint in Fort Worth that wouldn't seat more than about 40 people (this was later). He passed thru the crowd on his way to the stage, touching everybody as he went, plugged in and proceeded to burn that motherjumper to the ground! Son Seals at Blues on 28th St. in New York. With a horn section. I remember the sound being excellent (by that time I was paying attention to things like that). Ok, ok, I'll get outta here. Got tons of memories. Thanks for the blues!

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #37 on:** 23 Jan 2009, 07:31 pm »

Hi Tyson & others,

Probably my favorite Blues album has to be "Edge Of The City" by Kinsey Report
Every time I play it I think to myself :why can't all recordings sound this good. It is a
phenomenal Blues album.Great songs all of them.
Honestly, this gets my highest recommendation, the emphasis placed firmly on High.

All kidding aside
a must have CD.

Just found this after I posted:
http://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=catalogdetail&valbum_code=014551475828

woodsyi · « **Reply #38 on:** 23 Jan 2009, 08:02 pm »

I have the original double LP, Ann Arbor: 1972 Blues and Jazz Festival, but they are going for a lot of money these days. This 45 reissue seems like a bargain at $50. I love listening to my copy.

Quote

   1.      Introduction to the Festival - Michael Turner
   2.     Kitchen Sink Boogie - Hound Dog Taylor & the Houserockers
   3.     Wang Dang Doodle - Koko Taylor
   4.     Ain't That Loving You - Bobby Blue Bland
   5.     I Walk On Guilded Splinters - Dr. John
   6.     (I'm A) Roadrunner/These Things Will Keep Me Loving You - Junior Walker & the All Stars
   7.     Write Me A Few of Your Lines/Kokomo/Drop Down Mama - Bonnie Raitt
   8.     Highway 49 - Howlin' Wolf
   9.     Honey Bee - Muddy Waters
   10.     Form Kinetic - CJQ
   11.     Dedication to Otis Spann - John Sinclair, Muddy Waters, Lucille Spann
   12.     Dedicated to Otis - Lucille Spann with Mighty Joe Young
   13.     Goin' Down - Freddie King
   14.     Please Send Me Someone To Love - Luther Allison
   15.     My Last Meal - Boogie Brothers w/Sara Brown
   16.     Dust My Broom - Johnny Shines
   17.     Gambler's Blues - Otis Rush
   18.     Women Be Wise - Sippie Wallace with Bonnie Raitt
   19.     Life Is Splendid - Sun Ra & His Solar-Myth Arkestra

http://store.acousticsounds.com/browse_detail.cfm?Title_ID=7969

mcullinan · « **Reply #39 on:** 23 Jan 2009, 08:11 pm »

I just heard the Joe Moss Band on Sirius/XM. Great stuff, so great I just ordered his last album from Amazon!
Mike