The Essential Music Library: The Blues

[ultrafilter]

The Essential Music Library project is an attempt to get the many musical minds of the SDMB to sit down and discuss what works are absolutely necessary for a well-stocked musical library. There will be roughly 20 threads detailing a variety of genres so that we can get the depth that would be missing from a single-threaded discussion and the breadth necessary to cover what's out there.

The topic of this thread is the blues, yet another genre that pretty much everyone is familiar with to one degree or another. What are the essential recordings of the past century?

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[Savannah]

The Robert Johnson box set.

Robert Johnson makes me shiver.

[Marley23]

Howlin' Wolf: His Best

[Waterman]

Here are few I would suggest with artist and suggested albums from my collection:

• Paul Butterfield: Electra Years
• Willie Dixon: I Am the Blues also Chess Box
• Howlin' Wolf:- The Chess Box - Moanin' in the Moonlight - London Sessions
• JohnLee Hooker: Black Snake - Whiskey and Wimmen
• B.B. King: King of the Blues - New Box Set (Don't know title)
• Leadbelly: Last Sessions
• Little Walter : Best of ... (Harmonica player extraordinaire
• Robert Lockwood: Complete Trix Recordings
• Mississipi Fred McDowell: Mississippi Delta Blues
• T-Bone Walker: Complete Imperial Recordings
• Muddy Water: Chess Box + Collection titled Fathers & Sons
• Sonny Boy Williamson (I): Bluebird Recordings
• Sonny Boy Williamson (II): Essential Recordings

This is just scratching the surface but I would also look at the Hot 5 and Hot 7 recordings by Louis Armstrong (jazz and blues were the same at this time), the recordings of Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey and Billie Holiday.

Good luck and happy hunting!

[ultrafilter]

Hmm...you can't really escape box sets here, can you? I think that's one of the big things that puts people off from getting into older, well-established styles of music--there's no good, cheap entry points for a lot of the very prominent artists.

I don't know any of this well enough to make specific recommendations.

[Waterman]

There are a couple of inexpensive collections that highlight delta and country blues such as:

• Southern Country Blues (3 Discs ~ $25) on the Starsounds Label
• Deep Blue (2 discs ~ $25) on Rounder

Maybe to spark some more interest here are some additions covering more current artists that I have found in my listings - others should add their own:

• Marcia Ball - Lou Ann Barton and/or Angela Strehli (all have recorded separately and together)
• Doyle Bramhall
• Sue Foley
• John Mayall
• Toni Price
• Bonnie Raitt (early 70's records)
• Kim Richey
• Duke Robillard
• Roomful of Blues
• Stevie Ray Vaughan

[ZebraShaSha]

I've found that the largest local public libraries often have some good blues and jazz music selections. I will go further to add that there is a good blues compilation that the Smithsonian put together that serves as a really decent entry point.

Otherwise, I have nothing.

[F. U. Shakespeare]

I only claim to know country blues (i.e., pre-WW2, acoustic blues), with a bias in favor of Delta-style.

I second the Robert Johnson boxset.

I will add:

Charley Patton (IMO, the greatest of all country bluesmen)The 3-CD Catfish boxset is affordable at around $25; the 7-CD, $100+ Revenant box set is incredible;

Blind Lemon Jefferson (IMO, the greatest of all Texas bluesmen) Many compilations available, from single-CD on up;

Blind Blake (IMO, the greatest unaccompanied blues guitar player ever) Many compilations available, from single-CD on up;

Tommy Johnson Complete Recorded Works on Document Records;

Memphis Minnie The Essential Memphis Minnie

Skip James Complete 1931 Recordings, and numerous other recordings made after he was rediscovered in the 1960s;

Booker White The Complete Booker White (Actually the complete early Booker White)

Son House Complete 1930 Recordings, or numerous 1960s-era compilations

[Waterman]

Originally Posted by F. U. Shakespeare

I only claim to know country blues (i.e., pre-WW2, acoustic blues), with a bias in favor of Delta-style...I

How would you classify the recordings of Dock Boggs (who I inadvertently left off of my list in mistake)?

[Waterman]

One of the most fascinating blues recordings that I have (on CD) is an album titled Blues in the Mississippi Night which was field recorded by Alan Lomax and consists of interviews and music from Memphis Slim, Big Bill Broonzy, and Sonny Boy Williamson (the original or numero uno if you followed my earlier posting). The interviews are truly something else as Lomax (in the 60's I believe) got three African-Americans to tell what it was like to grow up as a minority (at least in socio-economic terms) in the deep south. Awesome stuff!

[Snickers]

For new blues, I like Susan Tedeschi and Jonny Lang. And Clapton. You can't go wrong with Clapton.

Jimi Hendrix has a coupla blues songs I really like.

And now that I'm posting, I can't think of a thing, tho' I listen to a lot of blues collections (which probably isn't the way to go, but there you are).

[F. U. Shakespeare]

Originally Posted by Waterman

How would you classify the recordings of Dock Boggs (who I inadvertently left off of my list in mistake)?

Good question -- he tests the very concept of categories.

I'm not all that familiar with his material (in addition to a Delta bias, I'm also guitar-biased), but his banjo playing sounds very old, even pre-blues.

But he sings some verses that are common in blues, so he's either blues-influenced a little, or shares a common influence with it. IIRC, he learned his banjo technique from black players.

I guess I'd classify him an Appalachian songster.

Out of curiosity, is your screen name a reference to blues figure Dick Waterman (who was Son House's booking agent, and dated Bonnie Raitt)?

[Labdad]

Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton (sometimes called "The Beano Album") by John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. Clapton's post-Yardbirds pre-Cream foray as a pure blues guitarist led to the "Clapton is God" graffiti. "Have You Heard" may well be Clapton's best guitar solo ever!

Also highly recommended is the next Bluesbreakers album The Turning Point. Clapton had left Mayall and was replaced by Peter Green (who went on to form Fleetwood Mac). Here you can hear why many (including me) regard Peter Green as Clapton's equal as a white blues guitarist.

[Quercus]

Second the suggestion of libraries to test the waters and see what you like -- the blues is an area they often have a decent collection of.

For Chicago blues, I think the Willie Dixon Chess box set (only two CDs) really covers it as well as two CDs can. You get just about every well-known song from the era, with Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Bo Diddley and others performing.

You'll also need something with B.B. King, though I don't know enough to recommend the single best album.


I have to politely disagree with the Bluesbreakers, though. IMO, it's white English guys doing almost note-for-note covers with far better technical production than the originals, but less soul and grit. A good gateway album, maybe, for those who need to ease into the real blues, but not an essential part of a collection. Yeah, Clapton can play, but there's not much else there. If you really want Clapton doing the blues, listen to the first disc of the Layla album.

[Waterman]

Originally Posted by F. U. Shakespeare

Good question -- he tests the very concept of categories.

I'm not all that familiar with his material (in addition to a Delta bias, I'm also guitar-biased), but his banjo playing sounds very old, even pre-blues.

But he sings some verses that are common in blues, so he's either blues-influenced a little, or shares a common influence with it. IIRC, he learned his banjo technique from black players.

I guess I'd classify him an Appalachian songster.

Out of curiosity, is your screen name a reference to blues figure Dick Waterman (who was Son House's booking agent, and dated Bonnie Raitt)?

Regarding the last item - nothing quite so imaginative; I am a water/wastewater engineer.

Regarding Dock, the selections on the Revenant release (titled Country Blues) were recorded 1927 - 1929 and those on the Smithsonian-Folkways release were recorded 1963 - 1968. He was "rediscovered" during the folk/blues revival of the 60's. I would say, particularly in his earlier recordings, that he has a strong leaning toward the blues both in terms of the "storytelling" narrative type verses. He does not; however in my opinion, share any songwriting (or many other characteristics for that matter) with the Carter Family or others out of Appalachia that were just starting to record in the late 20's.

[Waterman]

Originally Posted by Labdad

Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton (sometimes called "The Beano Album") by John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. Clapton's post-Yardbirds pre-Cream foray as a pure blues guitarist led to the "Clapton is God" graffiti. "Have You Heard" may well be Clapton's best guitar solo ever!

Also highly recommended is the next Bluesbreakers album The Turning Point. Clapton had left Mayall and was replaced by Peter Green (who went on to form Fleetwood Mac). Here you can hear why many (including me) regard Peter Green as Clapton's equal as a white blues guitarist.

I agree with you entirely regarding Clapton - it's too bad that he reached his peak almost 40 years ago despite continuing on with his perfunctory career (that has been the subject of several other recent threads and I won't belabor the point!).

[Waterman]

Originally Posted by Quercus

... I have to politely disagree with the Bluesbreakers, though. IMO, it's white English guys doing almost note-for-note covers with far better technical production than the originals, but less soul and grit. A good gateway album, maybe, for those who need to ease into the real blues, but not an essential part of a collection. Yeah, Clapton can play, but there's not much else there. If you really want Clapton doing the blues, listen to the first disc of the Layla album.

While I agree in concept with you, I think your analysis overlooks one very important aspect of the whole blues revival in the mid to late 60's. Without it, many of the greats of the blues world, who were still alive, would never have been sought out for studio and live appearances. The British fascination with Blues (Mayall being one) carried over into other "covers" such as the Animals House of the Rising Sun and, of course, the original bad boys of rock-n-roll, the Rolling Stones. The Stones idolized early American R&B and Blues and took their name from a Muddy Waters song.

[Bricker]

I'd offer up:

Judy Henske - High Flying Bird, She Sang California, and/or Loose in the World
Paul Butterfield - East / West
Muddy Waters - the Live albums
T-Bone Walker - Married Woman Blues
Screamin Jay Hawkins - I Put a Spell On You
Son Seals - Deluxe

[CaveMike]

Originally Posted by ultrafilter

Hmm...you can't really escape box sets here, can you? I think that's one of the big things that puts people off from getting into older, well-established styles of music--there's no good, cheap entry points for a lot of the very prominent artists.

Rhino has single-disc collections of many artists. I have one Freddie King collection that I think is outstanding. Much better than another 2-disc set that I have despite it being smaller.

Here are a few of my favorite albums, with lots of newer stuff (in no order):
Buddy Guy - Left My Blues in San Francisio: This is one my favorite Buddy Guy albums.
Tab Benoit - Live Swampland Jam: A great performance as he shifted toward his Louisianna sound, but with tons of groove.
Sonny Landreth - Levee Town: Incredible slide player and this album has his best song writting too.
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Live Alive: Captures the hits from his first three albums with an enormous amount of energy.
Paul Butterfield Blues Band: I love East-West too, but the first one is my favorite. PBBB combines all of the guitar energy of modern blues bands with the grit and emotion of the older artists.
Robert Cray - Strong Presuader: This is the disc I think of for "essential blues" (at least out of recent artists).
Gary Moore - Still Got the Blues: Probably get whipped by the purists, but this album really got me in to the genre.

For compilations, I really like this one:
Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection: It has a very "Rhino" feel to it, where all the songs flow together in a very organic way.

This one may not be essential, but I really like it:
Chris Duarte - Tailspin Headwhack: Very similar to SRV. This album has his best song writting.

[jacksprat]

Champion Jack Dupree. "New Orleans Barrelhouse Boogie (The Complete Champion Jack Dupree)" (Sony)

Roosevelt Sykes. "Country Blues Piano Ace" (Yazoo)

Otis Spann. "Walking the Blues" (Candid)

Otis Spann. "The Blues Never Die" (Prestige)

Otis Spann. Folkways Library of Congress recording.

James Booker. "Junco Partner" (Island Records [?])

[mailman]

"Last Kind Word Blues" by Geechie Wiley. It's on a bunch of compilations, but the "Crumb" CD is a nice one to get, since it has a fantastic guitarist named Craig Ventrusco playing very obscure music from old Edison Rolls, as well as an incredible pianist named David Boedinghaus who's version of "Ragtime Nightingale" by Joseph Lamb makes me want to go back to the 20's.

[PookahMacPhellimey]

The Red Devils: King King.

[Sage Rat]

(Give as this is supposed to be a conglomeration-type thread, I don't think this counts as reviving a zombie.)

Just to add on to the Eric Clapton vein, Cream's cover of Sitting on Top of the World is darn impressive.

[possibly not applicable]
For some Blues that have a modern feeling or that only are blues-esque, I would recommend Galactic and Phish (only some of Phish is particularly bluesy, but it definitely is in there.) Not sure how these will hold up over the years, of course, but as a position to work back from.

The Tiger Lillies' Clown contains some of the darkest and best blues singing I know.

And...Yoko Kanno's Blue from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack is beautiful.
[/possibly not applicable]