[stuartr]

Hey guys,
I stumbled upon Kelly Joe Phelps, and I had never heard anything as good. He is just so incredible. Does anyone know any other blues/bluegrass/folk music that would be similar to him? I like pretty intimate stuff, usually just guitar and voice. Bigger ensembles are sometimes ok. Any suggestions?

 

[billm]

Stuart,

Have you listened to any John Hammond? There's a new CD collecting his covers of Robert Johnson songs called "At The Crossroads", or you could try his first album (from 1964) "Country Blues" - my favorite, and all solo acoustic and voice. The other one you might like is his more recent, excellent disk of Tom Waits tunes entitled "Wicked Grin" - it was produced by Waits, and has been in serious rotation on my CD player for the past year.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...527081-9542228

Other than JH, you might try Chris Smither or Roy Rogers (the slide guitarist, not the cowboy).

Best,
Bill

 

[mbriant]

I'll second John Hammond. Saw him live at a bar once...just him and his guitar. Great show. Jimi Hendrix apparently played guitar in his band when he had one.

 

[wab]

Hey Stu, I'm not really into this blues thing but there are two artists I really (really) enjoy, Kelly Joe Phelps and Chris Whitley. I've seen them both live last month and even talked a bit with Chris Whitley. I'd reccommend listening to Chris Whitley's "Dirt Floor". It's an amazing album with just Chris' voice, guitar/banjo and foot stomp.

 

[blessingx]

In the Bluegrass/Country/Folk edge of things give the following a try-

Hem - Rabbit Songs
Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator)
John Prine - Great Days Anthology
Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker
Kate Rusby - Little Lights or Ten

 

[Bob Pepin]

Try Gerry Douglas, Third Thyme Out, Allison Krauss.

 

[stuartr]

Quote:

Originally posted by wab Hey Stu, I'm not really into this blues thing but there are two artists I really (really) enjoy, Kelly Joe Phelps and Chris Whitley. I've seen them both live last month and even talked a bit with Chris Whitley. I'd reccommend listening to Chris Whitley's "Dirt Floor". It's an amazing album with just Chris' voice, guitar/banjo and foot stomp.

wab: How can we live 10,000 miles apart and have the same musical taste? First it was Thrill Jockey, now Kelly Joe Phelps? Freaky. Anyway, I will check out Whitley and Hammond. Then I will go from there. Then maybe Roy Rogers. I was just never a huge Tom Waits fan. I have Hearts of Saturday Night, and I could never really get into it...
Anyway, thanks for all the help guys, I really didn't know which way to go...

 

[john_jcb]

Stuart

Have you looked here yet:

http://www.folkways.si.edu/

This is an amazing collection of older and current artists before they were well known. There is an excellent Blues section and many of the recordings are exactly what you are looking for.

 

[wab]

Stuart, it is indeed a bit freaky. I guess I shouldn't tell you that I've been getting into Bach and Shostakovich over the last few months, I started listening to their works because you and others who have similar tast to mine seem to like them.

re: Tom Waits, listen to "Closing Time". It's his debut and remains one of my fav cds ever.

 

[dsavitsk]

My suggestion would be Muddy Waters' album "Folk Singer" which is excellent folk/blues. This album is a bit of an audiophile classic, too.

-dsavitsk

 

[mojoman]

Here are a couple of acoustic blues cds you might check out:

Colin James - National Steel - This guy is an incredible talent.

Luther Allison - Hand Me Down My Moonshine - Recorded in his living room on an 8 track deck. His son Bernard plays with him.

Peter Green Splinter Group - Hot Foot Powder - covers of Robert Johnson songs.

Buddy Guy and Junior Wells - Alone and Acoustic - excellent

I just discovered Kelly Joe Phelps myself. I really like Slingshot Professionals, have listened to that one a lot.

 

[Old Pa]

I think Kevin Moore's self-titled album Keb' Mo' might be a good example of what you are looking for. 1995 W.C. Handy award winner as well.

 

[stuartr]

Well, to resurrect this. I got Dirt Floor by Chris Whitley and it is just unreal. It is one of the best albums I have ever heard. Loco Girl is just beautiful, as are most of the other songs. wab, you are batting 1000 for album recommendations to me. I have liked everything you have given me. For Shostakovich check out his string quartets from 8-15...especially 8, 10, 13,15. Bach demands the cello suites.

I also bought more blues -- Hammond's At the Crossroads is very good, I also got some original Robert Johnson, Blind Willy Johnson and Skip James. I am still warming to them, but they are good. Phelps and Whitley are still my favorite...I will need to warm up a little more to the classic delta blues sound. Anyway, thanks y'all for your recommendations. They really helped.

 

[porta]

I don’t know this album is it a Jazz or Blues BTW Recording quality and performance was good but a little hiss on the background because it’s a live recording.

Live at Blues Alley by Eva Cassidy

Porta