[Jubei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pds6 Chess Records, Alligator Records and Rounder Records are all good name.

Agreed. IMO pretty much most things on Chess is worth getting - they have a kicking house band with top notch sideman. Damn, I think every blues fan ought to have some Sonny Boy Williamson II (aka Rice Miller) - my preferred blues harp player.

Alligator for the most part is also very reliable with a house sound that is more modern blues rock sound. Rounder I feel somewhere in between - not as commercial sounding as Alligator and signs a slightly more diverse blend of musicians. Rounder also has an anniversary sampler that is a nice introduction to their library.

Looking at the musicians listed in the first post, thought you might also give T-Bone Walker a try if you have not already.

 

[pds6]

Jubei say,
Quote:

Looking at the musicians listed in the first post, thought you might also give T-Bone Walker a try if you have not already.

Good Evening Jubei, good to hear from you.

I do have T-Bone Walker, Essential Recordings. Stormy Monday and Hard Pain Blues are first rate.

T-Bone has more of a Jazzed edge to his music (Sound like Nat King Cole on some of his recordings).

I like my blues more in your face.

Have you every heard Son Seals, "Going Back Home". In your face Chicago Blues

 

[terrymx]

i know absolutely nothing about blues music, except for the fact that it precedes rock and roll. but:
Ali Farka Toure

 

[Jubei]

I actually don't have much Son Seals - only one track from Alligator's Blues Deluxe compilation. The track is "Don't Throw Your Love On Me Son Strong".

With the regards to blues, it is unfortunate that in recent years the record stores in Hong Kong have reduced the size of their blues section. This has made it very difficult - since I have a decent blues collection of over 250+ CDs, they don't really stock that much I don't have and am interested in. I mean I don't need another BB King or Robert Cray CD!!

I used to be a regular reader of Living Blues but after Tower Records folded in HK, I gave up on reading the magazine because it became too frustrating reading about these newer artists and not being able to find them in any shop.

And for anyone who is interested, Living Blues is a totally informative mag about blues culture and music. It has an extensive review section that is a great source of info on newer musicians.

 

[Jubei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by terrymx i know absolutely nothing about blues music, except for the fact that it precedes rock and roll. but: Ali Farka Toure

I only have one Ali Farka Toure disc, and on a few tracks he sounds like John Lee Hooker.

 

[pds6]

terrymx says,
Quote:

Ali Farka Toure

In the Heart of the Moon is a wonderful, wonderful album. Savana is all Delta Blues or is Delta Blues . . .

 

[EdipisReks]

a lot of his music is more old time music, as opposed to absolutely being "the blues", but i think Mississippi John Hurt is probably about as good as it gets in the acoustic styles. the Vanguard recordings from the 1960's are very good, and the 1920's Okeh recordings are a lot of fun (if a bit challenged, from a sound perspective). the remasters of the 1960's Vanguard trilogy sound quite good, sonically, so you don't have to contend with scratchy sound, which is a problem with other performers like Robert Johnson.

Hurt's Worried Blues 1963, originally on Piedmont and released on cd by Rounder, i believe, is on my essential live recordings list. not only does it sound quite nice, it is some of the most honest, soulful, flat out amazing performing i've heard. just phenomenol. Skip James is another good choice in this style. Lonnie Johnson is also commonly suggested, but he actually spent very little time playing and recording the blues.

when it comes to electric blues, especially the Chicago style, i think Muddy Waters is a great place to start. stay away from Electric Mud, though, if you don't want to listen to quasi-Psychedelic

 

[Jubei]

Great info about Mississippi John Hurt. Thanks.

I have recently become interested in the acoustic blues style and on re-listening to a compilation of live Newport festival tracks on Vanguard, have come to appreciate Hurt, Son House, Lightnin' Hopkins and Elizabeth Cotton. Hurt's Here I Am Lord Send Me is quite sublime.

I have the Columbia complete recordings of Robert Johnson - sort of had to get it to see what the fuss is all about. Some of the songs are great - but the sound quality means it is not something I play on a regular basis.

Will try to get my hands on the recordings you mentioned.

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jubei Great info about Mississippi John Hurt. Thanks.

you are quite welcome

Quote:

I have recently become interested in the acoustic blues style and on re-listening to a compilation of live Newport festival tracks on Vanguard, have come to appreciate Hurt, Son House, Lightnin' Hopkins and Elizabeth Cotton. Hurt's Here I Am Lord Send Me is quite sublime.

that is some good stuff, there. the 1963 newport folk festival was one of the things that pushed Hurt back into the limelight after his rediscovery.
Quote:

I have the Columbia complete recordings of Robert Johnson - sort of had to get it to see what the fuss is all about. Some of the songs are great - but the sound quality means it is not something I play on a regular basis.

yeah, i know what you mean. i'm not the biggest Robert Johnson fan on earth (i personally think that Eric Clapton has hyped him a bit too much), but i pull out the complete collection every once in a while. it's fun, and i can usually listen past bad sonics for a great preformance, but the scratchiness is just a bit much.
Quote:

Will try to get my hands on the recordings you mentioned.

you can get the Vanguard trilogy (Today!, The Immortal, and The Last Sessions) in a three disc set. it's probably the easiest and cheapest way to get them. Worried Blues 1963 is readily available.

 

[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by terrymx i know absolutely nothing about blues music, except for the fact that it precedes rock and roll. but: Ali Farka Toure

Yup.

The two masters of African "blues" music from Mali are Toure and Boubacar Traore (aka Kar Kar).

Parallels between both artists and American Blues music have been made.

 

[BillyC]

I love the 20s to 40s Blues.

I made recommendations on this before. You must try Blind Willie McTell.

Master of the Twelve String and his voice is strong and clear. As opposed to someone like Son House or Bukka White who slur their words much more. Though they are both great too.

For something much more haunting listen to Skip James. When he sings 'Devil Got My Woman' or 'Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues' you know he means it.

 

[MD1032]

If you don't have any Blues Brothers, you can pick up "The Definitive Collection" pretty cheap nowadays. A lesser known but almost more awesome CD, though, is Huey Lewis and The News's "Four Chords and Several Years Ago".

 

[Jubei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyC I love the 20s to 40s Blues. I made recommendations on this before. You must try Blind Willie McTell. Master of the Twelve String and his voice is strong and clear. As opposed to someone like Son House or Bukka White who slur their words much more. Though they are both great too. For something much more haunting listen to Skip James. When he sings 'Devil Got My Woman' or 'Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues' you know he means it.

OK, thanks. Will try to get some McTell and Skip James as well. What is the sound quality like? Acceptable??

 

[VicAjax]

pick up a Charley Patton anthology. as the original "King of the Delta Blues," he pretty much popularized the genre back in the 20s. the sound quality sucks, but he was the consummate blues showman.

 

[BillyC]

Sound quality is a personal preference. You have to remember that in most cases the record companies master pressing materials were destroyed or lost, so most of these CDs are made from collector copies which are never mint. Also most record companies didn't use quality materials to begin with. It was all about making a buck. There is always SQ issues, but some are better than others. Even in an artists own catalogue, SQ can very greatly depending on the condition of the source. All that being said the SQ on the McTell set is just about the best. Every song has flaws, but when you get in the groove you don't notice(At least I don't) There are a few with heavy snow.

The Robert Johnson stuff I have probably sounds better, but he recorded 10 years later than McTells earliest recordings.

The Son House stuff probably sounds the worst, but the recording company used crappy materials in the original pressings to begin with. There is lots of snow. Son Houses records are some of the most desirable items to collectors.

Skip James also sounds poor, but not quite as bad as Son House. The problem I find with him is that the unusual tone of his voice tends to blend in with the snow.

Go to Amazon or something and try to listen to cuts to get an appreciation for the sound quality. For me once you get into the Delta and Country blues SQ doesn't matter. The guitar playing is outstanding, the lyrics can be gutwrenching, and overall it is a brief window into life in the south 70 to 80 years ago. These songs can still speak to you across the distance of time.