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Blues Tunes

I did a couple of searches, but didn't find anything regarding blues music, so here I am. I've been listening to a lot of fantastic music lately and wanted to share. The blues has been such a massive influence on the American musical consciousness of the past ~100 years that I have a special appreciation for it. I'm hoping others here have a similar infatuation. I'm particularly fond of electric blues and modern heavy blues rock and thought I'd list some of my favorites and recent finds.

The White Stripes- Ex-husband and wife rock duo that makes some wild and amazing tunes. Jack White came in at 17 on Rolling Stones Greatest Guitarists list some time ago, and he deserves it. Suggested listening: "Ball and a Biscuit" , "Blue Orchid", "I Fought Piranhas", "Jolene"

Robert Johnson- Real blues incarnate. Rated by many as the one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Any respectable guitar lover has heard "Hellhound on My Trail," and gets the chills every time they do. Other suggested listening: "32-20 Blues", "Sweet Home Chicago"

The Black Keys- This duo became one of my favorites a year or two ago with "I Got Mine," and I still love what they're doing. With their amazing sound and recent commercial success, you've surely heard something of theirs. Other suggested listening: Chulahoma album, "Do the Rump", "The Lengths", "Your Touch"

Seasick Steve- an old timer I wish I'd heard of before now. He sings with a modern understanding of true blues. Suggested listening: "Thunderbird", and "Walking Man"

Junior Kimbrough- The man responsible for influencing the Black keys more than anyone else. Their album Chulahoma is a collection of his songs and is the name of Kimbrough's home town. Suggested listening: "Keep Your Hands Off Her" "All Night Long", "My Mind is Ramblin"

The Pack A.D. (After Death)- another duo except these two are a couple of very talented females. I place their style somewhere between The White Stripes and The Black Keys (the name similarity is a coincidence, by the way). These chicks can really blow your head off when Maya Miller beats your head in with her drums while Becky Black's vocals throw you a wonderful curve-ball. Becky's pretty damn cute too :biggrin1:. Suggested listening: "Making Gestures", "All Damn Day Long"

That's a tiny taste of all the great stuff out there. C'mon guys and gals, help add to my collection and that of others with suggestions, and links.
 
I'm just really getting into the whole Chicago Blues thing. Mostly Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf with a littke Eta James on the side. Great music.
 
Blues is the lifeblood around here. I'm a blues guitarist and singer. Bands, trios, duos, acoustic pre war; I play em all.

It's also first class shaving music.

For something different, check out Jeff Lang, Chris smither, bob brozman and don't write off the John Mayer trio. His blues might not pay his bills, but don't write him off without giving Johns bluesier stuff a listen. The best blues guitarist of his generation.
 
You haven't even begun to touch the tip of the iceberg here, which is great because there is such a rich history of the blues to explore.

If you're just beginning, I'd advise you to save all the white boy imitators for later in your journey and concentrate your education on the black men (and a few women) who are the articles.

You can't go round by buying or borrowing compilations of 50s and 60s recordings by Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, the undisputed kings of Chicago blues. Add to them the knights, earls and dukes of electric blues like Elmore James, Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Albert King, Freddie King, Little Walter, Fenton Robinson, Albert Collins, Johnny Copeland, Otis Rush, T Bone Walker and, of course, B.B. King.

You might also want to borrow or buy Martin Scorcese's excellent "The Blues" documentary, which gives a nice overview of the genre.

Enjoy your journey!

Jeff in Boston
 
I love the blues, too. I would not necessarily leave the white boys until later, and not everything the old guys put out was good.

Lots of good folks named already. Clearly Robert Johnson is important and an exception to my statement that not all the old guys put out was good. Jimi Hendrix played lots of blues. Skip James, Bukka White. Best unknown blues I know of is Little George Seuref and the Blues Stars, out of London in 2002 or so, but sounds like out of the bayou in 1952. Lots of good players out there.
 
... don't write off the John Mayer trio. His blues might not pay his bills, but don't write him off without giving Johns bluesier stuff a listen. The best blues guitarist of his generation.

Any suggestions with for John Mayer music? I've heard that he's an amazing guitarist, but haven't yet come across anything that's blown me away.

...

If you're just beginning, I'd advise you to save all the white boy imitators for later in your journey and concentrate your education on the black men (and a few women) who are the articles.

...

Jeff in Boston

It's hard to avoid the white guys, especially since they are what gives most people, me included, their start into the genre. Their style is also much more modern, and not really imitation as much as incorporation into current trends.
 
Don't forget the music of Leadbelly and Charley Patton. Both these guys were about contemporaries of Robert Johnson (Patton maybe a few years earlier). It's amazing that their original recordings survive as they pre date tape.

Pete
 
I love the Blues.
So much in fact I don't know were to start...

BAsically, I love the real blues, the Delta stuff.
Charley Patton, Son House, Bukka White, Kid Bailey, Sonny Boy and the lot.

Chicago is nice, so is Texan & not to forget the spirituals, Rev. Gary Davies, Blind Willie Johnson.

I don't have much feelings for the newer "white" blues.

Great music? Yes indeed!
Blues? Nah.

This video explains how I feel about the blues very, very good.
Son House (who together with Charley Patton thaught Robert Johnson to play) & Mike Bloomfield (the greatest blues-player from the 60's blues-boom IMO)
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmKguxl9AV0[/YOUTUBE]

I'll try to do a write-up & maybe do some album suggestions from my own collection (+300 albums, mostly 20s to 40s)
I have some lengthy texts all ready written, but they are in Swedish.
:biggrin1:
 
To the many great suggestions above, I'd add:

Jimmy Reed
Guitar Slim
Little Walter
James Cotton
Mississippi Fred McDowell

And so many more...
 
I enjoy the blues alot also. Love the voice of John Lee Hooker. A single I like of recent vintage is "Cleveland, MS" on the album "South from Memphis" by the Bluebirds. Could listen to Stevie Ray Vaughan for a long spell... :thumbup1:
 
A lot of great artists listed here. I need to listen to a lot more of the Chicago guys because I love that sound. I'll add a couple more old timers too:

Robert Belfour (Memphis)

Robert Lockwood Jr. (Delta musician who moved to Chicago and influenced a lot of the Chicago Scene)

Sonny Boy Williamson (There are actually two guys who went by this moniker -- both are very good)

Big Joe Williams (Delta)

RL Burnside (Delta. A rather, um, colorful fellow. He was playing in Chicago in the 50s, then basically dropped off the map musically and reappeared to much acclaim in the mid 90's.)

I highly recommend you check out some online radio stations and listen to some dedicate blues shows to learn a lot more about the genre. My personal favorite is "Blursday" on KDHX. You can listen to old shows here and see the playlists so you can go find what you like and explore it more.
 
Looks like there are a lot of good suggestions. I'm going to have to spend some time listening to some of these artists.

I also wanted to let people know about a cool little documentary I just watched called "It Might Get Loud" interviewing Jimmy Page, Jack White, and The Edge from U2. It's mostly about the process of musical creation and the role of the guitar in that, but Jack White does spend some time talking about Son House (some songs of whose he covers) and his song "Grinnin' in Your Face." I recommend it if you have an hour and a half to kill.

Oh, and for you folks that aren't down with white guys playing blues music... This is for you :biggrin1:

CAUTION: George Carlin uses some intense language.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2vCUO82vsY[/YOUTUBE]
 
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