The Blues Primer thread

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:49 pm

This is a thread to sort of explore a potted history of the blues for those who are yet to undertake the journey, but want to listen to some quality, or just to celebrate great music. I see the thread as a bunch old black fellas, old white fellas (and sheilas), some young braves, through Kiwi blues, modern blues, electric blues and acoustic too. If you think its worth a look to enlighten, post a Youtube vid.

Not intended to be chronological, just this forum's view on the genre. Good music is good music. If you'd like to add a bit of info about the artist you're showcasing, even better. Just one link per post would be peachy!

I'll start off with an instrument that I think typifies modern core blues - the harmonica. One of my favs is Charlie Musslewhite (68 y/o this year) and this is what he does:

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

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:05 am

The blues is as much about the vocals as the instruments and in this clip the incomparable Etta James shows what blues vocals should be like. Paired with another of my fav artists, Mac Rebennack (Dr John):
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2mhdido ... re=related[/youtube]

Etta died yesterday

Doc Murray · Post by **Doc Murray** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 6:25 am

Willie Dixon is well worth a look not so much as a performer but as a song writer check out this list of his songs

Willie Dixon songs performed by various artists

29 Ways, performed by Hans Theessink
Back Door Man, performed by Howlin' Wolf
Big Boss Man, performed by Jimmy Reed
Bring It On Home, performed by Sonny Boy Williamson II
Built For Comfort, performed by Howlin' Wolf
Close To You, performed by Stevie Ray Vaughn
Crazy Love, performed by Buddy Guy
Crazy Mixed Up World, performed by Little Walter
Dead Presidents, performed by Little Walter
Down In The Bottom, performed by Howlin' Wolf
Everybody Needs Somebody, performed by Little Walter
Evil, performed by Howlin' Wolf
Help Me, performed by Sonny Boy Williamson II
Howlin' For My Baby, performed by Howlin' Wolf
Howlin' For My Baby, performed by George Thorogood
I Ain't Superstitious, performed by Howlin' Wolf
I'm Ready, performed by George Thorogood
I'm Ready, performed by Albert King
(I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man, performed by Muddy Waters
I Don't Play, performed by Robben Ford
I Got My Brand On You, performed by Muddy Waters
I Just Want To Make Love To You, performed by Muddy Waters
I Just Want To Make Love To You, performed by Robben Ford
I Love The Life I Live, I Live The Life I Love, performed by Muddy Waters
Let me Love You Baby (1), performed by Buddy Guy
Let me Love You Baby (2), performed by Buddy Guy
Let me Love You Baby (3), performed by Buddy Guy
Let Me Love You Baby, performed by Stevie Ray Vaughn
Little Baby, performed by Howlin' Wolf
Love, Life & Money, performed by Johnny Winter
Mellow Down Easy, performed by Little Walter
Mellow Down Easy, performed by Paul Butterfield
My Babe (1), performed by Little Walter
My Babe (2), performed by Little Walter
My Baby's Sweeter, performed by Little Walter
Oh Baby, performed by Little Walter
One More Chance With You, performed by Little Walter
Shake For Me, performed by Howlin' Wolf
Spoonful, performed by Howlin' Wolf
The Red Rooster, performed by Howlin' Wolf
Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy, performed by Howlin' Wolf
Too Late, performed by Little Walter
Wang Dang Doodle, performed by Howlin' Wolf
When My Left Eye Jumps, performed by Buddy Guy
Who, performed by Little Walter
You'll Be Mine, performed by Howlin' Wolf
You'll Be Mine, performed by Stevie Ray Vaughn
You Need Love, performed by Muddy Waters
You Shook Me, performed by Muddy Waters

otisredding · Post by **otisredding** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 7:19 am

Yep, and that's only scratching the surface of Willie's writing contributions. Not to mention his production and arranging skills. Absolute genius.

tubeswell · Post by **tubeswell** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 7:33 am

Mississippi John Hurt was the first real blues style I learned to play (when I was 13) and I still dig it heaps

John Lee Hooker spins a great talkie yarn love listening to his songs - listening to him heaps at the mo

Howlin Wolf is the definitive blues god - so many classic blues riffs from Hubert et al - listened to him heaps year before last)

Elmore is the definitive blues slide god and he can really sing (listened to him years ago)

Josh White can sing even better than Elmore (listening to him decades ago)

The three (Albert, B.B. and Freddie) Kings also good for a lot of string bending variations

Chuck Berry and LIttle Richard execellent for Rock'n'roll (listened to both of thenm decades ago too)

Muddy Waters (ditto)

White guys like Eric Clapton and John Mayall also are fun to listen too

But the best place for blues is wherever you are having a blues jam. So any of you guys gonna be at the first Capitol Blues Club jam night for 2012 at the Bristol in March? (that's right Del fucked up the schedule, so its 1st week march and not last week feb dammit)

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:20 am

Let's celebrate Kiwi blues too. It isn't an easy road being a muso in this country. The vdo isn't great in this one, but the music speaks. Forumite!!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34y4nENLjGc[/youtube]

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:22 am

Long time Kiwi blues muso and also a fellow forumite. Darren Watson:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plJ3Tg6s ... re=related[/youtube]

jeremyb · Post by **jeremyb** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:32 am

For me its the 3 kings, Albert, Freddie, & BB, love that shit, someone modern like Joe Bonamassa is a good entry point tho' for people interested in dipping a toe in the genre....

Starfire · Post by **Starfire** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:50 am

Further to the harmonica content in the first post, here's Little Walter.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbuW_6UiFms[/youtube]

He's considered fairly widely to be the best blues Harmonica player, and I certainly agree with that. In the song above, he plays harmonica for all of 40 seconds, and it's nothing flashy. But boy does it sound good, and boy is it emotive.

I have to post a second vid. He gets a sonorous, almost saxophone-like sound in this one. Simply brilliant.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyDAPGnCLyc[/youtube]

Scooter13 · Post by **Scooter13** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:51 am

I love Howling Wolf in particular as well as Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and the like. All those guys that influenced the stones and Zeppelin and clapton etc.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd78tpJu ... re=related[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5g9HaUs ... re=related[/youtube]

This is a good album as a "journey" through the blues that got me in to some of the older artists. Some good selections:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Sco ... al_Journey

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:53 am

I'm a sucker for live music and some of the best times I've had musically have been at blues jams. In this clip there's someone you might not know but who is worth checking out ~ a Ukranian called Ana Popović jamming with Hot Tuna. Take a woman who can sing some blues, strap a Strat on her and you're halfway to heaven!

Modern blues shouldn't be clinical to me, it should be about feel, expression, personal, groove and if it doesn't touch your soul and your feet, you're dead already!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1LHIarYljo[/youtube]

sizzlingbadger · Post by **sizzlingbadger** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 9:04 am

Don't even need lyrics to sound amazing... this is one of my favourite recordings ever.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD4fKKhYS1g[/youtube]

Rog · Post by **Rog** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 9:08 am

Way back long before most of your parents even met, it was John Mayall who first triggered my enjoyment of blues. Here's a little Mayall from a few years back, with another of my favourites, Gary Moore. I can feel the emotion dripping.... I love the light and shade of great players.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBat7cNj ... re=related[/youtube]

Starfire · Post by **Starfire** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 9:08 am

Rog wrote:The blues is as much about the vocals as the instruments and in this clip the incomparable Etta James shows what blues vocals should be like. Paired with another of my fav artists, Mac Rebennack (Dr John):
Etta died yesterday

Here's a good rendition of I'd Rather Go Blind by a relatively little known sibling blues band.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPbtKN5dvMo
Not sure I'm that fond of her voice now that I give it another listen, but the guitar playing is excellent.

Post by **Capt. Black** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:37 pm

Rog wrote:The blues is as much about the vocals as the instruments and in this clip the incomparable Etta James shows what blues vocals should be like. Paired with another of my fav artists, Mac Rebennack (Dr John):
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2mhdido ... re=related[/youtube]

Etta died yesterday

That's utterly fantastic. Both of them are/were awesome performers.
I loved the showmanship and how they beautifully inhabit the roles of the couple in the story the lyrics are about.

Gotta ask though, why'd they need two of them to sing it, when BB King could've embodied all the raw emotion of that song in a single note on his guitar?

RIP Etta James. She never failed to amaze me.

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