Top 5 For the Newbie (in no particular order)

I would like to share my top 5 blues albums for newcomers to the blues. These were selected to give beginners a broad yet palatable taste of the world of blues music to, hopefully, peak their interests and inspire then to explore more. Feel free to share your own thoughts in the comment section or on the Facebook page.

#1.
Jimi Hendrix: Blues

#2.
Muddy Waters - Fathers and Sons

#3.
Robert Johnson - The Complete Recordings

#4.
John Lee Hooker - The Country Blues of John Lee Hooker

#5. (tie)
B.B. King - Live at the Regal & Live in Cook County Jail

Honorable Mentions:
Eric Clapton - From the Cradle
The Allman Brothers Band - Live at the Fillmore East
Stevie Ray Vaughn - Texas Flood
Skip James - The Complete Early Recordings
Howlin' Wolf - self titled
Son House - Delta Blues

The Slide

        The most iconic tool the bluesman has used throughout the years (other than his guitar itself) is the slide. There have been many variations on the slide, however, the most widely used in the early days were the glass bottleneck and the knife blade. The resonator guitar became the preferred instrument of many musicians which emits a very distinct and often haunting moan.
        Perhaps the first mention of a guitarist using a slide was from blues legend W.C. Handy. At a Tutwiler, Mississippi, train station in the early 20th century, the band leader heard a man play in this style with a knife blade and it had a profound effect on Handy.
        Probably little known to early, rural bluesmen in the American South, slide playing was also a popular method in Hawaii.
        Many contemporary musicians have shown just how versatile the slide can be. Virtuosi such as Duane Allman, Sonny Landreth, Derek Trucks, David Gilmore, and Ry Cooder.

Refer to these links to learn more about the blues slide. Happy listening!

A history of the pedal steel by PremierGuitar.com

A Mini Guide to Slide Guitar from Dawsons.co.uk

The Top 10 Slide Guitarists by WristRock.com

We Need More Blues Festivals

This will be a short entry.

There needs to be more blues festivals.

For real, guys. There are many great small festivals around the U.S., but I have not seen many big ones recently. Maybe I just don't know where to look. Please, go out and support your local blues festival and advocate for the spread of America's greatest music. Even an increased number of blues acts in general music festivals would be awesome. Bands like Tedeschi Trucks Band or Gary Clark Jr. are getting well earned attention. However, there is always room for more. Many festivals take suggestions for who people want to see.

So go out there and support the cause. Support the bands. Support the blues.

Obscure Bluesmen

        Most blues fans (I would think) have, at some point or another, come across a particular artist who is relatively unknown and thought, "How is this guy (or gal) not popular?!" I have had a few such occasions myself.  And this leads one to wonder how many more outstanding blues artists that were never heard outside of a rural juke joint by a hand full of people. Those who actually did record blues are not always widely received and fall into relative obscurity. I say relative because there are so many artists out there to choose from, that great musicians can  be overlooked even if they do have a substantial following. For example the great R. L. Burnside is not a household name by any means, but is a recognized as a giant of North Mississippi blues. He didn't necessarily fall into obscurity, but you get the picture.

        So now I want to ask those of you reading to take one minute of your time and tell the Blues United community what artist you love that people may not have heard of.

Tell us at the Facebook page HERE or comment below.

Book Review: "The Blues: A Visual History"

          Right out of the gate, I can tell you that I recommend this book to anyone. Author Mike Evans does a great job laying out the history of the blues according to sub-genre, artist, and chronology. Just as pleasing as the writing, the photographs, vintage flyers and posters, and illustrations bring the music and artists to life. Evans mixes things up with a very aesthetically pleasing book (as the title implies) beyond merely the images.  The book itself is large with many full page photographs and quotes or descriptions to accompany. There are also artist profiles throughout the book for a quick look and the blues' biggest names.
          The writing is a bit dry at times and Evans sticks to a mostly descriptive style. However, for blues fans this is easy to overlook. The book is dense with history and keeps you turning the page. It is a relatively short book (256 pages with the text taking up no more than half of any given page) but I found myself taking longer to finish it that I thought I would. I wanted to take the time to read every image description and study the photographs. I tried to throw myself into the period and situation of every section. It was immensely enjoyable.
          It is worth mentioning here that contributing editor on The Blues: A Visual History was Robert Gordon who is a seasoned blues historian and author of (among others) Can't Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters, which I hope to soon read. Evans himself is also author of many other works in musicology.
          I give this great book a rating of 4.5 stars. If you are a veteran blues fan there might be a lot of history in here that you are already aware of but the visuals give it a breath of new life. Please, check for this book at your local library or book store.

Why do people like the blues?

          This is a question that can be asked of any musical genre (or any art form for that matter). To me, the answer, as it relates to the blues, is feeling. If you don't feel it, it doesn't mean anything. The emotions that the blues invokes is more than just a pleasant feeling of musical enjoyment -- it is a sensation that can only be described as electric. Even in the times before Muddy Waters, when electric blues was on the prepuce of the fringe, the feeling of the blues was still primal. It moved, soothed, grooved, and sometimes elates its listeners. If there is anything that I can convey to the modern man and woman just starting to listening to blues, it is this: forget what you know; listen to the emotion of the music; let it move you; let it groove you; do not let the main stream music scene tell you what is cool and what is not. Feel the music and judge for yourself. Peace.

American Folk Blues Festival

          In the 1960s, Europe hosted a series of tours of American blues musicians known as the American Folk Blues Festival (originally billed as the American Negro Blues Festival). Many of these were filmed including German and British events. Footage was released on DVDs in 2003 and are now, in my opinion, some of the greatest (if not the greatest) live blues video recording one could experience.

          The films, titled simply The American Folk Blues Festival, span 1962 to 1969 and are composed of three volumes. Big Mamma Thorton, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Earl Hooker, T-Bone Walker, Willie Dixon, and John Lee Hooker are just a few of the blues legends who performed. The only downside of the three-part set is that it leaves you wanting more. Much more -- which I suppose is not all together bad.

          There is also another release of the same name and subtitled The British Tours 1963-1966. I have not had the opportunity to view this, however, if it is half as good as the aforementioned set, it is worthy of any blues lover's collection. In short: watch these videos. It might very well turn many people on to blues and deepen the appreciation of the music for those who are already fans.

          Happy watching!