Blues Talk

The world’s lousy with dirty old men – in literature, they represent some of the most well respected folks, American or otherwise. That’s not all bad, though, considering the fact that a lot of ‘em have gone on to make some good music if not penning novels detailing sexual exploits.

There’re countless blues standards about ‘sugar bowls,’ ‘pussy cat’s’ and the like. Of course, each of those tracks was devised in such a manner as to have some of the listening audience – and whoever was function as a censor at the time - fooled as to what was actually being discussed. It didn’t always work out. But regardless of who got fooled and how, the music wound up being pretty interesting as well as pretty surprising considering the time frame from whence it came. Read more

The convoluted oral history of the blues has as many contradictions as vast insights. Players generally recount the same occurrence in any variety of ways over time with dates and places changing with each telling. And after the first wave of notable performers being rediscovered in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s it seemed that performers no longer possessed the ability to lucidly illuminate their pasts.

Of course, there were exceptions – Mississippi John Hurt was one. But a lesser known and longer living Henry Townsend proved to be an indispensible compendium of information. His life began at the most southern tip of Illinois, but an abusive father eventually pushed Townsend out on the road with the young guitar player eventually winding up on St. Louis after jumping a few trainss.
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Crossroads are a recurring theme in blues based music. Hearing any mention of these cultural landmarkers should immediately summon some imagery relating to an exchange of cash for ethereal goods. But business aside, there’re a great many musical and genre crossroads that resulted in the musical amalgam of the American experience.

A number of folks could be credited with transitioning blues into rock and or roll music. There’s not a single player, though, that deserves sole credit. Slim Harpo, a singer, guitarist and harmonica player, however, belongs amongst the people being discussed in this manner. Read more

What separates this gentleman, Furry Lewis, from the throngs of other pre-WWII players out there? I suppose not too much. His vocals and guitar style are something akin to Mississippi John Hurt, but not exactly. Lewis isn’t less adroit at the six string, just not as exacting in his playing. Hurt was also able to come across as a sweetheart as he sang. Lewis isn’t as gruff as Blind Lemon – or anywhere near that singing approach – but more sits between that and Hurt. Read more

Being a little bit of everything has helped retain the legacy of Big Bill Broonzy. It’s not that he didn’t have a style  that was his own, it’s just that the guitarist was able to absorb so many ideas from so many different places as to arrive at some convoluted, albeit entertaining and all too satisfying amalgam of blues, rags and spirituals. It’s been guessed that Broonzy recorded something like three hundred songs. And even if that number is a bit askew, that many songs were at his disposal seeing as he copyrighted around the same number, although, some of those works were old tyme numbers. Read more

THE END.

The only thing better than "East West" is "East West" rendered live.

Another love song from the innimatable Louis Jordan.

I like the fact that, for the most part, the background of early 20^th century blues players are greatly undefined. It’s frustrating, certainly, but the fact that no one knows or can guess when or where folks were born, played, died or lay at rest is eerily appropriate. Ghostly might be a stretch, but the legacy of all of these folks is tied to the lack of documentation.

Blind Lemon Jefferson may have been born in 1893. Then again, it may also have been 1894. We’ll never know. Contradictory census information as well as military registration conflicts with various eye witness reports and stories. But a year’s a year, so it’s not a big deal. Oddly, though, no one can be certain as to where exactly Jefferson is buried. Read more

Different and electric, but still good...