July 2009

At a certain point after the blues got electrified, it really became difficult to differentiate between players. At some points that was only due to the fact that folks sported stylistic similarities, but at others there was some pretty clear borrowing going on. At least a bit of credit needs to be given to players in each camp here. And even if Little Joe Blue caught it on the jaw for baring some commonalities with B.B. King, there’s a good amount of work from the southern blues guitarist that’s unique enough to get him over – and it’s funk too. Read more

Probably having is first name used as half of Pink Floyd’s moniker would be the best reason for blooze people to have heard of Pink Anderson. To slight his playing or performances would be nonsensical, though, he just never worked enough during the ‘20s and ‘30s to have made a name for himself – or one big enough to tower over Rev. Gary Davis, Blind Blake or the rest of the Piedmont players. And while Anderson’s relation to that Brit psych band will continue to define him, a re-examination of his catalog finds a master interpreter of work that should be familiar to most listeners enamored with the blues or folk music. Read more

Amidst all of the ‘discovering’ and whatever else passed for giving musicians their due during the late fifties and early sixties, people started to wonder if ever corner of the country had been turned over in order to find that one last exponent of a lost blues. There were certainly enough folks granted new recording deals during the time to make that wondering seem reality. But there really isn’t ever an end to it all – surely there’re at least two or three fellas sitting around today with some odd stylistic innovation maintained now only through their persistent, hot breath. And maybe there’s no body left that was performing in the ‘20s, but in 1970 there was. And it was with a fervent excitability that a tape reached the doors of Blue Goose Records. Read more