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re: Chicago / Delta Blues

  • 30-09-2014 10:47am
    #1
    bemak
    Registered Users Posts: 868 ✭✭✭


    Hi All,

    Newbie to this particular forum. I was listening to Hoziers new album, and I really like two songs in particular, "To Be Alone" and "It Will Come Back". It's a sound that I'd like to get in to. In an interview Hozier says that major influences were Chicago and Delta Blues so I was just wondering if people could suggest songs/albums that might whet my appetite for it?

    I also like the sound of NC Lawlor who busks on Grafton Street from time to time; it's more of a slide guitar style but it's the kind of thing I'd like to hear more of.

    I've included links to all songs mentioned below just to give you an idea of what I'm talking about.

    Any suggestions are greatly appreciated

    Thanks

    Barry







Comments

  • #2
    Rigsby
    Registered Users Posts: 4,444 ✭✭✭Rigsby


    Obviously I dont know how familiar you are with blues, so I'll assume you are fairly new to the genre.

    Here is a comprehensive list of Delta Blues artists. Take your pick, check You Tube and see who you like.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Delta_blues_musicians

    The big names here would be Robert Johnson/James Cotton/John Lee Hooker/Son House/Howlin Wolf/Elmore James.


    Ditto for Chicago Blues artists :

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chicago_blues_musicians


    Some of my favorite names here would include :

    Buddy Guy/Mike Bloomfield/Big Bill Broonzy/Arthur Big Boy Cruddup/Muddy Waters.


    Some slide guitarists that come to mind would be Ry Cooder, Dwane Allman and Mick Abrahams . Here is a link to the latter with his band "Blodwyn Pig". See what you think.



    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5m7q7zyrOE



    Some names may be on both of the above lists.


  • #3
    human 19
    Registered Users Posts: 837 ✭✭✭human 19


    slide guitar eh?
    Anecdotely, this is the first slide guitar recorded. Maybe its the earliest that survived


  • #4
    Fuzzo
    Registered Users Posts: 19 ✭Fuzzo


    Try Junior Kimbrough, I'm not allowed post a, but search for 'Work me baby' by Junior and go from there.


  • #5
    topper75
    Registered Users Posts: 5,942 ✭✭✭topper75


    Much of the Delta stuff is older and can be scratchy sometimes and hard going until you become totally converted.
    Nerd Fact #1: The delta is not the area where the Mississippi fragments to flow into the Gulf of Mexico. It is a flat fertile flood plain before that. According to legend it begins in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis and ends in Natchez. They still grow a lot of cotton there today but it is harvested by machine and managed in many cases by farmers flying airplanes.

    There is another less talked about variant that is well worth checking out: Hill Country Blues. Also from rural Mississippi but has a hypnotic repetitive groove thing going on that makes it more party music. Good exponents I've listened to include Jesse Mae Hemphill, RL Burnside, and though not direct from the tradition geographically/culturally - Catfish Keith. You'll find loads by these people on youtube I'm sure.


  • #6
    Vunderground
    Registered Users Posts: 426 ✭✭Vunderground


    There are lots of country blues artists well worth invistigating. One way of doing it would be to go to the Yazoo label site as they have the cleanest sounding transfers.

    It a world full of colour and surprises. Hope you find some stuff you love :)


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  • #7
    shane9689
    Registered Users Posts: 1,184 ✭✭✭shane9689


    I feel Hozier embodies the Irish music scene to the rest of the world, proud export compared to the u2 crap.


  • #8
    coppinger
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭coppinger


    Skip james all the way


  • #9
    Rented Mule
    Registered Users Posts: 5,152 ✭✭✭Rented Mule


    Let me throw this into the mix. If you're looking for Chicago Blues, don't overlook the guys who are still alive and keeping the Chicago scene going. Especially some of the younger guys.

    I'm a native Chicagoan and have been fortunate enough to see the scene going back almost thirty years (damn that makes me feel old). The Chicago Blues scene is still alive and kicking thanks to a few venues.

    If you get a chance, check out some of these performers.

    Toronzo Cannon (played the main stage at the Chicago Blues Fest this year - we check him out as often as possible)

    Mike Wheeler (the hardest working man in Chicago)

    Corey Dennison (The Deacon will cure what ails ya)

    Nick Moss (His last album was named one of the Top 50 guitar albums released in 2014-not just Blues albums)

    There are a lot more to add to this list. All of these guys spend a lot of time performing in Europe. If you happen to be on the continent and see a Blues Fest, you might catch one of them.

    Also, check out Delmark and Alligator records. They are still here in Chicago making it happen.


  • #10
    Lazare
    Registered Users Posts: 4,412 ✭✭✭Lazare


    Rented Mule wrote: »
    Let me throw this into the mix. If you're looking for Chicago Blues, don't overlook the guys who are still alive and keeping the Chicago scene going. Especially some of the younger guys.

    I'm a native Chicagoan and have been fortunate enough to see the scene going back almost thirty years (damn that makes me feel old). The Chicago Blues scene is still alive and kicking thanks to a few venues.

    If you get a chance, check out some of these performers.

    Toronzo Cannon (played the main stage at the Chicago Blues Fest this year - we check him out as often as possible)

    Mike Wheeler (the hardest working man in Chicago)

    Corey Dennison (The Deacon will cure what ails ya)

    Nick Moss (His last album was named one of the Top 50 guitar albums released in 2014-not just Blues albums)

    There are a lot more to add to this list. All of these guys spend a lot of time performing in Europe. If you happen to be on the continent and see a Blues Fest, you might catch one of them.

    Also, check out Delmark and Alligator records. They are still here in Chicago making it happen.

    This here is the reason mods shouldn't be so trigger happy with locking old threads. Thank you for this, I'm a big Chicago blues fan, gonna check these guys out.


  • #11
    win2one
    Registered Users Posts: 100 ✭✭win2one


    Been a while since I posted here..... Glad to see Nick Moss mentioned his new album on the Alligator label is an absolute killer.
    Toronzo Cannon another guy I also recommend .


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  • #12
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Check Out Larkin Poe...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x-1Y9KNs9w


  • #13
    guitarhappy
    Registered Users Posts: 229 ✭✭guitarhappy


    Top of the list for a neophyte has to be Robert Johnson. Next has to be Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Elmore James, BB King. For harp players Big Walter Horton, Little Walter Jacobs, Sonny boy Williamson, and Sam Myers are the purest most influential styles. Throw in Mississippi John Hurt, Lightning Hopkins for acoustic. These are the essential Blues education.


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