re: Chicago / Delta Blues

bemak · 30-09-2014 10:47am #1

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

Rigsby · 01-10-2014 2:58pm

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.

human 19 · 07-03-2015 11:03pm

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

Fuzzo · 21-07-2015 6:49pm

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

topper75 · 28-07-2015 5:10pm

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.

Vunderground · 11-08-2015 2:33pm

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

shane9689 · 11-08-2015 2:55pm

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

coppinger · 17-12-2015 5:18pm

Skip james all the way

Rented Mule · 23-12-2015 8:41pm

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.

Lazare · 28-12-2015 7:37pm

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.

win2one · 01-03-2018 1:40pm

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 .

beauf · 28-07-2018 7:50am

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

guitarhappy · 23-10-2018 6:35pm

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.

re: Chicago / Delta Blues

Comments