Briz Vegas Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 I have said this before, but this is a great delta blues recording from 80 years ago. Yes quality is variable from track to track and if your system ain't balanced it's bright and harsh. The better your system the better this sounds. Just been listening to Stones in my Passway and Travelling Riverside Blues ripped off the CD. How were these recorded again? WTF. Just minutes ago I had been listening to Rokia Troare's latest track from a HD Tracks download and her vocals are very forward and forced, sort of in your face. Then I play these historic recordings captured on the first electric portable recording devices in mono. Robert is right there, sounding balanced and just behind the speaker and the character in his voice is easy to read. There are brief moments of distortion in the highs, but overall it makes the modern 2013 recording sound incompetent by comparison. I'm keen to hunt down more early blues after listening to this. Columbia/ legacy did a great job with this stuff, despite some recordings clearly being in poor condition compared to others. 2
Ruddiger Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 One of the true Bluesmen! Lived hard and itinerant, died young and never new success in his lifetime.
Monty Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 (edited) Great stuff! Robert Johnson is rightly famous. Charles Patton and Son House are other key originators. Also check out Blind Willie McTell and Big Bill Broonzy. And there are some classic blues women who shouldn't be forgotten: Ma Rainey, Lucille Bogan and especially Bessie Smith. Those gals sang some sassy stuff. I think the (1941-42) 'plantation recordings' of Muddy Waters make a great summary of the delta blues tradition. He soon moved to Chicago and you can hear that sound evolve into urban blues on his early recordings with Chess Records. There's a goldmine waiting for you if you can get over the primitive recordings. Edited October 3, 2013 by Monty 1
metal beat Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 Thanks BV, playing him on the table now. Nice. I have the Robert Johnson - Complete Recordings - all 41 of them on 3lp box set. It sounds not too bad but it is only him singing and playing his acoustic guitar. No bass to complicate things so it is mainly midrange with some extension. Cheers 1
Two Flies Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 G'day BZ Here a few of my all time favourites you can check em out on youtube Mississippi Fred McDowell I do not play no rock n roll Hound Dog Talylor and the Houserockers 1
metal beat Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 That Hound dog Taylor lp is awesome. This Willie Dixon lp is great as well 1
k-k-k-kenny Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 Dont start me talkin' ... For pre-electric blues I fully support Monty's recommendations. If you care for sophisticated guitar players of that era, check out Blind Blake and Lonnie Johnson Son House and Fred McDowell have the advantage recording-quality wise, being discovered in the 60s but still playing in an older style. And get ahold of Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music - a genius compilation of folk and proto-country and blues. It puts the blues stuff into a much wider context of weirdness. This is not material on which to show off the remarkable depths and dynamics of your system. It's much more valuable than that. 1
wolster Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 (edited) Eric Clapton's 'Sessions for Robert Johnson' is worth a listen. Available on CD and DVD Here is a sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=DLtRt_KDLpQ Edited October 3, 2013 by wolster
hired goon Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 I had this LP in the USA. Wonder if I brought it back home? One day I need to go through all the boxes to find out ... --Geoff
mrbuzzardstubble Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 ...and no list would be complete without the great Blind Melon Chitlin :-)
pulinap Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 G'day BZ Here a few of my all time favourites you can check em out on youtube Mississippi Fred McDowell I do not play no rock n roll Hound Dog Talylor and the Houserockers Hounddog Taylor....6 fingers, one Coricidin bottle, cheap Japanese guitar and what a racket.... Check out J.B. Hutto as well.......
diesel459 Posted October 4, 2013 Posted October 4, 2013 I have been listening to Blues for over 30 years and one track on this great album still blows me away, Highway 49.
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