This is an interesting question, and one to which I suspect we'll never get complete concensus over. The first problem here is whether the 'Delta Blues' is a stylistic category or a geographical one. Even then, either of these categories can be problematised; there is a great deal of blurring of boundaries. There are many blues artists who were born in the Delta, or lived in the region, but certainly wouldn't normally be described as 'Delta Blues' players. Then there are those - as the CD demonstrates - who probably never even visited the Delta, who are considered to be players of the Delta Blues (although, it would seem that in many of these cases the term Delta Blues, like the equally misleading 'Country Blues', has just come to mean any self-accompanied, acoustic, blues singer). Trying to define the Delta Blues in terms of style would probably prove even more difficult. For many people Robert Johnson has come to practically personify the style - largely because successive writers and record companies have billed him as 'The King of the Delta Blues'. However, it is clear from his recorded output that he has drawn influences from any number of different styles - Leroy Carr, Lonnie Johnson, Kokomo Arnold, Peetie Wheatstraw, Skip James, etc - many of which are clearly not 'Delta Blues'. With the development of the blues recording industry, blues stylistic traits, which might previously have been localised in Texas, Georgia, St Louis or Mississippi, were copied from records by guitarists and singers from other areas and incorporated into their styles. Consequently, it is very difficult to isolate a particular style and say 'this is pure Delta Blues'. The Mississippi Delta, like other major centres for the Blues - Chicago, St. Louis, etc - is a melting pot of styles. Many different musicians lived in the area, or passed through the area, passing on stylistic traits (learned from records, learned direct from other musicians, or just plain made up themselves) to others. This, then, has been the importance of the Delta; it has been a cultural crossroads where characteristics of blues style have come together.

Sorry, to ramble on like that, but you asked!

Brian