 sj |
||
|
||
Modern Blues Players, your thoughts.
|
|
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Murray MacLeod Date: 27 Feb 01 - 03:34 PM I am surprised nobody has mentioned Martin Simpson here. Probably because he is so phenomenally accomplished in so many other guitar styles, but IMNSHO he has no equal today as a blues slide player. Murray |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Lonesome EJ Date: 27 Feb 01 - 03:23 PM This guy is great,if you like solid Delta Blues pickin and singin.Name is Scott Ainslie,and you can listen to audio clips here y'all.I especially like his Parchman's Farm and the Billie Holiday tune. Go to the bottom of the page and click audio samples. You can order cds from Scott by e-mailing him and sending a check. He'll autograph them for you. Scott is a Robert Johnson disciple, and wrote a biography of him. He also has a Johnson Instruction video, for those of you who want to play like Robert, but aren't interested in selling your soul. |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: John Hardly Date: 27 Feb 01 - 02:57 PM I guess he's not mentioned yet because he's out of the 3-chord mainstream. Also most mentioned previous are 'lectric. The guy who captures the soul of it for me, who has me near tears one moment and laughing the next--Chris Smither. Especially "Another Way To Find You" |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: GUEST,Mike Billo Date: 27 Feb 01 - 11:02 AM How about Ry Cooder? For acoustic players, I nominate the duo of Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan. Among modern blues women, Del Rey is my favorite. |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Jim the Bart Date: 27 Feb 01 - 10:10 AM Magic Slim. Gone, but hardly forgotten. |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: LR Mole Date: 27 Feb 01 - 10:05 AM Just saw Johnny Clegg (Jonny?) who looks about twelve but sounds fifty- five when he sings, and plays the everlasting snot out of a custom Telecaster.And let us not forget the elegant Geoffrey Muldaur. |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler Date: 27 Feb 01 - 05:36 AM If we're sticking to modern there's R.L. Burnside (in the Fred McDowell tradition) and a few more women: Susan Tedeschi,Bonnie Raitt, Dana Gillespie. Jools Holland's guitarist, Mark ?Buchanan is pretty good as is Chris Barber's John Slaughter. Harp players include- Paul Jones. Pianists- Chuck Lavell. RtS |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: GUEST,Sooze(at work) Date: 27 Feb 01 - 05:32 AM Its Eric Bibb for me but also look out for Emily Druce - a young Yorkshire lass who is on the way up. Other thoughts - what about Woody Mann, Greg Wright, Ralph Mactell........ My other half Mike isn't so bad either! |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Brian Hoskin Date: 27 Feb 01 - 04:29 AM Just to add a couple more players to this great list, two performers I was lucky enough to catch live last year: Corey Harris - great voice, great guitar and Mike Hill's Blues Mob - from New York I believe, haven't heard any recordings, but they sounded fantastic live. Brian |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: ddw Date: 27 Feb 01 - 12:17 AM Bluesman — If you like JW Sr., have you ever listened to Lonnie Johnson? I'm not wild about his vocal style, but he was an extraordinary guitarist. He was going toward jazz before Josh was, but he didn't, in my estimation, have the same spareness. Josh always seemed to put exactly the right note in exactly the right place, but without making it seem like he was just a technician. BTW, don't know if you've picked up on it, but there's another M'cat regular who shares our enthusiasm for Josh. I've seen Rick Fielding post a couple of times that Josh is his FAVORITE guitarist. cheers, david |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Bluesman and kde Date: 26 Feb 01 - 09:58 PM You folks have already mentioned most of my favorite guitar players and for the most part, I feel mostly the same about some that are fluid and some that are not. The first guitarists I listened to in the late '50's, early '60's were Scotty Moore (not the best by any means, but he did play with Elvis), James Burton (Ricky Nelson) who was one of the hottest players ever, and Lonnie Mack, who, when he came out with "Memphis", almost made me sell my guitar!!! LOL And Josh White Sr. was like a God to me. |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: catspaw49 Date: 26 Feb 01 - 09:37 PM Oddly enough, I ran onto Keb Mo in a video which I rarely watch. After that I watched the damn things some more hoping to get some more, but there was no Mo. Of all the guys out there now as dw says, "carrying the torch," he strikes me as the real thing. What do I know though? I just like him. Spaw |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: ddw Date: 26 Feb 01 - 09:28 PM Guess I'm just the dinosaur here. I've heard the old saw about Muddy Waters inventing electricity, but my view is that he electrocuted the blues — sent the genre to the electric chair, as it were. With very few exceptions — James Cotton, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Willie Dixon and a few others — I just don't like the plugged-in bluesmen. For my money, none of them can touch the feeling and musical expertise of people like Josh White, Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Rev. Gary Davis, Big Bill Broonzy, John Hurt, Leadbelly and a host of others who could mezmerize audiences without all the jumped-up techs and accompaniment the later guys relied on. There are a few still trying to carry their torches — Keb Mo, Josh White Jr., John Hammond and John Cephus and Phil Wiggins spring to mind — but it looks like people with my tastes are doomed to extinction. Sigh..... david |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Mountain Dog Date: 26 Feb 01 - 08:41 PM A fine list, all. I'd have to add a few: The late, great J.B. Hutto (a howlin', slidewindin' protege of Elmore James), Koko Taylor, Hound Dog Taylor, Luther Allison and Guitar Jr. I did have the pleasure of seeing Muddy on his last tour; a moving experience in every sense of the phrase. Billy Gibbons' guitar work on ZZ Top's First Album stands the test of time for me; kinda think he went downhill from there.
|
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: bigchuck Date: 26 Feb 01 - 07:04 PM How about Steve James, Kelly Joe Phelps, George Gritzbach? |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Stewie Date: 26 Feb 01 - 06:58 PM I like many of the above. Some of my favourites that have not been mentioned:
Koerner, Ray and Glover |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Gray Rooster Date: 26 Feb 01 - 06:32 PM All of the above plus - Lonesome Dave (early Savoy Brown) played the finest blues backup I can recall while Kim Simmonds blistered the blues on top. 'Sides - ain't it all blues, anyhoo? *BG* |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: RWilhelm Date: 26 Feb 01 - 05:47 PM I like Little Charlie Baty and Rick Estrin of Little Charlie and the Nightcats Buddy Guy Katie Webster John Mooney Marcia Ball For comtemporary accustic blues I like: Corey Harris Guy Davis |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: GUEST Date: 26 Feb 01 - 01:33 PM Warren Haynes - picked up where Clapton left off with Cream ... a wicked slide master as well, but slide doesn't do for me what it does for a lot of folks. Haynes leans more towards blues-based rock, but his band Gov't Mule is hard to beat when they cut loose on blues standards like "Mother Earth." Haynes does lots of collaborations with other blues artists like Little Milton and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and some not so steeped in the blues tradition, like Everlast. Billy Gibbons - ZZTop. That down 'n' dirty Texas roadhouse sound. Susan Tedeschi - soulful in the Bonnie Rait tradition. Shannon Curfman - just fourteen when her first album Loud Guitars Big Suspicions came out (1999), her guitar work makes someone who's been at it a while just want to give up in disgust. She's not real flashy, but it's evident she knows her way around a fretboard. Seth Yacovone Band - Seth Yacovone hails from Vermont, opens for the likes of BB King, Johnny Winter et al. A complete track from Dannemora is downloadable for free at the band's website: www.sethyac.com. Guitar Shorty - he's best known for being married to Hendrix's stepsister, and when he does a version of "Hey Joe" you get a good idea from whom Jimi learned a few of his licks. Matt 'Guitar' Murphy - I like the work he did with Memphis Slim. |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Steve Latimer Date: 26 Feb 01 - 01:14 PM I meant to mention Roy Buchanan in my original post. Wonderful player. Keb Mo is a guy I'm just warming to now. Robert Cray is a guy I find to be way to homogenized, lots of technique, not a lot of feel. Kind of the anti-John Lee Hooker, who has very little technique, tons of feel. |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Justa Picker Date: 26 Feb 01 - 01:07 PM oh and Rory Block |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Justa Picker Date: 26 Feb 01 - 01:06 PM Lest we forget.... Steve Cropper Roy Buchanan Rick Derringer Mick Taylor Keb Mo
|
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Lonesome EJ Date: 26 Feb 01 - 12:57 PM Janis Joplin- She was a true blues soul-singer in the mode of Bessie Smith, and gave women legitimacy as the central focus of a blues band.
Freddie King- Guitarist/singer with a great feel for Chicago-style electric blues overlaid with rock sensibilities. Peter Green- The former Fleetwood Mac singer and guitarist had some of the most fluid blues runs, coupled with biting hooks. Paul Butterfield- What a blues harp man! What a group with Elvin Bishop and Mike Bloomfield! They brought true Chicago-style to the rock listener without compromising their art. John Mayall- The entire Blues Revival owes much to John, whose tight blues combos featured future guitar heroes like Pete Green, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. Robert Cray- Smooth and mellow bluesman who owes a big debt to BB. Johnny Lang- So what if he got his start on the Disney Channel? He's got a great vocal and guitar style. Susan Tedeschi- Some of Janis, some of Bonnie, a little Stevie Ray. Hope for the future.
|
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Steve Latimer Date: 26 Feb 01 - 12:37 PM You're right, I forgot women. I have only heard a bit of Joanne Kelly, but what I heard was great.
|
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: wysiwyg Date: 26 Feb 01 - 12:29 PM Thanks DB RonBro. Bonnie Raitt!!! Sippie Wallace I guess would be her bluesmother. (Like a godmother.) (But ya got to know how!) ~S~ |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Dharmabum Date: 26 Feb 01 - 12:10 PM Yup Susan,it was Eric Bibb. He's the son of the 60s folk singer Leon Bibb. Steve,As far as electric biues,I agree with most of your list,but I think I'd add Elmore James to it> . Ron |
|
Subject: RE: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: wysiwyg Date: 26 Feb 01 - 11:55 AM ...... oh crap, CRS.... Dharmabum sent me a tape..... a whole fresh blues thing happening.... a young feller.... the name... DANG!! Dang CRS! Was it Eric Bibb? That guy. And all the women you left off the list! *G* ~S~ |
|
Subject: Modern Blues Players, your thoughts. From: Steve Latimer Date: 26 Feb 01 - 11:40 AM I have been a blues fan for many of my 41 years. I was introduced to the genre by the sixties/seventies Blues Rock bands. I have always been a fan of the guitar, especially blues guitar. Tone & feel are my foremost requirements when listening to blues. Here are my thoughts on the "Modern" (post delta) blues players I've heard. Muddy Waters: "Muddy Waters invented electricity". Perhaps an overstatement, but when he plugged in it changed the course of music. There have been people more technically proficient than Muddy, but what feel and what a songwriter. Johnny Winter: Johnny is my favourite modern guy. He has incredible feel, tone and in his day was lightning fast. I know people who found him excessive, but I never did. He's the finest slide player I've ever heard, especially electric slide. He got a little out of sorts in the seventies when the record company tried to push him in the rock direction. He turned his back on this and re-focused on the blues. He not only recorded some great solo stuff, but his work with Muddy Waters and Sonny Terry was wonderful. Stevie Ray Vaughan: I somtimes have a hard time with SRV. I found that a lot of the time he was trying to sound like either Albert King or Jimi Hendrix. I also got sick of hearing "Stevie is God" and the huge number of Stevie Ray Vaughanabee bands playing his stuff note for note. However, he was a great player with killer tone and feel. Jimi Hendrix: I think that Jimi is often overlooked as a bluesman. Most of his better known material was more Psychedelic Rock, but when he played the blues it was the real deal. I really loved the direction he was taking with Buddy Miles and Billy Cox when he died. He seemed to be returning to his Blues and R&B roots. Rory Gallagher: Rory was another very fine player, good slide player. He wasn't afraid to take chances. Jimmy Page: I used to love Zeppelin and Page when I was a teenager. I have a hard time listening to a lot of his stuff now. I found him to be a very flashy and showy player. B.B. King: I used to really like B.B., but I find that he is extremely repetitive and boring. I had gone off of him completely until I heard some of his stuff from the fifties that was really good. Albert King: Great, great sound. SRV's hero. Eric Clapton: This is the one that I have the most trouble with. I loved Eric's early blues, almost gagged at his Pop star stuff and had completely gone off him, He then released "From the Cradle" and was once more a fine blues player. I loved his version of "Don't Think Twice" at Bobfest". I just wish he would figure out who he is. Frank Zappa: Better known for his satire than his playing, but I think he was a musical genius. When Frank just got down and jammed the blues it was incredible. Bob Dylan: What the hell is he doing on this list??? Listen to the first Dylan CD. A great bluesman. Jeff Beck: I have never heard anyone play the electric guatar like Jeff. He is inventive, tremendously musical, but I thought his attempts at blues were weak. Taj Mahal: I think this man is one of the most musical people I've ever heard. Taj is deeply rooted in the music of the thirties and forties, but he has done some incredible modern electric blues is career. That's all I can think of for now. Anyone else?
|
| Share Thread: |