2016 Top Blues Rock Albums

According to the Blues Rock review website the following are some of the top albums in the blues rock genre in year 2016.

1. Dan Patlansky: Introvertigo

2. Chase Walker Band: Not Quite Legal

3. Supersonic Blues Machine: West Of Flushing, South Of Frisco

4. Devon Allman: Ride Or Die

5. Albany Down: The Outer Reach

8. Joe Bonamassa: Blues Of Desperation

17. Jeff Healey: Heal My Soul

20. Jeff Beck: Loud Hailer

For a complete list see http://bluesrockreview.com/2016/12/top-20-albums-of-2016.html

Podcast Script and Audio

The Blues…what defines this genre of music?  Most people tend to think of blues music as down on your luck songs, but it is more than that. Ed Kopp wrote in his 2015 blog titled A Brief History of the Blues, that the Blues is about "overcoming hard luck, saying what you feel, ridding yourself of frustration, letting your hair down, and simply having fun. The best blues is visceral, cathartic, and starkly emotional. From unbridled joy to deep sadness, no form of music communicates more genuine emotion”.  

A problem with the blues is that there are so many different styles of the music.  If an individual listens to the traditional country blues and does not enjoy it, they might not give a different style of Blues a chance.  I would suggest starting out with a more Texas style blues, which is more of a blues-rock style of music. For example, Stevie Ray Vaughn’s sound combined with his guitar playing is what got me hooked on the blues. 

Once you find the style you enjoy, your mind will open up and be able to take in the creative sounds of all the different shades of the blues which includes guitar licks, harmonica playing, lyrics, rhythms and beats which creates the true emotion of the music.

Meet Buddy Guy

Born in Louisiana in 1936, Buddy is a self-taught guitar player. He moved to Chicago in 1957 to pursue his music career. If he didn’t make it in the music business, his backup plan was to be a custodian at the University of Chicago. He was discovered playing at the 708 Club and signed his first contract with Chess Records, this is when his career grew. In the 80’s his popularity diminished but was revitalized in the 90s when he released three Grammy award winning albums. He continues to tour today at the age of 80.

Reference:

Biography.com, 2016. Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/buddy-guy-37980#synopsis

Blues History - November

In this month of November in Blues history:

11/16/1873 - Father of the Blues, W.C. Handy was born in AL
11/12/1906 - Bukka White (Booker T Washington), blues guitarist born in MS
11/25/1914 - Eddie Boyd, blues vocal/pianist, born in MS
11/30/1915 - Walter Brown "Brownie" McGhee, blues singer/guitarist, born in TN
11/30/1925 - Maxwell Street Jimmy Charles Davis Thomas, blues musician, born in MS
11/16/1931 - Hubert Sumlin, blues musician, born in MS
11/20/1932 - Muddy Waters weds
11/11/1944 - BB King weds first wife
11/24/1993 - Albert Collins, blues guitarist, dies
11/25/1997 - Fenton Robinson, blues guitarist, dies
11/28/2002 - Dave "Snaker" Ray, blues musician, dies

http://www.onthisday.com/music/blues