Blues for Aficionados

Johnny Adams

ROOM WITH A VIEW OF THE BLUES

Rounder 1988

Johnny Adams(vocals), Walter "Wolfman" Washington(guitar), Duke Robillard(guitar), Mac Rubennack(Dr. John) (keyboards)  et al.

Adams is out of New Orleans, but, he was first on the shelf.

Room With A View
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBYP0SajEAs

Not Trustworthy (A Lyin' Woman)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk3E2YlSWZE

How Wrong Can A Good Man Be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxw9X6abmYY

Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The One To Say Goodbye)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6umdYMdTJ7o

Cheers

David Johansen & The Harry Smiths.  Amazing good recording and wonderful blues.

Two essentials for me. One is Elmore James "Sunnyland" (not to be confused with a song by the same name earlier recorded by James). This one is dirty, distorted and has an edge that hard rock guitars wished to emulate.
The other is the Buddy Guy rendition of "First Time I Met the Blues" in the documentary entitled Chicago Blues directed by Harley Cokliss and variously shown as 1972 or in some cases, 1970. The performance by Mr. Guy is stinging and bitter, and you get the cigarette smoke and sweat of the club in the visual if you see the film. (The later recordings by Guy just don’t seem to have the same mojo).
T-Bone Walker drew a template that is followed today. His earlier recordings did not necessarily reflect the entire stage show, with big band, and guitarist gymnastics, that was once part of his act.
Blues is hard for a reason. To communicate the darkness of a soul on fire, the performer must emote on a level that grabs and holds the audience. This is even more difficult when listening to a recording, at a big remove from the actual performance.
Blues played by rote is no fun; I’d rather Lawrence Welk. But when it gets you, there’s nothing more satisfying.