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.

This being an Audiophile site, I have to mention the legendary Muddy Waters' album Folk Singer. Originally on Chess Records, later reissued by Mobile Fidelity, then Classic Records, and currently Analogue Productions. Great acoustic Folk Blues music (with Buddy Guy on electric guitar) in great "you are there" sound quality.

Another is Charlie Musselwhite's Times Gettin' Tougher Than Tough, a direct-to-disc LP on Crystal Clear Records. If you have never heard a d-2-d LP, prepare to be stunned!

Another is the many albums Doug MacLeod has done for Audioquest Music, the first of which (I believe ) is entitled Come To Find, with Charlie Musselwhite blowin' harp.

A few by Albert King: Born Under A Bad Sign. Original LP on Stax Records, reissued by Sundazed. Then there is Blues For Elvis, which is Albert doing songs associated with Presley. Produced by the great Booker T & The MG's rhythm section of drummer Al Jackson, Jr. and bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn. Original LP on Stax Records, reissue (under the title King, Does The King's Things) by Vinyl Me Please. Mastered by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound, pressed on 180 gram vinyl (oh, the horror ;-) at QRP. 

Perhaps more old school R & B than strictly Blues is Rhythm, Blues, Soul & Grooves by Bobby KIng and Terry Evans, the great duo whose singing talents are often used by Ry Cooder. Ry appears on this Rounder Records album, as does the great Spooner Oldham, member of Muscle Shoals' legendary studio band The Swampers. Spooner is also heard on Neil Young's Harvest album. Fantastic!