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 The Blue Note’s Very
Casual and Certainly Not Scientific List of Recommendations for Gift-Giving or
Miniature Frisbee Playing or Time Capsule Stuffing or Listening Pleasure (yeah that too)… compiled by Ellen Rocco,
whose credentials include understanding the fine art of last minute shopping
and very very last minute shopping which eliminates time wasted schlepping
around malls…Ellen’s shopping motto, “Yeah, sure, giving nothing is best of all
for the environment, homemade gifts are next best, and spending as little time
as possible in malls is also very good.”
Remember to check out your local music store for these
cds—few of these discs will be in stock, but all are readily ordered. Feel free
to email or call me if you need help deciding (I got a bit carried away). Reach
me at ellen@ncpr.org or 877-388-6277. It’s
all good!
Recent (since 2000) releases of note
Eric Bibb, Natural Light, 2003, EarthBeat73830. The
most recent release from a fine mostly acoustic artist. Solid.
Solomon Burke, Don’t Give Up On Me, 2002, Fat Possum
80358. This one took a bunch of honors at last year’s Handy Awards…and rightly
so. It was also my “album of the year” pick for 2002. Burke has been singing
R&B, blues and soul for years. This album combines heart-stopping vocals
with amazing musicianship and a great range of songs by the likes of Van
Morrison, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan and others.
Chris Cain, Cain Does King, 2001, Blue Rock ‘It 133.
I think Chris Cain deserves a wider following. He is an amazing guitarist.
Doesn’t overdo it. On this recent release, he covers some classic tunes from
B.B. King.
Eric Clapton/BB King,
Riding With the King, 2000, Reprise
47612. Two greats get together for a fine cd. Also, if you missed it when it
came out, get Clapton’s From the Cradle—a
close to perfect blues cd—1994, Reprise 45735.
Eddy “The Chief”
Clearwater, featuring Los Straitjackets, Rock ‘n’ Roll City, 2003, Bullseye 9640. Pure fun.
Guy Davis, Chocolate to the Bone, 2003, Red House
164. A mix of great tunes from country classics to Chicago to originals.
John Hammond, Wicked Grin, 2001, Pointblank 50764. A
dark, blues-driven collaboration between Hammond and Tom Waits. One of my
favorite cds of recent years.
Corey Harris and
Henry Butler, Vu-Du Menz,
Alligator 4872. Two generations, two fabulous talents, on this collection of
guitar/piano duets. Wonderful musicianship, fine voices.
Jorma Kaukonen, Blue Country Heart, 2002, Columbia
86394. Just about a perfect country blues album. Jorma known in earlier years
as part of Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna.
Delbert McClinton,
Room to Breathe, 2002, New West 6042.
For listeners who like their blues with a twang. This is a great disc.
Van Morrison and
Linda Gail Lewis, You Win Again,
2000, Exile/Virgin 50258. Pure fun…some classic blues, swing, r&b (Linda is
Jerry Lee’s sister).
Maria Muldaur, Richland Woman Blues, 2001, Stony
Plain1270. No pop, no violins. This is Maria doing straightahead simple blues
with some great friends, including Bonnie Raitt, Amos Garrett, Roy Rogers,
Alvin Youngblood Hart, others.
Willie Nelson, Milk Cow Blues, 2000, Island 314 542
517. A terrific all-blues release, and Willie is joined by the likes of blues
giants like Francine Reed, Keb’ Mo’, BB King, lots others. If you’re an all-out
Willie fan, check out the double cd release The
Very Best of Willie, 1998, Columbia 65825.
Chris Smither, Train Home, 2003, Hightone 8158. Lots of
acoustic blues, some ballads, all delivered in that amazing
straight-to-the-heart Smither’s style. Terrific musician. This is music to
listen to, rather than party stuff.
Don Washington Blues Band, Live on the Waterfront,
2003, order directly from joel@ncpr.org or contact Ellen for info. Yes, folks,
this is a new release from The Blue Note "house band." Wonderful
straight ahead blues, engineered by Joel Hurd. Check it out!
Junior Watson, If I Had a Genie, 2002, Heart & Soul
10799. Another near-perfect blues album. Junior is a master. Everyone who plays
on this is topnotch.
Various, American Blues, 2003, Putumayo 215. A
recent sampler, with the solid Putumayo touch, if you’re baffled by how to
choose a single artist.
Worth re-visiting (pre-2000)
Otis Grand, Nothing Else Matters, 1994, Sequel 1008.
Terrific musicianship, great guest artists (Kim Wilson, Sugar Ray, Curtis
Salgado). This guy knows how to play guitar.
Alvin Youngblood Hart,
Big Mama’s Door, 1996, Epic/Okeh
67593. A very wonderful mostly acoustic album, with a couple of guest
appearances by Taj Mahal.
John Lee Hooker, Mr. Lucky, 1991, Pointblank 91724.
During the last couple of decades, John Lee made a series of cds with a mix of
younger musicians. This one includes great guest artists plus a solid mix of
material.
Steve James, Art and Grit, 1996, Antone’s 70746. I
think Steve is under-known. A great musical sensibility on this acoustic, and
very upbeat, album.
Dr. John, The Dr. John Anthology: Mos’ Scocious,
1993, Rhino 71450. A two disc set with some of his best work through the early
‘90s.
Taj Mahal, Dancing the Blues, 1993, Private 82112.
If you love Taj, get this one in your collection. Ditto for Phantom Blues, 1998, Private 82139. And,
if you like the acoustic side of Taj, there’s a wonderful concert recording,
full of live energy, An Evening of
Acoustic Music, 1996, Ruf 51416-1344.
Keb’ Mo’, Slow Down, 1998, Okeh/Sony69376. Keb’
Mo’ has been hosting the public radio blues series. He is a remarkable
bluesman, leading a new generation of players. Acoustic emphasis, plus a few
ballads.
Odetta, Blues Everywhere I Go, 1999, MC Records
0038. Odetta spent most of her musical life as a folksinger. This is probably
her only 100% blues album. It’s terrific, with piano backing and musical
direction from Dr. John.
The Persuasions, Sincerely, 1996, Bullseye9576. Never a
wrong note from this still-going-strong vocal group.
A few classics that belong in every collection
(check
out MCA’s website for the best of Chicago blues—this label bought up the early
Chess vaults, including Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker, BB King,
Little Walter, etc etc…the giants)
Etta James, The Essential Etta James, 1993,
MCA/Chess 8341. A two-disc collection of Etta, beginning in the ‘50s with
R&B and early rock, moving into bluesier material in the ‘70s. Does not
include “best of” cuts from more recent releases.
B.B. King, Lucille, 1968, MCA 10518. As good a
place as any to start your BB collection.
Otis Spann, Down to Earth: The Bluesway Recordings,
1995, MCA 11202. Just because ya gotta have Otis in any serious blues
collection, and this is a solid collection.
Stevie Ray Vaughn and
Double Trouble, Texas Flood,
1999, Epic/Legacy 65870. A classic.
Muddy Waters, The Woodstock Album, 1975 (original lp
recording, re-released on cd in 1995), Chess/MCA9359. If you want the
definitive Muddy Waters, get the Chess/MCA boxed set. Also, get a great
sampling of the famous recordings made with Spann, Bloomfield, Butterfield on
the Muddy portion and Clapton, Wyman, Winwood on the Howlin’ Wolf portion, on Muddy & The Wolf, 1983, Chess/MCA
9100.
Stretching the genre:
not every cut is 12 bar blues, but
try it, you’ll like it
Dave Alvin, Public Domain, 2000, Hightone 8122.
Blues, traditional songs with a new treatment, and Dave’s great voice.
Greg Brown, If I Had Known: Essential Recordings
1980-1996, 2003 release, Red House 171. What a lyricist, what a voice.
Great for careful listening as you drive through snow-covered late night
landscape.
Johnny Cash, Unchained, 1996, American 43097. Part of
his series of cds covering a wide range of standard tunes. This disc is a good
place to start. And while we’re at it, check out Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash, 2002, Lucky
Day 86310. Interesting mix of artists—all really good—ranging from blues to
country to Springsteen covering Johnny’s songs.
The Flatlanders,
featuring Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely, Butch Hancock, More a Legend Than A Band, 1990, RounderSS34. Also from Jimmie Dale
Gilmore, One Endless Night, 2000,
Windcharger/Rounder 3173.
Ray Wylie Hubbard,
Growl, 2003, Rounder/Philo 116 711
237. This is a terrific album. Mostly blues, lots of rough Texas twang. Some
great lyrics, too.
k.d. lang, Absolute Torch and Twang, 1989,
Sire/Warner 25877. Just like the title says. The other k.d. lang must-have
album is Shadowland, 1988,
Sire/Warner 25724. If you wanna hear an unbelievable voice, get this album.
Talk about straight to the heart. Lang released an album last year with Tony
Bennett, who wanted her voice on his duet album. It’s a nice album, but
Shadowland, for my ears, tops it easily.
Lyle Lovett, Songs From the Movies, 2003,
Curb/MCA08811-31842. Okay, I admit it, I love Lyle. This disc is great for all
kinds of music lovers. Not much straight blues, but great singing and music.
For some more typical Lyle material—including some of his better know hits like
“If I had a boat,” get Pontiac, 1987,
Curb/MCA 42028.
Lucinda Williams,
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, 1998,
Mercury 314 556 338. Lucinda recorded some traditional blues cds in her early
days, but now does mostly original material steeped in, but not always pure,
blues. Still, I’d say she has one of the blue-est sensibilities today. This cd
is a good one to start with if you’re not sure which Lucinda disc to get first.
And finally, for a shake-the-house party, check out these
two world beat collections, featuring various artists:
New World Party,
1999, Putumayo 157.
The Best of World
Music: World Dance Party, 1994, Putumayo 114.
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