Some thoughts about the Blues
If you are ever in Chicago, check out Kingston Mines and the CheckerBoard #2 Lounge.I'll never forget Kingston Mines. They have 2 stages and 2 vieing areas that are parallel to each other. One band prepares to play while the other is playing (I think on weekends they sometimes have both stages going at the same time), when the first band is finsihed their set the other band begins.... everyone just moves to the other room. Great Chicago Blues place, and always lots of fun... also they are open quite late (4AM I think, which is late for Chicago - actually its late for me now-a-days).
The Checkerboard #2 Lounge (there is a #1 and a #3) is on the South Side - in the 30s on King I think. Terrible neighborhood so be careful, but its the place where the Stones "happened" to show up and jam with Muddy Waters. They have fantastic Chicago Blues - real South Side stff and great local bands. Make sure you have a ride home though - calling a cab before the place closes is probably best.
I'm a big fan of the Blues. I tend not to like alot of the slicker stuff that has been popular since the 80s - I wonder how much of that is due to SRV's influence? I really dig the 50s and 60s Blues masters the most. A particular favorite of mine is a tune by John Lee Hooker called Stella Mae. I probably haven't really delved into the Blues as much as I would have liked, but I do really recomend checking out live Blues in your area.
More than anything I think its a live event. Lightning Hopkins was famous for making up lyrics to his songs on the spot from his observation of the crowd. Much of what he recorded was quite different from how he played it in the clubs around Houston. His shows had staples, but they were significantly different night after night. I suppose that's sort of like jazz. Jazz is cool live, but I've never really been able to get into the records much.
I'm a big fan of the Blues. I tend not to like alot of the slicker stuff that has been popular since the 80s - I wonder how much of that is due to SRV's influence? I really dig the 50s and 60s Blues masters the most. A particular favorite of mine is a tune by John Lee Hooker called Stella Mae. I probably haven't really delved into the Blues as much as I would have liked, but I do really recomend checking out live Blues in your area.
More than anything I think its a live event. Lightning Hopkins was famous for making up lyrics to his songs on the spot from his observation of the crowd. Much of what he recorded was quite different from how he played it in the clubs around Houston. His shows had staples, but they were significantly different night after night. I suppose that's sort of like jazz. Jazz is cool live, but I've never really been able to get into the records much.
2 comments:
I love the Mines, one of my very favorite spots in the city. It's such an oasis from the Clark Street yuppie hangouts of Wrigleyville and the Chad and Trixie bars of Lincoln Park, and it's located right between those two hoods.
Check out Joanna Connor Band! Righteous big bad blues chick, wails on a Les Paul and has a unique groove to her blues. She's leaving soon I think so the clock's ticking. Also it's open til 5am on Saturdays, btw.
-doob
I love the Blues, Hooker has never been one of my favorites, but there's a world to wander out there concerning the Blues, I'm on a Jimmy Reed kick now, SRV was a great man, He had a sound that would grab you by the ears & throw your head up against the speakers, What a bite, He was lightnin fast but interjected his speed appropriately, preferring to play thru his heart. Johnny Winter has the speed, but sometimes is too polished & half of his material per album is an aquired taste. Robert Cray is talented but sleepy, There's loads of artists that kick it but are not well known like Walter Trout & Magic Slim among others.
As far as the old true blues, I started buying the older label compilations like Blind Pig, Rounder, & Alligator record compilations and followed up on what artists I dug. The old back porch blues (Less Polished?)sound is gone. To me there's 3 stages of blues, The Old Backporch Acoustic Blues(The Gent's sang a lifetime of anguish along with guitars that were in tune with the man & not by a key),The Reborn Blues(In the 50's & early 60's artists were hunted down & brought into the studio & blues became semi-polished), & the New Era blues (The biting blues- Winter, SRV,the 3 Kings (Albert, BB, & Freddie)Albert Collins,Otis Rush, KWS, Etc. I love the Purist Old Backporch Blues myself, If you dig those tunes try to get a copy of Mississippi John Hurt's "Avalon Blues- The Complete 1928 OKeh Recordings", but Mississippi Fred, R.L. Burnside, Leadbelly (Huddie Ledbetter), Mance Lipscomb, Etc all offer their own wood & wire acoustic offerings. All the main rock players in the late 50's & 60's were all aware of what was happening on the true blues scene & covered a good portion of it & injected that soul into their own offerings. The Blues was born in Mississippi & turned electric in Chicago & from there spread across the globe.
Fretsman
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