• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Essential Blues recordings

Essential blues, you say?

418C12DTAXL._AA240_.jpg
 
+1 On Willie Dixon. He can sing, he writes great songs, and the bass lines are excellent.

You are probably going to get a lot of recommendations for the Blues Rockers and Chicago Blues. So I am going to recommend R.L. Burnside for some Mississippi Blues.

And for a more funky blues feel, Elvin Bishop.
 
For a more jazzy feel, check out Robben Ford. He usually has THE MAN Roscoe Beck on a lot of his stuff. Talk to your daughter is a clinic CD on Blues bass.

BB Kings, Live at Cook county jail is excellent, I believe he had Jerry Jammont on Bass. Jemmount is all over the BB king anthology.

For Rock Blues check out Cactus, hard to go wrong with the Rhythm section of Tim Bogert and carmine Appice
 
Johnny B. Gayden's bass work with Albert Collins is outstanding. He was also house bassist on a lot of the Alligator recordings, very funky cat!
 
Driving back and forth to Dallas this past weekend, I listened almost exclusively to the Freddie King anthology, "King Of The Blues". It was released in 1995, I think, and has most of his work from the Shelter releases of the early 70's, including some great stuff with Leon Russell. I recommend it highly.

I don't know if these would be essential or not, but here is what I find myself putting in the changer every week or so:

B.B. King - Live at the Regal
Bobby Bland and B.B. King - I Like To Live The Love
Johnny Winter - Second Winter
Johnny Winter - Guitar Slinger
Robin Trower - 20th Century Blues
Robert Johnson - The Complete Recordings
Elmore James - King of the Slide Guitar
The Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East (Deluxe Edition)
 
Scootron, have you heard B.B. King's Live at Cook County Jail? I read that it's one of the best live B.B. King live records he's put out. It's also the only one I heard and it is a smoking album. I was wondering if you could compare it with the ones you listed.

One more thing: It should be obvious, but I'll say it in case some people are not sure: these "essential insert music style here threads are a great idea. We could use more threads like this, hopefully started by people who have a real interest in the music.
 
I really thought this thread would get more replies :confused:

Buddy Guy "Stone Crazy!".

If you only get one Buddy Guy album, and you have to have at least one Buddy Guy album, this is it! The emotion he puts into the songs is unbelievable, and on this album they where able to capture that.
 
Scootron, have you heard B.B. King's Live at Cook County Jail? I read that it's one of the best live B.B. King live records he's put out. It's also the only one I heard and it is a smoking album. I was wondering if you could compare it with the ones you listed.

One more thing: It should be obvious, but I'll say it in case some people are not sure: these "essential insert music style here threads are a great idea. We could use more threads like this, hopefully started by people who have a real interest in the music.

Yes, I love "Cook County" too. The "Regal" was recorded in 1964 and released the following year, while the Cook County album was released in '71 and I think recorded right about the same time. Truly, two great live albums. It's hard to pick one over the other, but lately I have been playing the earlier one more. You cannot go wrong either way. The music is super on both, B.B. may work the crowd a little better at The Regal.

You know, if someone were to ask me to recommend two B.B. King records to them, out of the dozens he has released, I would probably go with these two live recordings. Off the top of my head, I can't think of another artist from whom I would recommend two live offerings as their best work, save maybe for some jazz players. B.B. made some fine albums, which just proves how great I think these two are.
 
Son House is a must, along with Charley Patton and Robert Johnson. Bukka White also kicks ass. Howlin' Wolf is another essential, his voice and style greatly influenced Captain Beefheart.
Before blues became contained in 12 Bars with a similar progression in every song, there was a few people who truly lived it and believed in it. To really get the feel for the blues you have to start at the beginning, when it was full of passion and truth.