VA- The Great Blues Men

I got this for $3.00 at a record show in an attempt to diversify my site.  A lot of bang for the buck with this double record set.  Hopefully, this weekend, I should be getting caught up on writing posts.  I know February is a short month, but damn, did it go by quick.  Anyway, for Black History Month, as well as music history all together, I present this.

Jessie Fuller

This was a double record set released by Vanguard Records, one of the first independent record companies, founded in the 1950 by the Solomon Brothers, who released some pivotal recordings of jazz, folk, and the blues.  The kind of stuff that will no doubt be affected when funding for the arts gets cut, which could present a serious blow to a form of music that is distinctly American.

Anyway, the title of this album does not lie.  The Great Men of the Blues (and one woman) are aptly represented here as well as the many styles that define the overall genre.  Such luminaries include Muddy Waters, Lighting Hopkins, Fred McDowell, Big Bill Broozy, Otis Spann, Brownie McGee and Sonny Terry, Johnny Lee Hooker, Rev Gary Davis, Junior Wells, Mississippi John Hurt, and Son House. Really a who’s who of the blues.

Skip James

For a sample, I had various choices and could have really chosen any of the tracks from the album.  However, I decided to limit it to three.  First, one man band and inventor of the fotdella (pictured at the very top of the page), West Coast Jesse Fuller is here with his best known piece of work “San Francisco Blues” featuring what I think is the best use of a  kazoo in music.  Next is the Delta bluesman, Skip James with “Cypress Groove Blues”.  Finally, from what I think is the only artist from this album that is still alive, West Side Chicago representative, Otis Rush with “It’s A Mean Old World.

Otis Rush

Great Album- Top Rated.