The rules on this one are a little different from the big Rock/Pop list. Recall that I prohibited compilations on that one, since the majority of the rock era coincided with the album era. Much of the great blues music, on the other hand, predated the album era. During much of its heyday, blues was a music distributed primarily through singles. Had Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf been recording their best material in the 70's vs. the 40's and 50's, they would have released some killer records, to be sure. So, when considering blues music, you've got to allow compilations. But whenever possible, such as with artists who were recording primarily in the album era, I tried to favor an album over a compilation.
10. Lightnin' Hopkins - Lightnin', 1960
Hopkins was a blues master who was there near the beginning. But it was during the blues/folk explosion of the 50's and 60's when he was one of those fortunate aging blues artists who was "rediscovered" and experienced his greatest success late in life. This record is a fantastic acoustic blues trio record from one of the true masters of acoustic blues. And he's a Houston native, so I've gotta love a hometown hero. I was introduced to this one early as it was in my Dad's LP collection that I have since confiscated. Features a definitive reading of one of his great signature tunes, "Back To New Orleans" (although he did not write it, "BTNO" is most closely associated with Hopkins.)
9. Mississippi John Hurt - Avalon Blues: The Complete Okeh Recordings, 1928 (compilation)
That's right, 1928. Hurt was a contemporary of Hopkins, and he was likewise rediscovered during the blues/folk boom of the '50s and '60s. This scant disc of 13 tracks is the complete record of his recordings in his prime as a young man. The only other recordings available from Hurt are from 30 years later during his rediscovery. He toiled as an unknown most of his life, made these recordings, and then put down the guitar for decades to work in the cotton fields of the south. This is solo acoustic folk blues at its very best. What gets me is the intricacy and complexity of the playing. It is not as basic or as haunting as the more celebrated Robert Johnson, but I find it much more beautiful and interesting. "Stack 'O Lee" is the highlight.
ABOVE: "Stack 'O Lee". Beautiful.
8. Charlie Musselwhite - The Harmonica According To Charlie Musselwhite, 1978
Musselwhite is acknowledged as one of the harp masters, and this record is interesting because it was recorded as an "instructional" record for aspiring harp players. Therefore he purposely recorded a wide variety of styles here; all masterfully. Favorites include a gorgeous latin tune called "Azul Para Amparo" and an infectious, bouncy version of Ray Charles' classic "Hard Times."
7. Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Couldn't Stand the Weather, 1984
Yeah, Texas Flood is more important and more a purist blues record; and In Step was a triumphant crossover smash for Vaughan and blues music in general. But if I could only keep one SRV record, it would be #7. "Scuttle Buttin'" charges through the speakers from its first dizzying flurry of notes, creating an instrumental classic that aspiring guitar slingers will try (and fail) to master for decades to come. The title track is quite simply the best rock/blues hybrid song I've ever come across. "Cold Shot" is a humorous tune that plays with blues cliches wonderfully, and is probably his best overall song. Vaughan fearlessly storms through Hendrix's sacred "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)"; but also reminds us why he was one of the greatest blues artists of any era with his blistering cover of "Things I Used To Do."
ABOVE: SRV and band tearing it up on "Couldn't Stand the Weather"
6. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - East-West, 1966
Although its most celebrated line-up only recorded two studio records, both are blues classics. In a band that broke ground in several areas (including being one of the first interracial bands in blues and rock) that was spilling over with talented musicians, doomed blues guitar prodigy Michael Bloomfield was the true genius of the group. The record is full of hard hitting blues delivered with rock and roll energy, but the title track is why the record makes my list. Clocking in at about 14 minutes, "East-West" was aptly named, a hypnotic, remarkable jam that combines Western musical structure and energy with Eastern tones and scales. Bloomfield's extended solo is a stunning bridge between east and west (Elvin Bishop takes the straightforward opening guitar solo; Bloomfield comes in after Paul Butterfield's harp solo when the song really goes into overdrive).
5. Howlin' Wolf - His Best, vol. 1 & 2, recorded throughout the 1940's-1960's (compilation)
These two discs cover Wolf's greatest recordings on the Chess label. I already talked about Wolf in my Chess Records post, so I don't need to repeat all of that here. Suffice it to say that Wolf possessed my favorite blues voice ever. A force of nature. Sandpaper doused with gasoline being run over by a locomotive.
4. John Lee Hooker - The Hook: 20 years of Hot Hits and Boogie, recorded during the 1950's (compilation)
There are dozens of Hooker compilations out there, but I always gravitate back to this one. Hooker was notorious for jumping from label to label, but for most of the 1950's he recorded for the Vee-Jay label in Chicago, and this is a compilation of those recordings. He would often re-record his biggest hits for each new label, but I love these crisp yet raw recordings from the 50's the best. Part of the reason is that he's got a great band with him. Hooker was most famous for his boogie playing on guitar; a rhythm so pure and so instinctual that it cannot be taught. He delivers perfect versions of "Dimples," "Boom Boom," "Whiskey & Women," and of course, "Boogie Chillun" (which he famously recorded in a toilet stall to get the echo sound just right and with a microphone placed at his feet so he could stomp his percussion...a one man band). Special mention for "House Rent Boogie," a hilarious talking blues of lowdown relatives and heartless landladies.
3. Muddy Waters - His Best, vol. 1 & 2, recorded throughout the 1940's-1970's (compilation)
Muddy was arguably Chess Records' most valuable commodity (although it is hard to argue against Chuck Berry). Muddy had everything: he was a great songwriter, great guitar player, consummate performer with class and style but who could still get lowdown and dirty, and mythic personality. It was Muddy who popularized and perfected the brilliant idea of electrifying the blues. Chicago electric blues was born, as well as one of the most important grandfather sounds of rock and roll. From the raw "Rollin' Stone" to the boastful "I'm a Man" to the sexually charged "Got My Mojo Workin'" and "You Need Love," Muddy was electric blues at its best.
2. Various Artists - Best of Chess Records, vol. 1 & 2, recorded throughout the 1940's-1960's (compilation)
Again, if you want to know about Chess Records, check out this link. There are several excellent Chess compilations available, but these two discs (that are now out of print) hold a special place in my heart because they were my first exposure to Chess blues. I bought them back in the late 1980's, and they remain staples in my collection to this day. Here is where I first discovered Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Elmore James, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Etta James, Little Milton, Koko Taylor...
1. The Robert Cray Band - Strong Persuader, 1986
This is what modern blues music should do. It is true to its roots, but not held back by them. Cray and Stevie Ray Vaughan were the blues heroes of the 1980's, leading the modern blues renaissance. (It is rare that a blues artist makes the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, but that is what Cray did in 1986). Cray is as much soul artist as he is blues; more the smooth heir of B.B. King and Otis Redding than Muddy or Wolf. Cray and songwriting partner Dennis Walker wrote a batch of songs that stay true to blues themes (every song here is either of the she-done-me-wrong variety or I-done-her-wrong); but they are all witty, modern, humorous and catchy as hell. Cray has a fantastic band, and then he hits us with his potent one-two punch of soulful singing and near perfect guitar playing. Every song here is good, but the highlights are the thrilling hit "Smoking Gun" and "Right Next Door (Because of Me)".
ABOVE: The Robert Cray Band performing "Smoking Gun" in 1987. Unfortunately, the video was edited to fit three minutes (it was for TV in Holland), so his guitar solo gets chopped up a bit, but the video has great sound quality
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