Wednesday, May 2 2012
Shemekia Copeland and Ronnie Baker Brooks Take a Class
Copeland and Brooks infected my classroom with the ‘existential freedom’ that allows each person to stare into the darkness, yet somehow and someway, find the words, the voice, and the courage to sing a sweet song. That is, they gave us all the blues.
Monday, May 23 2011
Rocking Chair Blues: Howlin’ Wolf - “Tell Me”
In this final installment of the Between the Grooves series dedicated to Howlin’ Wolf’s Rocking Chair album, George de Stefano states that Wolf's music is so compelling because it seems such a direct, unmediated expression of his singular personality.
Monday, April 25 2011
Rocking Chair Blues: Howlin’ Wolf - Goin’ Down Slow
"Goin' Down Slow" is a dramatic tour de force in three minutes and 18 seconds, standing as the most emotionally-shattering performance on Rocking Chair.
Wednesday, February 25 2009
B.B. King: Live in Africa ‘74
B.B. King IS the blues, and this concert irrevocably proves that fact.
Tuesday, January 6 2009
B.B. King: B.B. King and His Orchestra Live
King's incredible orchestra help create a wonderful recording on this 1983 set.
Tuesday, May 29 2007
Various Artists: The Rough Guide to the Blues
Twenty-two track compilation covers eight decades of blues music, from Mamie Smith to Ali Farke Touré, with mixed results.
Friday, August 19 2005
B.B. King: The Ultimate Collection
Regal in name and stature, the King of the Blues is paid tribute with the latest thumbnail sketch of his historic career.
Monday, August 1 2005
B.B. King: Chronicles: 3 Classic Albums
This is prime B.B. King, and you'd be hard pressed to find anything better, either in his catalog or anywhere else in the blues.
Monday, March 7 2005
Lightning in a Bottle (2004)
For director Antoine Fuqua, it was clear that the right place to start a concert imagining the history of the blues would start with a song from Africa.
