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Suggest Some Essential Delta Blues


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I've always been intrigued by this genre (or genres) but have almost nothing and know very little. I have the 2-disc Robert Johnson set and that's about it.

I suppose I should get that Harry Smith anthology, though I realize it contains more than simply blues. (Being that genres don't exist in a vacuum, I am open to related genres on the cusp of blues).

I'm NOT looking for any Chicago or electric blues, and I'm not looking for any contemporary or recent artists.

I AM looking for CD recommendations for any of the following:

Stuff from, say, the 20s or 30s that was originally on 78;

Either commercial or field recordings;

Various artists collections, or collections devoted to major individual artists;

In the case of artists with long careers that spanned the 78 and hi-fi eras, I am open to the later hi-fi recordings (if they're good) in addition to the early stuff.

I realize that this is a vast genre. I really want to start out with the CREAM OF THE CROP stuff, the cornerstones of a delta blues collection (to the degree that there is consensus).

Thanks in advance for your input.

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Well, you've got to have some Charley Patton. You can get:

The high-priced Revenant set Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues, which contains all his recordings, plus supplementary material (including some amazing Son House recordings, for example), along with books, pamphlets, essys, and all the bells and whistles. I've got this set and like it a lot.

His complete recordings on JSP at a much cheaper price - 5 CDs.

The "Best of" on Yazoo - 1 CD.

But get one of them. They're all going to sound bad - Patton recorded mostly for Paramount, famous for their low-quality recording. All the masters are gone, and some of his records have only survived in a couple of copies. But this is where it all started - the real deal.

I'll let other folks recommend other stuff, but get some Charley Patton!

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For pre-war (country) Delta blues, I would list the most essential recordings as:

Charley Patton (the Reverent set discussed above or the Yahoo "Best of" discs)

Tommy Johnson (His complete recordings fit on one disc)

Son House and the Delta Blues Singers (His 1930s recordings are packaged nicely by Document with other great Delta recordings by more obscure artists)

Bukka White (All his 30s and 40s recordings that almost fit on one disc)

Skip James (the classic early recordings (one disc))

Muddy Waters: The Complete Plantation Recordings

Tommy McClennan: Any collection will do.

William Harris (He recorded 9 songs that are well worth finding and not included on Son House and the Delta Blues Singers)

Robert Johnson (You already have it)

Edited by John L
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For pre-war (country) Delta blues, I would list the most essential recordings as:

Charley Patton (the Reverent set discussed above or the Yahoo "Best of" discs)

Tommy Johnson (His complete recordings fit on one disc)

Son House and the Delta Blues Singers (His 1930s recordings are packaged nicely by Document with other great Delta recordings by more obscure artists)

Bukka White (All his 30s and 40s recordings that almost fit on one disc)

Skip James (the classic early recordings (one disc))

Muddy Waters: The Complete Plantation Recordings

Tommy McClennan: Any collection will do.

William Harris (He recorded 9 songs that are well worth finding and not included on Son House and the Delta Blues Singers)

Robert Johnson (You already have it)

Yes, plus something by Blind Willie Johnson. Either of the sets on Columbia or JSP are excellent.

Oh...and don't forget the early Blind Gary Davis set on Yazoo.

That should be enough to be getting on with for now! :)

Edited by Head Man
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I was limiting my attention to the Delta, given that this was the request. Certainly, country blues is much broader than the Delta, and a more general list would include people like Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Barbecue Bob, Memphis Minnie, Blind Willie McTell, Frank Stokes, Blind Blake, etc., etc.

Edited by John L
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Big price difference between the JSP and Revenant Patton sets, but like others I have no regrets about going for the pricier option. I got it for $160 from Amazon - they still have it for $170.

All the most prominent usual suspects have been mentioned.

But while I hear your specific focus on non-electric, non-Chicago stuff, I'd like to give a special thumbs up for classic, early Big Joe Williams - electric (much of it), yes, but right up there is sound and spirit. The lot available in a 5-disc JSP set with Tommy McClennan, Robert Petway and others.

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I was limiting my attention to the Delta, given that this was the request.

Thanks for clarifying, but I really don't know the subtle differences between delta blues and country blues, or other acoustic blues from this era. So, don't leave out good suggestions if I don't know what I'm asking for. If that makes sense!

Edited by Teasing the Korean
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I was limiting my attention to the Delta, given that this was the request.

Thanks for clarifying, but I really don't know the subtle differences between delta blues and country blues, or other acoustic blues from this era. So, don't leave out good suggestions if I don't know what I'm asking for. If that makes sense!

Oh yes, and something by Blind Boy Fuller should also be on your list. Again, either of the Columbia/Sony or JSP sets are excellent.

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*Edited 2 years later when rereading this thread. Yazoo redid the Skip James so get Hard Times Killing Floor instead as it sounds better than the one mentioned below.

Lots of great stuff mentioned and I've used J.A.W., Paul Secor and other forum members' recs for my own hunting. I'm just popping in to push a favorite: The Complete Early Recordings Of Skip James (on Yazoo.) This album is akin to when you first try acid and want everyone to try it, or at least that's how it hit me. Which was pretty cool cause it had been a long time since I had had that feeling. :) Yazoo is a high quality label btw.

Edited by Quincy
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I would start here, if I was going to buy just one CD. This is music which is very accessible to listen to, if you are just starting out with earlier country blues.

l2614.jpg

Get the Yazoo instead, it has the same tracks and much better sound; it has more hiss etc. but doesn't sound as dead as the Columbia.

Amazon

51J8PzTpLZL._SS500_.jpg

Edited by J.A.W.
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I would start here, if I was going to buy just one CD. This is music which is very accessible to listen to, if you are just starting out with earlier country blues.

l2614.jpg

Get the Yazoo instead, it has the same tracks and much better sound; it has more hiss etc. but doesn't sound as dead as the Columbia.

Amazon

51J8PzTpLZL._SS500_.jpg

I don't agree. I think that the Yazoo is overwhelmed with hiss. I don't find the Columbia to sound dead. I was thankful when the Columbia CD came out, because my Yazoo was just so noisy that it distracted me too much.

I realize that this type of opinion would get me laughed off of the Steve Hoffman forum, to pick one example, but that's the way I hear it.

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I would start here, if I was going to buy just one CD. This is music which is very accessible to listen to, if you are just starting out with earlier country blues.

l2614.jpg

Get the Yazoo instead, it has the same tracks and much better sound; it has more hiss etc. but doesn't sound as dead as the Columbia.

Amazon

51J8PzTpLZL._SS500_.jpg

I don't agree. I think that the Yazoo is overwhelmed with hiss. I don't find the Columbia to sound dead. I was thankful when the Columbia CD came out, because my Yazoo was just so noisy that it distracted me too much.

I realize that this type of opinion would get me laughed off of the Steve Hoffman forum, to pick one example, but that's the way I hear it.

To each their own :)

I find the to my ears "dead" sound on CDs like the Mississippi John Hurt Columbia much worse than the - again, to my ears - "livelier" and more natural sound on the Yazoo.

By the way, I wasn't referring to the Hoffman forum. There are hardly any lovers of pre-war blues over there and many so-called blues (and jazz, for that matter) lovers there don't know what they're talking about.

Edited by J.A.W.
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61mDkiEzYiL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

This is yummy beyond belief. Really good way to hear a whole bunch of artists who didn't record a whole album's worth of stuff.

It also has a couple of the classic Little Brother Montgomery tracks - his stuff is like listening to Patton, House et al, but with piano instead of guitar.

Edited by kenny weir
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