Recommendations for bluesy guitar CDs?

[Steve K]

Hi, everybody! Hope everyone's enjoying this holiday season with lots of un-interrupted listening from your JBLs!

Myself, I'm listening to mostly jazz on my system, but I'd like to hear some bluesy, rock music with good guitar playing, too. The trouble is I don't know a whole lot about who's good in this genre. The radio stations here in Tokyo play predominantly the Top 40 stuff, both Japanese and world (mostly US), so there's not much chance to accidentally discover something you like, like you would in the States. (Actually, the radios here are mostly talk, talk, talk..:()

Recently, I was lucky to have found a couple of CDs with the kind of music I'd like to listen to more often. One is by Little Joe Jackson (anybody know him?), another one by a group called the John Mayer Trio, and also a SACD/CD hybrid by the Vivino Brothers. Lots of blues rock, although not all of them. Also, from what I already had in my collection, I enjoy Stevie Ray Vaughan. But that's practially it. So I'd appreciate any recommenations on this kind of music, especially those with emphasis on the guitar playing, if you know what I mean?

Steve K

[Don C]

John Mayall, Along for the ride. I wish that I could play this for you.

[chad]

Blues guitar? Here, that's easy:
Robert Cray - Strong Persuader

:yes:

Which jazz artists are your favorites?

[Steve K]

Blues guitar? Here, that's easy:
Robert Cray - Strong Persuader

:yes:

Which jazz artists are your favorites?

Thanks for your posts!
John Mayall, huh? Haven't heard him in a long while! There's got to be some great sounding re-mastered CDs.
Robert Cray. I don't know him, but will check him out definitely.

Here're some of the more recent albums I've been listening to a lot:
- Randy Brecker with Michael Brecker - Live, with great brass band arrangements
- Pete Zimmer Quintet - modern be-pop
- Bill Charlap Trio - lyrical and swinging
- Larry Carlton and Steve Lukather on DVD -hot guitar playing in small club atmosphere

And, some 'old' favorites:
- Bill Evans - the Village Vanguard recordings
- Tony Williams - 'Native Heart', just the kind of drumming my JBL needs!

...and many more. Just love that jazz sound!

Keep'em 'blues rock' artists' names coming, please!


Steve K

[Ducatista47]

Any albums by the original Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, through Then Play On. or his present (I think) group, The Peter Green Splinter Group. He was the best guitarist I have ever heard. He can't play like he used to, but he can still sing and there is another good guitarist in his group.

If you like your blues with lots of rock, Johnny Winter is great. Savoy Brown's Kim Simmons is overlooked today, too bad. If You like SRV, and who doesn't, look to Texas blues guitarists in general. They are jazzier than other blues players.

Don't forget the real Chicago Blues. Muddy Waters was a God, in my opinion. I believe he is still Eric Clapton's personal favorite of all time. All but his later recordings (where he sometimes only sang) are real eye-openers.

Not to be overlooked, the three Guitar Gods from Surrey, England: Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Eric Claption. Beck is the most talented guitarist anywhere, period. Led Zep's Tea For One, I think it was called, is sweet. Clapton tends to put a lot of energy and feeling into his work, a great combo.

[LE15-Thumper]

Awesome music and recording quality:

http://valley-entertainment.com/Artists/Bluesquest/#508


I will buy it from you if you don't like it !

[kingjames]

Good bluesy sound with about 15 minutes of guitar solo it's call "Help Me" by Ten Years after, a killer song from the 70's.:D

[Gary C.]

Anything by Freddie King.
Anything by Albert King.
Also,try the first 4 albums from The Fabulous Thunderbirds,and some Smokin' Joe Kubek n' Bnois King,and Bugs Henderson,and Omar and the Howlers.

[Ducatista47]

Anything by Freddie King.
Anything by Albert King.
Also,try the first 4 albums from The Fabulous Thunderbirds,and some Smokin' Joe Kubek n' Bnois King,and Bugs Henderson,and Omar and the Howlers.

Damn, you know your Blues! Tell us more!

Clark in Peoria

[edgewound]

Try any record from Robben Ford, old Jeff Beck: Wired, Blow By Blow; Jonny Laing, Kenny Wayne Sheperd, Joe Satriani, The Allman Bros., Dickey Betts, I'll think of more later:)

[louped garouv]

check out tab benoit if you get the chance....http://www.tabbenoit.com/

solid south louisiana blues player...

[Rusnzha]

Albert King? Without a doubt!

[jblnut]

I'll second the Robben Ford recommendation - pick up "Robben Ford and the Blue Line" to get started. If you have a DVD player, the Eric Clapton "Crossroads" benefit concert is KILLER. It has performances by many of the people mentioned here so you can get a broad cross-section of the blues.


I would also highly recommend Robert Randolph, who you'll see on the video. Nobody plays a 13-string pedal steel like that.

jblnut

[Fred Sanford]

Love Robben Ford's SRV tribute, I think it's called "The Brother".

Gary Moore. Sonny Landreth (cajun slide fingerpicked good stuff). Jeff Golub has a great touch, more jazz than blues usually, but all good.

More later...

je

[Steve K]

Wow, thanks! I wrote down all the names on paper which I'll take with me to Tower Records later this week. :bouncy:
Robben Ford? Hadn't thougt of him in at least 15 years. Wasn't he a fusion jazz guitarist when he started? I'll definitely check him out!
Thank you!:applaud:

[tbellisario]

My recommendations for guitar based blues:
Albert Collins "Live in Japan"
BB King, any.
Johnny Winter "And live" "Second Winter" "Still Alive and Well"
CoCo Montoya
Garry Moore
Freddy King, any.
Jimi Hendrix's version of Red House, Born under a bad sign, Voodoo chile (slight return)
For some real kick ass guitar check out Leslie West from Mountain. He has put out a blues CD a couple of years ago.
Michael Bloomfield
Paul Butterfield Band with Shuggie Otiss
If you like acoustic guitar try Ry Cooder.

[pelly3s]

Jimi Hendrix of course had some great blue songs.

I personally am a huge fan of guys like T-bone Walker and Howlin Wolf

[jblnut]

I should also have mentioned live365.com. You'll never hear the tunes on old fashioned FM radio that you can on internet radio. There are some great stations on live365 and I hear most of my new music this way...


jblnut

[Michael Smith]

Afternoon Boys
Nice list but,
Nobody has mentioned the Master Roy Buchanan or what about Lonnie Mack I agree with all the KINGS Freddie,Albert & BB,Buddy Guy should also be there.
Neither does a bit of ZZ Top go astray.
There are lots more who should be mentioned so keep at it
Michael

[edgewound]

Tommy Castro is worth a mention....Saw him with Coco Montoya.

[Hofmannhp]

my this time favorite Blues:

John Lee Hooker, try : "Bluebird"
Steve Ray Vaughan: "Tin Pan Alley"
Albert King with SRV: "Blues at sunrise"
but the greatest is: Walter Trout and the radicals, Album: live in Tampa Bay 2000, Titles: "say what you mean", " reason why I'm gone", "let me know"

only my 2 cents

HP

[eyedoc]

I agree with all of the above posts, without a doubt. I would also recommend the Texas blues of Stevie Ray Vaughan. I had the chance to see him a couple of times and WOW what a show! Riviera Paradise, Superstition (orriginally Stevie Wonder), and an incredible version of Little Wing (orriginally Hendrix).

I would also recommend "Riding with the King" with B.B. King and Eric Clapton. I also hear that Buddy Guy has a new disc as well. If all else fails, is Tosiko Akioshi still making music in Japan? ;)

eyedoc

[Ken Pachkowsky]

Muddy Waters "Folk Singer" MFSL version. You would not believe this was recorded in 1963. Stunning on a good system.

Also Larry Carlton Saphire Blue
http://ai.pricegrabber.com/muze_images/music/500/508262_125x125.jpg

[Steve]

Ronnie Earl......

[Steve K]

Gee! I was away for just one whole day, and my god! Thanks a million to all of you for your suggestions.

I went to a CD shop yesterday and got Fleetwood Mac's 'Mr. Wonderful' and Gary Moore's 'The Best of Blues', and they both were just what I needed, especially Gary Moore. Like 'I Still Got the Blues' is one of the best ballads I've heard in years, and the guitar licks! l. Couldn't find Albert or Freddie King, as well as most of the others. I'll have to try Tower Records for these, or perhaps Amazon.

Someone mentioned 'acoustic guitar' -- any recommendations for good vocals with acoustic guitars, and this one doesn't have to be blues.

[Ken Pachkowsky]

Gee! I was away for just one whole day, and my god! Thanks a million to all of you for your suggestions.

Couldn't find Albert or Freddie King

Freddie King is fabulous. He does a version (maybe he wrote it) of "Same Old Blues" that will just knock you on your butt. Also a track called "Me and my Guitar" gave me goose bumps or was that her....?

True Story... I first heard this album in the summer of 1976 in the rec room of 207 Scotia Street in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The reason its burned in memory is the fact that I had met this young lovely in a bar that evening and we discovered we were both into music. I invited her back to our place and we stopped by hers to pick up a couple of her favorite records. I had convinced her she had never heard anything like 4350's before. We had a couple of beers a sauna and she turned me on to Freddie....was a "great" night. I love JBL's

Ken

[Hofmannhp]

:)
........was a "great" night. I love JBL's
Ken

I think to know what you mean.....:D

HP

[eyedoc]

Someone mentioned 'acoustic guitar' -- any recommendations for good vocals with acoustic guitars, and this one doesn't have to be blues.[/QUOTE]

Without a doubt, look into Michael Hedges on Windham Hill Records. Not only is (was) he incredible, but is recorded very well.
http://www.windham.com/albums/product.jsp?id=01934110322

Also check out Stanly Jordon. While not acoustic, he makes sounds that should not be possible out of a single guitar, esp his first album.

Tuck and Patty also on Winham Hill, are also recorded very well (my collection is based on sound quality as much as music content). Tuck plays acoustic and wife patty sings, just the two of them.

enjoy

[Gary C.]

Here is the Cheap CDs site.

http://cheap-cds.com/surf/home

It is an invaluable resource for finding good music.

[moldyoldy]

Someone mentioned 'acoustic guitar' -- any recommendations for good vocals with acoustic guitars, and this one doesn't have to be blues.

Already mentioned, but Ry Cooder does it all.....very well. The licks in "(I Think it's Going To) Be Alright" on the "Bop Till You Drop" CD put me in my "good place".

My Top-3 Blues-Benders;
Freddy King
Buddy Guy
Dicky Betts

[Fred Sanford]

For excellent acoustic guitar recordings, check out the Narada label- Don Ross, Billy McLaughlin, Jesse Cook, you can even start with any of their fingerpicking samplers and not go wrong.

www.narada.com (http://www.narada.com/)

je

[morbo!]

greendale by neil young

nice bluesy sound.

[pen_man]

For acoustic guitar and blues check out John Hammond and Keb Mo. They are a couple of my favs and I think you will enjoy both.

[toddalin]

Without a doubt, Eric Clapton Unplugged. Just listen to the sound of that dobro on a set of JBLs and you'll feel like he's right in the room with you.

[Steve K]

I would like to express my appreciation again to all those who chipped in with their recommendations! Thank you! Surely I can't buy all those CDs at once, but I'll have a nice long list to work with in the coming months and years!:)

To you acoustic guitar fans, here's one that a friend of mine sent me for last Christmas. This CD's called Masterpiece Guitars, with Steve Howe (formerly of Yes) and Martin Taylor, the pair playing a slew of vintage guitars, a variety of Martins and Gibsons, Gretsch, and D'Angelico's Teardrop, and many other rare vintage guitars. Both the music and the recording are wonderful.
:bouncy:

[Ducatista47]

OK, I don't want to beat a dead horse. You have more than plenty of leads on great stuff, but either I missed some posts or we missed something. Women with mucho talent.

Two spring right to mind. The well known Bonnie Raitt is actually a world class slide player. The only white woman who may be a lot better (and a lot more traditional at this point in their careers) is Rory (real name Aurora) Block. Try and get a listen before buying - both are in the midst of long careers, and both have been stylisticly all over the map. I have one old Rory Block album I swear is disco.

Clark in Peoria

[jim campbell]

If you get a chance check out Gillian Welch.Her guitarist,David Rawlings is a fine player.I have an old Larry Coryell album on vanguard with John Mclaughlin,Spaces,that is said to be the best fusion Album ever.Mclaughlin's early work like Extrapolation........so many fine players,Danny Gatton ,Duane Allmann,Django Reinhart,and lately I rediscovered Joe Pass Virtuoso who I had the pleasure of seeing live in his prime.I did see Rory Block and was impressed.Just checked out the shelves and there are very few female guitarists represented there.but one who is often overlooked is Joni Mitchell.Check out Hejira ,Blue ,or For the Roses.

[jim3860]

I'll second the Robben Ford recommendation - pick up "Robben Ford and the Blue Line" to get started. If you have a DVD player, the Eric Clapton "Crossroads" benefit concert is KILLER. It has performances by many of the people mentioned here so you can get a broad cross-section of the blues.


I would also highly recommend Robert Randolph, who you'll see on the video. Nobody plays a 13-string pedal steel like that.

jblnut Agreed i have that album it also has a dts track as close as as you can get to sacd dvd audio quality sound. robert lockwood junior,hubert sumlin,bb king, buddy guy, jimmy vaugn, and many other great performers :thmbsup:

[jim campbell]

Let's not forget Jerry Douglas,Rev. Gary Davis,Doc Watson,Leo Kottke,Buddy Miller,Dan Crary,and just to throw in a brit,Robin Trower.

[razor]

add jimmy thackery (true stories) to the list also smokin joe kubeck, surge in the loin stuff