DanP
405 posts
Nov 15, 2018
4:20 AM
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Here's an interesting article that focuses on John Lee Williamson with music from both Sonny Boy Williamsons and a video interview with Billy Boy Arnold and David Barrett. www.nepr.net/post/randy-newman-declares-one-true-sonny-boy-williamson
Last Edited by DanP on Nov 15, 2018 5:28 AM
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Rgsccr
504 posts
Nov 15, 2018
10:00 AM
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Really interesting article, thanks for posting.
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Gareth
44 posts
Nov 16, 2018
12:33 AM
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Great article, DanP. Really enjoyed it - what a great loss SBW I was. What might he have gone on to do had he lived into the 50s.
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Harpeaux Edwards
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Joe_L
2857 posts
Nov 16, 2018
1:18 PM
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I always find these sorts of articles kind of sad. There's plenty of space in American musical history for both of these men. Their music has stood the test of time. The one thing that I will say is that most "modern" players really don't go back and dig into the pre-war Bluebird era artists. That's kind of a sad thing. Those guys were the originators and a lot of their music transcends time. The fidelity of the recordings might be lacking, but there is a lot of great music there.
Last Edited by Joe_L on Nov 16, 2018 1:19 PM
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PhilUSAFRet
1 post
Nov 18, 2018
1:05 PM
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Beginning blues harp player Struggling to choose between two CD's, Sonny Boy Williamson 1 vs II
I - The original sonny boy Williamson the later years, 1939-1947 4 CD set vs Sonny II - Sonny Boy Williamson Father of the Blues, 3 cd set. Both about the same price. What do you think? Not sure I want to spend $40 for both.
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SuperBee
5657 posts
Nov 18, 2018
11:36 PM
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Perhaps a matter of taste to some extent.
I love both players for different reasons and they can both teach a lot.
Over the years I expect I’ve listened to Sonny 2 quite a lot more than Sonny 1, but I started young-ish with Sonny 2 and I rarely tire of him. The production quality on the Sonny 1 stuff may be a barrier to extended listening.
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John M G
278 posts
Nov 19, 2018
3:43 AM
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Beginning blues harp player Struggling to choose between two CD's, Sonny Boy Williamson 1 vs II
I - The original sonny boy Williamson the later years, 1939-1947 4 CD set vs Sonny II - Sonny Boy Williamson Father of the Blues, 3 cd set. Both about the same price. What do you think? Not sure I want to spend $40 for both.
In years to come, you'll have forgotten what you paid. Buy them both and treat yourself. Though I have to say I've listened to much much more of Sonny Boy 2 and never tire of listening to him.
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groyster1
3277 posts
Nov 19, 2018
6:41 AM
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they had completely different styles and sounds.....there was absolutely no mistaking one for the other......but both of their harp sounds were awesome
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LFLISBOA
37 posts
Nov 19, 2018
9:01 AM
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The earlier recordings of SBWII and Little Walter show SBWI influence, but the Chess recordings show more interesting sides from both.
SBWI has a solid style, but a little bit repetitive (considering all this recordings, he played mostly in
2nd and 1st positions). Any "the best of..." will cover his most important songs and you'll have a good picture of how great SBWI is.
SBWII played a "wider" style of blues (he played in 1st, 2nd, even 3rd positions, and used that lovely 12-14 holes harps) and is one of the greatest stolyteller. I consider his Chess sides his best work, but I do like everything he recorded.
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Littoral
1641 posts
Nov 19, 2018
9:27 AM
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Great story. I hadn't seen some of the video and really enjoyed it.
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sydeman
216 posts
Nov 19, 2018
10:48 AM
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I'm on the same page as Joe L. There is a lotta room for both.
In an article a few years ago Larry Hoffman put it best when he said "The seeds of modern days blues harp that reached fruition in the golden era of mid-'50s Chicago were sown in Memphis, TN."
That city boasted the simultaneous prescences of Noah Lewis, Jaybird Coleman, Will Shade, Jed Davenport, Hammie Nixon, John Lee Williamson and Walter Horton all off-and-on between the years 1925 to 30. Two other fine players at this time in TN were: Delford Bailey, the Harmonica Wizard and his disciple Sonny Terry. During 1927-28, Bailey recorded 11 tunes that were to set the standard for harp display pieces in recorded blues. Sonny Terry was an influential player and a finest exponent of the rural, chordal-rhythmic style accented by whoops & holler and driving chordal work. John Lee "the father of modern blues harp" absorbed the style of Hammie Nixon and adapted it to a concept that was to shape the blues harp style into what it was a half century later. It was in CHICAGO that Brownsville, Helena and Memphis style "coalesced" into what is now called the modern blues harp style and sound.
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timeistight
2270 posts
Nov 19, 2018
6:25 PM
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The article features a photo, one that I hadn't seen before, of John Lee Williamson cupping a bullet microphone. That would seem to put the lie to the popular story that Little Walter originated that technique.
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LFLISBOA
38 posts
Nov 20, 2018
10:41 AM
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LW is credited for being the first one to record amplified, but it seems that many players already played that way in night clubs or juke joints. Snooky Pryor, Walter Horton, Papa Lightfoot and many others are good examles. I don't remember where I read Billy Boy Arnold told that SBWI played that way before LW, and that photo is a strong evidence. This same photo is cover of SBWI complete recorded work CD (Document label, but I don't remember which volume). But LW DID recorded first.
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sydeman
217 posts
Nov 20, 2018
11:29 AM
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Photo is on Volume 4
https://goo.gl/YRbwZH
Last Edited by sydeman on Nov 20, 2018 11:33 AM
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SuperBee
5658 posts
Nov 20, 2018
12:39 PM
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I think Snooky recorded an amplified sound Pryor to Walter. Or did I dream that?
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groyster1
3278 posts
Nov 20, 2018
4:39 PM
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I love to play through a PA......far more than mic......but thats just me.....
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groyster1
3287 posts
Dec 18, 2018
5:46 AM
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I just received a double CD by john lee with 100 songs on it.....I wonder how many songs he was recorded on....most of this CD he is backing vocalists/guitarists.....if he had lived into the 50s and 60s theres no telling the impact he would have had in blues
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barbequebob
3556 posts
Dec 18, 2018
8:32 AM
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SBWI's best recordings as far as harp work is concerned are his stuff as a sideman, especially behind Big Joe Williams and you can clearly hear how much he influenced both Walters in his playing.
His vocals were also very influential and that style came about because he had a bad stuttering problem.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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Elcoh
48 posts
Dec 20, 2018
1:13 PM
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Sydeman, that picture is priceless! We can only dream what he sounded like cupped!
Groyster, whats the name of that album with the 100 songs?
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groyster1
3291 posts
Dec 20, 2018
4:37 PM
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@elcoh......the original sonny boy williamson remastered......from amazon.......most of songs hes backing......some he does vocals
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