I was never a big fan of Delta Blues. I just could not listen to it for an extended amount of time without getting the back "Cringes".
I recently just came across "Robert Pete Williams" and was Wowed by what I heard. It isn't like all the other delta guys that I have heard. There is something "Bareable" about his music. The simple way that he Pounds a song's rythm is Fantastic!
Does anyone know of any good delta guys that I should check out? I understand that finding a guy Exactly like Williams is likely not going to happen. If you can, try to list some guys that are somewhat "Under The Radar". (Not just "Delta". If there is another form of music that has this effect, list them).
Last Edited by on Sep 05, 2011 9:19 AM
Robert Pete Williams has been a mystery for many ethnomusicologists. Mainly, because his guitar doesn't sound like American blues (Skip James and "Bentonia blues" in general might be the closest thing) but has in some ways stronger similarities with African griot music. If you're not already familiar with these names, I urge you to check out not only the African blues legend Ali Farka Toure
But also Boubacar Traore:
And this absolutely fantastic song from Nuru Kane:
To me they share a similar kind of "effect" you might after. Or how do you like 'em?
That haunting thing these Mali guys have has inspired me for years. I even have a band that plays music similar to this.
Ali Farka Toure is awesome! If you like that, then also check out also Bombino who is a Tuareg guitar man who's been shredding out in the Sahara for a few years now. He just released an new album which is really great called Agadez.
Here's a live clip of him:
@J-Sin: I had always thought that the Hillcountry style of Blues had a lot more direct connection with that North African/Griot style than did Delta or Piedmont Blues. If you listen to guys like Jr. Kimbrough and Robert Belfour, I hear a lot of similarities to the kind of music Bombino and Ali Farka play. They seem to be using the same kind of pentatonic scales anyway... Is that assumption true? Is that hillcountry stuff more closely related with griot than is the delta stuff?
By the way, you ought to come out to Phoenix. We've got the brand new Musical Instrument Museum, which is HUGE, and super super interesting. There is no other place like it in the world! Not only do they have some of the best museum galleries I've ever seen, but they also have a huge inventory of instruments and recordings from every country in the world, and they welcome researchers to come and use their collections: http://www.themim.org/
I just noticed that Nuru Kane track at the bottom of J-Sin's post. Man! I'd never heard him before, but it's super freaking awesome! Sounds like the missing link between Mali and the Mississippi Hill Country! Just awesome. ---------- == I S A A C ==
@ J-Sin, I never heard of Nuru Kane before. I should quote Isaac to say what I think of this song but is post is just above mine and I feel lazy tonight.
@Isaac I never head of Bombino. I really like is music.
Thank a lot guys for making me discover those great artist. I have an album by Ali Farka Toure and Ry cooder called Talking Timbuktu that you made me remember, I'll put it on my mp3.
Martin ---------- Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Isaac Asimov
Nuru Kane sings about a Senegalese island called Goree that used to be a port for Europian slave traders. I've heard variations of his main riff in West-African music more than once. This song I wrote called "Through the Smoke Ring" utilizes similar kind of guitar style, although notably slower.
@Isaac: Thanks for the tip! I'm coming to the States sooner or later, and when I do, it's not going to be an extended weekend in NY, I really want to see the country. Maybe when I'm doing research for my thesis, stuff like this should be of great use.
