Customer Reviews

Back to the Crossroads: The Roots of Robert Johnson

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This CD is meant as a companion piece to the book "Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues" written by Elijah Wald.

The book is a scholarly investigation into the various musical, cultural, and business/economic influences that comprised the world in which Robert Johnson (RJ) created his music and his landmark recordings.

Elijah Wald's research suggests RJ was not the tortured artist recluse who single-handedly invented the Delta Blues. Rather, Wald suggests - with full respect for the talent and genious of the man - Robert Johnson was a talented and skilled entertainer of the time who listened to and mastered many of the diverse contemporary music styles of his time - and then he created his own songs echoing these popular styles. The legacy this single artist provided in a very short number of years is truly amazing.

One listen to this CD and Elijah's Wald premise is clarified. The similarities of music (and occasional sharing of lyrics - not uncommon for the time or genre) is obvious, and each song on this CD can easily be related to one of Robert Johnson's masterworks created several years later. This truly is a fabulous collection of Robert Johnson influences and by itself is a very listenable compilation of popular music contemporary to Robert Johnson.

To the casual fan of Robert Johnson's music, this CD is a great addition to your collection, as it provides additional tracks of music quite similar to the beloved Johnson songs. To the true acoustic Blues enthusiast, the CD coupled with the book provides a wonderful combination of insite to the music of the time.

This CD is one of my desert island choices. It introduces the music of Kokomo Arnold, Peetie Wheatstraw and other great artists rarely heard today --- they were able to make a lot of music with unrefined instruments. The voices are wonderful - expressive and sometimes funny. This isn't just a CD for the scholarly - it's a find to be listened to over and over. Incredible slide guitar - listen for Kokomo's shoutouts.