Customer Reviews

Son House & Bukka White - Masters of the Country Blues

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After viewing this DVD several times I will say that I am not only impressed with Son House the musician, but also with the man.

The mumbled monologues and inaudible introductions by Son House almost made me feel sorry for him, not in a negative way, but in a way that I wanted to do something for him, to help him have more courage. The more I viewed him and was able to decipher the words I realized his forthrightness in speaking this way to an audience who was so foreign to him and I was overwhelmed with his honesty and sincerity.

The music itself is spellbinding and reaches the very heart and soul of an open-minded listener. The beat he taps with his shoe while playing creates an almost otherwordly aura around this music that I believe to be of the deepest expression men have ever conveyed through sound. This beat is at the root of all popular music today, although this expression is unparalleled. How is it that an uneducated man from an oppressed group of people can be so wise and able to communicate through music this wisdom? He had true wisdom which doesn't come from knowledge, it comes from truth, or as House puts it, "from above."

All this I gathered from his monologues but I don't want to take away from the pure simplicity of Son House's music. Yet it is hard for me to understand the music, being a white man in another world from House, separated in this regard but united as men. I can see the lines on his face and the pure humanity of his words and I struggle to understand the deep expression of his music and my love for it.

Son House had quit playing the guitar completely for years and was working regular jobs when he was rediscovered by men with an interest in exploring America's musical direction and preserving the blues.

Anyone with similar motives should look into this DVD, or anyone that simply loves the blues. The segments of Bukka White are a testimony to his influence and greatness. This is the blues at it's raw core, without electricity or accompaniment, gloriously simple but simply glorious!

In this age of technology, there's mass media, quick entertainment and television politicians, it's hard to know just who or what to believe anymore. Listen to the words of Son House, "I love a snake if I wasn't scared of him, but I can't trust him. Somebody said the snake that lays an egg ain't poisonous, but I don't trust none of 'em, I don't care how many eggs he lay..."

This is a transfer to video of an old TV program. Son House and Bukka White perform before a live Seattle studio audience.

Both are excellent, of course, but Son House's time on stage is something strange and special. After finishing a blues number he'll get to his feet, shakily lay his guitar down, and perform an unaccompanied spiritual. But before he starts he delivers odd mumbled monologues - alomost inaudable - about how he hasn't left God, he is still pious even though he sings the blues, etc. The audience doesn't know quite what to make of all this. Son House was a man with a lot on his mind.

Blues does not get any more genuine than this! These are black-and-white performances, filmed in Seattle in 1965, showing both Son House and Booker White(by all accounts he hated being referred to as "Bukka") at the height of their powers.

Son plays his two best songs, "Death Letter Blues" and "Preachin' the Blues", as well as two a capella gospel numbers. It's incredible to watch his transformation from a frail, shy older man(during his introductions to the songs) to a raging, masterful performer, pounding his National guitar and singing like you've never heard anyone sing before.

Booker's set is a bit longer, opening with his anthem "Aberdeen, Mississippi". Younger than Son, he tears through the performance at full throttle, singing in a gravelly voice and strumming propulsively(the train-like momentum is THE hallmark of Booker's music). The highlights for me are "Mama Don't Allow" and "Poor Boy"...I'm in heaven when I hear songs like this.

Interestingly, the small audience(you don't see them, but it's evident that only a handful of people are present) applauds Son, but not Booker. I've always wondered why this was. At any rate, get this DVD! If you're a country blues fan and you haven't seen it, you're really missing out.

This is old blues, as close to first generation as you can get on film. Two different styles both very emotional. Son House gives an emotional performance but his performance is too short. I would have loved to seen more by him but there is only so much film of these old players. His conversation about his life during his performance (though limited) gives good insight to his personality and his perspective of life. That alone is worth watching the video.

Bukka White's performance is also excellent. No one quite plays and sings like Bukka. He has a driving style of playing and a voice like none other. One song is done on a piano, which shows a different aspect of Bukka, which I was not aware of before. I've seen two films of Bukka and this one is the best. The funny thing is that Bukka White looks quite serious in the filming but actually has quite a sense of humor and is a funny storyteller. You get more of an idea of his personality through his recorded conversations about reflections of Charley Patton and his telling the funny story of Mixed Water, both which can be found on his recordings.

If you love blues then this film gets you as close to what you would have seen in their time. If you are a blues player, then there are good close up shots of both players and how they are playing.

This is the first footage I ever saw of either Son House or Bukka White, and it nearly knocked me over! Being familiar with many of the songs these monolithic figures of Delta blues typically perform, it was a near religious experience to see them performing favourites like Death Letter Blues, John the Revelator, Preachin' the Blues, Aberdeen Mississippi Blues, and Poor boy. While I wasn't quite as familiar with some of the other material, it proved equally stunning; from Son House sermonizing between songs, to Bukka White playing the piano for one track. Moreover, as characters both people are highly fascinating to watch, particularly in response to being filmed and placed in front of a television audience. Son House seems simultaneously bemused and bewildered, while White uses the opportunity to really strut his stuff. After having seen numerous other films of these artists, this one holds up as one of the best: They are not yet so aged that their skills have depleted, and Bukka's playing in particular is fiercer and less resigned than any other performance I've seen of his. So the verdict; if you have any interest in these artists, and like me were not yet alive to see them perform, this is your best chance. Also, if you enjoy this and are looking for other great Delta/country blues videos, "Devil Got My Woman" is a superb document of these artists plus Skip James, Howlin' Wolf and Rev. Pearly Brown playing in a juke joint setting. Also, the series "Masters of Country Blues" has proven rewarding time and time again. This is your chance to see some legendary bluesmen in stunning live performances, what more could you ask for?

just watching the right hand of son house moving up and down chilled me to the bone. that's the only reason i want to own this dvd. to cheer me up when i'm blue.

Bukka White needs a whole review on his own great merit.. SON HOUSE, only the great Charlie Patton should be mentioned in the same sentence regarding known recorded music. His performance on this DVD is other worldly. This is not jive, take note of the atmosphere that will take over the room your playing this DVD, there is no question he is in full controll of his guitar which seems only a conduit to Son House's controlled thrashings. Take note steel body guitar players.. if your new to steel body type O, start with this DVD, you will see what may sound like "how'd he do that?" is actually in many cases just how it happened that time. Son was always torn between being a preacher and a bluesman, the poor soul felt terrible guilt believing he had chosen the devils music over the preachings of GODS words. Between tunes, i swear i feel as if i smoked a bone, he starts talking about GOD and the blues., at one point he places down his well worn guitar with the softness one would handle a baby and sings with no guitar "JOHN THE REVALATOR" The most modern blues i hear/perform is Elmore James.. if you are a flat pickin blues performer that does modern blues, go back to the well, watch and listen to this man recorded by John Lomax for the Library of Congress, the man that taught MUDDY WATERS his craft, the man who Robert Johnson spent hours watching, it is truely ashame that Charlie Patton abused his body and died at and early age, had he been filmed, the comlpete well of recorded music would be seen/heard.. and Bukka White... This is a 10 star DVD, may take you aback at first but thats just your emotions reacting to the heart wrenching blues when people of color vented there emotions through song.

They don't make this music anymore... Gutwrenching blues. Son House's throaty vocals and Bukka White's guitar are great examples of this uniquely American musical genre. House's original "John the Revelator" is the star of his set, and is later reintroduced to popular audiences in Blues Brothers 2000. None of Bukka White's songs stand out on their own - it's a virtuoso continuation from one to the next.

This is a great viewing and listening for any Blues afficianado. (& Perhaps a lesson for students of Country and Rock 'n Roll too)

Ok, I bought this specifically to see Son House. He plays a couple songs, sings and claps a couple of songs and talks some about odd things. I love Son House.
The rest is Bukka White. I'm not particularly a fan of Bukka White, his music is too busy, has no rests at all between notes. BUT it's exactly what it is advertised as, and Bukka White fans will love it even more than I.

this is a very special veiwing!honest,raw,moving! Son house was the man!