Customer Reviews

Story of the Blues

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first bought this as an 2-disc album back in 1973, and was fascinated by these early blues artists. Back at the time, this type of music was virtually unknown unless you were an old folkie or bluesman. I had bought Robert Johnson's album before this, but this was a revelation. It includes iconic blues artists from the 20's and 30's like Leadbelly, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charlie Patton, Blind Willie McTell, Bessie Smith plus many other lesser knowns that were hot back in the day, like Barbeque Bob and Laughing Charlie,Butterbeans & Susie, Bertha "Chippy" Hill, or the Mississippi Jook Band, which in 1936 recorded "Dangerous Woman", a rollicking barrelhouse piano number that has been considered by some to be the first rock and roll record (notice the boogie pattern of the piano which has early rock structure). Well, when I got rid of my old LP's, I tried for a long time to find in on CD, and I finally did in 2004 and was surprised to see it had been updated to include twice as many songs up to the modern era of Janis Joplin, Keb Mo, Muddy Waters, Santana and more. If you really want to get a full historical spectrum of blues music, this is the one. I actually enjoy the older stuff better because it brings back memories of that old LP, which I wore out. Plus the older stuff is weirder with more hokum and wild sounds. But,this is a must for any blues or roots music fan!

The original LP collection is the true winner because it delivers on its title. It really tells a "story" of the blues. I don't think THE story exists, but that tonal tale is one of the most compelling I know. Another fine one, still only available on LP, is second album of "Jazz," a 10-volume set put out by Smithsonian. This second album, entitled "The Blues," tells a story just as amazingly as this one, and there is no overlap of songs! Side 2 begins with what for my money is the finest blues instrumental ever waxed: Jimmy Yancey's 1940 performance of his "How Long Blues."

The trouble is, as others have pointed out, the listed tracks on this CD are not the ones found on the LP. The original vinyl LP story is fabulous. BOTH CD re-issues are stinkers.

When the CD revolution came, all the companies promised that all the great vinyl music would be translated as a matter of course.

HA! What a farce. Tons of great music was left behind as if it never happened, just because the artists were not tip-top famous. Or, as has happened here, brilliant original collections are ripped to shreds just to include more "modern" (read "popular with a younger audience") examples.

Now we have two "Story of the Blues" CDs - and neither one tells a story worth a damn.

I'm glad I disbelieved those digital prophets. I still have my turntable and amp...and vinyl. So I can still hear the story.

Shame on you, Life Times and Music, for destroying what was once a marvelous achievement. I recall writing you with thanks and praise for the original LP. Why can't you, and so many others, trust us when we say we love a thing? Shame on you.

Bought this in the early '70s in a slightly different form and was knocked out. This music, especially the real early stuff, was unfamiliar to me and the variety of styles and subgenres of blues on this two record set was a revelation. I nearly wore out my LP copy. Went looking for the CD version and found that it has been updated/expanded to include British Invasion and New Blues (my term) artists. That's both good and bad. While I love Jeff Beck and Stevie Ray Vaughn and welcome their inclusion, why did the chroniclers have to cut my favorite song on the whole damn thing. I'm speaking, my boy, of the Elmore James classic "Sunnyland". This rockin' slide guitar number features Elmore at his peak with his trademark crying vocals and a thumping backup band. If you want to hear this little gem, I suggest you buy "Shake Your Moneymaker" by Elmore James (which also includes the screamer "Look on Yonders Wall"). There's a slow version of "Sunnyland" on "The Early Years" collection which I don't like nearly as much. But I digress. "The Story of the Blues" remains a fine collection and well worth the money.

What a great introduction to the blues! I had this on vinyl in the 80's and then foolishly sold it and every other record. There was a volume 2, and it wasn't the bonus tracks found here. Maybe we'll see that one day too. The cover of my version was totally different to this. Well done to whoever initated this re-issue.

Length:: 1:40 Mins

For what it's worth.

Many of the tracks on this excellent two CD set originated on a CBS double album which I bought in the UK about forty years ago, and which I still have. It accompanied a book of the same name by Paul Oliver, and traces the development of American blues over four decades, plus a bit of tribal music from Ghana. Three of the tracks from the vinyl recording I have are missing - by Otis Spann, Elmore James and Johnny Shines - but there are a number of additional tracks by artists such as Taj Mahal, Dylan and Janis Joplin, which make up for that.
I thoroughly recommend this as an comprehensive introduction to the blues - and a delight to existing blues fans.

Raj Kothari