Today

Skip James | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 26, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Vanguard Records
• ASIN: B000000EJ1
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,603 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #92 in Music > Blues > Piano Blues

Track Listings

1. Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues

2. Crow Jane

3. Washington D.C. Hospital Center Blues

4. Special Rider Blues

5. Drunken Spree

6. Cherryball

7. How Long Blues

8. All Night Long

9. Cypress Grove Blues

10. Look Down the Road

11. My Gal

12. I'm So Glad

Editorial Reviews

From Grove Press Guide to Blues on CD

The tone, spirit, and feeling of Nehemiah "Skip" James's country blues evokes an aura of haunting augustness. After decades of self-willed obscurity, the Mississippian resurfaced for the 1964 Newport Folk Festival and a few recording sessions, the most invocatory of which were done for Vanguard. The songs on the marvelous Today! find a self-respecting and sensitive black American being completely true to himself, using a feyly tuned guitar and a heart-stopping high tenor to give emotional cogency to his lyrics on life in an unforgiving, merciless prewar Mississippi. Two numbers have him spiritedly playing a piano with characteristic eccentricity. -- © Frank John Hadley 1993

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One Of His Best, July 3, 2000

By 

"jackback" (Orlando, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Today (Audio CD)

Clear, crisp modern recordings of the spooky, mysterious style of Blues Skip James developed early last century. His guitar playing is perfect. His high haunting voice floats and then holds and makes the hair on the back of your neck crawl. His piano playing is unpredictable yet concise. His unique style, which recorded earlier in his life (1930) sounded almost archaic (positively so), now sounds strangely modern due to the increased fidelity of the magnetic tape used for the recording. An unusual and original talent, Skip James was one of the best.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars so glad I get it, December 18, 2005

By 

G Zus (Estonia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Today (Audio CD)

I`ve heard recordings from early 30`s and newer recording from 60`s. But this one is the best. Really... Perfect. I guess. Those few tracks on piano... You have to listen it yourself.
Once again he proved he is the best.
U can`t describe it with words. You can do it only through music. . . .

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the very best acoustic blues albums of all-time., April 13, 2007

By 

fluffy, the human being. (forest lake, mn) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Today (Audio CD)

i have heard all the recorded works of skip james, and would say that this is his best album. his unique and haunting vocals, and beautifully original style of guitar picking, are presented here on his strongest set of songs. "hard times killing floor blues," "crow jane," "cypress grove," and "i'm so glad," are as good as rural blues gets. this is glorious, stunning music. stark, creative, stuff to move the soul. this is an absolute must for all blues collections.