He was a philosopher of the blues.

I'm TELLING YOU, MAN, the wold is a place."

"Say, the world is a place, huh."

"That's just what I'm saying."

We were walking back to the car after dinner in Hyde Park, and Johnnie was in an expansive mood. He often got like this, expecially after a good meal and wine. The first time I met him, when he was still working with a downtown civic group, he had started explaining the relationship between jazz and Eastern religion, then swerved into an analysis of black women's behinds, before coming to a stop on the subject of federal Reserve Bank policy. In such moments his eyes would grow wide; his voice would speed up; his round, bearded face would glow with a childlike wonder. That was part of the reason I'd hired Johnnie, I suppose, that curiosity of his, his appreciation of the absurd. He was a philosopher of the blues.

Chapter thirteen, Dreams from My Father - Barack Obama

Blues Guitarist: Robert Cray

I don't believe that I have ever posted anything about Robert Cray. Which is a shame, becaue I really like him a lot. He is on my list of favorite living gutar players.

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The Robert Cray Band Official Website

Robert Cray's MySpace page.

Blues Video Player

I've been trying to figure out how to share all the blues videos that I have on my blues playlist. I think I have it figured out. See the player below.

Sylvester Weaver blues guitarist

Andy Stahl hosts a short film on the significance of Sylvester Weaver - the first man to record blues guitar.

Blues Art: Muddy Smiles

Muddy Smile 2007 Giclee Print

Jacobs, Reesa


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Introducing Prin's Blues Page

My online friend Prin, has created a new Blues Page. She is a big fan of the blues and loves to share her knowledge of the blues, as well as the latest news of about blues musicians.

Please go by and check out her new blog "Prin's Blues Page." Like me she is a prolific bloger and has many other interesting and cool blogs that you might like to read.

Taj Mahal's Web Site

Taj Mahal, who is one of my favorite living bluesmen, has got his web site Taj Blues.com set up for the celibration of his 40th anniversary. The man has had a good run, so far.

You can check out his photos, videos and he has a cool embeded music player that I have been jamming to for the last couple of days. It plays the following tunes;

Juke Joints at the LOC

The Library of Congress has a Flickr account. Who knew? Well since I found out I have been spending all my free time looking at scans of pictures from the 30's and 40's.

Check out these cool pictures of Juke Joints from back in the day.

From Random House:
"Juke joint (or jook joint) is the vernacular term for an informal establishment featuring blues music, dancing, and alcoholic drinks, primarily operated by African American people in the southeastern United States. The term "juke" is believed to derive from the Gullah word joog, meaning rowdy or disorderly."

Click on image to see larger picture


Click on image to see larger picture


Click on image to see larger picture

Top 10 Blues Harmonica Players

I wrote this post a couple of years ago, my mind has not really changed over that time, but I thought I would report it with links to Amazon.com this time. Enjoy, debate and let me know what you think of my list.

Here is my list of my top 10 favorite blues harmonica players. In loose order, the people listed below #6 can change depending on my mood, the first five guys are set in stone in my opinion. Feel free to leave me a comment with your top 10 favorites.

01. Sonny Boy Williamson II
02. Little Walter
03. Sonny Terry
04. Junior Wells
05. Sonny Boy Williamson I
06. Jimmy Reed
07. James Cotton
08. Charlie Musselwhite
09. Sugar Blue
10. Big Walter Horton

file under;
blues, harmonica

Steve Ray Vaughan Albert King BB King - The Sky is Crying

A good friend sent me this link. I had not seen a clip of these three great guitar players together at the same time.