I just came across an unbelievably good blues channel on YouTube. The mother lode.
Here's the kind of blues I was grooving on back in NYC in the mid-1980s. Albert Collins came through once or twice a year. This captures the feeling of being in the room. Put on headphones, pour a drink, and enjoy.
If you watch the entire video, you'll have an irreplaceable lesson on the blues. I was incredibly lucky to have seen most of the players, live. This is why those of us who came up during that period feel that there's something lacking in today's blues scene. People like Otis Rush, Junior Wells, Sam Myers, and Ruth Brown had come up in the 1950s and were carrying all that energy into the 80's.
I grew up on it too and was fortunate and rambunctious enough to see lots of this. Sam and Anson at 34:00, oh yeah. Yeah, things don't often seem to get quite so real these days. And it ain't just cause we're old. Sometimes I put Louisiana Blues on by myself.
I got to see Anson before he hooked up with Sam, first time with Darryl Nulisch. Later with Sam. Several times around Dallas. Definitely old school. Sam ran TWO '59 Bassman amps. He was royalty as far as I could tell. Not quite related but I got to see SRV at a joint in Dallas just before he took off. About 20 people in the place, and it's true, he was so loud. I remember watching him and wondering how anyone could ever play harp with him. Obvious answer, pretty much nobody ever did! Caught a show with Howlin' Wolf in the mid 70's, in Toronto. His fingers were so shredded he relied on other guitarists and sang and blew harp instead. He was there by himself for a big international folk fest.
I missed pretty much the rest of those early guys. My first real concert was in '73, J. Geils Band with Magic Dick. Saw Buddy Guy in about '98. Total hot dog licks, never finished a song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6-PAKOt7sM ---------- Music and travel destroy prejudice.
Growing up in new zealand we obviously didn't get a chance to see many of the blues greats live. Muddy did tour here in 68/69. The Venue the organiser booked them into was,wait for it, the city's YMCA Gymnasium!No alcohol and at two in the afternoon.. They looked seriously perplexed and sorta amused at the same time. Still delivered the goods though.Harp player was Sam Myers.
Do u think they were having fun--The smiles from the players have enough energy to light up a city.
I laugh when people say " u can't dance to the blues" Look at the people in the audience, they cant sit still. Being a guitar player as well, I marvel at left handed players who play a right handed guitar, left handed, with the bass strings on the bottom. How the Heck?????
I think Blues fans are unique people---I dig being one, Playing as one and hanging out with them. When I go to a blues event, I like everyone, the hippie guy,dancin in front of stage--the people swaying back n forth--the occasional, well dressed couple ---everybody The video put me a great mood
@jbone - Bummer for you. When Buddy is feeling it, he is as deep as anyone. The last time that I saw him, he was opening for BB King. It was an incredible performance and experience.
@Joe L- I know, one of Jolene's favorite albums from him was with Junior. Alone and Acoustic. And earlier stuff was somehow more palatable. He and Bonnie Raitt did one titled "Feels Like Rain" that we actually cover. Buddy has been around a long time. ---------- Music and travel destroy prejudice.
I’ve seen BG twice in last 6 years which is pretty good strike rate considering where I live. In Melbourne 2014, with Musselwhite and Mr James Cotton also on the bill, Buddy Guy did the hot dog show. He was mr entertainment. I did not mind. He was engaging and connecting with the audience. Yes, he did not play any songs, but it was still cool. Besides, I’d already seen James Cotton and that was not only unexpected but I had not been prepared for my emotional response to that and I was basically satisfied already. I’d gone to see Buddy. James and Charlie had not been advertised at the time I booked, but if Buddy Guy had not turned up I would have still gone away satisfied.
Next time I saw Buddy Guy was in NOLA at Jazzfest 2018. Totally different show. He played complete songs. Maybe because it was a different audience. I’m glad I got to see two sides of Buddy Guy.
Went to a Jefferson Airplane concert (Vancouver) in the mid 60's and Muddy Waters was the opening act. Still have the harmonica bought the next day. Then the CBC did a blues show in Toronto in 1966 that is worth watching. https://www.cbc.ca/television/fromthevaults/the-day-the-blues-came-to-town-1.4903425
I have seen buddy guy 4 or 5 times......he never did an encore but he certainly did not disappoint......saw him with 5 blind boys of alabama as opening act.....while buddy was on the lights went off except for buddy....then the lights came on 5 blind boys singing little red rooster while buddy went into the crowd and wailed away on his wireless guitar
What harp I grew up on,were schools of style, Sonny Terry, Sonny boy Williamson2, and Little Walter...In the late 60`s ,most harp players were in one or all those schools of Blues Harp.And all the fellow harp players I knew were doing study on one or all 3 schools...Assimilate is the main of learning and passing on the knowledge ,like a language.
Joe_L, That BBK and Buddy Guy thing wasn't at the Masonic maybe 7 or 8 years ago? Just curious. I was there. I've seen BG many times over the years, that night he was switched on high.
---------- ~Buzadero Underwater Janitor, Patriot MBH poseur since 11Nov2008
