Who are today's greatest blues artists?

[mrkenny]

Originally Posted by toneguy86

I agree with every one of these. I've seen Anson and Holmstrom and Jr. Watson is one of my very favorites. There is a great live CD with him playing with the Kim Wilson blues band called [I]Smokin Joint. He plays on a big junk of the CD. I'm pretty big on Ronnie Earl as well. His live CD with the broadcasters and the one he did with Jimmy Rogers before he died should be in every blues fan's collection. You mention James Harmon and I agree there too. He's one hell of a harp player too!

Mark

toneguy, Check this out:
YouTube - James Harman and Hollywood Fats - PART1

All the guy's in that clip are feeding off of Fats' energy. The sound is a bit quiet but it's really off the hook, just an amazing groove. There is a part two which is also really good. I must have watched part 1 twenty times, the talent that guy had is nothing short of genius. There are clips of Holstrom and Watson posted on the right as well. Enjoy!

[toneguy86]

Originally Posted by mrkenny

toneguy, Check this out:
YouTube - James Harman and Hollywood Fats - PART1

All the guy's in that clip are feeding off of Fats' energy. The sound is a bit quiet but it's really off the hook, just an amazing groove. There is a part two which is also really good. I must have watched part 1 twenty times, the talent that guy had is nothing short of genius. There are clips of Holstrom and Watson posted on the right as well. Enjoy!

WOW! Harmon is a great singer too! I actually didn't know fats played a big jazzbo box like that (175?). I really wish I could have actually seen him in person.

Oh, BTW, I saw a recent picture of James Harmon and he has a big ZZ Top type beard--or at least he did. Still wearing those cool bowling and Hawaiian shirts though Because of him I started collecting shirts like that for stage wear.

Mark

[Thickfreakness]

The Black Keys.

[armann]

Philip Sayce is awesome.

[treddingjr]

Originally Posted by Thickfreakness

The Black Keys.

No argument there. Attack and Release is an incredible album. (As are the four previous ones - Rubber Factory is my favorite.) Danger Mouse produced it, and while it expands their sound it is still the Black Keys.

I've met Dan on several occasions and seen them three times. Absolutely amazing!!..

(Good place to get a member name - lol)

[dennistruckdriver]

Originally Posted by arcanis494

After the show I saw last night, I'm gonna say Warren Hayes.

H-A-Y-N-E-S

[arcanis494]

excuse my typo...

Sorry to anyone I offended for leaving an N out of a word

[MIDNIGHT]

Joe Bonamassa

[armann]

I have only heard a few Black Keys songs and the word blues doesn't come to mind.

[paulygates]

Originally Posted by armann

I have only heard a few Black Keys songs and the word blues doesn't come to mind.

I only know Rubber Factory but I have seen them live and the word blues springs easily to mind.

[mrkenny]

Originally Posted by toneguy86

WOW! Harmon is a great singer too! I actually didn't know fats played a big jazzbo box like that (175?). I really wish I could have actually seen him in person.

Oh, BTW, I saw a recent picture of James Harmon and he has a big ZZ Top type beard--or at least he did. Still wearing those cool bowling and Hawaiian shirts though Because of him I started collecting shirts like that for stage wear.

Mark

I was fortunate to meet Harmon a few months ago. He did a Harmonica class, I got some face time. great guy.
While surfing the YouTube stuff I came across this guy, Igor Prado. He's from Brazil I believe. Man this guy is something else. Plays a left handed guitar strung right handed. He is, for me, the most interesting player to come along in a long long time.
YouTube - Igor Prado Smokin´ (west coast blues)

[treddingjr]

Originally Posted by armann

I have only heard a few Black Keys songs and the word blues doesn't come to mind.

They are local kids, Akron, Ohio, who played with Pat Sweeney and other area bands until they went to Mississippi and became T-Model Ford's backing band. On the job training. They met him in the morning and were in the band that night. Listen to Chulahoma, their CD of covers to hear the influence.

[hank]

Bonamassa is the real thing. I love his tone.

lp59aholicDon: Please contact me regarding an available ObG SG that is available: f5joep@hotmail.com

Thanks!

[Lester B. Flat]

I'm a big fan of Duke Robillard. If you like your blues to swing, Duke is the man.

[toneguy86]

Originally Posted by treddingjr

They are local kids, Akron, Ohio, who played with Pat Sweeney and other area bands until they went to Mississippi and became T-Model Ford's backing band. On the job training. They met him in the morning and were in the band that night. Listen to Chulahoma, their CD of covers to hear the influence.

I never realized that! I know Pat Sweeney. We have a mutual friend in Kent and ended up playing back to back at a festival one time. Great player and good guy. I never realized the keys were from the same neck of the woods.

Mark

[antei]

How bout the black keys. If the definition of the blues was a little wider, I might be inclined to include Jack White. (I know most wouldn't consider him a blues guitar player... but I do)

[paulygates]

I agree about Jack White. He might not be a traditional blues player but there is definitely blues in his playing.

[LPC60]

Keb' Mo'

YouTube - am i wrong


YouTube - Keb' Mo' - It Hurts Me Too

[Rico]

Coco Montoya

[Big John]

Greatest Unknown....Steve Lefebvre in Yakima, WA. When he plays slide with his old goldtop going through a his cranked Vibroverb, you are instantly transported to 1930's Mississippi Delta. His vibrato is just flat out mean.

[MELVIN]

This is a bit long, so I broke it up into smaller pieces. I intend, over the next few days, to get started on some of the points I have made, specifically with brushing up on my blues history to break up the early blues artists. I would really prefer some concensus was made on criteria before those get edited.











blues bands

[kidmo]

Tab Benoit. A very raw straight into the amp kind of guy. Love his guitar.

YouTube - TAB BENOIT - Drownin' On Dry Land - Egg Harbor,Wi 7/12/2009

YouTube - TAB BENOIT - Drownin' On Dry Land - Egg Harbor,Wi 7/12/2009

[moodyedge]

i duno, I aint really into it anyway.old stuff yeah but i moved on and dont bother with anything recent other than metal..an even most of thats gone all lame.........................stuck

[EasyAce]

I'm giving my nod to Eric Bibb. Pick up his new album, Booker's Guitar (he actually got to play the title track---which he wrote in tribute to Bukka White---on White's actual National steelbody resonator, with which he poses on the cover shot), and you're in for a treat: a man who can play and who can write. Unlike most of the alleged bluesmen of today.

Eric Bibb, "In My Father's House"

Eric Bibb, "In My Father's House"

Eric Bibb, "Booker's Guitar"

Eric Bibb, "Booker's Guitar"

Eric Bibb, "Destiny Blues"

Eric Bibb, "Destiny Blues"

I wouldn't trade this or Keb Mo's stuff for Joe Bonamassa's or Warren Haynes's or Kenny Wayne Shepherd's entire catalogs.

[captainbraindamage]

Kenny Brown.....used to play with RL Burnside.

YouTube - KENNY BROWN shake em on down RL BURNSIDE

YouTube - KENNY BROWN shake em on down RL BURNSIDE

You Tube

You Tube

[blues24]

Originally Posted by Weldaar

Chris Cain. The boy can sing too, you'll swear he black.

I agree 100%...

[ES350]

Well, there's all the West Coast guys (Wilson, Piazza, Lynwood Slim, Watson, Kid Ramos, Holstrum, etc etc). There's some guys in Austin, Dallas, D.C, and in New England...and then there's what's left of Chicago/Detroit.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by Rico

Coco Montoya

+1 to that. I'm surprised it took this long before his name got mentioned.
Tab Benoit (spelling) is another true blues player in my book. Also Keb Mo.

Guys like Haynes, Bonnamassa and Trucks are awesome players but I wouldnt consider them to be true Bluesmen. Trucks maybe but Haynes does so much other stuff than blues.

Did anyone mention James Solberg? (worked with Luther Allison)

I have a feeling the best "blues players" are guys most of us never heard of.

[flquacker]

Robert Cray.....still doing it.

YouTube - Robert Cray - Right Next Door (Blues)

YouTube - Robert Cray - Right Next Door (Blues)

[planks]

So many great ones, here's only a few of what i listen to, they been doing it for many years and are still up there with the best imo.

This guy i have seen live quite a few times over the years, always playing with great passion and energy. Walter Trout..

YouTube - Walter Trout - Red House - April 23, 2010

YouTube - Walter Trout - Red House - April 23, 2010

I was lucky to catch one of his shows here a few years back, and blew me away, hope he will be back soon. Such great tone and feeling in his playing. Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown..

YouTube - Savoy Brown Kim Simmonds

YouTube - Savoy Brown Kim Simmonds

You can say that he's not a 100% Blues player in the sense that he strecthes through different styles and territories in his playing and work, but WHEN he goes into the Blues, he sure does it in a grand way. I was at this show on 11th November, where he did this version of his 'Brush With The Blues'. Jeff Beck..

YouTube - Jeff Beck - Brush with the Blues (Live in Copenhagen, November 11th, 2010)

YouTube - Jeff Beck - Brush with the Blues (Live in Copenhagen, November 11th, 2010)

And no introduction nescessary, a living legend who's been doing it since the '50s, and still as good as they come, Buddy Guy

YouTube - BUDDY GUY 2010 [HD] ~ Hoochie Coochie Man - Live Vernon

YouTube - BUDDY GUY 2010 [HD] ~ Hoochie Coochie Man - Live Vernon