Picked up a cd on the road by the Eelco Gelling band never heard of them but for a pound out of shelter its pretty good, check them out on spotify

Ta. Always good to get suggestions.
In return check out Popa Chubby.

I’m enjoying that. Thanks! 😊 Will check out Popa later.

Blues? It’s a huge genre. Start with Robert Johnson and continue to current artistes. Inbetween times you can argue about who was/is the best guitar player in the world.

Not sure if I’ve seen Popa Chubby – my mate definitely has and he’s dragged me along to various gigs.

Recent people we’ve seen – Jonny Lang, Walter Trout, Kris Barras triple header. Keb Mo’ at the Union Chapel, solo acoustic, brilliant show. King King in Camden. Joanne Shaw Taylor in Reading. In the past, BB King, Buddy Guy, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown (by chance, in Buddy Guys club), Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Aynsley Lister, Philip Sayce… um, bunch of others at festivals.

The advantage of liking blues is the gigs are cheap and in small venues! Except for Joe B. Seen him a few times over the years but now he’s £100+ a ticket and playing larger places I doubt I’ll go again.

It was a bit of a surprise to hear a KWS cover on the recent Five Finger Death Punch album.

Most of the blues folk i like are dead althoug Robert Cray still heads to Edinburgh, Popa chubby I’d never heard of him either. Trying to link a BB King Gary Moore playing thrill is gone but it’s not happening. Luther Allison anothe dead one I’ve been listening to

Inbetween times you can argue about who was/is the best guitar player in the world

Oooh, I know this one!
It’s Magic Sam…..🙂

It’s not just blues guitarists – alive or dead; harmonica and piano are blues staples.
You could spend days following youtube links….and will feel much better for it!
My absolute favourite musical genre.

I still reckon Peter Green takes some beating. Not flashy but great style.

SRV was pretty good if not one of the best and Hendrix blues playing often gets overlooked which was brilliant.

It’s not just blues guitarists – alive or dead; harmonica and piano are blues staples.

Very much so and have to say that Paul Butterfield was a brilliant harmonica player. Here he is, playing “Walkin’ Blues” with Carlos Santana and Elvin Bishop.

I think I’ve posted this vid before, but Son House is like, incredible

Best blues guitarist ..that’s easy the answer is Paul Kossoff..

Recent people we’ve seen – Jonny Lang, Walter Trout, Kris Barras triple header. Keb Mo’ at the Union Chapel, solo acoustic, brilliant show. King King in Camden. Joanne Shaw Taylor in Reading. In the past, BB King, Buddy Guy, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown (by chance, in Buddy Guys club), Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Aynsley Lister, Philip Sayce… um, bunch of others at festivals.

The advantage of liking blues is the gigs are cheap and in small venues! Except for Joe B. Seen him a few times over the years but now he’s £100+ a ticket and playing larger places I doubt I’ll go again.

It was a bit of a surprise to hear a KWS cover on the recent Five Finger Death Punch album.

Would love to see Buddy Guy! I can tick off BB King and Aynsley Lister a good few times. KWS is brilliant, been listening to him for donkey’s years and his was the last gig I went to. £100 for JB, wow and lucky to have seen him several times.

Rory Gallagher took some beating. Peter Green, too. Plus, even though he is an arsehole and deeply unfashionable, Eric Clapton ain’t half bad ….

I cant take to Clapton and Cream. Listen to Cream doing ‘I’m So Glad’ then listen to Skip James scratchy version from 1931. IMO if you prefer Cream’s version then you dont get the blues.

This is the blues track that’s currently giving me goose bumps.

Paul Kossoff????
Free didn’t play blues; they were a 70’s rock band.
Two English greats – Dave Kelly and his dead sister Jo-Anne.
Try the original version of When the levee breaks by Kansas Joe McCoy & Memphis Minnie.
Strong tradition of black american women in the blues – try Big Mama Thornton, Ma Rainey, Sister Rosetta Tharpe for starters; all dead.
Great shout by DezB for Son House.
I like Lightnin’ Hopkins, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Skip James – also all dead.
Then in a different style – Magic Sam, Big Bill Broonzy, Howlin’ Wolf.
Statesboro Blues by Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder is great; sticking with Cooder, Vigilante Man.
Mustn’t forget John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters.
Little Walter was one of the great blues harmonica players.
As for blues piano – where to start? Pinetop Perkins was probably the godfather; Otis Spann played with Sister Rosetta; Professor Longhair from New Orleans.

Really hooked into the blues about 13 years ago via a young local lad, Oli Brown, heard a track on Paul Jones one evening and looked him up. When I looked at my musical interest over the years the blues were heavily represented anyhow but mostly in my rock favorites (Led Zeppelin, Whitesnake, Clapton etc). But Oli led me on to Ron Sayer (who taught Oli to play), Aynsley Lister, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Chantelle McGregor, Brothers Groove, Temperance Movement, King King and more!

Saw JB at UEA, around 07/08 great seeing him in a small venue but also saw him at Newark ‘Celebrating British Blues’ gig a couple of years ago on a VIP ticket which was equally impressive!

Paul Kossoff????
Free didn’t play blues; they were a 70’s rock band.

Well on the basis that a great deal of 70s rock was blues based…

Johnny Winter early playing before digital, loops and pedals.
He actually played a twelve string electric guitar but with only six strings (?).

Alvin Lee and Ten Years After again early recordings. Is it blues who knows but if you like sixteeth notes hammered out loud he is yer man?

Good answer slowoldman..as mentioned by someone earlier in the thread ..there are many different aspects to “the blues”..and Kossoff falls into the blues rock category..( just the same as Bonamassa does these days )..you obviously haven’t listened to a lot of music by Free ( Mr.Conway ) if you think their albums aren’t blues based ..
Saw Joe B ..back in 2008 at what was then the Carling Academy Newcastle ..paid £15.00 ( still have the ticket stub )

“There’s only two kinds of music: the blues and zippety doo-dah”-Townes Van Zandt

My first JB was Cornbury 2008. Eric Bibb was also playing there, but I really went for Half Man Half Biscuit (where the opening line of the gig was “Andy Schleck, outside bet”).

I started listening to blues when I was about 16-17. Muddy Waters, then John Lee Hooker, Elmore James, Robert Johnson, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy. Lots of cheap blues CD compilations followed so Son House, Lightnin’ Hopkins etc. Then the more modern stuff – i.e. people who weren’t dead and you could go and see.

First Keb Mo’ gig was at a blues festival (Bishopstoke ’99, isn’t the internet great?) – Buddy Guy was on the bill too. Robert Cray played on the Friday but I have a vague feeling John Lee Hooker was meant to come over but was ill and cancelled. We didn’t bother with the Sunday… I’d never heard of Taj Mahal (big Doh!).

I’ve seen Robert Cray a bunch of times but he doesn’t do it for me at all – my mate and Ms Beej both really like him so I get dragged along. The most indulgent thing I’ve ever done was fly to Chicago for the weekend just to see Keb Mo’, though that was the trip we went to Buddy Guy’s club and saw “Gatemouth”.

I’m working from home so I think today will be an old scratchy blues day!

Walter Trout is playing at the Queen Hall in Edinburgh this Friday coming and its a good wee venue

Walter Trout is good live, good to see him back on the road after a serious illness. Go catch him if you can

I don’t claim to be an expert but I collected this series for a while and still dip into the CDs from time to time

https://www.discogs.com/lists/The-Blues-Collection/25834

got a few other things hanging around too

It’s funny how the Blues was adopted by middle class white English boys in the 60’s, isn’t it? From Alexis Korner and John Mayall, through Clapton, Peter Green, Jeff Beck et al. To say the Cream didn’t ‘do’ Blues correctly is missing the point – they weren’t a blues band, they were a rock/psychedelic/pop band and bloody good, too. Only Clapton was a blues fan, Jack bruce and Ginger Baker had jazz backgroundo is. At least Cream acknowledged where they borrowed their songs from – certain other 60’s icons just stole the music, changed a few notes and/or words and put their names to them. Led Zeppelin being the prime offenders. Even ‘Whole Lotta Love’ – stolen from the Small Faces who had in turn borrowed it from someone else. By the way, Steve Marriott for best British blues/rock vocalist ever?

Try Henry’s funeral shoe…

Like George b and the bluesy side of as top mixed with this Gilbert

Otis Taylor. His live version of ‘hey joe’ is awesome.

I’m really surprised that while artist like Oli Brown, Joanne Shaw Taylor & The Kris Barras Band have been mentioned ..nobody has given this bloke a shout out ..currently the cream of the crop in my book ..
Gary Clark Jr.
Grinder..from a few years back

So glad to see so many blues fans!

Some absolute legends already mentioned in the thread such as Muddy, Son House and BB. Give Murali Coryell a try, Louisiana Red, SRV and John Mayer Trio to name a few.

Lousiana Red – Driftin’

I don’t get the love for Joe B, such a cliche. Surprised nobodys mentioned RL Burnside.

Have to admit, it took me a few times over a couple of years to warm to JB but it was some of his early stuff I eventually took a liking to, together with his subtle blending of Dazed & Confused on ‘Live from nowhere inparticular’, his acoustic stuff is also pretty impressive too.

Roy Buchannan, RL Burneside,Robin trower blues is not just blues music

Forgot to mention the Blues Kitchen podcast. Not just blues but they play some fantastic music. Weekly podcast about 40-45 mins long, they play full songs not just clips. The chat can be a bit cringey at times but not too bad.

Surprised no mention of T Bone Walker so far – such a great understated guitar style, brilliant vocalist and huge influence on the genre.

And +1 for Peter Green on guitar. BB King said he was the only blues guitarist who made him sweat.

Blind Willie McTell with the original (?) version of Statesboro Blues.

Then Taj Mahal’s version with Ry Cooder on slide.

A blues rock version by the Allman Brothers.

Moving away from Statesboro – Canned Heat Boogie by…..Canned Heat.

And for the Rory fans, McAvoy Boogie – not exactly blues but lovely slide playing.

For the blues harmonica fans – Mark Feltham, nine below zero and others.

Off to catch up with the politics now.

Enjoy!