The Best of Blind Blake [Yazoo]

by Blind Blake

Overview

Little is known about Blind Blake, including the date of his birth and death. His recording career lasted six years, from 1926-1932, and included 79 titles. After this, he disappeared. His music, however, has survived. Blake's a distinguished vocalist, with a steady medium range reminiscent of Big Bill Broonzy. His easy delivery on "Too Tight Blues, No. 2" and "Georgia Bound" is immediately accessible. The ragtime flavor of many of the tunes creates a light and happy blues. Even when the songs occasionally turn bare and graphic, covering everything from suicide to sex to murder, Blake's spry delivery comes off as joyful. There are also a number of ragtime-influenced instrumentals like "Southern Rag," "Blind Arthur's Breakdown," and "West Coast Blues" that feature his complicated guitar work. "Blind Arthur's Breakdown" is a tour de force in ragtime guitar that features complicated fingerpicking and multiple changes in pacing. Blake is accompanied on several cuts by other unidentified musicians, including a harmonica player on "Panther Squall Blues" and vibraphonist on "Doggin' Me Mamma Blues." It would have been helpful to know a little more about these musicians, though this information may not be available. The liner notes provide a good overview of Blake's music and try to sort out the fact and fiction of his scant biography. These recordings have been transferred from 78s, scratches, surface noise, and all. This is particularly noticeable on songs like "Ice Man Blues" and "Guitar Chimes," but both Blake's vocals and guitar picking remain discernable, and it's probably fortunate that these recordings have been preserved at all. With The Best of Blind Blake, Yazoo has released another fine recording of vintage blues. ~Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/24/2000
Label:	Yazoo
UPC:	0016351205827
Rank:	25000

Tracks

1. Southern Rag
2. Georgia Bound
3. Blind Arthur's Breakdown
4. Too Tight Blues, No. 2
5. Dry Bone Shuffle
6. Rope Stretching Blues, Pt. 1
7. Panther Squall Blues
8. Skeedle Loo Doo Blues
9. You Gonna Quit Me Blues
10. Seaboard Stomp
11. No Dough Blues
12. West Coast Blues
13. Depression's Gone from Me Blues
14. Come on Boys, Let's Do That Messin' Around
15. Wabash Rag
16. He's in the Jailhouse Now
17. Diddie Wa Diddie, No. 2
18. Blake's Worried Blues
19. Ice Man Blues
20. Doggin' Me Mama Blues
21. Chump Man Blues
22. Guitar Chimes
23. Early Morning Blues

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Blind Blake   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Richard Nevins   Compilation Producer,Producer,Collection,Remastering
Jimmie Rodgers   Composer
Blind Blake   Composer
Johnny Parth   Composer
Woody Mann   Liner Notes
Sherwin Dunner   Collection
Stephen Calt   Liner Notes
Joe Bussard   Collection
Annalisa Blake   Composer
John Tefteller   Collection
Traditional   Composer
Don Kent   Liner Notes