These lessons detail tunes by willie brown, tommy johnson, and mississippi john hurt. However, there isnt a single source that traces the entire arc of the delta blues from its absolute origins at the turn of the century, through the era of the classic blues singers of the 20s and 30s. Delta blues slide guitar is a complete guide to the techniques and music of bottleneck acoustic blues a genre that can be traced back over 100 years to the mississippi delta. And the reason is that it is a valuable collection of solos by players like charley patton, son house, willie brown, robert johnson, and others. Discography section from both the 1969 and 1988 printings. Jul 26, 2018 delta blues slide guitar new book out now. The delta blues museum was established in 1979 by the carnegie public library board of trustees and reorganized as a standalone museum in 1999, the delta blues museum is mississippis oldest music museum and the nations first museum dedicated to the american art form known as the blues. List of books and articles about blues music online. It has been 70 years since robert johnsons death and 25 since muddy waterss. The early masters of american blues series provides the unique opportunity to study the true roots of modern blues.
The mississippi delta produced a sound distinct from that of texas. Over the 1920s and 1930s, country blues, delta blues and memphis blues originated out of their respective areas, employing various instruments and differing sounds. He created an essential body of blues guitar music, recording 29 songs in 1936 and 1937 that would exert a powerful influence on the likes of eric clapton, jimi hendrix, keith richards, johnny winter and. He covers the major blues men and discusses each of their contributions to blues music as well as anecdotes about their life. In delta blues lessons you will study the most used chords in the delta blues and the most common rhythmic variations. Blues standards come from different eras and styles, such as ragtimevaudeville, delta and country blues, and urban styles from chicago and the west coast. Delta blues foreword of delta blues written by morgan freeman.
It originated in the mississippi delta, a region of the u. Atlanta had a very popular style that seems to have been confined to that city. This collection of short fiction captures both the art of the tale and the power of the blues, and is a nod at the human condition that often inspires musicians to write and sing the blues. Mel bay the mississippi delta of the 1920s1940s was a treasure chest of powerful blues performances. New orleans was a popular center for jazz, especially in the 1920s. A dollar donation for every book sold will be given to the rock river foundation, a charity dedicated to helping the arts and literacy in the delta. Author robert palmer, a little rock, arkansas native, served as the chief popmusic critic for the new york times and became a frequent contribute to rolling stone, atlantic monthly, and other publications. Robert leroy johnson may 8, 1911 august 16, 1938 was an american blues singer, songwriter and musician. The blues grew out of the plantations and prisons, the swampy marshes a. The stories here take place in the mississippi delta, and directly or peripherally they all involve the blues. It is located in the center of town in the historical district within easy walking distance to several points of interest. Stefan grossmans delta blues guitar book discography.
Sep 11, 2019 delta blues giant robert johnson may 8, 1911 august 16, 1938 is one of the most fascinating and mysterious performers in music history. The delta blues museum founder purchased the illinois central railroad passenger depot via a federal grant to save it from demolition and restored it. At the time of his death in 1938, however, johnson was only one of numerous excellent blues guitar players making a name for themselves down in the mississippi delta. He also shines a light on some of the lesser known blues singers and. Ted gioias thoughtful book traces the lives and works of american blues musicians from the mississippi delta.
Selected by the economist as one of the best books of 2008 destined to be. Shop online at the delta blues museum, clarksdale ms. In this lesson, well look at a slowpaced delta blues style number complete with callandresponse licks, heavy use of 7th chords and a driving, steady beat. Blues standards are blues songs that have attained a high level of recognition due to having been widely performed and recorded. Though some of our news is current, and some not, its all the blues. It is not a comprehensive piece, and restricts coverage primarily to guitaristssingers, with light reference to piano and music based on. Gioias book puts them in context, at the end of a uniquely american musical movement. Mar 08, 2007 the early masters of american blues series provides the unique opportunity to study the true roots of modern blues. Main book menu beginning blues guitar acoustic blues electric blues acoustic texas blues electric texas blues delta blues guitar from the delta to chicago east coast blues chicago blues fingerpicking blues lead guitar bottleneck slide guitar jazz blues scales, chords. Robert palmers book focuses on the deltachicago connection, loaded with fascinating stories and profiles about people and places. Playing and improvising acoustic blues doug young acoustic blues workshop notes q 96 our goal is to be able to play a simple, but effective solo blues guitar piece, hopefully with some improvisation. Record companies began to record african american music.
He has recorded several cds as a pianist and composer and is the author of five highly regarded books on jazz and roots music. The mississippi delta is ground zero of the blues, meaning it was here where it all began. His landmark recordings in 1936 and 1937 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generations of musicians. Many delta blues artists, such as big joe williams, moved to detroit and chicago, creating a popinfluenced city blues style. Delta blues is one of the earliestknown styles of blues. A comprehensive overview of the origins and evolution of blues from country to urban. Delta blues by carolyn haines meet your next favorite book.
Delta air lines airline tickets and airfare to worldwide. Jul 28, 2017 in robert palmers 1981 book deep blues, muddys quoted as saying, when youre writin them songs that are coming from down that way mississippi delta, you cant leave out somethin. Some contributing authors will be familiar to crime aficionados. You will put them into practice in full e and a blues. We are in the posthistory of the blues, and at this point we might as well set some requirements, guards against benign nonsense, for new books. Independent scholar and blues musician cheseborough has compiled a detailed guide to blues music landmarks in mississippi and memphis. The friends of as the most popular blues craftsman of the mississippi delta, charley patton had a resounding influence on many of the musicians that passed through the region during the 20s and 30s.
It is not a comprehensive piece, and restricts coverage primarily to guitaristssingers, with light reference to piano and music based on other instruments. A musical and cultural history of the mississippi delta by robert palmer, escaping the delta. He is the author of deep blues and other books, and served as writer and music director for two awardwinning documentary films, the world according to john coltrane and deep blues. The stories are fascinating and touched with mysticism, and violence and murder and the blues. The delta blues museum clarksdale 2020 all you need to. Due to high call volume, please contact us only if you are traveling in the next 72 hours. Providing excellent maps and driving instructions, he begins the. Nov 04, 2008 the blues grew out of the plantations and prisons, the swampy marshes and fertile cotton fields of the mississippi delta. The back roads of the blues are traveled anew in a biographydriven history. Oct 30, 2017 robert johnson is the most wellknown musician from the mississippi deltayou know, the fella who sold his soul to the devil. Stefan grossmans delta blues guitar book discography by discogstu updated 1 day ago. Now ted gioia gives us delta blues, a book weve needed for a long time. Tracing its origins from the mississippi delta to its amplification in chicago right after. On hearing a strange new artist, one can almost pinpoint his city o.
Beginning finger picking for the delta blues guitar. Delta blues guitar is a book that has been around for quite awhile, that is, it has stood the test of time. Mastery of finger picking techniques will also help you to move on to study other delta blues artists that will follow in lessons to come in the future. Alfred beginning delta blues guitar bookdvd musicians. Get your mojo working with these essential delta resources. Whether shopping for gifts or expanding your own personal collection, the delta blues museum gift shop has much to offer when it comes to blues memorabilia through the museums online store and the museums physical store youre bound to find something for yourself or that special someone who loves blues music, the delta, the crossroads, clarksdale and the museum. Im assuming a little bit of basic knowledge and ability on the guitar.
Here are our takes on the 15 best delta blues songs. Description capture the authentic sound of delta blues slide guitar. John grishams fetching franklin is the best, simplest, and most direct story in the collection, and there are solid tales by james lee burke and ace atkins. As the legend of delta blues man robert johnson has grown and mutated into a kind of scholarly fervor, the reputation of robert lockwood jr. The blues grew out of the plantations and prisons, the swampy marshes and fertile cotton fields of the mississippi delta. Johnsons poorly documented life and death have given rise to much. Since producing the latter films soundtrack cd for atlantic records, he has produced a number of raw jukejoint blues cds for the fat possum label.
Learn the techniques and history of the delta blues with this book anddvd set. Here at the delta blues, we thrive on blues news and research. The life and times of the mississippi masters who revolutionized american music by ted gioia. The blues recordings that came out of the mississippi delta from the late 1920s through the late 30s have had an enormous impact on american music. As a young jazz musician, gioia tells the reader that he thought that he. Thank you for downloading this e book, and i hope that you continue to love and play the blues forever. Its where blues guitar was first heard over 60 years before led zeppelin, eric clapton and others brought it to the masses. Buy a cheap copy of delta blues book by carolyn haines. Francis daviss the history of the blues is a groundbreaking rethinking of the blues that fearlessly examines how race relations have altered perceptions of the music. You choose from over 300 destinations worldwide to find a flight that fits your schedule. But this book can also be used on its own as a stand alone reference guide to scale diagrams, lead guitar soloing strategies, modal playing, learning to play over chord changes, and much more. It has been 16 years since the founding of the house of blues nightclub chain and eight years since the burning of juniors place, in chulahoma, miss. Stefan grossmans delta blues guitar book discography by.
This musical and cultural history traces the blues from its roots in west africa to the mississippi delta to urban chicago and beyond. Delta blues guitar book 3cd set grossmans guitar workshop. At delta lou music, we preserve the american blues and the lost art of slide guitar through our freedownloadable lessons and our community commentary of the american delta blues circa 19201939. The music of louisiana has a weird voodoo texture, while the carolinas produced another totally different sound. Dec, 2016 any way you look at it, delta blues is influential on blues music and lets be honest, its a ton of fun to play. Learn to play the guitar with these fingerstyle blues songs. Delta blues guitar book3cd set grossmans guitar workshop.
The mississippi delta is famous for its fertile soil and for its poverty. For travel through may 31, 2020, there are no changecancellation fees. Jazz and blues historian ted gioia tackles the often uncertain biographies of robert johnson, charley patton, son house, and others who cultivated their art in the land that lies between the confluence of the mississippi and yazoo rivers. Facebook, and on the delta lou youtube channel to meet other blues fanatics. Fat possum records and amazon music recently teamed up for a 10lp set of blues deep cuts called worried blues.
Robert palmers book focuses on the deltachicago connection, loaded with fascinating stories and profiles about. If you want to learn about the blues for the first time or are looking for an updated book with even more information, delta blues is for you. Delta blues was advertised on page 14 of rifter 35. In addition to stefans expert transcriptions, the book includes a cd containing the original artists recordings so you can hear and feel the music, as it was. There are many intellectual curiosities about the blues. Stefan grossman, noted roots blues guitarist and musicologist, has compiled this fascinating collection of 14 songs from seven pivotal early blues guitarists from the mississippi delta. This book features notation, tablature, and three compact discs of phraseb. From the director of the center for the study of southern culture at the university of mississippi, william ferris has written a book that is. And this list, which is pretty unremarkable plenty of blues fans would agree this is a good selection brings me to ted gioias book delta blues. Search for a delta flight roundtrip, multicity or more. From darkness to light is the true story of life coach and author terry s. Ted gioia has written a well researched authoritative history of the delta blues. In a world where the alpha are the law, beta the order, and omega the k. Delta blues together with the beginning delta blues guitar dvd and save.
Stefan grossmans early masters of american blues guitar. There have been many blues books published over the years focussing on individual blues styles and artists. This musical and cultural history traces the blues. This was displaced by the new chicago blues sound in the early 1950s, pioneered by delta bluesmen muddy waters, howlin wolf and little walter, harking back to a delta influenced sound, but with amplified instruments. Delta blues slide guitar fundamental changes music book.
This book is a collection of short stories about folks who live or come from around the mississippi delta. He also shines a light on some of the lesser known blues singers and how many of them had a major influence eg. Nov 09, 2008 delta blues is not as contentious as walds revisionist escaping the delta or marybeth hamiltons in search of the blues, two books that have caused some soulsearching. See all 6 formats and editions hide other formats and editions.
791 1213 567 940 1610 1448 368 1387 1461 1198 282 1052 1041 1052 1021 339 399 448 1621 1649 63 1380 931 1229 494 995 581 593 360 705 426 146 857