killer blues

From time to time the subject of blues appears on the list...I've been
listening to a lot of blues lately, and two CD's especially show the
huge diversity of the form: "Muddy Waters Folk Singer" is about as down
home and deep as you get....simple (deceptively) in form, eternal in
meaning...check out "My Captain" to get chills up your spine. Buddy
Guy's on guitar, Willie Dixon on bass...this is it. On the exact other
end of the spectrum is "Two Steps From The Blues" by Bobby Bland;
there's huge arrangements in places, and completely non standard
progressions for blues, but it'll make you weep. Also, for you guitar
players, this is textbook playing, especially the rhythms...and a real
funky gutbucket arrangement on "Don"t Want No Woman. I think it's Wayne
Bennett on guitar... I use this in my blues class to show how it's
done...check it out...Hstick PS "Bluesbreakers w/Eric Clapton" is a
breakthrough recording...maybe his best playing....