Grace Bowers
Newer Blues Artists or Recordings
Any suggestions for new’ish blues artists and/or recordings you have discovered and enjoyed over the past few years? Please include all types of blues music and artists - traditional blues, southern rock/blues (e.g., Allman Bros., etc.), blues/soul, slower blues (i.e., good for background music while working), and cross-overs such as blues recordings by well-known rock or popular artists such as Boz Scaggs, Robin Trower, Eric Clapton, and others. Let’s help each other discover new blues music.
I will start with a couple of newer, young artists that I enjoy...
- Marcus King (try, Carolina Confessions or El Dorado)
- Christone "Kingfish" Ingram (try, Live in London)
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Doug MacLeod - Audiophile recordings of some of the best original acoustic Delta and country blues going. Great story teller. Delta Time - Terry Evans and Hans Theessink with Ry Cooder. An another audiophile gem! Christone “Kingfish” Ingram - saw him when he was 15 years old Redds Juke Joint in Clarksdale, MS. He’s going to be a great one as he develops his own style and sound. Too be watched! |
+1 for Dr. John’s "Duke Elegant". +1 for all Warren Haynes/Gov’t Mule +1 for all Tedeschi/Trucks music (or the prequel Derek Trucks Band’s "Songlines") +1 for Marcus King (have seen him twice, most recently last summer; saw him open for T/T a few years ago on the Wheels of Soul tour). I vote for ABB’s 2003 "Live at the Beacon". I’d add Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers, and a Michigan band that gave up its keyboard player Ben Wilson to Blues Traveler, Big Dave and the Ultrasonics. I believe they’re now defunct, but if you can find a copy of their live CD "No Sweat".......it’s a barnburner. Robben Ford, Gary Moore and Jeff Healey would round out my immediate list.
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@bgross - Really like British Blues, and Faces are a favorite. Five Guys Walk into a Bar is awesome. Not to forget John Mayall (and the Bluesbreakers). Dude is 90 and just ended touring a year or so ago. Check out John Mayall’s 70th Birthday Concert. @searchingforthesound and @ingenear - Those are all great suggestions and worthy of listening to. Not sure Larkin Poe have found their signature sound yet but they are sure fun to listen to. I believe they have played concerts with Blackberry Smoke and I would like to catch both/either in concert. |
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The two you mentioned are on the top of my list of new folks on the scene as well. Larkin Poe if you do not know those gals you should Beth Hart older but finally getting some accolades and just released a new song with Walter Trout. She has an Album with Jeff Beck as well as Joe Bonamassa. I have been a fan for many years and have seen her a bunch including with Jeff Beck which was amazing If you do not know Taz Niederaur another good one but I think you probably do Quinn Sullivan another kid phenom who is now older that Buddy Guy took in and toured with .
Just a few that fit your taste as Marcus and Christone are both high on my lists to see ASAP and have been for a few years just havent matched up as of yet
two other that have been around but maybe new to you Samantha Fish and Anna Popovic .
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@rick_n - Blackberry Smoke & Gov't Mule are really more southern rock but do the blues/rock thing as well as anyone. Have seen BS 3x at House of Blues in Boston - great shows. Try out JJ Grey & MoFro too for some FL swampy blues/rock. I'm a big fan of 60s Brit Blues as well. I like some of the newer acts mentioned but really, if you like that slinky bluesy vibe from accross th pond, Free, Humble Pie, Rory Gallager (Taste), Blind Faith, Savory Brown, Faces & Small Faces, Spencer Davis Group, even Bad Co, etc are great listens and I've been on the Hans Theessink tip for a while. Try Derrin Nauendorf too. Just my opinion... |
There's a special blues guitar technique I really like...I saw Dicky Betts in the Allman Bros, in concert at William & Mary, Va. playing In Memory of Elizabeth Reed...uses right hand little finger to control the volume knob to make the instrument "weep". Master of the skill: Roy Bucananan...Roy's albums are a mixed bag but one favorite is "Miss Pressure" off his Deluxe album. Some great recommendations on the thread here! |
@wharfy +on Ms.Fish.... ...great when a fav comes to town... She was slated to be back 12/'23 with some friends, had the tix early, went to, pulled in to park, and watched as everyone who came, went.... WT...? Fire marshal pulled the plug on the entire evening...'something' wasn't up to snuff... Went out to eat (SalvSta has food, good 'nuff for the venue) and got vaguely drunk instead...🤪 Hurts when the site has to refund a sold-out show.... |
There are lots of mentions for some really good blues players on here, some I have never heard of. Thanks @mitch2 for starting this conversation, now I will have to dig into some new music to listen to. |
@daledeee1 I have the Sam McClain “Give It Up To Love” 45 rpm and it is outstanding. |
Great suggestions above. Been a long time blues fan after spending some years in Chicago clubs. Here are some you might check out Melvyn Taylor “Plays The Blues For You” -great pressing electric chicago blues Lucky Peterson “Just Warming Up” - outstanding final lp right before his untimely death. Electric.Highly Recommended Artist who have large excellent discography both electric and acoustic: Luther Allison (“Hand me down my moonshine” (acoustic) Soul Fixin Man (electric), Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter, Mayhall, Robert Cray and Muddy of course but most not new per se. English Blues/blues rock: Rory Gallagher, First couple Climax Blues Band lp’s, Gary Moore, Kim Simmons and Savoy Brown (sad loss too) Newer Artists to check out: Selwyn Birchwood, Kingfish as you noted, As Buddy says…”If you ain’t had the blues …just wait”
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For some electric/swing/jump blues check out Big Joe and the Dynaflows ... "Layin' in the Alley", "I'm Still Swingin'". And for some traditional/Delta/acoustic blues, check out Rory Block. IMO, the best acoustic blues guitar player alive, and with an angelic voice to boot. To start with, check out, "High Heeled Blues", "Last Fair Deal", and "When a Woman Gets the Blues". Some of her releases, such as "Tornado", while good music and a few blues tracks, can be more adult pop than blues. She is a national treasure. |
For some Chicago-style electric blues/jump blues with terrific slide guitar check out: Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials, "Roughousin'", "What You See is What You Get", "Jump Start". A great band to see live as well. I've seen them three times and they are terrific. Lil' Ed learned his style from his uncle, J.B. Hutto. Or at least that is what he told me after he stole my seat the bar (The Music Box) one freezing late night in Cleveland. |
@ezwind - Tedeschi Trucks Band is on my list of "really want to see" bands, for sure. The Bourbon and Beyond Festival in Louisville in Sept. is within striking distance for me so thinking I should jump on that opportunity. Seeing them at Red Rocks would have been killer! I believe I have seen YouTube videos from that show. The Allman Bros. Live at the Beacon concerts, 2009, are a staple on my playlist - Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, and Eric Clapton on stage together - amazing guitars! I could listen to Derek's slide for hours. Also, thanks for the Music Maker shout-out. @vandy357 - Both Jonny Lang and Government Mule have played at a really cool old theatre in Kalamazoo. Both concerts were outstanding. Jonny Lang because he was so good for being so young (years ago) and Gov't Mule (more recently) because Warren Haynes is amazing and one of my favorites. @treepmeyer - Thank @wharfy for the Eric Bibb recommendation, and thank you for Hans Theesink, lots of his music on Roon so I will listen. |
Great thread!I love traditional blues but have difficulty finding newer artists that don't inject an inordinate amount of loud rock n roll into it. Larkin Poe and Joe Bonamassa are incredibly talented but the long guitar and slide solos are not for me.I appreciate having a few new ones to hunt for:-) Peter Green Splinter Group - Hot Foot Powder or the live album simply named "Peter Green Splinter Group" are faves Tony Joe White - Hoodoo or Raincrow are favorite albums BB King duet albums are faves too - Live at the Apollo or Deuces Wild (yes they're old but excellent) |
If you're looking for more traditional blues, I'd like to call attention to the website for MusicMaker.org. This is a charitable foundation that's devoted to providing a wide range of assistance to artists in need who are primarily older Carolina Piedmont Blues performers, most of whom are in financial need and/or poor health. The artists they've helped include Guitar Gabriel, Etta Baker, Beverly Guitar Watson, Cootie Stark etc. Members of the MM Advisory Board include such artists as Taj Mahal, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, Bonnie Raitt, Elvin Bishop, and Pete Townshend. Below is a description of some of the things MM does, and I urge you to check out their site for more info....and send them a few bucks if you can! "Music Maker takes a holistic approach to the needs of our partner artists. We prioritize their health and quality of life. We recognize that no two artists have identical needs. To support our artists in both their lives and their careers, we provide a wide umbrella of services. We help them get medical care and access to affordable housing. To make their music accessible to a wider slice of the public, we help them secure recording opportunities and book performances for them around the globe. We create the promotional materials they need to publicize their performances." |
I'm surprised that the Tedeschi Trucks Band hasn't been mentioned yet. They're not quite a straight ahead blues band as they blend a variety of other genres including R&B, funk, jazz, soul and rock. Derek Trucks, the former child prodigy, cut his teeth with the post-Dickie ABB alongside Warren Haynes and has to be mentioned among the greatest slide players of all time. Susan Tedeschi is a wonderful blues singer with a distinctive style, along with adding a solid rhythm and double lead guitar to the mix. The rest of the band, which includes a total of something like 10 musicians and singers, is rock solid and they put out a huge sound. I saw them at Red Rocks last summer and they just killed it. Check out their latest and probably best album, I Am The Moon. Their Layla Revisited album is also outstanding. |
OP, thanks for starting this thread. @mitch2 +1 for Eric Bibb FWIW, I've been listening lately to Hans Theesink, an acoustic Dutch bluesman now living in Vienna. His renditions of American blues are very good. Occasionally his Dutch accent shows, but he is the real deal as far as I'm concerned. I'll bemail listening tonight to some of the recommendations from this thread. Have a good day. |
You guys are awesome. Some really good music/musicians listed here already, so keep them coming! Some I know and many I don't so I am looking forward to exploring. I just found three Marquise Knox albums on Roon. It seems more than a few popular rock bands (or at least some of their musicians) started their careers playing blues so sometimes looking backwards leads to amazing discoveries. Jack Cassidy did a great job on a couple of Government Mule tunes off of their Deepest End album. I need to go back and revisit Hot Tuna! |
Great thread topic! Thanks for posting. I’ve listened to the blues on and off for 50 years (yes, I’m old). After the passing of the greats-Muddy Waters, et al, I stopped listening for a bit. In the last couple of years I’ve started listening to newer blues. I think these are worth while- Eric Bibb-Spirit and the Blues Rhiannon Giddens-They’re Calling Me Home John Hiatt-Crossing Muddy Waters (an older release, from 2000, that I purchased last year) Jorma Kaukonen-Live at the Bottom Line Sue Foley-Pinky’s Blues Samantha Fish-Faster Larkin Poe-Kindred Spirits Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore-Downey to Lubbock |
Try a German version of SRV: Henrik Freischlader - Live at GuitarPoint (youtube.com) And his work with Layla Zoe: As an enormous fan of SRV and The Derek Trucks band I was immediately enamored with this work. |
There was a band out of Atlanta named King Johnson that put our several very good bluesy albums. The guitar player for the band was Oliver Wood, is the brother of bass player Chris Wood of Medeski, Martin and Wood. The two them formed new less bluesy banded named the Wood Brothers. Oliver wrote around half songs of King Johnson while their bass player, Chris Long, wrote the balance. The band put out some great albums and were huge fun live. They did a reunion show in Atlanta this past December.
Check out their albums: Hot, Fish, Laundry, Mat; and Luck So Strange; and Cats and Dogs.
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There’s a Hot Tuna box set out with 2 sets from the Sweetwater and 1 set from Japan. The recording is really good. Jorma Kaukonen is on guitarist/vocals and Jack Casady’s bass is a standout. These guys were early Jefferson Airplane members that went out on their own. Really good blues rock. |
