Recommended for rock fans too! — A classic album of modern blues
The birth of the blues, often called the root of rock ’n’ roll and jazz, dates back to the late 19th century.
Its forms are diverse and can’t be summed up in a single phrase: from Delta blues and country blues—often referred to as prewar blues—to Chicago blues and modern blues, which developed after the war in Chicago and incorporated electric instruments.
In this article, we introduce classic blues albums whose style and spirit continue to be carried on by many musicians even in the 2020s.
The lineup focuses mainly on modern blues that’s easy for beginners to enjoy, so even those who usually listen to rock will find it accessible.
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Recommended for rock fans too! — Masterpieces of Modern Blues (111–120)
The Hard WayOtis Spann
In the blues genre, it’s not only the guitar that takes center stage.
For those who want to explore piano-led blues, I highly recommend the works of Otis Spann, renowned as a quintessential Chicago blues pianist.
Having performed as a musician since his teens, Spann joined Muddy Waters’s band as a pianist around 1952.
While active as a band member, he also flourished as a solo and session musician, becoming a towering figure in the blues.
Ten years after his death in 1970, he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980.
Spann’s first solo album, Otis Spann Is the Blues, released in 1960, is—true to its title—a blues album built around his piano and vocals.
You can also enjoy the guitar and vocals of his collaborator Robert Lockwood Jr., and savor a distinct charm that sets it apart from ensemble-driven Chicago blues.
Devil’s Son-In-LawPeetie Wheatstraw
Peetie Wheatstraw was a master of prewar acoustic blues, and many blues musicians took him as a model.
“Devil’s Son-In-Law” is one of his signature songs and became synonymous with him.
Suger mamaPeter Green’s Fleetwood Mac
When it comes to the greatest white British blues guitarists, Peter Green stands at the top.
Countless guitarists have been influenced by his effortless command of both uptempo and slow playing.
The early Fleetwood Mac under his leadership can also be called the pinnacle of white blues bands.
All Of My Life (Official Music Video 1990)Phil Collins
It’s a moody classic by the British musician Phil Collins.
From the 1980s through the 1990s, he was active both with his band and as a solo artist.
Among his works, this song is included on the album “But Seriously,” released in 1989.
SomedayRobert Nighthawk
Before the war, Robert Nighthawk played acoustic blues that made extensive use of slide guitar, but after the war he began performing band blues with an electric guitar, which is said to be the first use of the electric guitar in blues.
I’m so GladSkip James
Skip James, born in 1902 in Bentonia, Mississippi, was an American blues singer and guitarist.
He learned guitar at the age of eight from an older townsman, studied piano in high school in the Bentonia school style, moved to Jackson in 1930, and in 1931 recorded 17 tracks for Paramount, including “Devil Got My Woman.” His song “I’m So Glad” was covered by the band Cream, and the royalties from its major success reportedly paid for James’s hospital bills late in his life.
Beck has also covered this song.
He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1992.
Mailman Blues (1966)Sleepy John Estes
Sleepy John Estes was a country blues singer and guitarist from the state of Tennessee in the United States.
He was known for singing with a strained, pleading voice.
This track is included on the album Legendary Country Blues Artist.