Recommended for rock fans too! — A classic album of modern blues

music writerKOH-1
Started working as a music writer as a side job while employed at a record shop, and for over 18 years I’ve contributed to music magazines, disc guide books, mooks, and web media. As a writer my main field is Western music, but as a listener for over 35 years, I always try to keep my curiosity alive with the motto “I like what I like.” I have experience playing in bands, where I was a bassist who handled songwriting and composition. Instruments I’ve played include bass, guitar, and piano. I began studying English in my mid-40s and continue to do so today.

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.

Recommended for rock fans too! — Masterpieces of Modern Blues (121–130)

wild women don’t have the bluesIda Cox

ida cox wild women don’t have the blues.wmv

wild women don't have the bluesIda Cox

Ida Cox was a female classic blues singer who was active in the 1920s.

Hailing from the state of Georgia in the United States, she wrote many of her own songs and also produced shows.

This piece, too, was entirely her creation—lyrics, composition, and vocals.

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That’s All RightJimmy Rogers

That’s All Right

That’s All RightJimmy Rogers

Jimmy Rogers, born in 1924 in Ruleville, Mississippi, was a blues musician who rose to prominence in the early 1950s as Muddy Waters’ second guitarist.

His powerful bass lines and precise rhythms were considered indispensable to Muddy’s sound.

As a bluesman on the legendary Chicago blues label Chess Records, he produced what was regarded as the quintessential Chicago blues sound.

He scored hits with many blues numbers, including “That’s All Right” and “You’re the One.”

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its hurts me tooJohn Mayall

It Hurts Me Too

its hurts me tooJohn Mayall

A godfather-like figure of British white blues.

As the first guitarist of his band, the Bluesbreakers, a young Eric Clapton also made his debut (the second guitarist was Peter Green).

Now 83 years old, he is still alive and active as a bluesman.

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Catfish bluesLightnin’ Hopkins

LIGHTNIN’ HOPKINS ~ Catfish Blues

Catfish bluesLightnin' Hopkins

A great bluesman who still commands immense respect.

His trademark cigarette and sunglasses, and that instantly recognizable “Lightnin’ style” vocal—where a single growl gives him away—stand shoulder to shoulder with John Lee Hooker.

This blues standard, too, is masterfully rendered in his own style.

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Recommended for rock fans too! ~ Masterpieces of modern blues (131–140)

Poor Boy Long Way from HomeBukka White

Booker White – Poor Boy Long Way from Home

Poor Boy Long Way from HomeBukka White

Among pre-war acoustic blues musicians, there were many master slide guitarists, and one of the most representative is Bukka White.

Slide guitar is sometimes played with special tunings, which contributes to the distinctive sound of pre-war blues.

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Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers

She’s GoneHound Dog Taylor

Hound dog Taylor And the Houserockers – She’s Gone

She's GoneHound Dog Taylor

Hound Dog Taylor is known as a distinctive blues guitarist.

Born in 1915, Taylor performed mainly in small Chicago clubs and, in 1971, released his debut album under the band name Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers.

Put out by Alligator Records, the album sold a solid 9,000 copies in its first year.

Centered on Taylor’s slide guitar, the raw, wild sound captured the hearts of many listeners and had a major influence on later musicians such as George Thorogood.

If you want to enjoy a freewheeling style that isn’t confined to the boundaries of blues, be sure to check him out.

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I’ m a WomanKoko Taylor

Koko Taylor – I’ m a Woman

I' m a WomanKoko Taylor

She is a veteran female singer who has been active in the Chicago blues scene since the 1960s, known by the nickname “Queen of the Blues.” Her powerful, shout-infused, distinctive vocals are popular.

This is included on the 2002 album Koko Taylor: Deluxe Edition.

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