Not a blues comment, but:

Thank god for Wilco.

Thank something else for Billy Corgan.

So the blues is in the red because their not seeing the green?

/Damn that really is sad
//Listening to Sweet Tea by Buddy Guy as I type

Good.

The fewer boozy belters backed by other drunks noodling on the blues scale, the better.

Affluent White Man Enjoys, Causes The Blues (new window)

Played in blues bands for 20 years.

Did not noodle.

Breaks my heart to hear this.

So many folks just never take one tiny musical step. I was raised on blues-rock stuff like Stevie Ray Vaughn, ZZ Top and then moved onto things like the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Soledad Brothers before I finally realized, "You know I like blues themed rock so why not listen to the blues?" Go figure, liked the derivations so I liked the originals.

Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Little Walter are among my favorites now and get a lot of play on the ipod.

I attended the Chicago Blues Festival for the third time this June (my wife especially likes the blues). One thing that has always struck me is that they always drag out these ancient former bluesmasters for their highlight shows... John Mayall, Johnny Winter, BB King, Koko Taylor, etc. Folks that are way past their peak. The younger more vibrant folks play during the day on the smaller stages. It would be nice to see some of the younger folks on the big stage.

Part of me thinks the four-chord progression of the blues has simply played itself out. It's a genre of music which has a pretty limited basic structure. I can occasionally get into it but mostly find the genre rather limited and not very interesting.

b0rscht:I attended the Chicago Blues Festival for the third time this June (my wife especially likes the blues). One thing that has always struck me is that they always drag out these ancient former bluesmasters for their highlight shows... John Mayall, Johnny Winter, BB King, Koko Taylor, etc. Folks that are way past their peak. The younger more vibrant folks play during the day on the smaller stages. It would be nice to see some of the younger folks on the big stage.

Part of me thinks the four-chord progression of the blues has simply played itself out. It's a genre of music which has a pretty limited basic structure. I can occasionally get into it but mostly find the genre rather limited and not very interesting.

This has been exacerbated by the way music is marketed. If you step at all "out of the box" and try to present any sort of evolution of the blues structure, you're immediately told it isn't blues anymore and the clubs that are left won't book you. Of course, you'll hear "its still too bluesy" from the rock/roots clubs and you quickly find yourself unemployed.
Blues is and always will be a niche market because more modern forms have completely boxed it in.

I visited Chicago recently, I hadn't been there since I was a little kid. I was extremely shocked at the difficulty level involved in even finding a blues bar, and the fact that none of the locals even seemed to know where one was. Eventually we went to Buddy Guy's Legends, which had a steep cover but cheap drinks and great entertainment, so it was a very good night.

Anyone who appreciates music should at least try to get to a South Side blues bar before they're all gone. The ones downtown are fine for a quick fix, but the cramped, non-touristy places just have a better, more honest vibe about them. Unfortunately I haven't been to Chicago since they banned smoking everywhere, so not sure if the lack of the "smoky blues club ambience" takes away from the experience for devotees.

In the mid-90s I had a new boss just over from England. During his first two-week US vacation, given all the vacation options the US presents, his choice was to go hang out in NW Mississippi, hit all the blues places and during the day, he'd get invited to hang out on people's porches over beers while the musicians were just "noodling". Said it was the best two weeks of his life. I've put that kind of trip on the bucket list, but many of those folks will probably die off before me.

Aldo the Wonder Dog

Buddy Guy is great, and he is from my home state, Louisiana.

Louisiana and Miss. as states still have a great blues scene going on. And it is word of mouth and in the little bars on the backstreets.

I would reccomend Tab Benoit. I have seen him progress over the years and he is amazing. Old school and new school when he wants to be.

I would reccomend going to New Orleans and seeing whoever is playing at Tiptinas. Blues and funk at its finest.

Technically, hard core blues is not terribly interesting. However, I LISTEN to and PLAY it, and the emotion is difficult to beat in any other genre (except perhaps, embarrassingly enough, in show tunes, but they contain too much of teh ghey for me to connect with).

I love blues because understand the nuance. Not everyone does.

Glenechocreek:Played in blues bands for 20 years.

Did not noodle.

Breaks my heart to hear this.

Amen. I started out playing in a blues band with 3 other guys over 40 from Chicgao. They took me to so many places that were incredible. That was 20 years ago, and I went back 2 years ago and the scene was pretty much dead.
There are parts of Austin, TX that are still great.

This too shall pass.

/regrets anyway.

bronyaur1:Technically, hard core blues is not terribly interesting. However, I LISTEN to and PLAY it, and the emotion is difficult to beat in any other genre (except perhaps, embarrassingly enough, in show tunes, but they contain too much of teh ghey for me to connect with).

I love blues because understand the nuance. Not everyone does.

true it is fun to play. i play guitar too... but as far as listening to it... not so much. it all starts to sound exactly the same.

This saddens me.

Angryloner but as far as listening to it... not so much. it all starts to sound exactly the same.

I respect Chicago Blues but I'm in California and after having to mix seven blues bands (ranging from incredible to trite to horrifyingly bad) in three different venues over a three day stretch I found I was ready to puke on the soundboard. Same rhythm, same chord pattern, same tired lead licks. It should be against the law for white guys to play Blues until they have reached a certain level of suffering, guitar proficiency, and/or brain damage from alcohol and Syphilis.

Johnny Lang is someone up and coming that can save blues. I am from Chicago and feel so good when I hear the blue out there by Lake Shore Drive with the skyline in the background, there is nothing better then that, and Legends (Buddy Guys club) I hear is absolutly stunning, its sad it is closing down

theflatline: Aldo the Wonder Dog

Buddy Guy is great, and he is from my home state, Louisiana.

Louisiana and Miss. as states still have a great blues scene going on. And it is word of mouth and in the little bars on the backstreets.

I would reccomend Tab Benoit. I have seen him progress over the years and he is amazing. Old school and new school when he wants to be.

I would reccomend going to New Orleans and seeing whoever is playing at Tiptinas. Blues and funk at its finest.

Saw Tad Benoit as a headliner a local music festival in town last summer. Different style of blues, but very entertaining. Mad Mark gives him two thumbs up.

I haven't hung in Chicago too much recently, but just a few years ago you could go to b.l.u.e.s. etc or Kingston Mines and see great acts like The Kinsey Report (RIP big daddy!) or the incredible Carl Weathersby, or on a good night even catch the legendary Otis Rush -- who is in my mind the greatest living blues artist after B.B. Used to catch Son Seals there too, but he's gone now. James Cotton is still out there giving it hell, and Hubert Sumlin... Billy Branch... loads of greats still ouyt there jamming.

Nothing personal, cmcondon, but go see Otis Rush, and you will realize the blues don't need saving.

As for young players, IMHO, Carl Weathersby has no equal.

Saw Buddy Guy play at 'Mingles' London Ont. early 80's, just an awesome performance,lots of energy on stage. sadly no more blues bars in town. Miss the Firehall, the servers would provide pins if needed for oil tokes.

Ah, my father's side of the family are shoulder deep in Chicago and it's traditions. I love the blues, and Chicago is in my blood, it kills me to hear this. Went home on leave this spring and drove to Chicago from Buffalo and we went out for some fun, and for the first time we couldn't find an open blues club, other then Buddy Guys. Not knocking Buddy, but it was pretty packed.

I normally like to be a pessimist, but I think the Blues will make it regardless.

Haha, ok, I have a long story about a Blues Club in Chicaco.

I remember another time I was on leave in Chicago, my uncle and my dad wanted to go to an old blues club they knew while we were in town, it used to be owned by Jim Belushi and "Uncle" Steve. We found the place all right, and headed down into it.

When we got to the bottom of the stairs, it wasn't what they expected. The place was pretty empty, except for a guy by the door, and the bartender and some patron. The lights were all dim, but there were soft colored lights on the walls, and big flat screen tvs all over the place, playing Sex in the City. The place felt weird. My dad and uncle went over to the counter and asked the bartender what the deal was. Well, they already knew that Jim had sold his half of the bar a while ago, but it turns out that "Uncle" Steve had a pretty bad coke problem, and had to sell the joint to pay for a joint.

Well, we had to use the bathroom, and after confirming it was still in the back, we headed over there. When we got to them, there wasn't a men's or women's sign. So I decided to go in the one on the left, and they went in the one on the right. As I step in, I see that it's dim, with mood lighting in the bathroom. There are no stall doors, just velvety curtains. And when I went to wash my hands, the sinks had little waterfalls into a bowl surrounded by stones. Then it finally dawned on me, and I ran out of the bathroom at the same time as my uncle, and in unison we both said to each other "IT'S A GAY BAR!"

We ran out to the bar, and my dad was there drinking a beer talking to the bartender about what a great Blues Club this used to be, when we ran by him and practically scooped him up and ran out the door.

So now I get to tell people about the time my Uncle took me to a gay bar.

cmcondon: Johnny Lang is someone up and coming that can save blues.

I saw him open for Jeff Beck a few years ago and he was awesome. I bought two of his albums after that show

theflatline: I would recommend going to New Orleans and seeing whoever is playing at Tipitinas. Blues and funk at its finest.

when I went to Nawlins (10/2001) Tipitinas was closed. someone said HoB owns it and only uses it for shows :-(
/saw Gregg Allman at HoB that week :-)

Aldo the Wonder Dog: I've put that kind of trip on the bucket list, but many of those folks will probably die off before me.

Um, no they won't. Let's just say you should really get that lump checked out NOW.

As for the blues dying off, I'm sure that it is but the older folk talking about how their music isn't as popular as it once was don't quite get it. Of course it's not going to be as popular. Not saying that's bad music or anything at all but when the focus tends to be on old guys that have been around forever that tends to be your audience. Old people die or become too feeble to care. If you have more younger stars you'll get more younger listeners who can relate to the people on stage. It's the same reason why rock is dying too. Led Zepplin is great and all but damn, I don't want to hear songs about how hot women that are my parents and grandparents age are. Yes, that's right. When you hear an old rock song he's singing about your mom or grandmother depending on your age and her friends/contemporaries. That's why I hate it when old rock bands are the big headliners at festivals. Elvis didn't headline Woodstock. Glen Miller wasn't wearing tie-dye. Keep your old rock to yourselves grampa.
\rant off
\\for the record I'm in my 30's so don't think I'm some young whipper snapper. I'm some creepy old guy at the shows the young kids like to go to.

il Dottore: Angryloner but as far as listening to it... not so much. it all starts to sound exactly the same.

I respect Chicago Blues but I'm in California and after having to mix seven blues bands (ranging from incredible to trite to horrifyingly bad) in three different venues over a three day stretch I found I was ready to puke on the soundboard. Same rhythm, same chord pattern, same tired lead licks. It should be against the law for white guys to play Blues until they have reached a certain level of suffering, guitar proficiency, and/or brain damage from alcohol and Syphilis.

its no different with the black blues guys. same amount of shiatty, uninspired garbage there. it has nothing to do with suffering, DEFINITELY not proficiency, or chemical dependency. i detest blues, but its a feeling some people are born with and some arent. it doesnt matter if youre born on a plantation or if youre born john mayer. same goes with every style of music.

I appreciate blues music, I really do, I own lots of blues singles... from Chicago-style to Jump. On the other hand, I listen to lots of different types of music. Well, the genre has been milked dry. There is only so much you can do with that song structure. It's the basis for rock and roll, and even that is tired and againg. Songs like 'See See Rider' 'Key to the Highway' 'Spoonfull', etc. can be played only so many times by so many different musicians before they become bland & predictable, appealing mainly to the older generations or youngins like myself for a brief period of time.