The Mystery Blues Woman: Crow Jane

I have no idea who this young lady is, but she does a great job on Skip James's Crow Jane!  If anyone knows who she is please let me know!   Thanks!

Garland Jeffrays: Washington DC Hospital Blues

Garland Jeffrays does a loving rendition of Skip James Washington DC Hospital Blues. The song was a true story written by Skip James about his stay in the hospital back in the early 60s. James had become the legendary forgotton bluesman. Perhaps even a phantom in the mists of time. Yet, James amazingly shows up at the Newport Jazz festival in 1964 and is rediscovered. James eventually died of Cancer in 1969.

Cassandra Wilson: 32-20

An interesting version of 32-20. Not sure who to give the original credit to on this song. Like many delta songs and delta musicians words and music end up getting shared and used in other songs. I think Skip James is the correct author of this, yet this is a great version by Cassandra Wilson.

Skip James: All Night Long

Skip James on Danish TV in 1967. Was probably one of Skip James last appearances on TV.

Artist Of The Week: Skip James

If you wondered where Robert Johnson picked up his high pitch haunting vocals then listen to Skip James. Skip was one of the lost masters of the blues when he suddenly reappeared at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1966. He came as a friend of Mississippi John Hurt, and the world fell in love with Skip James. James in the short time he had left was able to re-record all of his old songs, and even do a few new ones. The videos below are mostly from Newport Jazz and blues festival, or from overseas TV. As always the videos can be found on the left side of the blog titled artist of the week.

Cephas And Wiggins: Hard Times On The Killing Floor

A shaky, but good live video of Cephas And Wiggins doing their own version of a Skip James classic. Skips version is spooky, but this one raises goosebumps!!

Skip James: Skip's Worried Blues

Here is a great video of the legend Skip James.

Skip James: Devil Got My Woman

The late Skip James is probably one of the most underrated delta blues players in the blues pantheon. Skips haunting voice, and spooky melodies seem almost from another world. Skip was a contemporary of Robert Johnson, Son House, and countless other delta blues guitar players. Skip was discovered by the same talent scout and furniture shop owner, HC Speirs, as Robert Johnson. I know, HC Speirs owned a furniture store, but realize that he sold Victrolas and in the deep south who better than a guy who sold the machines to find the kind of African American artists who would sell records to the people who bought the machines! Besides one of the great blues labels at the time was Paramount. Not the movie studio, but a furniture manufacturer in Wisconsin who made records!

Skip James is recorded here at the Newport Jazz festival (which answers a previous question:-) This is a great haunting tune. give it a listen and look!

Skip James Crow Jane

back in the day if you wanted to sing a song about Jim Crow, you couldn't just go out and sing about. So you sing about Crow Jane, and you live to sing another day. Here is Skip James and his great song Crow Jane.

Chris Thomas King as Tommy Johnson, Dressed as Robert Johnson, singing a Skip James Tune!

From the movie O Brother Where Art Thou. Chris Thomas King is playing Tommy Johnson, but he is dressed like Robert Johnson in the famous photo graph. Check out his hat is tilted, and his knees are crossed just like the photo! Then to add to the confusion he is singing a Skip James tune, known as Killing Floor.

Paramount Records Website

Above is a photo of the great Skip James taken in 1932. You can find this and other great pics at the Paramount Records website. Of course the record company is long gone, but the website tells the history of this Wisconsin based company, and keeps alive the stories of the great Jazz, and Blues recordings made there. I am certainly planing on my next trip to Wisconsin to see if there is anything left up in Grafton Wisconsin where some of these great blues hits were manufactured on 78s.

The website has not only photos and stories, but also sound and film files including Lomax's Land Where the Blues Began. I have always loved that film and book. I know that a few blues scholars have tried to shoot holes in Lomax's work for years, but I feel a lot of it stands up well. I will talk in detail about Lomax in a future post. However, this story is about the people who put together the paramount website. Alex Van Der Tuuk, (author of Paramounts Rise and Fall)and Pat and Angela Mack. It is obvious that this site is a labor of love built by people who love not only the blues, but jazz as well. If you get a chance spend a few hours perusing their website. you will be glad that you did.

Buddy Guy Interview

Here is a nice interview from Buddy Guy.
It is interesting to read about his influences, and his thought on playing the blues in a juke joint on the weekend for drinks, and picking cotton during the week. I have certainly had arguments in the past with fellow musicians about the lifestyles of the great bluesmen. To many people think that these guys live like rockstars, when the reality is that many of these guys had to work during the day to be able to play at night. Even today a handful of artists, like BB, or Buddy Guy have a life style anywhere near that of a rockstar. most of the professional blues players are playing every night and trying to make a living selling CDS. Not living the lifestyle of the rich and famous.