You simply can't go wrong with these Rough Guides to the Blues. I have lots of them now and they are all excellently curated, have remarkably good sound for the age of the recordings and, above all, contain fantastic music.
This is a collection of East Coast Blues which is very ragtime-influenced, so it's often pretty good-time, foot-tapping music. There are some very well-known names here, including people like Blind Blake, Blind Willie McTell (from whom Ralph McTell took his stage name), Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee…it's a roll call of astonishingly brilliant musicians which speaks for itself. There is also some less well-known people, but they're all very good and I am glad to have made their acquaintance.
I make no pretence at expertise in the Blues, but I am a fan and I listen to a lot (and attempt to play some, too). These Rough Guides are a treasured part of my collection; they are invariably an great listen in themselves and often introduce me to stuff I didn't know and send me off looking for more. Personally, I am especially fond of this kind of ragtime blues and the wonderful guitarists who play it, and I can recommend this very warmly indeed.
By: Sid Nuncius