In the days before the levee, the fertile plain between Memphis and New Orleans flooded every year. This forbidding landscape was also characterized by oprresive heat, poverty, and racial terror. The hard life of the Delta forged mythic figures in its music giving rise to almost every significant bluesman from Charlie Patton, Son House, Big Bill Broonzy and Robert Johnson, to Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Elmore James, B.B. King, and Bo Diddley. The raw style of guitar accompanied by harmonica or just vocal establishes the seriousness of the subject matter: superstition, death, jealousy, and temptation among others. The language of the Delta players brings spare poetry often chillingly effective to convey the Blues.

Delta Blues

1. Sounds of The South (Atlantic)
   This four cd set consists of 105 selections from Alan Lomax's many field recordings ranging across the geography of the American South. Originally released by Atlantic's Ertegun brothers as an effort to showcase field recordings to a wider public, the selections are excellent in both quality and substance. Including Gospel, Bluegrass, Blues, White Spirtuals and many other styles in their natural setting dispelling the myth that the influences went in only one direction across the color line. A beautiful package which includes an informative book and stylish folk art packaging.

2. The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Blues Singers (Sony)
   A one stop blues collection even if you already have some blues discs. Great informative packaging gives you the bios, an overview of the genre and much more. Over 90 excellent quality recordings including performances by Blind Lemon Jefferson, Sonny Boy Williamson, Lowell Fulson, Cephas and Wiggins and tons more.

3. Robert Johnson- The Complete Recordings (Columbia)
   These two cd's encapsulate the recording career of the influential bluesman whose mastery of the Delta styles is evident on all 41 tracks. Accompanying chilling vocals with elaborate basslines and skillful fingerpicking, Johnson featured a repertoire of many originals ("Kindhearted Woman" and "Terraplane Blues") and elevated standards such as "Sweet Home Chicago". Johnson is famous for the mythical sale of his soul to the devil at the crossroads. Eric Clapton who re-recorded "Crossroads" stated "I have never found anything more deeply soulful than Robert Johnson."

4. The Roots of Robert Johnson (Yazoo)
   A fine (if more scholastic) follow up to the Box set is this disc which retraces Johnson's footsteps in the creative process. Featuring Johnson's mentors Son House, Skip James and Leroy Carr, the cd contextualizes the appreciation of Johnson as one among a coterie of tremendous Blues artist/performers in the 20's and 30's.

5. Charlie Patton-- King of The Delta Blues(Yazoo)
   The original Wild Bluesman, Patton's songs dealt with his rambling, womanizing ways. Patton lived rough and played guitar rough, using the finger picked bass and lead counterpoint to lay down the foundation for Country Blues.

6. Leadbelly - The Library of Congress Recordings Vols I-III
   Huddie Ledbetter, a storytelling songwriter, whose 12-string guitar spirtuals and folktales established him as a star of the blues. In 1994 Kurt Cobain declared Leadbelly his favorite performer and made "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" his final recording.

7. Son House-- Father of the Delta Blues : The Complete 1965 Sessions (Columbia/Legacy)
   Recorded at age 63, House still had the charisma and preacher/sinner friction that made a young Robert Johnson take notice.

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