jwieties
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
- Messages
- 393
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- 81
You are right Pippin. My comment was not a critique of Robert Johnson, but of this book... And it was not meant as a negative critique, but rather just wanted people to know what they were getting. RJs music is largel E blues (on guitar), Open D slide and Open G slide. This book mostly focuses on one of these styles. For some who purchase the book, these songs are going to become repetitive. These are accurate transcriptions which is what I far prefer, but from another thread, the OP stated he was looking to move into fingerstyle playing. If one was looking for instrumental renditions of RJ tunes, this is not it, as cool kayaker pointed out. I am a tremendous RJ fan and have appreciated the comments you and drbekken posted. This music should be greatly respected and had this book translated this into if style solo pieces, I personally think it would have lost a great deal of soul.That's good and bad? Nope, that's Robert Johnson. There are a few reasons that blues artists, in particular, sounded so much the same from song to song... most were self-taught, limited vocal range, and a money-making style. RJ was struggling to feed himself. He did what every artist did, played what a live audience paid to see.
I've liked the discussion. While Webby's comment was beaten up a bit, and although i dont agree, there is merit in what he said. There are two lines of thinking that have been explored. One is that this music is so tied into the culture and experience from which it was created that, while it can be appreciated, it can't truly be recreated outside that context. However, there is another that these "bluesmen" we're no different then the musicians of today. That they simply played the music folks wanted to hear and were just as likely to play other styles . I think the blues revival with Lomax and others supports this second interpretation. Many of these artist that were all of a sudden playing shows for 10,000 white college kids expressed being humbled, were excited to tell their stories and taught a few of these kids there craft.
I have two favorite musical experiences, both involving Harry Tuft and the Denver Folk Lore Center. Once I was there and started playing some Skip James. Harry heard this and poked his head out from the back saying that my playing sounded great. I appreciated the compliment, but it took on an entire new meaning when Harry told me he opened for Skip once in Philly. He shared with me a few stories of how they interacted and that scene at that time. From that experience I certainly have no problem with myself playing the blues and I sincerely don't think Skip James would have had a problem with it either.
However, when I ordered this book I even chuckled, because at the same time I ordered "From Lute to Uke". To justify playing those tunes, I have dedicated my to life stealing from the rich to give to the poor.
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