Good current blues?

August 23, 2017 2:29 PM

Please recommend contemporary blues I should listen to.

I play a lot of blues, but I don't listen to any recent stuff. Most of what I do listen to is the old classics, especially Robert Johnson and Blind Willie Johnson.

I'm sure there's a ton of great blues being made, but most of what I find is a) to strong on the rock side, which is not what I'm looking for or b) a rehash of the old guys and gals I already listen to and love, not that I'm against rootsy stuff.

I'm also not really looking for any kind of -fusion, basically I want to hear what blues-blues is doing nowadays.

So, what's exciting and rootsy in blues right now?

posted by signal to Media & Arts (16 answers total)

Response by poster: Also, I'm partial to female voices in general.
posted by signal at 2:31 PM on August 23, 2017

I'm a huge fan of Susan Tedeschi.
posted by pazazygeek at 2:58 PM on August 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

Try Delta Rae maybe? Bottom of the River.
posted by rekrap at 3:01 PM on August 23, 2017

Carolina Chocolate Drops.
Eric Bibb.
posted by Chitownfats at 3:27 PM on August 23, 2017

Rory Block is an amazing guitarist and singer and does whole albums where she covers/channels different old blues legends. You might especially like The Lady and Mr. Johnson or Blues Walkin' like a Man.

Other current and good folks: Keb Mo, Taj Mahal, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Corey Harris, Cephas and Wiggins, Eden Brent, Tracy Nelson, Shemekia Copeland, Samantha Fish, Fiona Boyes, Marcia Ball, Catherine Russell, James Cotton, Chris Thomas King, Brother Yusef, Kim Massie, Roxy Perry, JJ Grey & Mofro, Janiva Magness, Susan Tedeschi.
posted by aka burlap at 3:44 PM on August 23, 2017 [4 favorites]

Gary Clark, Jr.
posted by Occula at 3:52 PM on August 23, 2017 [3 favorites]

I like Kirk Fletcher a lot
posted by thelonius at 4:21 PM on August 23, 2017

Otis Taylor
Janiva Magness
posted by drlith at 4:23 PM on August 23, 2017

Jolie Holland
posted by annathea at 5:56 PM on August 23, 2017

I love Pat Donohue's finger-picking, and his last few albums have been about half blues.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:22 PM on August 23, 2017

Absolutely Janiva Magness (her "When You Were My King" is the definition of heartbreak).

Also, covering a wide range of blues, the following female blues singers:

Rita Chiarelli
Ana Popovic
Maria Muldaur
Dani Wilde
Candye Kane
Andrea Marr (some of her work is mixed with soul, but not all)
Dana Dixon
Deana Bogart
Debbie Davies
Deborah Coleman
Roxanne Potvin
Cat Power
Mama's Juke Joint
Lucinda Williams
Jessie Mae Hemphill
Joanne Shaw Taylor
Little Miss Higgins
Cyndi Lauper's album Memphis Blues (really--give it a try)
Renee Austin
Bonnie Raitt
Dana Gillespie
Katie Webster
Lou Ann Barton
Saffire, The Uppity Blues Women
Shemekia Copeland
posted by purplesludge at 8:32 PM on August 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

Lucinda Williams. (I just saw her a few months ago. She sounds great.)
+1 for all the ones on purplesludge's list that I know (and probably the few i do not know.)
posted by AugustWest at 9:06 PM on August 23, 2017

I don't know if Alabama Shakes would be too rock for you, but if you enjoy a sixties vibe at all, you'll like it. And, my God, Brittany Howard slays.
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 10:48 PM on August 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

Check out Jorma Kaukonen and Hot Tuna. He plays a piedmont finger picking style.
posted by tman99 at 5:26 AM on August 24, 2017

I recently saw C.W. Stoneking live in Montreal and it was pretty kicking. He's a dude but has female background singers and musicians...
posted by Beardman at 10:41 AM on August 24, 2017

Joe Bonamassa (here he is with Beth Hart, one of my favorites).

Seconding Susan Tedeschi. Also Derek Trucks, who is her husband.

Tinsley Ellis.

Seriously, what really works for this kind of stuff is to set up a Pandora account, put in what you already like, and see what it finds for you. I have found a TON of awesome new music through Pandora.
posted by biscotti at 12:34 PM on August 26, 2017