The city -- from New Orleans to Detroit -- has served as a melting pot where bluesmen and women can hear each other. Blues is a living, cross-cultural platform of expression, where musicians of all races and social origins create a "society" among themselves and their listeners. Born in the cotton fields of the rural South, blues is now accepted and loved worldwide. It is a truly universal language.

The language of the blues was first spoken in the work song. The lone voice was sometimes joined by a chorus of field workers. Call and response is an ancient technique used wherever laborers had to toil together to get a job done. One worker, acting as the leader, would call out the verse. Others would respond in unison, often repeating their part, as in a chant. This is quite common in worship services, dating to ancient times (the cantor is the chanter), but churches in the Southern States still employ it frequently. The fervor with which both worshippers and field workers sing brings an incredible energy to the music that needs no instrumental accompaniment.

When blues musicians reach for an instrument, it is often a portable one.; The harmonica, or "blues harp," was one of the first to be used. Instruments can be made out of broom wires and handles with cigar boxes for resonators. Jugs provide the "wind section." Almost anything can be used to provide rhythm. Jug Bands, which were popular in the 20's and 30's throughout the South, regained popularity in the 60's as rock musicians searched out their folk roots.

Besides the voice and "harp," the guitar is probably the next most prominent instrument and one of the first to be recorded. Guitarists and pianists frequently act as their own accompanists. The piano often resided in the "barrelhouse," or roadhouse, where dancing and other less socially-acceptable behavior flourished. Often the same pianists who played in church on Sunday would be found pounding the keys in these rural versions of urban "speakeasies." Prohibition brought some measure of prosperity to the depressed countryside by encouraging black market whiskey and beer sales at the "joints." After a 14-hour work day, those who had jobs wanted to relax and kick back. Those with no jobs wanted to forget about their troubles. Blues was the ideal partner. Somebody else had a harder tale to tell!

You don't have to suffer from the effects of hard physical labor, or even be under the influence of alcohol, to enjoy the blues. Close your eyes and sway to that slow shuffle, or "beat it, Daddy, eight to the bar." Whatever style you choose, the music will always be there to comfort and console you, or maybe just liven things up a little bit!

• Musicians: You won't find any horn players here. There are plenty of talented musicians (Louis Armstrong, for instance) that I obviously couldn't include. Among the thousands of fine blues players out there, I chose to highlight a few that are rather obscure. Failure to be in the limelight in Chicago or New York, playing with a large band, often doomed the early players to lack of recognition, both in their own times, and today. Many labels that blues artists recorded for, in the old days, were targeted by region and by race. The social climate of the 20's and 30's sometimes meant that black player's only recording opportunities were on "race records" These segregated labels were not like Motown of the 60's, they were very small companies, obscure in their own right. Frequently, recordings on mainstream labels were were made by pop or jazz players, who, though they played a blues tune, didn't know the style, or "over arranged" the music by including lots of extra instruments. Here, we're are mainly concerned with those players whose music reflects the rural roots of the blues.

• Record Labels:  Most of the companies listed here were created after World War II to produce the blues and other folk-roots oriented music.  They have been champions of unknown talent, both in the area of vintage music and new music that carries on the traditions.Their web pages feature detailed information on the music, and have some sound samples available. You can order CDs directly from them.

•  Blues Societies and Publications: We are fortunate to have many clubs that feature live music in our area. A few even specialize in blues. Organizations like the Bucks County Blues Society put out newsletters that provide information on vents that are ongoing. They also highlight the several area festivals, such as the Cape May and Poconos Blues Festivals. There are regional and national blues oriented publications.  Living Blues is one of the most well known.

• Blue Links:  Here are some links to other pages that feature blues related content. Check out the link to WXPN  Radio at the University of Pennsylvania; one of the finest radio stations in the country, in my humble opinion. They not only play the music, but the produce the shows, some of which are nationally syndicated. The Blues Show, on Saturday night, is a place to hear blues of all kinds, from the earliest recordings of obscure rural stylists, to the hard rockin' Chicago style of blues.The Blues Show is produced by Johnny Meister, a living blues archive. He plays the best acoustic and electric blues, and his comments are always informative and humorous. You'll also learn all about blues activities in the Delaware Valley and beyond.

Thanks for stoppin' by. Keep On Truckin' On!