3 Review(s)

This is the fully revised edition of Paul Oliver's successful The Blackwell Guide to Recorded Blues. It has been entirely rewritten to take account of the CD revolution in which some 6,000 blues CDs have been issued over the last five years. This is not only the best and most succinct guide to recorded blues: it also provides a history of the subject.The introductory chapter by the editors surveys the history of blues recording from the pioneering fieldwork of the early twentieth century to the present. The book is then divided into 14 chapters arranged roughly in chronological order. Each chapter provides an argued selection of the 10 essential recordings for every collection and then amplifies this with a selection of a further 30 basic recordings, all of which are concisely appraised. As a whole the book recommends an essential collection of 140 CDs and a basic library of around 560. The New Blackwell Guide to Recorded Blues has been written by the leading experts in the field from all over the world.It now contains a chapter on American "white blues" in the years leading up to Elvis Presley's historic Sun Sessions of 1954-55, a fully updated bibliography and guide to further reading arranged by subject, and a list of all the recommended recordings arranged by label. This is, in sum, the essential guide for all lovers of this vibrant musical form.