Young Man Blues (Live In Glasgow) - Bert Jansch

Advantages: May be the best contemporary white female blues singer and acoustic guitarist you'll ever hear.
Disadvantages: None

...THE ARTIST: In 1981 Rory Block was no young white female blues singer like today’s Susan Tedeschi. Nor was she the Bonnie Raitt of old, back in her incredible pre-Grammy days in the late 60s and early 70s. That’s when Bonnie would play small clubs like the old Main Line on Philadelphia’s Haverford Avenue, a steel National Guitar on her knee, a leer in her eyes, an oath in her mouth, grinding her hips as she played, purring “I’m gonna put you in my blender, gonna whip mash ‘n puree.” No, already in 1981 Block was arguably better than both -- possibly the best contemporary white female combination blues singer and acoustic guitar player around. We’re talking about a woman who, as a teen working in her father Alan’s legendary leather and sandal shop in New York’s Greenwich Village in the 60s and 70s, would watch and listen... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent musically and lyrically
Disadvantages: Relatively unknown

...Singer songwriters seem to be back in vogue recently, as can be seen with the huge success of David Gray and Beth Orton (she calls Martyn ‘The Guv'nor’) or the more melodic ballad based music of groups such as Travis and Coldplay. With all the focus on the new acts it easy to forget the long tradition that Britain has for producing great singer/songwriters. People like Nick Drake are just now being re-discovered by a new generation and in the same way I think it’s time that one of the best records of the 70’s by one of the UK’s most talented songwriters and performers should also be re-evaluated. BACKGROUND John Martyn was born in England in 1948 to a Scottish father and English mother, he was brought up in Scotland living in Glasgow and has considered himself Scottish ever since. He started his music career early in 1964... Read review

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Advantages: Skilled musicianship, unique interpretations
Disadvantages: None, if you like the genre

...1959. But Kottke has also drawn inspiration from contemporary stylists as varied as Ricki Lee Jones, Lyle Lovett, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, and The Violent Femmes. Not an easy man to categorize. He was so concerned with his sound that he reluctantly switched away from Gibson guitars in the mid 60s after saying he found the bracing in the newer B-45 models didn't measure up to earlier standards. And as was the case with so many young "folkies" of the early 60s, like Fahey he used to draw heavily on the remnants of the "Beat" generation for his sense of humor -- a dry, sometimes acerbic and off-tangent wit that shows up in his live performances and his early LP liner notes. I don't know if he does that any more, but the Essential Kottke still seems to exude a hard-to-place combination of old-line existential sarcasm with the deep... Read review

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