Ancestors

Written by morachbeag on 2025-02-02 at 05:44

Big Bill Broonzy. This is the last footage of him singing, cause he had to get surgery the day after. He'd live a further year.

Notice the incredibly heavy strings on that guitar. It's hard work playing something like that. No pick on the thumb either, holding down totally steady rhythm. Secret to acoustic blues rhythm: that thumb. Embellishments usually with index, maybe middle, maybe ring finger.

You'll note in the second tune he's doing a lot of that. Real finesse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-pShRISHnQ

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Toot

Written by morachbeag on 2025-02-02 at 05:53

And at the other end, here is his very first record, from 1927, House Rent Stomp.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8RrfC_pPZI

There are remasters and stuff about, which allow you to hear the low end better.

I talked lil about Broonzy before and the stereotyping.

https://aus.social/@morachbeag/113321653268282655

Worth remembering that he'd started out on violin, could play jazz and all sorts of stuff, but if you were Black, you got pigeonholed into Blues when recording. The studios wouldn't even release your stuff if you didn't adhere to it. Wouldn't even record it most of the time either. So, much music lost that way.

He was also the first blues artist to tour Europe.

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Descendants