Average user rating:  |
 Skip James mellowed like wine |
| Skip James was a Baptist preacher, not a professional musician, so aside from an incredible recording he made for Paramount Records in 1931, he wasn't widely sought out as a performer until the blues revival of the late '50s and early '60s. By that time, his voice and style had mellowed and aged (like most good musicians and all good wine) and while for some unkwown reason several Amazon.com reviewers think this is a fault, James made a very impressive appearance at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival, which is recorded on this disc. The CD features newer arrangements of several songs from James' 1931 Paramount recording, like the well-known title track "Devil Got My Woman". There are also some jazzier songs for piano here like the "22-20 Blues" and "Careless Love". While I know this is "the blues" and there's a certain amount of mellowness going on, after listening to about five tracks of Skip James accompanying himself on the guitar, you'll probably be in the mood for something more upbeat -- which is exactly why the tracks of Skip James accompanying himself on the piano come in like a slippery kiss from your cute girlfriend. Great disc! Recommended. Five stars. |
| A unique artist brilliantly captured near the end of life. |
| Other Amazon reviews of this disc and "Skip James Today" suggest some kind of strongly held private agenda in favor of his early recordings reissued on Yazoo. While the rediscovered Skip was more contemplative, less fierce and more limited to falsetto singing than the young Skip, these recordings are still astonishing, among the few real glories of the blues rediscovery era, and indispensable. The Vanguard recordings are much more satisfying than most of the other rediscovery sessions, and some of them achieve real greatness. It's an eerie, otherworldly music, and definitely an acquired taste, but don't be swayed by those who would tell you to avoid these "rediscovery" recordings. Many of them will reward you for years to come. I've been listening to this disc and "Today" since they were issued as lps in the '60s. |
 Ignore and get the real thing from the 1930s instead. |
| Sadly, Skip James was "rediscovered" in the 1960s by white blues scholars and coaxed out of a dark Mississippi life. His energy sapped over 30+ years, the man is a mere shadow of the brilliance featured on his incredible early 78s. Get that Yazoo compilation for a taste of the most haunting, unique and brilliant blues recordings of all time. |
