boom boom boom boom

Only a few weeks until school starts, and then we're in for some serious blogging shenanigans, so I think I need to spend the next few weeks in "training camp" (aka rural Lithuania) getting myself up to speed.....

As an opening salvo, let me sing the praises of Robert Palmer's book DEEP BLUES (1982), which I nicked from my dad's bookcase on this past week's trip to AZ. My dad has the advantage of age AND wisdom, which means that it takes me a while to catch up with him....and beginning to grok the blues is just another example. From my dad, I got into John Lee Hooker, Mississippi John Hurt, Rainer Ptacek, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters....yadda yadda yadda. Palmer's book helps provide a clear, encompassing cultural history of Delta blues....a good a roadmap as anything I know to start getting into the blues.

Here's an early '60s clip of John Lee Hooker, as an appetizer:



We're heading to Lithuania tonight, so we'll see how I do with postings....But we'll be in touch.