If you were stranded on a desert island for the rest of your life and could only bring one disc / album ... what would it be?
... and why?
I realize this may be a bit of an odd choice for someone that plays a lot of blues guitar .. but for me, Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life is my desert island disc. There's such great depth and variety on the disc ... the music is deep, fun, joyful, sad, reflective ...
Only the Lonely-- just kidding... do double albums count? Then Electric Ladyland-- otherwise Axis Bold as Love-- because Hendrix was/is... well, you know-- Thanks for the lessons!
Hard to choose but if I was shipwrecked today it would be Savane by Ali Farka Toure. I dig how he makes the guitar sound like another instrument, the arrangements, the vocals...everything is hitting. Ask tomorrow and get a different answer....
Just one? Probably one of those old R&B Stripper songs albums or an album that was made of something edible. LOL
I'd smuggle a box of the following:
- the original Roomful album (which I still have)
- Duke's Swing album
- Benny Goodman w/Charlie Christian
- Barney Kessell "To Swing or Not to Swing"
- Hank Garland, Jazz Winds from a New Direction
- Kenny Burrell, The Best of...
- Luiz Bonfa, just the Samba de Orfeu would do me fine just one track
- Mighty Sparrow (well I am stuck on an island and this IS the ultimate Caribbean island music)
- Anita O'Day Swings Cole Porter...(and you can leave her there with me...we'll I'm stranded so I'll imagine she's there)
- and if I'm stranded in the Pacific, Keola Beamer, or a groovy Martin Denny exotica album
- Nat King Cole trio w/Oscar Moore
- An Otis Redding Album
- and for kicks an Amy Winehouse album (and when Anita O'Day is not with me she can be there)
Steve
That's nearly imposible and definately not a fair question. It should be 10 desert island discs. Seeing it's just one disc i think my choice would differ every day but today I'd say Duke Ellington's "At his very Best" on RCA. The Ellington band of the early 1940s had some of the best jazz players ever and definately were the best big band ever. This is some of Ellington's best music although ALL his music was beyond comparison. Yeah, I could listen to that record evryday for the rest of my life no problem. Actually, I'm not even sure if it was ever released on CD. I have two vinyl copies. That's how much I like it and if I find a third in better comdition, I'll buy that too!
hmmmm.....can I have my Peerless 175 copy instead???? one album....Kenny Burrell's "'Round Midnight" or "God Bless the Child"...or a double Phil Upchurch's "Darkness, Darkness"....or Gabor Szabo andBobby Womack's "High Contrast"......and some thai stick.....thanks for the indulgence and the great lessons!
I agree, that's really an unfair question. Today I will say it would have to be Freddie King's Just Pickin'. That album is just one great Blues guitar instrumental after another!
Bill
Thanks for the tip, Duke - I just bought one off Ebay - 10 bucks delivered, NM condition....any album by the Crusaders up to and including Royal Jam would be excellent company...after Stix left, not so much...Joe Sample's solo albums "Ashes to Ashes" comes to mind would be fine...Larry Carlton's solo on "Spiral" from the Crusaders' 'Southern Knights' might be one of the best constructed solos, in my opinion, of all timeses.....
1 million dollar question!!!!! At first I'd rather say....Robert Johnson "The complete recordings" or maybe...."Legend" of Bob Marley!!! :DDD
Geez. That's impossible, but-either Solo Flight by Charlie Christian, or the Complete Basement Tapes by Bob Dylan and the Band. The Charlie Christian is the wellspring for all future jazz guitar, but the Basement Tapes has a timeless quality that encompasses alot of Americana.
Still, an impossible question.
Slim
OK TODAY my desert island choice would be Kenny Burrell's "Midnight Blue" but tomorrow it maybe "The Best of Muddy Waters!" Ha Ha Ha! I really is an impossible question Mike, shame on you!
OK I'm going to have to say 10 desert island records. Not in any order of importance. they are all the best!
Best of Muddy Waters
T-Bone walker complete imperial or B&W recordings
Duke Ellington at His Very Best
The best of Count Basie on Decca
Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue
The Complete Bille Holiday on Columbia
the Complete Robert Johnson
Organ Grinders Swing Jimmy Smith
The great 28 Chuck Berry
Blues is King BB King
If I had to name one, I think it would be Masters of the Modern Blues: Robert Nighthawk and Houston Stackhouse. If I could get away with bringing 9 more, they would be
The Complete Trix Recordings, Robert Lockwood
His Best 1947 to 1956, Muddy Waters
The Blues World of Little Walter, Little Walter
Some Groovy Fours, Tiny Grimes
Playing With Strings, Lonnie Johnson
Remastered 1935-1938, Blind Boy Fuller
The Complete Imperial Recordings, T-Bone Walker
Exile on Main Street, The Rolling Stones
The Very Best of Otis Redding
Great Choices Jason! Yes, Robert Nighthalk and Houston Stackhouse is amazing! How about that Peck Curtis on drums, pots and pans! Eddie Taylor from that same series and also Big Walter and Johhny Shines, Flod Jones too Dark Road, Now THAT's the BLUES!
These are my 10 classic jazz/blues guitar desert island records:
Wes Montgomery - Boss Guitar
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue
Grant Green - Feelin' the Spirit
Pat Martino - El Hombre
Charlie Christian - Swing to Bop
B.B. King - His RPM Hits 1951-57
Freddie King - Blues Guitar Hero Vol. 1
Clarence Gatemouth Brown - The Original Peacock Recordings
Jimmie Rogers - Complete Chess Recordings
T-Bone Walker - Complete Imperial Recordings
Yeah Mario, I see a lot of us have similar tastes. That's a very hip list!
Yeah, I love all of those Masters of the Modern Blues albums. I think they are best described as nasty old Chicago mess. I do not have the liner notes around, but I think most of the stuff on the Nighthawk/Stackhouse album does not have a bass player, just two guitars. That may be my favorite sound. The low guitar parts on that album are so cool, seems like they never just repeat the same figures over all 3 chords, and are constantly switching it up. One day I will learn all of those!
Oh yeah, and in my imagination that drum set has pots, pans, and several old Coke bottles.
I'm still backing Jimi Hendrix in the Desert Island scenario-- but it was educational to hear other people's choices, I really appreciate it! Anyway, the quote everyone most probably knows vis á vis J.H.: "... Hendrix plays Delta blues for sure-- only the Delta may have been on Mars." Thanks for the lessons-- Dave
l'elenco aggiornato dei miei preferiti.....some Italian sometimes it's not so bad!!! :D
Skip James - Blues from the Delta
Son House - Delta Blues and Spirituals
Mississippi John Hurt - The best of
Robert Johnson - The complete recording
John Hammond - In your arms again
Muddy Waters - The best of
John Lee Hooker - The best of
Corey Harris - Mississippi to Mali
Ali Farka Tourè - African Blues
Keb Mo - Suitcase/Keb Mo
Eric Bibb - Booker's Guitar
Blind willie Johnson - Complete recording
Bob Marley - Legend
Abyssinians - Satta Massagana
And talkin about a desert Island I want to dedicate this song to Corey and to all the people that are actually walking to Zion and fightin' against Babylon
Bless
I'll be out of touch for the next 7 days but will be right back after January 28th with more lessons etc. Enjoy what is up there now and I'll see you soon! Duke Robillard
Great lists .. OK, I like the idea of 10 discs .. so here are mine
1. Stevie Wonder .. Songs in the Key of Life
2. BB King .. Live at the Regal
3. Taj Mahal .. The Real Thing (Taj live with a 4 piece tuba section !!)
4. Allen Toussaint / Lightning Hopkins / more .. 1976 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival .. amazing disc if you've never hear it
5. Beethoven .. Symphony #7 (2nd movement is my favorite piece of music bar none)
6. Lynyrd Skynyrd .. Second Helping
7. Aretha Franklin .. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Loved You
8. Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong .. Ella and Louis
9. Ben Webster & Oscar Peterson .. Ben Webster meets Oscar Peterson
10. Handel .. Organ Concertos
