10 Overlooked 70s blues picks

For those still padding their collections, or seeking blues you can use, take a gander at Rolling Stone’s look back at 1970s blues. 

Among my favorites in this list are the now and then reviews of Bobby Rush’s, 1979 masterpiece Rush Hour

“Bobby Rush…took his decades of his experience and his close study of Howlin’ Wolf and made an urban blues album for his times, incorporating touches of Philadelphia soul, street-corner harmonies, and the rhythms of the pulpit….Rush Hour was the first album in a sequence of ever-stranger “folk-funk” explorations.

What We Said Then:Rush Hour …is outrageous and stunning…Rush Hour is a tribute to resilience–a sign that the lessons Howlin’ Wolf and his peers learned and taught have been neither lost nor forgotten. You’re going to need something like this to get you through the Eighties.” — Dave Marsh, RS 305 (November 29th, 1979)

Here he is in BCI #15 talking Chitlin’ Circuit and New Orleans blues.

Bobby Rush – BCI #15 Remastered

The ‘King of the Chitlin Circuit’ holds forth on chitlins, playing 100 shows with Howlin’ Wolf, his grammy winning album and abundance of energy in the stupendously remastered BCI #15.

When the topic turns to Jimmy Reed, it gets too hot for host Ric Stewart to stay out of the jam. A meeting of country funk strings ensues. Mind blowing tales of the Chicago blues scene of the 1950s with Freddie King, Elmore James and Luther Allison in Bobby’s bands and a few good jams from Bobby at Helena, AR’s King Biscuit Blues Festival salt the mix.

Barry Goldberg – BCI #13

Barry Goldberg in BCI #13 talks about his great fortune playing with Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels on “Good Golly Miss Molly/Devil With The Blue Dress” on his first session, going electric with Bob Dylan, The Electric Flag, Michael Bloomfield, Jimi Hendrix (then Jimmy James), his band with Steve Miller and how he got turned on to the blues in Chicago during the 1950’s. His blues apprenticeship with Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf paved the way. Now he’s in The Rides with Stephen Stills and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Some tasty piano licks fill in the gaps.