The Blues - A Musical Journey

[Driver]

Several weeks ago,my kids bought me, for Fathers' Day, the full DVD set of the Martin Scorsese production: The Blues - A Musical Journey. This was very generous of them because I think it was quite expensive.

The series was shown on ABC on Saturday evenings a few months ago. I managed to catch some of the programmes but not all.

I've just finished working my way through the whole set of 7 DVDs. Man! If you're a blues fan, it really is worth a look. This is not a comprehensive audio-visual study of the blues and I doubt that Scorsese would claim that it is (nor that anyone could produce one that would be more entertainment than learned thesis) but you have to give him enormous credit for a marvellous production.

He had different directors work on each episode. My favourite is the last one: Piano Blues (director Clint Eastwood - a considerable musician in his own right). It has some work from Ray Charles, Dave Brubeck, Doctor John and the inimitable Professor Longhair(!) - amongst a host of other great talent.

A close second is Red, White and Blues - a study of the influence of the blues on the British rock scene in the 1960s. There's a wonderful studio session at Abbey Road with Tom Jones, Jeff Beck, Van Morrison and Lulu. Humphrey Littleton's Bad Penny Blues brought back some memories (aagh - nostalgia - leave me alone!)

The DVD extras are nearly as good as the finished production.

I don't often rave like this but DVD technology has begun to throw up some genuinely worthwhile pieces of art - and this is one to cherish.

Col

[bitingmidge]

I don't often rave like this but DVD technology has begun to throw up some genuinely worthwhile pieces of art - and this is one to cherish.

Col

I don't ever rave about DVD's but if you haven't got "Concert for George" you aren't a complete person.

Off to the ABC shop for me then!

P

[Driver]

I don't ever rave about DVD's but if you haven't got "Concert for George" you aren't a complete person.

Off to the ABC shop for me then!

P

You got that right, Peter. You should also add the Crossroads Guitar Festival to your collection. It's a ripper!

[Andy Mac]

Hi Driver,

Have to agree, that series was well worth watching. Did that Piano Blues episode include a session by Nick Cave? Threw me seeing him on the show anyway, but he was good!
I think it was the first episode, anyway a young bluesman called Corey Harris was the central character, if you get a chance to listen to his CD's, well he is just hot .
I've been into the blues since a high school kid, going to 78's in Hay St, Perth. Its funny now seeing blues take off, with lots of new artists on triple J, esp. Aussie ones, using it after so many years of being on the sideline.
How do you see it?

Cheers,

[Driver]

Andy

No. Nick Cave wasn't featured in that particular episode.

Got to agree about Corey Harris. Some of the other young bluesmen are featured in the series: Keb Mo, for example.

As for the revival, well, I don't think the blues ever went away. As for Aussie influences, go back just a few short years and have a listen to The Screaming Jets: Shivers and Shine On, for example, from Hits and Pieces.

BB King said: "The blues is the roots, the rest is the fruits."