" West Coast Blues " BLIND BLAKE (1926) Ragtime Blues Guitar Legend

[coolhellcat18]

@Christophersyn yup not even a marked grave!

[heymynameistyler]

@coolhellcat18 thats bc blind blake goes hard!!!

[MrTriolian]

One of the greatest if not the greatest Blues-Ragtime-guitarists ever! AWESOME!

[sigilopator]

This is the fella that influenced Muddy Waters in his younger days!

[n64wilbert]

Vastly catchy!!!

[FollowersofDamu]

This shit is fuckin awesome and anyone who doesn't agree can suck my fucking cock.

[n64wilbert]

@FollowersofDamu That quotation is funny as hell because the vast majority of chicks or bitches hate this type of music so your easily going to get laid!!!!

[FollowersofDamu]

@n64wilbert They may not listen to it because it isn't modern day shit but I guarantee if I just busted out some of this shit at a party or a bonfire or something I'd have chick's on my tip on ZERO TIME!

[n64wilbert]

@FollowersofDamu Try that!!! Just don't force her to fuck with you!!

[daniel2B]

It's very different from the blues i'm used to... and it's still blues...

[Mescalitam]

"There is a very distinct main riff with an occasional difference. I don't know why anybody wants to deny it, it doesn't make it any less good or historically important."

I'st a brilliant kind of beauty, don't talk, enjoy.?

[christophersyn]

The mystery over what became of "Blind" Arthur Blake, the greatest ragtime guitarist of all time, has been solved. . Long story short, through some amazing research done in the last few months and published only two or three weeks ago it has been determined that Blake died in Milwaukee Wisconsin on December 1st 1934 of pulmonary tuberculosis, and is buried in an unmarked grave in a cemetary in Glendale, jus south of Grafton, a stones throw from where Paramount pressed his 78's and recorded him.

[christophersyn]

The mystery over what became of "Blind" Arthur Blake, the greatest ragtime guitarist of all time, has been solved. . Long story short, through some amazing research done in the last few months and published only two or three weeks ago it has been determined that Blake died in Milwaukee Wisconsin on December 1st 1934 of pulmonary tuberculosis, and is buried in an unmarked grave in a cemetary in Glendale, jus south of Grafton, a stones throw from where Paramount pressed his 78's and recorded him.

[theHellzapoppin]

blind blake, the man with 4 thumbs. i mean 2 on each hands. a master !

[Shackamaxon]

Did Arlo Guthrie have Blind Arthur Blake in mind when he wrote Alice's Restaurant Massacree? The chord progression here is very similar and also the rhythm.

[PaleBunnyBaconEater]

My mom married a guy in the late 60s when I was a kid, and he played blues guitar and did work with Furry Lewis. I remember going to his (Lewis) house when I was about 6, and man he lived in a run down shotgun with chipped paint that leaned slightly to one side, down in Mississippi. I grew up listening to blues, and by grew up I mean from age 5 on. I hated it all at the time (lolll) all kids want to be like everybody else, but, now I know different is usually better.

[jeffreyvogt]

@bongfodder you should check out the Stephan Grossman "Ragtime & Blues Guitar of Blind Blake" DVD - lots of good technique there. Most of it speculation, of course, but it's not like they had video tape back then :)

[jacksondemarre]

Does anybody know if he really was blind?

[busessuck1]

@jacksondemarre well, he's supposed to have gotten hit by a car

[RagtimeDorianHenry]

@busessuck1 yes, according to Reverend Gary Davis (and for the year ? 1932, 1933 I guess ?)

[PaleBunnyBaconEater]

@jacksondemarre yeah he was blind.

[e83rffd7fcswli]

guitar god

[noot909]

One person needs to give it another listen.

[jakepepsi1]

great sound quality!

[horlacsd]

@2:10

"good to the last drop... just like maxwell house coffee yeaa"

Maxwell house reference ! Like MJH spoonful blues

[comedyjake]

1 person is a RAGing homo

[Sheindie]

well, hendrix learned from Buddy Guy! ...now, Blind Blake was quite the musician - research shows he was hit/killed by a streetcar in Jacksonville, Fla - had no ID on him and was buried in an unmarked grave in a pauper's cemetery!

[Dulcimerea]

Blind Blake was truly a pioneer in the art of fingerstyle guitar. I've been to the National Fingerstyle Guitar Competition (each September, in Winfield, Kansas) a number of times, where about forty of the nation's top fingerstyle guitarists compete, and it is amazing to me to see that a lot of the contestants play in styles which seem to be strongly inspired by Blind Blake's playing. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and thus today's guitarists continue to honor Blind Blake's music.

[bongfodder]

@Dulcimerea That's interesting,what was his right hand technique?One finger like Travis did later,two or the classical three?Thumbpick? Sounds like he's strumming quite a bit as well as right hand muting.

I think a lot of people are interested in not only learning this music as it was but also adding to the repertoire.

[banjopedro]

at 1:43 til about 1:52 is my favorite part of the whole song

[chinaboyd]

To modern musicians : This is where it's at! This gave so many artists like Albert King, BB King, Rory G... (Etc..) their inspiration. If you wanna be near as good as them, then here's where you start!

[johnnyweissman]

Trust an advanced player: This is most developed musician of his era. It is important to place him chronologically, and not compare him to, say, Robert Johnson, etc. Blake did not influence as many players as, say, Lemon Jefferson, because, Blake was just too damn good,his style all but impenetrable.

[Lynkjdl91]

As good as Robert Johnson was I think Blind Blake was just as good, if not better. But he never seems to get the credit for it. "Hastings St" "West Coast Blues" "That'll Never Happen No More" "Police Dog Blues" god, I could ramble on all day. A real musical genius.

[1jeans]

John Fahey did an excellent cover, this is how I found the original masterpiece.

[zubestr]

this is some great stuff to just kick back too

[davidsl222]

Blind Blake kicks ass. Not even a little easy to play as fast as he's playing.

[theHellzapoppin]

the greatest.

[LovelyObscurities]

Blind Blake was a true virtuoso on the guitar. I'm in awe of his playing ability. He made it seem effortless. Thanks for posting this.

[potatoepeter1]

absolut

[theHellzapoppin]

yabadabedoooo. blake with his diabolical thumb. her we go! such a rythmical spirit! he's unique. Listen to the Master please.

[AngryEoin]

Who wouldn't want to be able to play like this?

[AngryEoin]

Who wouldn't want to be able to play like this.

[fxg11]

The Jimi Hendrix of the '20's. The king. You can't touch that.

[spickspack]

@fxg11 so now I would like your honest opinion and what ever you say is not wrong as it is your sole opinion that no one can judge....... who was the better guitar player Hendrix or Blake?

[myboytheharp]

@spickspack Blake easily

[Lynkjdl91]

@myboytheharp I love Blake, but Hendrix was and still is the greatest guitarist to have ever lived.

[myboytheharp]

@Lynkjdl91 your opinion, im not too keen on Hendrix, sure hes good but he dont have nowhere near as much soul as BB King, but BB wasnt realy as innovative, all guitarists have their strengths, its just opinion i cant realy argue against it and neither can you

[Lynkjdl91]

@myboytheharp Well, he has some great emotional performances but BB King has a more broad spectrum of music to choose from. Hendrix died just 3-4 years into his career as a mainstream musician. What I think we can both agree on is that Rolling Stone Magazine are a joke for having Kurt Cobain in the top 15 guitarists of all time, while excluding Rory Gallagher, Blind Blake etc... entirely. =p

[myboytheharp]

@Lynkjdl91 agreed completely, obviosly my mouse didnt as when i clicked thumbs up it clicked thumbs down, sorry about that

agreed he has, and a broad spectrum is a good sign, and yeah agreed about kurt cobain i aint saying hes good but hes not top 15, and if Django Reindhart wasnt in there then he was robbed,

but then again it is all opinion

[johngoo343]

@Lynkjdl91 check ouy 26 best blues and jazz guitarists list, blakes 3

[myboytheharp]

@fxg11 surly you mean hendrix is the blake of the 70's?

[SatanistTV]

This piece is nearly impossible to replicate, Blind Blake is one freak of nature

[NimRankin]

Legendary tune! You can listen to it 1000 times straight and it never gets old! Dance that Charleston, girl! ;)

[ROCKYRACCON01]

SO GOOD!!

[olderbluesfan]

Ragtimedorianhenry Thanks for for posting all these great songs! Ive learned more history searhing while listening! again THANK YOU!

[MetryRoad]

Brilliant.

Thanks for posting

[gsboss]

gotta love that ragtime

[beatlesfan129]

:) thanks

[dankton1976]

o man, it sounds like very vivid, happy drumming with your spoons on the table in the sad days of Crisis

[funny00bunny]

amen :P just like in the good old days :P

[BMZSOUL2]

This is East Coast Blues/Ragtime Blues, not Jazz

[tamaravel]

Was he really blind,or was it just a nickname?

[vicandlinda]

Just how many fingers did this guy have?

[Reaper2k]

"Good to the last drop, just like Maxwell House Coffee!"

Wow, that was...very surprising. And hilarious.

[tigerbeetle1]

he was the best fingerpicker ever

[49mrjd]

repetative ? listen closely nothing is repeted thank you dorian this is brilliant give us more byyy

[RagtimeDorianHenry]

Blind blake is a true legend

[arnarCJer]

@49mrjd

What are you kidding me? You should listen more closely. There is a very distinct main riff that repeats quite a bit.

[PaleBunnyBaconEater]

@arnarCJer There is a very distinct main riff with an occasional difference. I don't know why anybody wants to deny it, it doesn't make it any less good or historically important.

[catkittycatkittycat]

@49mrjd I love me some rag time!!!! what in the world went wrong with the sweet music of yesterday? It transformed into such negative ghetto beats. so sad....

[ATXviIIIe]

Man I love this old stuff, but isn't this song a bit repetitive? Thanks for keeping this stuff alive anyways

[rmbnxs]

@ATXviIIIe

No, no it's not. Perhaps if he had recorded "Eye of the Tiger" he could have held your attention.

[Tanzbaum]

holla to the gen y-ers. dig deep.

[SapperK9]

Genesis?

[liquidfreak]

This is where it all started

[RagtimeDorianHenry]

excactly

[SonnyREast]

Thats the real deal country blues.

[blindneep]

Wow! Thanks for letting me know. I've been playing this kind of stuff for nearly fifty years and now I know that I've been advertising myself wrongly. I'm not a BLUES player, I'm a RAGTIME JAZZ gittar player......

Blind Blake WAS blind. I'm not. I took the name in recognition of the old blues (oops! there I go again, I mean ragtime jazz) players.

[TheGreatSamCooke]

this some good stuff