Rory Block
GONE WOMAN BLUES
Rounder 11575
available on Amazon
Sub-titled The Country Blues Collection, you have Rory Block sticking to what she may do better than any other contemporary player around, play acoustic country blues. These statements are always open to debates, but here she sticks to the vein of country blues, basically from the delta region, and this is her true musical love and passion. This style of music is the reason she plays music, this is where her heart and mind are. These cuts have all been heard scattered about on various other albums going back to HIGH HEELED BLUES, from 1989. Here they are pulled together into one comprehensive whole. She explores the wide variety of the country blues, and even at 69 plus minutes this disc never gets repetitive, and that speaks in itself of her faith, knowledge, and love of this genre. Except on 5 cuts she is unaccompanied, and when she is, it only enhances what she is doing. Her youngest son, Jordan Block Valdina, helps out by doing the male vocal on stunning acappella version of BE READY WHEN HE COMES. This frees her voice to soar and stretch, which is something I would love to see her do more often. The harmonica backing by Little Annie Raines (folks if you don't know her, catch her discs with Paul Rishell) just perfectly walks that line of being enhancing without intruding. If you like country blues this is one you don't want to miss.
Musicians
Rory Block - acoustic guitar &vocal all tracks, National steel guitar 14
Jordan Block Valdina - male vocal 15
Little Annie Raines - harmonica 17
Warren Bernhardt - piano 20,22
Songs and Writers
1. Big Road Blues - Tommy Johnson
2. Preaching Blues - Son House
3. Joliet Bound - Kansas Joe McCoy
4. Maggie Campbell - Tommy Johnson
5. Hellhound On My Tail - Robert Johnson
6. Bye Bye Blues - Tommy Johnson
7. Gone Woman Blues - Rory Block
8. Peavine Blues - Charlie Patton
9. Rolling Log - Lottie [Kimbrough]Beaman
10. I Let My Daddy Do That - Hattie Hart
11. Tallahatchie Blues - Mattie Delaney
12. Tain't Long Fo Day - Blind Willie McTell
13. Terraplane Blues - Robert Johnson
14. Come On In My Kitchen - Robert Johnson
15. Be Ready When He Comes - Nehemiah 'Skip' James
16. Cypress Grove - Nehemiah 'Skip' James
17. Railroadin' Some - Henry Thomas
18. Hawkins Blues - Buddy Boy Hawkins
19. Cool Drink of Water - Tommy Johnson
20. Do Your Duty - S. Wilson
21. Rowdy Blues - Kid Bailey
22. On the Wall - Louise Johnson
23. Devil Got My Man - Nehemiah 'Skip' James
24. Take My Heart Again - Rory Block