Brixton Wednesdays on Wax: Mississippi John Hurt and Tom Rush
Our buddy Peter Mahoney from Boston sent over some folk/blues albums from his collection, both were picked up on a whim and both turned out to be amazing. Scroll down and have a listen…
Mississippi John Hurt – The Immortal (1967)
When I was first discovering blues and folk music, John Hurt was one of the early names I discovered. John Hurt lived most of his life on his farm in Avalon, MS and only had one recording session in 1928, until the early 1960′s when the folk revival dug him up and gave him the credit he was due. The Immortal recording is a great cross cut of blues and gospel songs such as “I’ve Got The Blues And Can’t Be Satisfied” and “Nearer My God To Thee”. John Hurt’s guitar playing is usually upbeat and in major tonality, while his lyrics can often sing about boozing, jail time and even murder. John Hurt died after only a few years of public recognition, but remains one of the early influences for later generations.
“Hop Joint”
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“Richland Woman Blues”
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Tom Rush – Take A Little Walk With Me (1966)
I bought this record on a whim a few years ago, for $.50 at a secondhand store. I had never heard Tom Rush play, but I noticed most of the tracks as 1950′s hits by people like Chuck Berry (Too Much Monkey Business), and Buddy Holly (Love’s Made A Fool Of You). Turns out, this is Tom Rush’s first electric recording, and the personnel on it, all played on Bob Dylan’s early electric sessions. All but one track on this album are covers (On The Road Again), but Tom Rush puts his own touch on every track. This record is a staple for 1960′s electric folk/blues. And as it turns out, my mother is a big Tom Rush fan.
“You Can’t Judge a Book by Looking at the Cover”
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“Statesboro Blues”
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-p.mahoney
Tags: Mississippi John Hurt, Peter Mahoney, Tom Rush, Wednesdays on Wax
