THE B.B. KING BLUES BAND
THE SOUL OF THE KING
(Ruf Records)
5.10.19
Blues music has been a crucial
part of American history for nearly 150 years. Originally, the Blues genre grew
organically from Folk, spirituals, and African work songs. Since the dawn of
recorded music, Blues has traveled around the world, inspiring millions of
musicians in the process. The musical blueprint for the Blues remains virtually
unchanged a century and a half later yet musicians find new ways to interpret
it year after year. Much like an amusement park ride, the basic structure
itself never changes yet it is experienced differently by each person that rides
it. The Blues can be performed by down-trodden acoustic guitar player or a
glitzy big band and have the same effect on the listener. The Blues informs
almost every other style of music – from Rock ‘n’ Roll to modern Country and Jazz.
The Blues is understood and misunderstood in equal measures. The Blues can make
you sob but then turn around and drown you in joy. The Blues, in the hands of
the right musicians, is magical. And one
of the greatest Blues musicians/magicians was – and remains – B.B. King.
