Jeff Todd Titon & Cliff - Post War Downhome Blues, part 1

Time to introduce a new multipart series of mixcloud and blog posts that are once again based on a book playlist. This sort of exercise has been a passion of Cliff's for...well, a LONG time. Not many have the passion and perseverance to assemble sets like these. I know that often decades are involved! My role is to do my best to even out some of the lumps and bumps of the disparate sources. 

"I suppose that it is obvious, I read a lot about music and am too darned lazy to create my own playlists. Jeff Todd Titon's “Downhome Blues Lyrics” isn't a book I would suggest as a 'must read' but it sure makes for one hell of an interesting listening experience.

I first met Jeff many years ago when we were involved in selecting recommended recordings for the Folk Life division of the Library Of Congress. His book Powerhouse For God and the accompanying recordings was a big part of my early introduction to white gospel and sermons. Just about everything he has written over the years is worthy of your attention.

“Downhome Blues Lyrics” is well limned in the title, a collection of post-war blues lyrics. What makes it fascinating to me is how Titon uses the assembled songs to tell a story. The great migration north, the struggle to make a new life ending, for many, in reflection on the rural past.

Not only does his selection make for an excellent listening experience but he has done a fine job of picking material from performers, known and obscure, which illustrate the transition from rural to urban blues." Unkie Cliff

Since the focus of the list was to tell a story through the lyrics, the songs aren't presented  chronologically which seems to add texture to the listening experience. Jeff Todd Titon' s list is 128 tracks which I will carve into 4 listening chunks (I think it would be 5 cd's).

Post-War Downhome Blues, 1 by Kingcake on Mixcloud