Stefan Grossman

Rags, Stomps and Songs of Blind Blake

Blind Blake was the greatest ragtime blues guitarist to record during the 1920s. His intricate fingerpicking sounded more like a ragtime piano than an actual guitar. It captured the pulsating rhythms of the blues, ragtime, and jazz music of the period. Rev. Gary Davis admired Blake’s playing and said: “I ain’t never heard anybody on a record yet beat Blind Blake on guitar. I like Blake because he played right sporty.”

In 1926 Blind Arthur Blake signed for ‘Ink’ Williams of Paramount Records in Chicago. His first release was the amazing instrumental West Coast Blues. The record was a hit and ‘Ink’ kept him busy in the studio for the next six years. He was a first-call session player for all the Paramount stars and featured on records by Papa Charlie Jackson, Ma Rainey, Gus Cannon and Ida Cox, among many others. He recorded over 80 titles as a solo artist. It was his instrumental numbers, Blind Arthur’s Breakdown, Come on Boys Let’s Do That Messin’ Around and Southern Rag that singled out Blind Blake as a truly unique talent who set a standard that other stars of Piedmont style Blues could only aspire to.

Modern fingerstyle guitarists such as Jorma Kaukonen, Ry Cooder, David Bromberg, Leon Redbone, Dave Van Ronk, Paul Geremia and Ari Eisinger, have all recorded Blind Blake songs i.e. Too Tight Rag, Diddie Wa Diddie, Police Dog Blues, Tootie Blues, That Will Never Happen No More, Chump Man Blues and Righteous Blues. These tunes have all become staples of today’s acoustic blues scene.

Blake’s ragtime guitar arrangements are both a challenge to play as well as transcribe. They are for confident fingerstyle guitarists. This collection presents a mixture of 17 rags, stomps and songs that will keep your fingers very busy. Also included are downloads of the original Paramount recordings. We have also added downloads of the song recordings without the vocals courtesy of https://vocalremover.org/. These downloads will be of great help in hearing what Blake plays behind his singing.

Titles include SONGS Too Tight Blues No.2, That Will Never Happen No More, Playing Policy Blues, Hey Hey Daddy Blues, He’s In The Jailhouse Now, Diddie Wa Diddie, Georgia Bound, Down The Country, Police Dog Blues, Sweet Jivin’ Mama RAGS & STOMPS Wabash Rag, Blind Arthur’s Breakdown, West Coast Blues, Seaboard Stomp, Southern Rag, Dry Bone Shuffle, Come On Boys Let’s Do That Messin’ Around