Blind Blake
b. Arthur Blake (or possibly Phelps), c.1890s, Jacksonville, Florida, USA, d. c.1933. One of the very finest of pre-war blues guitarists, Blind Blake is nevertheless a very obscure figure. Almost nothing is known of his early years, but it is reputed that he moved around the east coast states of the USA, as various musicians have recalled meeting him in a number of different locations. It seems likely, however, that he settled in Chicago in the 20s, and it was there that he first recorded for Paramount Records in 1926. Along with Blind Lemon Jefferson he was one of the first black guitarists to make a commercially successful record. Following his first hit, the ragtime guitar solo "West Coast Blues", he recorded regularly, producing about 80 issued tracks. It has been argued that Blake should not be described as a blues artist, and indeed his songs range from straight blues, through older traditional-style items such as "Georgia Bound", to vaudeville numbers such as "He's In The Jailhouse Now". Whatever the idiom, his accompaniment was always a model of taste, skill and creative imagination - his notes cleanly picked and ringing, his rhythms steady. His musical talents are perhaps given fullest rein on the stunningly dextrous ragtime solos such as "Southern Rag" and "Blind Arthur's Breakdown". Further superb Blake accompaniments can be heard on the records of other artists such as Ma Rainey and Irene Scruggs, and there is one very memorable duet with Charlie Spand, "Hastings Street". As well as his many solo records, he occasionally appeared with a small band. It is likely that he died soon after the demise of Paramount Records in the early 30s, but his influence lived on in the work of eastern artists such as Blind Boy Fuller and others.
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Top Tracks
- Too Tight Blues
- Black Dog Blues
- Diddie Wa Diddie
- Southern Rag
- Hard Pushing Papa
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