Message Board Archive: Thread Number 147

Border's Music had several Skip James cds including two on the Vanguard
Label and one on Yazoo. I'd appreciate hearing which cd is a good one to
get a full flavor of his work.

Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 23:19:12 -0500 (EST)
From: zeppa@earthlink.net (Frank Basile)
Subject: Feedback: Re: Skip James cd recommendations
Message Number: 147.1

I wouldn't bother with anything from Skip James' rediscovery period
until after you've heard his original 1930 recordings. Yazoo did a nice
job re-issuing them. These are some of the finest blues recordings ever
made. They are perfectly eerie. By comparison, James' 60s recordings are
nearly lifeless. His voice is relatively intact but his guitar playing
pretty much fell by the wayside at some point and his overall delivery
sorta became... well... almost sanguine sounding.
I bought some of his rediscovery stuff out of curiosity but none of it
has really been worth hearing. Stick with the Yazoo.
f

Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 01:27:42 -0500 (EST)
From: mannbr@aol.com (Bradley R. Mann)
Subject: Feedback: Skip James Recommendations
Message Number: 147.2

I agree with Frank Basile's post IRT the recordings from the 1930's.
Undoubtedly the best. Hopefully the following title is at the store you
mentioned:

"The Complete Early Recordings of Skip James - 1930" Yazoo 2009

r/Brad