Music

The Blues Time Machine

KPLU All Blues host John Kessler has expanded "The Blues Time Machine," which has been a popular segment on his weekend blues shows. The weekly series tracks one great blues song through history - from its earliest recording to its latest and sometimes, with some surprising interpretations. "The Blues Time Machine" airs on KPLU on Fridays at 12:10 p.m. during the "Blue Plate Special," and on All Blues Saturdays and Sundays at 8 and 11 p.m.

Waters' 'Trouble No More' came out of Estes' 'Someday Baby Blues'

KNKX Public Radio | By John Kessler

Published March 29, 2013 at 12:01 PM PDT

Sleepy John Estes was a master of country blues with a “down-home” feeling. A little rough around the edges, but loaded with emotion. Though his music wasn’t complex, his songs have lasted through the years, and have been sung by Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan.

In his 1935 recording of “Someday Baby Blues”, the guitar is barely heard, the mix dominated by Hammie Nixon’s harmonica and Estes’ plaintive voice.

Films of Estes are rare—this is from the late 60’s with Nixon and John Henry Barbee, the real country blues:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGunfXr_Zfw

20 years later in 1955, Muddy Waters re-created the song as “Trouble No More”. As he did with many other songs, he took a country blues and turned it into a Chicago blues. Recorded at the height of his career, the track features Little Walter on amplified harmonica. This video clip from 1981 features Muddy Waters performing “Trouble No More”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyQ9XFlfIVE

The Allman Brothers Band pretty much defined the genre of Southern Rock, but their music was heavily based on blues. On virtually every release they have included a classic blues tune. “Trouble No More” appeared on their 1969 debut. In those days it was Duane Allman and Dickey Betts on guitars, but this video from 2011, and features Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes on guitars:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz2PhYFK8Bw

Carrying on some of the same southern-rock tradition, The North Mississippi All Stars are known for their modern treatment of traditional blues. Luther and Cody Dickinson are sons of influential R & B producer Jim Dickinson, who worked with Aretha Franklin and The Rolling Stones. Their 2000 recording of “Someday Baby” brings a lot of rock attitude to country blues.

Here are the complete versions of “Someday Baby” and “Trouble No More”:

Sleepy John Estes “Someday Baby Blues” 1935

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kplu/local-kplu-1005987.mp3

Muddy Waters “Trouble No More” 1955

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kplu/local-kplu-1005986.mp3

The Allman Brothers “Trouble No More” 1969

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kplu/local-kplu-1005985.mp3

North Mississippi All Stars “Someday Baby” 2000

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kplu/local-kplu-1005984.mp3