Although Barbecue Bob was from Georgia and not from Mississippi, his rhythmic guitar and African style of singing make him sound like a true Delta bluesman. I like Barbecue’s vocals when he puts some growl in it, as he often does. I like his guitar mostly when he gets into a rolling rhythem, as in “Motherless Child” and California Blues. Bob’s lyric are always tinged with both sadness and humor. He sounds like a man who has seen a lot and knows what he is talking about. I recommend this highly original music to any blues fan.
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THE OTHER REVEIWERS HERE ARE COMPLETELY WRONG ABOUT AN ANALYSIS OF THE MUSIC OF BARBEQUE BOB. HE PLAYED A TWELVE STRING GUITAR, AND DID NOT PLAY MISSISSIPPI DELTA BLUES, HE PLAYED WHAT WAS CALLED ATLANTA BLUES, OR GEORGIA BLUES, WHICH SOUNDS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN DELTA BLUES. THIS IS A GREAT CD OF HIS WORK, HE RECORDED 68 SONGS IN HIS LIFE AND DIED AT AGE 29 IN 1931.
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The incredible Barbecue Bob (Robert Hicks) managed to sell lots of records during his tragically brief lifetime, all the while sounding totally original, expressive and instantly identifiable. His cheerful demeanor permeates his recordings, whether through his plaintive yet polished voice, or through his booming and simultaneously melodic/rhythmic twelve string slide guitar playing. While Bob may not always be included in the first rank of “have to hear” bluesmen, it is simply because he’s in a category all his own. You see, his playing is instantly recognizable from note 1. And in spite of his untimely demise, his cheerful demeanor instantly puts a grin on my face as I listen; one can almost hear him grinning through his words. He sings about everything from topical songs about local events/disasters and blues/gospel standards, to his experiences with women, and zoological analogies and moral tales.
So, is this compilation the way to go? If you want his complete recorded output, it has been released across three separate discs on Document Records. As the owner of volume 1, I can tell you that the sound quality here is far superior, to the point of actually hearing notes and nuances which are simply inaudible on the Documents. The booming presence of Barbecue Bob really demonstrates the value of Yazoo’s outstanding remastering. Also, while Bob was undoubtedly an original, he could at times repeat himself, sometimes using the same guitar part for a number of songs. It is for this reason that I unabashedly endorse this one well selected compilation over three discs of everything. You get his signature songs (Mississippi Heavy Water Blues, Barbecue Blues), the most varied of his performances in terms of musical/lyrical content (California Blues, Poor Boy, The Spider and the Fly, Black Skunk Blues), and a variety of pieces recorded solo, with a girlfriend singing, and with the Georgia Cotton Pickers (his brother Charlie, Buddy Moss and Bob).
Barbecue Bob is not the person with which to start your blues education, but his work is essential for those looking for originality and compelling performances. Whenever you begin to explore Barbecue Bob’s output, this is the place to do it.
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hot barbecue blues,
Although Barbecue Bob was from Georgia and not from Mississippi, his rhythmic guitar and African style of singing make him sound like a true Delta bluesman.
I like Barbecue’s vocals when he puts some growl in it, as he often does. I like his guitar mostly when he gets into a rolling rhythem, as in “Motherless Child” and California Blues. Bob’s lyric are always tinged with both sadness and humor. He sounds like a man who has seen a lot and knows what he is talking about. I recommend this highly original music to any blues fan.
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|NOT DELTA BLUES,
THE OTHER REVEIWERS HERE ARE COMPLETELY WRONG ABOUT AN ANALYSIS OF THE MUSIC OF BARBEQUE BOB. HE PLAYED A TWELVE STRING GUITAR, AND DID NOT PLAY MISSISSIPPI DELTA BLUES, HE PLAYED WHAT WAS CALLED ATLANTA BLUES, OR GEORGIA BLUES, WHICH SOUNDS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN DELTA BLUES. THIS IS A GREAT CD OF HIS WORK, HE RECORDED 68 SONGS IN HIS LIFE AND DIED AT AGE 29 IN 1931.
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|This compilation cooks!,
The incredible Barbecue Bob (Robert Hicks) managed to sell lots of records during his tragically brief lifetime, all the while sounding totally original, expressive and instantly identifiable. His cheerful demeanor permeates his recordings, whether through his plaintive yet polished voice, or through his booming and simultaneously melodic/rhythmic twelve string slide guitar playing. While Bob may not always be included in the first rank of “have to hear” bluesmen, it is simply because he’s in a category all his own. You see, his playing is instantly recognizable from note 1. And in spite of his untimely demise, his cheerful demeanor instantly puts a grin on my face as I listen; one can almost hear him grinning through his words. He sings about everything from topical songs about local events/disasters and blues/gospel standards, to his experiences with women, and zoological analogies and moral tales.
So, is this compilation the way to go? If you want his complete recorded output, it has been released across three separate discs on Document Records. As the owner of volume 1, I can tell you that the sound quality here is far superior, to the point of actually hearing notes and nuances which are simply inaudible on the Documents. The booming presence of Barbecue Bob really demonstrates the value of Yazoo’s outstanding remastering. Also, while Bob was undoubtedly an original, he could at times repeat himself, sometimes using the same guitar part for a number of songs. It is for this reason that I unabashedly endorse this one well selected compilation over three discs of everything. You get his signature songs (Mississippi Heavy Water Blues, Barbecue Blues), the most varied of his performances in terms of musical/lyrical content (California Blues, Poor Boy, The Spider and the Fly, Black Skunk Blues), and a variety of pieces recorded solo, with a girlfriend singing, and with the Georgia Cotton Pickers (his brother Charlie, Buddy Moss and Bob).
Barbecue Bob is not the person with which to start your blues education, but his work is essential for those looking for originality and compelling performances. Whenever you begin to explore Barbecue Bob’s output, this is the place to do it.
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