Search - Bo Carter :: Twist It Babe 1931-1940

Marvelous guitar playing

Jeff Melvin | 12/27/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bo Carter is the perfect example of doing something simple exactly right. While his technique was modest, his melodic imagination was amazing fertile. The impeccable musical sense of his accompaniments completely overshadows the often unimaginative lyrics of the songs. He either liked what could best be called "racy" material, or he was typed as a party record artist. He fingerpicked, mostly in open tunings. While he didn't have the technique of Blind Blake or Reverend Gary Davis, his accompaniments featured an amazing lack of recycled licks and seemed to come more from the song than the chord progession."

Bo Carter - King of Dirty Blues

Jeff Melvin | 12/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This Yazoo release compiles fourteen sides by Bo Carter recorded between 1931 and 1940. Carter was an extremely prolific recording artist, and "Twist it Babe" is a solid introduction to his body of solo work. His originality and virtousity on the guitar, often overlooked due to his propensity for double entendre, put him technically on par with other "uncopyable" bluesmen such as Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Robert Pete Williams.



If you have a problem with "dirty blues", then this album, and Bo Carter all together, are really not for you, however, he is a master of country blues guitar and this album is a great place to start. The production and sound are as clean and clear as you will find in the 1930's.



The listener of this album will witness his utter disregard for standard blues phrasing and cliched licks. You will discover through repeated listening that his seemingly simple and catchy songs are actually quite complex arrangements, featuring skills and techniques that remain absolutely unique within the blues vernacular. The combination of melodic, harmonic genius and command of counterpoint, and polyrhythmic bass lines are facilitated by the use of all five fingers of his picking hand, and five different tunings on the guitar.



HIGHLY RECOMMENDED."