Search - Charley Patton :: Complete Works 2 1929-1934

The King of Delta Blues

Lenny Gerthoffer | Santa Barbara, CA USA | 04/23/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Do not buy this for the sound quality of the recording. Buy this to hear one of the all time greats at their best. After overlooking the poor recording quality (Paramount's process was inferior even for that time), you will find some of the best slide playing and textured rythyms anywhere. Probably the most influential Delta artist of all,with a huge voice over virtuoso slide work. Had he recorded with ARC, which became Columbia like Robert Johnson, it would be Patton going gold ahead of Johnson. What is also really cool, check out the spiritual songs he does, in his own bluesy style. He died just months after recording Oh Death, Jesus is a Dyin Bed Maker, and Prayer of Death to mention a few. I love Son House and Robert Johnson, but Patton, after getting used to the quality and reading his lyrics so as to fully understand what he's singing, is second to noone in the world of blues, past and present. Any reviews downplaying Patton because of the sound quality are done out of ignorance. He is the King of the Delta blues."