Blues
I’m really kicking myself because I’ve missed most of the series of documentary films organised by Martin Scorsese called The Blues. Each feature-length film is directed by a different person, and the one I saw last nightâThe Soul of a Manâwas by Wim Wenders. He focused on three blues artists: Blind Willie Johnson, Skip James and J. B. Lenoir. It was fascinating learning about their lives, and a real treat to hear the old recordings made in the 1920s and 30s of Blind Willie Johnson and Skip James, and see the amateur film taken of J. B. Lenoir in the 1960s.
As with many blues artists, none of them really managed to break out of poverty, despite cutting commercially successful records. Skip James was offered a choice between a cash settlement and a percentage for his work, and went away with only $40 in his pocket, despite the fact that his work wasâand still isâvery successful. Those early blues artists got really exploited. It’s so tragic that neither they nor their families ever benefited from their talent. I think my favourite artist of the three is Skip James. I love his high, sweet, voiceâslurring, blurring and smoothing the words into his soft and dreamy guitar playing, and concealing the harsh themes of the songs. They featured him singing ‘Hard Time Killing Floor Blues’, which is one of my favourite blues songs. It’s like running your fingers over the flat of a razor blade; it’s cool and smooth, but if you move your hand a little, it will draw blood.
It’s a fascinating series (which is available on DVD already it seems), with archival footage alongside modern interpretations of some of the songs by famous artists like Lou Reed, Beck and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds.
