Curtis Blues

[fronobulax]

Website, with some samples, is here.

Curtis Blues, which I presume is a stage name, is a preservationist and what he is preserving is live performance of acoustic Delta Blues circa 1920-1940.

He was the entertainment at a fundraiser we attended. His program was a mix of education and performance so I actually learned something. He performs as a one man band with a variety of stringed instruments although he does not have a Guild in the stable.

Weather permitting he is busking along the Alexandria, Va waterfront and he sometime gigs in local restaurants, bars and bistros.

 

[bluesypicky]

Very cool, thanks for the link!
Fascinating to see how the Blues as a music style (and one that would have an impact on almost every single tune we'd hear going forward) took shape, with tribal instruments first, that slowly merged to the guitar later...

 

[fronobulax]

Very cool, thanks for the link!
Fascinating to see how the Blues as a music style (and one that would have an impact on almost every single tune we'd hear going forward) took shape, with tribal instruments first, that slowly merged to the guitar later...

Well, we did talk about you and figured this would be up your alley. Something to remember when you are next in the neighborhood.

I gather he makes more money doing educational programs than performing but that means he is full of little stories such as how the African gourd banjo influenced the home built instruments that were used in the absence of manufactured ones. His cigar box guitar has toothpicks for frets and is tuned so that the open strings produce a (minor?) chord. He played it with a slide and pretty much all you had to do was keep a rhythm going with the right hand and move the slide to the correct fret with the left.

 

[killdeer43]

Great link! Thanks for posting it.

Joe

 

[Texasdave75229]

Yes this is a great find!!!

Thank you very much!!!!!!!!