Yank Rachell

[Sellars]

Yesterday I listened to the CD Chicago Style from Yank Rachell. The only other work i know from him comes from the anthology of american folk music.

As the title of the CD might allready suggest, the music was pretty clean electric blues, and IMHO relatively straight forward.

This is not my kind of blues. I have a lot more affinity with the raw aacoustic delta blues (like the song from the anthology).

Which CDs of Yank should I listen to to hear his raw acoustic blues?


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[BigRig]

I would recommend "Yank Rachell's Tennessee Jug Busters - Mandolin Blues" for the raw acoustic style. I don't know if it's easily attainable, as I found a copy about three years ago by luck. You might also try some older Sleepy John Estes albums. He played on a number of them as well as some early Sonny Boy Williamson cuts.

[John Flynn]

I saw the "Tennessee Jug Busters" CD on Elderly's site about seven months ago, although I wound up buying it from a local store. I agree, it is a great CD and the liner notes are a pretty interesting character study also.

[bluesmandolinman]

I like all of Yank´s CD´s !

You may also check the Sleepy John Estes CD´s where he is acompanied by Yank !

If you like Blues Mandolin I recommend also :

Johnny Young ( check the Testament CD´s)
Charlie McCoy ( 1930´s Blues Mandolin Heroe !!!!)
Carl Martin ( Crow Jane Bues CD also on Testament )

You say Delta Blues ? I know of a Son House CD ( can´t be more Delta i guess) where he is acompanied on I think 2 songs by someone called " Fiddlin Joe Martin " . Cool Blues mando too ! Can´t remember the name of the CD sorry.

If you can´t get enough look for :

Steve James ( Guitar player with nice blues mando playing
Big Jack Johnson ( same )
Saffire ( female blues trio with Andra Faye on blues mandolin)


Buy them all !!!!

[Sellars]

Hey thanks for the recomendations bluesmandolinman!

I'll sure look out for them!

Are those all acoustic blues?

[M. Hollen]

There was a locally produce (Indianapolis, IN) CD called "pig trader blues". It's just Yank, his mando and an acostic guitar backup. It was put out by the Slippery Noodle Inn (local blues bar). Yank was about 85 or so when he cut this CD, but he still had it going on.

[busstopeddy]

Yo bluesmandolinman !

Are you Steve James ?

Eric

[ira]

just listened to two clips on the slippery noodle site and immediately ordered pig trader blues. if you like it raw- perfect! just mando, guitar and a growly ole blues voice.

[Sellars]

Hi Ira,

would that be raw in the old acoustic delta blues kind of way or raw in the big-overdriving-amplifier chicago blues kind of way?

Both are called raw a lot of times, although to me chigago blues is more loud than raw http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blues.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blues.gif

[ira]

really raw- just a mando, guitar and a voice,. nothing flashy, and don't know if its amplified acoustic or electric, but the quality of sound is an acoustic instrumentation. there is nothing that is overdrive about it except the passion. go to the slippery noodle site (don't know it off hand, but i just typed slippery noodle yank into google and got there, ) and there are 2 30 sec. clips. one slow blues and the second a kind of jump blues. let us know what you think.

[M. Hollen]

It's all acoustic. On the second track Yank tells how he got his first mando. Sometimes the guitar overpowers the mando but still a good CD.

[ira]

just got my copy of pig trader blues, and can't stop listening to it. i actually think that the guitar and mando trade off the power, and i like how yank is somewhat minimalist allowing david morgan to get in his licks and then vice versa.

due to yank's odd tuning it is hard to play along with some of the tracks, but #s 4 and 11 (sorry, haven't learned names yet) are doable and lots of fun.

the album is interesting in the sense that it takes yank's old time jugband tunes and puts them in a modern feel, though even more bare bones and raw than many of his really old albums with john estes, sonny boy and hammy.

i think it is a phenomenal piece of work! go and get it if you like the blues!

[mandonewbie]

Just picked up "Chicago Style" today while out to lunch....Really good CD.

[mandocrucian]

Which CDs of Yank should I listen to to hear his raw acoustic blues?

Sleepy John Estes - I Ain't Gonna Be Worried No More, 1929-1941 Yazoo 2004

70+ minutes long, 23 tracks, 13 or so with Yank Rachell playing mandolin.

NH