Search Results: Language of the Blues (380)

In this installment of Language of the Blues, author and rocker Debra Devi considers how “dig” traveled from Wolof speech into the language of blues understanding and appreciation.

In this installment of Language of the Blues, author and rocker Debra Devi explores the many faces of the devil in blues culture, from African trickster deities to the legends that inform its most enduring myths.

In this installment of Language of the Blues, author and rocker Debra Devi identifies the Mississippi Delta as the cradle of the blues, defined by labor, migration, and a shared musical culture.

In this installment of Language of the Blues, author and rocker Debra Devi considers the crossroads as a spiritual and cultural symbol, and how it became inseparable from the legend of Robert Johnson.

In this installment of Language of the Blues, author and rocker Debra Devi steps into the world of the cutting contest, drawing on pianist Dr. John’s memories of the late-night jam sessions and rivalries that pushed musicians to their limits.

In this installment of Language of the Blues, author and rocker Debra Devi contextualizes cross-note and Bentonia tuning within the evolution of country blues and Mississippi’s musical heritage.

In Cross-Spanish tuning, the guitar is tuned to E major (E B E G# B…

In this installment of Language of the Blues, author and rocker Debra Devi maps the cross from hoodoo ritual to the mystical crossroads of the blues.

In this installment of Language of the Blues, black crepe shifts from mourning ritual to lyrical code, carrying loss, warning, and emotional finality through classic blues songs.

In this installment of Language of the Blues, author and rocker Debra Devi follows the story of the cooling board, from home porches in the South to the verses of Blind Willie McTell and Son House, where death, ritual, and music converge.