A huge thanks is in store to Acoustic Tuesday fan, Stephan Cotton for recommending this weeks artist. Stephan says: “She’s one of the best blues guitar players around today.” He certainly isn’t kidding either.
Her guitar tone seems to have originated directly out of the Mississippi Delta. It’s raw, gritty, and full of all things blues. Seriously, it’s as if her guitar strings ooze every ounce of blues mojo that has ever existed.
Rory Block is seemingly a living link to the history of the blues. Rory’s expansive knowledge of blues history, guitar styles, and catalog is unparalleled. She knows all things blues and knows them extremely well… she embodies all things blues.
Rory is the type of player that if you close your eyes when you listen to her you get transported to another time and place. She is super human and her super power is being able to embody the persona and tone of whichever blues musician’s song she is playing. She has the uncanny ability to mimic the style and technique of a plethora of old time blues musicians and this takes into account all of the homespun techniques that were used. She replicates old time blues techniques down to the minute detail… seriously… she nails every aspect of these seemingly off the wall techniques.
And that’s just her playing the tunes of others…
Rory has a whole catalog of original tunes. She draws on her blues heroes and influences to create her own variety of blues magic. Between her guitar playing (both with a slide and fingerstyle) she creates some fantastic original blues compositions. Ones that you’d swear were written many many years ago.
Rory has an incredibly vast catalog of albums including original material and some very well done albums that were recorded as tributes to her blues heroes. Whether she is playing one of her own tunes or conjuring up a spirit from Blues’ past Rory is on point. She is a guitar player that every guitar geek needs to know about and one that is worth studying at length. The way she is able to adapt, learn, and execute different techniques is sheer inspiration.
Be sure to watch out and see if Rory is coming to a town near you. I would also recommend digging into her catalog as it is wide ranging and worth the listening time. Lastly, be sure to check out her catalog of instructional materials where she shares her knowledge of old time blues technique, blues slide, and overall approach to the blues.
All in all listening to Rory is like getting a blues masterclass in every way shape and form. For a guitar geek, listening to Rory is time well spent… there is just something about her approach and playing that is all encompassing… a true torch bearer of the blues.
Rory Block Links
- Rory Block’s Site
- Rory Block’s Tour Dates
- Buy Best Blues & Originals Vol. 1 (Album)
- Buy Best Blues & Originals Vol. 2 (Album)
- Buy High Heeled Blues (Album)
- Buy Avalon: A Tribute to Mississippi John Hurt (Album)
- Buy I Belong to the Band: A Tribute to Rev. Gary Davis (Album)
- Buy The Guitar Styles of Robert Johnson Taught by Rory Block
