I find great blues absolutely mesmerizing.

Blues is something of a paradox. It is an art form of emotional expression, but playing it well requires discipline and clear intentionality. Its structure is simple and predictable, but great blues artists plumb the depths of the human spirit, weaving tales of astonishing psychological complexity. They also use the basic structure to express complex musical ideas over a solid foundation.

Given my tagline, the sheer eroticism of blues has tremendous appeal for me. While the lyrics of classic blues numbers are often marked by euphemism, the vocals and guitar are often dripping with heat. Whether it’s Muddy Waters singing “I’m Ready” or Sonny Landreth savoring the line “When you lay your body next to mine,” there’s nothing like hot blues to put me into mood to grind and grind some more.

I’m not sure why it’s so, but of all the genres I cover, my blues reviews are the least read. Well, as much as it pains me to bore my readers, sometimes a girl’s gotta grind.

• A Peter Green Playlist
• Albert King – King of the Blues Guitar
• Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite– Get Up!
• John Lee Hooker – The Best of John Lee Hooker
• John Mayall – Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton 
• John Mayall – The Turning Point
• Little Walter– His Best, The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection
• Memphis Minnie– Essential Recordings
• Muddy Waters – The Best of Muddy Waters
• Robert Johnson– The Complete Recordings
• Sonny Landreth – Grant Street
• The Allman Brothers Band– At Fillmore East
• The Electric Flag– A Long Time Comin’