Albuquerque, NM

“Under the surface there
was always a rumble,
a rootsy, joyful but
sometimes menacing
depth of feeling that is
historically associated with
that quintessential music
of the worldwide African
Diaspora, the blues.”

It’s a short list, but a glorious one – great woman blues guitarists.
Th ere’s Memphis Minnie, Rosetta Th arpe, Jessie Mae Hemphill,
Etta Baker, Ruthie Foster, Rory Block, Bonnie Raitt . . . and Joan
Armatrading. Th at’s right, with the 2007 release of her selfproduced,
Grammy-nominated, Billboard blues number one
charting album Into the Blues (429 Records), and her current
performance tour,
the great British
pop-rock-reggae
singer-songwriter
Joan Armatrading
unquestionably
enters that
exclusive and
distinguished
sorority of female
fretboard blues
masters.
Into the Blues is a
fresh, stunningly
original work for
which Armatrading
wrote all the songs,
delivers all the
vocals and plays all the instruments except the drums. It would
draw much-deserved critical praise even if it had been released by
an obscure new artist.
Armatrading herself points out in recent interviews that this
blues collection is not so much a departure as a long-simmering
artistic progression. Indeed, as veteran Armatrading fans well
know, this musician with an unmistakably deep-reaching voice
has changed her vocal and instrumental styles several times
– from contemplative, near-jazzy observation songs like “Love
and Aff ection” and “Down to Zero,” to full-bore, loud soul-pop
masterpieces like “Drop the Pilot” and “Me Myself I,” to teasing,
loping reggae-rockers like “Rosie.” Yet, under the surface there was
always a rumble, a rootsy, joyful but sometimes menacing depth of
feeling that is historically associated with that quintessential music
of the worldwide African Diaspora, the blues.
Armatrading has received an MBE from the Queen and a
Joan Armatrading
Dives Deeply and Spiritually Into the Blues
by Bill Nevins
yard and garden art
sculpture and fl orals
gifts and decorations
575.737.9278
1325 Merchant Road, Taos
off Gusdorf behind the
Women’s Health Institute
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