Lyrad's Random 10

While considerably lighter blues than I prefer, the Siegel-Schwall Band was innovative in their ways. Corky Siegel and Jim Schwall got together in 1964 in Chicago, right when the white community was catching onto the beauty of the blues. Students first and musicians second, their intent seemed to be more to take blues into the chamber house than really expressing hardship and sorrow. The result was fairly clinical, but also fairly skilled. There may not be a lot of soul in the music, but it's very listenable if not particularly engrossing. Their most important moment (and what could have potentially been the end of blues had it caught on) was the release of "Three Pieces for Blues Band and Orchestra," by Vanguard Records in 1968. Performing with the San Francisco SO, they merged classical rigor with blues style to create an extremely interesting and unique sound that really wasn't touched again until Metallica's S&M in 1999 (coincidentally enough, also with the SF SO) which, as an old-school Metallica fan, made me more angry than anything. Siegel-Schwall may not be quite the quality of Paul Butterfield or Charlie Musselwhite (as far as that trend of white blues went), but they have a niche that neither of them could touch.

1. Siegel-Schwall Band--I've Got to Go Now
2. Bruce Springsteen--Open All Night
3. Bill Frisell--Sundust
4. Sister Lottie Peavy--Nobody's Fault But Mine
5. Jean Sibelius--Suite mignonne for Orchestra, Op.98a; 2. Polka (English SO; William Boughton, cond.)
6. Kaada--Birds of Prey
7. Townes Van Zandt--Buckskin Stallion Blues
8. Buddy Tabor--Hunting the Buffalo
9. Dillinger Escape Plan--Caffeine
10. Wayne Hancock--A-Town Blues