Rating: 
Summary: enthusiastic comprehensive coverage of blues music
Review: I, too, was put off by the "Dummies" word. I should not have been. The book is a comprehensive, knowlegable and enthusiastic coverage of blues - the artists [today's and yesterday's], where to find the blues, recordings. Everyone - from newcomer to experienced blues musician will find interesting and insightful information here. (The authors are themselves accomplished blues players). I have only two very minor quibbles: - The title could be considered a mite misleading. Although it does include advice on guitars, amps and harmonicas it does not tell you how to start to PLAY the blues. It does tell you how to put a band together but, if you are ready to do that, you are definitely past the "Dummy" stage. - There is a nice CD included, but... One track is credited as "Walkin the boogie" by John Lee Hooker and is decribed as a re-write of his "Boogie Chillen". To me it sounds nothing like John Lee's hit (which I bought, as a kid, in France in 1960). The track sounds to me to be nothing other than Champion Jack Dupree's "Walkin the Blues". Also, the CD's version of Hoochie Coochie Man by Muddy Waters is a quietened-down (though very nice) version compared with the livelier version that most people are probably familiar with.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Primer
Review: If you want to have fun with the Blues this is the Book of choice. This book is an excelent primer for those who want to know about BLUES and a reference guide for those who already know! it shows you what clubs to go to, festivals to hit, and what radio stations to listen to in or near your town. It recommends Cds to buy, guitars to play, Amps, Harps, etc. It tells you what organizations to join in your city to help keep the blues alive and kickin'. This book even tell you how to get your own blues band started and what to look out for when you do get it going. Blues Music is about healing whatever ails you. It's about making your Blues go away. Before I bought this book i had the wrong thought of blues. I thought Blues would make me feel low down and depressed. I seen how the people who wrote this book did this to show people how to have fun with Blues and then i BOUGHT it. So Check out the Cd in the back its worth the price of the book alone. Then Go out and party at your local blues joint and you'll see what I mean!
Rating: 
Summary: Attention all Blues fans...
Review: In "Blues For Dummies®" blues legend Lonnie Brooks and musicians Cub Koda and Wayne Baker Brooks make it easy for everyone to get the blues. With a Foreword by Dan Ackroyd (a.k.a. Elwood Blues), "Blues For Dummies®" throws open the door of one of the best music clubs in the country - a gathering of some of the best musicians ever, such as Ma Rainey, Muddy Waters, Janis Joplin and Robert Cray. Moving beyond traditional biographies and discographies, Blues For Dummies® brings together profiles of the artists and their songs, lists of essential blues recordings, listings of the best places to catch live blues, and inside looks at blues musical structures and instruments, all in one comprehensive, easy-to-use reference tool. What's more, an included CD of blues classics brings the music to life - even for beginners!
Rating: 
Summary: Contents of the music CD.
Review: Includes a very good music CD (34 min. 27 sec.) (All music, no commentary). CONTENTS: I'm your hoochie coochie man / Muddy Waters -- Juke / Little Walter -- Sweet little angel (live version) / B.B. King -- Killing floor / Howlin' Wolf -- First time I met the blues / Buddy Guy -- Frosty / Albert Collins -- I pity the fool / Boddy Bland -- Okie dokie stomp / Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown -- Rooster Blues / Lightnin' Slim -- Walkin' the boogie (alternate take) / John Lee Hooker -- I'm wild about you baby / Lightnin' Hopkins -- Let the good times roll / Louis Jordan & his Tympany Five.
Rating:
Summary: A great start for all Blues newbies.
Review: Lonnie Brooks, along with son Wayne and Cub Koda have created the best primer for Blues music newbies and the not so new. The authors cover all the essential blues artists, give hints on how all to start a blues band, how to play the blues and even how to throw a "juke" party, all this, along with the enclosed CD, makes this book a must for all blues lovers.
Rating:
Summary: A great start for all Blues newbies.
Review: Lonnie Brooks, along with son Wayne and Cub Koda have created the best primer for Blues music newbies and the not so new. The authors cover all the essential blues artists, give hints on how all to start a blues band, how to play the blues and even how to throw a "juke" party, all this, along with the enclosed CD, makes this book a must for all blues lovers.
Rating: 
Summary: Wrong CD track info......or wrong track?
Review: This book is ok...not great....but ok for someone who is wants to cut their teeth on the blues. The main problem I have, is with the CD. Overall it's excellent except for one problem. The 10th track is listed on page 349 as Walkin' the Boogie(alternate take) by John Lee Hooker. After listening to the CD I realized they're dead wrong. The recording is Willie Dixon doing Walking the Blues. Two totally different songs with a similar name. I contacted the publisher about this omission but have not received a response or acknowledgement to date. It is a shame....because both of these artists have made significant contributions to the blues and to confuse them, seems to suggest that not enough care was taken when this book was first published.
Rating:
Summary: Wrong CD track info......or wrong track?
Review: This book is ok...not great....but ok for someone who is wants to cut their teeth on the blues. The main problem I have, is with the CD. Overall it's excellent except for one problem. The 10th track is listed on page 349 as Walkin' the Boogie(alternate take) by John Lee Hooker. After listening to the CD I realized they're dead wrong. The recording is Willie Dixon doing Walking the Blues. Two totally different songs with a similar name. I contacted the publisher about this omission but have not received a response or acknowledgement to date. It is a shame....because both of these artists have made significant contributions to the blues and to confuse them, seems to suggest that not enough care was taken when this book was first published.
Rating:
Summary: Everything you ever wanted to know--and a great read!
Review: This book was so much fun to read. You can start reading anywhere--no need to go from beginning to end--and find an entertaining anecdote, historical information, or just an incredibly perceptive explanation of some aspect of the Blues. It covers everything--the artists, their backgrounds, their instruments and how they played them, which recordings are their best and why, what makes one type of Blues music different from other types, and so on. It comes with a CD so you can actually listen to what the book's talking about. AND IT'S FUNNY! I got this for 4 people on my Christmas list already.
Rating:
Summary: Great Teaching Tool
Review: This is a wonderful book for people that want to learn about the Blues. You just can't go wrong with Lonnie Brooks.
The history part is very good and informative. The listed musicians are wonderful. Good research went into this book.
The accompanying CD is pretty good. You can only put so much music on a CD. It must have been a difficult task deciding what songs to include on the CD.
Understand that this work is not complete. There are many musicians and songs that are not listed that should be, however, the attempt to introduce the Blues to the reader is pretty good. Enjoy it.
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