Blind Blake – King Of Ragtime Guitar
Blind Arthur Blake, born eighteen ninety three in Jacksonville, Florida and passed away around nineteen thirty three, was a successful blues singer and guitarist. He’s known as “The King of Ragtime Guitar”. He recorded around eighty tunes for Paramount Records between nineteen twenty six to nineteen thirty two. He was an accomplished guitar player of ragtime blues with a surprisingly diverse repertoire. Arthur Blake well known for his syncopated guitar technique that sounded like ragtime piano. There are no official records about Blake. The place of birth is written as the town of Jacksonville, Florida by Paramount but that’s not definite. For one piece he lapses into a Geechee dialect, which could lead us to the conclusion that he originated from the coastal region of Georgia. Nothing is known of the events concerning his death and no one is certain of his right name. According to some, his correct name might have been Arthur Phelps, however there is no hard evidence of the fact.
The “Phelps” name probably was born when he replied to Blind Willie McTell in a discourse in 1925 in Atlanta, where Blind Blake was never said to have visited; nor did Blind Wille ever live in or around Chicago. It’s a matter of record that several Blake’s sides were put into copyright by the name ‘Arthur Blake’, and during his recording with Papa Charlie Jackson, “Papa Charlie and Blind Blake Talk About It”, these are easily distinguished:
Papa Charlie Jackson: What is your right name?
Blake: My right name is Arthur Blake!
It’s a great shame that there is only on photograph in existence.
He first recorded in 1926 and his songs sold really well. The very first recorded song was “Early Morning Blues” and “West Coast Blues” was on the other side. These two songs are great examples of his guitar technique and are the corner stones of the developing ragtime blues playing style.
Blind Blake’s Picking Technique
It’s not known if Blake had an instructor, or how he created this amazing style. Although many artists had a syncopated approach, almost none were as accurate and as quick as Blind Blake.
Throughout his work, never mind of the key used, the chord shapes used were really quite normal. His left hand was very adept at damping the strings which is an essential technique for fast ragtime picking. It appears to that the right hand was the magical one, although of course both combine to create the music.
Blake’s picking style can be split up into these elements – thumb technique, fast finger triplets and runs on a single string. It’s true that other guitarists used these techniques, but Blake combined them in a continuous stream, producing very intricate and syncopated music.
The thumb in particular needs special study. All guitarists are familiar with the alternating bass picking pattern. However, Blake might brush his thumb from one string to the next, making a double beat instead of a single beat! He may in addition reverse the picking pattern in mid flow, which shows amazing control.
Blake went into the studio for the last time in 1932, Paramount’s bankruptcy speeding up the end of his career. Fans sometimes feel that Blake’s later recordings don’t have the same ‘panache’.
From many accounts, he drank a lot during his last years. Perhaps this was the cause of a too early death when he was 40 years of age. No one is sure how he came to his end – Gary Davis heard that he was hit and killed by a tram in Chicago.
Author is an expert writer on learn how to play bluesguitar and learn how to play bluesguitar.
Processing your request, Please wait....
