The Best of the Blues: Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues

By Jonathan Berohn

In case you missed it, one of the best projects to hit TV in 2003 was Martin Scorsese’s The Blues on Public Television. The Seven distinct documentaries exposed new audiences to hidden blues treasures they might otherwise have never discovered, and offered up pearls and gems that veteran blues fans could also enjoy.

Fortunately for everyone who enjoyed the music featured in the documentaries—and inevitably given the way marketing works these days—the songs found there way into a collection of CDs that UTV Record has issued under Scorsese’s name. For the truly committed and converted, there is a 5-CD box set and 12 CDs featuring individual artists. For those new to the Blues who want to get their feet wet before jumping in completely, The Best of the Blues offers an interesting way in.

The Best of the Blues features 21 songs by 21 different artists who appeared in the PBS series. These artists range from classic Blues legends like Robert Johnson, BB King, and Etta James to blues-influenced rockers like Jimmy Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn, to contemporary performers like Keb ‘Mo and Susan Tedeschi.

As a “best” of the Blues, some of the songs and artists are a little questionable. As a great introduction to the wide variety of Blues music out there, The Best of the Blues is a great CD. Again, if you are already a blues fan you’re better served looking at the box set and individual artist CDs. If you’re relatively new to the Blues, this disc gives you a great opportunity to sample a wide variety of Blues practitioners to see for yourself who you like and what you might want to buy more of. In short, if you’re looking for a way into the Blues, this CD is perfect.