Sue Foley has mastered many different guitar styles, the acoustic finger-picking of the delta, Chicago styled blues, and flamenco. Her influences include Mississippi John Hurt, BB King and Ronnie Earl. Sooner or later however one has to ask themselves, "am I the only woman with an axe?" Respecting your influences is a most important facet of our heritage but Sue was also excited as much by her female peers. This album is Sue Foley's way to pay tribute and document those Blues Guitar Women that came before her, and to those who may journey alongside, as this just hasn't been done before.

This two cd set includes a contemporary cd and a traditional one. The contemporary cd features Sue's peers, "blues guitar women", including such notables as Debbie Davies, Deborah Coleman, Joanna Connor, Ana Popovic, Barbara Lynn, Beverly Guitar Watkins, Alice Stuart, Ruthie Foster and Bonnie Raitt. Sue's own guitar mastery is displayed on the flamenco based instrumental "Mediterranean Breakfast". Other outstanding instrumental tracks include Deborah Coleman's "The River Wild", Ana Popovic's "Navajo Moon" and Barbara Lynn's "Lynn's Blues". There are so many outstanding "band" performances included here that it takes repeated listening to fully appreciate them all. Thanks to Sue for turning us on to Austin based bands, "Carolyn Wonderland & The Imperial Monkeys", "Eve Monsees and The Exiles", and Tracy Conover; and to enlightening us with San Francisco's "Lara Price Band with Laura Chavez", and Finland's Erja Lyytinen. We will be sure to investigate their music further.

The traditional cd features solo acoustic type performances. The seldom heard "blues guitar women", Precious Bryant, and Jessie Mae Hemphill give this second cd importance. Note how much Algia Mae Hinton sounds like Mississippi John Hurt. Rory Block's "Fixin To Die", and Etta Baker's "One Dime Blues" are featured highlights. The music of Alice Stuart continues to be a revelation. Sue Foley contributes "Doggie Treats" from her latest album "Change" and it's wonderfully humorous. Sue also pays tribute to the late JoAnn Kelly, who died in 1990, by including her "Ain't Nothing In Ramblin' " and its one of the best songs on the album. Elvie Thomas' 1930 recording of Geeshie Wiley's "Motherless Child Blues" also makes this record a must have. Geeshie Wiley herself is next with "Skinny Legs Blues". Memphis Minnie, the greatest and most influential female country blues guitarist and singer, closes the cd with "In My Girlish Days". Included also are performances by Ellen McIlwaine, Mattie Delaney and Gaye Adegbalola.

Sue Foley is one of my favorite blues guitarists. She has researched and presents this comprehensive collection of "Blues Guitar Women", and I believe it's the first project of its kind not to focus itself on just vocalists. This is a compilation that must be included in every collection as the concept was formerly unheard of. The twenty nine tracks included here will lead the listener on a discovery of great music.

Richard Ludmerer
Director, The New York Blues & Jazz Society
ricdale2@yahoo.com