The Blue Ladies

Review of Colin Heath's Workshop

Many people know Colin Heath from his association with the Port Nicholson Bluegrass Band in 1975. He has played at the university often in such bands as the 'Last Chance String Band' and 'The final Opportunity Duet' with 'Incognito Jack'. Colin has always maintained that his speciality was Blues music so we invited him to share his knowledge as the club has a strong blues support.

Colin's lecture was based on the women Blues singers of the 1920s. These women were more prominent than the male singers in their field, and were the best loved singers of their time. He shaped his lecture round a series of fascinating old recordings of these singers. Many of the recordings were extremely rare. Those people who had decided not to go to the lecture because they had heard Colin befores missed out these recordings as well as a vast amount of interesting information never incorporated in any of his lectures before.

Part of the audience found the musical examples the most interesting facet of the lecture, other enjoyed the history of the singers and their music. But everyone was fascinated by the background of the recording methods and the stories of how they came to be recorded.

Until the late 20s recordings were made through a horn. The musicians would stand in front directing their music into it. This method of recording was not like the modern day microphone which picked up any acoustic sound and therefore the singer had to move away from the horn to allow solo and other instruments to record, and vice versa. This explains the fading effect of a voice between verses. These recordings had a propensity to have a rice sifting effect in the background, and on one especially amusing track the tuba drowned out the singer, dominating the song.

Even the length of three hours didn't deter anyone. This time span was to prove necessary to explain to those of us who attended that there were many more women Blues singers apart from the universally known Bessie Smith.

The lecture was well worth attending. Those who didn't attend, who were all but fifteen people, missed out on a mind-opening evening.