PAPA CHARLIE JACKSON
Papa Charlie Jackson (c. 1885 – 1938) was an early American bluesman and songster who accompanied himself variously with a hybrid banjo guitar, a guitar, or a ukulele. His recording career began in 1924.Much of his life remains a mystery, but it is probable that he was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and died in Chicago, Illinois in 1938.
Born William Henry Jackson, he originally performed in minstrel and medicine shows.] From the early 1920s into the 1930s, Jackson played frequent club dates in Chicago, and was noted for busking at Chicago's Maxwell Street Market. In August 1924, for Paramount Records, he recorded "Papa's Lawdy Lawdy Blues" and "Airy Man Blues", the first commercially successful, self-accompanied recordings by a male singer of the blues. One of his following tracks, "Salty Dog Blues", became his most famous song. Among his recordings are several in which he accompanied classic female blues singers such as Ida Cox, Hattie McDaniel, and Ma Rainey.
Blues writer Bruce Eder says that Jackson achieved "a musical peak of sorts in September of 1929 when he got to record with his longtime idol, Blind (Arthur) Blake, often known as the king of ragtime guitar during this period. 'Papa Charlie and Blind Blake Talk About It' parts one and two are among the most unusual sides of the late '20s, containing elements of blues jam session, hokum recording, and ragtime". A few more recordings for the for Paramount label followed in 1929 and 1930. In 1934 he recorded for Okeh Records, and the following year he recorded with Big Bill Broonzy. Altogether, Jackson recorded 66 sides during his career.
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Papa Charlie Jackson fué uno de los pocos cantantes que utilizaban banjo, cuando se empezaron a grabar temas de blues para la Paramount Records , corría por allá el año 1924.
Hasta entonces se venia utilizando como acompañamiento a las canciones que procedían de Africa del Sur , allí los denominados Griots ,( hollers ó cantantes ) que llegaron a América con sus viejos instrumentos , casi siempre manufacturados, ( calabazas huecas con cuerdas etc.) seguían cantando sus canciones. En un principio los propios americanos las clasificarían en el apartado de viejas melodías de folk . La mayoría de cantantes blancos que practicaban este estilo , mezcla de folk-blues , no negaban ( antes al contrario) su admiración por los amigos afroamericanos que iban llegando y dejaron mestizar su música y sus instrumentos, primero el banjo, y con posterioridad la guitarra que les ofrecía la posibilidad de desarrollar el acompañamiento de sus cánticos con la facilidad de manipulación y transporte que les ofrecía la guitarra. De esta forma se fué gestando el embrión de una de las ramificaciones que nos ofrece , lo que hoy se considera
genéricamente BLUES
Dos de las adaptaciones que se hicieron para guitarra , Mississippi John Hurt , y la más dinámica de Lightnin´Hopkins :
Mandonguilla Blues
