New cult of old bluesman featured at Roundhouse iTunes Festival 2011

Seasick Steve (Gene Wold) is a 70 year old bluesman from Oakland California who is enjoying his career break when most musicians are retiring.

After kicking around the States all his life, playing street corners, dives and juke joints, Steve is finally a hit in Britain with his primitive, delta blues played on homemade guitars.

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Steve is joined on the Roundhouse stage by John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, Jack White, and Alison Mosshart of Kills.

The iTunes Festival performance is available for streaming on your computer, iPhone and iPad. Some parts of the concert are also on YouTube.

The sound is basic blues from the 40’s and 50’s when Delta blues was moving to Chicago. There is a Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters feel to most of the music.

Think ZZ Top stripping away all the polish.

It’s some of the crudest blues to be heard these days.

Authentic or not, your taste or not, Seasick Steve deserves a listen if you dig the blues.