by Wilt Hodges
I get it.
It’s a pandemic, and therefore I’m supposed to be recommending something deep. But the truth is, I don’t want to turn to highbrow literature, right now, or even anything remotely self-help-ish. So I’ll spare you the sanctimonious recommendation, since my fear over What’s Gonna Happen to All of Us, Now? has managed to consume the better part of my attention span, lately. Which is why Robert Santelli’s The Best of the Blues: 101 Essential Albums is a godsend.
Imagine curling up to a good story every night — but it only takes a few minutes to finish. Imagine the story is a biography, but it reads like a commentary on our present situation, as a nation? Now, imagine on top of all that, the story directs you to a soundtrack? And I mean a soundtrack you actually want to listen to — one in which the full range of human emotion — from rage and sorrow; to laughter, delight, and sheer joy — are present? In short, imagine a book short enough to be a devotional and rich enough to be a meditation on American life, on human nature, and varied enough to keep you coming back for more, night after night? Only then would you appreciate this remarkable book – one in which I freely and highly recommend to read and to cherish.
Besides, giving a solid introduction to what the Blues is, as both an art form and its historical significance in American popular culture, Santelli lists 101 of his essential records to understand and to cherish this genre of music — which he rightly asserts is the foundation of virtually all American music. To encounter this music is to really encounter alchemy at work. For in the midst of such American sorrow and degradation, how does one live with dignity? These artists responded to the question with their own grammar of defiance, decency, and good times. That to me is as close to comfort as I can hope for in this present moment.
Wilt Hodges is a poet, essayist, and community reporter. He received his degree from Columbia University. A past Minnesota State Artist Grant recipient and Givens Fellow, he resides in Saint Paul.