Portland Street Blues (1998) Wai Man Yip, Sandra Kwan Yue Ng, Kristy Yang, Alex Fong

The barbed-wire vocals and slashing guitar of Mississippi-bred Smokey Wilson blend well with harpist Rod Piazza and company on this 1983 set first out on Murray Bros. Records. Not quite as stunning as his more recent work for Bullseye Blues, but definitely has some incendiary moments.

The King’s Singers join forces with percussion Evelyn Glennie on this disc, with commissions from composers based in Johannesburg and the Western Cape alongside Steve Martland’s Street Songs, diverse settings of English children’s rhymes. The recording of the disc was accompanied by a major international tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the ensemble.

Duke Robillard's 1999 album, New Blues for Modern Man, displays the singer/guitarist's skill at integrating all styles of blues, rock, and soul into his own unique sound. This set of originals ranges from Gulf Coast blues to New Orleans party rock to Chicago shuffles to soulful ballads. His debut for Shanachie Records, New Blues for Modern Man displays the goods that keep Robillard sounding fresh and vital.

From pioneering guitar legends Blind Lemon Jefferson & Blind Willie Johnson to pre-blues songsters and field holler-inspired singers, the state of Texas has long played a key role in the evolution of the blues. This Rough Guide charts the many different facets to this incredibly rich and diverse of early blues genres.