"A1 B form"" is. I suspect the following para of the article should be linked to that phrase. And 'across the tracks and made it respectable, even ""high-toned""' is too colloquial for us non-Americans.   

 Robert Johnson is a major player in the history of the blues, however, one must consider where RJ got his influence from. Johnson was originally a harmoinca player, and was influened by Son House and Charley Patton. The latter was the definitive blues musician. Playing guitar since the early 1900's, in juke joint's across Southern America, even throughout the great flood of 1927 of the Mississippi River, he avoided desolation and, altogether hard labour work by playing live. He was part of a trio called the Mississippi Shieks, who travelled the Southern States playing for money. Charley Patton set himself apart from the rest by being, not only a great artist, by an entertainer. Jimmy Hendrix is generally credited with creating the crazy on-stage antics like playing the guitar with objects like lighters etc, by in the 20's, Patton would cajole audiences by playing the guitar with a knife, and an almost incessant need of a strong combination of strong whiskey and cocaine, and a passionate love of women. He would also take the guitar and play between his legs, a stance repeated by numerous guitarists since, claiming to be the creator, when in fact they weren't. A pioneer and a poet in his own right, social commentary songs like High Water Everywhere (about the '27 floods), Mississippi Bowevil Blues (about the 'superbugs' that ate the cotton buds in fields, which were the main source of money for Southern America in the 20's, and deprived the workers), songs about life such as the unsurmountable A Spoonful Blues (cocaine, whiskey & women), High Sheriff Blues (Parchman Farm)and Down The Dirt Road (A generic blues arrangement, although never fully proved, arranged originally arranged by Patton)  were expertly mixed with deep, heartfelt songs like Poor Me, Screamin ` And Hollerin` The Blues and Prayer Of Death (Parts 1 & 2) made him the quitenssial bluesman. Furthermore, the gift he had, he passed on to the now legendary Robert Johnson. As a footnote, in an interview with Bob Dylan (a lifelong blues enthusiast), he said that if he wanted to play music for fun, all he would play were Chaley Patton songs. Charley Patton remains one of the many unknown and forgotten greats, such as Big Bill Broonzy, Blind Willy McTell, Blind Blake and Sonny Boy Williamson. (Please feel free to add links etc. I know lots about blues but not much about Wikipedia rules!) 

 ==Taj Mahal== 

 I think this needs a diambiguation page, but I haven't taken the time to learn how to do it.  Currently, the only Taj Mahal page is about the landmark in Agra. Would someone more familiar with editing like to do it?  Tx.   

 Thanks, Timc. -)   

 == A scholar comments on ""Muslim Roots of the Blues"" == 

 PLEASE NOTE - Editors of Wikipedia - I'm aware that I'm quoting from copyrighted sources.  I've written to the Chronicle, but they have no interest in scholarly debunking of a good story (and it IS a good story; it's just WRONG, WRONG, WRONG).  So when I found it linked to your page on the blues, I felt I had to do SOMETHING.  It is just terribly bad scholarship, and deliberately so.  I hate to see such a good site in hock to blatantly bad work.  I can't very well debunk it without referring to it.  If there's a better way to do this, please let me know.  I'm on your side. Joseph Byrd josephbyrd@cox.net 

 Muslim Roots of the Blues, Jonathan Curiel, San Francisco Chronicle, Aug 15, 2004 

 :Are you arguing that the Wikipedia article blues is inaccurate?  Or just The Chronicle?  Our article doesn't mention Islam.  If you want to debunk The Chronicle, this is not an appropriate place to do so  I'm sorry that they haven't been responsive, but they won't be any more responsive if you post here.  I have removed the copy of the Chronicle article, as it is copyrighted and can't remain here. I do understand your concern about their readers being misinformed; the best thing you could do is improve our article so that it has the real story of the blues, so that people travelling from the Chronicle to our article will be better informed.  

 Actually, I excised an earlier addition to this article (of which the link to the article was a part) which stated definitively that call and response in the blues was the result of Islam  the muezzin's call to prayer.  I skimmed the article link, and, to me, it simply sounded specious.  The muezzin's call to prayer is a solitary thing, and I'm unaware of a call and resp