Lonesome Blues

See it if you enjoy early blues music & want to learn about an oft-forgotten progenitor of the form as told & sung by the engaging & skilled Babatunde

Don't see it if you have a low tolerance for rambling storytelling or the tedium of repetitive blues riffs.

Also The play, while interesting and engaging, feels long because the show employs a little too much of Blind Lemon's music to fill time & make up for the dearth of available biographical information on this once-influential contemporary of the better-known Lead Belly.... Read more Read less

See it if you like a solo show with one actor and one musician, both very talented, telling the story of a singer through the use of songs.

Don't see it if you do not like solo shows or like a show with a plot. Very simple set.

Also I did not know anything about Blind Lemon Jefferson. You do not get a lot of facts about his life, just the jist of it. Good use of songs and music to describe his life. Excellent solo performance.... Read more Read less

See it if You like blues, you like history of music, for a nice night out, Mr Babatunde became all the characters he portrayed. Great singing too

Don't see it if You don't like blues, or one man shows. Or if you expect elaborate stage or sets. Just sit back and enjoy

See it if you are a big fan of the blues especially Blind Lemon Jefferson.

Don't see it if if you do not like the blues, if you do not like or are unfamiliar with Blind Lemon Jefferson and/or if you don't like one person shows.

See it if You are a Blues enthusiast or interested in musical history. Great guitar, some good singing but sounds too much the same.

Don't see it if You have no interest I the Blues and like a lot of action.

See it if You like old 1920s and earlier blues. You’re interested in the life of Blind Lemon Jefferson. You want to hear great singing.

Don't see it if You want something lighthearted or modern. You want a show with a definite plot or in depth anecdotes. You don’t like the blues.

Also Great singing and interesting subject matter. I took someone who was not a fan of the blues and she wasn’t as impressed or happy with it as I was - so I do think being at least open to the blues is important.

I wish they hadn’t decided to try to put in so many women’s songs. That felt like a weak part of the show to me. To take an actor with an amazing voice and have him squeeze out numerous high-pitched songs that don’t really add much to the story imho made no sense.

Otherwise, he was amazing abd I was captivated. Great song selection, including many I was familiar with (he KILLED Black Snake Moan).... Read more Read less

See it if You like blues music and learn about struggle of a blind musician during great depression.The music was great and the actor was entertaining

Don't see it if You do not like one man show or blues music per se. there is no intermission and the elevator (few flights down) was out of order.

Also It is difficult and too much pressure when it was one act/man show but the actor was so great and the music was so refreshing that you would be glad to see this masterful play. Besides learning anout the era and the musician himself. A must see.... Read more Read less

See it if you love early blues and want to experience a great blues icon...with bits of his history.

Don't see it if you are expecting a biography of Jefferson or don't care for early blues music

See it if You like the blues.

Don't see it if You don't like one man shows and if you dislike the blues.

See it if you like Texas blues. Blind Lemon is the foundation of this genre. An incredible musician to learn about.

Don't see it if you don't like one-man shows. Exploring new themes.

See it if you enjoy powerhouse voices an discovering an overlooked person in music history.

Don't see it if you want an large production was many cast members.

See it if you want to see a one-man show that is mostly singing.

Don't see it if you want to see more acting than singing.

Also I really wanted to love this. My preference would be to see Blind Lemon Jefferson's life unfold with some acting. Don't get me wrong, I loved the music, and fully understand he could best express his emotions via the music. As an observer, though, I wanted more.... Read more Read less

See it if You enjoy one-man shows with good singing.

Don't see it if You dislike one-man shows

See it if Wonderful blues music

Don't see it if Don’t like blues music

See it if You're interested in music history especially forgotten hero types.

Don't see it if you need a multi-layered complex plot or don't like one-man shows.

See it if You want to hear a great blues guitarist who accompanies the singer.

Don't see it if You don't have patience for a haphazard story.

See it if If you like the blues or American roots music. Of if you just like to hear the unamplified voice of a great singer

Don't see it if If you don't care for the blues or American roots music

Also If you like the blues or American roots music you'll love this. A one man show (but with an accompanying guitarist) starring actor/singer Akin Babatundé channels the legendary bluesman Blind Lemon Jefferson who died in 1929. Almost all the music is Jeffereson's though Babatundé actually takes on multiple roles of men and women in Jefferson's life.

Babatundé's voice is amazing. The play opens with him, as Jefferson, shouting out to an imaginary crowd it the power of his voice is startling. No electronic amplification is needed and none is used. He has a deep, resonant voice that reminded me of Paul Robeson in many respects. But when he's taking on the character of a woman he sings in a soft and even warm falsetto

The accompanying guitarist, David Weiss, is excellent as well. Our only criticism came from my blues guitar playing fried who complained that Weiss' music stand was in the way of seeing his fingering... Read more Read less

See it if if you love the blues, and want to know more about a under-appreciated musical icon

Don't see it if You don't like one-person musicals

See it if You like the blues and an imaginative retelling of one of the greatest blues musicians of which people know little about.

Don't see it if You don't like one-man shows, or the blues.

See it if you enjoy a strong performance from a captivating actor

Don't see it if you dislike one-person shows.

See it if you enjoy old school blues music performed by an incredible guitarist, and one man shows.

Don't see it if You don't like one man shows or musicals based off of real people/events.

See it if you love the blues. You'll hear a lot! The guitar-player is terrific.

Don't see it if you dislike one-man shows (hard to decipher wh character speaks). You'll miss words of dialogue/lyrics. Not much bio info. Simple staging.

See it if You like blues. I’m not familiar with Blind Lemon Jefferson so can’t say if his sound is replicated here but the singing is great.

Don't see it if You want to find out any real details about BLJ. There’s very little dialogue or plot line. What there is, is muddled and hard to follow.

See it if you like a one man blues concert by a delightful singer. It is less than 90 minutes

Don't see it if This is not a play , It is less than 90 minutes. To use public transportation on a weekend day in New York, one needs more than this.

See it if You’re curious the history of 20th Century Blues. It’s a bit confusing but the performance is stellar

Don't see it if You’re looking for a straight play.