Looking for a holiday gift Christmas idea for someone you know loves blues music or blues guitar? 

I know in my case, I would be happy getting nothing else but a blues CD or DVD for Christmas – and for those around you, it’s so easy and quick to order them online and have them delivered directly to you (or your neighbor’s) door.

So, how about some ideas…here is my choice for the Top 10 Blues Concert DVD Holiday Gift Ideas:

1.  Eric Clapton: Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010 (Two-Disc DVD) – If you don’t have this DVD set already, you MUST have it.  Names like ZZTop, John Mayer, Derek Trucks, BBKing, Hubert Sumlin, Jimmie Vaughan, Johnny Lang, Buddy Guy and a suprise visit by Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones fame) make this festival DVD a must have.  Look for new comer Gary Clark Jr., Doyle Bramhall II and a Buddy Guy, Johnny Lang, Ron Wood set to blow your mind the most.  Jeff Beck shows his amazing technical virtuosity on the guitar once again and we get to watch the definite chemistry between good friends Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton (who by the way gets better each year) .  Oh and for you country lovers, there is a dazzling set with Vince Gill, Earl Klugh and Albert Lee…sweeet!

2.  Albert King – Stevie Ray Vaughan:  In Session (Nov 2010) – It was great to finally see this masterpiece, it had been previously released on CD, but this is one session where seeing is 90% of the value.  Watching the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan with his mentor Albert King is touching and powerful all warpped into one.  Seeing Stevie, at times lose his confidence in front of King and at times recover to blow him away (think Pride and Joy), there is so much mutual admiration when this session closes you can’t help being touched.  Nearing the end of Albert’s career, you can tell he was inspired by Stevie’s pure love of the music and from there on the music these two men make together is legendary.  You will not be disappointed – another must have Christmas gift if you don’t already have it. 

3.  Junior Wells Blues Legends: Live At Nightstage:  Master of the electric delta blues and long time Buddy Guy partner, this previously unreleased material is masterfully captured – it really is like seeing him live in front of you.  With songs like “Look Over Yonders Wall”, I Just Want to Make Love To You” and “Got My Mojo Working” as well as a special guest appearance by Buddy Guy make this concert DVD especially memorable.  Not only is the music great – taken from two different concerts, but there is a fascinating backstage interview with Junior and Buddy Guy that make this DVD a must-have. 

4. Born In The Honey – The PineTop Perkins Story – I found this DVD fascinating even though I can’t say I was a huge Pinetop Perkins follower.  No denying that he had chops and touring with Muddy Waters puts him right up there near the BIG MAN himself.  This package comes with 2 DVD’s, one with great music and the other with some very good interviews with Pinetop himself as well as with those who knew him.  What a great man and what a game changer when it came to mixing blues and boogie woogie piano.  It is the combination of music and documentary that will make this a great gift idea this Holiday season. 

5.  Songs From The Road – Luther Allison (Bonus DVD) – As we continue to lose so many of the original blues greats, it was almost as if Luther Allison came and went way too quickly, yet he combined so much passion (think Albert Collins meets Freddie King with a splash of Buddy Guy).  Luckily some of his best work was captured on this CD and DVD combination.  There are roughly 7 songs contained on the concert DVD including “Cancel My Check Solberg” and “Living in the House of Blues”.  An incredible talent that so many people are only today realizing existed before he passed on in 1997.  A great treasure with this Holiday gift concert DVD

6. BONUS LISTING – Joe Bonamassa Live From The Royal Albert Hall – DVD – I just had to fit this one in although most of you probably already have this in your collection.  Joe Bonamassa is one of the most exciting, blues-rooted, rock guitar players to come along.  His beginnings as a child prodigy are legendary and yet he has matured into a very powerful blues guitar player – all of that is captured in this high quality, up-tempo live music DVD from Royal Albert Hall.  This concert DVD is exactly the way I like it…95% live music, 5% interesting stories and introductions from Joe (I loved the story about how he dreamed of playing Royal Albert Hall when he was a kid).  We also get a blistering appearance with Eric Clapton where the two go toe-to-toe on an up-tempo blues number.  A fabulous DVD, get it if it is not part of your collection. 

There you have it – my selections for the best Holiday blues concert DVD’s.  If you have any other suggestions, leave a comment – some of us may already have ALL of these suggestions already…