Author: Debra Devi

In this week’s installment of The Language of the Blues, barrelhouse blues fuels dance floors with raw piano rhythms, where the energy of the music stirs passion and sets the pace for the boogie-woogie evolution.

This week’s installment dives into the wild origins of “balling the jack.” From steam trains to juke joints, this phrase went from a railman’s command to crank up the speed to a symbol of living life at full throttle—whether in dance, bed, or the gamble of life itself. Explore how this fiery expression influenced the rhythms of jazz, blues, and swing, and check out how Bessie Smith and others brought it to the spotlight.

This week’s installment delves into the humble origins of the ‘one-strand-on-the-wall’ guitar, crafted from baling wire and ingenuity, and how it shaped legends like Hubert Sumlin, B.B. King, and Big Bill Broonzy.

Exploring the meaning of ‘bag’ in the blues world: from musical influences to street slang, Debra Devi unpacks the layers of this iconic term in this week’s installment of The Language of the Blues.

From the desperate measures of alcoholics during Prohibition to the blues singers who chronicled their struggles, this installment delves into the dark reality of survival, addiction, and the raw spirit of the era. Discover the story of “Canned Heat” and how alcorub became the last resort for those fighting the demons of the drink.

In ‘The Language of the Blues: From Alcorub to ZuZu,’ author and rocker Debra Devi explores the meaning of a word or phrase from a blues song.

“What a great resource, as fascinating as it is informative. Debra’s passion for the blues shines through.” – Bonnie Raitt

Discover the real meaning behind “Black Cat Bone,” which is prominently featured in a number of blues songs, from Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, and more!

Author/rocker Debra Devi focuses on the meaning and significance of a unique word used in blues song.

To conjure, one of the African cultural survivals very early noted in the New World, was mystical and required religious rituals. Discover it’s meaning in the blues!

This is the latest installment of our weekly series The Language of the Blues, in which author and rock musician Debra Devi explores the meaning of a word or phrase found in the blues. Grab a signed copy of Devi’s award-winning glossary The Language of the Blues: From Alcorub to Zuzu (Foreword by Dr. John) at Bluescentric.com. Also available as an eBook. Zuzu is southern slang for a cookie, as in “Can I have some more zuzus, Mama?” The original zuzus were ginger snaps made by Nabisco. The earliest mention of them in print is an A&P ad in The…