Bob Halperin knows the blues. A remarkably fluent guitarist and singer, Halperin is a disciple of the pure blues tradition. And as the title of this superb CD suggests, Halperin enjoys exploring the varied styles within this rich tradition.

Halperin’s guitar work is nimble and assured, subtle but also with the right amount of power. You can hear trace influences of greats such as Robert Johnson, Son House and others, but the playing here is beyond imitation. Halperin has developed a singular voice on the instrument. Check out the playing on Sleepy John Estes’ “Drop Down Momma,” King Oliver’s “Dr. Jazz” or Halperin’s own “Dew Rag.” Then again, the playing is consistently wonderful over all 18 cuts. The same can be said for his vocal work, which is has a rich yet slightly “gritty” quality ala Dr. John. The vocals, too, go beyond rote imitation.

In addition to the tracks listed above, Halperin also covers material by Robert Johnson, Willie Dixon, Jimmie Rogers and Dewey Burns, as well as traditional tunes such as “Corinna, Corinna,” “John The Revelator” and “Kokomo Blues.”

While I’m a fan of the entire blues spectrum, this is the approach I enjoy the most: one musician playing and singing (or two musicians for that matter) acoustic blues in a simple, basic and pure format. I think of area musicians like Bob Halperin, as well as Guy Davis, Paul Prue and Paul Rishell and Annie Raines, as being modern day troubadours, playing the music and telling the stories for all to listen to and appreciate. That’s what makes these people, in my mind, so special. The same can be said for this CD.

Bob Halperin will play a solo show at The Dolphin Striker in Portsmouth on Wednesday, Jan. 18.