The Blues!!!

[C.A.JO.]

Hello,

I've decided to start a new post about one of my favorite music genres - The Blues.

I like everything about the blues. The simplicity, the complexity, the sound, the feel, the tones, the image, the musicians, the honesty, the pain, the folklore, the stories, the happiness... you name it, I basically dig it all!

The last couple of months I've found myself focusing a lot on blues. It was not a conscience decision, it just happens so for me every once in a while when I listen to music...
As some of you may have understood from my other posts I've been very much into technique and the whole prog-perspective. I've noticed a tendency to slow down my improvisations and soloing melodies by listening back to my practice sessions from the last year (yes, I record them) where I've improvised. It seems like I've moved more and more away from playing fast with many notes to more singable melodies. My listening habits have also changed, and a couple of weeks ago I realized how much blues I really listen to. I've indulged myself in the works of BB King, Albert King and Eric Clapton. As a result my practice sessions have also changed alot... Basically I haven't really studied any "jazz" the last couple of months, but moved into blues-territory.

As far as listening goes I've listened extensively to these recordings:

- "Live at the Regal" (BB King)
- "King of the Blues" (Albert King)
- "From the Craddle" (Eric Clapton)

They're on my ipod and I listen to it every time I leave the house!

I really think the blues deserves more attention. For me the interest came back as I started listening to the above mentioned records. Little by little the "sound" and desire to play "it" started sneaking into my practice sessions, and the "simplicity" as far as notes changed my playing. This has led me to a study of more "subtile" things such as the right bend, vibrato etc. Playing slower also allows me to pre-hear almost anything I play, and my solos sound more honest to myself. I really think my true voice in music is in the blues vein with a touch of jazz sort of like Robben Ford and Scott Henderson.

So... what do you think of the blues?

[tonyknight]

I'm totally with you - it is/was my life! But we separate a little in that I'm spending far more time trying to understand jazz but for the same reasons as you - to ADD something to my playing. It can only make for a blues more subtle.

As a blues player and teacher, we used to joke that the difference between a bluesman and a jazzman was that the bluesman plays with his heart and the jazzman plays with his brain... I'm not sure that this is really true, but it is clear that when you play blues and make every note count without worrying if you are hitting 1000 notes per minute - boy, does that ever feel like the heart playing. In this respect, I try to achieve a tone in the blues which makes it sound and feel like the guitar is crying. And that is missing from jazz.

[nado64]

Originally Posted by C.A.JO.

Hello,

I've decided to start a new post about one of my favorite music genres - The Blues[...]

Very Good Idea !

I love the traditionnal blues :
John Lee Hooker - don't look back
Muddy Waters - Hard Again
Robert Johnson - all his recordings.

[rabbit]

Excellent subject & choices!

Let us also remember the immortal Son House & '' 'Po Lightnin'."

Check this out, the whole site is full of goodies, too:

'The Search for Robert Johnson' (J. Hammond Jr.)

THE SEARCH FOR ROBERT JOHNSON | Classical TV

[C.A.JO.]

Originally Posted by tonyknight

the bluesman plays with his heart and the jazzman plays with his brain...

Hehe.... sometimes I feel this is true. But in my own case its because I haven't internalized all the "tools" in jazz to the level where I can stop thinking and only play by heart. Actually I don't know how many improvisers who can actually do that. I know a lot claim they can, but I seriously doubt it.

[C.A.JO.]

Originally Posted by nado64

I love the traditionnal blues

I'm more into blues-rock:

Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Joe Bonamassa, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Robin Trower, John Mayer, etc. I like the sound, energy and their techniques.

But I'll always return to THE masters (the "kings") in my book, BB King and Albert King. I like their expression and phrasing.

I haven't yet found a guitarist with the chops and energy like SRV with an expression like BB King. Don't know if such player exists. For instance Joe Bonamassa has the chops for sure, but I think he "plays too much". Contrary I really, really enjoy BB King's sound, but I generally think he "plays too little" to my taste. I would like to find an artist somewhere between those two. Add to that the songwriting skills of players like John Mayer and Hendrix. That would be THE player IMO.

I also listen to the old stuff like Robert Johnson, but that's more due to educational and historical purposes.

[JohnW400]

C.A.J.O.

Don't forget Freddy King. I have a Best of Freddy King CD that covers most of his 'hits'. Excellent CD.

There is a CD by John Mayal called Jazz Blues Fusion which was panned by critics but I like it.

It has Mayal plus Blue Mitchell on Trumpet, Freddie Robinson on guitar. Freddie plays some real tasty jazz flavored blues. This album was one that helped to cross me over to jazz from the blues way back when

[Shadow of the Sun]

I was actually going to post a thread on this topic, because I've run into a really brilliant bluesman from my home country.

YouTube Video

YouTube Video

Try those two really awesome songs by James Michael Thompson.

[JohnW400]

I forgot to mention this label

Alligator Records

Lot´s of good stuff here. Roy Buchanan was on this label before his death.

[Soco]

Huge blues fan! I started actually doing some blues gigs lately.
Let's keep this thread going-I'll chime in more later.

[monk]

T-Bone Walker
The Three Blazers with both Johnny and Oscar Moore
Albert Collins
Michael Bloomfield
Larry Carlton

[backliner]

Originally Posted by C.A.JO.

...So... what do you think of the blues?

"From The Cradle," is an excellent Eric Clapton record. One of my favorites.

"Do You Get The Blues?" -Jimmie Vaughan, is another.

I started out singing whiney Folk songs in the mid-sixties until Paul Butterfiled came to town!

We all wanted to be Mike Bloomfield after that. Later I grew to appreciate Elvin Bishop, Buzzy Feiten, etc.

The Blues Project, with Danny Kalb, was another favorite lineup.

One of my favorite CD's now is "The Best of Chess Blues."

Howlin' Wolf, with Hubert Sumlin in the band, is good stuff!

Nowadays I realize that Blues is one of my favorite things that I always look for in other styles: Y'know: the blues in jazz, the blues in rock, etc etc.

In my own playing I love to slide some Blues in where appropriate, though we mostly play "dinner" jazz.

[Soco]

My favorites:
Robert Johnson
Albert Collins
B.B King
Freddie King
Albert King
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Peter Green
Michael Bloomfield
Larry Carlton
Robben Ford
Chris Cain

[C.A.JO.]

Check out this awesome player from my hometown.... Scott Henderson talked about him in an interview once, where he said that when he heard this guy, he was reminded of how much he still needed to learn....

Funny thing is he's a family-man, teacher, but he's also released some records.

Here are the links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a30Th...eature=related

YouTube - UFFE STEEN TRIO - Mc Riff

Be sure to watch the other videos too, he also plays jazz!

By the way... he plays a lefty-strat but with the high-e on top!

[C.A.JO.]

Originally Posted by backliner

Nowadays I realize that Blues is one of my favorite things that I always look for in other styles: Y'know: the blues in jazz, the blues in rock, etc etc.

I feel the same way... I like bluesy jazz-guitarists and bluesy rockers!

Players like Wes Montgomery, John Scofield, Grant Green, George Benson, Slash, Angus Young, Zakk Wylde, Eric Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, etc.

[tonyknight]

Thanks C.A.J.O. for the link - wonderful. His version of Misty shows an incredible virtuousity!

YouTube - UFFE STEEN TRIO - Misty (a tribute to Erroll Garner)

[C.A.JO.]

Originally Posted by tonyknight

Thanks C.A.J.O. for the link - wonderful. His version of Misty shows an incredible virtuousity!

YouTube - UFFE STEEN TRIO - Misty (a tribute to Erroll Garner)

Yes, he is a virtuoso. I saw him play at a clinic once. His display of creativity, technique and melodic sense is jaw-dropping.

[monk]

C.A.JO.
Thanks for the post. What a tasteful,thoughtful player. I am listening to Misty as I type this. He has definitely found his own voice. Extra points for having an upright bassist.
Thanks,
monk

[Soco]

I started doing some blues gigs lately and have been working on some blues stuff. Here is a recent clip:

YouTube Video

[tonyknight]

SOCO - very tasteful. Not overdone and beautifully phrased... good work!

[Soco]

Thank you!

[RonD]

Hi Jostein, love it! I'm currently listening to your other tunes on myspace.
Again, beautiful, tasteful playing on "All of Me".

Cheers, Ron

[Soco]

Originally Posted by RonD

Hi Jostein, love it! I'm currently listening to your other tunes on myspace.
Again, beautiful, tasteful playing on "All of Me".

Cheers, Ron

Thanks so much for checking that out Ron!

[Soco]

Now this is blues!

YouTube Video

[Reg]

Hey here's something I posted on a different thread and was trying to explain jazz/blues... it might help or at least give an opinion about sources...
"I'm also alright with many other non-jazz usages when expressing opinions about jazz... There is a very sophisticated method of playing jazz/blues which uses very simply... tension / release, dominant / tonic, type of organizational method of constructing solos which almost keeps a blue pedal implied while choosing your pitch collections. Most blues players simply use their ears and trial and error as learning technique and generally pull from pentatonic or magic notes... as opposed to jazz players. Jazz players tend to modal interchange to new pitch collections or harmonic areas and impose the traditional blue note harmony which creates a duel source control methodology... some play better than others... When I play I'm aware of all approaches but still play by ear... and as always ...context tends to be a controlling factor, which is a reflection of musicians involved... but in my experiences jazz players are relaxed, were not that formal... we have a certain comfort in not knowing where things may go, musically of course." Best Reg

[Dark Star]

I've played blues for many years, & so everything I learn I pretty much see it in a blues context. So when it comes to jazz I am looking for that point of reference. Hear Scofield & Metheny playing "You Speak My Language". It is blues. Maybe from another dimension, but it is still blues. Same w/something like Scofield's "Bag". 12 bars, but not just blues.

[JohnW400]

Good Choice Soco.

I dig Freddie King.

[Soco]

I didn't have the chance to check out Freddie King until later in my life, but I have to say he is one of the best.

[Soco]

Originally Posted by Dark Star

I've played blues for many years, & so everything I learn I pretty much see it in a blues context. So when it comes to jazz I am looking for that point of reference. Hear Scofield & Metheny playing "You Speak My Language". It is blues. Maybe from another dimension, but it is still blues. Same w/something like Scofield's "Bag". 12 bars, but not just blues.

Here is Scofield playing blues on a telecaser!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ler4K...eature=related

[Reg]

In late 60's you could checkout all three Kings live and at ths same show once in a while. I always dug Freddie, but Albert was my favorite... so dirty... Reg