Each time you see the late, great blues guitar great Albert King (thanks to the power of technology) appear, it reinforces the masterful and powerful influence he had over his guitar and music in general.
As musicians, we each strive to find those real feelings, emotions and “places” that will allow us to put something extra into our playing…I know that when I find it, my playing sounds so much better than when I am going through the motions – anyone relate?
Can you tell when you reach down deep and find that extra “gear” you can draw on to give you extra power, creativity, or tone?
Watch this great rendition of Stormy Monday by Albert King with the amazing John Mayall Band and tell me that Albert King had ANY trouble reaching deep down on every note…that’s what allows him to totally control the stage and his audience leaving them only wanting to hear more.
Now that, my friends, is music…no wonder Albert King was perhaps THE single biggest influence on future guitar players (Stevie Ray Vaughan to Kenny Wayne Shepherd) beyond Jimi Hendrix
Filed under albert king, Blues Legends by on Nov 12th, 2013. Comment. 
One of the things I truly love about blues music is how each generation shows such respect and passes down stories, techniques and songs from the generation before.
These are real stories, real emotions and incredible passion and love for the music and for the legacy of those who started and brought the blues to new audiences over the years.
With few of the 2cnd generation of blues legends left (Buddy Guy and BB King would fall into that camp), it’s more important than ever that their professionalism, passion, techniques and respect for blues guitar is passed on to the next generation.
So when I see a video like this of Buddy “hands-on” mentoring a talent like 12-year old Hayden Fogle, I have faith that the blues will endure.
There are dozens of “little” lessons in being a blues musician and performer wrapped into this short clip:
1. To start low and slow and build, then reset taking your audience on an emotional journey of peaks and valleys
2. To give others the spotlight and then to volley back and forth to give the audience an ever-changing show
3. To be a band leader (watch as Hayden, gives glances to the drummer to change the tempo or accent a beat) and not just a passenger up there
4. To be in the spotlight and learn to play to your audience
5. To put on a show as well as play music
6. To not focus too much on playing a perfect note, but to go outside the box and do some bizarre Buddy bends making it a fascinating, unpredictable show for the audience (Buddy is especially good at this which is at least in part, why he has stayed relevant all these years)
7. By example, teaching young Hayden to be as generous with his talent, time and audience to show and share with other musicians in the age-old blues tradition
Anything else you picked up that I didn’t?
Jeff
Filed under Blues Legends, New Blues by on Aug 14th, 2013. Comment.
I’ve been sifting through the finest of the fine from this year’s Eric Clapton’s Crossroads festival held a few weeks back in New York City this year.
One standout is this version of “I Just Got To Know” where Robert Cray shows us the passionate, raw blues guitar that I wish he would show more often. Don’t get me wrong, I like the fact that Robert straddles soul, rhythm and blues – I just wish he would up the quantity of what I think he does best – raw, low-down and dirty blues.
Watch this rendition of the Jimmy McCracklin song (made famous by Magic Sam) and you tell me would you like to hear more Robert Cray like this?
Just so we always remember there is a rich history from which these songs were written and, in this case, adapted with passion – here is the Magic Sam version. Isn’t it wild how close this is with Mr Cray’s rendition?
Filed under blues guitar, Blues Legends by on May 2nd, 2013. Comment.
One of the most important parts of listening, understanding, enjoying and playing the blues is respecting the past. The blues is a living and breathing evolution in the human condition as reflected through the instruments and voices of blues music through the years.
To really understand and be able to play blues guitar, you’ve got to have a deep emotianal tie to both your instrument and the music…it just HAS to be that way to be real.
There’s no better way to really GET this than to look at some of the real blues guitar greats…
This first video “Death Letter Blues” should hit you right in the GUT, it sure did me as I watched it over and over again…I literally could not take my eyes of Son House as he tells the story about learning of a love lost but only then to recount the feeling he has that love was lost long before his girl ever died (because she never really loved him like he loved her).
Watch this and tell me you aren’t moved!
Just as we learn from the past, one of the reasons I love blues music is that the masters continually pass the torch onto willing disciples – that’s what’s happening in this video “My Black Mama”where a young Buddy Guy sits in with Son House…amazing stuff!
Talkl to me people – leave me a comment.
Filed under Blues Legends by on Jul 19th, 2012. Comment.
At first I have to admit to thinking Carlos Santana, guitar God of the psychadelic 70’s, sold out accepting a 2-year Gig at (of all places) Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
After all, isn’t this where old stars go to live out the twilight years of their career – Celine Dion, Bobby Vinton, Tim Allen (Oh ya, he wasn’t a musician, just a handyman guy or something)
But then I thought, House of Blues with 1500 intimate seats with a mix of rock and blues guitar legends joining him on stage like Buddy Guy, Derek Trucks, Ben Harper or pretty much anyone you can think of and pretty soon you could erase all of the tackiness going on outside.
If I happen to end up down in Vegas during one of his 80 shows I do know I’ll be looking him up – usually I escape to the sanity of BB Kings blues club when I am stranded on the Strip, now I can take in a little Carlos Santana – come to think of it…pretty cool!
Here’s the release – he talks about “experimentation” – doesn’t that just summarize the career of the wonderful Carlos Santana
Filed under blues guitar, Blues Legends by on Feb 25th, 2012. Comment.
Obama kicking back with some of the BIG GUNS of the blues including BB King, Buddy Guy, Mick Jagger, and Jeff Beck as they film a special Tribute To The Blues related to black history month – should be televised Feb 27th on PBS, I’ll be watching for that.
I think its great when a President like Obama not only puts his weight behind something like this, but actually has the courage to stand up and live out everyone’s dream – to jam with the greatest bluesmen alive in King and Guy.
Not a bad voice either, have to give him credit for belting it out – but he can use some more authority in getting his message across (wait a minute, I was talking about the song!)
Not a great fan of mixing politics and art, but in this case they all looked to be having a great time…would have been cool to see him with a hat and some sunglasses though, what do you think?
Filed under Blues Legends by on Feb 24th, 2012. Comment.
Just days away from her 74th birthday, blues performer pioneer Etta James passed away yesterday after a long battle with multiple health conditions including a bacterial infection, alzheimer’s and leukemia.
Her career started in the mid 1950’s, a journey that would see her become one of the elite blues performers of her time performing with the biggest names and having several hit songs including “At Last” (the song performed at Obama’s inauguration by Beyonce – a crime that it wasn’t James herself performing), “I Would Rather Be Blind” (remember seeing a rendition of this performed with Dr John that was so powerful) and “Tell Mama”
No doubt about it, Etta lived the life of high’s and low’s including drug addiction, abuse, career fluctuations and subsequent health challenges.
Paving the way for many blues women including Susan Tedeschi, Janis Joplin, and the amazing talent, Shamekia Copeland (daughter of blues great Johnny Copeland), Etta James pioneered a spot for women in what was otherwise a very male experience and outlet.
Perhaps it took someone so rough and tumble to pave the path for others to follow, but there was no doubt she had a voice made for blues performance including power, a wide range and extremely emotional delivery that made everyone sit up to take notice.
Like so many blues pioneers, her biggest recognition all came much later in life. They include being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 1993 (it took a full 8-years later until she was added to the Blues Hall of Fame – what’s with THAT?) as well as winning Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Performance as well as Best Contemporary and Best Traditional Blues Album in 2004, 2005
An incredible life with a massive impact on the Blues, R&B and Jazz – she will be missed and remembered as one of the pioneers opening doors and expanding the borders of modern music.
Filed under Blues Legends by on Jan 21st, 2012. Comment.
I had no idea that Stevie Ray Vaughan had ever met Muddy Waters, until now, most others didn’t either.
Can you imagine the stories they would have and, if a few years earlier, the kind of music Stevie and Muddy may have made together.
Two giants of the blues guitar and blues music in general, equally large in terms of stage presence and charisma, there’s no telling the possibilities.
Take a look at this YouTube video from a photographer who worked for magazines in the past who has some very exclusive photos of Stevie and the great bluesman Muddy Waters:
Isn’t that cool?
Filed under Blues Legends, stevie ray vaughan by on Dec 11th, 2011. 1 Comment.
I can still see Hubert’s giant smile as I walked up to him a couple years back here at our Ottawa Blues Festival. He hung out for an entire weekend up here just shooting the breeze with many musicians who idolized him and what he had done for the blues guitar.
Known most for being the ryhthm and then lead guitar player for the great Howlin Wolf in the 1950’s, Hubert is one of the few links to the past of the great electric blues movement – and the little skinny kid always seemed as thankful and unworthy, even when the great Howlin Wolf took him under his wing.
One of the first electric blues guitar players that combined stage presence, charisma and solid mixed rythm and lead guitar, Hubert Sumlin was THE inspiration for many modern artists as varied as the Vaughan Brothers and Eric Clapton to Jimmy Page and the Rolling Stones.
Hubert passed on to join Albert King, Albert Collins, Freddie, Lightning Hopkins and yes, Jimi and Stevie too… man that must be some jam going on up there!
He struggled with health challenges for the last years after taking a stroke that barely seemed to contain him – he still, with the support of those he influenced, was able to tour and share his last years with us.
It could (and should) be argued that the combination of Hubert, Willie Dixon and Howlin Wolf was the baddest, most creative blues band of all time with classics that include “Smokestack Lightning”, and “The Red Rooster” and “Backdoor Man”
You would be hard pressed to see a blues band anywhere that doesn’t know at least one of these classics.
Rolling Stones Step Up To Pay For Hubert’s Funeral
As you may know from reading Hubert’s biographical information, he loved the music (he WAS the music), but had a tough time managing his career and finances…and so found himself just as he had lived most of his life, without a great deal of money. Blues musicians have a tough enough time making ends meet so they can continue to live their dreams, when health issues get in the way it makes things that much tougher.
Today, we get word that the Rolling Stones have stepped up and offered to cover the complete costs of a proper and fitting funeral…now that’s class and paying their dues to one of the early influencers of their music. Good on them…
Sunday and Monday will mark visitation Hubert in Totowa, New Jersey where he had been living with a private funeral to follow on Tuesday in Illinois for
So we continue on, down yet another legendary blues stringer with the sincere hope that others will take up the cause, live for the soul of blues and take over the baton for the next stage of the run…who will it be?
Goodnight Hubert, and god’s speed.
Filed under Blues Legends by on Dec 9th, 2011. Comment.
[mc src=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFqK6PBq-hA&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL37DEC2F0013CE888″ type=”youtube”]T-Bone Walker[/mc]I’ve been in a mood for going back and learning some blues guitar strategies, techniques and styles from the greats – was listening to this video of T-Bone Walker playing at the “Jazz at the Philharmonic” – the first song I noticed the often used example of T-Bone changing up the standard I-IV-V blues progression to a I-II-IV-V which gives it a more classy, jazzy feel – he did this on many slow blues numbers.
You’ll also notice on his progression to the IV, he will slide up to the V and resolve down to the IV position – in this particular case it is in the key of B-flat.
Take a listen, there’s also a great jump-blues song tagged on here as well with an amazing band (listen to the drumming on the last song how it complements T-Bone’s wonderful playing). Oh ya, and it’s hard to keep your eyes off of him on stage, he is such a great performer.
Filed under Blues Legends, texas blues by on Nov 3rd, 2011. Comment.
