Books and other Sources for Playing the Blues

[freddysilk]

Does anyone have recommendations on books or other material for playing the blues? I would even prefer something with blues licks, and/or a playalong CD so I can get the feel for it. I've read a few books that were blues-based but they were playalongs with an empty solo part. I'm interested in the improvisation part, and at least an explanation of the blues rather than a playalong with no explanation behind it.

 

[thomsax]

Freddie,

There is one book with CD - Blues Saxophone An In-Depth Look At The Styles Of The Masters by Dennis Taylor. You can read about the players and thier music.

I got into the blues after I met an American bluesartist Derrick "Big" Walker that lives in Sweden nowadays. I booked him for a day. We didn't play that much but we were talking a lot about the blues and his musiclife in USA and Sweden. He told me and demonstrated what he learned from Boby Forte in SF, and how he was tought by Wild Bill Moore to walk around among the audience and play his sax .... . He gives harmonica lessons on the internet, maybe he can give saxophones lessons as well. He also has connection to Ohio. He was brought up in Cleveland. And he is playing a King Zephyr tenor. What else should a Ohio citizen play? Big Walkers website: http://www.blueswalker.com/default.htm

We are going to have a workshop here in Sweden and in Denmark on the 22nd and 23rd of November. Andrew Clark is going to conduct during those days. Blues Workout in A and E. On the link below Andrew is demonstrating how to play/practise with a metronome!! You can always contact Andrew Clark for some advice.

Thomas

http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm201/thomsax/?action=view&current=AndrweClarkDanmarkWorkshop.flv

 

[freddysilk]

That's interesting since I'm also from Cleveland and a owner of a King Zephyr Tenor. In a way it's ironic since I can't find a good teacher for either jazz or the blues in the area. Actually I can find one but finding a reliable instructor is like finding a needle in a haystack. Unfortunately for me, I have to stick with classical lessons for now unless I enroll at the major university.

I'll check out the links though, thanks for the reply

Fred

 

[jon]

Hi FreddySilk

There are some Aebersold Blues Books worth getting with the play along CD but these lack the solo examples you wish for.

Also good to build up a CD collection of notable blues players, one of my favourites on alto is Eddie Cleanhead Vinson - also some of the funniest vocals around - all about falling in love with whisky head women and such like. I would personally say that there are not many blues sax players to choose from - certainly less than the choice for guitar players.

However blues means different things to different people - someone who loved the rough tenor sax solo on "Bad to the Bone" by George ThoroughGood and the Destroyers might make different recommendations.

One book I do like although it contains only one real principle is

"Dan Greenblatt: The Blues Scales: Essential Tools For Jazz Improvisation"

The major thing this guy gets across is that there are two blues scales - well actually what he is really saying is that the blues scale can be split into two scales. The end result is a more mature less repetitive approach to the blues scale. I have mentioned this book previously to experienced players and they say "Ah yes I knew all about that etc etc" but the point is that to best of my knowledge Greenblatt is the only one who has sat down and said it in a book -its worth buying just to be aware of this and to get out of the rut that most people find themselves in at some stage with the blues scales.

I play the blues a lot.

One thing I like to do is to circle the 12 keys and stick with one for quite a long time before moving onto the next - my pratice sessions in say Ab might a week and then onto A and so on.

I go until I just dont seem to be able to think of anything new and then finally I move up a semitone and play that for ages.

Something about this approach seems to work very well for me but I am not sure why - perhaps its just a matter of exhausting so many permutations and trying so many different ideas all in one key before moving onto the next and gradually I get around the clock and so start all over again.

I am not sure why I like this monolithic approach, I think probably forces me not to skip over the harder or less instantly gratifying keys or perhaps ideas leap out in one key that would be overlooked due to "finger habit" in another key.

Jon