R & B, Blues, Soul Recommended Blues Listening

[John Laughter]

Howlin' Wolf

Sometime in the late 50s when I started trying to play the so-called blues I would stand outside a local bar and listen to a band that played what seemed to be some low down songs. I spoke with the sax player on the outside of the bar due to my age. I asked him who he listened to get a feel for this type of music. He said King Bee, Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, Muddy Waters, Slim Harpo, Jimmy Reed and a few others. In time I started listening to them and more singers of this style.

 

[Digger2054]

Had my lesson.

We're talking a straight blues, I've already been practicing arpeggio exercises though it for some time.

I explained my mind goes blank and I lack any creativity when it comes to improvising.

My teacher showed me how much mileage you can get out of a simple phrase.

Reason for the blues, is I've been working on improvising for ages, and feel like I'm getting nowhere, as I've already got the progression under my fingers from the exercise build on that.

I doubt I'll be at my teachers level anytime soon, but was fascinating watching him taking a simple phrase, and really making the most of it. Then another phrase, then mixing the two together.

The analogy he gives me, is being like a child playing with building blocks, I have the blocks, now I need to put it together and mess around with them, experiment and have fun.

My head's been all over the place lately, so not feeling it, getting narked off, and over thinking it didn't really help things.

 

[turf3]

Had my lesson.

We're talking a straight blues, I've already been practicing arpeggio exercises though it for some time.

I explained my mind goes blank and I lack any creativity when it comes to improvising.

My teacher showed me how much mileage you can get out of a simple phrase.

Reason for the blues, is I've been working on improvising for ages, and feel like I'm getting nowhere, as I've already got the progression under my fingers from the exercise build on that.

I doubt I'll be at my teachers level anytime soon, but was fascinating watching him taking a simple phrase, and really making the most of it. Then another phrase, then mixing the two together.

The analogy he gives me, is being like a child playing with building blocks, I have the blocks, now I need to put it together and mess around with them, experiment and have fun.

My head's been all over the place lately, so not feeling it, getting narked off, and over thinking it didn't really help things.

The thing about the blues form is that it's a very simple form, but you can put as much or as little complexity into it as you wish.

My suggestion for the person who's experiencing a problem getting over the hump of improvisation is to start playing along with records. (Or, today, "records".) Don't spend much energy thinking about note names and chords and scales - play things that sound good to you. Stuff that doesn't sound good, try to do less of it each time, and stuff that does sound good, try to do more of it - and try to come up with variations of it.

 

[rhysonsax]

How about the sax by Pete Brown (starts at about 1:25) in this wonderful recording by Champion Jack Dupree (who lived for a period in Yorkshire) ?

As well as an authentic blues solo, the whole recording is a lesson in how to play saxophone with a singer.

View: https://youtu.be/bYn3ToT_e9c?si=_NoPbWANPbUXI-MV


Rhys

 

[Digger2054]

The thing about the blues form is that it's a very simple form, but you can put as much or as little complexity into it as you wish.

My suggestion for the person who's experiencing a problem getting over the hump of improvisation is to start playing along with records. (Or, today, "records".) Don't spend much energy thinking about note names and chords and scales - play things that sound good to you. Stuff that doesn't sound good, try to do less of it each time, and stuff that does sound good, try to do more of it - and try to come up with variations of it.

We've looked at a few other 'simple' tunes, autumn leaves for example, but I still find it a bit bewildered.

The blues should take some of that pressure off so I can relax and enjoy it and start to experiment more naturally.

Seem to have hit a plateau, I can't get over, my teacher and others have noticed improvements in my playing in general, but improvising is a personal challenge for me, that's really testing me.

 

[LostCircuits]

Like I mentioned above, keep it simple, stupid.
Start with the basics to develop a feeling for the music instead of trying to copy licks. Those will come by themselves over time but the most important thing is to get "into the blues", understand the changes and develop a good sense of in-time, whether you swing or not, you still have to be able to land on the key notes in-time.
Nothing worse than a fellow musician who can't hold his/her time and is all over the place. It'll throw off everybody else.
That and to know when or what not to play.

Go with the triads to build a foundation. 1-3-5-7, 3,5,7,1, 3-7-5-1, 7-5-3-1 over the 1/4/5 progression and you will have more notes to play than you could possibly use

 

[LostCircuits]

Sometime in the late 50s when I started trying to play the so-called blues I would stand outside a local bar and listen to a band that played what seemed to be some low down songs. I spoke with the sax player on the outside of the bar due to my age. I asked him who he listened to get a feel for this type of music. He said King Bee, Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, Muddy Waters, Slim Harpo, Jimmy Reed and a few others. In time I started listening to them and more singers of this style.

I think you get a kick out of Jesse Cotton Stone:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07vwAvcvS8A


And Grant Sabin:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pontT3w1uAc

 

[skeller047]

Had my lesson.

We're talking a straight blues, I've already been practicing arpeggio exercises though it for some time.

I explained my mind goes blank and I lack any creativity when it comes to improvising.

My teacher showed me how much mileage you can get out of a simple phrase.

Reason for the blues, is I've been working on improvising for ages, and feel like I'm getting nowhere, as I've already got the progression under my fingers from the exercise build on that.

I doubt I'll be at my teachers level anytime soon, but was fascinating watching him taking a simple phrase, and really making the most of it. Then another phrase, then mixing the two together.

The analogy he gives me, is being like a child playing with building blocks, I have the blocks, now I need to put it together and mess around with them, experiment and have fun.

My head's been all over the place lately, so not feeling it, getting narked off, and over thinking it didn't really help things.

Couple things…. 1st, most blues songs, and many blues instrumentals, follow a 3 part form. A, A, B. Play a phrase over the first 4 bars (if you’ve only got a 1 bar idea, rest for 3 bars!) Then repeat it for the 2nd 4 bars. Finally, answer the phrase in the last 4 bars.

2nd, what I slipped in there, is that a successful improviser is thinking about way more than what chord is happening right now. One should think about crafting a melody that says something. Crafting a lick or arpeggio is a good thing to do when practicing technique, but when improvising, melody is important. Rhythm is also important, and maybe in jazz music, more important than melody. (C Jam Blues, anyone?) And thinking in terms of a whole chorus instead of just what notes to play over a Bb7 will help you create more interesting ideas.

This is why so many people advise using the blues scale when playing a blues. Harmonic cohesiveness is kind of built in, and you can concentrate on compelling rhythm and melody. I am not advising this, but maybe a little sprinkling of blues scale adds some spice.

But the point is - building blocks are good, but what are you building with them? A random pile of blocks, or a magnificent edifice? You have to be thinking ahead, thinking musically.

 

[thomsax]

As well as an authentic blues solo, the whole recording is a lesson in how to play saxophone with a singer

Yes a good sample of how to the saxophone in blues. I guess the sax player was/is not a jazz guy. But some jazz guys could play really good trad straight blues as well.

Here is another sample, "Built For Comfort". A jazz saxophonist (Duke Ellington) playing with Willie Dixon. A little bit too clean for my taste.
I don't remeber the saxplayers name. It was Sax Gordon who told me. Sax Gordon recorded for Rounder label with Champion Jack Dupree as well.

View: https://youtu.be/UfnctFIh9aE?si=lYvv8pkPYMY4Ugpi

 

[John Laughter]

And Grant Sabin:

 

[Pete Thomas]

We have a collection of playlongs which I'm working on following up with a blues only version. It will include some from the original Midnight Playalongs like this one. It's a jazz blues but still very simple - this gives you na idea (obviously the solo section would be your own rather than the solo I do in this one that is a bit beyond beginner level). There will be a sort of tutorial giving tips on how to approach the impro though - simple blues phrases etc.

View: https://youtu.be/Uksz5lhVYS0

 

[PiccoloPirate]

There are Blues tunes with and without vocals.
Either one, first learn/memorize the actual tune.
Slow tunes to start.
Memorize, is step one. 🎯

 

[mizmar]

Looks fab!

 

[turf3]

Yes a good sample of how to the saxophone in blues. I guess the sax player was/is not a jazz guy. But some jazz guys could play really good trad straight blues as well.

Here is another sample, "Built For Comfort". A jazz saxophonist (Duke Ellington) playing with Willie Dixon. A little bit too clean for my taste.
I don't remeber the saxplayers name. It was Sax Gordon who told me. Sax Gordon recorded for Rounder label with Champion Jack Dupree as well.

View: https://youtu.be/UfnctFIh9aE?si=lYvv8pkPYMY4Ugpi

Sounds like a very typical characteristic tenor sax solo. It's interesting how he phrases "I ain't built for speed" in the first couple of choruses. I've never heard it sung quite that way before. After the tenor sax solo, he reverts to the common way most people phrase it. And dig Willie's slap bass solo.

 

[Dr G]

@Digger2054 Thanks for sharing your update. It sounds like like you have a good teacher that you can trust.

To quote a teacher that I respect, Tomo Fujita:

Don’t worry
Don’t compare
Don’t expect too fast
Be kind to yourself

Enjoy the path.

 

[PiccoloPirate]

Using the arpeggios/chord tones, as the building blocks, are they set in your mind?

Using only them, in quarter note duration, write on paper, a melodic line, over a 12 bar Blues, Dom7 chords to start.
You can span octaves and write the same note/tone, in succession.

After you write it, play it.
Do it until you hear something, that sounds, melodic, then write some more.
This is a goto exercise to help kick start your mind.
Used at MSOM and JuliesYard. 🙄

 

[progger]

I think any saxophonist can learn a lot from emulating great blues guitarists. Any of the Kings would be a great start (BB King, Albert King, Freddie King). Maximum musical awesomeness with minimum notes.

As far as blues saxophone specifically goes, along with the great recommendations above... My favorites tend to be jazz players who also happen to play the hell out of the blues, particularly Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley, Cannonball, and Dexter Gordon. (Bird was already mentioned, as he should be.) The OGs like Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, and Lester Young are a never-ending fountain of greatness too.

And the same goes for piano. My favorite "blues pianists" are really Red Garland and Wynton Kelly. Sure, they had all the harmonic sophistication they needed to play jazz, but I think those guys really ate, breathed, and slept the blues, and that's probably why Miles liked them so much.

 

[PiccoloPirate]

Reading and memorizing transcriptions, as well as picking up the solos, and memorizing them, are important, but still some students are, "stalled in irons", as Pirates say.

Part of the problem can be their skill level on the horn, interfering with creativity.
In addition to what I suggested earlier, another study, is to take just a phrase, from a tune, solo, or my favorite, some classical, by Bach or others of that era, memorize it, be able to sing it, slowly, and then try to continue on by writing a variation.

Hopefully, what they write, is originating in their mind.
The style of the music, can be whatever they are most familiar with and enjoy, as it is already part of them.

 

[lydian]

My favorite bluesy players include Bird, Sanborn, Hank Crawford, Earl Bostic, Jr. Walker, Lee Allen, Illinois Jacquet, Louis Jordan, Lester Young, Jay McNeely, Sonny Stitt, Cannonball, Gene Ammons, King Curtis, Ronnie Cuber, Grover, Dexter, Gerald Albright, Trane, Hank Mobley, Wilton Felder, Steve Marcus, Don Menza, Sherman Irby, Eddie Vinson, Eddie Davis, Stanley Turrentine, Doc Kupa, Leo Parker, Doug James, Mike Terry, Plas Johnson and Wardell Gray.

 

[JayeNM]

In that case any of the nonetheless excellent jazz/blues recommendations above may not be quite the ticket for starting off with more basic blues/blues.

I tend to think of jazz blues as not something to start off with when learning “the blues.”

I agree with this. Thus, respectfully, a suggestion of listening to , say, Charlie Parker or Coltrane, playing blues....or some of the other bop and '60s giants...I think, not the best suggestion for a player just beginning to dip their toes into blues improv....

IF there was ONE 'jazz blues' recording I would suggest to such a player...it would be the Blues and the Abstract Truth album (with the caveat of 'ignore Dolphy's solos....for the time being').

Particular attention on Oliver Nelson's solos, as they for the most part are the most spare and graspable....