Playing the saxophone What are the unique aspects to playing blues compared with other genres?

[Grumps]

And forgive me for being a downer... even though the topic is the Blues. But it's just a knee jerk reaction I get when told it's going to be a blues gig or a blues show. Not that there isn't any great blues out there; music and musicians. It's just not something I get geared up for even though we all know that it can be our best bet for an opportunity to play. And yes, blues tunes can be complex. I mean... Basin Street Blues counts, right?

But as for my own three chord endeavors, here's something I came up with back in college recorded some years later:

https://soundcloud.com/akagrumps%2Fclean-fast-good-plenty

View: https://soundcloud.com/akagrumps/clean-fast-good-plenty


If it's gonna be blues, you gotta tell a story... so there's my advice in that regard.

 

[Stephen Howard]

It doesn't pay as well.

I rest my case.

 

[JSL]

But I tend to think there’s are songs that you can more or less call The Blues, 100%. Others may be or have varying degrees of bluesness. Which will often be subjective.

+1. This kind of ties into my definition of the blues. One of the things I love about the blues is how versatile it is. It's certainly not just limited to the most basic call & response form that everyone would agree is the blues. That might be the foundation, but the blues can be 'infused' into so many different forms, depending largely on the rhythmic element, but also partly on the harmonic structure. Charlie Parker has been mentioned and his blues playing ranges from the 'gutbucket' soulful blues to a more harmonically advanced bebop blues, that at least to my ear, is still recognizable as the blues. Then there's swinging blues (Count Basie, Louis Jordan, etc.), jump blues (Wynonie Harris, Cab Calloway, Red Prysock, etc.), Chicago blues, New Orleans blues (Fats Domino, Lee Allen), funk blues, jazz blues (Miles, Trane, and pretty much every great jazz player), and yes even 'blues rock'. And so on.

So many genres have incorporated the blues that it sort of defies description. But it does fall under the banner of "I know it when I hear it". And the blues spices up every genre it touches.

 

[Jimmymack]

I was discussing this fairly recently and I said that the blues took the Western tradition and stripped it down to basics for it's own purposes and she said that jazz then took that form and added back the western tradition, i.e. Parker et al. As far as I'm concerned the blues can be a tedious running of cliches over the well recognised basic form, worst of all if you use the blues scale, or can be taken anywhere you want.

Straight No Chaser is perfect for this, play it as a blues, play it bebop, play it fast or slow, play it inside, but preferably play it out. You can bend it any way you like and take it anywhere, it only gets sad when you just play the blues and are trapped by the structure. Finding people who also understand this and respond is the hard part.

 

[Joe from New Orleans]

Many people don't relealize that one of the most important cornerstone is the "feeling". IMO one of the best blues songs ever written was I'm So Lonely I Could Cry by Hank Williams. Then there is this below.

View: https://youtu.be/hzBQK2IBGm8?si=tBUYnBCCKuJmskZ1

 

[Hankenstine]

The blues:

View: https://youtu.be/bFMRQcxjP2Q?si=7822GyJQF-1u-4bH

 

[Hankenstine]

The blues:

View: https://youtu.be/6USU108ert8?si=c9aF1pjauvJvMySn

 

[Hankenstine]

Blues

View: https://youtu.be/zv9TyI0uaT4?si=mcBgv7GXP5YPvfhm

 

[Pete Thomas]

The blues:

View: https://youtu.be/bFMRQcxjP2Q?si=7822GyJQF-1u-4bH

This I would not call the blues.

 

[thomsax]

The blues is a tradition. I like and try to play the blues in what we call "Rock & Roll Saxophone". Most of the music I play is based on the blues tradition. "My blues" went in differnt directions; R&B, Rockabilly, Rock 'n' Roll, Country, Soul, Funk, Ska, Reggae ..... . Of course, other styles/genres were blended in. Blues in jazz went in other directions.

Can you learn a tradtion? I often read that a teacher involved in learning to play the blues. I learned my blues by playing the blues. I just played my sax. I tried to play bues -riffs, -licks, -solos ... over and over. I devolped my own style/skills. I was not a blessed player. I started to play at blues jam. Me and my sax become a part of a group. It's like playing football. Nothing I learned. I got my skills by developing the things I was good at. I had no magic feet.

Later on I wanted to know what I really was doing? So I started to learn what we call "theory". For me it was more to give words to what I was doing. I learned to cook without knowing what dissolves in water or butter/oil ..... .

I met a good amatuer jazzsaxophonist once. He had learned to play sax at different high jazz educations. He said it was easy to play à la Clerence Clemons. And he took a transcription of a CC solo and played what was written on the sheet music. He played written solo well. But did we jump up and down? He had missed something when he learned .... .

I like to play and spread RockSax. Never been paid for my music. To be honest it's the opposite.

Here is a "traditional" blues, played when people get together; "Fannie Mae" (Buster Benton). Far from Parker or Coltane ????? Beat 2 and 4 is important in Rock.

View: https://youtu.be/4EHsXBibGlg?si=Aj7Rtj5po3-8n_qh

 

[thomsax]

I true blues player is playing a solo without using the chords tones. He/she is using the other tones. Still in the idiom of Rock. I can't do that. But I try at home behind locked doors. I recommend all blues players to play a blues without using the blues scale and play the other tones that is not in the chord. But remember "2 and 4".

 

[Pete Thomas]

I recommend all blues players to play a blues without using the blues scale and play the other tones that is not in the chord.

What is the aim of doing this? I would find that almost impossible to and still be playing blues.

 

[thomsax]

What is the aim of doing this? I would find that almost impossible to and still be playing blues.

Just to show that you are an openminded and creative player. To play in a more jazz style, to stretch out in reharmonizing and rhythms. If your sax is paying your bills you should stay out it. I just do it to confirm to myself that I'm doing the right thing when I play the predictable and safe 12 bar (rock)blues. 😉

 

[Hankenstine]

This I would not call the blues.

He's definitely pushing the boundaries. Not my cup of tea either.

 

[cappers]

Waiting for a repsonse from @turf3 or @Jimmymack ..........

What is your objection the the use of the pentatonic or blues scales? I've been taught to use a chord tone and arpeggio approach but the use of these scales is suggested by many teachers.

 

[Pete Thomas]

What is your objection the the use of the pentatonic or blues scales? I've been taught to use a chord tone and arpeggio approach

Both are very important and appropriate. It shouldn’t be a one or the other.

 

[Dr G]

What is different about blues? Different things to practice (or not). Different ways of approaching a performance? There may be some obvious points but maybe some less obvious.

Discuss...

Compare and contrast an object of your choice. Use the adjectives “organic” and “authentic” frequently and often. Avoid repetition unless necessary to your argument.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Use the adjectives “organic” and “authentic” frequently and often. Avoid repetition unless necessary to your argument.

How do you use those two adjectives frequently and often without repetition?

 

[JSL]

I recommend all blues players to play a blues without using the blues scale and play the other tones that is not in the chord

Tell that to Gene Ammons, King Curtis, Charlie Parker, Louis Jordan, Red Prysock, Stanley Turrentine, and every other musician who has ever touched the blues! They all used notes from the blues scale. It's not a matter of the scale; it's how you use those notes. And the chord tones (especially 3rd & 7ths) are of utmost importance. Especially when playing the changes.

 

[cappers]

.........They all used notes from the blues scale. It's not a matter of the scale; it's how you use those notes......

Think I've got it now. The reference to 'pentatonic wankery' might mean those who just play the pentatonic or blues scales up and down over the chords without any variance or extra notes. I think many stick with pentatonics/blues because that is what many popular internet lesson sites tells them to do as it's easier and safer for beginners.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think as the smallest interval in the pentatonic scale being a whole step, it doesn't have any drive, and remains very static. Half steps in the scale generates tension and release, which pulls the melodic line. The leading tones like the natural 7th want to resolve to the tonic, and that gives the line motion. For me blues scales are more interesting starting points.