Blues…Blues…Blues
Blues…Blues…Blues A study guide by MATT JENSON www.mattjenson.com The blues is about human suffering and hope and should be played with intensity, in the spirit of such suffering and hope! “Blues is roots music, always radical: the root or essence of other musics. Many music genres have blues, including jazz, rock and R&B. Blues is pure food for fusion and many musics ground themselves in feelings through their bluesy elements. And yet blues is still fresh – untouched. That is because blues is a singularity rather than itself a fusion with something else. It is indivisible-recursive, the root of the blues is the human experience and psyche itself. We owe a great debt to African Americans for delivering this great treasure to the world in the form we have it now, but blues is not a matter of color or form. It’s root is the human experience itself – for all times and in all cultures. Blues is a sincere gift of the African American tradition to the world.” - Michael Erlewhine, AMG Guide What may appear to be an obsolete and less sophisticated/interesting style to some musicians, is an endless realm of creative improvisation to many others. The quintessential component of the blues is story telling steeped in emotion. The story is told with passion as the performer emotes. If the emotion is diminished the story becomes mundane, thus the challenge of the blues is to maintain its integrity and energy while you convey your story. The limited framework of the blues forces the improviser right to the heart of playing with feeling and soul. Blues does not demand virtuosity or deep harmonic knowledge, its essence is feeling. It can serve as a grounding element in more sophisticated improvisational genres, allowing the “story” to be coherent to the listener. It can also be an excellent study for the student improviser on their way to more harmonically sophisticated styles. The phrasing of the “story” becomes the basis of logical well-shaped phrasing in all styles. Some Characteristics of the BLUES 1. Repetitive rhythmic backgrounds – endless variations of the shuffle, straight eights, 12/8, rhumba, swing, funk, swamp, etc. 2. Blues calls, field hollers, phrases – major and minor pentatonics, blues scale, mixolydian, dorian, etc. 3. Usually one key center – mixolydian environment, or dorian for minor blues. Occasional V chord scale, occasional implied or actual secondary dominants 4. Limited harmonic vocabulary – some blues have only one chord, but most have 3 (I IV, V), and some times add sub V and secondary dominant chords. 5. Intense stylistic integrity – purpose and expression in playing repetitive background parts (comping), deep interaction with other instruments and vocals, maintained high energy level. Scales used in the Blues ** fingerings shown for the key of C only. Fingerings for different keys are shown at the end of this study guide. -‐ Practice the blues, minor & major pentatonic scales in all keys, but start with D, F, G, Bb, Eb, E and A because these are more commonly used. -‐ The mixolydian scale is used with dominant 7th chords. Practice in different keys! -‐ Practice the basic 12 bar blues in all keys, but start with D, F, G, Bb, Eb, E and A. To start use this basic blues shuffle figure (below) in the left hand. Watch the fingering!! Left Hand Comping Patterns …one more, next page… Some Blues Licks There are many many blues licks. These are but a few to get you started. Once you learn them as written, experiment with playing them in many different rhythmic variations, and different keys. (Note: The names for these licks are NOT standard names used by musicians. I made them up for the use of this hand out only.) -‐ The “b3 on the IV chord” rule: Whatever lick, or scale you’re using, if it utilizes the natural third of the I chord, when you go to the IV chord, you can use the same exact lick or scale (NOT transposing it to the IV chord), but you must lower the 3rd degree a ½ step of that lick or scale. -‐ The blues “101” lick. Many other licks are derived from this elemental pattern by altering the rhythm and order. Once you’ve got it down, experiment with it. Try playing it in minor key. . -‐ The ‘drone’ lick. You repeat the top note (usually the root) while playing the blues scale under it. Again, mess around with it rhythmically and switch the order of the blues scale notes. -‐ The ‘3 voice mixo’ lick. A parallel motion voicing based on the C mixolydian scale. -‐ ‘Mixo 6ths’ lick. Starting with the root on top, play a parallel mixolydian scale in 6ths. -‐ Three cliché variations on the mixolydian 6th lick. -‐ ‘Super slick’ variation on the mixo 6th lick. -‐ The ‘Chromatic 6th chord’ lick. Root position with 1st & 2nd inversions. Great for funk comping! -‐ The ‘Guide tone chromatic approach’ lick. Find the guide tones (the 3rd and 7th degree) of each chord and approach them from a ½ step below. -‐ The ‘Super triplet’ lick. Dr. John -‐ The ‘Cascade’ lick. As originated by Professor Longhair of New Orleans fame. -‐ The ‘Country 6-‐3’ lick. Based on the major pentatonic scale, this lick can be used in practically any style of music. The target notes are the 6th and 3rd degrees of the (major) scale. Blues Turn Around Figures (…played in the last bar or last two bars of the 12 bar blues form.) -‐ The most basic turn around, played in the 12th (last) measure of the form. -‐ A little more complicated. Played in measures 11 and 12 (the last two bars) of the form. -‐ Even more complicated. Played in measures 11 and 12 (the last two bars) of the form. 9th / 13th Voice Leading -‐ These are incredibly well used voicings that every piano player should know. Each form can have a thicker jazz sound by adding an inner tension. Professor Longhair, “Fess” Call and Response Phrasing A large part of sounding good not just in blues but in any style is about your ability to ‘speak’ to your audience, to really communicate what you are feeling. There’s no better way to do that than to use simple CALL AND RESPONSE phrasing. Here is an example using the first 4 bars of Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind.” Other Common Blues Progressions Blues Scale Fingerings It’s critical that you can really RIP the blues scales well. For this, you gotta have good fingering. Here are suggested fingerings for the more popular keys you may find in a blues or jazz group. Even though these are listed in one octave only, make sure you practice at least 2 octaves ALWAYS. created by Matt Jenson www.matjenson.com The “Gospel” Scale Even though this is what many people call the “gospel” scale: But for the purposes of this hand out, I am using the scale below and calling it the “gospel” scale. – Drop 2 harmonization for an OPEN sound. – Minor gospel scale harmonized adding some 7ths for a fuller sound. (This it the lick used on the Billy Preston tune “Will it Go Round in Circles.”) – Simple IV to I gospel walk down resolution. – Cadence harmonized in 10ths. created by Matt Jenson www.matjenson.com The Roots of the Blues Griots West African Music Work Songs Field Hollers 1920’s Jazz and Ragtime Minstrel, Medicine & Vaudville presentations W.C Handy Songsters Mamie Smith Records “Crazy Blues” 1920 - 1st Blues Record Gospel White Appalachian, Folk & Country Music Early Delta Blues Practitioners Jug Bands 6 Recommended Recordings Various Artists, Blues Masters, Vol 10: Blues Roots (Rhino) Various Artists, Afro-American Spirituals, Worksongs and Ballads: Blues Roots (Library of Congress) Various Artists, Negro Work Songs and Calls (Library of Congress) Various Artists, The Sounds of the South (Atlantic) Eddie “One String” Jones, One String Blues (Gazell) Ali Farka Toure, The Source (Hannibal) Lester Melrose & Early Chicago Blues Lester Melrose Producer & Talent Scout ‘50s Blues Producers Leonard & Phil Chess, Sam Phillips Willie Dixon, Bihari Brothers 14 Recommended Recordings Blues Record Co’s Recorded & Produced Big Bill Broonzy, Tampa Red, Jazz Gillum Sonny Boy Williamson 1, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup Kansas Joe McCoy, Memphis Minnie Bukka White, Washboard Sam Magic Sam, West Side Soul (Delmark) Chess Records, Sun Records, Muddy Waters, The Best of Muddy Waters (MCA-Chess) Post War Chicago Blues Otis Rush, 1956-1958 (Paula) Cobra Records, Vee-Jay Records, Little Walter, The Best of Little Walter (MCA-Chess) Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Modern Records Paul Butterfield, Paul Butterfield Blues Band (Elektra) Sonny Boy Williamson, Willie Dixon, Jimmy Reed, Speak the Lyrics To Me Mama Reed (Vee-Jay) Jr. Wells, Elmore James, Walter Horton Howlin’ Wolf, Howlin Wolf / Moanin’ in the Moonlight (MCA-Chess) Various Artists, Chacago/The Blues/Today! Vol 1-3 (Vanguard) Hound Dog Taylor, Hound Dog Taylor & The HouseRockers (Alligator) Elmore James, The Best of Elmore James-The Early Years (Ace) Various Artists, Blues Masters, Volume 2: Postwar Chacaga (Rhino) Delta Blues Charlie Patton 1st great star of the Delta Blues Johnny Shines, Muddy Waters, Robert Nighthawk, John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf, Elmore James, Mississippi Fred McDowell 10 Recommended Recordings Various Artists, Blues Masters Vol 8: Mississippi Delta (Rhino) Robert Johnson, The Complete Early Recordings (CPS) Various Artists, Roost of Robert Johnson (Yazoo) Charley Patton, Founder of the Delta Blues (Yazoo) Tommy Johnson, Complete Recorded Works (Document) Bukka White, The Complete Bukka White (Columbia) Sun House, Willie Brown, Tommy Johnson, Tommy McClennan, Ishmon Bracey, Robert Johnson, Skip James, Bukka White, Missippi John Hurt Muddy Waters, The Complete Plantaion Recordings Son House, Delta Blues: The Original Library of Congress Sessions from Field Recordings 1941-42 Mississippi Fred McDowell, Mississippi Delta Blues Memphis Blues W. C. Handy wrote “Memphis Blues” in 1912 Jug Bands Furry Lewis, Frank Stokes, Gus Cannon, Robert Wilkins, Memphis Willie Borum, Noah Lewis, Will Shade, Joe McCoy, Memphis Minnie, Jack Kelly, Walter Horton Memphis: Late 40’s early 50’s Joe Hill Louis, B.B. King, Rufus Thomas, Walter Horton, Hot Shot Love, Jimmy De Berry, Howlin’ Wolf, Bobby Blue Bland, Junior Parker, Pat Hare, Johnny Ace, Willie Johnson, Sammy Lewis, Little Milton Classic Women Blues Singers Ida Cox, Sippie Wallace, Victoria Spivey, Lucille Bogan, Alberta HunterEthel Waters, Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday The Queens Bessie Smith & Ma Rainey Bonnie Raitt, Tracey Nelson, Janis Joplin 10 Recommended Recordings Bessie Smith, The Collection (CBS) Ma Rainey, Ma Rainey (Milsetone) Slippie Wallace, 1923-29 (Alligator) Victoria Spivey, 1926-31 (Document) Lucille Bogan, 1023-35 (Story of Blues) Sun Rockabilly Memphis R&B 1954-1968 Stax Records, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Albert King, Memphis Soul Scene Booker T & the MGs, Willie Mitchell, Bill Black Combo Mamie Smith, In Chronological Order, Vol. 1 (Document) Alberta Hunter, Young Alberta Hunter (Vintage Jazz) Ethel Waters, Jazzin’ Babies’ Blues, 1921-27 (Biograph) Barious Artists, Women’s Railroad Blues: Sorry But I Can’t Take You (Rosetta) Various Artists, Blues Masters Vol. II: Classic Blues Women (Rhino) Lousiana Blues New Orleans Jazz Scene Country Robert Pete Williams Snooks Eaglin 1900 to late 1940s Zydeco Clifton Chenier, BooZoo Chavis 14 Recommended Recordings Various Artists, Bloodstains on the Wall: Country Blues From Specialty (Specialty) Robert Pete Williams, Those Prison Blues (Arhoolie) Guitar Slim, Sufferin’ Mind (Specialty) Professor Longhair, Fess: Professor Longahair Anthology (Rhino) Slim Harpo, Hip Shakin’: The Excello Collection (Rhino) Snooks Eaglin, The Complete Imperial Recordings (Capitol) Lightnin’ Slim, Rooser Blues (Excello) Lazy Lester, I hear You Knockin’ (Excello) Lonseome Sundown, I’m a Jojo Man (Excello) New Orleans Guit. & Piano Guitar Slim, Smiley Lewis, Professor Longhair, James Booker, Earl King Excello Swamp Blues Lightnin’ Slim, Slim Harpo, Lazy Lester, Silas Hogan, Jimmy Anderson, Lonesome Sundown, Katie Webster Silas Hogan, Trouble (Excello) Katie Webster, Katie Webster (Paula) Clifton Chenier, Zydeco Dynamite: The Clifton Chenier Anthology (Rhino) Various Artists, Alligaror Stomp Vol 1-2 (Rhino) Various Artists, Crescent City Soul: The Sound of New Orleans 1947-1974 (EMI) West Coast Blues T-Bone Walker moves to California, popularized jazz style that becomes the West Coast Sound. Roy Milton, Percy Mayfield, Nat “King” Cole, Johnny Otis, Ray Charles, Roy Brown, Big Jay McNeely, Joe Houston, Jimmy Liggins Pee Wee Crayton, Charles Brown, Lowell Fulson, Amos Milburn, Johnny Guitar Watson, Jimmy McCracklin 15 Recommended Recordings T-Bone Walker, The Complete Capitol/Black & White Recordings (Capitol) T-Bone Walker, The Complete Imperial Recordings (EMI) Pee Wee Walker, Rocking Down on Central Avenue (Ace) Amos Milburn, Down the Road Apiece: The Best of Amos Milburn (EMI) Floyd Dixon, Marshall Texas Is My Home (Specialty) Roy Milton, Roy Milton and His Solid Senders (Specialty) Percy Mayfield, Poet of the Blues (Specialty) Suggie Otis, William Clarke, Johnny Heartsman, Canned Heat, Rod Plazza, Joe Louis Walker, Ted Hawkins Charles Brown, Driftin’ Blues: The Best of Charles Brown (EMI) Johnny “Guitar” Watson, Three Hours Past Midnight (Flair) Lowell Fulson, San Francisco Blues (Black Lion) Johnny Otis, The Johnny Otis Show (Savoy) Jimmy McCracklin, Everybody Rock: Let’s Do It! The Best of Jimmy McCracklin (Domino) Johnny Heartsman, The Touch (Alligarot) Ted Hawkins, Happy Hour (Rounder) Texas Electric Blues T-Bone Walker - first Texas Bluesman to play amplified “Stormy Monday”. Blind Lemon Jefferson - first Texas Blues guitarist. Lightnin’ Hopkins plays both electric and acoustic guitar. Pee Wee Crayton, Amos Milburn, Gatemouth Brown, Clarence Garlow 10 Recommended Recordings Johnny Copeland, Albert Collins, Freddie King, Hop WIlson Various Artists, Blues Masters Series, Vol 3: Texas Blues (Rhino) Various Artists, Texas Music, Vol 1: Postwar Blues Combos (Rhino) Johnny Winter, Jimmie Vaughn Stevie Ray Vaughn, Billy Gibbons T-Bone Walker, The Complete Black & White Recordings (Capitol) Bobby “Blue” Bland, I Pitty the Fool (MCA) Piano Blues Stylists by Region St. Louis Lee Green, Roosevelt Sykes, Peetie Wheatstraw, Henry Townsend, Walter Roland, Walter Davis Chicago Willie Mabon, Otis Spann, Detroit Jr. Henry Gray, Eddie Boyd, Art Hodes 16 Recommended Recordings Texas Alex Moore, Dr. Hepcat, Rob Cooper, Dave Alexander, Sammy Price New Orleans Cousin Joe, Archibald, Smiley Lewis, Jack Dupree, Prof. Longhair, Fats Domino Indianapolis - Leroy Carr California Charles Brown, Amos Milburn, Percy Mayfield Kansas City Jay McShann, Count Basie, Pete Johnson Memphis & the Delta Little Brother Montgomery, Sunnyland Slim, Booker T. Laury, Memphis Slim, Jab Jones, Piano Red, Mose Vinson Cecil Gant, Rock the Boogie (Krazy Kat) Cow Cow Davenport, Alambma Strut (Magpie) Memphis Slim, Rockin’ the Blues (Charly) Roosevelt Sykes, Roosavelt Sykes (1924-41) (Story of Blues) Sunnyland Slim, Sunnyland Slim (Fliright) Leroy Carr, Naptown Blues (Yazoo) Other Major Players Otis Spann, Otis Spann is the Blues (Candid) Albert Ammons, King of Boogie-Woogie (1939-49) (Blues Classics) Camille Howard, Vol 1: Rock Me Daddy (Specialty) Speckled Red, Ray Charles Meade Lux Lewis, Complete Blue Note Recordings (Mosaic) Jimmy Yancey, Vol1 (1939-40) (Document) Professor Longhair, Fess: Professor Longhair Anthology (Rhino) Big Maceo, King of Chicago Blues Piano, Vol 1&2 (Arhoolie) James Booker, New Orleans Pianno Wizard: Live! (Rounder) Amos Milburn, Down the Road Apiece: The Best of Amos Milburn (EMI) Floyd Dixon, Marshall Texas is My Home (Specialty)
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