Advice from the Blues guys...

[Horizontalste]

After over a decade of playing rock covers I've decided that a new band is in order after Christmas with a new direction. I'm at the point now where if I have to play sex on bloody fire again my head will explode.
That said, I'm interested in looking at the blues (I know, it's a feeling not a genre) as there is something about the idea that I like. There are a few bands around here that are respected and I'm going to make time to go out and see them over the next few weeks to get a feel.
But in the interim, I guess the advice I'm looking for is who should I be listening to and what do you blues guys consider to be the Standards that work in the pub/club environment?
I intend to fully emerse myself in it over the whiskey fuelled festive period and to build up my blues repertoire to give me a shot at auditions in the new year.
Cheers Steve

[geoffbyrne]

Just listen to as many of the Blues greats as you can - and maybe listen to Coco Montoya a bit too as he's a modern bluesman who's not stuck to 12 bar. Apart from that, try and find a blues jam night somewhere near & go & participate.

G.

[Allie]

Nice to see a considered and thought-out change of direction.

There's very many good Blues tracks you could work on and as always, if performed well, will always be enjoyed. I enjoy a quite wide range of music, but perhaps this will give you something to think about:

[url="http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_bluesong.html"]http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_bluesong.html[/url]

There's also a listing of Blues albums you may want to browse through too.

Good luck - hope you make it a success.

[Horizontalste]

[quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1417430725' post='2620158']
Just listen to as many of the Blues greats as you can - and maybe listen to Coco Montoya a bit too as he's a modern bluesman who's not stuck to 12 bar. Apart from that, try and find a blues jam night somewhere near & go & participate.

G.
[/quote]

Cheers G, it's funny you mentioned Coco, your not the only one who said I should take a peek & there's a jam night near me that usually ends up bluesy so I'll round up my partner in crime & go have a knock.

[Horizontalste]

[quote name='Allie' timestamp='1417430972' post='2620164']
Nice to see a considered and thought-out change of direction.

There's very many good Blues tracks you could work on and as always, if performed well, will always be enjoyed. I enjoy a quite wide range of music, but perhaps this will give you something to think about:

[url="http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_bluesong.html"]http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_bluesong.html[/url]

There's also a listing of Blues albums you may want to browse through too.

Good luck - hope you make it a success.
[/quote]

Thanks Allie, it's as much a change of pace as a change of direction.
There's so much great music around that we should all consume in large quantities regardless of genre.
I'm particularly looking forward to playing with guys & gals with a different outlook, rock's great but done to death round here.

[miles'tone]

Spending time soaking up some Willie Dixon will do you good.
Great blues bassist who wrote many many of the blues classics that we know and love.

[Happy Jack]

Of all the blues purchases I've made (which is a very silly number, BTW), the best value I ever got was from the 3-volume "Coming Home To The Blues" set - here's Vol.1: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coming-Home-Blues-Vol-1-Various/dp/B0000242VQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1417435528&sr=8-3&keywords=coming+home+to+the+blues

If you can't find at least a dozen change-of-musical-direction tracks across those three CDs, you're just not trying.

[DrBike]

If you're going to immerse yourself a good start would be [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Recordings-Robert-Johnson/dp/B0015LBJ9O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417435073&sr=8-1&keywords=robert+johnson"]the complete recordings of Robert Johnson[/url], then move on to some early [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Essential-Collection-Muddy-Waters/dp/B00004U672/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1417435239&sr=1-4&keywords=muddy+waters"]Muddy Waters[/url] and [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Definitive-Collection-John-Lee-Hooker/dp/B00004RIN4/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1417435403&sr=1-1&keywords=john+lee+hooker"]John Lee Hooker[/url]. This is a pretty good stepping off point but there's so much more to more to listen to.

I'd also highly recommend (one of my personal favourites) [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Texas-In-Blues-Freddie-King/dp/B00BWRKLE0/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_8"]Freddie King[/url]

[xgsjx]

Have a listen to some of the original old blues folk like BB King, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Cream, Bobby Bland and also some of the more modern style stuff such as G Love & Special Sauce or The Black Crowes.

I started out on blues. 12 bar is a good start, but it can get a good bit more complex if you wish.

[seashell]

[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1417431430' post='2620168']
Cheers G, it's funny you mentioned Coco, your not the only one who said I should take a peek & there's a jam night near me that usually ends up bluesy so I'll round up my partner in crime & go have a knock.
[/quote]

I'd definitely recommend the jam night. I've been going to one in Brum for the last couple of months. They have a mixture of open mic and a booked band 3 out of 4 weeks, then a purely open mic night last Thurs of the month. I have learned absolutely LOADS about Blues and about jamming with other musicians just from going to these sessions.

Like you, I was getting a bit jaded with the kind of covers our band does and wanted to try out something I thought I would enjoy more. The end result is that I am actually happier in the band as well now, as I know I can get the Blues out of my system once a week!

I see you're in Wolverhampton. We get people from all over coming to the Crossroads Blues Nights at Tower of Song in Brum (one young regular comes all the way from Northampton). So if you fancy paying us a visit some time, PM me and I'll send you details.

[Coilte]

Listening to blues artists/bands is the best advice and some great names have been mentioned so far. Some names I'd suggest are Buddy Guy, early Fleetwood Mac (with Peter Greene), John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

While you cant beat simply listening, IMO a book worth investing in that will give you a good crash course on blues bass is Ed Friedland's "Blues Bass". Comes with a play along CD.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blues-Bass-Essential-Techniques-Leonard/dp/0634089358/ref=asap_B001JS9DZA_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417417058&sr=1-2

[ThirteenDevils]

I highly recommend 'Sessions for Robert J' by Eric Clapton its available on DVD with CD included.

[KevB]

Much as above, but for your own sanity listen to as many different styles as you can and try to make a cohesive set from a good mix of approaches. With the best will in the world some of those classic players ploughed a musically narrow furrow, it's the nature of the beast. Some blues covers bands get hung up on a particular artist or sub-genre (like Chicago blues) and end up with a terribly samey set. A good mix of appropriate patterns (eg not all 12 bar) and some non-standard time sigs can freshen things up no end.

[Horizontalste]

Thanks for all the input, I'm listening to Muddy Waters as I type this waiting for the kids to emerge from school.
I've got loads to go on & my foot is tapping to the infectious beat, can't wait to get out to see what the local guys are doing. Exciting times ahead I think.
Seashell, I may just take you up on that visit to town.

Cheers Steve

[ThirteenDevils]

The stuff Freddie King did with (i think) his brother on bass had a slightly funkier feel to the blues bass line 'big leg woman' etc.

[Bloodaxe]

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1417435482' post='2620232']
Spending time soaking up some Willie Dixon will do you good.
Great blues bassist who wrote many many of the blues classics that we know and love.
[/quote]

+1. Add to that some good 'Best Ofs' by the likes of Elmore James, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed and John Lee Hooker & you'll have a very good selection of standards & not-so-standards.

Some albums I'd recommend:—

Bluesbreakers - John Mayall & Eric Clapton
A Hard Road - John Mayall & Peter Green
Girls Go Wild & What's The Word - Fabulous Thunderbirds
Live At The Fillmore - Allman Brothers
Texas Flood & Couldn't Stand The Weather - Stevie Ray Vaughan

[No lust in Jazz]

Within 'the blues' there are still many many 'Sex on fire' moments, perhaps too many, so before you bin the whole rock covers 'oeuvre' you may wish to re-consider the 50 years or so of rock orientated music - what I'm saying here is there's an awful lot of material to get fed up with.

I look upon 'the blues' like this, unless you're in the wrong band, there are no rules that say play this like this or that like that. A couple of Bass players that I enjoy are Scott Thunes when he worked with Zappa and Roscoe Beck primarily for his hair in this video, but also to demonstrate the world beyond single position root, third, fifth nonsense.

[media]http://youtu.be/Q-bxHMnbYI0[/media]

There's no difference between a 'cover' and a 'standard', its just music to be enjoyed (or not)

Edited December 1, 2014 by No lust in Jazz

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='ThirteenDevils' timestamp='1417447210' post='2620413']
The stuff Freddie King did with (i think) his brother on bass had a slightly funkier feel to the blues bass line 'big leg woman' etc.
[/quote]

All my favourite Freddie King tracks have Duck Dunn on bass. Top of the list is [i][b]Key To The Highway[/b][/i].

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='No lust in Jazz' timestamp='1417448010' post='2620428']

[media]http://youtu.be/Q-bxHMnbYI0[/media]

[/quote]

I love the idea of a "Blues Foundation" video that starts with advanced chordal work and double-stopping at the 15th fret.

If that's a "Foundation", God help anyone who wants to get all advanced on his ass.

[chris_b]

To the OP, some previous threads:


[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/222503-anybody-recommend-some-good-blues-or-rnb-soul-listening-ect"]http://basschat.co.u...l-listening-ect[/url]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/218939-best-blues-rock-bass-lines"]http://basschat.co.u...rock-bass-lines[/url]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/47821-blues-playlist-for-beginners"]http://basschat.co.u...t-for-beginners[/url]

[pfretrock]

[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1417447009' post='2620409']
Seashell, I may just take you up on that visit to town.
[/quote]
Ditto.....

[No lust in Jazz]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1417453503' post='2620481']
I love the idea of a "Blues Foundation" video that starts with advanced chordal work and double-stopping at the 15th fret.

If that's a "Foundation", God help anyone who wants to get all advanced on his ass.
[/quote]

Just laughed so hard I nearly choked on my tea

Edited December 1, 2014 by No lust in Jazz

[Bikenbass]

May I suggest;
Paul Rodgers 'Electric', 'Muddy Water Blues', 'Now'. All with Pino on bass.
Walter Trout 'Full Circle'
Kenny Wayne Shepherd 'Ledbetter Heights'
Etta James 'Best Of'
Definitely Freddie King, 'King Of The Blues' and Eric Clapton's 'Sessions For Robert J'.

Love the blues. If I lived nearer, I'd take you up on the offer too Shell, sounds like a good night out, have fun.

[crag42]

Check out

Doyle Bramhall ii with smokestack
Henrik Freischlader
Jon Amor blues group
Oli Brown
Mitch Laddie
Marcus Bonfanti
Scott Mckeown
Simon mcbride
King King
Gary Clark jr
tudeschi trucks band

there's tons of great blue's artists around these days

[PTB]

For a slightly different flavour, try Hollywood Fats, John Nemeth, Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers and The Fabulous Thunderbirds.

Also look in the Basschat gig section and see if there's anything bluesy and local.