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Post by Professor on Aug 23, 2005 4:05:41 GMT -5
Hey guys.
I'm going to be hosting a big blues jam here in Dallas next month. Monster players, great fun. Who's in?
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Post by morjaz on Aug 23, 2005 17:14:39 GMT -5
Sounds great,Professor.......I wish I could be there.It seems like you get into the blues side of things every now and then----you had that big blues jam in New York not so long ago-----that would have been interesting,too.
Would the Dallas jam be all Texas Blues....and was the NY jam a real urban blues thing?
The nearest to these jams in my neck of the woods is a festival annually 100 miles North of where I am called"Blues,Brews and Barbeques".It's a fun time.....
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Post by Professor on Aug 23, 2005 21:35:10 GMT -5
Yeah, I like playing blues. It gives me a chance to get loud, and blow off some steam.
Actually, I play just about all styles of guitar except Bluegrass. Otherwise I play everything from classical to jazz.
The best thing about blues is that it's a simple formula that everybody knows. So, I can walk into a room anywhere, and call out a 12 bar blues in any key, and everybody is on the same page, even if they've never met. Jazz standards are hard to just "jam" on unless you already know them, because the chord progressions are so varied.
Regular 12 bar blues is a common language that requires no chart-reading ability, and a way to connect with other players of almost all skill levels. There is ample opportunity for improvisation, and also for just plain showing off and having fun.
Not that that's all we play, but it's the largest part.
BTW - - We played it the same way in New York that we'll be doing it here in Texas.
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Post by morjaz on Aug 24, 2005 20:22:04 GMT -5
Yep...that's the good thing about blues-everyone can join in...
The last gig I played was two bands...and we all were on stage at the end -all hammering away at some 12 bar....."sweet home chicago"went on for some time......
The reason I mentioned -style- was that here in NZ (where there are any number of blues based bands),we get to hear about categories of american blues---i.e.Texas Blues,Chicago Blues,Contemporary Blues,West Coast Blues etc....delta blues with slide......country blues
and when you throw in Jazz Blues,Jump Blues...some times it's more than 12 bar.....
And while on the subject,i think anyone looking to expand their chordwork in blues would benefit from studying the music of Robben Ford......
But you're right Prof, it's for turning up the volume and wailing...................................
Prof,do you get to play your classical stuff to an audience?
I know a couple of pieces.....Bouree(bach)I really like and you can jazz it too a la Jethro Tull....there are probably a quite a few classical tunes that could benefit from a jazz treatment.An interesting area to work in.
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Post by Professor on Aug 25, 2005 17:01:59 GMT -5
I know a couple of pieces.....Bouree(bach)I really like and you can jazz it too a la Jethro Tull.... I'm sorry, but I do have some standards. I don't blaspheme when I play Bach. I've seen the sheet music for the Tull version, and Anderson takes writing credit. Ri-ight. |
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Post by morjaz on Aug 25, 2005 22:52:10 GMT -5
Point taken,Prof,......I didn't know Tull had taken any credit......that's just stupid of him....
Nevertheless I like his version .....and I also like the straight classical version.
Bach,in fact, is my all time favorite composer.
Claude Bolling is a French jazz pianist who has albums of Bach played in a jazz fashion......other composers too.It sounds good to me.
"A Whiter shade of pale" also made good use of Bach.
I bet "air on G string" would sound good with a jazz backing....
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