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Blues playlist for beginners


Bigwan
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Guys,

After falling into listening to John Mayer (Trio) a while back I'm starting to wonder about Blues music in general. I have some SRV and Hendrix, but who else should I be checking out? Have a preference for real driving, electric blues...

Cheers

Ian

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John Mayer. Unforgiveable. :)

Can't go wrong with Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Elmore James to start with. Then you can go for the Three Kings: BB, Freddie and Albert. You can try Buddy Guy, Bobby Bland and Albert Collins from that era. You can go a little further back and try some Robert Johnson, Son House, Skip James, Big Bill Broonzy, Mississippi John Hurt, Lightening Hopkins etc.

There's so much good blues that really there is no reason to ever listen to John Mayer again. :rolleyes:

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How "Blues" do you want to get?
Good though they are, the 3 guys you mentioned would not be very high on my list of blues players.
If you want the real stuff listen to BB King, Albert King, Son House, John Hurt, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, Slim Harpo, Freddie King, Howling Wolf, Kenny Neal, Bobby Bland, T Bone Walker, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, James Cotton, Taj Mahal, Paul Butterfield.... the list is endless.

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Hendrix and SRV as good a way in as any. John Mayer not on my playlist, but good that he's even trying and just as good that you enjoy it.

Old Boys: Elmore James, Hubert Sumlin, Buddy Guy, Magic Sam, Earl Hooker, Luther Allison, Albert Collins, Hound Dog Taylor, RL Burnside, T-Bone Walker

Newer guys: Matt Schofield, Aynsley Lister, Dave Hole, Sherman Robertson, Ian Siegal, Joe Bonamassa, Gary Moore, George Thorogood, Popa Chubby, Jimmy Vaughan, the late Rory Gallagher, the (possibly soon-to-be late) Johnny Winter, Walter Trout, Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top)

World of good stuff out there for you to discover - you lucky, lucky man

Worth checking out some of the piano and harp artists as well - their backing bands can be phenomenal - e.g. Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter, Kim Wilson

Edited by skankdelvar
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Good stuff guys! I'll get onto some of this stuff straight away (listening to Robben Ford here at the minute!).

Could you guys also suggest blues tunes a classic power trio lineup could play without much re-jigging? My brother (guitar player - lives at the other end of the country) is wanting to put a trio together to play a local blues club in the next few months.

...was listening to the John Mayer Trio more for some Pino action than anything else! Honest Guv'na!

Cheers!

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[quote name='OldGit' post='476098' date='Apr 30 2009, 03:21 PM']"the (possibly soon-to-be late) Johnny Winter"
is he ill?[/quote]

Hasn't been well for years - childhood heath probs, addictions, more recent issues. Now performs seated and quite frail.
[quote]Most of what I used to listen to when I was really into blues has been mentioned...
John Lee Hooker apparently has not. You're all grounded.[/quote]

I have shamed myself. :)

Edited by skankdelvar
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[quote name='Bigwan' post='476068' date='Apr 30 2009, 02:56 PM']Could you guys also suggest blues tunes a classic power trio lineup could play without much re-jigging? My brother (guitar player - lives at the other end of the country) is wanting to put a trio together to play a local blues club in the next few months.[/quote]

If you'll forgive me stating the obvious, try listening to Cream.

There's a fair amount of blues in there, e.g. [i]Sitting On Top Of The World[/i].

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For good driving 3-some blues how about Dr Feelgood? Any era, though the vintage Lee Brilleaux vocals/Wilko Johnson is the iconic sound most go for.

Edit, Free seem to have been missed off too. Not pure blues but, hey.

Edited by Paul S
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[quote name='Bigwan' post='476068' date='Apr 30 2009, 02:56 PM']Could you guys also suggest blues tunes a classic power trio lineup could play without much re-jigging?[/quote]

All of them. The less obvious ones are probably the ones to go for. Every wannabe-Cream act in the '60s and '70s probably nailed all the obvious choices - the obvious choices being anything with a great riff.

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[quote name='The Funk' post='476293' date='Apr 30 2009, 06:54 PM']All of them. The less obvious ones are probably the ones to go for. Every wannabe-Cream act in the '60s and '70s probably nailed all the obvious choices - the obvious choices being anything with [b]a great riff[/b].[/quote]

Which inexorably leads us to Led Zep 1...yikes!

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My drummer recommended me to listen to some USA blues bassists, in case it would help in forming my sound in my rock-band..

So...

I already know Joe Bonamassa's (the one, already mentioned here) ex-bassplayer, but I wanted to ask you chaps, if you could recommend any more artists (maybe already mentioned here, in this thread..) with serious bassplayers - those with [i]good [/i]sound and interesting playing..

I'm mainly looking for, let's say, a bit more techy/choppy blues bassists, playing modern blues (mixed with other genres..), not the traditional bluesy-stuff..

Edited by Faithless
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[quote name='Faithless' post='476444' date='Apr 30 2009, 10:23 PM']I'm mainly looking for, let's say, a bit more techy/choppy blues bassists, playing modern blues (mixed with other genres..), not the traditional bluesy-stuff..[/quote]

Apart from BB King's bass player in the '70s/'80s, I wouldn't bother. When bands play funky blues, the bass player's just playing funk/r&b over blues changes - so why not just listen to funk instead?

When blues is mixed with other genres, it's the rhythm section that plays in that genre, while the guitarist/singer bring the blues element IMO.

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[quote name='Deep Thought' post='476255' date='Apr 30 2009, 06:23 PM']I hope not! He's playing down here (Falmouth) on the 28th of May. I'm planning to go.[/quote]

Yeah, Just noticed his posters here when I went in for my Norman and his Blockheads tickets ... mind you he does look fragile ...

and ...

BB King on Newsnight tonight. 80 something and still playing. That man is so cool :) I like the fact that he can say "I don't do chords" and no one laughs at him :rolleyes:

You may be able to get it on the BBC's "watch again" thing.

Edited by OldGit
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[quote name='OldGit' post='476518' date='Apr 30 2009, 11:35 PM']BB King on Newsnight tonight. 80 something and still playing. That man is so cool :) I like the fact that he can say "I don't do chords" and no one laughs at him :rolleyes:

You may be able to get it on the BBC's "watch again" thing.[/quote]

Thanks for the tip! :D

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