Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Who says you can't dance to blues? I see it all the time, blues is much more than slow I IV V tunes although there is nothing more satisfying than playing slow blues with feeling correctly.

I have played lots of blues gigs and I tell ya, the dancing ain't pretty. Especially when we were playin' some swing blues. Yikes! We were playing some pretty strict blues though. Not the loose interpretation it's been given over recent years.

I know people who think heavy metal is blues and also know people who think blues died along with Little Walter, Muddy, Howlin' Wolf etc. I tend to think of it as a feeling. I always call myself a rock player who can play blues, I say if you can feel the music and play in the pocket with the other musicians you have 95% of it.

Hey Bob...I got the other 5% rolled up right here...

I go to a couple of different blues jams once in a while. One is run by a guy who is really retro. He hates classic rock and modern blues like SRV. He plays through cheap overdriven amps and never gives the drummer or bass player solos.

Then there is another blues jam which is more interesting and more popular. They usually have 5 string bass players. They give the bass players and drummers solos. There are lots of horns as well, and they do classic rock, and SRV.

I am also a rocker who dabbles in blues. It is good to have some blues in your background. It teaches you to play with feeling and dynamics, and it is a good way to learn improvisation. Also the same could be said for jazz.

In my cover band, we often do "Green Onions" as a soundcheck, and everyone takes a solo (keys, guitar, drums), but I always refuse when they point to me. At this point in my playing, i'm focusing on keeping a groove, always keeping a solid backbone.

Jeff, what is the first guy into? Are we talking John Mayall or Elmore James?

The first guy would not consider Mayall authentic blues probably. I can sympathize with both, I enjoy listening to authentic blues more than the "modern" stuff but if it didn't move forward it would die. I am house bass player in a blues jam (loosely named anyway) as we will play anything although it does focus more on blues, I play upright for the more authentic stuff but bring an electric for the more modern stuff. Incidently when I play upright I get as much if not more attention than the guitarists, quite a difference, people just love to look at those things.

the first guy likes pre-beatles music and old blues ... he is ok for what he does ... the perfect bass player for this guy would be a 4 string p-bass player with flats ... I prefer a more modern music ... but sometimes it is good to be exposed to different things ...

Hey, Biscuti

You're a riddle to me.

You're young, I thought young people weren't cool enough to play Green Onions, and dig the blues.

That the s#@t baby boomer are into.

What is wrong with you, son?

You're going to give 20 somethings everywhere conniption fits, dag nab it!

JB, don't be scurred and confoozed. I say you can do a bass line AND a solo at the SAME TIME!!! You know you got the chops, son!

I've got the chops to solo, sure, but that isn't what the bass is for.

Then what the bass is for if not for cool bass solos while guitarists have a rest (or a beer, for that matter)?!

Well, to each their own. I don't mean to step on toes, I just look at the bass in a more traditional light. Sometimes I like to groove along and lock in with the drummer, and sometimes I like to play very melodically, ala Macca, Carol Kaye/Ray Pohlman on "Pet Sounds", or Jamerson.

John-
U wuz gud base to da 75ed.

Jerry, cut the dose!!! ha ha ha

JB --- word. I feel that. I still like to unleash every now and then. Like at the funk jam last night. Unleashed a B-3 fury on these cats. Even I didn't expect it!