Tuesday, July 6, 2010

What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 181 #224)

Blue Carnegie!!!

Joe talked further this week about the Jimmy Reed tune, Blue Carnegie. This is a rare example of a blues instrumental being played in first position. Two weeks ago Joe used it to talk about the high blow bends and this week he focused on the low end of the harp in first position. The transcription pages are here:

Pages 1 and 3
Pages 2 and 4

This song is readily available on the internet. You can buy it on CD at Bluebeat or download the mp3 of the song at Amazon or iTunes.

Great Question From A New Student!!!

Yesterday one of the new students in the Level III class asked Joe who wrote the song that another student happened to be playing.

Short answer… Joe did. He went on to explain that, among most harmonica performers and teachers, everybody agrees what beginner and expert learning material is, but there is an enormous gap in between for the so called “intermediate” player.

To fill the gap, Joe has created a highly diverse teaching library of shuffles, boogies, melodies, rhumbas and slow blues ranging from easy (no pun intended) to difficult, and they are chock full of learning opportunities for the aspiring “intermediate”. They all have one thing in common – they contain the most recognizable and most significant “cliché” riffs, phrases and arrangements from the music of the Greats.

Yes, you get to learn the cool stuff that every self-respecting Chicago blues player should know, in an easy-to-learn, fun-to-play package that is attainable for the intermediate. After only a few weeks of skill building, every new student begins learning how to play the blues in an actual song.

So, while you may take for granted that there are probably a dozen places within a few minutes of your house that you can get a gallon of milk (ok, six pack), there is only one place in the world where you can learn how to play like Little Walter and build a really cool repertoire along the way. Thank you, Joe.

- Al Taylor, B1 Blues Crew

Class Notes
  • Joe quote: "I worked with my Harmonica Einstein Tuning Table this past week and found it to be a delightful little thing." Get yours now and be sure to check them out at the Harmonica Einstein booth at SPAH this year!
  • No class on July 19 because both Joe and Shoji will be out of town. Grant Kessler will be in B1 with his guitar starting at 6:30 if you'd like to come by to play. (and Highway RickEy may join us on drums)

Newsletter News!

The newsletter and more is always online! Check it out for more details on newsletter items, a calendar of local gigs, jams, birthdays, archives, links, videos and special features.

We welcome your input. If you're inspired to write a review of a live show, CD, DVD or book, please submit it to us for consideration.

- Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew