Tuesday, February 28, 2012

What Did You Miss This Week? (Week 257 #300)


Hoodoo Hoodoo!!!

Late in his recording career, on August 6, 1946 John Lee Williamson recorded Hoodoo Hoodoo, yet more proof that he was the man to "lay down the skeletal structure of how harmonica should be played".

Sure, the full exhale chord should work over the IV chord, but it sounds wimpy. Check out his approach here instead. Note too that this lick, which bounces from the bent four to the three draw, is later replace by many players with the rhythmic lick that alternates between the 4 and 5 draw. Both are now "classic" four chord licks in any case and should be in your repertoire.

The other thing to catch in this solo is Sonny Boy's use of "dirty" split fours, seen for example on bars four and nine. Joe stresses this is not sloppy playing - it is ornery blues!

Sonny Boy teaches - "Control your four draw bends and dirty notes!"

Class Notes

  • New session at Old Town starts next week, so sign up!
  • Think ahead if you want a table at the Filisko/Noden/Tad Robinson show at SPACE on Sunday, March 18. Bone will also be selling tickets in class next week.
- Grant Kessler, B1 Blues Crew