The price of playing the blues

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Ulysses
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The price of playing the blues

Post by Ulysses »

... is feeling the blues. My playing skyrocketed in the latest period - the period in which I'm overwhemingly sad. Blues used to be scales and licks but lately it's just this unique expression that only I'm satisfied with. I always felt the blues is not an artistic form - and there's nothing manufactured about it. Someone said, a good man feeling bad. Makes me wonder how EC or PG and their contemporaries felt like.
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VikingBlues
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Re: The price of playing the blues

Post by VikingBlues »

The Blues is a great outlet for feeling, though I do sometimes wonder too at that cost of expressing pain so honestly.

Peter Green has certainly had well documented problems and there's certainly some of his playing has had heartfelt feelings come through.
But sometimes expressing feelings can be cathartic I guess, so it can be a good thing too.

I get the feeling that a lot of players going into the blues have the impression that it's a simple genre, and they often split into those that just play licks and scales (often at breakneck speed), and those that go to a different level and really communicate with their music, often with just a few notes. For me Peter Green is a prime example of taking things to another level - especially live. Like "Jumping at Shadows" on the Live at Boston set.
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
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12bar
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Re: The price of playing the blues

Post by 12bar »

When we have our annual Blues night in my hometown with several bands playing in several pubs it's a great chance to hear the difference between those who playing technically perfect but boring and those who are able express themselves through the guitar.
PG and EC are perfect examples (although they don't play here :lol: ), but don't forget BB King and the old masters.
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Ulysses
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Re: The price of playing the blues

Post by Ulysses »

12bar wrote: Mon Jan 21, 2019 9:45 pm PG and EC are perfect examples (although they don't play here :lol: ), but don't forget BB King and the old masters.
PG and EC came to my mind because they discovered the blues unintentionally and found themselves in it, and it must have been great personal suffering that got them over the wall of playing like Freddie or BB and the other guys. EC for example wasn't encouraged to play the blues and him sticking with it through all these years is proof that it's his safe haven.

I always felt that Freddie King had it really tough, especially judging from the songs from his first album.
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Blindboy
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Re: The price of playing the blues

Post by Blindboy »

Playing the blues has been a lifesaver for me. I've played blues guitar for most of my life (I should be better than I am) and there have been times that having the outlet that playing blues provides has been the difference between making it or not. The day my father died is a good example. I was fortunate enough to have a band, a bunch of good friends, and a gig that day. As VB pointed out, it can be very cathartic.
"Throw yo' big leg over me Mama, I might not feel this good again!"
fenson
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Re: The price of playing the blues

Post by fenson »

Blindboy wrote: Wed Jan 23, 2019 2:18 am Playing the blues has been a lifesaver for me....
... As VB pointed out, it can be very cathartic.
cathartic! that's the word! A healer too... Every day I have the Blues
"Don't be afraid by wrong notes, it doesn't exist" Miles Davis.
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