A very tasteful lesson for budding blues players from the man himself.

[Vaedur]

While i do not understand music theory yet "i grasp the theory behind music theory" i just don't understand the theory part...

But even a new player such as myself see what's he's doing. Thanks for posting.

[Loserface300]

well. i listen to metal alot, but i always love BBs sweet tone from rock me baby... he enspired clapton, and then clap inspired EVH...and well, hell with it...

[River]

Originally Posted by Loserface300

well. i listen to metal alot, but i always love BBs sweet tone from rock me baby... he enspired clapton, and then clap inspired EVH...and well, hell with it...

Roots. Essential to life - and music.

[Harmony]

Another excellent thread to the top

[5F6-A]

a true gentleman and a great player and singer.

[Phil47uk]

Originally Posted by Harmony

Another excellent thread to the top

Thanks Harmony..
It always amazes me how so many people want to widdle and play a thousand notes, yet can't even move you or say anything with ten.

I often use this analogy to put this across to pupils.

The novice widdler.

You Tube

You Tube

Now how a good actor ( Like a good musician can say so much with so few words )

You Tube

You Tube

[Phil47uk]

Originally Posted by 5F6-A

a true gentleman and a great player and singer.

He certainly is one of a dying breed I'm afraid.

[5F6-A]

Originally Posted by Phil47uk

He certainly is one of a dying breed I'm afraid.

correct....

[Phil47uk]

Originally Posted by 5F6-A

correct....

Yeah I went to see him in Wembley a few months ago. What an entertaining man. Not just musically, but it's he's whole persona. His band were great too.

John Mayall was supporting him and quite honestly he sounded like an average pub band compared to BB. In fact while John Mayall was on I was getting fidgetty thinking. 'God I hope this is the last number'. There is only so much you can take about whisky and meeting the devil on the crossroads at midnight.

[5F6-A]

John Mayall is an institution; he hand picked probably the best white blues guitar players ever and he stuck to the blues. Also I belive he's a relly intelligent, sensible and aware type of guy but his singing is just too much for me... Kind of constipated Otis Spann.

[Quill]

It's hardly a fair comparison! And an unfortunate billing for Mayall, who is really specific in what he does, and in his appeal.

The great genius that is B.B.King seems to me to be about cutting through specifics. If ever there has been an artist of universal appeal, it is B.B.. Lots of great film clips of "lessons with B.B." out there; I saw one recently where he talks a bit about time he spent with Kenny Burrell and Barney Kessel, and you can see - does he let us see? - his eyes sparkle when he speaks about their musicianship. He makes a comment about how these players know where they are going long before they get there, and that that's the kind of mastery that all musicians should aspire to, and he says it with such humility - he compares it to his own way, which, so he believably claims, is never really certain about where its going; is always searching for the creative moment within that same moment. But ... it's profound; his humble way with music is something beyond understanding, and for me creates a stillness within the progression - a kind of space within time that is somehow both still and in motion at once. It's a creative, responsive space that is unlike what anyone else does, and yet speaks to everyone. And in that it is - undeniably, if inexplicably - spiritually responsive, it also speaks for everyone.

It's as though he has a good suggestion for how and what aspiring players should work on - anybody hear the great comment he once made about how much he'd wished he'd got more time playing in rhythm sections? but he was always being pushed out front! - but his work, one might say his burden, is of an entirely different kind. It is not simply, "I didn't really learn what I could have learned", even if on the surface that is what he seems to say.

As far as his knowledge of music ... I think he speaks as a poet, when he talks about it. As he talks about anything! He is always saying many things at once, and speaking to many people at once. Just listen to his twenty-year-old self rippin' it up through all that swing-band stuff - he's always known exactly what's goin' on. And in small ensembles, his lines imply all the harmonic movement anyone could ever hope to catch. He's been a great artist for so long, it's like he somehow had no beginning ... of course he did, but. How does he know what he knows? - that question is inscrutable.

Whenever I think of B.B.King, I think of something Sylvia Plath once wrote about Shakespeare. Plath said (quoting loosely) that one never says, "I love Shakespeare". Shakespeare is too universal, simply too big, too important a creative force for any individual's personal claim. It was absurd to say such a thing. One endeavours to know Shakespeare, and that is enough.

But our time is changing, isn't it? Maybe we'd better not be meaningfully quiet about what is important about his art. Maybe we better love him, lay claim to him, out loud, while we can.

[Sin Nombre]

I enjoyed this thread back in July and enjoy seeing those BB Tubes again. I bought my first electric back in the 60's, an ES-330, partly because I wanted to have what BB played. (I didn't know the difference between a 330 and a 335 but I got a great deal on the new store demo 330, $225 with case).

I have a CD of "Riding with the king", BB and Eric Clapton. I like Clapton but he sounds anemic and predictable alternating with BB. Anyway the song Three O'Clock Blues from the CD is eight and a half minutes of BB and Clapton singing and leading but mostly rhthym/lead and is great for playing along, comparing my phrasing with theirs.

[TeleDog]

This is amazing, so simple and so tasty. When it comes to blues, you can play the same lick over and over but there's that one time when it just sounds so great... B.B. does it with all his licks! He knows the theory, or some of it, but his touch is out of this world!

[Phil47uk]

Originally Posted by 5F6-A

John Mayall is an institution; he hand picked probably the best white blues guitar players ever and he stuck to the blues. Also I belive he's a relly intelligent, sensible and aware type of guy but his singing is just too much for me... Kind of constipated Otis Spann.

According to some guys I know who know him, he's not the nicest of people.

[Phil47uk]

Originally Posted by Sin Nombre

I enjoyed this thread back in July and enjoy seeing those BB Tubes again. I bought my first electric back in the 60's, an ES-330, partly because I wanted to have what BB played. (I didn't know the difference between a 330 and a 335 but I got a great deal on the new store demo 330, $225 with case).

I have a CD of "Riding with the king", BB and Eric Clapton. I like Clapton but he sounds anemic and predictable alternating with BB. Anyway the song Three O'Clock Blues from the CD is eight and a half minutes of BB and Clapton singing and leading but mostly rhthym/lead and is great for playing along, comparing my phrasing with theirs.

Old Eric looks a bit fed up on this one. Listen to the real bummer he makes at 1:20. Everything about BB is big. His stature. His personality. His passion.. I love everything about this guys playing.

YouTube - B. B. King & Friends - The Thrill is Gone

YouTube - B. B. King & Friends - The Thrill is Gone

[Phil47uk]

Here's BB as you've never heard him before..

YouTube - Randy Travis & B.B. King on the Arsenio Hall Show

YouTube - Randy Travis & B.B. King on the Arsenio Hall Show

[moodyedge]

all this shredding modern stuff may be impressive if you dont know much about playing guitar and although it may be difficult to learn, the fact you can learn it means to me its not impressive. Its simiar to tech death metal drumming, fast yes, feel, no....Funky drummers are better, the guys you see playing in R&B bands, hiphop acts etc. Funky guitar playings better, (i think). Its subjective you could argue but, I think less can be so much more if done well.

Music is communication beyond words, beyond what the human mind can comprehend.

You can learn fast but you cant learn "feel". You either have it or you dont, its not conceptual.


Kossoff could say more with one note than many can with 20

A good modern example of a feel player is tom morello......???? he has a lot of feel.

Gary moore is another, he seem to get carried away at times, but you "GET" what hes doing and he does the blues very very well

[rambler]

gary moore does not do the blues very very well imo ;P

Most audiences get sick of wankery and shredding pretty quick, it's not just a muso thing

[Harmony]

Love the new videos Phil

[River]

Originally Posted by rambler

<snip>Most audiences get sick of wankery and shredding pretty quick, it's not just a muso thing

+1

IME, most audiences, at least those which drink and dance, like a good rhythm section and vocals that don't suck. Solos of any kind are just the candles on the icing on the cake. Effective lead work is more vocals that don't suck, sung on a guitar. Past that you've got a very small and easily bored audience.

[Phil47uk]

Originally Posted by Harmony

Love the new videos Phil

If you like those, you'll love these Harmony.. Check out when Etta James comes in... And Chakka Kahn..

I've gone of Albert King since I heard a few inside stories from some people who have played with him. Not a very nice man so I hear..

YouTube - B.B.KING AND FRIENDS

YouTube - B.B.KING AND FRIENDS

YouTube - BB King, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody's Business

YouTube - BB King, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody's Business

[5F6-A]

Originally Posted by River

Roots. Essential to life - and music.

amazing statement

[zontar]

[QUOTE=Phil47uk;1290878]
I've gone of Albert King since I heard a few inside stories from some people who have played with him. Not a very nice man so I hear..
QUOTE]

Hasn't stopped him from being a big influence on my playing--bigger than BB, but still--you can't play blues without some debt to BB.

If you get the chance to go to a guitar clinic with a talented & expressive guitarist--do so if it's affordable.
Even if it's a different instrument you can learn new stuff. I've been to drum clinics where I learned stuff.

And as for videos-
here's BB with Gary Moore--cool stuff-

King & Moore

King & Moore

And here's an old clip-

BB

BB

[5F6-A]

Originally Posted by Phil47uk

According to some guys I know who know him, he's not the nicest of people.

you might be right.

I remember reading an interview with him recently. He was asked about the main three guitar players in the bluesbreakers golden era: Clapton, Taylor & Green.

Cutting a long story short he said that :

- Clapton was a very good player but difficult to live with, erratic in his behaviour and moody in many occasions.
- Taylor was moody too and a bit patchy in his guitar playing going from great to mediocre. Also Mayall complaint about Taylor's lack of charisma and conviction. Not a leader at all.
- Green got the nicest compliments; Mayall argued that Peter was always cheerful and that he always played brilliantly to the point of being a bit of a perfectionist. The down side was Green feeling compared to others constantly even when it wasn't the case. More driven than Taylor and even more so than Clapton.

I reckon John was a bit harsh but probably telling the truth. Also I wonder if John's role as a strict leader sort of hindered the band's relationships with such "peculiar" characters as Clapton, Taylor or Green.

[Phil47uk]

[quote=zontar;1293263]

Originally Posted by Phil47uk

I've gone of Albert King since I heard a few inside stories from some people who have played with him. Not a very nice man so I hear..
QUOTE]

Hasn't stopped him from being a big influence on my playing--bigger than BB, but still--you can't play blues without some debt to BB.

If you get the chance to go to a guitar clinic with a talented & expressive guitarist--do so if it's affordable.
Even if it's a different instrument you can learn new stuff. I've been to drum clinics where I learned stuff.

And as for videos-
here's BB with Gary Moore--cool stuff-
King & Moore
And here's an old clip-
BB

I do....Me...

Joking aside, yeah I have put on many workshops and clinics in the past. The most recent with my two old mates Mick Hawksworth and Tom Compton.

Evidently Garry Moore isn't a very nice character either. Obviously I can't mention who told me here in public, but you can take it it is someone very respected in the music biz and who has worked with him many times. I couldn't believe some of the things he demands at rehearsals and on gigs.
Also he is so loud. Even on small gigs he's really really loud.
He jammed with Buddy Whittington here in the UK not long back and joined in on a couple of numbers.. Then a few more..Then a few more. Buddy being a really nice guy whispered to the bass player.." Jeeez how do get rid of this guy". . Again the story came first hand from the bass player who was up there with them. ( No names mentioned ).

[Phil47uk]

Originally Posted by 5F6-A

you might be right.

I remember reading an interview with him recently. He was asked about the main three guitar players in the bluesbreakers golden era: Clapton, Taylor & Green.

Cutting a long story short he said that :

- Clapton was a very good player but difficult to live with, erratic in his behaviour and moody in many occasions.
- Taylor was moody too and a bit patchy in his guitar playing going from great to mediocre. Also Mayall complaint about Taylor's lack of charisma and conviction. Not a leader at all.
- Green got the nicest compliments; Mayall argued that Peter was always cheerful and that he always played brilliantly to the point of being a bit of a perfectionist. The down side was Green feeling compared to others constantly even when it wasn't the case. More driven than Taylor and even more so than Clapton.

I reckon John was a bit harsh but probably telling the truth. Also I wonder if John's role as a strict leader sort of hindered the band's relationships with such "peculiar" characters as Clapton, Taylor or Green.

Of course I suppose you probably know not too long ago Mayall got rid of Buddy Whittington. I don't think there's much love lost between those two.
I saw Mayall supporting BB in June at Wembley. Obviously the players were good, especially the Hammond player who I notice was set right back behind Mayall and off to one side.. I can't quite explain it, but all in all they sort of sounded like any decent pub blues band. After an hour of hardships, heavy drinking tales and nightclub lyrics, ones ears yearned for something new and refreshing and of course it came.. B.B King.. Thank God for that, he was like a breath of fresh air.

[5F6-A]

Originally Posted by Phil47uk

Of course I suppose you probably know not too long ago Mayall got rid of Buddy Whittington. I don't think there's much love lost between those two.
.

Wow... didn't know that!
Although Buddy's style was not my favourite for sure the guy could play. Maybe Mayall is also difficult to live with.

BTW.... after my elaborate last post I've started a new thread. Feel free to contribute. Mayall on Green, Taylor and Clapton... total honesty.

[MrRhoads]

Well B B King sais he talks to the person he´s playing for.

You Tube

You Tube

He´s unbelivable for sure, amazing feeling for what he plays