The month of June is, if only because of the colder weather and so on the month of the blues at Renaissance Man Music School. This month students that are interested are putting extra time in the appreciation and playing of the blues as part of their foundations. For each that will mean different things, different artists, but the underlying theme is the same.
For me personally, blues music has an important place in my musical life. It is one of those genres I grew up with: my father and as a result all of us used to listen to blues men like Big Bill Broonzy and other of the delta blues men.
Later on there were the heroes like BB King, Muddy Waters and it was when studying music it soon bame clear how foundational blues music for any modern player, whether it be jazz or modern blues or such genres as rock and metal and yes even when we think of funk, soul and r&b. In fact I do not think here is one modern guitar player that has not been in one way or another influenced to some extent by blues music, be it from a technical, an improvisational or an emotional/lyrical perspective.
I guess this version of Red House by grand master Jimi Hendrix says it all.
And I remember how blown away I was by Texas blues grand master Stevie Ray Vaughn.
So: look forward to more posts, licks, lessons all centered around the theme of the blues.
And off course let me know who your favorites are?
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