Ruth Brown is one of the great R&B singers of the 1950′s and 60′s. Known as “Little Miss Rhythm,” she was one of the primary artists to propel the upstart Atlantic Records label to greatness in the early days (You know: the record label that would later feature artists like Ray Charles and Led Zeppelin). She scored a bunch of hits with Atlantic — sixteen top ten blues records and five number ones — including “(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean” in 1953, which is the focus of this little post.

For those of you out there who’ve never heard of Ms. Brown, you oughta check her out. I think I’m going to add this song to my jam repertoire. It doesn’t follow the traditional I-IV-V pattern; the chorus is a 16-bar blues (with four extra bars of the one in there), the verse vamps between the I and the IV, before ratcheting up to the V chord. Here’s how you’d play it (loop track to follow):

CHORUS ("Mama, he treats your daughter mean"):

I  / / / I  / / / I  / / / I  / / /
IV / / / IV / / / I  / / / I  / / /
I  / / / I  / / / I  / / / I  / / /
V  / / / IV / / / I  / / / I  / / /

VERSE ("Mama he treats me badly.. etc.")

I  / / / IV / / / I  / / / IV / / /
I  / / / IV / / / I  / / / IV / / /
(as many times as you've got faults to point out... 
 wrapped up with...)

I  / / / I  / / / V  / / / V  / / /

Anyway, Ruth Brown: One of the greats in the R&B pantheon. This YouTube clip just KILLS me.

If you’re a fella’ who wants to play Ruth’s tunes, just give them a “sex change.” For instance, I’ll often do “Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean” as “Mama, She Treats Your Baby Mean.” In the end, romantic injustices go both ways; you can usually take a tune sung by a member of the opposite sex and spin it in your favor. Need an example? Bonnie Raitt did a marvelous job with John Hiatt’s “Thing Called Love.”

Ruth Brown, the so called “Queen Mother of the Blues”, died in 2006, which is too bad. In addition to her career as a vocalist and hit-maker, she was heavily involved in musicians’-rights issues and was instrumental in forming the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in the late 80′s: an organization dedicated to the historical and cultural preservation of rhythm and blues music and pivotal in assuring royalty rights for Blues musicians. Additionally, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Her voice is missed.

You can learn more about Ruth Brown’s life and influence over at Wikipedia. Check her out…

Video courtesy of YouTube user BIRDIE29

Willie Dixon, the father of Chicago blues

With the possible exception of Robert Johnson, no artist had a more profound impact on the entire blues catalog than Mr. Willie Dixon. Dixon was the leader, bass player, and primary songwriter for the Chess label’s house band during the 1950s and early 1960s. Muddy Waters may have been the face and voice of Chicago blues during these golden years, but Willie Dixon was the mind and pen behind Waters and a host of other blues legends including Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, and Koko Taylor.

A quick look at Wikipedia and you’ll see more than 90 “notable covers” of Dixon tunes. Led Zeppelin, in particular, owed a huge debt of gratitude to Mr. Dixon, borrowing from or outright lifting such Classic Rock staples as “Whole Lotta Love” (Dixon’s tune is entitled “You Need Love,” and was originally recorded by Muddy Waters), “I Can’t Quit You Baby,” “Bring It On Home,” and “You Shook Me.”

But the mighty Zeppelin weren’t the only pop artists to take their turn with Dixon numbers. Cream’s “Spoonful?” That would be Willie Dixon. The Doors, “Backdoor Man.” Dixon. Foghat; “I Just Want to Make Love to You.” Dixon. How about Oingo Boingo; “Violent Love?” Dixon there as well.

You get the idea.

Dixon was no slouch as a musician, either. He was an adept vocalist with an ear for harmonies, and standing at 6-and-a-half feet tall, made easy work of the upright double bass, as evidenced in this exception YouTube clip:

So how to approach Willie Dixon when it comes to jam sessions and gigs? Easy: Call the tune and play.

The beauty of Dixon’s catalog of material is that many of the songs are so well known, and have been covered by so many different and varied artists, that it’s very easy to put your own spin on the song. Try different keys, different tempos, different feels. Once you (or the vocalist) start singing the words, you’ll have the audience. Sometimes the best part is when an exotic approach is met by a listener with that “Aha!” moment; when they suddenly realize that the rhumba you’re playing is actually a Caribbean take on an old standby. Or something along those lines.

Just as enjoyable is dipping into the recesses of Dixon’s extensive collection for the less familiar numbers. There are some great Dixon tunes that are still relatively unknown to all but the most seasoned blues aficionado. Try learning a few of these tunes and calling them at your next jam session:

• 29 Ways: A great, jumpy rhythm to this one. Fun to play with a drummer who also knows the tune.
• Dead Presidents: Everyone loves a song about cash-money.
• Crazy Mixed Up World: Originally recorded by Little Walter, this one is pretty much a one-chord pony… but the jumping guitar riff is great, and worth learning in Drop-D tuning. Harmonica players love this tune.
• Hidden Charms: Elvis Costello covered this one. Great song!
• Crazy for my Baby: Another one that veers from the 12-bar standard, following the same progression as “I’m Ready,” a popular Muddy Waters tune (penned by Dixon). Just call the chords out while playing. Trust me… it works.

If you’re looking for a definitive introduction to the songs of Willie Dixon, get a copy of The Chess Box from Amazon or your local record store. It’s well worth the money, and part of my Essential Blues: 10 Must-Have Collections.

You can learn more about Willie Dixon’s life and influence over at Wikipedia.

Media Credits:

• Home page image: The Barstool Romantic
• Article image: chicagoblues-band.com
• Video provide by YouTube user ragbagken

Albert Collins: The famed "Master of the Telecaster" (Image gleaned from topfloormusic.com)

Few blues players past or present were able to mix Texas grit and funk as well as Albert Collins. From the way he tuned his guitar (F minor, with a capo choked way up at the 8th fret), to his unique fingerpicking technique, to the way he slung his famed Tele over his right shoulder; the so-called “Master of the Telecaster” did just about everything differently. He was a multi-faceted player, singer, and songwriter who is an important link in the lineage of great Texas bluesmen.

Using the bridge pickup on his custom Telecaster and his thumb and index finger, Albert’s tone and attack was a pure, cold, biting wail that earned him the nickname “The Iceman,” and much of his musical persona — from song names; to album titles; to the name of this band, the Icebreakers — got their inspiration from his frigid guitar tone.

But just as important, and often overlooked, was Collins’ innate funkiness. Everything he played bounced with an undeniable groove. When you play rhythm or lead on an Albert Collins number, it’s always important to make it funky! Try to make your playing jump and bounce, the way Collins did, and use the bridge pickup on your guitar, with plenty of treble and a touch of overdrive, if you want to get that icy bite.

Check out this Youtube clip for an example of the funkier side of Albert Collins. Taken from an instructional DVD, it is remarkable to watch him take something totally off-the-cuff and infuse it with pure personality:

Collins’ tunes make great jam material because the lyrics of his songs are often quite humorous; stuff that’ll get a grin out of the attendees and turn a jam into more than just an exercise in solo turn-taking. Try learning some of the following tunes to add a little spice to the typical 12-bar fare:

• Too Many Dirty Dishes
• Brick
• A Good Fool Is Hard to Find
• Black Cat Bone
• I Ain’t Drunk (I’m Just Drinkin’)

If you’re feeling particularly brave, you can try out Albert’s tuning by cranking the strings up (low to high):

^F-^C-^F-^Ab-^C-^F

Be careful not to break any strings! Then put a capo on the 8th fret. You should now be in the territory of D minor when playing around with open strings. It’s a different world, and a different sound, but definitely something to have a little fun with. I don’t, however, recommend breaking this tuning out at a jam session, unless you are VERY comfortable with it.

“BWAH! Diddle, doot-doot!” (Or something like that.)

Unfortunately, Albert Collins died in 1993, 30 years into a career that was just reaching its peak. Still, his influence on players from all over the blues spectrum cannot be ignored.

You can learn more about Albert Collins’ life and influence over at Wikipedia or check out my review of the Live DVD Albert Collins and the Icebreakers: In Concert.

Media Credits:

• Home page image: by flickr user hoshisatotravel
• Article image: Top Floor Music
• Video provide by YouTube user ThisMUSICis: Albert Collins – Mr. Collins, Mr. Collins

Sam Maghett – better known as Magic Sam – is one of the great unsung heroes of Chicago blues. His distinctive style bridged the gap between the classic, stripped down sound of Chicago blues and the more polished R&B sounds of the 1960s. The result was an energetic and charismatic style that was unforgettable.

With the exception of his outstanding rendition of “Sweet Home Chicago,” Magic Sam’s songs aren’t that well known, comparatively speaking. This can work to your advantage at jams and open-mics, as you’ll be able to inject some relatively fresh material when it’s your turn to call the tune. And Sam’s songs are fodder for outstanding jamming!

Sadly, Magic Sam died of a heart attack in 1969 when he was only 32 years old; which explains why he never gained the acclaim of some of his contemporaries. He only released two official recordings in his short lifetime.

As mentioned in my “Essential Blues” entry, Magic Sam’s “West Side Soul” is a classic and, if you don’t have it in your collection, you’re missing out. Go get it! Listen to it in the car on the way to work; listen to it in between classes; listen to it while you’re cooking dinner. Fill the house with the sounds of Magic Sam! Absorb his energetic style and think of ways to incorporate it into your own playing.

Not convinced? Check out this classic footage on Youtube:

Yes, that is Magic Sam. He just happens to be playing Earl Hooker’s guitar in the video.

To get that classic Magic Sam sound, set your electric guitar (single coil or humbucker, it doesn’t matter) on the bridge pickup and put a good amount of reverb on your amp. Go for a clean sound here; stomp those distortion pedals off! If you’ve got a delay pedal, you might want to set it up so that it “slaps back”. A little dab’ll do ya. When you hit the mutted strings, you should get that “chick-chick” sound: just like you hear at the beginning of Sam’s classic “I Feel So Good (I Wanna Boogie)” (which is Sam’s rendition of John Lee Hooker’s classic “Boogie Chillun’”).

Of course, the real sound comes from your hands, your head, and your heart. As far as the notes are concerned, try playing your trusty minor pentatonic box, but incorporate the major third, the flat five, the sixth, and the ninth into your phrasing. Think T-Bone Walker-meets-Chuck Berry. This box, in the key of A, should get you in the right neighborhood:

Your standard minor pentatonic box, in the key of A, augmented with the major 3rd, flat 5, 6th, and 9th notes

Try it while playing along to “I Don’t Want No Woman,” “I Feel So Good (I Wanna Boogie),” and “Mama Talk To Your Daughter”.

At your next jam, bring some Magic to the party by calling some of these numbers:

• Sweet Home Chicago
• Mama Talk To Your Daughter
• Lookin’ Good!
• I Don’t Want No Woman
• I Feel So Good (I Wanna Boogie)

Good luck, to you. If you’d You can learn more about Magic Sam over at Wikipedia.

Long before Freddie King, Albert Collins, Billy Gibbons and Stevie Ray Vaughan made the lone star state a hot spot for Blues, Aaron Thibeaux “T-Bone” Walker held the distinction of being the king of the electric Blues guitar in Texas. In addition to influencing all of these musicians, his music is said to have inspired B.B. King to learn the guitar as a youngster. Talk about influence!

Walker’s distinctive style mixed elements of Jazz with Blues, and his tunes often featured interesting chords and embellishments that are great material for intermediate and advanced players looking to spice up their standard Blues fare. To get the sound, plug an electric guitar into a fairly clean tube amp. Use the middle or bridge pickup to get a brighter tone. Play with a pick, and aim to play partial chords (as opposed to open or full barre chords) when comping. You’ll also find that T-Bone uses a lot of chromatic (passing) chords to jazz up the proceedings. For leads, try using the third as your target note as often as you do the root note.

Here’s a great clip of Walker doing his classic “Stormy Monday.” Check out the unorthodox method he uses during the solo, holding his guitar so that the strings are practically parallel with the floor!

Popular T-Bone Walker numbers include:

• Papa Ain’t Salty
• Stormy Monday
• T-Bone Shuffle
• Why Not?

You can learn more about T-Bone Walker’s life and influence over at Wikipedia.

During the 50′s and 60′s, few Blues artists enjoyed as much success as Jimmy Reed. His laid back shuffle and simple arrangements made for a style that was both accessible and distinctive. These very traits also make Reed an excellent source of material for up and coming Blues players! His songs are widely known enough that you can call them out at jam sessions and have others willing to play along. They’re also easy enough to play that, even when someone hasn’t heard the tune before, they can usually figure it out quickly enough. Just tell everyone “it’s a twelve-bar Blues shuffle in E,” then count it off, and play!

If you’re looking to emulate the “Jimmy Reed sound,” use the neck pickup on your guitar, and put your amp on a clean setting with a little bit of reverb (or play an acoustic guitar). Make sure you play “behind the beat:” In other words, keep your rhythm playing on the lazy side. You can practice this by playing with a metronome set to around 96bpm (clicks on 1-2-3-4) and letting the beat “pull you along,” as my mentor Will Brady used to say.

Popular Jimmy Reed songs include:

• Ain’t That Lovin’ You
• Baby What You Want Me To Do?
• Big Boss Man
• Bright Lights, Big City
• Shame, Shame, Shame

You can learn more about Jimmy Reed’s life and influence at The BluesHarp Page, and over at Wikipedia.