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

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.

The thing that makes movable chord shapes your über secret weapon is that, once you learn one finger pattern, you can use it up and down the neck of the guitar and play that chord variation in any key you want. Learn this one fingering and the note names on the sixth string of the guitar, and suddenly you know all of the major triad chords. Somebody say woot?

While this isn’t necessarily the most desirable or convenient way to play songs on the guitar, you can see how — when in a bind — knowing these shapes can at least get you something to work with. This particular shape will also serve as the starting-point for many of the other grips we’ll discuss in the future. Learn it well…

Isn’t this just a plain old bar chord?

When I was first learning guitar, we called this grip a “bar chord.” After all, you make a “bar” with your finger, right?

Well, as you’ll see over the coming weeks, their are several varieties of barre chords. A barre chord is any combination of three or more notes where you are using one or more of your fingers to fret multiple notes at once; this one just happens to be one of the most commonly used in popular music. It’s a major triad (it has only three different notes in it) that uses the same fingering pattern (shape) as a E major chord.

“Wait a second,” you might be wondering, “I see six notes in this chord, not three.”

Excellent observation. You would be correct! However, in this grip, some of the notes repeat at a higher pitch.

Alright… Here’s the theory stuff

This shape contains the first, third, and fifth (I, III, V) notes of the corresponding major scale: Three I’s, one III, and two V’s, to be exact. Hence the technically correct term “triad,” meaning “three notes.” Check the diagram to see what I mean.

If you were playing this chord in the open position, you’d be playing an E major triad (The lowest note in the chord — the root note — tells you what chord you’re playing, and what scale to use, for this grip. The root notes in our diagrams are colored blue). The notes of the E major scale are:

I. E — II. F# — III. G# — IV. A — V. B — VI. C# — VII. D#

So, the notes in this chord are E, G#, and B (I, III, and V). Move it up one fret to F and (in addition to having to use a barre), you’d be playing the I, III, and V from the F major scale:

I. F — II. G — III. A — IV. Bb — V. C — VI. D — VII. E

In other words, the notes F, A, and C.

Keep going up the neck, and — to paraphrase old Jon Bon Jovi — the rule stays the same, only the note names change.

To be honest, from a practical perspective, the only note name that you really need to keep track of is the root. When playing or jamming with other musicians, you’ll more often refer to the scale number (more correctly called the “scale degree”). Since the degrees are universal and completely movable from one chord (or key) to another, it makes a handy way to communicate. Ultimately, you should learn all of your note names, in addition to your scale degrees, but if you’re just starting out, focus on the numbers. It’s easier.

Because this shape comprises one of the ever-important “CAGED” chords, I’ve actually included two grips in this installment: the chord in the open position, and the movable barre chord. We’ll cover all five of the CAGED chords in the coming weeks.

Practice, practice, practice

If this shape is new to you, be sure to practice it and learn it in all positions on the guitar neck. This is a simple task of moving the shape up one fret at a time, but while doing so, make sure that you name the chord you’re playing (E, F, F#, G, etc.). Then try grabbing this grip at a random position and saying the name of the chord out loud (fifth fret is A, ninth fret is C#, etc.). This will help you learn the notes on the sixth string of the guitar. Your goal should be to get your fingers familiar enough with this chord shape that you can grab it cold, without even thinking about it.

Remember: When grabbing any movable (barre) chord, make sure that the thumb of your fretting hand is on the back of the neck, right in the middle. Since you’re making a “barre” of your first finger, make sure that all six notes sound cleanly. This can take some getting used to, especially if your thumb and first finger aren’t used to the workout. If you feel the palm part of your thumb start to cramp up, take a break, shake it out, and let your hand relax. You don’t want to overdo it right away.

Combine this with next week’s grip (the movable major A shape) and you’ll be well on your way to playing almost any Blues song that shuffles your way.

Stay tuned…

Robert Johnson — The Complete Recordings

Johnson’s style defined the Mississippi Delta blues of the first half of the 20th century. With the possible exception of Willie Dixon, no artist has had a bigger impact on modern blues and rock than Robert Johnson. This two-CD boxed set is required listening for any music fan.

Buy Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings at Amazon

Willie Dixon / Various Artists — The Willie Dixon Chess Box

Pair this collection with the Robert Johnson boxed set and you have original versions of every blues tune Led Zeppelin ever “wrote.” This two-disc set shows why Willie Dixon may be the most important man in the history of the genre. Dixon penned the hits that legends like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Little Walter built their careers around, and they can all be found on this seminal collection. Be it as a writer, singer, bass-player, teacher, or father-figure, Willie Dixon was Chicago blues.

Buy The Willie Dixon Chess Box at Amazon

Muddy Waters — Folk Singer

Muddy Waters was the first genuine blues star, and for good reason: His presence, command, and charisma were unmatched during his 30-plus year career. While this landmark record suggests a selection of folk tunes (and was designed to catch the interest of the growing — primarily white — folk audience of the mid-1960’s) it is, in fact, Muddy going back to his blues roots; mixing his electric delivery with a sparse, acoustic band that included Willie Dixon and a very young Buddy Guy. With Folk Singer, the original crossover album, Waters did more to push the genre to the forefront of a new generation’s conciousness than any record before it. It still stands up as one of the great blues records ever recorded.

Buy Muddy Waters – The Folk Singer at Amazon

B.B. King — Live at the Regal

Put to vinyl in 1965, this is B.B. at his best. A recording that influenced the likes of Eric Clapton and Joe Walsh, “Live at the Regal” showcases King’s remarkable vocal talents and his signature guitar tone better than any live record I’ve ever heard. Listen to the girls go wild (free of charge, no less)! Frank Sinatra had nothing on the “King of the Blues.”

Buy B.B King – Live At The Regal at Amazon

Albert King — King of the Blues Guitar

Albert King was actually one of three “Kings of the Blues,” the other two being B.B. King and guitarist Freddie King. All three musicians were great in their own right, but Albert’s raw, cutting tone and funky leads made him a perfect match for the blues-infused rock and roll that was forming in Britain in the mid-1960’s. Albert was a big man with a big sound, and his influence on the up-and-coming kids from England (including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Pete Townshend) during the decade is undeniable. Later on, players like Stevie Ray Vaughan would incorporate Albert’s signature licks into their own styles.

Buy Albert King – King Of The Blues Guitar at Amazon

Bessie Smith — The Bessie Smith Collection

Bessie Smith is to blues what Billie Holliday is to jazz. She sang with grace, authority, and a sensibility that few vocalists of any style could match. To listen to Bessie Smith in the 1920’s is to hear a popular music that mainstream America wouldn’t know until some three decades later. Unlike many of her contemporaries, her music is still as vital today as it was nearly a century ago.

Buy Bessie Smith – The Collection at Amazon

T-Bone Walker — T-Bone Blues

Bridging the gap between jazz and blues, Aaron Thibadeau “T-Bone” Walker played a sophisticated style that mixed complex melodies with the raw sound of the Texas blues. He was the first great electric blues guitarist, who’s style profoundly affected the playing of a young B.B. King. This collection features his best (and best-known) recordings.

Buy T-Bone Blues at Amazon

Little Walter — His Best (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection)

“Little” Walter Jacobs is widely held as the greatest of all the great blues harmonica players. In addition to penning hits such as “Juke,” his style and authority while cutting sides and sitting in on countless Chess sessions makes him an important piece of the Blues puzzle. Paul Butterfield idolized Little Walter, and many guitar players have acknowledged that his tone and phrasing influenced their own playing.

Buy Little Walter – His Best at Amazon

Elmore James — The Sky Is Crying: The History of Elmore James

Elmore James may not be as well known as, say, Muddy Waters or B.B. King, but his influence on blues and rock music is just as significant. Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, and many other guitarists owe a debt of gratitude to “Elmo’” and his abrasive, raucous slide guitar and frenzied voice.

Buy Elmore James – The Sky Is Crying at Amazon

Various Artists — Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection

No record company has done more in the last three decades to promote and preserve the blues tradition than Alligator Records. Released in 1991, this two-CD set contains 35 tracks from the best and the brightest modern blues acts and classic “originators.” If a blues neophyte could only afford to buy one record to start their collection, they’d be hard pressed to find a better selection than this.

Buy The Alligator Records 20th Anniversary Collection at Amazon

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