So what kind of blues is this (or not?)

[RJVB]

I picked up a piece I worked on a few years ago when it was barely playable for me:

It's from Mike's video course @MusicGurus called "Uptown Blues - American Roots Guitar" but while it does sound a bit like a blues I can't seem to find an actual blues scheme in it. I'm more tempted to call it a kind of ragtime.

So what is it?

[garybaldy]

I picked up a piece I worked on a few years ago when it was barely playable for me:

It's from Mike's video course @MusicGurus called "Uptown Blues - American Roots Guitar" but while it does sound a bit like a blues I can't seem to find an actual blues scheme in it. I'm more tempted to call it a kind of ragtime.

So what is it?

It's sort of Chet Atkins Travis picking Country style.
It's not the usual 12 bar.
If there's a proper name for the style I'd also like to know.

[Mick-7]

I'd place it in the "old-timey" country blues category a la Reverend Gary Davis (especially) and Mississippi John Hurt.

The average person associates the blues genre with urban musicians like Elmore James and Muddy Water but they came along much later than innovators like Robert Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Skip James, the aforementioned, et. al.

"It's sort of Chet Atkins Travis picking Country style."

True, a strong country influence there a la Merle Travis, Doc Watson, and Chet.

[Bobby Timmons]

Yeah I think garybaldy is right, there's not really a name for it. I asked the bot and he just said country jazz. It's a pretty interesting style because not only does it fuse country with jazz, structurally it's a lot like ragtime.

[Kirk Garrett]

Yes, it’s very Chet, whatever that is. I wouldn’t call it blues or country blues, but it borrows from both.

[pauln]

Steve Howe liked it a lot... from The Yes Album (1971)

[RJVB]

I'd place it in the "old-timey" country blues category a la Reverend Gary Davis (especially) and Mississippi John Hurt.

But where is the blues bass line, if there is one?

That it uses Travis-picking is quite obvious, and yes, some people do seem to consider that a style...

It's a pretty interesting style because not only does it fuse country with jazz, structurally it's a lot like ragtime.

Maybe that's why classical guitar teachers seem to like the piece too, even if it's unplayable with pure classical technique

So I wasn't wrong about it being like a ragtime, but it doesn't make me think of any kind of "country" music I know at all. Unless you use the term as a synonym of what the course calls "American Roots" (aka Americana I suppose)?

[RJVB]

Steve Howe liked it a lot... from The Yes Album (1971)

Is that supposed to be the same piece?

In the course video material Mike clearly introduces it as "my tune Nitpickin'".

A certain Danny Gatton wrote a tune by the same name though spelled as 2 words. Must be a fun piece to play too but despite a few similarities (including an alternating bass) it's clearly a different piece AFAICT.

[pauln]

Is that supposed to be the same piece? ...it's clearly a different piece AFAICT.

Very clearly a different song, he composed it himself.
Question was "So what kind of blues is this (or not?)".
Whatever kind it was, Steve Howe liked that kind, too.

[Mick-7]

There is a "ragtime" style of guitar playing associated with musicians like Blind Blake:

[Bop Head]

There is a "ragtime" style of guitar playing associated with musicians like Blind Blake:

... which became very popular during the folk blues revival of the 60ies.

Many blues singers would not only play 12 bar blues songs:

(Some might recognize the latter song from the cover version on the Red Hot Chili Peppers album "Blood Sugar Sex Magick")

[Litterick]

Dowling seems to be influenced by Piedmont blues, especially that of Blind Boy Fuller.

[Doctor Jeff]

He clearly borrows from Chet and Doc, who borrowed from Merle. Merle grew up in Muhlenberg County and was influenced by black and white musicians in the area.

The syncopation and walking bass line are also evident in the blues players mentioned above, though one wonders if Merle listened to those "race records". He started performing less than a decade after that Blind Blake recording. His first radio performance was Tiger Rag.

I would call it a country rag, though some might call it a country blues or maybe a ramble. Not a shuffle LOL.

[RJVB]

Educational answers, thanks!
(Still no idea how to interpret "country" here!)

Merle grew up in Muhlenberg County

Ah, Paradise according to some

Many blues singers would not only play 12 bar blues songs:

I'm aware that there are blues schemes with other (shorter) than 12 bar durations but much less familiar with them. Probably because I've never yet tried to play along with any of the blues I listen to.
But with this piece I'd be tempted to call it a 1-bar blues with modulations ...

Piedmont blues: yes, that's very much how Dowling sounds much of the time! Isn't that style also known as ragtime blues (IIRC a precursor to the mature form as written by Joplin et al)?

[Bop Head]

Educational answers, thanks!
(Still no idea how to interpret "country" here!)




Ah, Paradise according to some



I'm aware that there are blues schemes with other (shorter) than 12 bar durations but much less familiar with them. Probably because I've never yet tried to play along with any of the blues I listen to.
But with this piece I'd be tempted to call it a 1-bar blues with modulations ...

Piedmont blues: yes, that's very much how Dowling sounds much of the time! Isn't that style also known as ragtime blues (IIRC a precursor to the mature form as written by Joplin et al)?

The examples above are rather song than blues forms. AFAIK Gershwin's I Got Rhythm comes from those forms. Those dominant chains are the same as the I Got Rhythm bridge (aka Sears Roebuck bridge).

An example for an 8 bar blues is Trouble In Mind

[RJVB]

Coincidentally, Grossman is holding a sale of instructional books on country blues, cake walks, marches & early jazz through June 20th
(Stefan Grossman'''s Guitar Videos)

[Doctor Jeff]

One of my favorite Doc tunes:

[Bop Head]

Coincidentally, Grossman is holding a sale of instructional books on country blues, cake walks, marches & early jazz through June 20th
(Stefan Grossman'''s Guitar Videos)

I have had my share of Grossman books in the early 90ies browsing through the huge music department of Munich's public library. Do you remember flexidiscs LOL?

[Mick-7]

"Do you remember flexidiscs?"

Vaguely.... unfortunately some sadistic marketers are bringing them back:

It's Thin, It's Plastic, It's Back: Flexi Discs Find New Fans : NPR

It seems that about the only thing about ragtime blues we've established for certain in this thread is that blindness is an asset if you want to play it: Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Reverend Gary Davis, Doc Watson, etc. - I for one am willing to give up that particular advantage.

[Doctor Jeff]

Most celebrated female blues guitarist/singer of her time—Memphis Minnie:

[RJVB]

What about Rosetta Tharpe then? (Too much gospelly content in her repertoire? )

[RJVB]

Do you remember flexidiscs LOL?

Now that you mention them, yes. From a time when I only had a recordplayer I wouldn't be afraid to play them on...

I also vaguely remember they were useful in DIY projects, probably as reinforcement when glueing things back together