Praised as "suave, soulful, ebullient" (Tom Waits) and "a meticulous researcher, a graceful writer, and a committed contrarian" (New York Times Book Review), Elijah Wald is one of the leading popular music critics of his generation. In The Blues, Wald surveys a genre at the heart of American culture. It is not an easy thing to pin down. As Howlin' Wolf once described it, "When you ain't got no money and can't pay your house rent and can't buy you no food, you've damn sure got the blues." It has been defined by lyrical structure, or as a progression of chords, or as a set of practices reflecting West African "tonal and rhythmic approaches," using a five-note "blues scale." Wald sees blues less as a style than as a broad musical tradition within a constantly evolving pop culture. He traces its roots in work and praise songs, and shows how it was transformed by such professional performers as W. C. Handy, who first popularized the blues a century ago. He follows its evolution from Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith through Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix; identifies the impact of rural field recordings of Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton and others; explores the role of blues in the development of both country music and jazz; and looks at the popular rhythm and blues trends of the 1940s and 1950s, from the uptown West Coast style of T-Bone Walker to the "down home" Chicago sound of Muddy Waters. Wald brings the story up to the present, touching on the effects of blues on American poetry, and its connection to modern styles such as rap. As with all of Oxford's Very Short Introductions, The Blues tells you--with insight, clarity, and wit--everything you need to know to understand this quintessentially American musical genre.

Designed to introduce the young intermediate-level pianist to playing the blues, Jazzin' the Blues presents fifteen original blues compositions in various keys, styles and grooves together with downloadable recordings of 40 of the 50 examples in the book. The audio tracks are presented both with and without the lead piano part, so the student can play along with a professional rhythm section which includes piano, vibraphone, alto flute, drums, and bass. Historical and performance notes are provided with each blues composition. The author enlisted the skills of jazz pianist Charlie Freeman in editing the book and providing fingering for both the treble and bass piano parts, making these pieces more accessible to novice players.Ê If your knowledge of blues theory or terminology is lacking, this is the book for you! Author Vince Corozine thoroughly explores and demonstrates: blues and pentatonic scale theory, blue notes, grace notes, pedal-points, tremolos, trills, syncopation, anticipation, delayed beats, slash chords, boogie-woogie left-hand patterns, walking bass, stride piano style, straight eighths, swing eighths, passing tones, rolled chords, riffs, "filler" chords, substitutions, and comping styles.Ê This book also includes essential blues chord theory as well as tips on tasteful chord voicing presented in the context of accompanying a soloist (comping); in addition, the chord progressions represented by the written notation are carefully annotated in every example in the book. The Appendix includes helpful tips on comping, practice, and jazz soloing, plus a list of noteworthy jazz pianists, a key to chord symbols, and a glossary of jazz terms used in the book. If you are not a competent blues pianist when you first pick up this book, you will be by the time you complete it! Includes access to online audio.

This regiment, once amalgamated from the the Blues (Royal Horse Guards) and the Royal Dragoons, is now going through a further scale down. This regimental history goes back to the earliest days.

Explores traditional playing styles through transcriptions and analysis of master players - Rev. Gary Davis, Big Bill Broonzy and many others.

In this stunning collection of new poems, Mary Oliver returns to the imagery that has defined her life’s work, describing with wonder both the everyday and the unaffected beauty of nature. Herons, sparrows, owls, and kingfishers flit across the page in meditations on love, artistry, and impermanence. Whether considering a bird’s nest, the seeming patience of oak trees, or the artworks of Franz Marc, Oliver reminds us of the transformative power of attention and how much can be contained within the smallest moments. At its heart, Blue Horses asks what it means to truly belong to this world, to live in it attuned to all its changes. Humorous, gentle, and always honest, Oliver is a visionary of the natural world.