Live At Legends – Buddy Guy – 2012 It’s hard to believe that, at the time this live album was recorded, the Godfather of Chicago Blues, Buddy Guy, was in his mid 70s. From the Opening Wah wah of “Best Damn Fool”, Guy lets rip with all the reckless abandon of a blues legend falling down … continue reading »
Gary Moore – Still Got The Blues – 1990 A strong blues influence was apparent in the late, great Gary Moore’s playing during his time with Thin Lizzy and throughout his successful solo career. However, up until his first all-blues solo release in 1990, Moore was predominantly considered a hard rock guitarist. The album’s track listing … continue reading »
Steve Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble – Texas Flood – 1983 Arguably the most influential blues album of the 80s and to many, the definitive Texas Blues record, Stevie Ray Vaughan And Double Trouble’s debut spawned a generation of aspiring guitarists, all in search of the secret behind SRV’s signature tone. From the opening number, “Love … continue reading »
Which guitar strings should I use? Hi everyone, I am often asked about guitar strings: What gauge would I recommend? Which brand do I prefer? How often should a set be changed? I figured it was about time I shared some of my observations on what I have come to know about guitar strings during … continue reading »
Albert King With Stevie Ray Vaughan – In Session – 1983 In session is a live album by Albert King, heavily featuring special guest and then newcomer to the blues scene, Stevie Ray Vaughan. The performance was initially recorded for Canadian television at CHCH-TV studios in Hamilton, Ontario in December 1983 and released as an album … continue reading »
B.B. King – Live At The Regal – 1964 No blues record collection would be complete without B.B. King’s 1964 live classic. There is a reason why blues fans both casual and hardcore consider this an essential album. King’s vocal performance is sublime and the phrasing, sense of dynamics and note choice in his guitar solos … continue reading »
Johnny Winter – Johnny Winter – 1969 Alongside ZZ Top, Johnny Winter was one of the leading exponents of Texas blues rock. The opening number of his second studio release, “I’m Yours And I’m Hers” features a groove that wouldn’t have been out of place on Led Zeppelin II. In stark contrast, the second track, “Be … continue reading »
Hi everybody, We’ve uploaded an exclusive lesson to our YouTube channel. “15 Essential Blues Guitar Licks” is a 100% FREE, in depth blues guitar lesson with on-screen tab. In this tutorial, we will learn 15 licks in the context of a 12 bar blues solo over a shuffle groove in the good old-fashioned key of … continue reading »
A question musicians often ask themselves is “How good do I need to be?” Think about that phrase for a minute. It’s one of those scary, bottomless questions to which there really isn’t a definitive answer. In our lifetime as musicians, many of us never grow complacent with our progress or simply consider ourselves good … continue reading »
What is feel? In the most general sense, feel is essentially a musician’s ability to connect with the listener on an emotional level. The resulting emotion can vary from excitement, to sadness and even to tension (especially if we like to play those crunchy outside notes). In terms of lead guitar, feel can best be … continue reading »
Buddy Guy – Live At The Checkerboard Lounge – 1979 With a career spanning almost 70 years, living legend Buddy Guy is one of the most influential guitarists in the history of the blues. It’s a well known fact that alongside Albert King, Jimi Hendrix and Albert Collins, Buddy was one of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s heroes. … continue reading »
B.B. King – Live In Cook County Jail – 1971 Ask a roomful of blues fans to name their favourite live B.B. King album, or, indeed their favourite live blues album and most votes would swing towards Live At The Regal. While King’s 1964 recording is an undisputed classic, 1971’s Live In Cook County Jail is … continue reading »
Magic Sam – Black Magic – 1968 When discussing sons of the Chicago Blues scene, Magic Sam is often criminally overlooked. Black Magic is the second studio record by the guitarist and singer, released just a year before his untimely death in 1969. From the opening track “I Just Want A Little Bit” to the sublime … continue reading »
Albert King – Blues At Sunset (Live At Wattstax and Montreux) – 1973 There’s Albert King on record and then there’s Albert King playing in his natural habitat: Live! 1973’s Blues At Sunset is one of the greatest live blues records of all time. Not only does it showcase King’s signature licks and mean guitar tone, … continue reading »
The Allman Brothers Band – At Fillmore East – 1971 What can I write about this classic record that hasn’t already been written? The definitive 70s live record by the true sons of southern blues-rock, recorded at one New York City’s most legendary venues. Featuring “Statesboro Blues”, extended jams of “Stormy Monday” and “Whipping Post” and … continue reading »
The late 60s and early 70s were a prolific era for big Freddie. With so many great studio records released over such a short time period, it’s difficult to pick a favourite. However, there’s something about the feel of Getting Ready that really stands out. There are so many classic tracks on this album: “Five Long … continue reading »
Welcome to our website! I can’t tell you how good it feels to type these words. This project was a long time in the making, for both myself and Absolute Blues’ very own web developer, Sarah Cox. One day, I’m sure we’ll sit down and calculate just how many hundreds of hours went into launching … continue reading »