Volume 2 - Building A Blues Repertoire - This powerful lesson is jammed with a wealth of rhythmic and melodic ideas, each delivered with Dr. John's unfailing style and taste. Through his encyclopedic knowledge of traditional piano styles, you'll gain a firm grip on the authentic blues "feel" that will give your playing new depth while you vastly increase your repertoire.
Dr. John adds an arsenal of classic 12-bar and 16-bar blues to your repertoire. As he digs into the traditional "butterfly' stride, you'll see why blues pianists use it to create a rich, full sound. He explores the use of tenths, parallel 5ths, a variety of chord patterns and right-hand fills, major to minor changes and a myriad of embellishments. Dr. John dissects the influential styles of Lloyd Glenn, Charles Brown and other top players, showing you how to drive the blues -- and give it "room to breathe" -- especially when backing a singer. His discussions of "raised I" vamps and I-IV-I variations will help you add excitement to your own arrangements.
No matter what style you play - church, boogie, ballad, stride - Dr. John shows you how to interpret and improvise songs such "Sweet Sixteen," "Georgia," "I'm Drifting," "St. James Infirmary," "Pretty Libby," "Such A Night," "Blues Ballad," and"Big Mac".
