Blues/funk

pearcey · #1 04-10-2009, 07:13 AM

Hi not sure if this is the right forum, but...

I play in a 3 piece blues cover band, I'm the bass player. We play traditional guitar-led blues; Stevie Ray Vaughan, Rory Gallagher, Hendrix. There are plans to write some of our own material at some point in the future.

All going really well, and I'm pretty happy. The Jimi stuff is pretty good, but the bass, while it is great to play, and I've still not mastered it on those tracks is still pretty much a p-bass flat sound.

I need to come up with a couple of songs of my own, and I'd like to have a bit more funk if possible, although the song should still be passable as 'blues'. Has anyone got any suggestions for a funky blues song?

5StringBlues · #2 04-11-2009, 02:46 PM

Willow Tree by Albert Collins-from the CD "Cold Snap"
Funky Bitch by Son Seals-from the CD "Live and Burning"

Stumbo · #3 04-11-2009, 03:04 PM

Question: If you haven't mastered some of the songs you're already playing, why are you introducing new material that you have to spend time learning?

I suggest you master the tunes you have before moving on. How do you get through a rehearsal if you can't play the tunes correctly?

Sounds like a little wood shedding in order.

As far as a "funky blues" song goes, do you mean a blues song with slap bass in it or a song with a bass that is not a p-bass flat sound? If that's what you mean, it won't be the blues anymore.

Also, how can you write you're own tunes if your musicianship is so limited by your technical skills?

ldervish · #4 04-11-2009, 03:04 PM

Albert King's "Breaking Up Somebody's Home" on the Best Of... Vol 1 disc, among others.

Sometimes titled "Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home"

Bluesbreaker5 · #5 04-11-2009, 03:12 PM

Spanish Moon - Little Feat
One More Chance - Michael Burks
Use Me - Bill Withers
Wrap It Up - Fabulous Thunderbirds
Beginner At The Blues - Coco Montoya
Grits Ain't Groceries - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
High Lonesome Blue - Joe Cocker

stuonbass · #6 04-11-2009, 03:17 PM

Sissy Strut - The Meters
Thank You - ZZ Topp

pearcey · #7 04-11-2009, 04:58 PM

Thanks for the replies; I'll have a look. No doubt that I need to practice more!

bass12 · #8 04-11-2009, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stumbo

Also, how can you write you're own tunes if your musicianship is so limited by your technical skills?

Technical skills have very little to do with writing tunes. There have been numerous successful composers who barely even play an instrument. As for funky blues, check out some Freddie King and some Johnny "Guitar" Watson.

rcarraher · #9 04-11-2009, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stumbo

Question: If you haven't mastered some of the songs you're already playing, why are you introducing new material that you have to spend time learning?

I suggest you master the tunes you have before moving on. How do you get through a rehearsal if you can't play the tunes correctly?

Sounds like a little wood shedding in order.

As far as a "funky blues" song goes, do you mean a blues song with slap bass in it or a song with a bass that is not a p-bass flat sound? If that's what you mean, it won't be the blues anymore.

Also, how can you write you're own tunes if your musicianship is so limited by your technical skills?

Strumbo, you are brutal! I'm staying off your s*t list,

As far as advice, I'd love to her someone do Tmptaions "Psycadelic Shack" real driving tune...Want something with some stop time, how about Who's making love ( to my old lady).? ZZ Hil, easy stuff.

Stumbo · #10 04-11-2009, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcarraher

Strumbo, you are brutal! I'm staying off your s*t list,

I should have put some

and

in my post. Sorry if I came off too strong. I promise to be a kinder, gentler poster in the future. Mea culpa.

Stumbo · #11 04-11-2009, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bass12

Technical skills have very little to do with writing tunes.

The OP is wanting to both write and play the tunes. Maybe he can write the tunes but it'll be kinda sad

if he can't play them at rehearsal.

Dano59 · #12 04-11-2009, 09:13 PM

Check out some William Clark or Rod Piazza. You could do a lot with there California swing style blues.

jerry · #13 04-11-2009, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5StringBlues

Willow Tree by Albert Collins-from the CD "Cold Snap"
Funky Bitch by Son Seals-from the CD "Live and Burning"

+1, when I saw the thread title I instantly thought of Johnny B. Gayden.

5StringBlues · #14 04-11-2009, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry

+1, when I saw the thread title I instantly thought of Johnny B. Gayden.

Is that Gayden on Son Seals' "Live and Burnin'?

+1 to anything with Gayden on it.Look for releases on Alligator records as he was/is the house bassist for that label.

I know he's on Johnny Winter's "Guitar Slinger" playing some lowdown and funky lines...............

pearcey · #15 04-12-2009, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stumbo

Question: If you haven't mastered some of the songs you're already playing, why are you introducing new material that you have to spend time learning?

As far as a "funky blues" song goes, do you mean a blues song with slap bass in it or a song with a bass that is not a p-bass flat sound? If that's what you mean, it won't be the blues anymore.

I suppose some of this goes down to practice technique - I need new stuff to keep me interested while I'm trying to perfect stuff I know already. It's just the way I need to work in my experience; not perfect, of course. The same goes for our band rehearsals, once we've been rehearsing Crossroads for half an hour we all need to move on whether it's concert standard or not.

Not so worried about slap, more about a sort of state of funkiness of mind; doesn't have to be p-bass, doesn't have to be classic blues. Just looking for some new ideas, really to listen to and play when I can. No offense meant to any die-hard blues players, and I hope the ghost of Robert Johnson isn't turning in his grave. Or wherever his soul has gone...

pearcey · #16 04-12-2009, 03:25 AM

I've just started to make a compilation album from iTunes. That's an amazing bunch of songs. Hadn't even heard of half of them. Great.

jerry · #17 04-12-2009, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5StringBlues

Is that Gayden on Son Seals' "Live and Burnin'?

+1 to anything with Gayden on it.Look for releases on Alligator records as he was/is the house bassist for that label.

I know he's on Johnny Winter's "Guitar Slinger" playing some lowdown and funky lines...............

It's Snapper Mitchum on bass for the Live and Burnin' album, Gayden was on a later Seals live album 'Spontaneous Combustion'

BluesMan845 · #18 04-12-2009, 07:58 AM

Well, aside from diggin' into the bass a little more, since you mention Jimi - why not get the live disc of Jimi w/The Band Of Gypsys. Billy Cox and Buddy Miles were a much funkier rhythm section than Redding and Mitchell were. As a rhythm section they kept things a little more grounded and in the pocket, which in turn kept Jimi a little more grounded ( if that was at all possible ! ) That should give you some good inspiration. If you want to go out into left field a little further, check out some of Robben Ford's stuff w/Roscoe Beck on bass.

RCCollins · #19 04-12-2009, 08:05 AM

Hound Dog Taylor "Funky"

The Lurker · #20 04-13-2009, 08:59 PM

James Gang.

Heck, they were so funky they wrote 49 funk songs and only ever played the last two of them!!!