Hey MB……
Thanks for your GREAT post !!!
Although I am at heart a Jazz player …… if you have not studied and internalized the Blues (at least in my humble opinion) ….. there is no way to connect well with Jazz……. ’cause it all started from the Blues !!!
I am originally from New Orleans and now banished to the cold and heartless state of Connecticut for the past several years (looking toward retirement and getting myself back down South where I BELONG !!!). Incredibly, there is a VERY active Blues scene in this state as well …. even with a Blues Society and Newsletter listing venues…… so, I can satisfy my Blues needs pretty well too.. I am thrilled to hear that there is such great enthusiasm for the Blues in Arkansas but, of course, it DOES make sense. VERY exciting to hear that you are out there playing LIVE and with a kickass Blues group. For me, NOTHING advanced my musical progress better then when I finally “manned up” and took the leap to playing with others in a live setting ……. and I get what you are saying about how there is almost a “vacuum” that lets you walk in with your Sax and just “kill it” for an audience that has heard enough guitar and harp playing the Blues to last a lifetime …. good to get down and dirty and FUNKY with a Blues Saxophone ….. and wake ’em all up !
I did not know that Johnny has a Blues course out there …… so, I am gonna head to the website RIGHT now and scope it out…. THANKS!!!
How blessed are we to be able to do this!
Keep it funky,
Steve
