If you are into the
blues at all, or want to be, this
book is for you. It is a
music book, first, last, and completely. Thee are 111 blues
songs in this book--words,
melody, and chords. (It is set up like a fake book in this respect.) There are songs written by Billie Holiday, Robert Johnson, Elmore James, Otis Rush, Lonnie Johnson, B. B. King, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, Ma Rainey, Chuck Berry, and W. C. Handy, among many others. Many of these songs have been made famous by various
rock groups, from AC/DC to Led Zeppelin, as well as by other rock and blues singers.
There is a
guitar chord chart at the end of the book.
Some of the songs included are Saint James Infirmary, Sing the Blues, St. Louis Blues, Babe I''m Gonna Leave You, I''m Your Hootchie Coochie Man, Cross Road Blues, Stormy Weather, A Good Man Is Hard to Find, Mama''s Got the Blues, One Bourbon One Scotch and One Beer, Ramblin'' on My Mind, Rock Me Baby, Tain''t Nobody''s Business If I Do, Wang Dang Doodle, and The Thrill Is Gone, among many others.
This book is a delight for the blues aficianado, and an ideal introduction for the beginning to intermediate musician. It does require the ability to read music, and previous experience with guitar chord charts and/or keyboard charts is helpful, although the list in back is ideal to learn from and with.
More reviews about the THE BLUES