Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Steve James certainly knows how to play the guitar.He may be one of the best players you never heard of...but don't let that stop you from buying this DVD.The songs he covers here aren't the run-of-the-mill standards, which is a nice change from most videos.
Proof that James is a master of technique is evident immediately as he spices up the first song, Sugar Babe.I've been playing this song for a long time and always thought it needed something more, and James showed me how to make it jump a little more.Granted, it's not exactly how Mance Lipscomb played it.
The material does get more challenging as the video goes on, but James presents some really nice turn arounds, again, not typically seen.I should mention that the manufacturer of this DVD rates this as Level 3, Early Intermediate; you have been playing a while and can play without too much difficulty. The instructor still covers the material in detail, but there are more challenges.That's pretty much right off their website.
With that in mind I want to point out that the last two songs on the DVD are slide guitar songs.This really isn't the best video for learning slide guitar if you are a complete novice.James doesn't say it specifically, but he expects the viewer to know the basics of slide guitar.He just breezes through the basics.
The only criticism I have is that James is often squirming in his seat when talking and not playing.His nervous demeanor is distracting, and at times he is so uncomfortable talking that he strums inanely during his explanation of the part he is about to play.All in all, it is a minor thing.
As the title states, this is all about roots and blues and James can teach you a thing or two.Also, if you get a chance to see him live, don't miss it!
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Product Description:
Steve James is known for his mastery of blues guitar styles, as well as his deep knowledge of the history of the great traditional players, from Piedmont to Delta. On this lesson, he takes five pieces representative of different styles and teaches them in careful detail for the learning student. Using guitars from his extensive collection (a 1936 National Trojan, a Collings C-10 and a National "O" style resophonic), he covers some of his favorite arrangements in different keys and tunings, highlighting techniques, chord theory, licks and other musical insights that will be useful in figuring out any other blues-based songs you'll want to learn.
This lesson starts with Mance Lipscomb's classic version of "Sugar Babe," a basic 8-bar blues arrangement with alternating bass. Steve shows how, by changing bass notes and adding hammers, slides and syncopations, even this fairly simple song takes on a life of its own. "Wet Laundry Blues" moves to the key of A, and is more typical of the Delta style, with rhythmic feels, walking basses and licks used by Scrapper Blackwell, Robert Johnson and others. "Buddy Bolden's Blues," a classic jazz/blues in C, makes use of the "thumb roll" and some funky New Orleans-style chords.
Moving into open G ("the queen of tunings"), Steve gets you started in bottleneck style, showing how to produce a good tone with proper slide technique. His powerful version of "Stack Lee's Blues" (aka Stackolee, Staggerlee, etc.) mixes slide, fretted and open string notes in a powerful instrumental. Finally, "Hot Time on the Old Town Tonight," Steve's show-stopper in open D (Vestapol) tuning, was adapted from the playing of Sam McGee. It includes combinations of slide, pulled-off, fretted and open notes, with variations involving both standard and palm harmonics as well as rhythmic "banging" the strings.
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