Bebop Blues Licks
First let’s define what I mean by bebop blues. It’s blues played in the style of Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, George Benson, and Pat Martino. What I mean by straight up blues is blues played in the style of B.B. King, Albert King, Freddie King, Muddy Waters, etc.
One of the main differences between bebop blues and straight up blues is bebop blues guitarists as a rule, don’t bend notes and straight up blues guitarists bend notes all the time. In bebop the vocal quality of the blues is created with slurs.
Also another big difference is that the chords in bebop blues tend to be more harmonically sophisticated using jazzy extensions like 13ths , Dom7#11, and so forth. Of course sometimes there are exceptions, I’m just talking in general.
Each style is close to my heart having been born on the south side of Chicago. I love the blues PERIOD! But you should know the difference because if you play bebop blues on a straight up gig, you will definitely hear about it, or vice a versa. You got to play what’s appropriate to the situation, you dig?
The primary tool that bebop blues players use is the blues scale. No surprise there. That’s simple enough, but the key is how you use it.
The blues scale is a minor pentatonic with an added note. The added note is the b5
Here’s the interval structure: R b3 4 b5 5 b7
The first lick uses the F blues scale. F Ab Bb B C Eb
Bebop blues cats use slides, hammer on pull offs, and on rare occasions, bends. The key is in how you phrase, how you articulate (making certain notes pop out) and your time, or rhythm.
The only way to get those intangibles together is to listen to the masters. My favorite bebop blues dude is Grant Green. Some people dog him because they say he plays too simple, but hey, what’s wrong with simple? And if you try to play some of his licks, you’ll find out this ain’t that simple.
To me the quintessential funky ass bebop blues lick is guitar break from Grant Green’s live cut “Sookie, Sookie”. I’ve written it out for you. Check it out.
Peter Lerner has toured with Grammy award winning pianist Ramsey Lewis and has played duets on NBC and CBS with acclaimed trumpeter Orbert Davis. Peter has performed with Bill Russo’s Chicago Jazz Ensemble at the Jazz Showcase where he performed with such luminaries as Lee Konitz.
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