Cult figure, rock & roll legend and music writer, Cub Koda defined jump blues as "an up-tempo, jazz-tinged style of blues that first came to prominence in the mid- to late '40s. Usually featuring a vocalist in front of a large, horn-driven orchestra or medium sized combo with multiple horns, the style is earmarked by a driving rhythm, intensely shouted vocals, and honking tenor saxophone solos - all of those very elements a precursor to rock & roll. The lyrics are almost always celebratory in nature, full of braggadocio and swagger."
Dutch recording artist and top European Guitar educator, Matthieu Brandt, spent a decade interviewing and studying with many of the originators of Jump Blues to document the style and create this essential Jump Blues course for Guitar.
This 2-DVD set is presented as a methodology covering theory, comping, accompanist riffs, horn lines arranged for Guitar, and several approaches for soloing drilling down on many approaches for opening up the neck for the scales, arps and riffs that are employed in swing and Jump Blues Guitar.
It also ices the cake with 12 tasty solos, followed by in-depth analysis of several jump blues giants such as Brian Setzer, T-Bone Walker, Charlie Christian, Gatemouth Brown and Freddie King, all of whom have their own signature sound. Accompanying vocalists and soloists is a big part of the style and is as challenging and rewarding as soloing. A sizable chunk of these DVDs is dedicated to voicings, pulling off various rhythms and locking up with the rhythm section.