Royal Garden Blues by Chris Barber

Sometimes I try to illustrate musical concepts (like for instance call and response) and here is a perfect example of drum tags when Chris Barber and his band plays Royal Garden Blues. A drum tag is a drum solo just before the ending of the song (often 4 bars) and then the bands ends with four more bars. In this video clip the drummer Alan "Sticky" Wickett does not do only one but 14 drum tags which makes the ending of the song nearly half of the song. He lays down great rhythms and I'm sure all drummers could get inspiration from him.

I also like the somewhat unusual use (in connection to dixieland jazz) of an electrical guitar by guitarist John Slaughter.

Read more about Chris Barber at his website.

If you like to know more about different kinds of traditional jazz, check out the Traditional Jazz Educators Network's Traditional Jazz Style Guide.

What do you think of the video clip with Chris Barber and his band playing Royal Garden Blues? Tell me.

Royal Garden Blues: Oscar Peterson & Count Basie

Just to honor Oscar Peterson, who died last week, I thought I'd post a video clip with Oscar Peterson playing Royal Garden Blues together with Count Basie.



Wow. Two of the greatest jazz pianists together at the same time. They recorded together at a few occations and one favorite album of mine is Satch & Josh. I really like the first song on the album: "Buns Blues" which is very playful.

Royal Garden Blues is such a great song, composed by Clarence Williams and
Spencer Williams in 1919. Spencer Williams also (co-?)wrote the song "Everybody loves my baby".

What do you think of Oscar Peterson & Count Basie playing Royal Garden Blues? Tell me.

Rockin' in the Rockies: Cappa Barra Boys

Here is a video clip from the Three Stooges film Rockin' in the Rockies (1945) where the Cappa Barra Boys, a harmonica quartet, play a medley of jazz songs including "One O'clock Jump" and "Royal Garden Blues".

What do you think of the Cappa Barra Boys? Tell me.