Dropbox link with all accompanying music: http://bit.ly/1NUW230

Music history is rich with documentation as early as the 1690’s that the violin played a significant role in the early history and development of blues music. And should be no surprise therefore, that the African slave musician would gravitate to and adopt the violin, where they were able to create a dramatic and soulful sound rife with sliding notes and crying vibrato. Recordings from as early as the 1920’s also illustrate and document the importance of the black American blues fiddle and banjo player, and their contribution to early string band blues music, the precursor to ragtime, dixieland, swing and jazz styles.

Over the last 30 or so years, there have been numerous publications written for the beginning blues violin player, and many of them very well written. However, for the intermediate and advanced violinist interested in performing this style of music, very little has been written and or published. Filling this void is among others, the primary reason for my writing numerous blues and jazz etudes, as well as these two volumes of blues songs for the violin.

Both volumes contain 13 songs each, and cover a variety and range of blues styles, including early Delta, Chicago, Piedmont, Rock and Roll, and Jazz blues, among others. Each song is constructed upon an 8 or 12 bar blues progression with an initial statement of a melody or verse, which is then followed with an elaboration or improvisation on the same, and/or an introduction of a bridge or chorus. The result is intended to be a “snapshot” or “vignette” of a more modern and contemporary blues violin improvisation.

Great attention has been paid regarding the engraving and editing of these collections of blues songs. Details of performance notation including bowings, slurs, slides, note and bow articulations, and fingerings, to name a few, are included in each song so as to help convey and illuminate the performances in the accompanying “play-along” (violin, guitar and bass) audio clips. Each song in the collection also includes an accompanying chord chart.

Level: Intermediate to Advanced (33 pages)

Price: $20.00 (U.S.)

Dropbox link with all accompanying music: http://bit.ly/1NUW230