Category: The Blues

If you’re a guitar enthusiast, Larry Carlton needs no introduction. His work spans genres, pushing the boundaries of jazz, blues, and R&B with innovative phrasing and complex solos. In this post, we’ll break down five of Carlton’s licks, exploring their unique styles and giving you insights into what makes them so special.

Whether you’re new to Larry Carlton or a die-hard fan, these licks offer a rich blend of techniques and influences. I’ve transcribed each lick for you, and you’ll find the tabs linked throughout. Let’s dive into these five challenging licks!

1. Backstabbers – Chromatic and BB King Influence
   The first lick comes from the track Backstabbers off Larry Carlton Plays the Sound of Philadelphia. This album is packed with smooth, clean tones, and Backstabbers showcases Carlton’s talent for mixing blues and chromatic scales.

This lick is built around an F7#9 chord but features a strong BB King influence. It begins with a classic BB lick but quickly moves into chromatic territory, transitioning out of the usual scale and resolving on a B minor. Carlton’s phrasing here is both intense and soulful, offering a great study in blending traditional blues with advanced chromaticism.

Key Technique: Chromaticism and BB King-style blues phrasing.

2. Kid Gloves – Rhythmic, Staccato Ideas
   The second lick comes from Kid Gloves, both the album and title track. This lick is distinctly staccato, full of rhythmic ideas that feel sharp and precise. Carlton mixes blues and R&B influences with jazzy twists, leaning into a mix of major sixth intervals and bebop-inspired lines.

This phrase transitions smoothly between bluesy ideas and Charlie Christian-style jazz, showcasing Carlton’s versatility in merging different genres into a cohesive, rhythmic package.

Key Technique: Rhythmic staccato phrasing with R&B and jazz influences.

3. Josie – Pentatonic Meets Bebop
   One of Larry Carlton’s most recognizable works is his cover of Josie, the Steely Dan classic, from On Solid Ground. Carlton adds a distinct flavor to the track with his overdriven tone and pentatonic flair. This lick comes at the end of the song, played over an E minor groove.

It begins with a high pentatonic run on the 17th fret, blending into bebop-influenced phrases. Carlton incorporates Dorian and minor tonalities, giving the lick a rich harmonic complexity while still maintaining that signature bluesy feel.

Key Technique: Pentatonic scales blended with bebop and Dorian modes.

4. Upper Kern – Fast-Paced Jazz Fusion
   Next, we explore a lick from Upper K, off the famous Sleepwalk album. This track features a fast-paced, rhythmically complex solo. Carlton plays over a simple chord progression of E flat major 7 to D minor 7, but the intricacies lie in his bends, slides, and trills.

He starts with a B flat major 7 arpeggio before smoothly connecting it to an E flat major arpeggio, followed by a bend from C to D. The lick ends with a D minor pentatonic run, featuring Carlton’s signature trill and slide techniques.

Key Technique: Jazz fusion phrasing with trills and bends.

5. Don’t Give Up – Shuffle Blues Fusion
   The final lick is from Don’t Give Up, a live performance on Last Night. This tune has a shuffle blues feel, blending R&B and jazz fusion elements, which is quintessential Carlton. The lick revolves around a B7 chord, resolving to a G#7, and is filled with sliding R&B-style phrases.

Carlton plays a B flat major pentatonic line before transitioning into his classic technique of combining two triads, B and A, creating a B sus chord. This trick adds a rich harmonic texture to the lick, and the entire phrase showcases Carlton’s mastery in fusing genres.

Key Technique: Combining triads with a shuffle-blues feel.

Certainly! Here’s a blog post based on the transcript:

download PDF below:

5 Fast Robben Ford Licks: Mastering Jazz-Influenced Blues (With Tabs!)

If you’re a fan of jazz-influenced blues guitar, chances are you’ve come across Robben Ford’s playing. Known for his intricate, fast-paced licks that combine the raw emotion of blues with the sophistication of jazz, Ford’s style is a goldmine for guitarists looking to spice up their soloing. Today, we’re breaking down five of his fast licks, covering everything from funky grooves to bebop phrasing. And yes, I’ve included tabs!

If you’re ready to dive into these modern blues licks, let’s get started. You can also download the tablature from my website, and follow along. These examples offer a great look at how Ford incorporates scales, bends, and chromaticism to create his signature sound.

1. Lick from “White Rock Beer” (E7 Shuffle)

• Key: E7
• Timestamp: ~2:33
• Overview: This lick plays over a shuffle blues in A7, moving between E7 and A. It involves some clever position changes, utilizing open strings, and gives a bluesy feel with a jazzy twist.
• Breakdown: Starting on the 10th fret (D) of the high E string, the lick uses pull-offs to open strings and a bend on the B string, landing on a classic E blues scale. The use of open notes gives it a fluid, fast-moving feel.
• Technique Tip: The transition from fretted notes to open strings adds a unique flavor and allows you to shift positions quickly.

2. Lick from “Keep On Running” (G Blues)

• Key: G Blues
• Timestamp: ~3:13
• Overview: This lick, played in G blues, incorporates wide-ranging movements between the 11th and 3rd frets. The lick travels up and down the neck, moving through the G minor pentatonic scale.
• Breakdown: Beginning on the 11th fret (B-flat) of the B string, this lick makes use of slides and bends, creating a fluid, dynamic feel as it transitions across the fretboard.
• Technique Tip: Pay attention to the bend vs. slide at the top of the phrase, as this helps create that signature Robben Ford “crying” sound.

3. Lick from “Tiger Walk” (Funky Groove in C#7)

• Key: C#7
• Timestamp: ~4:20
• Overview: Here, Ford brings the funk, playing over a James Brown-inspired groove. He sticks to the C# minor blues scale, adding in flat-fives and the ninth and 13th intervals for a jazzy edge.
• Breakdown: The lick incorporates hammer-ons and pull-offs to maintain the groove, moving from the 14th fret down the neck. The flat-five “blue note” creates tension, a hallmark of Ford’s style.
• Technique Tip: Be mindful of the jazz articulation—smooth hammer-ons and pull-offs are essential to nailing this lick.

4. Lick from “Revelation” (B7 to E Minor)

• Key: B7
• Timestamp: ~5:24
• Overview: This fast-paced lick comes from Ford’s fusion-heavy “Talk to Your Daughter” album. Starting on a B7 chord with a diminished scale run, it resolves on an E minor chord.
• Breakdown: The lick utilizes a diminished half-step, whole-step scale before resolving to E minor. The speed and complexity suggest that Ford may have used hybrid picking here.
• Technique Tip: Experiment with hybrid picking to nail the speed of the lick without losing clarity, especially during the diminished run.

5. Lick from “Talk to Your Daughter” (Altered Scale in A7)

• Key: A7 to D Minor
• Timestamp: ~6:27
• Overview: This altered scale lick in A7 employs the super Locrian (or altered) scale, a staple in jazz and bebop. It’s a great example of how Ford blends blues and jazz phrasing.
• Breakdown: This lick uses hammer-ons and pull-offs, with a bebop-inspired approach to rhythm and phrasing. The altered scale adds tension over the A7 chord before resolving to D minor.
• Technique Tip: Focus on the timing of your hammer-ons and pull-offs—this lick uses bebop phrasing, meaning you’ll need to be precise with your articulation.

Wrapping It Up

Robben Ford’s fast licks showcase the fusion of jazz, blues, and even R&B, resulting in a rich, textured playing style. Whether you’re working through diminished scales, pentatonics, or funk grooves, the key to mastering these licks is paying attention to Ford’s seamless blending of techniques and his use of space and tension.

Hope this fits the bill for your blog post!

The Slow 12 Bar Blues is a timeless canvas for musical exploration, and within its familiar structure lies a world of sonic possibilities. In this discussion, we delve into the infusion of the minor major pentatonic scale, a subtle yet impactful addition that can elevate your blues playing to new heights.

Lately, there’s been a fascinating shift in the world of Blues music. Have you noticed how contemporary players like Robben Ford and session pros such as Mike Landau are steering away from the traditional blues scale? It’s all about this intriguing minor major tonality that’s making waves, and it’s a trend worth exploring.

Instead of the classic bend on the minor third that’s been a staple in blues, these modern musicians are separating and emphasizing the minor and major 3rd distinctively. It’s a departure from the familiar, and it’s giving the music a fresh, edgy feel.

What’s causing this change? Some suggest influences from the diminished scale or the fusion of major and minor tonalities found in legends like Miles Davis. These elements seem to have seeped into the Blues world, shaping a new sonic landscape.

The result? A revamped pentatonic structure: Root, minor third, major third, fourth, fifth, flat seventh, octave, and a myriad of variations. Imagine the possibilities—different fingerings, various applications, and a whole new palette to paint your musical landscape.

Curious to explore further? Dive into these musical nuances. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting, these shifts in tonality could be the spark you’ve been seeking to ignite your musical creativity.

And hey, if you found this insight intriguing, there’s more to delve into. If you’re up for it, check out my books on modern Blues—’Contemporary Blues Soloing’ and ‘Contemporary Blues Chords and Comping.’ They cover everything from the basics to the complexities of modern Blues. Available in both hard copy and digital formats, these resources might just be the inspiration you’re looking for.

Let’s keep the Blues evolving, pushing, and embracing these new sounds. Share your thoughts below! Have you noticed this change in the Blues scene? What’s your take on this shift to minor major tonalities?