Christmas has come and gone (so have the mince pieces and mulled wine!) and the tree is coming down. January can perhaps feel a little… underwhelming – so here are some tips to get your creative juices flowing and to help you beat the January blues!
Firstly, have you considered playing blues music? It may well be the perfect music for January since its expression is kind a soulfulness that hovers somewhere between melancholia and happiness. If you like up-tempo Blues, listen to Liberace. If you want to get started playing blues, I’d recommend Improvising Blues Piano by Tim Richards.
Liberace: The Old Piano Roll Blues
Tim’s book teaches you the fundamentals of learning to improvise blues music for yourself. The accompanying info on the blues style is really helpful, and the historical roots of blues in slavery and its evolution into rock-and-roll are fascinating.
Bessie Smith: St Louis Blues
If you’d like a window into another world, listen to ‘Bessie Smith St Louis Blues’ to get a sense for an early blues style. This recording is special because it seems so incredibly slow and soulful. So if you want to create something beautiful, to freely express yourself, and to break the January mould – get started learning the blues!
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