This the longer post on blues that I promised a few days ago. At first, I wanted to write about the origins and the brief history of blues but soon it became clear that such a thing as a 'brief history' in this case is simply non-existent. The blues is immense and its mere roots are so long and winding that they would crawl out of the thickest of books.
After all that struggle and wikipedia-browsing, I decided to write about what kind of blues songs I like and why.
So, to begin at the beginning, I like Delta blues. It's traditional and simple and deep and I wouldn't be able to resist any music with slide guitar in it, anyway.
Then I like jazz songs that do not have the typical twelve-bar pattern blues pattern but the feel is blues, definitely. The sound isn't so raw because the chords are richer and the rhythm can change too. If you watch this Louis Armstrong concert video you'll see and hear what this sort of freedom can add to the blues. The thing starts in a slow and melancholy way, forlorn as a funeral march, then the musicians shake themselves and with all that extra bounce and swing the whole thing starts to shine.
Then there is the Chicago Blues with harmonica. Check out this one. How can he get those cries out of that little box with all those holes? (Sorry, harmonica players, but I'm just so perplexed and astounded by this.)
And here is a jumpier one with the coolest call and response vocals I have ever heard. But come to that, everything and everybody is just great in this one. This is a very uplifting sort of blues music, the kind which you would actually dance to and not just nod into your beer.
In Hendrix's hands the blues got a badass psychedelic streak that I just love. This version is a mixture of traditional cool blues and mellow jazziness. Enjoy!
And finally, let's get back to the roots! This is also a Robert Johnson song (just like the first one in this post), but played by Eric Clapton, who can blend his own virtuosity with great authenticity. Malted milk, malted milk, keep rushing to my head...
Friday, 27 August 2010
Monday, 23 August 2010
Saint James Infirmary Oh Yeaah!
Get yourself a stiff drink and sit down comfortably numb. Make sure you get over the first minute of this youtube video. The rest will take care of itself, 'cos its on of the the grooviest blues songs ever recorded. A longer post on blues music is yet to come.
Friday, 6 August 2010
Lucid Dreaming
I saw 'Inception' a couple of weeks ago and it turned me back to my long-neglected and almost forgotten habit: lucid dreaming. It is a method and state of mind that helps you realize that you are asleep without waking up. If you practice it patiently, sooner or later you will have the ability to control your dreams and you can do things that you are not able to do when you are awake. You can fly, swim down to the bottom of the sea, go through walls and other such things. You can also communicate with your dream characters(all of them a part of you:) and through this, you can gain insight into deeper levels of your consciousness.
If you would like to try lucid dreaming here are the steps you should take always baring in mind that sometimes it takes months to have your first lucid dream and forcing it doesn't help the process at all:
- Start a dream diary. When you wake up in the morning write down your dream or what you remember of it. It doesn't matter if you don't remember too much at first. As time goes by, you will become more aware of your dreams and you'll remember more and more details.
- If you see something strange or bizarre you should seriously ask yourself if this is a dream or you are awake. If it's a dream, you probably cannot remember what you did the previous day so this is a good question to ask yourself. If you turn around quickly in a wake state (and you're not under the influence of drugs or alcohol!) the world stops spinning when you have stopped to turn. In a dream, however, the world usually keeps on spinning. Another technique is to look at your hands. If they don't look like your hands, they are big, or the lines are different, it's a sign too. There are also some other reality tests that you can do. Always do some serious reality check before you do any flying and start your flying exercises with the good-old 'jump up and flap your hand' routine.
- If you do realize that you are dreaming try to do something extraordinary. See if you can walk through a wall or jump up in the air and see if you can make your fall very slow and soft. Try not to stare at a point fixedly as it will wake you up. Slowly you'll be able to control your dreams, but go step by step, because very sudden and forced changes are bound to wake you up too.
- If you experience fear or you start to have a nightmare you can always wake yourself up by staring at something for a few seconds. Later you will have enough control to change these dreams but at first it can be reassuring that you can wake up any time at all.
- Have fun and don't get upset if you don't have a lucid dream at once. Some people start to have lucid dreams after days some much later but with practice you lucid dreams will happen.
Here are a few images that you are more likely to see in dreams than when you're awake.
This man is flying like a duck. I would do a reality check if I saw this:)
(picture source)
It is a flying house. No big deal if you're watching a remake of "The Wizard of Oz". In most other cases it should cause some raised eyebrow movement (REM:)
(picture source)
Lost doggy is yearningly looking at a giant cat. VERY suspicious!
(source)
And finally, two images that show you how very tricky reality can be.
Stairs leading absolutely nowhere with spooky little figures wandering all about the place. You'd think you're dreaming, wouldn't you? No, mate. Just take a good look around. You're in a museum!
(source)
A green goat. Or more like a green-headed grinning goat. Hmmm. You should do some more checks, it is for real. They marked it with a crayon for some odd reason(lack of paper??) Anyway, if you see this, you may or may not be sleeping, but more likely that you are awake. Further tests and a beer are needed.
(source)
If you would like to try lucid dreaming here are the steps you should take always baring in mind that sometimes it takes months to have your first lucid dream and forcing it doesn't help the process at all:
- Start a dream diary. When you wake up in the morning write down your dream or what you remember of it. It doesn't matter if you don't remember too much at first. As time goes by, you will become more aware of your dreams and you'll remember more and more details.
- If you see something strange or bizarre you should seriously ask yourself if this is a dream or you are awake. If it's a dream, you probably cannot remember what you did the previous day so this is a good question to ask yourself. If you turn around quickly in a wake state (and you're not under the influence of drugs or alcohol!) the world stops spinning when you have stopped to turn. In a dream, however, the world usually keeps on spinning. Another technique is to look at your hands. If they don't look like your hands, they are big, or the lines are different, it's a sign too. There are also some other reality tests that you can do. Always do some serious reality check before you do any flying and start your flying exercises with the good-old 'jump up and flap your hand' routine.
- If you do realize that you are dreaming try to do something extraordinary. See if you can walk through a wall or jump up in the air and see if you can make your fall very slow and soft. Try not to stare at a point fixedly as it will wake you up. Slowly you'll be able to control your dreams, but go step by step, because very sudden and forced changes are bound to wake you up too.
- If you experience fear or you start to have a nightmare you can always wake yourself up by staring at something for a few seconds. Later you will have enough control to change these dreams but at first it can be reassuring that you can wake up any time at all.
- Have fun and don't get upset if you don't have a lucid dream at once. Some people start to have lucid dreams after days some much later but with practice you lucid dreams will happen.
Here are a few images that you are more likely to see in dreams than when you're awake.
This man is flying like a duck. I would do a reality check if I saw this:)
(picture source)
It is a flying house. No big deal if you're watching a remake of "The Wizard of Oz". In most other cases it should cause some raised eyebrow movement (REM:)
(picture source)
Lost doggy is yearningly looking at a giant cat. VERY suspicious!
(source)
And finally, two images that show you how very tricky reality can be.
Stairs leading absolutely nowhere with spooky little figures wandering all about the place. You'd think you're dreaming, wouldn't you? No, mate. Just take a good look around. You're in a museum!
(source)
A green goat. Or more like a green-headed grinning goat. Hmmm. You should do some more checks, it is for real. They marked it with a crayon for some odd reason(lack of paper??) Anyway, if you see this, you may or may not be sleeping, but more likely that you are awake. Further tests and a beer are needed.
(source)