Customer Reviews

100 Ultimate Blues Riffs for Bb (tenor) Saxophone Book/audio CD

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I found that the riffs were not so "ultimate". Everything focuses on a standard blues scale and doesn't stretch out into anything richer, or more lyrical. If you are a beginning or intermediate saxophone student, there might be value here. However, if you have been playing professionally, or semi-pro, this does not present any new ground.

This will not make you play the blues like Bird, Sonny Stitt or Lou Donaldson. These are mostly down-home R&B oriented licks that are time-honored and will make you sound like you know what you are doing if you sit in with a blues/ rock band. If you have ever tried playing a bebop solo with turnarounds against a basic I-IV-V in a "guitar key" you know what I mean. Yes, these are mostly based on the blues scale. It is a BLUES book of BLUES riffs.

This is a fun and easy way to improve your reading skills. Many of the riffs are simple and many have syncopation and challenge. Listening to this really fine player demonstrate licks he composed and then playing them with the rhythm section on your own is like having a teacher. The fact that each riff is relatively short makes you zero in on it - not only learn how to play it accurately and stylistically, but if you repeat it several times you'll probably incorporate it into your solos when you improvise.