Chances are that if you are reading this you play bass and are interested in the Blues. Maybe youíre a beginner thinking Blues is easy to play. Maybe you're a seasoned vet schooled in other genres wanting some quick authentic lines for a gig tonight, or a shuffle next set. Maybe you know a few lines, but want to learn how to create new ones -- or do more with the lines you know. Here's a place to start and a reference you can use.

Hi, my name is Mark Epstein. I've been priviliged to play bass with Johnny Winter and many other heavy Bluesmen over the years giving me an inside view of the Blues world. Spending time making music with these artists has given me a real sense of history, how these artists feel about their music, what it means to them, and how it feels to play the authentic real deal.

Here's what I learned.

It's all about FEEL. Blues ain't rocket science. If I wrote an instructional book on what not to play, it would be an encyclopedia. Ray Charles once told a guitar playing buddy of mine: "it's not how many notes you play, it's how much you put into each note."

Instead of progressive harmony amd fancy licks, Blues bass playing is about creating a great feel and locking it in. You're the heartbeat. You're the glue that holds it all together. You and the drummer are the foundation supporting the band, so playing simple and consistant are key elements here. If you play a great line, repetiton will only make it better. It becomes a "thing" unto it's own. You tap into the spirit. And the musicians and artists playing with you tap into it as well -- and love you for it. That's one way to get a lot of gigs!

Blues holds a special place in music history as well as American history and culture. It gave birth to both Jazz and Rock & Roll, and influenced most everything else. Some feel it's the best indigenous art we have to offer the world. Think of how many songs in so many styles quote the Blues. Whether it's a vocal phrase, a guitar lick, or the 1 4 5 progression as the basis of a song, the Blues is everywhere when you have an ear out for it.

Method to my Madness:

In this book & CD, I'll show you some authentic Blues bass lines and variations. I'll introduce a line, sometimes with variations, play it through the 12 bar cycle, then take it through some different idioms (styles). We'll see how the same bass line works with different feels. You'll see that only minor changes in the line can effect major changes in feel and groove. So the trick here is not to memorize alot of lines; it is to understand a few good ones and learn how to manipulate them to achieve the vibe you're going for. This is the power of the bass. Happy hunting!

About The Author

Few bassists come close to Mark Epstein when it comes to experience. He divides his time between recording and performing with many national and international artists as well as producing, songwriting, teaching, and now writing instructional books. His considerable experience, coupled with his long standing gig with blues guitar legend Johnny Winter gives him a unique perspective on playing Blues Bass.

Other artists Mark has worked with include Dr. John, David Crosby, Edgar Winter, Taj Mahal, Robben Ford, Maria Muldaur, and jazz heavy Joe Beck. Some other activities include performing and recording with Willie Nelson, scoring a movie soundtrack with "Living Colour" guitarist Vernon Reid, producing a song aired on the hit HBO series "Sex and the City" and writing and producing a song featured the Orion Pictures release "Speed Zone". Last year Mark founded a weekly musical jam session in Maui, Hawaii called the "Tuesday Night Music Club" visited by luminaries Prince and George Benson. He even recorded and played some shows with tennis/media personality John McEnroe!

A solid “groove” player, Mark is quick to point out that he’s the type of bassist who really likes playing BASS on the bass.

How about you?