The Lyrical Genius of Chuck Berry
In this Guest OpEd, we explore the plethora of ways Chuck Berry tackled race and societal issues with humor and relatability in his lyrics.
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4 Great Nicknames in Blues History
Read the stories of four of our favorite American blues musicians to see how they ended up with some of the best nicknames of all time.
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Shoutin’ Out: A Crash Course on Blues Shouting
A closer look at the tradition of “blues shouting” in the early 1930s and ’40s, which helped inspire the creation of rock ‘n’ roll out of jazz and gospel.
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7 Incredible Forgotten Names in Delta Blues
Get to know some of the forgotten legends of an already-legendary American genre of music, the blues, in this historical deep dive into obscurity.
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That Time Keith Richards Found Muddy Waters Painting the Ceiling at Chess Studios
55 years ago today, the Rolling Stones released their “5×5” EP, the recording session in which they serendipitously met their blues idol, Muddy Waters.
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5 Pedals Ideal for Playing Blues Guitar
Looking to infuse your guitar playing with the whining, whimpering and screaming tones of your blues heroes? Here’s a tonal menagerie of pedals to help!
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The Differences Between Cajun and Zydeco Music
+ Welcome to Soundfly! We help curious musicians meet their goals with creative online courses. Whatever you want to learn, whenever you need to learn it. Subscribe now to start learning on the ’Fly. Colin Woodard’s book, American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rivan Regional Cultures of North America, identifies a number of distinct cultures that have historically spread across and divided…
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John Coltrane and the Economy of the Blues
Coltrane pioneered a new language in jazz harmony, rooted in some pretty basic blues progressions, but with his own added twist. Watch our video to explore!
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Thelonious Monk and Harnessing Dissonance
Today, Thelonious Monk (1917-1982) would have been 100 years old. Happy birthday, brother! To celebrate a century of Monk, here’s a video from our free course exploring the roots and musical extensions of the American musical language of the blues called A Conversation with the Blues. In it, instructor Vince Di Mura explains how Monk is able to coax a…
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Recognizing Jazz Idioms in Modern-Day Rhythms
By Emanuel Harrold As I go out and listen to new music on a daily basis, I can’t help but hear the nuances of jazz music in everyday moments. Sometimes, it’s the syncopation and spacing of sounds, other times, it’s the rhythms. And, sure, I’m a jazz drummer, so I’m biased, but it’s true that…
