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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Breaking Down Sonny Rollins’ Catchiest Tune
A personal OpEd on one of Sonny Rollins’ most classic melodies, and a reframed way to improvise within blues-infused modern jazz.
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How to Use a Jazz Turnaround in Your Pop or Folk Song
Borrowing a nifty couple of chord changes from the jazz world can really elevate your songwriting, no matter the genre or style.
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Is Janelle Monáe’s “Dirty Computer” the New “Purple Rain” or Something Else Entirely?
Welcome to Soundfly Slacks Off, a published team discussion. The following conversation took place among Soundfly team members on May 4, 2018 and has been edited to provide maximum interesting stuff and minimal snoody gibberish (but we kept some of that in there too). Want to nerd out with us on musical topics or get […]
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6 Songs That Prove Otis Spann Sold His Soul to the Devil, Too
Blues legend has it that at the corner of Highway 61 and Highway 49 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, otherwise known as the “Devil’s Crossroads,” a young Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in return for the ability to play the bejeezus out of his guitar. Well, I’m here to make the case that there […]
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Song Kitchen: “Peg” by Steely Dan
Welcome to the latest edition of Song Kitchen! Well aren’t you in for a treat, because today we’re gonna be heading down to the City of Angels, the Big Orange, Tinseltown, that’s right — Los Angeles! This city is Americana through and through, home to some of the greatest music ever recorded. We’re here visiting the resident […]
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Understanding Advanced Blues Harmony
+ 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. The 12-bar blues is the most important structural element in the history of American popular music. Musicians from Louis Armstrong to The White Stripes have used the […]
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The Power of the Blues: Finding Rhythm and Compassion in Music
By Mara Rosenbloom Photos by Nick Lerman Musicians throw around the term “the blues” a lot. Often there seems to be an assumption that we all know — and agree on — what that term means. In a jazz context, say, a jam session, if someone says, “let’s play a blues,” typically the only follow-up […]
