This 42-page collection of ideas from Jan Jakut features all sorts of blues-based ideas.
From a transcription of a Fado piece “A Viela) as played by Martinho d’Assunção Júnior to some Bill Frisell to a lovely transcription of Robben Ford’s tasteful blues playing & even some T-Bone Walker too!
The 19 musical examples/ideas/concepts that range from short musical ideas to full length musical transcriptions.
There’s so much to digest!
At one point, this collection reminds me of those classic Guitar Player or Guitar World magazine lesson article materials from the early 2000s. This collection sort of gives that kind of anthology vibe, but with a Jan Jakut twist to it.
Some of the highlights for me are the Fado: “A Viela”, How to Pass A Blue Monk and Improvisation – Robben Ford.
Even though the title implies blues content, this is not a ‘how to play blues’ kind of guide. This is more of blues-tinged material.
If you’re looking for a method or step by step guitar book, this isn’t for you.
However, if you like Jan’s material (check out his YouTube videos for a taste of it), this is a very affordable way to get a whole lot of ideas. I enjoy opening the book to get some quick ideas, experiment & then return to it a few days later. I find that that’s the best way for me to enjoy it.
I recommend this for guitarists looking for new compositional or improvisational ideas.
Pros: A good collection of interesting & great sounding blues (and blues-inspired) ideas
Cons: No specific pathway or step by step way of consuming the material. This is a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) collection.
TLDR: Recommended for guitarists looking for new practice ideas.
You can purchase this product here: https://janjakut.bandcamp.com/merch/a-blues-shaped-box-2
You can also check out my previous reviews of Jan’s book here:
Book Review: Neo Soul Guitar 101 – 2nd Edition by Jan Jakut
Book Review: Concepts for Solo Guitar Performance – 2nd Edition by Jan Jakut
Book Review: (Jazz) Guitar 101 by Jan Jakut
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