Jesse Ed Davis style

Hi.

I've looked all around and can find very little about JED's guitar style.
Also, I can't even find the clip I particularly wanted to focus on! "Checking Up on My Baby", from the Rock'n'Roll Circus. He does some lovely Jazzy descents etc in that performance.

Some similar stuff here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmDB2T9vNNk, from about 1min on, for example.

Anyway, can anyone suggest to me what he's doing, or similar moves? It's just a nice spin on standard I IV V stuff and I'd like to cop some of it, if possible. Nice transitions between chords.

Or, indeed, anything you can tell me about his style e.g. what exactly he does on "Leavin' Trunk" (I get the same sound, but I think I'm fingering it differently to him).

Or is there any instructional material that'd get me in a similar direction?

Cheers.

Jim Weider has two DVD's on Homespun Tapes called Electric Country Blues that are chocked full of some great licks and ideas. I believe that Jim mentions Jesse Ed in one part on pedal steel licks. Something about Jesse being in Conway Twitty's band. However, there is one disclaimer. I bought these on VHS and the best lick on the whole deal isn't tabbed or explained very well which kind of pissed me off.

Iain,
I think JED is just a fantastic player. Not really so fast or complicated but rather everything he did was with taste & soul. Some of his tunes are among my favorites.

I listened to your YT link and coincidentaly, (even though I've never heard your tune) the descending turn around is almost exactly what moved me about JED back in the late 60s and early 70's when I first heard him.

There was a tune that just blew me away then and still does. If you havent already heard it, it is called "Bacon Fat" off the (I think) Giant Step recording. The licks were pretty simple for me (didn't learn verbatum... just improv over with that same type of feel.) But the chords and that descending turnaround were what I liked... so much so that I just HAD TO LEARN. The descending part is similar to what we always hear in jazz blues. The principle is the same as the turn in Freddie King's "Stumble" (VI-II-V-I ??? ) but not in the same key and not exactly the same chords. (maybe someone can help us here with the Rom numeral designations here. I'm at work and don't have a guitar handy.)

If you havent heard already, scout around and find Taj Mahal's "Bacon Fat". Listen to the whole thing before passing judgment and let us know. If thats what you are interested in, I can show how I learned it so many years ago. I post the voicings I use when I can get to my guitar.

Let me know how you like "Bacon Fat"

Regards,

Thanks, Charlesinator. I'll look into the Weider tape and see if it's on DVD.

6Stringer - here's "Bacon Fat": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYDNN34pHeY
Yup, that's exactlyy what I'm talking about (e.g. around the 1min50sec point). Any tips on his voicings/inversions (even just approximations thereof) would be very gratefully received. As you say, the lovely turnarounds and descents are just so hip that I'd like to cop them and use them.

Cheers, thanks for the info, chaps.

Iain,
Just found the aforementioned tune "Bacon Fat" on YT. (imagine that) Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5IBSD1GX5o

The actual turn around I was refering to dosent come in until some of the solos. Also JED does some really cool stuff behind TM's harp solos. The tune is a little long. Some signigficant points are at 1:50, 2:12, 2:22 and I think JED's solo starts around 3:00. He's got that Tele witjh a fender amp w/some reverb and either a phase shifter or a leslie cabinet. They did have Phase shifters then. I used to have one. It was a 3-speed Maestro. Never used anything except the slow speed. Really great. Wish I still had it.

Any tips on his voicings/inversions (even just approximations thereof) would be very gratefully received. As you say, the lovely turnarounds and descents are just so hip that I'd like to cop them and use them.

Cheers, thanks for the info, chaps.[/QUOTE]

Good. Sounds like we're on the same page. I'll try and send something to you in the next day or two.

Best...

Now if someone can just help me with the voicings that Mick Abrahams (old Jethro Tull)used in his cover of Roland Kirk's "Serenade to a Cuckoo" I would be a happy man. No worries with the melody... just the chord voicings.

I see what the Real Book shows (in Fm) and I seen what others think chords in the Tull cover (in Gm) are but it just dosen't sound right. So, if anyone has got the chord voicings for this one I would likewise be appreciative as well.

Best

Thanks again - I'll look forward to what you can show me.
The fact that we both singled out 1.50 as a cool section shows you're in tune with what I'm enjoying in JED's playing.

cheers.

I am the first to admit I would have overplayed on this tune:

eZFd9Ia3ivo

Yeah, Jim Weider on his Country Soul DVD has a great section on Jesse Ed.
His smooth style is so fluid that it is deceptive.
My favourite player
This is is just a classic!
http://youtu.be/D1CNIpQWoj0

theres a GREAT clip of JED and Taj on The Rolling Stones Rock n Roll Circus DVD doing Ain't That a Lot of Love. Its a sweet looking Tele he's pickin' too, looks to be cloth covered.

I would like to be so tasteful in my playing. It's even harder than to play fast and furious, at least to me. I've like his playing since the seventies. How come his been so little appreciated? I don't think even half the guitar players here in Sweden knows him by name. It's an shame.