Product Description

Ray Benson nails down the essential techniques of this exciting hybrid of country, jazz and blues. To solidify your rhythm playing, Ray dissects Eldon Shamblin's traveling bass lines and Freddie Green's comping and damping methods. Then he shows how to create hot lead lines and apply them to well-known western swing tunes, such as "Faded Love," "Take Me Back Back To Tulsa," "Roly Poly," "Redwing," "Fat Boy Rag" and "Milk Cow Blues." Hearing Ray trade licks with the legendary Johnny Gimble is an added treat.

Note: This lesson is for acoustic as well as electric players.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #57503 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-10-15
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 80 minutes

Customer Reviews

"Lots of info and great playing"
First,let me say that this is a lesson for the intermediate/some experience guitarist but a beginner will see how the real deal is supposed to be done and may get some learning guidance in what he needs to learn first.Any mandolin/fiddle players out there will really enjoy Johnny Gimble's playing on this DVD also.Tim Alexander plays the piano accompaniment and can play in the original western swing style so darn well.Most anybody interested in western swing will learn something from Ray Benson as he is an encyclopedia of knowledge of the style.
Now just a little bit on a personal note.I can't understand why the "Texas Country Music Hall of Fame"in Carthage,Texas hasn't inducted Ray for his HUGE contribution to Texas music and western swing in particular.He is a true ambassador of Texas music all over the county and for that matter,all over the world.If you asked anybody who is familiar with their music anywhere in the country where Ray is from,their answer would certainly be "Texas".Ray may not have been born here in Texas, but neither were almost all of the defenders at the Alamo and San Jacinto.Can you imagine anyone thinking that Sam Houston wasn't a Texan???even though he wasn't born here?Maybe some folks from the Hall of Fame will read this and consider inducting Ray.At any rate,buy this DVD for instruction or entertainment and you can't go wrong.Thanks.