In this workshop Eric digs deep into the style of Mississippi bluesman Big Joe Williams. Big Joe played guitar with a funky and unique approach using open G tuning capoed at the 2nd fret. He doubled some of the some strings on his guitar to create a 9 string instrument! His driving rhythm and pentatonic based riffs are part of the Mississippi blues tradition that can also be heard in the music of John Lee Hooker and R.L. Burnside. For this class Eric will break down Big Joe’s classic Baby Please Don’t Go as well some of his own material in this style.
Instructor Bio
Deeply rooted in the music of ’20s and ’30s blues pioneers, Eric Noden’s percussive guitar work, timeless songwriting, and well-traveled blues vocals have earned the respect of audiences, critics, and musicians worldwide. The Illinois Entertainer described Eric as “a spiritual heir to Chicago blues guitarists of the ’20s and ’30s like Tampa Red and Big Bill Broonzy.”
This multi-talented acoustic artist fills an important niche in the city’s mostly plugged-in blues scene. Similarly, Eric’s artistry was also recognized in Cadence Magazine, which said he is, “intent on mastering older styles while transporting them and us into a new century where the past is not forgotten.” The Milwaukee Journal Sentinal adds, “The Chicago-based bluesman makes a National Resonator guitar absolutely wail.”
Eric Noden sings, shouts, and stomps while conjuring old spirits from the strings of his acoustic guitar. Varying his approach from song to song, Noden draws from a deep well of American music that fuels his high energy performances. His right hand thumb often lays down a driving bass figure that weaves around intricate melodic parts played with his fingers. This style, favored by early bluesmen like Charley Patton, Reverend Gary Davis, and Blind Blake, is one that only a few contemporary bluesmen have mastered.