Piano Blues

Piano Blues originated in the early 20th century, chiefly in the Southern United States, where musicians discovered that a bit of soulful melancholy and a lot of bang on the ivories could make for a rather splendid evening. Characterised by the use of 12-bar progressions and sometimes sorrowful lyrics, it sounds like a jolly good whinge punctuated by some virtuoso fingerwork; imagine a chap lamenting his life choices whilst simultaneously dazzling you with his piano prowess. This genre laid the groundwork for countless others, proving that a good dose of sorrow and syncopation can resonate quite beautifully with audiences even today.