It has been a pure pleasure to play and record with the super talented Justin Valente @justin-valente. Justin lives and breathes guitar and has such a deep and wonderful understanding of blues, blues history, and its evolution and influence in rock. And Justin uses that to turn out some of the consistently baddest guitar playing on SoundCloud. Capital B. Almost every day. So impressive.

When I found him here on SC I was instantly attracted to both his sound and conception. Somewhere that I would love to be if I played the electric guitar. A ton of electricity in his playing, raw energy, and a great understanding of navigating through the changes. If you haven't already, click to go to Justin's SC gallery and follow him. He is a serious student, and makes everything we do sound better.

Here's a collection of about 10 tunes we have recorded together....some classic tunes as well as originals. Very proud of these recordings.

Thanks Justin. So many of you have liked, commented and often shared our music - thanks for such passion, and for helping keep the blues inspired music here on SC alive and thriving. Several other of my favorite musicians here on SoundCloud are on these recordings as well - Tom Adams, Joe Bongiovanni, Ian Tait and Johnny Pugh.

To quote Bob Marley, "We're Jammin...."

@justin-valente
@tytlblues
@joe-bongiovanni
@ian-tait
@johnny-pugh


BUY JAMIE'S MUSIC

Jamming with Justin Valente

An instrumental version of the blues classic Sky is Crying, made famous by Stevie Ray Vaughn.  My first work with Justin, who has been an inspiration and is truly a world class blues guitar player.  Fun to post today on Justin's birthday.   Check out @justin-valente to hear more of his special blues 

Guitars and Bass:  Justin Valente (@Justin-Valente)
Organ:  Jamie Rhind
Drums:  Blues Drums Vol.1 from the Loop Loft

Sky is Crying - with Justin Valente / guitar and bass

We had a blast pulling this together.  Its a simple blues/gospel riff on organ in F, that sets up some wonderful opportunities for heavy jams over the top by Justin and Tom, two of the finest blues players I have ever recorded with.  Tom has the solos with a more treble sound, and Justin boosts his midrange and bass.  Check out their SoundCloud pages if you are not familiar.  They are bad ass, just like this tune.  Let us know what you think!

Bad Ass Blues - with Justin Valente and Tom Adams / guitars

What fun pulling this together with three serious musicians.  You probably know Joe Bongiovanni and Justin Valente's awesome blues oriented guitars, and they stretch out here on this funk / soul / fusion groove.  Burning it up they are.  And joining us on Alto Sax is recording artist Matt Criscuolo.  Look for him at mattcriscuolo.com.  These guys just play their ass off here.  Started with an internet fusion loop, I added many keyboard lines to funk it up to the max, and we added these pros.  Joe takes the opening solos for the first four minutes, Justin follows, and we finish with all the guys trading off.  So much energy.  Positive energy here.  Put this on and relax.  Hope you enjoy the entire tune - an extended play jam.  Damn this is burning.... Thanks for listening.  The guys would love your thoughts....

Funk And Burn - With Joe Bongiovanni and Justin Valente guitars and Matt Criscuolo alto sax

Bringing a soulful sound to SoundCloud with this one.  Lifetime recording artist, soul vocalist, saxophone and harmonica player Johnny Pugh sits in with blues guitarist extraordinaire Justin Valente and me on an emotional Ray Charles type slow jam.  What a wonderful surprise to hear Johnny's beautiful harp lines, which fit perfectly with Justin's raw electric blues energy.  Real proud of this one, as it captures the heart and spirit of why we all love SoundCloud.   Check out Johnny and Justin's music here - you will love their playing.  Thanks for listening.

Soul Brothers - with Justin Valente guitar and Johnny Pugh blues harp and horns

So much fun to have musicians all over the world play together, and this jam includes three of my very favorite guitarists and musicians here on SoundCloud...Tom Adams, Ian Tait and Justin Valente.  These guys can all light up a stage, and graciously came together for this funky collaboration.  If you aren't following them all you should be - you'll be getting fresh tracks almost every day from each.  Tom and Justin are both from the US (Austin and NYC), and Ian hails from Edinburgh, Scotland.   For our Summer Funk Jam here, we started with a very funky internet backing track, allowing everyone to dig in and do their thing.  You'll recognize each of the guys' styles if you've been listening to their galleries, and together it makes for some serious Summer Funk.  Thanks guys for all the ongoing support - each of you help bring out the best in SoundCloud.  Make that SoundCloud FUNk.  Let us know what you think - it is always inspiring to get feedback on our playing:

guitar: Tom Adams @tom-adams
guitar:  Ian Tait @ian-tait
guitar:  Justin Valente @justin-valente
organ:  Jamie Rhind @jamie-rhind


Summer Fun(k) Jam - collab with Tom Adams, Ian Tait and Justin Valente / guitars

A swinging shuffle with the outstanding Justin Valente on electric guitar.  Justin developed this 12 bar blues after listening to one of his favorite bands, Gov't Mule.  If you are into serious blues and electric guitar, you gotta check out more of New Jersey's own Justin Valente.  He's all over SoundCloud and loves to create and share new music almost every day.  Gotta love his complete understanding of how to play some serious blues - Gov't Mule style here!  Thanks as always for taking the time to listen and to comment.  Means a lot.

https://soundcloud.com/justin-valente

guitar and bass: Justin Valente
organ: Jamie Rhind (@jamie-rhind)
drums: Terrence Higgins Greasy Grooves from Loop Loft (@thelooploft)


Mule's Blues - with Justin Valente / guitar

Created this Latin Jazz Rock tune with a very percussive latin groove over classic jazz changes.  Justin as always does a fantastic job with the guitar, helping anchor the mood while developing a fine solo to complement the salsa groove.  Put on your dancing shoes...

https://soundcloud.com/justin-valente

Latin Dancer - with Justin Valente / guitar

Johnny Pugh Vocals & alto sax, Justin Valente Guitar, Christian Pearl piano, Jamie Rhind organ, Craig Rhind Bass & Enrico Garcia Drums

FOOL FOR THE BRIGHT LIGHT LIGHTS (Collaboration)Johnny Pugh , Justin Valente, Jamie Rhind & others

Justin https://soundcloud.com/justin-valente and I wanted to throw out a guitar/organ jam to thank Tom Adams https://soundcloud.com/tytlblues for his incredible support of the Blues here on SoundCloud.  Inspirational and a mentor he has been to so many around the world.  So many countries.  Yesterday Tom surprised us all with a Soundcloud farewell jam and so we thought it would be best to get right back to him to let him know we digged his efforts for us all here.  On Payday,  Justin just takes this one home for Tom, as only Justin can.  He's picking up the organ and drum groove and spinning it around silly.  Heavy blues rock sound from New Jersey!!  Gotta love it.  Sweet sweet electricity.  We're missing you already here Tom.  You know it.  The stage is always open.....Let's hear some Soundcloud love for Tom and Justin.  And thanks as always for your listening, comments and shares!


https://soundcloud.com/tytlblues
https://soundcloud.com/justin-valente



Payday - Tribute to Tom Adams - with Justin Valente / guitar

Rock Me Baby is one of the classic blues standards and we've gathered my favorite blues players here for a huge SoundCloud Blues Explosion. Thanks to everyone for your contributions on this tune and on the many others we have done together.

You will recognize each of their distinct sounds, and I love how each has interpreted the music differently, bringing their own unique voice to the jam. I'm excited also to have our son Tyler joining Johnny and sitting in on Tenor. Check out everyone's galleries here - and follow each of their great sounds:

Vocals - bigmamaDee and Martin Jones (Netherlands and US)
Tenor Sax - Johnny Pugh and Tyler Rhind (Spain and US)
Harp - Johnny Pugh (Spain)
Piano - Julien Apelian (France)
Organ - Jamie Rhind (US)
Guitar - Alan Schulman, Tom Adams, Mike Orzek, Joe Bongiovanni, Justin Valente, Kev Steier (all US except for Kev - Australia)

This tune was made famous by BB King in 1964, and was recorded by so many greats including Jeff Beck, The Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Robin Trower, Frank Marino and Johnny Winter.

And as always, thanks for your time listening, your comments and your shares.

Rock Me Baby - The Global Soundcloud Blues Explosion

Ever since I saw Jaco with Weather Report with his Word of Mouth Band I have wanted to play this wonderful funk groove, The Chicken.  Jaco Pastorius was the most virtuosic electric bass player of his time, and brought this Pee Wee Ellis tune to life with his funky and soulful playing.   I've asked Germany's wonderful electric bassist Mirko "Stringburner" Borach https://soundcloud.com/stringburner to play the famous baseline, and New Jersey's electric blues rocker Justin Valente https://soundcloud.com/justin-valente to light it up too.  With these players you just know it has to be good:)  Thanks for joining guys!   Serious grooves.

Thanks for your time listening, your comments and your shares.  

The Chicken - with Mirko Borach and Justin Valente

Had been way too long since I had asked Justin Valente https://soundcloud.com/justin-valente to join me, but when I created this funky Mr. Hip he was the perfect choice to join the fun.  Justin is simply one of the finest blues and blues rock guitarists I have ever known, and has an extensive collection of great tracks here on SoundCloud and a very large international following.  We've recorded about 20 tunes together the past couple years here, and are real excited to share this one with you.

Justin takes the first solo, and brings a screaming sound, perfect rhythm to meet and match the funky rhodes and groove, and creates so much excitement with his solo.    I follow with a heavy synth solo, to finish.  We were looking to draw on the sound that Tommy Bolin and Jan Hammer achieved on Billy Cobham's important jazz rock Spectrum album.

Thanks as always for your most generous time listening, for your comments and for your shares.  

Mr. Hip - with Justin Valente / guitar

Thought I'd ask the great Justin Valente https://soundcloud.com/justin-valente, my favorite blues rock guitarist on SoundCloud, to join me on this modal blues rock original. I'm such a huge fan of fine guitarists, and ever since I heard Justin's sound here I quickly fell in love with what he is doing.  Was going to create space to join him on the soloing, but in the end wanted to share his full playing.  Justin's laid back blues orientation works so well with this groove, which was written for him in mind.  Reminds me of the opportunities so many of us have had in rehearsal and recording rooms, in basements and (I guess) in garages to stretch out.  The name stands for Justin and Jamie...we both love a great jam.  And if you love the blues and blues rock, be sure to jump onto Justin's page and follow him.  Always a great tune coming your way.  We have now done over 25 tunes together here and each one is a thrill.  Thanks Justin!

And for those interested, I have just released Barcelona and I Believe, 2 CDs of my own music and a few jazz standards. SoundCloud's Dan van den Berg and Al Schulman wrote the liner notes for them. Here's a link if you are interested in checking them out - itunes.apple.com/us/album/barcelona/id1071251143

Thanks so much for your generous time listening, for your comments and for your shares.

J & J Jam - with Justin Valente / guitar

1971 was an important time in music, where electricity was changing the landscape and Rock, Funk, Soul and Jazz were all merging into psychedelic grooves.  Marshal stacks were often taller than the players, the players were higher than the Marshal stacks, Strats and Les Pauls were the axes of choice, Hammond B3 Organs and Fender Rhodes keyboards could compete for volume with the guitars, and the hair was even longer than the jams.   Woodstock was a recent memory, Jimi Hendrix had just passed but had moved into the funk and soul inspired Band of Gypsies period, Sly & The Family Stone was heating it up with heavy funk and soul inspired grooves, and Miles Davis had just released the seminal Bitches Brew fusion double album that literally changed music.  This was where it was at, with each of these musicians and bands being influenced by each other.  Great stuff that produced legendary sessions and recordings and pushed music forward with power, energy, groove and volume.  

1971 commemorates this time and mindset, and recreates the feel with friends from around the world who continuously exhibit this spirit, energy and hair in their playing:

Alpha Roots - djembe  Stuttgart, Germany  https://soundcloud.com/alpha-roots
Rikard From - Hammond B3 organ  Umea, Sweden  https://soundcloud.com/rikard-from
Stephen "Pinner" Lipinski - guitar  New Jersey, USA  https://soundcloud.com/pinner
Scott Nelson - guitar  Pennsylvania, USA  https://soundcloud.com/scott-nelson-364333064
Marco Oversteegen - guitar  Almere, Netherlands  https://soundcloud.com/marco-oversteegen
Justin Valente  - guitar  New Jersey, USA  https://soundcloud.com/justin-valente
Jorg Calaminus - Dusseldorf, Germany - mastering

A couple of words on each of the players:  ALPHA ROOTS - Alphio was the perfect choice to add his soulful African djembe percussion voice.  One of the most prolific and inclusive musicians here on SoundCloud, always speaking with a positive voice.  Check out his often reggae and dub inspired recordings.  RICKARD FROM - my favorite B3 player here on SoundCloud.  We haven't recorded before but wanted his beautiful sound and also wanted these other heavy cats to be introduced to his Jimmy Smith type playing.  STEPHEN "PINNER" LIPINSKI - one of the hottest jazz fusion guitarists on SoundCloud, bringing more modern Scofieldesque jazz lines and harmonies to 1971.  SCOTT NELSON - another burning jazz and fusion guitarist, Scott sound combines elements of the contemporary guitar masters - Scofield, Metheny and Martino - to create his extraordinary playing.  MARCO OVERSTEEGEN - no one on SC has a closer overall sound to Hendrix, and we needed Marco's fabulous rhythm playing and soloing to anchor this 1971 mood.  JUSTIN VALENTE - Justin's my favorite blues rock guitarist, and just had to be a part of this summit, bringing us that heavy electric sound of Jimi, The Allman Bros, Freddie King and Stevie Ray Vaughn.  

So here's 1971.  Again.

Thanks to these great players for joining me and contributing so much to 1971, and also to all the listener, for your generous time, your comments and your shares.  And a special thanks to Jorg Calaminus for taking the initiative to master the sound for us to give you this real fine mix.
  

1971 - Alpha Roots, Rikard From, Scott Nelson, Marco Oversteegen, Pinner, Justin Valente, Jamie

We've got Justin Valente throwing down the Golden State Blues.  Justin and I share a love for blues and basketball, and when the Golden State Warriors had the finest season in NBA history it was almost a lock for their second championship in a row.  But Lebron's Cavs beat them in the finals and our blues tune was started.  Just this last week, however, Kevin Durant joined Golden State, turning around their Blues into smiles.  Now the entire NBA is running scared.

Justin nails his soloing here, and has created a swinging rhythm guitar track too.  We've done about 28 tunes here on SoundCloud...and if you aren't following his outstanding guitar playing, here's a link to do so...https://soundcloud.com/justin-valente 

Thanks for all your generous time listening, for your comments and for your shares.

Golden State Blues - with Justin Valente / guitar

Sometimes that workload just gets a little heavy.  This is one of those times.

Joining us here is SoundCloud's finest blues rocker Justin Valente and slap bassist extraordinaire Mirko Borach.  Check out their deep galleries with other fine musicians:

Justin Valente:  https://soundcloud.com/justin-valente
Mirko Borach:  https://soundcloud.com/stringburner

Thanks as always for your generous time listening, for your comments and for your shares.

Heavy Workload - with Justin Valente / guitar and Mirko "Stringburner" Borach / bass

This is a cover of Little Milton's "That's What Love Will Make You Do" with Jamie on keyboards and me on guitar and bass.  We did this as an instrumental and the track is based on the Jerry Garcia Band version.  

Thanks as always to Jamie :)  We hope you enjoy!

That's What Love Will Make You Do (featuring Jamie Rhind)

Haven't been playing or posting much lately, but reposting this because I played with the mix today for fun.

Named because it felt like eternity for me to finish this track because my DAW kept crashing :) This is a little blues jam that started as one thing and ended up as another. It is me on guitars and bass, Jamie on keyboards, and drum loops from Beta Monkey.

Thanks to Jamie as always for being so flexible and easy to work with. He adds a lot to this track and sounds great. We hope you enjoy :)

Eternity Blues (featuring Jamie Rhind)

It is with great sadness that Justin Valente and I are releasing a version of the classic Statesboro Blues just a couple of days following the passing of Gregg Allman, the leader, soulful vocalist and Hammond Organ player of the Allman Bros. Band.  Gregg was legendary, and such an important musical force with the merging of Blues, Rock, Soul, Country and Jazz, keeping the Allman Brothers band together and touring for over 40 years.  Statesboro Blues is one of their most famous recordings, released in 1971 on their seminal At Filmore East live album.  The Allman Bros. have been such an important influence on Justin's great playing, and so he's the perfect guitarist to join me to bring you this classic blues.  Check out Justin's beautiful blues and blues rock playing and recordings at https://soundcloud.com/justin-valente and at https://soundcloud.com/jamie-rhind/sets/jamming-with-justin-valente-1 for our 32 tunes we have recorded together so far.  RIP Gregg.
Thanks as always for your generous time listening, for your comments and for your shares

Statesboro Blues - a tribute to Gregg Allman - with Justin Valente / guitar

This is a cover of the old blues tune - Next Time You See Me, covered by many including my beloved Grateful Dead :)  Jamie is on keys, and me on guitars.  I put the rest of the backing track together with various loops.  I am playing my PRS thru a makeshift rig but hopefully it gets the job done.  Thanks as always to Jamie!

Next Time You See Me (featuring Jamie Rhind)

Jazz/Fusion keyboard player, composer and producer.  Marketing, advertising, publishing and sales career.  Originally from Chicago, where I developed a strong appreciation for the blues and classical, and moved to New York, where jazz and the fine arts are so deep.  Key musical influences include Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Zawinul and Weather Report, Chick Corea and Return to Forever, John McLaughlin and the Mahivishnu Orchestra, Stanley Clarke, Scott Henderson and Tribal Tech, Jeff Beck and Jan Hammer, Mike Stern, John Scofield, Pat Metheny, Emily Remler, McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Jimmy Smith, Joey DeFrancesco, Larry Young, Buddy Guy, Santana and Earth Wind & Fire.   Former classical clarinet and piano player.  Unless noted, my music on SoundCloud was composed, recorded and performed using only keyboards.  An avid photographer.  Many covers here are my shots.  To see my photography look for Herbiejazz on Instagram or search for Herbiejazz on Google.  And a big thumbs up to SoundCloud and the SoundCloud community, and so many friends who have joined me to create.  Thank you all.