The Early Masters of American Blues series provides the unique opportunity to study the true roots of modern blues. Stefan Grossman, noted roots-blues guitarist and musicologist, has compiled this fascinating collection of 14 songs from seven pivotal early blues guitarists from the Mississippi Delta. In addition to Stefan's expert transcriptions, the book includes a CD containing the original artist's recordings so you can hear and feel the music, as it was originally performed. Artists featured: WILLIE BROWN: (Future Blues; M&O Blues; Ragged and Dirty); SON HOUSE: (Dry Spell Blues; My Black Mama); SKIP JAMES: (Devil Got My Woman; Hard Time Killin' Floor; Special Rider); HAMBONE WILLIE NEWBERN: (Roll and Tumble Blues); CHARLIE PATTON: (Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues; Stone Pony Blues; 34 Blues); ARTHUR PETTIS: (Good Boy Blues); ROBERT WILKINS: (That's No Way to Get Along).

This programme is for beginner and intermediate guitarists who want to start fingerpicking. Presented by Stefan Grossman, it explores how to master the alternating bass style. Each tune is taught phrase by phrase and then played again slowly on a split-screen so that you can carefully see what both hands are doing. There is also footage of some of the great fingerstyle players such as Rev. Gary Davis, Lightnin' Hopkins, Mance Lipscomb, Merle Travis, Brownie McGhee, Elizabeth Cotten, John Jackson, Pink Anderson and Doc Watson.

The first volume in a series of lessons exploring various fingerstyle blues guitar styles and techniques. In this lesson, Stefan Grossman demonstrates alternating and monotonic bass techniques, blues slides, hammer-ons and pull-offs, and blues slurred notes.

Contemporary acoustic fingerstyle blues encompasses a wide variety of styles, techniques and sounds. In this lesson, Stefan Grossman teaches four multi-sectioned blues instrumentals that are bases on traditional techniques, blues piano ideas, single-string melodic guitar licks and horn styled solos. The music varies from a piano styled boogie to a slow country blues reminiscent of the playing of Blind Blake and Jelly Roll Morton to a New Orleans blues in the style and feel of Ray Charles and Snooks Eaglin. A detailed tab/music booklet is included as a PDF file on the DVD.