I play chromatic in first position and use Band in a Box to create the background music I use to perform with. It takes a lot of time and effort and there is a long learning curve to making your own.

People have told me that some of my backgrounds sound as good or better than some of the pre-recorded, live band backing tracks that they’ve heard. I don’t know if they’re pulling my leg, just blowing smoke or if they’re sincere but I enjoy hearing it.

There has been a lot of discussion on harmonica forums and blogs about backing tracks.

Where to get them and who has the best.

I saw Jimi Lee at SPAH a few weeks ago and bought his GrooveTrax™.

This is a 2 CD set entitled “Every Groove a Bluesman Needs To Know”. There are 31 “top shelf” Blues Grooves in all, with loads of different beats, tempos, keys and grooves. These backing tracks are designed to cover every blues groove a musician should know.

It’s a great learning tool for all members of the band. Drummers, guitar players and bass players all will benefit greatly by learning these particular grooves. They are perfect for playing lead blues licks and melodies on any instrument, whether it be harmonica, sax, piano, guitar or anything else playing blues music.

They are extremely high fidelity and are perfect for making recordings with. All titles were carefully chosen and will help immensely to communicate with drummers, guitar players and bass players, to get the groove you want.

Wouldn’t it help a great deal to really understand what the difference is between a Jazz Swing and a Texas Shuffle, or a Tramp Groove and a Second Line Beat? These are slang terms used by blues players.

Here’s your chance to learn what slang terms like that, and lots of other lingo means, and best of all, what they sound like.

Here lies a lifetime of information from living in different cities, working with countless musicians and hearing the slang and lingo used to communicate “feel”, “groove”, “beats”, “bass lines” and more, without written music.

These CD’s are like getting a PHD “from the boulevard of the blues”.

They will help make anyone “street smart” with the blues. Simply play any track and read the groove description provided several times while you listen. Identify each statement made in the description to the sound made in the music. Then memorize the slang used to communicate that musical idea, which is simply (the title of that groove). SAMPLE

New Harmonica recommends but doesn’t sell GrooveTrax™. You’ll be able to get your own set of CD’s over on Jimi’s site: GrooveTrax