TENTER CHRISTONE "KINGFISH" INGRAM. Kingfish-already a modern blues icon at 23 years old - displays a level of musical maturity far beyond his years, playing with tons of dynamics and delicious tone to boot. It's clear that Kingfish is well studied in all the great blues players of previous generations, with a vocabulary that is rich in fundamental blues language.
But like all the best blues players, Kingfish has a wonderful ear for melody and rhythmic phrasing. He successfully makes this blues vocabulary all his own, with a particular knack for combining major and minor pentatonic phrasing in a way that sounds lyrical, vocal and natural.
Kingfish, who hails from Clarksdale, Mississippi, has already headlined several tours off the back of his Grammy-nominated, self-titled 2019 debut album and its 2021 follow-up, 662- an astonishing achievement for such a young artist. As well as being an accomplished player, Kingfish is an excellent vocalist and storyteller - all important parts of a successful and relatable artist. In his early years, his unusual appreciation for the tradition of early blues and his natural musical talent led him to securing a strong local fanbase, even capturing the attention of seasoned pros like [B.B. King drummer] Tony Coleman.
In our two studies (see FIGURES 1 and 2), we explore two key aspects of Kingfish's signature style - his mature grasp of combining minor and major pentatonic sounds with modal color tones and his fantastic control of dynamics, touch and expression. In FIGURE 1, we also get an example of his use of a chord shape for m7b5, also known as a half-diminished 7, which was often employed by old-school bluesmen like T-Bone Walker to superimpose a dominant 9th tonality when played from the 3rd of the underlying major or dominant 7th chord. You can hear Kingfish use this device across a wide range of his tracks and live performances.
This story is from the September 2022 edition of Guitar World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2022 edition of Guitar World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
KIM THAYIL
The mighty Soundgarden guitarist looks back on his most iconic riffs and solos, as well as the gear and tunings that guided him deep into the creative superunknown
ANDY BELL
The U.K. shoegaze pioneer discusses the recording of Ride's classic Nineties albums and his 10 years as a member of Oasis
MARC FORD
The respected SoCal guitarist explains why he chose the Black Crowes over Guns N' Roses - and how the Crowes' internal friction helped make them a compelling alternative to grunge
BRIAN VANDER ARK
Determined as he moves out of the shadow of his past, the guitarist recounts the origins of the Verve Pipe and the recording of a definitive Nineties anthem, \"The Freshmen\"
VERNON REID
From Vivid to Time's Up to Stain: How Vernon Reid's expressionist shredding juiced Living Colour through the grunge era
ART ALEXAKIS
The tenacious Everclear frontman/guitarist discusses the music, moments and \"dangerous\" amps that changed his life and maybe ours - in the Nineties and beyond
DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
The retro designs, digital innovations and misfit toys that defined guitar gear and technology in the Nineties
IT'S ALL A BLUR...
The rise and fall of Britpop, the Nineties' other massive, guitar-based movement
NEVERMIND NEVERMIND!
10 overlooked rock albums from the Nineties that are worth a second listen
A GRUNGY GUITAR GUIDE TO THE '90S
Guitar World