I have been playing the blues over 3 decades. A change in the style of my music came in the mid 1990s, nearly 10 years after I moved to the U.S. from Japan.
In 1996, I encountered gospel music at an African-American Baptist Church in the suburb of Los Angeles where I played guitar for their choir.
Experiencing the roots of blues music was enlightening, which also prompted me to start my singing career. I have been digging the blues, soul, and jazz music deeper since then.
In particular, when I play slow ballad or slow blues, I find that my emotion can be freed more than any other songs.
In my youth, there was a time when I confined myself to listen only to the traditional 3 chord 12 bar Chicago Blues. Especially I was drawn to the down home shuffle groove.
But the music I play now is a good mix of blues and early R&B. That is what I am going to continue playing in Chicago as well.