What genre of music is this? What artists play it?

[Number Of The Priest]

I stumbled across the following video and fell in love with the tone, playing, and vibe.

What genre is it? Sounds like 12 bar blues (I know that's not a genre) but it's not what I expected of blues; this is upbeat, fun, hip, and has a "night on the town" energy to it.

Where can I find more, and who plays this stuff? Please and thanks!

[VitaminG]

It's still just blues. But some will call it uptown. It's blues but pushing more into jazz territory. It's more sophisticated, more complex chords & extensions, licks will break out from the pentatonic boxes & follow the changes.

There are a lot of guys out there playing blues in a jazzy style now. I hardly purport to be an authority, but there are a few guys that I really like.

A good entry point is Robben Ford (entry point for listening - not to suggest that his music is easy to play). Not as many nps as this, but he is great. But that makes the appeal even greater for me. My brain doesn't seem to see the guitar the same way that guys like Robben do so can never naturally come up with lines like they do, but his licks aren't so beyond me that I can't steal them. Incorporating them into my playing is still a work in progress though, mainly because I'm too stupid to fully understand why he's doing what he's doing and when to use it.

As is Jeff Healey. Healey is often more straight up blues but also has a background in jazz & rock, so his note choice reflects that. And he's not afraid of an upbeat blues tune. It's not all pentatonic blues licks. If you wanna go really old school, T-Bone Walker is awesome.

If you want to up the notes per square centimetre quotient but in this style, check out Scott Henderson, Greg Howe, Greg Koch. Howe is more fusion than blues, but can absolutely wail in this style. Koch is versatile in so many styles, so you may end up listening to some country, rockabilly & traditional electric blues while you're checking him out.

Anyway, far from comprehensive, but hopefully a couple of players you might like if you're not already aware of them

[Number Of The Priest]

Thanks for the recommendations!

Was actually listening to Jeff Healey recently as I rediscovered the sexy "nightlife" vibe of his song Cruel Little Number. I should expand on that!

I suppose what I'm requesting are artists/songs that have that same city/nightlife feel, but in a blues/jazz style. I discovered the rock equivalent of the "city/nightlife" vibe ages ago in the form of AOR music.

I find it strange I associate the vibe of this style with "going out" considering:

1) I never hear this music when I'm going out at night;
2) I can't profess to actually be someone who "goes out".

[Newc]

The tone in the video reminds me of Robert Cray.

You might also be interested (vaguely) in a compilation CD from several years back called Smooth Jazz Guitar. It has a lot of songs you used to hear on the Weather Channel during the Local on the 8s segments, and a couple also from the various home improvement shows (This Old House and one other one I can't recall).

Most of it borders on Muzak, with a clean Jazz guitar tone, and riffs that are doubled by keys and/or that cheese-o-phone thing Kenny G plays

But they've got decent grooves IMO, though not the "out on the town" vibe that Uptown relates.

The contributing artists were:
Artie Traum
Chieli Minucci
Chuck Loeb
Ed Hamilton
Fantasy Band (which I think was like an all-star type thing)
Fattburger (two Ts)
Ken Navarro (Dave's relative?)
Larry Coryell
Special FX
The Connection

[Snoogans]

As VitG says, Greg Howe is the man for this kinda stuff. Check out his Maragold album.
Also might be worth listening to Cristophe Godin. He's got that jazz/funk metal thing, with a touch of Holdsworth and some Zappa insanity...

[VitaminG]

good call on Godin. Dude's a beast

[xenophobe]

This is Jazz, not blues, but you might enjoy it.

[MartinBarre]

This is Jazz, not blues, but you might enjoy it.

I must be wired up weird - that is clearly some great playing but it's hurting my brain, as if I need to hear an Angus Young solo.

[VitaminG]

This is Jazz, not blues, but you might enjoy it.

cool

[xenophobe]

I must be wired up weird - that is clearly some great playing but it's hurting my brain, as if I need to hear an Angus Young solo.

Angus Young solo? WTF? lol

Here's another album for you then!