Ivan Singh

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Photo via Ivan Singh

Ivan Singh

Ivan Singh

They say that the blues is a universal language, not unlike a smile. A case in point would be Ivan Singh, a young bluesman from Argentina, whose guitar playing convincingly conveys the part of playing the blues that is impossible to learn, the feeling. You either have it or you don’t. You can’t fake it, and you can only improve what is already there with practice and dedication.

If the few examples of his playing that are available on the internet are any indication, Singh, who appears to be in his mid-20s, should have a productive career ahead of him, playing blues music with that sense of authenticity that only comes naturally.

One such online example shows him sitting in with the current top elder statesman of the blues, Buddy Guy, on stage at Buddy’s Chicago nightclub, Legends. Buddy appears to be enjoying their time together on stage. So, too, is Singh, as well he should be. There is no better barometer as to whether you are succeeding at capturing the authentic blues feeling than being approved by an acknowledged master like Buddy Guy, who surely knows the difference! Buddy would surely not have invited this relative newcomer if he weren’t convinced that Singh was onto something. 

This spirit of generosity of inviting newcomers to play with you is a characteristic in the big picture of blues culture, specifically cultivating new talent by having them join you in the playing of the music. When I was a young and inexperienced musician, but wanting to learn, I was invited to on stage to play by incredible blues talents like Muddy Waters (with whom I did sit in) and Magic Sam (with whom I did not).

Some would opine that the most important part of being an authentic blues player is the ability to capture that feeling when singing, although many blues players are only instrumentalists. Here’s an area where Singh could, and hopefully will, show improvement as his career expands and continues.

Oftentimes, facial expressions are part of a blues artist’s arsenal to punctuate his or her performance, and this fellow does indeed have an authentic looking grimace when playing. He also is a good-looking youngster, and he does, indeed, have a winning smile, to boot.