Make it make sense

[DavidASkelton]

This is from Rev Robert Jones Blues Chronicles. Many of these chord progressions don’t follow standard harmony for major or minor scales. I can’t make sense of the theory. Is it borrowed chords? Or just chalk it up to the blues does whatever it wants to do. If you can’t read it. It says

I-IV (Two chord blues)
i-iv-V (minor one, minor IV, major V)
I-V-IV
i-VII-VI-V (again minor i)
I-VI-II-V (more of a jazz progression but here he plays the 2 as major rather than minor)

I’ve taken Griffs theory course. I think I’m hip with theory and even understand Tritone substitutions and altered harmony. But I don’t get why some of these progressions work. I know they do bc Rev plays songs they come from, but theory wise why do they work?

Help me Griff Kenobi. You’re my only hope

 

[Griff]

First:

Blues Keys Vs. Real Keys (With Video) – Blues Guitar Unleashed Blog

Next, the cliff notes

Blues harmony isn't "real" harmony and we use terms we shouldn't (like "key" and "I, IV V".) If you're talking blues, you have to be willing to make some concessions on the terminology.

Furthermore, the main "substitution" going on in many of those progressions is turning a minor chord into a dominant7 type chord. Your ear is accustomed to it so it'll accept it.