Some Great Guitar Music to Inspire You!
What we have here are some of my favourite guitar players ,each with an example of what I consider to be their best,or most representative,album.You'll find links to some sites on the music page but if I can be arsed to add links as we go I may do.....who knows.In any event,if you check out any of these albums and they make you think about the guitar in a different way,or inspire you to go in a new ,bold direction or even make you smile inside......that will make me feel very happy.
Some hints : try to sit down and learn some of these tunes by ear..don't neglect the chord progressions...how good your soloing sounds is directly related to how well you hear chords and their connection to scales.This really applies to jazz but if you play rock with this kind of approach you'll sound much more melodic than someone who just plays blues box shapes...you'll be amazed at how it'll affect your playing...maybe not now,maybe not tomorrow....but someday soon and for the rest of your life.
Please feel free to send me comments and don't forget:this is a list of players I find amazing..you may not agree but so what? Diversity is good for the on going evolution of the species.Also note that I'll add some album covers but as this is a somewhat lengthy process they may peter out depending on how bored I get doing this!So,in no real order of preference:
Al DiMeola is a pretty incredible player and composer.Starting out with Chick Corea at the age of 19 and going on to practically define fusion guitar in the 70's ,audiences were in awe of his superb technique and sheer speed.Every note has clarity and tone,even when playing blazing unison lines.Some people don't dig his style because it's not really too Jazzy...it's more a mix of Spanish,Classical and Rock styles but it does have a lot of improvisation and his tunes are really strong.I'd say check out "ELEGANT GYPSY" and "CASINO" to really hear him blowing and "Orange and Blue" or "Cielo e Terra" to hear him in a more subtle context.
Pat Metheny is another prodigy who has influenced hordes of other players.Coming from a more overt Jazz angle than DiMeola Metheny's slippery phrasing and totally musical choice of notes is just beautiful.When I first heard him play I smiled from ear to ear and back!Although I love almost all of his recorded out put for me "Question and Answer",with Roy haynes on drums and dave Holland on bass,stands out as a master work.Recorded on his day off,live and raw in the studio ,this is a guitar player just having a great time.
Bill Nelson was one of the most visionary guitar players I'd ever heard and his band BE BOP DELUXE were brilliant.I found this "Sunburst Finish"album under my sisters bed in her London flat when I was about 15,and I'd just got my first electric guitar....it blew my head off and I learned every lick studiously.Since the demise of Be Bop Deluxe Bill has utilised a lot of electronics and sort of foregone his reputation as a guitar hero,but if you want to hear truly great playing within a more rock oriented context check out "Modern Music" and the ultimate "LIve in the Air Age".
John Mclaughlin is another innovator of modern Jazz guitar....Jeez,don't these jazzers ever STOP innovating?His phenomenal facility and raw power fueled some of the best Miles Davis sessions on Bitches Brew and the superb Mahavishnu Orchestra albums.For me though the most touching,joyous and soul saving music he's made was with the Indian conglomerate Shakti.Playing acoustic guitar only and accompanied by virtuoso violinist Shankar and tabla master Zakir Hussein you really need to check out any and all of their albums.My favorite? "Natural Elements".The track "Face to face " can still make my heart soar.
Todd Rundgren is one of those rare musicians who can combine technical proficiency both in the studio and on numerous instruments with a canny pop sensibility.This means that in a career that has spanned about 30 years he's gone from pop/soul balladeer to spaced out prog rocker and all points in-between.The closest artist to Todd that I can think of is Prince,in that he sings,writes,produces ,plays almost everything like a virtuoso and is generally a genius.The only difference is that Todd is skint!Check the early Utopia albums (Todds "democratic" band project) and solo albums like Healing and Something Anything.For me,the first Utopia record stands out as a masterpiece.From the soaring guitar solo in Utopia Theme to the blissed out funk of the 30 minute extravaganza The Ikon,every note played and sung on this albums contains as little bit of heaven.
Mike Stern 's playing turned me on to how to build long solo's that go from intense to totally freaked out.Live and on record he has a fluid ,line based style ans great chops with a rawness tha makes a change from slick fusiod androids.His first album UPSIDE DOWNSIDE was great ,as were the others but the tunes on this one blew my ears off.Check him out live if you can....look,listen and learn.
Scott Henderson was another Chick Corea alumni.His playing is a combination of Holdsworthian fluidity and blues ballsiness.The first four albums by his band TRIBAL TECH are great ,showcasing his amazing playing and superb compositions.I learned all the tunes from this record and my playing improved 10 fold.
What can I say about John Scofield? Chanky rhythm,slooped out lines,angular riffs and bends from hell all add up to another major influence on modern Jazz guitar.All his records have something to offer but for me this live cut featuring his late 80's fusion out fit with Dennis Chambers on drums and Gary grainger on bass made me sit up and learn!!!
Some more HIGHLY RECOMMENDED listening:
George Benson - Try to find some 70's live CD's where he's playing standards or WHITE RABBIT.WEEKEND IN LA is fantastic.Benson was a major influence on me when I first got into Jazz.
Pat Martino - An absolute master of bop who ventured into fusion in the 70's.Check out JOYOUS LAKE
Jeff Beck - Hell!!! When I first hear The Final Piece from THERE AND BACK ,I was hooked!! A 60's guitar hero who transcends the limitations of blues and rock and can touch your heart.His classic 70's albums like WIRED are ....er...classics.
Jimmy Page - Don't mention Stairway to Heaven.Just buy this CD.
There are SO many more ,and I'll be adding more names/records for you to go and check out bit by bit.I'll also add a list of recommended guitar tuition books and videos.I'm committed to encouraging people to play guitar better so I hope I've helped a little.If you want to email me and ask how I could have missed out on YOUR favourite player,try this:
THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.IT'LL BE DONE IN A FEW DAYS.For now: