Author Topic: Identifying Particular Players (Read 616 times)

benson_murrensun · « **Reply #30 on:** July 21, 2011, 09:49:35 AM »

Roy Buchanan - yes! I had the pleasure of seeing him several times. His playing and spirit were beyond the beyond! His tone and volume was deadly - loud and trebly. I remember he often turned his amp head around so you couldn't see the settings (I guess).

I recently had a talk with Jorma about pedal steel players, since Jorma has dabbled in that instrument. I asked him if Jerry was just a natural or if he practiced alot. He said Jerry practiced A LOT on steel.

(Message edited by Benson_Murrensun on July 21, 2011)

cozmik_cowboy · « **Reply #31 on:** July 22, 2011, 09:01:02 AM »

Ah, yes, Roy Buchanan - a great blues player, no?
Yes - but how about country? Or jazz? Damn, that boy could play!

Peter

benson_murrensun · « **Reply #32 on:** July 22, 2011, 10:22:32 AM »

I saw an interview with Robbie Robertson about a time he was to have a jam with Roy. he said there was an air of a head-cutting contest about. He said he felt like he was about to get into a fight with a guy who was (handling his guitar as though he was) swinging nunchucks around...very scary. Robbie is a very good storyteller.

hifiguy · « **Reply #33 on:** July 22, 2011, 01:31:43 PM »

Robert Fripp, Dave Gilmour, Mark Knopfler, Duane Allman, George Harrison, Richard Thompson and Jerry are a few guitarists that I never mis-guess. Carlos is pretty easy to spot, too, even on a piped-in music system. It shouldn't even be necessary to list Hendrix. If you can't recognize Jimi. . .

For bass it's Phil, Chris Squire, Stanley, vintage Jack Casady, 1970s John Wetton, Jaco, Geddy Lee, and Jack Bruce. None of them can ever be mistaken for anyone else.

tom_z · « **Reply #34 on:** July 22, 2011, 05:03:49 PM »

Let me add to the list of instantly recognizable musicians (at least for me): Thelonious Monk, Steve Kimock, Steven Stills.

I find it interesting that almost all of the artists whose names have been offered are not of current vintage. Do people think that's primarily due to: (1) what I assume to be the ages of most of us; (2) how today's music is produced and reproduced; and/or (c) fewer unique players being around at the national level?

Brian - my thoughts are that it probably does have something to do with the ages of most of us, but also the idea mentioned above that a musician's unique vocabulary and distinctive voice takes many years to develop. There are a few younger players that are getting pretty close to having a unique, recognizable sound. I can think of Derek Trucks, Robert Randolph, and, to a lesser degree, Joe Bonamassa.

bigredbass · « **Reply #35 on:** July 22, 2011, 10:59:58 PM »

Down the Tele Rabbit Hole? Pete, I hope Brent Mason (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeJHnkUKg_M&feature=related) and these dudes aren't waiting for you, some scary Nashville dudes from downtown . . . . here's 'Don't Try This at Home'.

The silver Tele is Brent Mason, one the top A-Team session players here, in the same league as the rest of these cats: Michael Rhodes (5-string Sadowsky PJ), Paul Franklin (a giant steel player, can speed pick up and down either neck as fast as Brent), Eddie Bayers, Jr. (drums), and some other picker on Tele named Vince Gill
(a great picker who has his own namesake EMG drop-in prewired Start pickguard, just like some cat named Dave Gilmour, he's NOT from Nashville . . .). I'm sorry, but the B3 guy's name escapes me.

Not too shabby for 'country' guys !

J o e y

bigredbass · « **Reply #36 on:** July 22, 2011, 11:31:06 PM »

And, oh here's another: My Friend Doug Jernigan, one of the two giants of the pedal steel guitar (along with his friend Buddy Emmons) easing thru the Jazz classic 'Limehouse Blues'. In another thread someone mentioned Garcia practiced all the time to play steel, and believe me it takes it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEMA4Eb7Jas&feature=related In ths clip Doug is playing his usual axe setup (most pedal steels vary in how many benders/pullers they have): Double neck, of course, with 8 pedals, six knee levers, and two knee lifts. The two necks are different tuning (the pretty usual E9 and C6), and the 16 benders all individually sharp/flat individual strings in the two necks maybe a 1/2 step sometimes a shole step. And oh, BTW, it's fretless. So you tune the 20 strings with the regular guitar keys on one end of the neck, THEN you tune each pull/push to guarantee the bends are in tune. As you can see, Doug is amazing. And the old session player reflex kicks in as he answers his cell phone while he's comping behind someone else's solo ! If I know Doug, he was hoping it was an invite to go eat ! ! J o e y

lembic76450 · « **Reply #37 on:** July 23, 2011, 05:12:32 AM »

I'll say this Joey, Michael Rhodes tone is amazing, even through my $46 Sony headphones. That PJ combo seems jammed quite close together. Is that normal for that model, or, is that a custom config? I admit I don't know very much about Sadowsky basses.

BTW is there some kind of Zen thing that these guys don't seem to even break a sweat?

David Houck · « **Reply #38 on:** July 23, 2011, 06:19:40 AM »

Thanks Joey; the Mason and Gill video was nice!

hammer · « **Reply #39 on:** July 23, 2011, 07:47:57 AM »

Tom:

I totally agree that it takes time (a lot of it) in order to develop a distinctive sound and of those artists you mentioned I almost included Trucks and Randolph on my list. That still doesn't explain the gap of what by my estimation is 30 years or more unless we are to assume that: (a) most of us are getting up in years and don't listen as much as we probably should to some of the great young players, or (b)there was a dead (no pun intended and not meant to allude to the GD) period in which the type of development we are discussing was either not occurring or at least not being heard except in live situations.

sonicus · « **Reply #40 on:** July 23, 2011, 11:07:31 AM »

Joey. Thanks for the Doug Jernigan Vid. I love the sound of pedal steel . Mr. Jernigan is a joy to listen to. One of the benefits of having played in a few local Country bands was that I often got to play with some steel players .

Wolf

tbrannon · « **Reply #41 on:** July 23, 2011, 12:18:54 PM »

Thanks for the Doug Jernigan clips, Joey. I watched the one you posted and then spent about another 45 minutes watching other clips of him. Amazing player and the smile that crosses his face at moments in ALL of his videos speaks volumes about him and his style. You can tell that the fantastic music coming from his hands brings him joy. No wonder it sounds so good!

peoplechipper · « **Reply #42 on:** July 25, 2011, 11:35:53 PM »

Someone who's instantly recognizable is Neil Young. I remember when I got 'Sleeps With Angels' the album starts with a flute; I think I didn't know Neil could play flute! and sure enough when I check the credits, it's him playing flute...

One modern player who's got something distinctive and unique going on is Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine;something that sticks out because it's...just different. Les Claypool on bass; can't miss that guy in a recording!

Tony

adriaan · « **Reply #43 on:** July 25, 2011, 11:43:22 PM »

How come nobody's mentioned BB King yet? I sometimes think I'd even recognize a muted note.