Which guitarists have great rhythmic nous or grace ?

[Paul]

I'm pretty sure the Fabs roped in Eric Clapton to play the guitar on 'While my guitar gently weeps'.

[Charlie]

There's an oldies guitar instrumental called Rebel Rouser. Not sure who it's by but I like those old tunes like that.I'm also still fascinated by Apache, how it it like a picture painted from just a guitar.

For Rebel Rouser, check the obit of Lee Hazlewood, producer of the artist Duane Eddy and architect of that sound.

Apache was by the British group, the Shadows, who were the bees knees over here until the Beatles changed the rules - after them, groups all had to sing, and radio forever turned it back on instrumentals

[Dayna]

What do you think of George Thorogood?

[Dayna]

Joe Walsh seems good.

[Adam Blake]

What do you think of George Thorogood?

I saw George Thorogood when I was 17 at Dingwalls and he was fantastic. I was so impressed I went to see him again the next night and the following day I hitch-hiked up to Birmingham to see him again. It was the first time he played in the UK and he treated the Dingwalls gigs exactly like an American bar band job: he started at 9pm and played till 2am - he did a blues set, a country set, a rock'n'roll set, even a few old ballads. He took requests and altogether proved himself to be a fabulous entertainer.

Subtle, however, he was not!

A couple of years later he came over again. He had Albert Collins opening for him. Game, set and match to Mr Collins, I'm afraid. By the time Thorogood made it to what was left of the stage it was a question of: "who is this guy? Oh yeah, he's playing too. I forgot." I felt bad for George, but Collins had a point to make that evening, and he made it.

[Dayna]

Thanks.
I also thought about Bo Diddly. For some reason, I get him & George Thorogood confused sometimes, when I hear thier songs.

[nikki akinjinmi]

There is a wonderful jazz guitarist who I used to listen to years ago, who sadly died sometime ago now, called Emily Remler. She could be a contender.

Also, anyone mentioned Diblo (especially on those Kanda Bongo Man recordings)? Or does he not qualify?

Also, the fantastic jazz guitarist, Jimmy Ponder.

And another contender is Gabo Szabo, the Hungarian guitarist - check out his version of tune Gypsy Queen. Funky, funky, funky!!!! (It's funkier than the Santana version).

[Chris P]

ok nikki nous & grace can def' be jazz. How about also Grant Green and Wes Montgomery. A lot of funk, blues and soul guitarists were absorbing their stuff (+ a certain Mr G Benson). I think Grants jazzy early stuff (Idle Moments), his (earlier?) organ trio stuff, and his later funk stuff, are all great in their own right

[Ted]

Ernest Ranglin maybe?

[nikki akinjinmi]

That's a good one Ted.

How about Phil Upchurch? Johnny Guitar Watson?

[Adam Blake]

Ernest Ranglin maybe?

Well, yeah. Ernest Ranglin is probably the greatest guitar virtuoso left alive. I never think of him as a rhythm guitarist but of course he is and was.

[Ted]

Might be more fun to reverse the question - which guitarists don't have any grace or rhythmic nous.

In some genres neither of these are required - I mean no-one would ever accuse James Williamson of grace or subtlety. Its the ones who play in places where you'd expect nuance but don't deliver.


I've never "got" Pat Metheny - although to be fair I stopped trying to a long time ago. I found his playing cold and sterile - sort of like a hifi test disc.
And of course Eric Clapton. we've already done this one to death so lets not start the godlike genius/dull journeyman debate again.

I'm sorry to have to mention Robert Cray. What is this compulsion to keep on making music that he seems to have so little aptitude for?

Steve Vai. Words fail me.

Fill in your own names of the latest rock genius who makes cat-strangling noises while grimacing horribly (God i sound like someones dad. Oh. I am someones dad.). There is a certain kind of rock fan who just never gets sick of this stuff.

TW

[Rob Hall]

Don't be so hard on Pat Metheny. I like a lot (not all) of his stuff. I don't know that he would claim to be any great shakes in the rhythm department, but he's got a lot of things going for him: touch, feel, melodic invention, sensitivity to those he's playing with, the ability to put the right sound in the right place, etc. And he's worth the price of admission just for his famous Kenny G statement: http://www.johnharle.com/philosophy/art ... ennyG.html

[Dayna]

I'm still thinking of good guitarists. At least it's something I know a little bit about.
Do you remember Joan Jet and The Black Hearts? Did she play it herself & was she good?

[Adam Blake]

"I Love Rock'n'Roll" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts was one of the only decent pop singles from the 80s and, yes, I think she does play that great little solo - worthy of Marc Bolan!

Pat Metheney vs. Kenny G was a revelation to me. What a hero for speaking out like that. I went to Kenny G's website to see if he'd made any reply. Nope. But go there if you want an aural vision of hell: Kenny G playing James Blunt's "You're Beautiful". Honestly, it puts so much of what we argue about here in perspective. Truly a crime against music!