Which guitarists have great rhythmic nous or grace ?

[Chris P]

Dayna said:

.....(I'd) like to learn more, so I was mostly asking questions about them more than anything.

Hi Dayna - same here ! As you can see from my Earl Chinna mistake I'm on a learning curve too......

[Chris P]

There's never been a better time to talk reggae than with Neil active on the forum - so who should we have here as reggae's most graceful and inventive rhythm guitarists ? Ernest Ranglin's already been inducted....

[Neil Foxlee]

There's never been a better time to talk reggae than with Neil active on the forum - so who should we have here as reggae's most graceful and inventive rhythm guitarists ? Ernest Ranglin's already been inducted....

Thanks, Chris - I'm blushing! Despite your praise, however, I'd be hard put to single out a particularly graceful and inventive rhythm guitarist in reggae, where their main function is to provide the "chops" - the chka... chka... that stress the beat (and which are sometimes picked out in dubs).

[Chris P]

I'm blushing! Despite your praise, however, I'd be hard put to single out a particularly graceful and inventive rhythm guitarist in reggae, where their main function is to provide the "chops" - the chka... chka... that stress the beat (and which are sometimes picked out in dubs).

well I didn't mean to lard it up, it's just that you have specialist knowledge Neil!
I really like the guitar picked out in Keith Hudson's 'Pick A Dub', but as there are many original recording sessions there's probably more than one guy involved. The only guitarist listed on the scant sleeve credits is Earl Chinna Smith.
Ps apologies to Dayna for overreacting against Foreigner - I admit I have only heard one of their songs, please keep your suggestions coming

[Dayna]

Dayna - the difference between lead and rhythm guitar is basically this:
Lead guitar plays runs of single notes over the top of the music. Rhythm guitar plays chords in a rhythm that complements what the bass and drums are doing. Of course, it's not quite that simple as the parts often overlap, but that's the theory!

I have been thinking about all this a lot because I am very interested in learning about it, as I've said before. I have been running things through my mind. Like one was ZZ Top.
Their guitar playing sounds great & the music has good rhythm in it. I thought, maybe that's one playing rhythm guitar, but then someone explained that it isn't what you're looking for here, either. I'll keep on thinking.

[Chris P]

Although I spawned this thread, I guess it's come of an age where it can drink, vote n smoke and make it's own way in the world...

When I conceived it, shortly after it was a twinkle in my eye, I had it in mind to recognize :

Rhythm guitarists who go beyond being great rhythm guitarists, so as well as serving the rhythm they add something individual, idiosyncratic, inventive, astonishingly adept, that lifts the rhythm to a higher level than just playing damn good rhythm guitar (an art in itself).

So there are many fine rhythm guitarists who add to a song, but how many lift it to a different plane, or transform it ? And just how subtle and graceful can that alchemy be ?

From what I've heard ZZTop guitarist (Billy Gibbons ?) is damn fine, and buzzing hard rock can have plenty of subtlety, but I haven't heard enough of their music to know whether they really match the criteria above. But hell - this thread has come of age, and you've called it Dayna - and there are ZZ Top - in the thread. As usual when electric blues steeped guitarists rear their shaggy heads it'd be interesting to hear Adam's take on their music...

[Rob Hall]

Ben Vaughn gets a name check in the Arthur Alexander thread, and what little I know of him suggests that he's a very fine chap. I have a collection of his ("Mood Swings") from the 90s which features a great little song called "Rhythm Guitar" (apologies to any guitarists if I've mis-identified the chord changes that are called out):

Well the bass player's plunkin'
and the drummer's kickin' in
and I'm just tryin' to find
a place to fit in

the front man's up front
and that's where he oughta be
but if you listen real close you know
you might hear me

I'm playing rhythm guitar
hey hey hey hey
I'm playing rhythm guitar
and it feels ok

I go:

one (Mississippi)
two (Mississippi)
three (Mississippi)
four (Mississippi)

(Let's rock)

D!
A!
C!
D!
A!

the lead player's wailin'
playin' lots of notes
I could do that stuff if I want to
but I don't

the people in the alley
won't leave the boys alone
but I just put my amp in my car
and drive home

I'm playing rhythm guitar
woo baby rocksteady
I'm playing rhythm guitar...
is everybody ready?

Here we go!

I go:

one (Mississippi)
two (Mississippi)
three (Mississippi)
four (Mississippi)

(Let's rock)

D!
A!
C!
D!
A!

A7th!

D!
A!
C!
D!
A!

Great stuff.

[Chris P]

..Not to mention Guitar George - he knows ALL the chords. He's strictly rhythm, doesn't want to make it cry or sing........

[Chris P]

From the "Best Ever Tune" thread Charlie referred to:

Eswi Ya Wapi (not sure of the spelling) by Mbilia Bel, with Rochereau's band featuring Dino Vangu on blissful rhythm guitar (as I learned many years later, when he played in the same style on a Sam Mangwana album of his songs).

[Adam Blake]

Rhythm guitar is so much cooler than lead. But bass is cooler than either...

[Chris P]

This came up when I was watching Judith's recommended Hubert Sumlin clip:
Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top for Dayna, here giving a guitar lesson and showing lotsa nous (not a lot of grace ?- I'd prefer a cleaner less fuzzy tone) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRYy4OBEvHE&feature=related

(Hope Adam sees this and gives comments - he avoided commenting on Billy Gibbons earlier in favour of an off the cuff cool quote)

[Adam Blake]

(Hope Adam sees this and gives comments - he avoided commenting on Billy Gibbons earlier in favour of an off the cuff cool quote)

Sorry, I didn't see that request. I love Billy Gibbons: he's virtually unique as a rock guitarist with a true understanding of blues, and his rhythm is impeccable but I wouldn't call him a rhythm guitarist so much as a lead guitarist who plays good rhythm. I don't buy his records but I enjoy them when I hear them.

[Ted]

[I don't buy his records but I enjoy them when I hear them.

That made me grin. Thats a whole huge category of music isn't it? Its something to do with the demise of the 7" single - I was always much more likely to buy one offs in that format.

TW

[Adam Blake]

Oh yes... That's why I collect old singles.

[Phil Abel]

Rhythm guitarists who go beyond being great rhythm guitarists, so as well as serving the rhythm they add something individual, idiosyncratic, inventive, astonishingly adept, that lifts the rhythm to a higher level than just playing damn good rhythm guitar (an art in itself).

So there are many fine rhythm guitarists who add to a song, but how many lift it to a different plane, or transform it ? And just how subtle and graceful can that alchemy be ?

I think Eric Gale and Cornell Dupree are candidates here. Their playing on Maggie Bell's Queen of the Night and Joe Cocker's Stingray are part of those albums long-lasting appeal to me. It's not really fair to single them out, though, because what they play is so much a part of the rhythm section as one great whole.

The sound is distilled on the Stuff albums. As an old friend said, it's Stingray without the vocals.

Django Reinhardt should be here too.