Who are the Louis Armstrong's of guitar playing?
July 3, 2015 1:21 PM Subscribe
I'm looking for examples of clever guitar solos/improv that lean towards note selection rather than technical flash. More Louis Armstrong, less Joe Bonamassa. Preferably rock/indie/pop, thinking outside the pentatonic box. Who should I be listening to?
I've been playing for 25+ years, my tastes run from Armstrong to Zappa. I'm rather disappointed with my improv/soloing and I'm looking to transcribe some solos that, hmm, get out of the pentatonic box without getting too deep in to playing the changes, blazing through arpeggios and applying modes. (A little too academic for me). Some examples:
- Dave Gilmour uses pentatonics but adds the 2nd and 6ths, his phrasing is second to none, but he's pretty predictable.
- I've tried to transcribe some Stan Getz, I love his note selection and phrasing, does he have a guitar equivalent that isn't John Scofield or Trey Anastasio?
- i keep hearing about Nels Cline and Nils Lofgren ....I just don't particularly enjoy the music they are playing over
- Derek Trucks is a favorite, but more or less stays within the tonic occasionally messing with the 7th
- Robben Ford is good....but a little wimpy?
- I really enjoy Guthrie Govan (particularly on the new Steven Wilson album, not so much Aristocrats) ...does he have an equivalent that doesn't use so many notes?
Other guitar players I love: John Mayer, Blake Mills, BB King, Charlie Byrd, Herb Ellis, Steve Cropper, Danny Gatton, Nuno Bettencourt....the list is endless.
Perhaps this question is too nebulous. I'm looking for contemporary guitar players/bands that have solos that are unique, tasteful and amplify the song rather than a series of pentatonic licks.
Any ideas?
I've been playing for 25+ years, my tastes run from Armstrong to Zappa. I'm rather disappointed with my improv/soloing and I'm looking to transcribe some solos that, hmm, get out of the pentatonic box without getting too deep in to playing the changes, blazing through arpeggios and applying modes. (A little too academic for me). Some examples:
- Dave Gilmour uses pentatonics but adds the 2nd and 6ths, his phrasing is second to none, but he's pretty predictable.
- I've tried to transcribe some Stan Getz, I love his note selection and phrasing, does he have a guitar equivalent that isn't John Scofield or Trey Anastasio?
- i keep hearing about Nels Cline and Nils Lofgren ....I just don't particularly enjoy the music they are playing over
- Derek Trucks is a favorite, but more or less stays within the tonic occasionally messing with the 7th
- Robben Ford is good....but a little wimpy?
- I really enjoy Guthrie Govan (particularly on the new Steven Wilson album, not so much Aristocrats) ...does he have an equivalent that doesn't use so many notes?
Other guitar players I love: John Mayer, Blake Mills, BB King, Charlie Byrd, Herb Ellis, Steve Cropper, Danny Gatton, Nuno Bettencourt....the list is endless.
Perhaps this question is too nebulous. I'm looking for contemporary guitar players/bands that have solos that are unique, tasteful and amplify the song rather than a series of pentatonic licks.
Any ideas?
Robin Trower, maybe? He's not in the finger-flinger camp. "Simple Sister" has one of the most perfect solos ever recorded, IMO.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 2:52 PM on July 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 2:52 PM on July 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
I like Marty Friedman for this, particularly the note choice aspect. He has a lot of solo albums around, but his work with Megadeth really complimented the songs in a non-pentatonic kind of a way (in that last link you can hear Dave Mustaine do the second half of the solo for some pentatonicy contrast!). As a bonus, a lot of his lessons are on YouTube.
posted by mukade at 2:53 PM on July 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mukade at 2:53 PM on July 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
Dean Wareham
posted by gyusan at 3:13 PM on July 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by gyusan at 3:13 PM on July 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Should have said pre-1935 Armstrong ("St Louis Blues", "West End Blues") which are near Mozart level perfection. Aware he kinda painted by numbers towards the end of his career.
Funny enough i have Trowers "bridge of sighs" nearly committed to memory and have been listening to his newest, great suggestion.
I've always been aware of Friedman for his lessons, but not his actual album playing, though I knew he once was part of megadeath, also a great suggestion.
Mark Knopfler is someone I criminally omitted from my list of guitar players I'm looking forward to learning more about.
Thanks for the suggestions so far....
posted by remlapm at 3:14 PM on July 3, 2015
Funny enough i have Trowers "bridge of sighs" nearly committed to memory and have been listening to his newest, great suggestion.
I've always been aware of Friedman for his lessons, but not his actual album playing, though I knew he once was part of megadeath, also a great suggestion.
Mark Knopfler is someone I criminally omitted from my list of guitar players I'm looking forward to learning more about.
Thanks for the suggestions so far....
posted by remlapm at 3:14 PM on July 3, 2015
I am not a musician, but I understand that Richard Thompson is supposed to be a guitar-player's guitar player. (And songwriter.)
posted by suelac at 3:22 PM on July 3, 2015 [9 favorites]
posted by suelac at 3:22 PM on July 3, 2015 [9 favorites]
I think you may be interested in Belew and maybe a dive into Argentinian guitar hero Fernando Kabusacki. And Frisell.
posted by j_curiouser at 3:30 PM on July 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by j_curiouser at 3:30 PM on July 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
Pat Metheny. It's jazz rather than rock, but with a strong rock influence. He can get pretty eclectic, but since it's pure instrumental the guitar voice is the main one.
My favorite Metheny album is "Secret Story".
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 3:39 PM on July 3, 2015 [4 favorites]
My favorite Metheny album is "Secret Story".
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 3:39 PM on July 3, 2015 [4 favorites]
Dave Gregory from XTC would fit your guidelines, I think.
posted by umbú at 3:45 PM on July 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by umbú at 3:45 PM on July 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Bill Frisell......wow. Have always been aware but never listened. Tremendous playing, thanks.
All I know of XTC is "mayor of simpleton", which I quickly dismissed unfortunately once I heard (to me, the superior) Jellyfish' "Spilled Milk", which I *think* was either Roger Manning or Workman doing the phenomenal guitar work.
Need to revisit XTC, thanks.
Ok, stopping hovering, sorry, just really excited with these suggestions. Thanks gang!
posted by remlapm at 3:53 PM on July 3, 2015
All I know of XTC is "mayor of simpleton", which I quickly dismissed unfortunately once I heard (to me, the superior) Jellyfish' "Spilled Milk", which I *think* was either Roger Manning or Workman doing the phenomenal guitar work.
Need to revisit XTC, thanks.
Ok, stopping hovering, sorry, just really excited with these suggestions. Thanks gang!
posted by remlapm at 3:53 PM on July 3, 2015
Tal Farlow, John Abercrombie.
posted by languagehat at 5:10 PM on July 3, 2015
posted by languagehat at 5:10 PM on July 3, 2015
Skip James, Burt Jaunch, Nick Drake
posted by djinn dandy at 6:29 PM on July 3, 2015
posted by djinn dandy at 6:29 PM on July 3, 2015
Wes Montgomery, I recommend that you listen as much Wes Montgomery as you can. His style is deceptively simple, but it's crystalline and perfect.
posted by ovvl at 7:51 PM on July 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ovvl at 7:51 PM on July 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm not very confident that I understand what you are looking for, but I'm going to suggest Blues Saraceno and Alan Holdsworth.
posted by doctor tough love at 8:28 PM on July 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by doctor tough love at 8:28 PM on July 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
Going from Stan Getz and Steve Cropper, I would suggest David Lindley. A virtuoso if there ever was one, but he never plays a note that isn't musical. A bunch of perfect quarter notes is fine with him sometimes.
posted by bricoleur at 8:36 PM on July 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by bricoleur at 8:36 PM on July 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
I don't know music theory, so I'm not sure if I'm totally understanding the question, but based on what you said, as well as some of the previous comments, I'm going to suggest the following:
Stevie Ray Vaughn, Tin Pan Alley. To me, this song is the absolute pinnacle of note selection, phrasing, etc. There's some noodling in the beginning of the solo, but basically it's about picking exactly the right notes, and making them cry.
posted by MexicanYenta at 9:42 PM on July 3, 2015
Stevie Ray Vaughn, Tin Pan Alley. To me, this song is the absolute pinnacle of note selection, phrasing, etc. There's some noodling in the beginning of the solo, but basically it's about picking exactly the right notes, and making them cry.
posted by MexicanYenta at 9:42 PM on July 3, 2015
2nding Dean Wareham. I'm not really familiar with anything other than "Bewitched," but he's thrifty and intentional for sure, with some tolerance for passing dissonance.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 11:01 PM on July 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Jack Karaoke at 11:01 PM on July 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
Charlie Christian
posted by rhizome at 11:53 PM on July 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by rhizome at 11:53 PM on July 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
Mr MMDP suggests Henry Kaiser and Robert Fripp and seconds Richard Thompson and Adrian Belew.
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 6:45 AM on July 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 6:45 AM on July 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Thirding Richard Thompson - if the solo at the end of Shoot Out The Lights doesn't make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, then . . .
Nthing Fripp & Belew - here's a video of them both playing live with King Crimson.
i keep hearing about Nels Cline and Nils Lofgren ....I just don't particularly enjoy the music they are playing over
Not sure what you don't like about the music, but Nels has been involved in a lot of different stuff over the years besides Wilco - for example, here's a kind of crappy recording of him playing with Mike Watt back in 1988.
Marc Ribot is probably best known for his work with Tom Waits, but IMO everything he's done is worth checking out.
Neil Young's always been a player that struck me as more about feel than technique.
John McLaughlin, maybe especially his work with the Mahavishnu Orchestra.
Stepping back a little bit, it seems like a lot of the players you know and like are pretty straightforward jazz or blues or blues-rock or "classic rock" (and classic rock, of course, is often heavily blues-derived) players. Which is to say, there are entire universes out there of guitar players doing fantastic inventive things - but often they're working in genres outside what seems to be kind of your comfort zone, or they may not be known as "guitar players" per se. Funk, many varieties of metal, punk, post-punk, prog-rock, indie/alternative/underground music from the 80's to today (including grunge), noise, free jazz, post-rock, lots of varieties of "jazz" post about 1960, etc etc etc, you get the idea.
Or, IOW: "Perhaps this question is too nebulous." Yeah, the question is kind of nebulous, in the sense that the answer to "players/bands that have solos that are unique, tasteful and amplify the song rather than a series of pentatonic licks" is kind of "possibly any and all music NOT relatively blues-based or derived - and some that is, but the guitarists aren't really known as "guitarists"." And there's a lot of that out there.
So I think I might suggest that you do things like seed Pandora/Spotify/whatever streaming stations with some of the suggestions you'll get here, and see what else their algorithms come up with, and head down the rabbit hole of YouTube suggestions once you've watched some of the things people link to here; see where that takes you and what you discover. I suspect at least initially you'll discover a bunch of music that makes you go, "huh? wat?", but you might well come to appreciate it with exposure over time, or you can just listen for the guitar playing even if the tune or style as a whole doesn't grab you.
posted by soundguy99 at 9:08 AM on July 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nthing Fripp & Belew - here's a video of them both playing live with King Crimson.
i keep hearing about Nels Cline and Nils Lofgren ....I just don't particularly enjoy the music they are playing over
Not sure what you don't like about the music, but Nels has been involved in a lot of different stuff over the years besides Wilco - for example, here's a kind of crappy recording of him playing with Mike Watt back in 1988.
Marc Ribot is probably best known for his work with Tom Waits, but IMO everything he's done is worth checking out.
Neil Young's always been a player that struck me as more about feel than technique.
John McLaughlin, maybe especially his work with the Mahavishnu Orchestra.
Stepping back a little bit, it seems like a lot of the players you know and like are pretty straightforward jazz or blues or blues-rock or "classic rock" (and classic rock, of course, is often heavily blues-derived) players. Which is to say, there are entire universes out there of guitar players doing fantastic inventive things - but often they're working in genres outside what seems to be kind of your comfort zone, or they may not be known as "guitar players" per se. Funk, many varieties of metal, punk, post-punk, prog-rock, indie/alternative/underground music from the 80's to today (including grunge), noise, free jazz, post-rock, lots of varieties of "jazz" post about 1960, etc etc etc, you get the idea.
Or, IOW: "Perhaps this question is too nebulous." Yeah, the question is kind of nebulous, in the sense that the answer to "players/bands that have solos that are unique, tasteful and amplify the song rather than a series of pentatonic licks" is kind of "possibly any and all music NOT relatively blues-based or derived - and some that is, but the guitarists aren't really known as "guitarists"." And there's a lot of that out there.
So I think I might suggest that you do things like seed Pandora/Spotify/whatever streaming stations with some of the suggestions you'll get here, and see what else their algorithms come up with, and head down the rabbit hole of YouTube suggestions once you've watched some of the things people link to here; see where that takes you and what you discover. I suspect at least initially you'll discover a bunch of music that makes you go, "huh? wat?", but you might well come to appreciate it with exposure over time, or you can just listen for the guitar playing even if the tune or style as a whole doesn't grab you.
posted by soundguy99 at 9:08 AM on July 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Another vote for Richard Thompson. He's amazing on both acoustic and electric.
posted by MacChimpman at 1:42 PM on July 4, 2015
posted by MacChimpman at 1:42 PM on July 4, 2015
John Petrucci.
posted by Silvertree at 11:13 AM on July 6, 2015
posted by Silvertree at 11:13 AM on July 6, 2015
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Don't judge me :-), but I'd argue that Slash was extremely good at creating solos that complemented the songs, were melodic, weren't a series of licks, and weren't stuck in theoretical boxes. He also, like Louis, typically played the same solo each time.
posted by clawsoon at 2:32 PM on July 3, 2015 [2 favorites]