Check out some David Grisman's "Tone Poem" discs. Very well recorded with a different guest(S)and vintage instuments for each...... Really cool stuff. SOme of the Waterlilly recordings (especially the Ry Cooder "Meeting by the river") are good too. For blues/electric check out "HooDoo MAn Blues" with Junior Wells (Buddy Guy on Guitar (vinyl version is best)).............. If you really want some of the best blues guitar playing and don't care so much if it's "Audiophile Quality" you can't do better than Robert Johnson's "King of the Delta Blues" IMHO.
Chris |
Buddy Guy/ Junior Wells Alone and acoustic
Lynyrd Skynryd Endangered Species |
Check out Laurence Juber. Fingerstyle player. He has a web site with
samples. You can get his discs at Accoustic music resource on line site.
They also have a bunch of other guitar player CDs that are fantastic.
Talk to Brett at the website, he knows the stuff he carries.
Joe |
Check out Manuel Barueco on EMI classics.
It's so far my favourite guitar only CD titled
BROWER, VILLA-LOBOS & ORBON.
He plays spanish classic guitar with nylon strings. His way of playing guitar is unique. Every note is played with passion and feelings so that the music comes not from fingers but from heart. He's not so technical as Christofer Parkening, but surely outperforms him artistically.
As far as I heard these guitars quite a-bit, I guess the recording is just the way this guitar should sound with no overdubbing or mixing. |
John Fahey's Railroad I is a favorite of mine. I agree with Chris on Ry Cooder's Meeting By The River, as well. Also, Muddy Waters Folk Singer is an amazing recording, with lots of great guitar from Muddy and Buddy Guy.
And, while no one would call Charlie Christian's recordings audiophile quality, after the first few bars, you probably won't care. |
You can check out the many Windham Hill Guitar offerings. They have many acoustic selections, I own several and recommend them. Just do a "Windham Hill Guitar" search on Amazon and you can choose. You can also p/u some nice guitar work by Joe Pass, a wonderful acoustic guitar legend. Joe Pass "Virtuoso" is highly recommended. Good luck! |
Any lute recording by Paul O'Dette.
Michael Hedges - Aerial Boundaries |
Enrique Coria is wonderfully talented. The "Latin Touch"
CD is very highly recommended. |
I was just playing Stevie Ray Vaughan's The Sky is Crying. Cuts 4 and 8 sound awesome on a good system (like yours).
Also, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds' Live at Luther College has some amazing guitar work on it. And speaking of Ry Cooder, I always liked his Bop Til You Drop, on LP. I believe this was one of the first digital recordings pressed on vinyl, and it sounds great in my opinion. |
Try Stanley Jordan's 'Jumpin Jack Flash'. Jazz/blues. Amazing. The technique will floor you. He plays a walking bass line, comps chords, and runs all over the place at lighting speed at the same time. Plays with both hands on the fretboard.
For straight blues, along with SRV, I like some of Mr. Clapton's work. I have his Sessions for Robert J -- DVD and cd -- and it sucks. Audiophile-wise, it's great, but Clapton is just uninspired. Everyone around him is more into it than he is. Maybe he needs to shoot up again or something. Speaking of which... my all-time favorite blues guitar tune is Hendrix's Red House. One more... Buddy Guy's Dark Night Is Fallin.
I'll also second the Robert Johnson. And let me add some John Lee Hooker. I learned blues basically just listening to those two guys + SRV and Clapton.
On a more classical-ish note, check out Christopher Parkening playing Bach, or Paul O'Dette on lute doing renaissance music. You really hear the details of fingers on string and fret. With the lute music, you even hear him breathing. For a guitar guy, even if you're not into classical, these are technically really interesting. And beautiful besides. |
California Guitar Trio - Whitewater or Rocks The West, these are my two favorites, though all their work is truely excellent! |
ralph towners open letter! |
|
I use a couple for test discs...
One is Gino d'Auri "Flamenco Passion" on XRCD, tough to beat, amazing flamenco guitarist and one of the best recordings I've found.
He also has a live album with Paco Deluci called Saturday night in San Francisco I beleive on SACD that is not quite as well recorded, but the meterial is amazing. Thanks to whoever on this site recomended that one to me!
Ken |
If you like acoustic blues, try Catfish Keith (http://soli.inav.net/~catfishk/).
He is very, very good and his National is very well recorded. |
Check out Johnny A: "Get Inside" and "Sometime Tuesday Morning." Excellent Boston-area guitar player. Both discs are great and very well-recorded. |
Narada did a sampler called Guitar Masters. Very well recorded and a nice variety of new age and folk guitar. |
The essence of Al Di Meola on Columbia CK52920. Amazingly well recorded. And "Jazz Samba" Getz Stan/Charlie Byrd on DCC. |
I suggest this album by: Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, and Paco De Lucia - "Friday Night in San Francisco" (Live).
(FYI, this is a incredibly well reviewed and recorded album. It is a standard Audiophile selection actually. But still a good pick nonetheless.)
BTW: Really, really nice on vinyl! |
Don't know if you prefer acoustic or what, but you've already gotten some fine suggestions there. Gotta agree with practically anything Fahey, Kottke, Hedges(RIP), Cooder, some selected Bromberg (if you're OK w/ those vocals ;~), etc. Maybe check out Hawaiian Slack-key or Calcutta Slide, Doc Watson, Grisman/Garcia, Adrian Legg, Neal Schon, Atkins and Knofler. And the various samplers (Narada, Windham Hill Guitar Sampler or Touch, etc.) are consistently interesting and very good. I think my bro-in-law had something called Acoustic Heart(? - I guess that's the title) that was really decent. Shoot - there's just gazillions of good stuff (and never enough time).
And Zappa. Do we go Electric here? Dang - that's a whole 'nother book. Maybe it's time to start your "guitar CD trust fund", 'cause you could need one... |
I'd recommend checking out Ray Montford.
http://www.raymontford.com/
The Cd Many Roads received support by Paradigm Reference Speakers. |
On my system, one of the top sounding recordings period is the FIM "Flamenco Passion" by Gino d"auri mentioned above.
Also:
"300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces" by Manuel Barrueco
"58957: Bluegrass Guitar" by Tony Rice
"6 and 12 String Guitars" by Leo Kottke
"An evening with International Guitar Night" a compilation of artists
"The Goldberg Variations" by Bach and played by Kurt Rodarmer
"Classic Williams: Romance of the Guitar" by John Williams
"Fingerdance" by Billy McLaughlin
"Bach Lute Suites" by Paul Galbraith
"El Diablo Suelto - Guitar Music of Venezuela" by John Williams
"Espana" by Segovia
"Guitar Bones" and "Guitars and Other Cathedrals" by Adrian Legg
"Guitar Recital" by Jason Vieaux
"Guitares du Bresil" by Paulo Bellinati
"Moe'uhane Kika - Tales from the Dream Guitar" by Keola Beamer
Don't get me started - I love this stuff- |
Tony Rice & John Carlini, "River Suite for 2 Guitars"
or any of Tony's discs for that matter, my favs try "Devlin" or "Acoustics"
I'll 2nd the Grisman acoustics discs especially the J. Garcia ones |
Kurt-Tank,
Thank you for the correction, I postd it as Friday....It is Saturday! Great disk either way! |
Friday Night in San Fransisco on :
- CD standard edition is good
- SBM version on CD is even better
- SACD is amazing
- on 180gm Vinyl is heaven !!!! |
Beware: These recommendations are based on performance and not on sound quality. The problem here is if you are not into vinyl it would be hard for me to say what the CD's would glean as I don't posses them. Sorry.
A great acoustic rock performance was Alice in chains -Jar of flies
Most Ry Cooder albums including -Paradise and Lunch, Mambo Sinuendo, A Meeting by the River, & Buena Vista Social Club.
Most Richard Thomson records including -The Old Kit Bag.
Pentangle -Sweet Child, Basket of Light, & Cruel Sister.
Most Micheal Hedges records including -Aerial Boundaries.
Jimi Hendrix - Axis: Bold as Love, etc...
Neil Young & Crazy Horse including -Ragged Glory
Happy Listening! |
For something different, try Guitar Workshop, Volume One, on the British Transatlantic/Castle label (CD and LP). This is a British analog recording from 1972/73 and has the best guitar sound I've ever heard. It's also a lot of fun and offers great variety, featuring nine guitarists playing quite different-sounding pieces on a variety of different-sounding guitars (all acoustic). A classic recording. (Unfortunately, Volume Two isn't as good.) |
I love the responses, some written with great passion for the music. |
Vince, I think you'd really enjoy Alex de Grassi. He's a Windham Hill guitarist, and you're welcome to hear a disc I have of his. The recording is outstanding, and the music has that signature Windham Hill sound. |
Thanks Boa, now that the Holiday madness is over I can make time for audio interests. |
Jerry Douglas is the amazing dobro player for Alison Krauss. His recent cd "Lookout for Hope" is a close miked show off disc. I also happen to like the music, but even if you don't love the music, it's hard not to love the playing.
Also, there is a version of Terry Evans' "Puttin it Down" that features very impressively recorded acoustic guitar and kick drum. Sorry, don't know the specifics of the release, but some others might. |
Any stuff by Jerry Douglas |
Denny Jiosa *Moving Pictures* sees frequent rotation. |
Jimmy d. Lane - It's Time. Wonderful electric blues guitar work, especially on SACD format. |
|
Here I go saying this again but for me as of late its unquestionably been Bill Frisells East/West, masterfully recorded live direct to two track at Yoshis [West] and live at the Village Vanguard in New York. Amazing string tones as well as accoustic bass from Victor Krauss and drums from Kenny Wollesen, hard to stop listening to this one!!!! |
there is another thread...favorite gtr players...that u may want to check out though obviously musical content and recording quality may not match....using your own example of leo...and acoustic gt...and well recorded here are some examples...for elec gtr: if you want can provide more but perhaps u can give us some examples of your own taste first?
anyway here it goes
1. Buckethead: Colma...heavy metal virtuoso goes acoustic with the aime of some chill like electronics background...suprisingly good
2. California Guitar Trio: we recorded usually...for a good sample check out their greatest hits package called the First Decade: trio has great attack technical virtuosity
3. David Cullen & Michael Manring: Equilbre: Manring is one the greatest bassists alive but here its duet with acoustic gtr...interplay is phenomenal and well recorded
4. Pat Metheny: One Quiet Night: Pat and his acoustic gtr and notning more
5. Ralph Towner & Gary Peakcock: A Closer View: a more romantic or poetic duet than the above
6. Nils Lofgren: Acoustic Live: incredibly well recorded live performance...Nils comes out of his Springsteen shadow and shows us he is an excellent gtrist and quite good songs
7. Kelly Joe Phillips: Lead Me On...just the man, his acoustic gtr and his blues...stunning and moving: could be better well recorded but more than acceptable. |
Most any Doc Watson stuff. |
Turbulence and Quantum Guitar by Steve Howe are well made and have great guitar tone. Any of the latest latin flavoured Al Dimeola CD's. Allan Holdsworth's live CD called All Night Wrong is impressive.
Also, Andy Summers' covers of Mingus. |
I must ad, the best classical guitar CD i have heard to date is Andrew York's (LAGQ) Into The Dark. |
MA Recordings have, in my opininon the best sounding CD's and LP's (selected titles). Check them out: www.marecordings.com |
Guitar Forms - Kenny Burrell |
I didn't remember starting this thread. Well, I have some reading to do. Thank you everyone for your suggestions. |
Friday Night In San Francisco: John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, Paco De Lucia, is the best yet. |
Mentioned several times already for good reason...Flamenco Passion - Gino D'Auri XRCD.
Joaquin Rodrigo - Conciertos a 3 disc set on Phillips. Latin influenced classical with amazing technical execution, outstanding recording as well. |
Paul Rodgers Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute To Muddy Waters
Check out the lineup on this disc. Wait, was that David Gilmour? |
Imaginary Day and
The Way Up
by
Pat Metheny |
Don't think I saw him mentioned, but Nick Drake's "Five Leaves Left" and "Pink Moon" have great sound and wonderful acoustic guitar. Definitely recommend Ralph Towner as have others. "Soltice" is one of my favorites. |
Steve Hackett's " A Midsummer Night's Dream" is very well recorded. Steve playing classical guitar with orchestral accompaniment. Nice! |
Speaking of Steve Hackett, check out Matt Shelly's version of Blood on the Rooftops on You Tube. Nice! |
