Alex Lifeson (because of guitar and fisticuffs), Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Clapton, BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan - in no particuar order - what about Prince? What an innovator... |
A recent and drop my jaw discover for me..Bireli Lagrene...check out his Front Page album with Dennis Chambers or live trio Live in Marciac |
SRV. Listening is one thing, but to have actually seen him do it(3x)was incredible. That man made a lot sound from one guitar. It literally sounded like 2 or 3 at once. |
|
|
let's not forget : paco de lucia, garry moore, stanley clark, stanley jordan, jonas hellborg, |
Robm321, Yngwei...yikes! Cannot agree more. Generally at least for me, I really don't appreciate those who are technically proficient or even brilliant but then insist on showing off with just fast runs on scales without real musical and emotional artistry. In a way though perhaps not a composer of the song itself per se, all do "compose" or construct their solos...I pick a well constructed solo over fast runs any day...not that the ability to play fast in a technically way is a good thing: u just need to when & how...eg. Alan Holdsworth.
Similiarly though different there are some well regarded guitarists that for some reason don't resonate with me. May just be a taste thing....Al Dimeola, Martin Taylor are two of the examples.
Some guitarists active today who find very different, interesting, and really like include
Charlie Hunter (TJ Kirk, his own group, all over the place, plays an 8 string guitar which allows to play base lines and at times imitate an organ)
Kurt Rosenwinkel (Jazz, angular and intense...reminds the great John McCalughlin not sound wise but emotionally)
Jeff Parker (underground, Chicago, solo album out: tasteful and a thinking man's approach if you will but also great and interesting comping)
Rodney Jones (funk on!)
Anthony Wilson (perhaps more known for being in Diana Krall's band, but check out his solo albums!)
Eric Johnson (actually a fan for sometime, but noticed nobody seems to have mentioned him..new album Bloom is quite good though as usual a couple of duds too) |
Lifeson, Earl Slick, Knopfler, and Chet Atkins -- all incredible. |
Jimi, One of the very few Artists; Guitarist or otherwise, who profoundly changed the war any anyone who followed played, and I really like most of players listed, but for me it was Jimi Hendrix who got under everybody's skin...especially mine.
sing brother, play on drummer...
Happy New year!!! |
|
PHIL KEAGGY!!! Phil is not my favorite but he is the best I have ever seen. I grew up in Youngstown, OH, where Phil came onto the scene with his band GLASS HARP. My then girlfriend's best friend's brother was the Glass Harp base player (John Sfarra). I have seen Phil play on stage (from Idora Park to a concert in NYC years later), in wonderful Millcreek Park in the woods and at the Flats, at parties. At age 14 I played harmonica along side him in the park (he does not know this). I have also seen and been with many, many other musicians [Joe Walsh and the James Gang at Kent State, with BB King on one of his prison tours while I was in grad school, learned even more about playing the harp from living next door to John Mayall in Laural Canyon (CA)in early 70's, Rick Derringer, Tom Petty, on tour with Todd Rundgren, on tour with the Outlaws (dual guitar band from Georgia}, and was priviliged to be helping (at age 17)on stage when Led Zeppelin introed their 3d lp at the Forum in LA (where I thought Jimmy Page was going to create a riot due to his extensive use of acoustic guitar --vs hardass rock electric-- during the show.)] Lots of bragging thank you, only to illustrate I have qualification for my choice of Phil.
I still have never seen anyone play like Phil except somewhat close was a friend and an unknown guitarist from Youngstown named Ron Rupp who was also into religion.
Phil truly can play it all and has a sound that is so unique that I only wish more people could hear it. Phil has stayed true to his beliefs. It's the only reason more people don't know more about him. Stardom seems not to be his thing.
Keep on Phil. Keep on. |
Impossible to pick just one due to so many different styles and originality: Jeff Beck, SRV, John Renbourn,Steve Hackett (not only with Genesis but solo and classical, listen to A Midsummer Night's Dream), John Mayer as an up and comer, Alex Lifeson (not just for solos but his chord comping),Joe Pass. |
Where's Todd Rundgren?
I tripped across this thread again recently and thought - Three years, 265 amazingly diverse and interesting responses naming hundreds of players and -No Todd? Anyone else old enough to remember when he was the domestic alternative to imported guitar heroes? (See The Nazz).
Many people think of TR (if they think of him at all) as a songwriter first and may associate him with the piano. He hasn't played the part in many years, but once upon a time.... |
Just thought Id mention if anyone is in Winnipeg Canada they can whitness some smoking hot guitar playing by seeing the Barry G Player band at the local bar. |
Right now I'd have to say a toss up between
Steve Vai & Buckethead. Steve Morse was my
favorite for awhile. Robert Fripp was a long
time favorite also.
I've seen Zappa w/Belew (77), Bigjoe you're
right Belew seemed better with Frank, I didn't
see Vai w/Zappa but I have a DVD of that show.
Vai didn't even seem to be very good back then.
I've seen Fripp & Belew w/Crimson (81,82,84,03)
Steve Morse (03), Steve Vai (05). I'm going to
see Buckethead this month. I've seen alot more
but those are my favorites.
Vinny |
Lindsey Buckingham...I dunno I just like his finger work |
"08-25-05: Henryhk
there are simply too many....so let's turn this around. Who is the most over-rated? To start out a bit controversially...for me one is Steve Vai. Great technique, no soul nor character. It ain't music to me. Don't get me wrong I do like metal at times. Eddie Van Halen is kool when he is on (well in the early days)."
A late reponse to Henryhk's post: I agree. I wouldn't say Steve Vai is overatted since he has one of the best techniques of the top players. I agree that he is not the greatest composer, and frankly, I think his music sucks. He's like a watered down Frank Zappa - but the post didn't say best composer; would you fault Andre Segovia because he doesn't write the classical songs that he plays? I mean he just plays it with his technical ability - does that make him the most overrated?
For the most overrated, I would say Yngwei Malmsteen(sp?). He plays the same crap at the same speed, and it's repetitive even before 1 song is over. It's a torture session to listen to him. Nothing but Speed Speed Speed. He would do good in a 100 meter dash, but sucks as a musician. |
just about all my favorites have been mentioned - usually more than once. since fripp and belew have been mentioned as a pair and tom verlaine solo - how about verllaine and richard lloyd? on the one ocassion i saw the band, i thought lloyd stole the show.
in a similar context, the one name i'm surprised to find unmentioned is david hidalgo. whether playing a traditional electric solo, some bizarre acoustic mexican stringed device of indeterminate genus, or palying alongside other guitars when the fellow lobos join in, hidalgo is a riveting player. |
John McLaughlin but I've got to add both Adrian Belew and Robert Fripp of Crimson fame are incredible. |
The late great Danny Gatton. |
|
I saw Vai Twice,once with DLR and another time solo. I saw Belew with King Crimson that was a night to remember. I never had the luxury to see Frank. That would have been something. As amazing as he was as a guitarist he probably would have made a better president. |
ghost rider,nice to see another adrian belew fan,him & fripp were smokin hot,i saw belew play with frank zappa & he was amazing,i also saw steve via when he was with zappa & i thought belew did a much better job,via was too much flash & show for me.
anyhow,i gotta go with FZ for my alltime favorite guitarist,that guy really had the chops when he was young & did all his own guitar work. |
David Gilmour. To me, very emotional, very layered. |
Anyone listen to the CD called Masterpiece Guitars by Martyn Taylor and Steve Howe...Simply tremendous...I just wish it was in vinyl. |
One of the most right on the night I heard him was Gurf Morlix when he accompanied Lucinda Williams on tour about 8 years ago. His support of her phrasing was sublime, just impeccable taste that first and foremost always served the song. Never a wrong note, never an unnessary note. |
As a guitarist (a hack compared to many) I love so many players but for me the overall honours right now goes hands down to fusion guitarist Guthrie Govan. Not only does his technique push the physical boundaries (well past Vai...who I have much respect for) but he also possesses the capacity to play any style at the absolute highest level. Very scary to see one person with so much talent. |
|
I'm stunned that no one has mentioned Harvey Reid, certainly one of the best guitar players around. If you're not aware of him, check out www.woodpecker.com |
I'm not sure how you decide this, but I noticed on this site, Factory direct, that Acoustic Disc has a new cd coming out which features over 20 guitarists and 20 mandolinists each playing on the same two vintage instruments.
What a great way to compare styles of David Bromberg,
Del McCoury, John Jorgenson, Tony Rice, Martin Taylor...
etc. etc.
It's called Tone Poets
JG |
Mark Knofler, Andres Segovia, Jeff Beck, Al DiMeola, Alex Lifeson...in no particular order. |
henryhk,
I agree. Steve Vai has some songs that are great, and he can play anything at any speed. But he chooses to play off the wall stuff with sound effects to the point where it just gets silly. Another one that has talent on Vai's scale is Frank Gambale.
Van Halen had his day and wrote some great music. But he sucks by today's standards. He should have stayed retired. If fact, Randy Rhoads was a much better guitarist at the same time Eddy was popular, but he didn't live long enough to really be noticed at the time. He has been noticed ever since. |
It's hard to argue against SRV, Jimi, Clapton, and a bunch of others, but my personal favorite is Lindsey Buckingham. He has a great tone, and his finger-picking style is pretty unique for the rock idiom. He's also an extremely melodic player--one of the most melodic I've ever heard. I met him when I was 12 years old, and he was really nice to me, so he's my sentimental favorite. |
there are simply too many....so let's turn this around. Who is the most over-rated? To start out a bit controversially...for me one is Steve Vai. Great technique, no soul nor character. It ain't music to me. Don't get me wrong I do like metal at times. Eddie Van Halen is kool when he is on (well in the early days). |
Not a single mention(that I seen) for the utterly amazing late guitarist Michael Hedges? I'm shocked! Best guitarist I ever seen. |
|
Fripp. the guy can do anything, also Hackett, then Wilson from PTREE, and Ed from Ozric tentacles. keep an eye on this guy, he rips!!!! |
|
Andre Segovia - One of the greatest musicians of all time.
As far as favorite rock guitarist - Randy Rhoads
Most talented IMHO - Frank Gambale or Steve Vai.
Rob |
Hard to name just one, so I'll go for a few of my favourite rock/blues guitarists
Jeff Beck
Roy Buchanan
Jimi Hendrix
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Johnny Winter |
Tommy Emanuel is really good, and chet atkins... and Segovia, Paco Delucia, Sabicas... to name a few more |
How could we forget duane allman? (i just hit the side of my head with the butt of my hand). One of the greats. Imagine what he might have become. |
Let's not forget Duane Allman. |
Must agree with Glenn Campbell and add Roy Clark to the list of great country pickers. |
After reading every last post.
Glenn Campbell must be mentioned for being one of the best.
For my favorite Dan Fogelberg. |
i like phil keagy, steve howe, and adrian belew too: theyre all really great and i do have extensive expossure to them all. i still like robert fripp most of all (i have all the phil keagy albums, all of yes... and some of howe's solo stuff, and i have a lot of various stuff adrian performed) |
Jimi Hendrix gets my vote. I had narrowed it down to 11 guitarists. Each guitarist was awesome for their own style of playing-(David Gilmore, Steve Howe, Dicky Betts, Eric Clapton, Richie Blackmore, Neil Young, Carlos Santana, Jeff Beck, John Mclaughlin, Johnny Winter). It's really amazing that so many gifted guitarists came out of one era. |
Jorma Kaukonen. A talented guitarist that has just gotten better and better.... |
Richard Thompson, Tom Verlaine and Django Reinhart |
Phil Keaggy can play it all. I saw him live many years ago at some christian college in N.J. and was blown away. Without a doubt one of the best, but alot of people won't listen to him because he is into the Jesus thing. TG |
