19-06-2014, 06:08
jazzboCR Wrote:I won't waste time quibbling about where SRV was or his place at age 36--I'll take strong issue about where he might have progressed. Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks are 2 strong benchmarks but SRV would be right there with them circa 2014. And where would Duane Allman stand in this Pantheon? I'm not busting, just looking for a little more understanding...and a minute of grief for our loss. "...in the second 11..." is way tough. Passion fuels us, doesn't it? Occasionally to excess...
Just to clarify, my personal top 10 would be as follows:
Michael Bloomfield - Able to let you feel his soul via his LP, very short career, but the highs he hit have only been glimpsed at since, also God himself (Bob Dylan) said he was the best he's ever heard, seen or played with.
Ry Cooder - If its strung, he can make it sing, personally I prefer him as a Band member, but that is just me.
Robbie Robertson - A guitarist who has 'thrown away more fills' embellishing tunes, than some guitarists have in a career, also God cites him as the 'only mathematically perfect guitarist'
Albert King - My personal favourite King
James Burton - I know he is labelled a a 'Country Picker' but listen to him on Hoyt Axton's version of 'That's alright mama', a truly dirty and almost pornographic solo
Jeff Beck - The only British guitarist I would stand in line to see
Duane Allman - Only have his brief recording history, but he is certainly up there, never saw him live, a big regret
Jimi Hendrix - Saw him in the UK on 'packaged tours' and only once at the Marquee, obviously very unhappy to be sharing the bill with Lulu and others, but 'when he wanted' he could take you inside his soul
Nils Lofgren - The most underrated player here, his early career has some real gems that are worth looking out, I caught him in Edinburgh in 2001, with a really tight band, the whole place was singing 'I came to dance' to bring him out for an encore just magical. Springsteen knew what he was doing when he hired Nils, he was hiring the best available player
Elliott Randall - Steely Dan, he made the first album
Jerry Garcia - Didnt really show you his soul, but could generate a hell of a good time
Mentions For:
Rory Gallagher, who I sometimes saw every other day for a while in the late sixties,
Lonnie Mack a truly great player and innovator who is still going strong,
Dave Alvin who I have just discovered, check out his version of 'Highway 61 revisited'
Alvin Lee a stylish and melodic player, who has played almost every style
Pete Townsend can play with such a passion, one of two reasons I really wanted to play in the Who
Stephen Stills a listen to his work with Judy Collins on 'the first boy I loved' will convince that the CSNY circus probably robbed us of a lot
Howard Slackman he was Nina Simone's guitarist for years, check out 'just say I love him' (not the live in Paris version) serenity and pain
Thats it, I appreciate people are not going to agree on this it is very personal, I've missed people out that have been a big influence, but these are the ones I go back to listening again and again