Playing penny dice with T-Bone Walker ...

How does one start an article about a legend? Well, in the case of Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker, I think a film clip of him performing in London at Jazz at the Philharmonic in 1966, backed by such notables as Dizzy Gillespie and Coleman Hawkins, will do the trick ...

Of all the great twentieth-century blues guitarists, T-Bone Walker can easily be counted amongst the top five who have had the strongest influence on later generations of blues, rock, and jazz musicians. Not only did he write some of the most classic blues standards of all time (including "Call it Stormy Monday", which is still a popular cover tune today), but he was also part of that generation of blues artists who could easily bridge the gap between blues and jazz. Born in Linden, Texas on 28 May 1910 to two working musicians, his roots in the family trade were a blend of learning from his elders (including his mentor Blind Lemon Jefferson) and picking up what he could on the fly. From his early days as a boy, playing for change outside venues like Eddie's Drive-In, he honed his craft as a guitarist and singer. As a result, by the time he performed for the elite of London at Poplar Town Hall in 1966, his ability to improvise was legendary. As one of the innovators of electric blues guitar, his often complex style was an inspiration to the next generation of blues players, including B. B. King, Chuck Berry, and Albert King; and rock musicians such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and Jeff Beck worshipped the ground he walked on.

Here is another clip of Walker, this time performing in 1962 on Horst Lippman's German television show Jazz Gehört & Gesehen (Jazz Heard & Seen) ...

The guitar in ambient soundscapes ...

Jesse and I have decided that this blog will feature not only the usual fare from the world of guitar playing, but also some of the fantastic variety that is so often overlooked by the mainstream.  And although many of these styles may not initially appeal to those looking for the standard melodies and structures found in rock, blues, and country, they are worth listening to for a taste of what is considered cutting edge in the world of music.

Today's entry features a couple of our favorite groups who rely heavily on the use of guitars and synthesizers to create a whole range of ambient soundscapes in their compositions - the post-rock group Hammock and the minimalist drone-based ambient group Stars of the Lid (SOTL).

It is important to point out that these artists are inspired by not only the vast catalogue of music history, including classical and jazz compositions, but also by countless works of literature and fine art from around the world.  And like most innovators, they draw ideas from life's many abstractions and peculiarities, as well as its beauty, including all aspects of light and dark.  These elements are incorporated into their music as themes, which are threaded into the notes of composition, and used to set the shifting mood of each piece.  And while their use of guitars may at first seem simplistic, it is important that as you listen you consider technique, tone and composition - all of which demonstrate that these are far from simple songs!  Additionally, it is important to point out that much of what you think is pure synthesizer sound may in fact be guitar played through either effects boxes or through computerized synthesizer units - this is especially true of SOTL.

I have selected an original composition from each group to feature here, as well as SOTL's cover of Arvo Pärt's "Fratres".  First up is "Breathturn", a song featured on Hammock's 2010 release Chasing After Shodows ... Living with the Ghosts - this is the official video, which was directed by David Altobelli ...

Some Beck - oh la ...

Back in 2009 the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honored one of my favorite guitarists - and it was about time too! A mover and shaker by the late 1960s, Jeff Beck has left his mark on the blues, rock and roll, and jazz, and has worked with and garnered the respect of a number of notable musicians, including Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Nicky Hopkins, Tim Bogert ... and the list goes on and on.

This musician is, in my opinion, the very essence and definition of cool; and he has paved the way for countless other rock and roll guitarists since his entry on the scene. As Jimmy Page said in a red carpet interview outside the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, '... he's been instrumental in pioneering a whole blueprint that was totally unique to him, that has been such a ... well again, such a blueprint for everyone else to learn from ... I mean no one's ever equaled what Jeff's done, but he really shifted the whole ... sound and face of electric guitar ...'

Danny Kirwan & Peter Green, 'Like It This Way' ...

This performance of 'Like It This Way' by Fleetwood Mac, recorded for their 1970 Live in Boston album, features Danny Kirwan on vocals and guitar. The other guitarist is the legendary Peter Green. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, these two were considered by many to be the best guitar team in rock music, and they were integral in shaping much of Fleetwood Mac's early musical style.

For younger students of guitar, it is important to note that Danny Kirwan was only 19 years old at the time of this recording. He shows us all that age is not a handicap to those who work hard at their craft. In his performance of this song, each note is clearly executed, as he improvises over the pattern set by the rest of the band. And despite the fact that he breaks a string in the middle of his solo, he continues to play without missing a note or beat, completing it with the finesse of a master artist. His playing reflects hours of dedicated study and practice, which helped to shape his ability to play with some of the best musicians of his era.

What is most extraordinary, however, about this performance are Green's and Kirwan's obvious convictions about and understanding of the blues idiom. Although they were from the UK, which was a world away from the American roots of the music they played, and lived during an era before computers, CDs or even cassette tapes, they became serious students of the blues. Like other guitarists, such as The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards, they studied rare imported blues records by African-American musicians (who were part of a marginalized ethnic group in the United States), and applied what they learned to their own compositions. Because of their intense dedication to and respect for these authentic American blues artists, it is possible to label Peter Green and Danny Kirwan as 'authentic' guitarists of that genre.