Month: November 2010

Doc Watson is such an icon of American music and the country and bluegrass fields that it would be impossible to point to one recording and pin down his best work. This collection though, does a nice job of picking some of his finest effort, not only as a guitarist, but as a singer and arranger of songs.

While not really viewed as a bluesman, cuts like “My Little Woman, You’re So Sweet” make a strong argument that he fits in with the greats of the genre; it’s just him and a 12-string. And it works well. Doc, his late son, Merle, on guitar, and Marty Stuart on mandolin tear it up on “Watson’s Blues,” a bluegrass instrumental that’s a perfect showcase for both guitarists flatpicking skills and Stuart’s underrated mandolin playing. While most of these cuts include Doc’s vocals (which contain about as much character as could be placed over a microphone), there is one other notable instrumental – “Whiskey Before Breakfast.” Just Doc and Bryan Sutton, it’s a plain ol’ pickin’ party.

The most important element in the 14 songs here is their reach. Watson may not be regarded an innovator, but as this record shows he knows the foundations of virtually every kind of American music. It’s a treasure trove of great playing from Doc and and others, from Bela Fleck to Jerry Douglas.

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Nov. ’08 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Forty years after the fact, some people (people who weren’t around at the time) might say that Jimi Hendrix wasn’t all that revolutionary. These people would be wrong.

There had been sonic experimentation prior to Hendrix (prominently by Jeff Beck and Pete Townshend), and some of Hendrix’s influences were blues players and the R&B chordal style of guitarists like Curtis Mayfield and Bobby Womack. But the resultant whole was not only a seamless amalgam of myriad influences but also something absolutely, utterly brand-new. Curtis Mayfield was from Chicago; Jimi Hendrix was from Mars!

In addition to the landmark debut set by the Hendrix Experience (shown almost in its entirety on the DVD and en toto on the CD), the DVD includes “American Landing,” a new documentary that, unlike D.A. Pennebacker’s “Monterey Pop,” focuses on Hendrix, placing him in the context of the festival. The stage is set by interviews with performers and organizers, including John and Michelle Phillips of the Mamas & The Papas, Lou Adler, Derek Taylor, and Chas Chandler, as well as the Experience’s drummer and bassist, Mitch Mitchell and the late Noel Redding.

This is the show that literally made Jimi an overnight legend, and it’s easy to see why. Hell, if he’d walked off after the blistering opener, a reinvention of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor,” legendary status would have been cemented. Instead, he plowed through a set that included originals “Foxey Lady,” “Wind Cries Mary,” and “Purple Haze” (“Can You See Me” wasn’t captured on film, but is included on CD) and covers of Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone,” Billy Roberts’ “Hey Joe,” and the Troggs’ “Wild Thing” – the latter, of course, culminating with Hendrix on his knees, “sacrificing” his Strat. In flames.

Even if you were lucky enough to see Hendrix live, it’s truly staggering to see how confidently he commanded the stage in front of an audience that minutes earlier had no idea who he was. But then wouldn’t you be confident if you were the best guitarist in the world?

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Jan. ’08 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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This CD can’t help but grab any guitarist’s attention, with its clever cover collage, depicting Robert Johnson playing Clapton’s famous psychedelic “Fool” Les Paul/SG. If you check out what’s inside the package before checking out what’s inside the grooves (or whatever CDs have), you’ll be further enticed and amused by the cut-and-paste spread of everyone from Mick Taylor to Jack Bruce to Electric Mud-era Muddy, all paired with vintage axes and amps.

And the shots don’t just reveal the band’s sense of humor; most (we’ll overlook the pix of Whitney Houston, Sheila E., and Christina Aguilera – or try to) reflect where this L.A.-based quintet is coming from musically. Jamnesia plays blues-rock with a generous helping of the British version from the late ’60s – which includes not being confined by 12-bar structures or retro rules (the vocal chorus on the opening “Tainted” being a good example).

Shouldering most of the composing, guitarist Daniel Hess is a major-league find. Flashes of Taylor, Clapton, Kim Simmonds, and Peter Green peek through without sounding recycled in the least, and on “DD Baby” he shows impressive jazz chops. Even on “Harpbreaker,” obviously a showcase for harmonica player James Murphy, the intricate riff/bed he lays down is as original as it is cool.

The vintage sound Hess summons comes honestly. He used a ’64 Shoreline Gold Stratocaster, ’64 SG Standard, ’61 ES-335, and, for slide, a plexiglass 1970 Dan Armstrong – all through a 1968 50-watt plexi Marshall – and a ’50 Martin 000-28 and ’56 Gibson J-185 for acoustics.

The set’s only covers are tasty acoustic readings of Muddy’s “The Same Thing,” Al Kooper’s “I Can’t Keep From Cryin’,” and a snippet of George Harrison’s “Within You, Without You.” Standout originals include the blazing “That Cannot Be Bought” and the timely “Can’t Get My H-M-O-Jo Workin’.”

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Dec. ’09 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Someday someone will make a great movie about rock and roll, maybe even blues. Until then, we’re stuck with crap like Cadillac Records, which takes more than “artistic license” in telling the story of Chess Records.

Marshall Chess, son of the Chicago label’s Leonard Chess, served as technical consultant for the film, but called it “a horrible distortion of history” – for, among other things, its fabrication of an affair between his father and singer Etta James. At least his dad was depicted in the movie; Leonard’s brother Phil, who co-founded the label, is nowhere to be found. And Little Walter gets even worse treatment. This genius of the harmonica admittedly led a rough and tumble life, but the movie portrays him as a certified lunatic – at one point executing a man for impersonating him, though this too is Hollywood fantasy.

It’s a shame that such b.s. accompanies, for many, an introduction to the visionary label whose staggering roster of giants also included Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Sonny Boy Williamson, Jimmy Rogers, Willie Dixon, Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, Little Milton, Lowell Fulson, and Otis Rush.

Still in his teens, Marion Walter Jacobs established a whole new style of harmonica playing – not just amplifying the harp by cupping it to a cheap microphone (that had been done), but approaching the instrument like a jazz horn soloist. He influenced virtually all blues harpists who followed – some devoting their entire careers to copying his every lick.

This five-disc box is the Little Walter mother lode: six hours, encompassing every session he led at Chess, including more than a dozen previously unissued tracks, outtakes, and works in progress, not to mention a bevy of rare photos.

But while the singing and solos are all Walter, it’s also a textbook on blues rhythm guitar – taught by the masters. From his 1952 instrumental smash “Juke,” backed by bandleader Waters and bandmate Rogers, Walter is backed by the Aces (brothers Louis and Dave Myers); 18-year-old Luther Tucker and his mentor, Robert Lockwood; Jimmie Lee Robinson; Buddy Guy; and Freddie Robinson. Bo Diddley even plays on an instrumental he penned called “Roller Coaster.”

A must-have for harp players, but guitarists, too.

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 This article originally appeared in VG’s Jul. ’09 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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The hype around Tangled Tales screams “Dan Hicks is back!” Which was the same line when he released Beatin’ The Heat in 2000 and no doubt Selected Shorts four years later. Granted, Heat was the singer/songwriter’s first new studio album in 22 years. Maybe a more apt grabber this time around would be “Dan Hicks is still back” – which is equally remarkable considering his seeming aversion to studios and record labels.

A true pioneer – first in the earliest days of psychedelia, with San Francisco’s Charlatans, followed by his lone stance for acoustic swing amid a sea of acid rock – Hicks is responsible for such classics as “I Scare Myself,” “Walkin’ One And Only,” and “How Can I Miss You When You Won’t Go Away.” His Hot Licks of the early ’70s (featuring guitarist John Girton, violinist Sid Page, and Lickettes Maryann Price and Naomi Eisenberg) were the ultimate in hip and, against all odds, quite popular – and set the stage for acoustic stringers like David Grisman (and, hence, Darol Anger, Mike Marshall, Mark O’Connor, et. al.). As if to give him his due, Heat and Shorts boasted cameos by devotees and fans, including Tom Waits, Bette Midler, Willie Nelson, Elvis Costello, Brian Setzer, Rickie Lee Jones, and even Butthole Surfer Gibby Haynes.

To his credit, Hicks didn’t get lost in the shuffle, but Tales sounds more cohesive, and he sounds more at home. Some heavyweights are onboard (mandolinist Grisman, violinist Richard Greene, and blues harpist Charlie Musselwhite), but they supply instrumental support; no vocal duets here. And Dave Bell proves to be all the star power needed on guitar – always an exercise in swing and intricacy with Hicks.

The repertoire is divided equally among covers (from “Ragtime Cowboy Joe” to “Subterranean Homesick Blues”), never-waxed originals from Hicks’ past (in the case of “The Rounder,” dating back 35-plus years), and assumedly new tunes (including the title tune, which holds up despite having no lyrics, just scatting). Which on the one hand begs the question, “How much writing is Dan doing these days?” while, for longtime fans,  also breaths the sigh of relief, “He finally got around to recording that one!”

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 This article originally appeared in VG’s Jun. ’09 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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When he’s got his groove going, Zac Harmon sings a little like Chuck Jackson and his guitar technique is straight from the Albert King College Of Musical Knowledge; “Keep The Blues Alive” is practically an ode to The Master.

Harmon also proves well-rounded and far-reaching as a songwriter and musician when he dips into reggae (“That’s What A Woman Needs”) and ’60s soul, as with “Want Ads” or “The Price Of Lovin’ You,” a supremely satisfying duet with singer Sueann Carwell. Then there are traces of Johnny Jenkins, Mac Rebbenac (“Don’t Give Me Another Reason”), and Clarence Carter.

In “Hattie Mae,” Harmon spotlights harmonica player Jimmy Z, but stays in charge the rest of the time, setting the joint on fire Buddy-Guy-style with “Enough” and in “Since You Been Gone” showing that he had his ears open to the Allman Brothers Band, Derek and the Dominos and other big-rock jam bands of the ’70s as well as to players like King. The positive results of a soul- and blues-man’s borrowing from rock and roll what was borrowed from the blues are also evident in “Back Bitin’ Back Stabbers,” a direct descendant of the rock and soul of the Gap Band, and especially Billy Preston.

Harmon closes with a return to straight blues with the acoustic slide of “Man Is Not Meant To Be Alone,” having made lively steps off the beaten path between pillar and post.

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Nov. ’09 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Merle Haggard rightly considers himself a musician as much as, if not more than, a singer, songwriter, or performer. And he has always been a member of the outstanding collection of talented musicians who have worked with him as the Strangers.

Primarily a guitar player and prompted by his admiration for Bob Wills, Haggard took up the fiddle long after he was an established star. According to guitarist Redd Volkaert, he may have driven the band crazy practicing while walking up and down the aisle of the tour bus while they were trying to sleep, but he made himself – willed himself – into becoming a legitimate fiddler.

As a player and composer, Haggard employs a sense of melody and affinity for unusual, compelling chord changes that Volkaert, to name one among many who should know, praises to the heights.

It’s that sense of musicianship, and the interplay between Haggard and his crackerjack players (as on “Ramblin’ Fever”) that gives this collection of live performances an extra dimension. The songs – some of his biggest and best presented chronologically from 1968’s “Branded Man” to his 1983 take on “San Antonio Rose” – are among country music’s best. It’s a shame the package doesn’t include band credits, but the sharp-eyed will spot the usual suspects – Roy Nichols, Norm Hamlet, mandolinist Tiny Moore, and another Texas Playboy or two among the bunch.

The equation is obvious; Merle Haggard plus great band plus big bag of “Hag” hits equals one hugely enjoyable DVD. Extras include an interview of Merle with former wife and singing partner, Leona Williams, and footage of his 1994 induction into the Country Music Hall Of Fame.

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Feb. ’09 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Ian Hunter is on a roll. His 2007 disc, Shrunken Heads, was an amazing set of music that put the one-time Mott the Hoople head man back on the list of great songwriter/singers. Man Overboard continues that climb. And given that he took six years between his two previous album, it’s nice to see Hunter accelerate his creative process, especially when the quality doesn’t suffer.

Songs like “The Great Escape” and the anthemic “River of Tears” carry a moral, while whimsical tunes like “Girl From the Office” relate to anyone who has worked with the fairer sex. “These Feelings” and “Flowers” are love songs of raw emotion, and all tracks are delivered via Hunter’s craggy voice and a band that sounds like a rock band ought to sound.

Among the guitarists are Jack Petruzzelli and James Mastro. Producer Andy York (John Mellencamp) also straps on the six-string, and together they deliver tasteful guitar in layers that never intrude on Hunter’s lyrics or voice. Acoustics supply background, while the slide parts are often gracefully reminiscent of George Harrison’s. A close listen reveals a lot of guitar work that never gets in the way, but always adds to the songs.

Hunter’s character and grace grows as he ages, lending a valuable lesson for rockers everywhere.

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Oct. ’09 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Herberman is known as an educator/player, and with each release, his skills become more and more evident. He plays a seven-string guitar and mixes jazz standards with originals such that every song sounds like his own.
Herberman is as at home with atmospheric boppers like “This is New” as he is with introspective ballads like the title cut. The former offers a full menu of chops, mixing chords with single-lines and everything in-between. It never becomes clichéd, and Herberman’s use of chromatics adds an element that takes you by surprise and keeps things moving. The original “She’s For Me” is another chance to take in the chops; while playing with incredible soul and wit, Herberman recalls the history of jazz guitar in an imaginative, leisurely-paced swinger.

The effort here is essentially a trio record, and Herberman is generous with the time; Tom Baldwin’s bass adds admirably to the songs, and drummer Mark Ferber works very rhythmically with Herberman.

Herberman isn’t a household name among jazz fans like some of his generation have become, but his playing and compositional skills should make him one.

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This article originally appeared in VG’s Jun. ’09 issue.  All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine.  Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited

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