Tag: features

Take Five

When one thinks of bands with two (or more) lead guitarists, groups like the Eagles, Buffalo Springfield, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Wishbone Ash, the edition of Fleetwood Mac featuring Peter Green and Danny Kirwan (and Jeremy Spencer on slide), and of course the Allman Brothers Band’s Dickie Betts and Duane Allman come to mind – not to mention Allman’s work with Eric Clapton on Derek and the Dominos’ lone studio album. But in folk circles, specifically British folk, one ensemble stands head and shoulders above all others: Pentangle.

The quintet featured bassist Danny Thompson, drummer Terry Cox, and singer Jacqui McShee, but it was the rare instance of arguably the two greatest guitarists of a genre collaborating in a working band. Steel-string fingerpickers John Renbourn and Bert Jansch followed in the footsteps of pioneer Davy Graham, but were far more prolific, separately and together.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the group’s formation, the six albums it released with its original lineup, between 1968 and ’72, are now available as a seven-disc (owing to studio/live double album Sweet Child) boxed set.

Labeled a folk-rock supergroup, the original 61 tracks amply illustrate the band’s fusion of traditional British folk with jazz improvisation, blues, and world music. But also included are 54 bonus tracks (outtakes, live shots, and songs from contemporaneous solo LPs by Jansch and Renbourn) – 22 of them previously unreleased, including a live “She Moved Through The Fair,” renamed “White Summer” by Jimmy Page during his Yardbirds stint.

Against all odds, and unthinkable in today’s pigeonholing climate, Pentangle was not only extremely influential in Britain (recording Charles Mingus’ “Goodbye Pork-Pie Hat” years before Jeff Beck); it was also commercially successful. Its self-titled debut nearly cracked the U.K. Top 20, and Basket Of Light (both were produced by Shel Talmy, of Kinks and Who fame) shot to #5. In fact, the latter’s “Light Flight” hovered just under the Top 40 singles, despite its shifting time signatures – 5/8 to 7/8 to 6/4.

The eclectic bent embraces the mysterious “Sally Go Round The Roses,” by ’60s “girl group” the Jaynettes, Muddy Waters’ “Louisiana Blues,” retitled “Way Behind The Sun,” an 18-minute excursion on the traditional “Jack Orion,” and “House Carpenter,” probably best known by Appalachia’s Clarence Ashley, featuring Jansch on clawhammer banjo and Renbourn on sitar.

Appropriately, the deluxe treatment includes an 88-page booklet with plenty of photographs, insightful essays about each album, and interviews with Jansch and Renbourn, who died in 2011 and 2016, respectively.

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This article originally appeared in VG August 2018 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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The Grateful Dead just may be more popular now that the band is actually dead and gone. Their musical industrial complex keeps a steady stream of live recordings coming – and with some 30 years of shows to mine, there’s no end in sight. And no deadheads are complaining.

Still, the five-LP/four-CD boxed set Before the Dead chronicling band mainstay Jerry Garcia’s early music may be the most exciting Dead-esque release in years. And it’s backed by a 32-page well-researched book filling in Garcia’s early story.

The collection kicks off with Garcia and future Dead lyricist Robert Hunter playing for a sixteen-year-old’s birthday party in ’61. The songs are classic Americana, and the duo doesn’t stand out musically except for their zeal. Still, it speaks volumes about Garcia’s roots.

There are several coffeehouse gigs from ’61 and ’62 that show that enthusiasm developing. The picking and grinning are competent and compelling. Garcia proves equally adept on guitar, banjo, and mandolin throughout.

With the four-piece Black Mountain Boys in a series of 1964 gigs, Garcia truly catches fire and you can hear the root sounds of the Dead that would surface on its greatest Americana albums of 1970, Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty. The Boys’ version of “Rosa Lee McFall” is a jewel – and a song the Dead would play acoustically for decades after.

The Dead’s Best of collects 19 classic live shots spanning the band’s career. All of these are classic tracks previously released on past live albums, but they have a special power combined here. The collection opens with “St. Stephen” from the Fillmore West in ’69, includes several stellar Europe ’72 tracks, and ends in ’95 with “So Many Roads” from the ensemble’s finale show.

Are these truly the Dead’s best live songs? It’s a question deadheads will enjoy hashing over for years to come.

San Francisco Chronicle writer Joel Selvin’s history of the resurrection of the band after Garcia’s death is at the same time a sad and (somewhat) heartening story. Garcia was both a bandleader who refused to lead and a guru who spoke most wisely with his guitar. Without him, the group was at loose ends, yet needed to continue on to support the musicians’ lifestyle, their vast company of techs and roadies, and the marketing empire. Some, like bassist Phil Lesh, happily retired. Others, like Bob Weir and Mickey Hart, have forged a new career and produced some inspired music since.

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This article originally appeared in VG August 2018 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Yes’ Chris Squire didn’t intend to make a masterpiece with 1975’s Fish Out of Water, but he inadvertently did – and knew it. For the ensuing 40 years, the late bassist never dared make another solo album, well aware he couldn’t top himself. Fortunately, the landmark is now reissued with 5.1 Surround remix, vinyl, and a DVD rife with audio and video goodies.

What makes this such a prog-rock stunner? It’s the perfect storm of classic Yes with George Martin’s Beatles arrangements, iced on top with Brian Wilson-inspired vocal harmonies.

The studio band featured Squire on Rickenbacker 4001 bass and electric 12-string, Bill Bruford on drums, Patrick Moraz on organ, and – the quiet hero behind it all – pianist Andrew Pryce Jackman, who created the orchestral wizardry.

The album flows as a nearly uninterrupted piece of classical-rock, from the proggy stomp of “Hold Out Your Hand” and “Silently Falling” to the rapturous chamber-pop of “You By My Side.” Squire’s Rick is pushed to the fore, but not using his trebly Yes tone. Instead, the bass was overdriven to resemble Jack Bruce’s legendary roar with Cream and, indeed, there’s massive fuzz-bass throughout.

The coup de grâce is “Safe (Canon Song),” a 15-minute epic based around a single bass theme, echoed by Jackman’s arranging genius and Squire’s wall-of-choir vocals. Chris’ bass uses a wet envelope-filter tone for the “canon” section, weaving in and out of the orchestra – there’s nothing much like it in all rock and roll.

If you love symphonic rock, Fish Out of Water remains a grand achievement and – thanks to this 2018 remix – now sounds even better.

Like Yes, Genesis is another Brit-prog institution. When they went pop in the late ’70s, ex-guitarist Steve Hackett made a shrewd decision to become torchbearer for that vintage Genesis sound. As evidence, Wuthering Nights is a two-CD/one-DVD live box that devotes one disc to solo Hackett music, and another to the band’s final prog albums, Trick of the Tail and Wind & Wuthering.

The set opens with “Every Day,” a dramatic platform for Steve’s sustained and whammy-fueled solos, while “Acoustic Improvisation” gives us a chance to marvel at his superb classical-guitar chops. The box also features “Firth of Fifth,” showcasing a gigantic solo comprised of thick sustain and echo. Well-rendered here, it remains one of the finest guitar moments in all progdom and Steve’s own personal triumph.

If you don’t know the formidable Mr. Hackett, this set is an excellent place to start.

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This article originally appeared in VG August 2018 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Luther and Cody Dickinson’s latest pushes the boundaries of northern Mississippi blues music by integrating programmed loops and electronic dance beats. The four-song EP injects tinges of soul, gospel, blues, and The Blind Boys Of Alabama with metronomic grooves, modern beats, and heart-pounding sound effects.

Culled from material showcased on their previous record Prayer For Peace, this is a mesmerizing recipe that works, re-imagining the songs “Prayer For Peace,” “Miss Maybelle,” “Red Rooster Run,” and “Need To Be Free.” The last track features DJ Spanish Fly, Rev Sekou, Al Kapone, Sharde Thomas, Frayser Boy, and badass slide guitar from Luther.

The blend of soul-based genres humanizes the sterility and robotic nature of electronic dance music. Luther’s fatback slide guitar and countrified vocals on “Miss Maybelle” is pure grit and feel, while “Red Rooster Run” with its tripped-out hiccups and guitar edits is reminiscent of Jeff Beck’s forays into electronica. “Need To Be Free” integrates rap, tribal drumming, and call and response with psychedelic blues guitar.

This is a successful experiment displaying what can happen when forward-thinking bluesmen step outside the box.

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This article originally appeared in VG August 2018 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Peter Rowan spent 1963 through ’67 as lead singer/guitarist with Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys before his own solo albums, his work with progressive bluegrass bands like Jerry Garcia’s Old and In The Way and Muleskinners, and rock bands Earth Opera and Sea Train. At one point Monroe and Rowan traveled to rural Virginia so Monroe could introduce his young singer to ailing former Blue Grass Boy Carter Stanley, Monroe’s favorite singer-guitarist. Carter died in ’66, and Rowan’s title song, “The Light In Carter Stanley’s Eyes,” vividly recounts that meeting.

The entire album is solidly traditional, blending Rowan originals, traditional numbers, a Louvin Brothers song, and four Stanley Brothers originals.

While the core accompanists are his own Peter Rowan Bluegrass band, two top-rung guitarists guest here: former Doc Watson sideman Jack Lawrence and Tim O’Brien, who also handles harmony vocals. Lawrence stands out with his clean breaks on “A Tiny Broken Heart,” “The True And Trembling Brakeman,” “Let Me Love You One More Time,” and “Take My Ashes” and adds exquisite solos to the ballad “Will You Miss Me” and the gospel tune “A Vision of Mother.”

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This article originally appeared in VG August 2018 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Bill Frisell is a musical treasure who has proven himself in so many musical situations he’s impossible to categorize. His latest effort is his first “solo” record in many years. And it’s not your father’s solo jazz guitar record: Frisell brings his own feel and sound to each song.

While there is a pleasant nakedness or starkness, there’s plenty going on because of Frisell’s expert use of looping, reverse guitar, and tons of other effects that have become a part of his instrument over the years.

Check out the lovely looped figure on “Pretty Stars” that sets the tone while Frisell melodically solos over it, using single lines, double stops, and slurs. The layering of guitar sounds in “Change In The Air” takes on a stately feel that makes it compositionally perfect.

“Thankful” is a tune with gorgeous chiming chords and a melody that won’t soon leave your head. That melody bounces off alternating bass notes while a somewhat distorted guitar sings above it all.

There are no cuts here that don’t catch the ear in some way. It’s a solo masterpiece by one of the most talented and unique guitarists alive.

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This article originally appeared in VG August 2018 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Guthrie Trapp has spent the last couple decades in Nashville, supporting major acts in the studio and on the road. His second solo album shows he’s learned plenty of lessons, because while this is a guitar album, it’s also an album full of songs and his playing serves those songs well.

It doesn’t take long to appreciate his picking in the opener, “Buckdancer’s Choice.” It shifts from a two-step country tune into an instrumental soul extravaganza with Trapp’s soloing leading the way. Chops are never a question.

Another instrumental, “Shag Rug Burn,” is an R&B tune that flies along at a quick pace and allows Trapp to show off some imaginative leads.

Various guests sing where required: Jimmy Hall, Vince Gill, Bekka Bramlett, and the McCrary Sisters are among those helping out. And on those tunes, Trapp is the perfect accompanist and, when called upon, the perfect soloist. The soloing of Trapp and Paul Franklin on the country chestnut, “You’re Still On My Mind,” joined by Gill on vocals turns it into one of the album’s highlights.

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This article originally appeared in VG August 2018 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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“Are you ready for star time?” That’s the introduction by emcee Al “Brisco” Clark to the six-CD boxed-set of Otis Redding performances at the Whisky A Go Go club. His three-night residency in April 1966 was material for a single album that was designed to capture the power of Redding’s live stage act.

This box contains seven sets of material with Redding in total command belting out hits, covers, engaging the audience, and repeating songs without compunction. There are 10 versions of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” and killer interpretations of “A Hard Days Night” and “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag.”

The band consists of drummer Elbert Woodson, bassist Ralph Stewart, guitarist James Young, and a serious horn section. Displaying the kind of musical telepathy that comes from seasoned pros, Young provides ample skank, flavor, and hypnotic arpeggiation. Produced by Bill Bentley, the box includes liner notes by Lynell George, who won a Grammy for this project.

Popular songs here like “Respect,” “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” and “Mr. Pitiful” are riveting, but it’s the raw intensity of the 26-year-old’s complete sets that captivate.

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This article originally appeared in VG August 2018 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Along with his work with Jim Campilongo and others, San Francisco-based pedal steel guitarist Joe Goldmark has produced eight solo CDs (and three earlier vinyl albums) covering broad swaths of popular music, among them collections of ’60s rock and Beatles tunes. This latest follows a similar path, as Goldmark navigates a blend of original instrumentals and rock, R&B, blues and country covers.

The instrumentals are his showcase, allowing him to stretch out, as he does on the title track, the reflective “Warm Rain,” and the dry-humored “Tacky Tango.” It’s welcome hearing him again with Campilongo here on the guitarist’s original instrumental “I Want To Be With You Forever.”

Eight selections are covers, including Jeff Lynne’s “A Love So Beautiful,” Jimmy McCracklin’s “The Wobble,” “Howlin Wind” by Graham Parker, Lefty Frizzell’s “Look What Thought Will Do,” Elvis Presley’s “True Love Travels On A Gravel Road,” and the B.B. King standard “Beautician Blues.”

The male and female singers on these tunes – Glenn Walters and Dallis Craft – are quite competent, but ultimately unnecessary. Their presence puts Goldmark into accompanist mode when hearing him make use of his instrumental prowess to explore these songs harmonically would have been infinitely more satisfying.

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This article originally appeared in VG August 2018 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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Rock history is littered with truly gifted bands that inexplicably never broke big, from The Move to The Replacements. Spirit is another, an L.A. group dripping with talent and the ability to mix psychedelia with blues, jazz, folk, and pop with ease. This five-CD box set collects their early studio albums, plus singles and mono mixes.

The quintet was fronted by singer Jay Ferguson (Jo Jo Gunne) and guitarist Randy California, who had played in a band with Jimi Hendrix when he was just 15. Though Spirit never found a mass audience, the single “I Got a Line On You” hit #25 on the charts and revealed Randy’s sharp overdubbed leads – keep in mind the kid was just 17 years old. His composition “Taurus” was the subject of an infamous copyright lawsuit against Led Zeppelin a few years ago. Enjoy it here and make up your own mind.

Spirit’s best album was 1970’s Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, sporting the hippie ballad “Nature’s Way” and swaggering power pop of “Nothing To Hide,” the latter torched with Randy’s hot bottleneck. “Street Worm” deployed a speedy modal lead, well before anyone used the legato technique in FM rock.

As this excellent compilation reminds, Spirit was a band that should have been huge.

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This article originally appeared in VG August 2018 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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