Bill Frisell’s unique guitar work and musical excursions in his installment of Solos: The Jazz Sessions are nothing short of awe-inspiring and unconventional. As with much of Frisell’s output, he has demonstrated again and again how he has become a master of his own guitar idiom.
When one thinks of Stewart Copeland, iconic drummer for The Police and, more recently, Oysterhead, guitar is not the first instrument that comes to mind.
Legendary bassist Dave Holland is now in his fifth decade as a jazz performer. His solo work and his ensemble leadership are equally extraordinary. Holland first became a familiar name as a member of Miles Davis’ group.
January 23, 2010 marks the 100th birthday of the late Django Reinhardt. Most jazz guitarists are aware of his music and his life story.
This latest DVD release from Longtail Distribution promises to take the viewer “behind the scenes to get a backstage look at what it takes to present the legendary band Rush during their 2008 Snakes & Arrows Concert Tour.
To open the lesson I have transcribed an example of a “practical” use for the tapping techniques discussed thus far. Here for your delight is my version of “Flight of the Bumblebee” using multiple finger tapping. Have fun with this example before moving on to the second sets of examples, “Bumblefoot.”
For his latest release with Telarc Records, bluesman Otis Taylor has enlisted an all-star cast of jazz musicians. Pentatonic Wars and Love Songs features Taylor on vocals, acoustic guitar, and banjo, Jason Moran on piano, Ron Miles on cornet, Tarus Mateen on bass, and Nasheet Waits on drums. Aside from this core of musicians, Taylor has incorporated a slew of various instruments not commonly associated with blues music including African drums, violin, and cello. Otis’s daughter Cassie Taylor also provides vocals and bass on multiple tracks.
Allan Holdsworth has long been known as one of the most exciting and technically facile jazz-fusion guitarists in the world.
Croatian guitarist Ivan Mihaljević officially hits the international guitar scene with the release of his CD Sandcastle. Joined by band mates Majkl Jagunic (bass) and Craig Devine (drums), Sandcastle is a solid collection of guitar rock that will send many guitarists back to the woodshed to reprioritize their practicing.
In this instalment I’ll present the five shapes required for the most extreme uses of the pentatonic scale. The lesson will provide you with the techniques you need to create long, flowing pentatonic lines in a fluid, legato fashion.
