Posted March 23, 2011 at 1:15 pm | No comments
Beethoven’s “Fur Elise” is one of the most recognizable classical songs in the world. Its gentle 3/8 cadence in A minor was written for piano, but easily migrates to guitar. “Fur Elise”was not published by Beethoven, as it was not discovered until forty-one years after his death, amongst his private papers. The song is said to have been composed as a tribute to Therese Malfatti, whom Beethoven had allegedly proposed to in 1810, but was rejected.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted March 22, 2011 at 4:50 am | 7 comments
Joe Bonamassa considers Dust Bowl to be his best CD to date, and although his guitar playing stands out throughout, his intricate storytelling talent and vocal ability reaches heights that parallel the musicianship. Released on his J&R Adventures record label, Dust Bowl is number six in a successful five-year collaboration with producer Kevin Shirley. The album was recorded in separate sessions at Black Rock Studios in Santorini, Greece, Ben’s Studio in Nashville, The Cave in Malibu and The Village in Los Angeles.
Posted in: Blues, Blues Reviews, Reviews
Posted March 22, 2011 at 3:00 am | No comments
Though the song “Lake of Fire” is probably best known for being played during Nirvana’s iconic MTV Unplugged set, it was actually written in 1983 by The Meat Puppets. It was one of three Meat Puppet songs, along with “Plateau” and “Oh, Me,” that Kurt Cobain and company included on their Unplugged album, and it received steady radio play after a subsequent album was released by the band a few months after Cobain committed suicide in 1984. Members of the Meat Puppets joined Nirvana onstage during the concert, and lent their talents to the songs that they had penned a decade earlier. Aside from Nirvana’s most notable cover, “Lake of Fire” has also been played in concert by Wide Spread Panic during their Halloween Music Show in Austin Texas, in 2009.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted March 21, 2011 at 9:16 am | No comments
Written at a time when Neil Young had just used his immense fame and fortune to buy a large Ranch, “Old Man” reflects the guitarist’s relationship to the caretakers of the Ranch, and elderly couple, and the contrast between the two generations. Besides featuring the iconic Canadian musician on guitar and vocals, folk-rock legend James Taylor contributed a banjo part to the song, and vocalist Linda Ronstadt sang background vocals as well, pulling together three of the top performers and songwriters of their, or any, era onto one track.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted March 20, 2011 at 8:05 am | No comments
Peaking as the band’s top single at the time when it was released in 2001, “Plug In Baby” has become one of Muse’s most notable and recognizable songs in the years since it first appeared on their album Origin of Symmetry. Borrowing from a variety of influences, including Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor” for the opening guitar riff, Air’s “Sexy Boy” for the bass line and DJ Shadow’s track “Organ Donor,” the song brings together many of the classic inspirations that have come together in the musical melting pot that is Muse.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
Posted March 20, 2011 at 8:00 am | No comments
Jonathan Kriesberg is one of the more interesting voices in contemporary Jazz Guitar. His compositions are well structured and thoughtful and he manages to blend traditional musical form with modern harmonies and melodic concepts. Kriesberg has a solid and fluid technical ability that is a pleasure to listen to. His tone is somewhat Methenyesque, but definitely is still his own unique sound.
Posted in: Jazz, Jazz Reviews, Reviews
Posted March 20, 2011 at 7:56 am | No comments
McLaughlin has been a Godin player for years and currently plays a Freeway SA live and in studio, as well as a Godin Passion RG-2. This model features 2x Custom Godin Humbuckers, Godin High-Definition Revoicer, 13-pin capabilities and USB output for recording & direct computer access. The RG-2 also features a spruce body and highly figured carved flame maple top, along with synchronized resonance chambers in the body making it incredibly lightweight and resonant.
Posted in: Guitar Events, Guitar News
Posted March 20, 2011 at 5:12 am | No comments
Koentopp Guitars has launched a new website showcasing its new line of handmade guitars. The new website incorporates beautiful pictures of Dan Koentopp at work as well as high definition pictures of each instrument from his line of Archtops, Classicals, and Electric Guitars. Dan makes it evident that each guitar is meticulously crafted by hand with the customer in mind from the very beginning.
Posted in: Guitar News, Guitars and Gear, Industry News
Posted March 19, 2011 at 8:00 am | 3 comments
Lou Volpe has an outstanding professional resume. He has appeared as a sideman with many great jazz and pop artists. A partial list includes Herbie Hancock, Chet Baker, Herbie Mann, Peggy Lee and the Manhattan Transfer. Volpe was a student of Sal Salvador and spent quite a bit of time in jam sessions with Les Paul.
Posted in: Jazz, Jazz Reviews, Reviews
Posted March 19, 2011 at 6:00 am | No comments
I wonder if Metallica knew how big their fifth album was going to be when they recorded it, which was self-titled but is often referred to as the “Black Album” due to its all black cover. Already at the top of the thrash-metal world at the time, after Metallica was released the band became international stars in the rock world as well, as the album’s singles and videos received massive airplay on radio stations and video channels across the globe. Though the album was a bit of a departure from their previous, more thrash oriented, releases, it still remains a fan favorite to this day, and helped land the band in the upper echelon of rock stardom.
Posted in: Guitar Tab
