Guitar Jam

CD Review: Carlos Santana and Wayne Shorter Live at The 1988 Montreaux Jazz Festival

By Joe Sass
It's so refreshing to encounter a new release by Carlos Santana that takes the listener back in time and reintroduces the classic sounds of Carlos. Carlos Santana and Wayne Shorter Live at The 1988 Montreaux Jazz Festival is Carlos straight up, no (pop) rocks - just the way we like ‘em.

Clearly the pop parings from Sir Clive in the late nineties and early 2000 brought Carlos new fans and revived his career. And yes it was nice to see that Carlos won nine Grammy's for “Smooth” and the album “Supernatural.” Certainly a class act collecting his dues. That song and album may have some modern day acclaim and staying power, but simply doesn’t provide the purity or the gravitas of a song like “Samba Pa Ti” on an album like Abraxas - where the black magic of Carlos lives.

Carlos Santana and Wayne Shorter Live at The 1988 Montreaux Jazz Festival is a pinch and sprinkle of that ol'magic dust.

The pairing of Carlos Santana and Wayne Shorter started off as a goof when Santana said to his longtime friend in 1987, "Let's start a rumor that we're putting a band together." And Wayne responded, "Yeah, Carlos, let's start a rumor."

Shortly after this conversation between buddies in 1987 they formed the Carlos Santana/Wayne Shorter Band with a range of musicians that included hundreds of hit records between them. The following year they found themselves on stage at The Fillmore in San Francisco, and it was the beginning of a 26-concert tour throughout the U.S. and Europe with the show at Montreaux that many claimed to be the performance of the year.

The live album has the same textures and sonic traits of Santana’s early work, which makes the album so enjoyable. The jazz and percussive Latin vibe must have contributed to the quality of the performance and moved Carlos into that productive and inspired musical zone that put his guitar in flight for the two sets. His extraordinary playing during this show can be considered some of his finest moments as an artist and guitar maestro.

But the beauty of this performance is the amount of space Carlos and Wayne gave to each other. You won’t find a battle of the spotlight anywhere in the two hours of music. The two giants strike a perfect balance of guitar and sax. And you can practically hear Carlos pointing to Wayne on each turn. 

There is an extraordinary comfort that these two musicians have playing together. Like the good friends that they are, they know simply when to speak to one another with their instruments and when to hang back. The musical conversations offer intimacy, humor, spunk, moody moments, and uplifting surges. Sublime musical textures weave throughout the two-hour performance. It's an unforgettable CD and one if you're a fan of Carlos a performance that will be at the top of your play list. 

Some of the highlights include the rush of “Peraza,” the tender guitar work on “Goodness and Mercy,” the biting legato runs on “Sanctuary,” “Blues For Salvador’s” emotive and raw tones, and finally the crown jewel “Europa” – that has such perfect guitar moments it will leave you breathless.

The Set List: Spiritual, Peraza, Shhh, Incident at Neshabur, Elegant People, Goodness & Mercy, Sanctuary, For Those Who Chant, Blues for Salvador, Fireball 2000, Ballroom in the Sky, Once It's Gotcha, Mandela, Deeper, Dig Deeper, Europa

The Musicians: Carlos Santana - guitar / Wayne Shorter - saxophone / Chester Thompson - keyboards / Patrice Rushen - keyboards / Alphonso Johnson - bass / Armando Peraza - congas / Jose Chepito Areas - timbales / Leon "Ndugu" Chancler – drums

Carlos Santana and Wayne Shorter Live at Montreaux was recorded on July 14, 1988 and comes as a DVD, Collectors DVD, and CD that includes two sets of music, interviews with Carlos, Wayne and the creator of the Montreaux Jazz Festival.

Live Review: BX3

By Jim Basara
I normally don’t write concert reviews for Guitar Jam, but I just can’t help myself having seen one of the best shows in years. For those of you who didn’t catch the BX3 tour (the tour is over in a couple of days), you must put it on your “to do” list the next time they go out.

Assembled by Stu Hamm (Frank Gambale, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, etc.), BX3 boasts three of the best bass players in the history of earth.  Stu is joined by legendary jazz bassist Jeff Berlin (John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth, Michael and Randy Brecker, etc.), and the god of rock and roll bass, Billy Sheehan (Talas, Mr. Big, David Lee Roth, Steve Vai, etc.).

As with the G3 tour, the lineup of Berlin, Hamm, and Sheehan each play a solo set and then join together for some reckless abandon. In my case, we got an extra treat right at the beginning of the show. Inspired by their proximity to the nation’s capitol, the three launched the show with their bass driven rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, with Sheehan doing an admirable job on vocals (not an easy song to sing).

Jeff Berlin opened with a great jazz influenced set. Jeff’s playing is so clean and precise it is astounding. The fact that he is a complete character and banters with the crowd made it even more enjoyable. The highlight of Jeff’s set for me was his rendition of Clapton’s Tears from Heaven.  Any blues guitarist would have been in awe of the emotion in Jeff’s playing. I will long remember it as one of the best instrumentals I’ve heard.

Next up was Stu Hamm with his unique brand of hard driving, thumb popping, finger tapping, and melodic mind-blowing bass. I’ve seen Stu a bunch of times, but it was great to see him as the focus of the show. He’s unbelievable! Stu’s highlight was his jaw dropping arrangement of the Beatle’s Abbey Road intertwined with Beethoven’s Signature Movement of the Moonlight Sonata. I know that Stu is drug free, which makes me wonder even more about how the man could have possibly come up with this. 

Finally, Billy Sheehan took the stage and just ripped everyone’s head clean off. His playing is so powerful and shred-like, but it remains very artistic. I’ve been a fan of Billy’s since I saw him play with Talas back in……well, let’s just say it was a while ago. In addition to playing Shy Boy (David Lee Roth), Billy took us Sheehan fans back to the Mr. Big days with a blistering version of Addicted to that Rush. He also did a killer version of Jeff Beck’s Led Boots.

The band was back up by two incredible musicians in their own right: guitarist Jude Gold (on left) and drummer John Mader. I could write a separate article on their performances alone for backing such different musicians as if they’ve been playing with each one for years.

After the individual sets, the three joined together on stage for four or five more tunes, and of course more jokes about each other and bass players in general. The coup de grace was the three playing and sharing vocals on Clapton’s Crossroads. Everyone walked out of the venue feeling exhausted from trying to absorb everything that was happening on stage, and they were all wide-eyed and talking about the amazing show we had just seen.

And that brings me to the best part – the venue. I caught the BX3 show in a very small venue named Jammin Java in Vienna, Virginia. I’m guessing there were about 150 or so patrons there and the place was full. Everyone had a great seat.

It was ironic that in the middle of writing this piece, John McGlasson’s piece “Industry Insider: What Does it Mean to be a Pro” was published. John nailed the thing that amazed me most. Here were arguably three of the best bassists to ever walk the planet, and they are playing these small venues, and visibly having a great time doing it. After the show, I had a chance to talk to their tour manager, Bob Snyder. As a guitar tech, I was hoping to speak with their tour tech to chat about what it was like touring with them.  Bob just laughed at me:  “It’s me, an assistant, and the band!”  The guys are doing all of their own equipment hauling, stage setup, guitar maintenance, etc. The day that I saw them, we had 8 inches of snow fall and Bob was talking about their “fun” drive from Pittsburgh to Virginia, only to arrive and have to lug all of their gear thru six inches of slush. Each of these guys has played to stadium-sized audiences, yet here they were playing their hearts out for us and enjoying it like they were kids playing in public for the first time.

What does it mean to be a pro? Indeed, BX3 embodies professionalism and it starts with a love of what you do and a true appreciation for the people who are happy to pay to watch you do it.

Gear Review: Eventide Eclipse

By Ken Volpe
Last month I received my Eventide Eclipse multi effects processor. Now that I’ve had some quality time to spend with it, I realize what a powerful sonic tool the Eclipse really is. The folks at Eventide really did their homework on this one.

Let’s jump right in. I first started by auditioning the various Factory Presets. These presets are grouped by category, by number, and by name. The groupings made me feel like I knew my way around instantly. Then I wanted to try tweaking some of the presets. Accessing the individual parameters seemed a bit overwhelming at first. However, after reading a few pages in the manual and taking it one step at a time, it all started to make sense. There are various hot keys that allow you to bypass preliminary sub-menus. In other words, with the press of one button you can go straight to the source for instant tweaking. Eventide also employs a numeric keypad for entering in values instead of using the data wheel and/or cursors.  That feature is really helpful when comparing presets.  The LCD display is very clear from any angle and is visible in just about any room lighting.  The rear panel features a vast array of analog and digital inputs and outputs. The Eclipse uses only the highest quality jacks and connectors.

Before I get into the sonic capabilities of the Eclipse, I’d like to spend a moment talking about interfacing the Eclipse with your guitar rig. These days there are obviously tons of guitar amps on the market.  Many of them come with effects loops. For clarification, an effects loop is when an amplifier has built-in circuitry to allow you to interface a device like the Eventide Eclipse. An amplifier can have one or more built-in effects loops that function in different fashions. The Eclipse will accommodate any of those nicely.

Okay, let’s get to the sounds. Personally, I like to group effects in various categories: Reverb, Delay, Chorus, EQ, Compression, Preamps, Assorted, and Extreme. I like to think of these groupings from a musician/user standpoint. Let’s get specific. 

The Reverbs range from a small room to the largest space you can imagine, and everything else in between.  You have absolute control over the timbre and the tails of the Reverbs. The quality of the Reverb is warm and lush without being harsh like it is on many other products on the market.   

The Delays are also extremely versatile and very usable. You can select any time setting for just about any situation. In addition, there are various ways for you to utilize Tap Tempo, to dial in your delay to match the tempo of the specific song. You can also set up a Delay loop that can be triggered with an external pedal to layer parts. 

The Chorus presets vary from mild to a huge wall of sound. Many of these presets would be wonderful for doubled guitar tracks. I found individual Chorus presets that worked for lead lines and others that seemed best for chordal parts. They usually sound best when blended with reverb and/or delay.

The 8-Band EQ is very flexible. Many guitarists are known for turning knobs till it sounds good, especially when it comes to EQ. I would suggest that you decide on what frequency needs to be tweaked and then go to it. However, I did not find the EQ to be very useful for my needs. I must admit that the EQ on my guitar amp is a better option.

The Compressor is one of the best I’ve worked with from a multi-effects processor. You can tweak it for an insane amount of compression to reduce any hint of dynamics. Or, you can dial in just a touch to where it is barely detectable. 

Next, I checked out the on-board Preamps for overdrive, fuzz, and distortion, etc. These really did not work for me. The overdrive and distortion settings from my amp are much more pleasing.  However, if you were using this unit as a direct interface, there are various Preamp distortion presets that are somewhat useful. 

Assorted would be effects like Phase Shifter, Flanger, Auto Wah, etc. Extreme would be effects like Pitch Shift, and Reverse-type effects. Eventide has always been known for their radical pitch shift and harmonizer effects. There is some serious DSP going on here. However, you really have to know your stuff when it comes to utilizing one of these presets in a proper fashion. It is definitely the most complex part of the Eclipse. A lot of these Assorted and Extreme effects actually stem from the Delay category and are used a bit less frequently by the average player.

The final major area that I worked with was Combo mode. This allows you to blend different effects to make more complex Algorithms. In this section you can devise just about any combination of effects imaginable. You can also arrange the order of the effects to your liking.

Before I conclude, I’d like to briefly touch on various applications when using the Eclipse. First, is what we’ve been talking about here today, putting the Eclipse in the loop of your guitar amp. Second, is direct interface. This is where you would plug your instrument into the Eclipse and run the output of the Eclipse to your recorder or DAW. Third, would be hooking up your Eclipse to your analog mixing console to use as an auxiliary effect(s). And lastly, you can interface the Eclipse via the digital I/O with your DAW for adding useful effects to unlimited tracks during mixdown.

In conclusion, I must say that the Eventide Eclipse is an amazing tool. It will do the job for both live and studio applications. Most of the sounds are extremely musical and a lot of fun.  I might add that there are many sounds and features that I did not even touch on. The Factory Presets by themselves will keep you busy for months, but if you are a “tweaker” like me that’s where the magic really starts. All in all, the manual is very clear and concise but was lacking a few details in some areas. The unit is dead quiet and built to last, making it well worth the hefty price tag.  Even though the Eventide Eclipse has been out for awhile, it is still at the top of its game or should I say, “ No other company has come up with a multi effects processor that has Eclipsed it “

Prince Breaks Out The Big Sticks at The Super Bowl

By Nick Friese
Ever since Prince’s performance last year on Saturday Night Live and at the Super Bowl on Sunday, my ears have opened up to his guitar playing. Prior to these gigs, I never studied his playing closely or gave much reverence to his guitar work. But now that’s all changed, and Prince has certainly hit my hi-def hero screen with his latest “guitar forward” performances.

I’m sure many of you are saying: “Come on! How could you miss this guy’s guitar skills over the past twenty or so years? Are you tone deaf? He’s been ripping it for decades!” O.k. for those who are yelling epithets into your computer screens now, relax and take a deep breath. I recall having a similar conversation with one of my guitar teachers a few years ago about Prince’s playing and he was huffing and puffing too.

Hey teach, now you can say, “I told you so!” 

Maybe I’m a late bloomer? Who knows? It’s possible that one day I’ll even develop an ear for Jeff Beck’s guitar playing. But right now I think I’m the only GJD reader who agrees with Larry’s Whammy Bar column a few months ago on Beck. Boy that Whammy column was a lightning rod! As I digress…

It has not slipped my purview that many of today’s top musicians attend Prince’s shows every chance they get and are quoted as “blown away” by his musical abilities.

Did I overlook Prince’s subtle skills on his albums back in the day? Have I heard stories from friends and mentors how he's ignited guitar “Eruptions” at his live shows? Sure I have. But I have to say that I wasn’t living under a rock either. Over the years (imho), Prince has been hiding his guitar chops under too much synth, drum machines, dancing, image, purple, lace, and other distractions - all of which never really allowed the guitar tones to cut through. 

But now Prince has grabbed my attention with his Hendrixian guitar performances on SNL (video taken down from YouTube) last February and at this year’s Super Bowl. He’s awoken to a new day where the guitar has become a vessel and is a centerpiece in his performances - here’s a look at his playing at the Super Bowl.

Call it a Prince “rebrand,” an awakening, or whatever you'd like to tag it, the simple truth is that Prince has  certified guitar chops and is showing the “love” to his Tele, Strat, and Cloud guitars. And he's waiving them around like a big sticks that they are.

Guitar Tech: Winter NAMM Awards - Best Guitars

By Jim Basara
Question: If you were blindfolded and placed in front of a bar, how would you know that you were at NAMM???

Answer: It would be 10am and the bar would be featuring Sammy Hagar’s own Cabo Wabo tequila!

Well, the 2007 Winter NAMM Show is over and what a great show it was! Thousands of different guitars and guitar related products to examine and evaluate. Four days simply wasn’t enough for me to cover everything I wanted to; but believe me, I made my best effort.

As Nick and Ken did a great job of describing the conference itself, I wanted to pass on some of the cool and not-so-cool items that I saw at the show. Since it’s Oscar season, let’s run our own award show. Here are the award categories:

1.  Best Guitars – Clearly the show covers a lot more than guitars, but we’re focusing on what I thought were some of the best instruments of the show.

2.  Best Products in a Supporting Role – These are some of the cool guitar-related products that I particularly liked.

3.  Products Most Likely to Dramatically Affect the Guitar Industry – These are products that I feel may have a huge impact on our market in the future.

4.  Best Innovations on an Existing Product or Design – These are new advancements to anything guitar related that has been stagnant for years.

5.  What Were They Thinking? – These are products that you have to wonder what the product manager or creator was thinking when they made the go-forward decision.

6.  Hmmmm, on Second Thought… – These are products that I originally had classified as a candidate for the “What Were They Thinking?” category, but after further thought, felt there might actually be a market.

In today’s article, I’m going to name some of the best guitars that I saw at the show. Picking just a few guitars to highlight is almost an impossible task. I saw thousands of great guitars at the show and I check out over a hundred in detail. The guitars that made my list impressed me with their look, tone, playability, and the care which I felt the luthiers/manufacturers took to maintain high quality. In many cases, I found great guitars, but the person representing the company at the booth either couldn’t answer my questions about quality, or wouldn’t engage me in a dialog. It was frustrating because there were some beautiful instruments in this group, but I can’t recommend them to you if I don’t have confidence in the builder. In many other cases, I picked up instruments that were absolutely gorgeous, but their playability was very unimpressive. This mostly happens because a great craftsman finds making beautiful guitars a passion and pursues it as a career.  While this is a wonderful pursuit, these folks have to realize that a multi-thousand dollar boutique guitar needs to offer much more than beauty. It needs to play like budda. 

Anyway, here are some of the guitars that I found particularly impressive given the factors above.  They are in no particular order.

First up is Gary Kramer Guitars. For anyone who has been playing for more than 5 years or so, you probably recognize the name Kramer. Kramer first hit the market in the late 70’s with a revolutionary aluminum necked guitar that was one of the warmest sounding instruments I’ve ever heard. I bought a Kramer the first year it was made (yes, I’m dating myself) and of the many guitars that I’ve bought and sold, letting it go is one of my most regrettable transactions. Gary left Kramer in the 80’s and it was subsequently sold to Gibson.

Gary is now back in action, along with luthier Leo Scala, who moved to this country to start the business with Gary. They were sporting three instruments at NAMM, each of which blew me away. The Crusader is a Strat-style guitar that offers incredible playability. It is one of the most playable guitars I tried at the show. The Delta Wing is a futuristic looking instrument that actually provides great balance and playability. For hard rock and metal players, this guitar really screams. The Bondage model is one of the most elegant guitars I saw at NAMM. It’s smallish, Les Paul styled body is bound in high quality Italian leather. It is a masterpiece to look at and it feels just as great in your hands. Figure 1 shows Leo and Gary in front of their Bondage model. The Crusader is shown to Leo’s left. Figure 2 shows the Delta Wing. All are worth playing. Click here for more photos and details of Gary’s guitars. The retail pricing for Gary’s new line ranges from about $1500 and up, based on a whole slew of available options. Also check out Gary’s web site for more info. In addition to detailed information on his guitars, the site also provides a great historical perspective of his experience at Travis Bean and the original Kramer guitars. 

Next up is the Brazen Caleb Quaye model. If you’re an avid reader of Guitar Jam (and if you’re not, you should be), you’ve heard Ronny North mention Brazen guitars a few times. From a value-for-money perspective, Brazen has one of the most impressive guitar lines on the market. They are very reasonably priced, they all play great, and the company takes great care with the setups. Simply installing high-end pickups puts this inexpensive guitar line into the professional category.

Brazen’s newest limited edition model, the Caleb Quaye, is a masterpiece that is clearly a professional-class guitar. For those of you who have not heard of Caleb Quaye, he was the long-time friend and guitarist for Elton John in the early days and has played for many of the biggest names in music. Eric Clapton himself called Caleb the world’s best guitarist on the David Letterman show. Brazen’s Caleb Quaye model sports a Brazilian Patagonian rosewood set-in neck and fingerboard, a mahogany body with a beautiful flame maple top.  The pickup configuration offers a rare SSH format with Seymour Duncan Cool Rails in the bridge and middle position, and a Seymour Duncan Jazz humbucker in the neck position that is coil-tapped. The tonal ranges are fantastic and the guitar plays fantastic. It comes standard with a Wilkinson HC, VS-100N bridge.  Only a limited number of these instruments are being made and I highly recommend getting in line to buy one, right behind me.  The retail pricing is roughly $3500, which puts it squarely in the range of high-end boutique guitars, and it more than deserves to be there. Figure 3 shows Caleb himself demonstrating his signature Brazen model at NAMM.  For more pictures of the Caleb Quaye model, click here.

Next up is the line of steel-bodied guitars from James Trussart (Figure 4). Trussart guitars have been around for years. The company has quietly developed a wide range of customers including Billy Gibbons, Nikki Six, and Clarence Gatemouth Brown, among many others. I’ve seen these guitars many times in ads and articles, most recently in the Guitar Player article covering Lynda Kay of the Lonesome Spurs.  I’ve always liked the look of Trussart’s guitars because they combine the warm esthetics of a relic’d Fender, with modern artistic creativity. At NAMM, I had the great pleasure of seeing the Lonesome Spurs several times and was really amazed at their tone.  Both Lynda and rockabilly virtuoso Danny B. Harvey play Trussart guitars and each has a different, but incredible sound.  Naturally, I had to try them out for myself. Getting to the booth, I was able to talk to one of the luthiers,  and was very impressed with his dedication to producing world-class instruments.  Trying one out was an absolute pleasure. The guitar felt every bit as great as it sounds. They offer some of the most crisp country and rockabilly you’ll find, as well as warm bluesy tones that give the player a wide range of applications. The retail pricing for Jay’s guitars begin at around $3800. For more pictures of Trussart’s guitars at NAMM, click here.

As I stated earlier, there were hundreds of manufactures, and there were many guitars that deserve to be in this category.  These represent the instruments that impressed me most on the days that I tried them out. If you have any questions on any of these guitars, please feel free to drop me a line.

Live Review: Mike Landau with The Jazz Ministry at The Baked Potato

By Ken Volpe
I have been a huge Mike Landau fan since 1992. Being an East Coast guy, I have never had the chance to see him play in a club setting. After a long day at NAMM followed by dinner, my Guitar Jam Daily partner, Nick Friese, and I drove an hour to catch the 11:30pm show at The Baked Potato in North Hollywood.

The show was billed as “The Jazz Ministry.” The band was Abe Laboriel on bass, Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums, Greg Mathieson on keyboard and, of course, Mr. Landau on guitar. The show consisted of a handful of tunes, each featuring extended jams with all four artists.

In the middle of the show the band took a short break to allow Abe Sr. to minister to the crowd about gratitude, a Godly perspective and a heartfelt appreciation for the audience. I have had the privilege to hang out with Abe Sr. in the past and I must say that he is truly a holy man filled with God’s spirit both in his music and in his being. He is one of life’s true rare gems. 

As the show progressed, I got the sense that we were all in the presence of true greatness. All four musicians seemed to be totally in the zone with an indescribable synergy. 

Mike’s playing was very dynamic, versatile and pretty much perfect. Even though he has extraordinary ability with his hands, he only displayed his chops when the tune or emotion called for it. Musically, he seems to always be in the right place at the right time with the right notes or the right space. Mike used one of his prized Fender Strats and a Gibson SG. He used a Custom Audio Electronics amp with a host of pedals and a Lexicon digital reverb. His guitar tones ranged from smooth to sweet to raging with countless textures in between. Another amazing thing about his tone, is that even though I was only five feet away and he was turned up pretty loud, I never cringed from loudness, harshness, or ill sonic artifacts. 

The band’s grooves were all top shelf courtesy of Abe Jr. In addition, his interaction, fills, and solos were jaw dropping. The guy is so loose when he plays that is it as much fun to watch him play, as it is to listen to him. 

Abe Sr. did a handful of solos that covered a range of techniques, and built up in awesome intensity. When he gets going, his entire body becomes a rhythmic display in it’s own right. In all his bouncing around and movement, his bass headstock never makes contact with any nearby band mates or up close audience members. You have to see it to believe it. 

Greg Mathison’s organ and keyboard parts were perfect layers of sound for the other 3 players. And when it was time for Greg to solo, you were left speechless.

On the final song, Abe Sr. and Abe Jr. pulled off this musical interaction that could only happen between a father and son. Nick and I, and a few other guys that I spoke with all agreed that we had not seen interaction like that very much in our lives. 

I felt truly blessed to experience The Jazz Ministry. After the show, I got a few hugs from Abe Sr., and he introduced me to Mike. He was extremely gracious and agreed to do an upcoming interview with me for Guitar Jam Daily. In addition, he is sending one of our staff his latest Live CD for us to review. 

In my humble opinion, I believe that Mike Landau is without a doubt one of the best living electric guitarists on the planet. 

Review: Clapton and Cale's "The Road To Escondido"

By Joe Sass, Staff Writer

Eric Clapton and JJ Cale’s “The Road to Escondido” is a collaboration of two rock icons on a blues, folk, country, Americana, and rock album. "The Road” began back in 2004 when Eric Clapton held his three-day Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas, Texas, featuring J.J. Cale. After working together, Clapton asked Cale produce an album for him. Released on November 7, 2006, it contains the final recordings of Billy Preston, to whom it is also dedicated.

“Eric and I have known each other for a long time and it was a great experience to finally make a record together - he's a great musician and it was a pleasure to work so closely on this project with him," said J.J. Cale.

Clapton’s covers of Cale’s legendary tunes “Cocaine” and “After Midnight” ignited the relationship 36 years ago, but this recording marks the first time the two musicians have written, produced and played on an album together. Joining them on this CD are guitar notables Derek Trucks, Doyle Bramhall II, John Mayer, and Albert Lee, who trade riffs throughout the album. 

"This was the realization of what may have been my last ambition, to work with the man who's music has inspired me for as long as I can remember. There are not enough words for me to describe what he represents to me, musically and personally, and anyway I wouldn't want to embarrass him by going overboard, for he is a truly humble man. I think it's enough to say that we had fun, made a great record, and I, for one, already want to make another," said Eric Clapton.

On “The Road,” Cale takes most of the writing credits with 11 songs, Clapton’s contribution of “Three Little Girls,” and John Mayer’s “Hard to Thrill” round out the songwriting credits. Both Clapton and Cale play and sing on all of the tracks. They also used Cale’s backup band to lay down the foundation for the album, while an all star line up of musicians like Taj Mahal, the late Billy Preston and Steve Jordan round out the sound.

Track List:

1. "Danger"
2. "Heads in Georgia"
3. "Missing Person"
4. "When this War is Over"
5. "Sporting Life Blues" (Brownie McGhee)
6. "Dead End Road"
7. "It's Easy"
8. "Hard to Thrill" (Eric Clapton/John Mayer)
9. "Anyway the Wind Blows"
10. "Three Little Girls" (Eric Clapton)
11. "Don't Cry Sister"
12. "Last Will and Testament"
13. "Who Am I Telling You"
14. "Ride the River"

The compositions on the album are glassy and extremely polished. Equally slick is the songwriting, with simple, pure, and straightforward lyrics that lock in perfectly with the rock and “folksy Americana” compositions. It has all of the earmarks of a J.J. Cale album - which is exactly what Clapton wanted.

You won’t find over the top guitar work on “The Road.” Rather Cale, Clapton and the ensemble cast take a more mature and grown up approach to guitar work. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, since the mission for the album is collaborating artists creating great songs and balancing different styles, all while displaying the music maturity of the players.  Gone are the big booming guitar hero solos by Clapton or the others.

But that’s not to say that you won’t find some great guitar work by the slingers on this record. Here’s a guide to some of the Guitar Hero Highlights:

On “Dead End Road” you’ll hear some killer country pickin’ by Albert Lee. It’s clearly one of the guitar highlights on the album.

“Missing Person” and “It’s Easy” have the expected doses of masterful slide work by Derek Trucks that are simply flawless. The former highlighting Truck’s signature electric slide work, and the latter offering some slick acoustic playing.

“Hard to Thrill” boasts some plucky and ultra clean guitar work by John Mayer, who continues to impress with his constantly improving skills.

“Anyway the Wind Blows” provides some blustery, overdriven Strat-o-playing by Clapton.  It’s a worthwhile effort.

“Don’t Cry Sister” and “Ride the River” make you wonder why Mark Knopfler wasn’t invited to play on these tracks. Coming right from his wheelhouse, these Knopfler-esque tunes come with some great runs and haunting guitar tones from Clapton’s Strat. As the last track on the album, “Ride the River” takes you out in guitar style.

"The Road to Escondido" is a very solid album from start to finish. Some may feel the album is a bit mellow and too introspective at times, but after a few “listens” through you’ll find some real gems on this record. The fact is, with the superior musicianship, songwriting, and production from Clapton and J.J. Cale, the end result is a mature, polished, and high quality album that earns high praise from GJD.

CD Rating: 4 Picks.

(Rating scale= 1 don't go near it, 2 a one-hit wonder, 3 buy it on itunes and pick what you like, 4 great, 5 a classic)

The Road To Escondido Video Trailer (Quicktime)

CD Review: “Tele-Pathic” By Matt Rae

By Joe Sass
In part two of our Artist to Watch series, we are going to take a look (and a listen) at Matt Rae’s most recent effort, “Tele-Pathic.” This is his second CD with his group, the Matt Rae Trio, and is the follow up to their first CD, “Twang.” Both albums have been receiving high praise from industry critics and music publications. Now it’s our turn to pop in the ear buds and see if this Tele-Master has the goods everyone is raving about.

Out of the case, we find that Paul Opalach and Matt Rae produced the CD at Long Hill Studios in the country music hub of Shelton, CT. Such a rare spot to bring out countrified guitar playing and production qualities that would certainly rival the likes of Brent Mason, Albert Lee, James Burton, Roy Buchanan and the super slick producers in Nashville. One spin through the CD you’d probably think you were listing to a down home country picker born and raised in the Grand Ole Opry. The production values on the CD are simply outstanding as well as Matt’s guitar playing.

Matt’s background doesn’t quite fit the “Tele-Master” mold, to the contrary, as Rae was born and raised in the a-tonal area of Norwalk, Connecticut. The city certainly has no musical legacy or a scene for that matter that would nurture and shape a countrified guitar hero. So one has to wonder how could his country chops and sensibilities be so authentic and his sound so pure?

One of the answers to this question lies in Matt’s utter commitment to the style. It’s clear that he’s listened to his inner voice and followed what he was born to play early on. Secondly, Matt has innate musical gifts and has not been lazy about making the most of them. He’s worked on his guitar playing technique and skills tirelessly. The third factor is that he has studied with guitar greats as Arlen Roth (still plays in his band), Bruce Bartlett, Kevin Berry, and Jim Campilongo just to name a few. He’s been an exceptional student and of all of his hard work is clearly paying off with the benefits of having amazing tone, skills, sublime musical sensibilities and songwriting. 

Matt calls his style of music a “countrified, surf-a-billy, blue-funk-pop-jazz set of original instrumental numbers as well as a slew of pure-pop-guitar standards” On the album Matt used a 63 Esquire Tele and ’61 Vibrolux amp. So let’s take a run though of “Tele-Pathic”:

“Tele-Pathic” Track List:

Caravan
Clawdaddy
Diesel
Bumper Cars
The Camel
Bee Hive
Big Jim’s Boogie
Binger
Rumble Seat
Mr. Honalai
G-Force
Kentucky Waterfall
Rolling Fog

"Caravan" comes right from the mouth of the big waves and surf guitar of the 60’s. Big bassy thumps washed with reverb and dazzling riffs up and down the neck, and right off the shores of Dick Dale. It’s haunting tones and distant sounds are so real that you’ll feel like you have gone right back in time to the surf era. Matt’s playing is simply awe-inspiring and includes some deep surf riffs that you’ll want to learn right away and put into your repertoire.

"Clawdaddy" makes a nice transition into more traditional Nashvillian country chickin’ pickin’ Albert Lee style. Slick pedal tones and growly bends are everywhere in the song. All I’m waiting for is the sound of Vince Gill to come in and start singing. Matt makes an opening statement in this tune that he’s an authentic, certified, dynamic country picker that can stand up with the best of them. Matt’s playing is incredibly tasteful and fresh.

"Diesel," slowed down a bit from the high-test "Clawdaddy", offers a more subdued and fatter guitar tones and mellower tempo. With a touch of overdrive the song has some nice bite with hints of Robben Ford thrown in for good measure. It’s a more of a rock-a-fied country buffet of country licks, bends, and pedal tones that will satisfy even the pickiest country fan. You can learn a thing about tone in "Diesel."

"Bumper Cars" is just what you would think. Off the rail riffs and rhythms bumping and darting into one another. It lasts about as long as the ride at the state fair. But this amusing track will certainly put a smile on your face as your eardrums get a good bump.

"The Camel" gives you a brief respite from the southern battered, deep-fried, chickin’ pickin of the previous songs. Played in a minor key, The Camel sounds much more akin to a Tom Petty Breakdown instrumental that has more a gentle and softer guitar touch from Rae.

"Bee Hive" gets right back to the stinging guitar playing from Rae. Up-tempo major runs are off at a dizzying pace and make you shake your head as you try to keep up with his nimble, ultra clean, no-mess, playing. The shortest track on the album, "Bee Hive" buzzes with killer playing that would make Chet Atkins smile.

"Big Jim’s Boogie" is a good ole time country romp. Matt also adds in some tasty banjo playing that really adds to the size of Big Jim. The fact is that none of his songs are syrupy or are overdone. Matt is very skilled at keeping all of the songs tasteful and rich. Like all genres you can play right into the clichés of the past and not come off with your own identifiable sound. But not Matt Rae, as he’s able to add a fresh style and sound to music that has very strict rules and traditions.

"Binger" starts of with a Mustang Sally like chord vamp and playful, lazy guitar hook that plays over the progression. Rae adds in some crisp sweeps and bends that brighten up the laid back grey sky song composition.    

"Rumble Seat" with its jingly-jangly guitar licks and mix of deep E-bass hits and bends takes the listener on a relaxing drive. Its sparkly clean runs are as bright as the sunshine coming through the windshield. The song like most of Matt’s work is not too flashy or overcooked. He has a definite sense of humility in his playing even though he could certainly show-off his chops at anytime; he seems to hold back in a very seasoned and mature approach to all of his songs on the album.

"Mr. Honalai" delivers tasteful and crisp Hawaiian guitar tones throughout. Matt’s playing is ultra clean and poppy on the solo over the relaxing progression. You’ll feel like you’re on a vacation when you hit play on this track. It’s quite amazing how true his guitar sounds are to the traditional Hawaiian sounds.

"G-Force" picks you up General Lee style with hard-hitting high paced runs, descending and ascending on the neck. Matt makes good use out of some grumpy and growly bends. The song takes a few quick breaths, and then jumps back into a good ole country romp.

"Kentucky Waterfall" offers up a mid-tempo pedal steel themed wash and a touch of thick double stops and sweet pedal tones throughout. The additional pick harmonics and natural harmonics give the song even more depth. Matt makes the deeper bends sound like a horn instead of a guitar. He takes it out with a few nice slide hits that finish it off.

"Rolling Fog" is the last track on the CD. This track once again shows off Matt’s versatility as a player. This song comes from more of a slow modern rock, slow jazz style. The chord tones and the overall melody are soft and airy. It’s a very beautiful composition and certainly offers up the sensitive side of Rae.

From top to bottom Matt Rae demonstrates that he has the guitar playing and songwriting skills of seasoned pro. He could be compared to any of the great players on scene today, whether it is Johnny Hiland, Jonny A, Robben Ford, or Brent Mason, the only difference between them is that he’s simply on the way up. But we’re sure here at Guitar Jam that his name will be on the list of  “Masters of the Telecasters.”

CD Rating: 5 Picks.

(Rating scale= 1 don't go near it, 2 a one-hit wonder, 3 buy it on itunes and pick what you like, 4 solid, 5 a winner)

Review: Trey Anastasio's "Bar 17"

On October 3, Trey Anastasio released "Bar 17," his fifth studio album on his newly formed record label, "Rubber Jungle Records." The effort continues Trey's streak of being off the hook as a member of Phish. Although, he did include contributions by John Fishman and Mike Gordon on the record.

“Bar 17” was recorded over three years and features more than 42 different musicians including Benevento/Russo Duo and John Medeski. The album was recoded at Trey's studio, The Barn, in Vermont. All the songs were written at the same time as “Shine” but the main difference between the two albums was the recoding process. "Bar 17," unlike “Shine,” was recorded (the way Trey prefers) with lots of musicians, various collaborators, and people around him. “Shine” was a collaboration of one, and he recoded all of the guitar parts playing, not with a band, but over a click track. Which is probably why Bar 17 sounds closer to his work with Phish and is more of a sunny-rock record than a distant pop creation.

"Bar 17" Track List:

   1. Host Across The Potomac
   2. If You're Walking
   3. Dragonfly
   4. Bar 17
   5. Mud City
   6. Let Me Lie
   7. What’s Done
   8. Goodbye Head
   9. A Case Of Ice And Snow
  10. Empty House
  11. Gloomy Sky
  12. Shadow
  13. Cincinnati

Here are some of the guitar highlights on the album -

The opening track, “Host Across the Potomac,” swells up with a Hendrixian feedback loop and drops into heavy rock driven guitar riff. Once the vocals appear, Trey jumps into a mellow clean rhythmic chord tone with heavy bass and keys behind him. There are the usual modal changes throughout the song, coupled with some stinging riffs skipping between the vocals. Believe it or not, the guitar parts are fairly sparce in this tune. Another surprise is that the guitar solo doesn't arrive until the end of the song. The guitars tones are clean and distant, and fade rather quickly.

“If You're Walking” also de-emphasizes the guitar parts in the composition. Trey selects a more balanced approach to his mix. There is much more of a presence from the keys, bass, drums, percussion and vocals than guitar. You’ll only hear faint hits of a distorted chord behind the vocals and bass. The solo is very subdued and deliberate with a mix of single note runs with some chord vamps.

On the first single from “Bar 17,” “Dragonfly,” the guitars open up the song and stay out in front for the duration. With help from Mike Gordon on bass, this is much more rock driven and seems to come from some sonic tapestry of the 70's funk and rock genre. Trey solos between some swirly keys and horns and takes off on an energetic solo. Dragonfly offers much more lift and life than the previous two tracks and is a welcome change of pace.

The title track “Bar 17,” starts off with a very mellow opening of piano and an acoustic guitar strumming gently behind the vocals. A string section accompanies the piano and guitars. The overall vibe is a very soft and gentle one to begin with. Trey’s guitar work comes late in the song and with crackles with high-gain licks. It must be a sign of maturity because his approach to the solo in the song is very deliberate, and he leaves plenty of room for the notes to breathe giving it a nice finish. Also, there's nice interplay with the drums and bass in parts that adds some character. Throughout the solo, the tone is quite crisp and all the notes are clearly articulated. The improv lasts for over five and half minutes and makes up the bulk of the song. Trey keeps it the interesting from beginning to end, thus, it's not until the song is over that you realize that was a long run.

“Mud City” spins in with some high-octane driven double stops and a rock filled guitar chord progression. His vocals match the intensity of the guitars. Trey takes the guitar parts and stretches it out on top of the horns, drums, and rest of the band. The keys take the first solo while his guitar playing keeps the song moving. Trey’s heavy, catchy, overdriven guitar hook takes you right into his solo that is the most rock inspired solo of the album so far.

“What's Done” offers cream inspired wah tones and drums with a snappy snare and hi-hat that go to work on your eardrums. In keeping with the overall acid rock vibe, the solo offers wah-washed guitar and squealing notes up high on the neck. It’s a psychedelic jam that will be a nice treat for all of the loyal Trey fans. In the end the song resolves into a very bright, sunny chorus as the guitar work continues to shine in the background.

It’s clear that Trey Anastasio continues to enjoy exploring his creative boundaries as a solo artist. And yes, "Bar 17" has many traces of his experimental nature. But in the end what comes out of this album is a much more familiar sound and playing style that could be a signal of things to come or a friendly salute to the past.

Mag Review: Guitar Player

By Larry Dobrow
For serious six-stringers, Guitar Player is the Robert Fripp to Guitar World's Richie Sambora (I say that as a guy who does not consider Bon Jovi the musical embodiment of pure evil). GP takes the task of educating and informing its readers quite seriously, serving up the best-rounded mix of riffs and tips of any guitar mag I've surveyed in recent months.

The cover of the December issue lets readers know they're in for something a bit more expansive, showcasing Allman Brothers/Government Mule mainstay Warren Haynes and extending shout-outs to Wes Montgomery and Ike Turner. The topical diversity extends throughout the issue, whether a "No Guitarist Left Behind" appreciation of Jim McCarty or an evaluation of the Steve Miller catalog from a guitar-guy perspective (please fire, with great prejudice, the copy editor who missed the beyond-blatant typo in the mention of FM radio mainstay "Rockin' Me" -- it's "Rock 'N Me," goldarnit). The mag also devotes considerable space to lesser-known and eminently worthy players like Kaki King and Liona Boyd, affording each ample opportunity to discuss her craft.

What I like best about Guitar Player is that, for lack of a more elegant way to phrase it, the mag doesn't fuck around. As opposed to the usual maelstrom of sidebars and punny section names and lower-case headlines, it presents its every item with a minimum of fuss. "Feedback" contains letters, "Rants & Raves" contains reviews, etc. On the contents page, the mag shoots for clarity above all else: "Page Hamilton resurrects Helmet with a punishingly heavy new album." Me, I don't need meticulously worded story teases and exclamation points; I need to know whether a story will be worth the 107 seconds I may or may not devote to it. In this regard, Guitar Player delivers.

The expansive Q&A features work pretty well, despite PROVOCATIVE INTERVIEWER statements like "Your guitar tones are gargantuan." Overall, however, the writing stands out as Guitar Player's major weakness. Especially in its reviews, the mag limits itself to simple, passive declarations ("'Until We Felt Red' is a lush and surprising album," "'Tribute' is a masterful and electrifying celebration of rock guitar"). The piece on Carver's 60th anniversary comes across as the print equivalent of an infomercial, while the front-of-book "Songwriting" introduction to Andy Rinehart doesn't make a whole lot of sense at times: "Rinehart has written hundreds of songs, but has only published a handful, because his selection process goes far beyond satisfying the requirements of craft." Snuh?

To sum up, then: Guitar Player is the publication for serious, involved players, Guitar World is the one for beginners / mainstream fans, and Guitar World Acoustic is the one for those who would attempt to bag floozies at a campfire with a sensitive rendition of "Southern Cross." Rock on.