Here's a favorite topic! Gutars!
1. Frank Zappa - 'Shut Up N Play Yer Guitar' box set (3 LPs/2CDs). Culled straight from live performances and not overdubbed or enhanced, these pieces are solos from the middle of songs and vamps between songs that stand on their own as examples of pure improvisational brilliance. FZ is the only guitarist I've ever heard who thinks and plays that way. Also of note is the TONE on these pieces. His playing circa 79 on his custom SG copy is low, clear, deep - awesome.
2. Frank Zappa - 'Baby Snakes' Like some of the tunes from the above? Get the 3-hour long viddy and see em done live on stage in NYC.
3. Adrian Belew? Of course. Warren Cucirillo (Missing Persons, Duran Duran)? sure. Steve Vai? yeah. But the best of the Zappa sidemen is Mike Keneally. 'Hat' The debut recording of 'stunt' guitarist on FZ's 88 tour (are we beginning to see a pattern here?). The mind bending 'We're Rocking All Night To The Tangy Flavor Of Cheddar' has got to be heard to be believed. Think Coltrane, Dizzy, and Post-Bop Miles thrown in a blender with a 100W Marshall.
4. Neil Young 'Arc/Weld' Tone up the wazoo, 2CDs of 4/4 rock-n-roll with 6+ minute solos that never sound cliche or predictable. The 3rd CD 'Weld' is 26 minutes of distortion and noise inspired by Sonic Youth and recorded live during the 1990 tour which featured them both. Neil showed 'em how its done.
5. Pat Metheny 'As Falls Wichita...' sometimes it's about what you don't play. He makes the most remarkable melodies...
Also Rans:
6. Mark Ribot, guitarist on Tom Waits' 'Big Time' CD and viddy. He's all over the place - it's like he's playing wrong on purpose, juxtaposing notes WAY out of the chord and plopping right back in. Amazing
7. Mike Stern 'Standards and Other Songs' Take a technical genius and give him a battered 55 Tele and you'll swear he's playing a big ol jazz box in a smokey studio somewhere outside of Chicago.
8. Anything by Leo Kottke. He must have 14 fingers. Got to.
9. Badi Assad 'Solo' Her two older brothers are gifted guitarists and composers, think she's got a chip? Amazing sounds come off this CD. She uses the top of the instrument as a percussion device, she uses her voice to add to the mix. One woman, one gutair, one mic. Awesome.
and rounding out the top ten..yada yada yada..
10. The Beat Farmers 'Loud And Plowed' Cowpunk buddy, Rock-N-Roll with funny hats. Joey Harris and Jerry Raney are perfect compliments to each other. Both are excellent songwriters, singers, and guitarists and this live performance, captured on New Year's Eve, 1989, showcases them perfectly. They are only upstaged whenever Country Dick steps up to the mic which, fortunately, isn't often. (But oh how I'd love to hear him tonight.. I miss ya C. Dick, r.i.p.)
sorry for the length, this IS my condensed list!
ok,
erix