One man, a guitar and a singular vision
933919
I am totally not a fan of marching band music- but as a musician I can totally appreciate the enormous effort and talent that went into producing this record.
I can guarantee that whether or not Sousa and co. are to your taste, after listening through these stirring , energetic renditions all produced by Dan Sindel on various strings you will be mightily impressed! It's enough to make you want to put on the short flippy skirt and get out there and strut ( providing you're a girl of course..!)
Dan is a virtuoso guitarist, in some ways he's probably too talented for his own good.
As virtually nothing presents much of a challenge to him technically, he takes on the sorts of projects other lesser guitarists would quail before.
Buy this to be impressed by  what one man and a guitar can do - then go download his music lessons and practice,practice, practice!!!.
3866157
Issues such as picture or sound quality nor media content differences will not be addressed. What will be expressed is the transcendental musical being that is Jeff Beck. He's certainly backed up by a band with air-tight grooves but Jeff, Jeff, Jeff...

So much can be built up but, like he doesn't need flash, shred nor dropped-down doom (Christ, the man doesn't even need a plectrum nor a change of guitar!), there's little need for more than what's been and what will be said later on.

Everyone else will either get it or go for American Idol. Guitarists: he'll either make you re-boot what profound technique you've already attained or make you reach higher/more than you thought possible.

I've viewed this film thrice and the first 2 almost made me give everything up (been playing since '72) but tonight, I choose the latter. Thank you, Almighty for giving us Jeff. I aspire to be better using the emotions that flow through me after witnessing the Master and the Musician.
4231057
If you like acoustic guitar music, if you have even the slightest interest in things Latin, you should own this record. Jose Angel Navarro is a devotional musician who has chosen the guitar as his vehicle, not just a virtuoso guitarist, but even if he were "only" the latter he would be, on the strength of this one recording, one of the great innovators of recent times. No one sounds like him, no one writes like him.  The Paco de Lucia of Cuba? Listen and decide.
2034008
nice job mates! we nailed the vibe for this one...heard Luiz Bonf play it himself on solo guitar on the Mike Douglas show 1966 (on youtube)...he would approve of this version no doubt.
4870076
How fitting to end the century and the millenium with the top album from the premier guitarist in Rock n Roll today. Senor Santana has created and given us a sublime masterpiece! A little something for  everybody:Blues,Jazz,Rock,Rap,Soul,Latin and Pop. The pioneer of World Music  has weaved a tapestry as only he can. With his quest toward the true and  pure note,you could also call this supernatural piece of work:"Within  Simplicity lies the Sublime" It will move ya and grove ya. Check it  out!
1659223
An important story, an inspiring human being, great music, and an opportunity to expand your view of the world.
3558426
THE  INSTRUMENT IS PLAYED BY THE MASTER! IT IS SO SOOTHING BUT A VERY COMPLEX SOUND.
4774527
At age 15, guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani started giving lessons in his bedroom; precisely where he wound up teaching schoolmate Steve Vai. Now, at age 57, Satch has teamed up with author Jake Brown (whos written books on Heart and Motrhead) to pen his musical memoir. Just shy of 300 pages, this behind the scenes look at the life of the best-selling instrumental rock guitarist of all time is supplemented throughout with interviews by those who experienced it firsthand. Fellow musicians  including Queen guitarist Brian May who provided the foreword  producers, engineers, and record company executives offer recollections of the journey that led to 15 Grammy nominations. Yet in the beginning, Satriani considered his music odd and strange, fully admitting that he didn't want to be accessible. Guitar enthusiasts will appreciate this book more than the average fan for the detailed descriptions of how unique sounds were achieved, explanations behind recording technology, and in-depth examination of the gear that was used. Readers are taken on an album to album guided tour, with Joes perfectionist tendencies and devotion to unlocking the secrets of compositional harmony ever present.  Yet he peels back personal layers, revealing song inspirations and the importance of family throughout. Come chapter 20, Chickenfoot enters the picture and suddenly turning the pages becomes much more exciting. Collaborating with Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, and Chad Smith gave Joe a natural place for his blues influences. He calls the experience extreme, with a lot of joking around and a super amount of energy, though it was a challenging transition and my guitar never sounded so good. Always in love with his instrument, Joe attests, The more records I put out and the more live performances I do, the more exciting the whole experience becomes.
4173870
The instrument is the Kanun and I love it.  I don't enough about the intricacies of this music to comment on those details as the reviewer below, except to say it is fantastic and inspiring.
4349704
this album puts to rest the notion that "guitar gods" and their albums are only for guitarists.  this album has something for everyone.  even if you aren't floored by his technique (and there's no reason you shouldn't).  even if your date says "i knew him back when..".  so what.  his tone is so incredible and soaring that this album should be part of the options package on a Jag or Vette convertible.
285506
Gifted guitarist, Dirk Edelhoff, releases an excellent guitar driven Rock single, "Blues Rock Train." Edelhoff is a one man band because not only are all guitars played on this single performed by him so are the bass, keys, and drums and this shows what kind of talent he has to offer. Edelhoff is also genuine about his sound on each instrument as each one has a solid Rock clarity. This song has an irresistible melody and a vibrant and catchy beat that flows with a magnetic style. The guitar riff has a Bluesy feel and after listening to this song you will want to hear more from this talented guitar player. Fans of solo Rock guitarists, such as Jeff Beck or Joe Bonamassa, will really like the terrific Rock single, "Blues Rock Train."  Diane and the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
2327778
I have was drawn into the musical world of Tommy Bolin over 40 years ago as a young musician and immediately  was struck the truly unique "voice" this young guitarist possessed. Greg Prado, the author, has compiled a vast amount of material in the form of interviews with musicians, family, business associates and friends which encompassed some 50 individuals. Prato has these interviews and comments compartmentalized into the various periods of Tommy Bolin's musicial time lines. The author lets the interviews tell the story and lets the life of this fine  guitarist unfold without commentary or personal opinion.

Of note are the comments of his closest friends and musicians he respected such as Glenn Hughes ( Deep Purple bassist) whom shared Tommy's dangerous and fatal dance with drug addiction, Jan Hammer ( Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jeff Beck) with his insight into the making of Billy Cobham's monumental Spectrum recording sessions and the painting of the musicians life in the heady days the 1970's. Greg Prato spins a web of life on the road with all the dangers of sex, drugs and rock and roll as told by the many musicians, Tommy's family (brother Johnnie Bolin ) and friends. While one might have expected a bit of analysis of his music and observations and commentary, the format the author has elected, works. You get none of the guessing of his untimely death in Florida in December of 1976, he lets the interviews speak for themselves.

This books puts much of his reasonably large output of material into historical context - rather startling when one realizes that the primary recorded output only covered 1969 to 1976. In only 8 years he moved from Zephyr to James Gang ( replacing Joe Walsh and Domenic Troiano) Deep Purple ( filling Ritchie Blackmore's very large shoes ) holding his own with Billy Cobham and Jan Hammer and putting out two solo recordings. His influence has reverberated for decades as a pivotal innovator as rock/jazz fusion was emerging in the 1970's. The link of Tommy Bolin spectacular guitar work on Billy Cobham's Specturm and a later release of Jeff Beck's Blow by Blow cannot be underestimated. Prato does not draw this conclusion, the musicians he interviewed do. The period in New York City is illuminating. Bolin and others were in uncharted experimentation period with rock musicians looking to the elements of jazz for more freedom for self expression.

Tommy's homage to Jimi Hendrix on hearing of his death is particularly poignant. Hendrix's impact on Bolin's style and creativity was unmistakable. Fate took the upper hand just as he was entering into the leadership role of his new solo material in late 1976. We can only wonder what might have been.

Bravo to Greg Prado.
530191
A recent release from musical mastermind Martin Tillman, a Zurich native who moved to California at 24 and has been scoring, composing and performing cinematic and instrumental music ever since.  He has also collaborated with a vast number of other top musicians, playing his main instrument, the electric cello, among others.

This solo effort, arguably his most personal to date, seeks to celebrate the human spirit, defiant in the face of adversity.  In a diverse collection of 11 tracks, Martin Tillman pulls out all the stops and creates the sort of epic musical soundscape that could anchor the next major blockbuster.  Better still, we can play this spectacular collection and imagine the movie of our choice.  My imagination was fired up from the first listening. I have added my personal flights of fancy separately against each track.

Artistic vision aside, the production values are excellent and one can only marvel at the  technical virtuosity of this gifted musician who has assembled a fantastic ensemble of players to accompany his hypnotic cello.  A marvellous tour de force of musicianship expressing one man's singular vision in many different flavours, driven by almost tribal drums.  I realize that selling music has become almost obsolete, but to me this is music worth buying, to have and to enjoy at top quality on your favourite stereo system, through headphones or just blaring out into the air while you go about your business.  Highly recommended.
38612
Richard Thompson is a master guitarist and a delightful tunesmith. He is a unique voice in the world of music. Fans of the electric band will be thrilled with this release, part of which is live. I grew up watching Hendrix and Clapton perform and often think, "What else can you show me?" Mr. Thopson shows me some stuff on this disc.
1081069
Satriani tries for a more commercial sound on this release, the follow-up to his brilliant instrumental album "Surfing with the Alien", incorprating lyrics and yes, his own singing voice on six of the eighteen tracks.  Lots of energy , lots of variety, and of course, superb guitar playing, although he lets himself down a bit with the vocals.  Highlights include: the atmospheric title track, "The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing", the funky "Strange", and the aptly titled "One Big Rush".  For those not familiar with this exceptional guitarist, his style lies nearer techno than blues or metal, but ultimately it's hard-driving guitar rock with a tight, but rather minimal backing band.  Satriani's technical mastery is really amazing, and the clarity of his playing is unsurpassed, but as this long CD wears on, the quality of the songwriting occasionally shows signs of strain, the technique becoming the driving force instead of the melody.  But those moments are relatively few, so overall I still have to give this one five stars.
1868754
This biography of Lenny Breau shines for its scope of presentation, musical insight and an honest and compassionate portrait of one of the greatest guitarists of all time. The book was exhaustively researched and the fact that Mr Forbes-Roberts is himself an accomplished guitarist adds immeasurably to the high water mark of detailing the great innovations that Mr Breau brought to his instrument. The organization of all the material herein is marvelous and a benchmark of clarity. Lenny's personal difficulties in having huge difficulties in looking after himself are explained in painful detail - yet yield an understanding of the ravages that are endemic to the music business, and especially as the industry pertains to very gifted and sensitive musicians.
I cannot see the need for another Breau biography after this one. For those that love and admire Lenny's music, we should all be in gratitude for Forbes-Roberts contribution to a first class biography. Two thumbs up, and for those who play guitar, this book will inspire you to play more often!
3985480
I have heard his music since my childhood, and I think he is a great guitar player and composer. From performer of latin songs to pop music, he always gives his feeling in what he does. This is a record made with the experience of many years of playing guitar and sharing the feelings to what is precious to all of us: our life.