| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 2395.1 | turn on autopilot | CHEFS::IMMSA | adrift on the sea of heartbreak | Thu Dec 12 1991 07:41 | 8 |
| Saw him at the Cambridge (UK) Folk Festival some years back.
He had mastered Blind Blakes guitar playing to the note but he stripped
all the soul out.
Technically brilliant, but automatic, like a player piano.
andy
|
| 2395.2 | | ZYDECO::MCABEE | A semaphore named Godot | Thu Dec 12 1991 15:55 | 13 |
| I think the Blind Blake material honed his chops a lot (that stuff is
extremely difficult to pull off!), but he seemed to be much more in the groove
with the classic rags and jazzy stuff.
Actually, I've never heard anybody who could play Blind Blake with all the
technique AND soul. The technique alone is as demanding as virtuoso classical
pieces. Ry Cooder can do some semi-satisfying watered down versions, but the
real mastery is obviously not there. Leon Redbone probably comes closer than
anybody, but he won't record his best guitar playing. You have to catch him
live to appreciate what he can do.
Bob
|
| 2395.3 | Thumbs up for Redbone! | GOES11::G_HOUSE | Tommy The Cat | Fri Dec 13 1991 11:53 | 7 |
| I know absolutely nothing about Blind Blake, but I will have to say
that Leon Redbone is an absolute must not miss! He puts on a great
show!
I haven't seen him in a few years, does he still tour?
Greg
|
| 2395.4 | Still Touring | SAHQ::ROSENKRANZ | Less is More | Fri Dec 13 1991 12:34 | 5 |
| re .3
Leon Redbone was recently through Atlanta but I didn't catch his show
jim
|
| 2395.5 | | PHAROS::SAKELARIS | | Fri Dec 13 1991 12:42 | 7 |
| This is definitely rathole from the topic but � wanna know more about
Redbone. I never thought of him as a guitar player, just someone who
uses guitar to sing with. Is he really good, or just good at what he
does?
"sakman" who wouldn't mind seeing anybody, but probably wouldn't
otherwise be inclined to see Redbone.
|
| 2395.6 | Dry...make that arid...sense of humor | WEDOIT::KELLYJ | Master of rhythm, Phd in swing | Fri Dec 13 1991 13:00 | 9 |
| Re .3: He still tours...I stage managed a show last summer that included
him for Folktree Concerts in Boston. He had a woman playing dobro
and a trombonist as the band. Somehow, it was very appropriate
instrumentation.
Re .4: Worth checking out from a guitarist's point-of-view, IMHO. He
tends to play block melodic chord passages...sorta ragtime Joe
Pass. I got the feeling he could play 'better' than he did,
but the guitar playing is a prop for his quirky persona.
|
| 2395.7 | rathole cont'd, apologies to Ton | ZYDECO::MCABEE | A semaphore named Godot | Fri Dec 13 1991 17:01 | 10 |
| Leon tends to not focus on the guitar playing, especially on albums. His
recorded playing often sounds like he's just playing rhythm for the band.
I've seen him live a few times and he did a lot more guitar work, but still
favors the band vs having the guitar stand out. He did occasionaly play
some pretty neat stuff. I've heard that, in jams, he has made some prominent
jaws drop. He probably doesn't want to get pigeonholed as a ragtime guitar
player. They tend to be pretty obscure.
Bob
|
| 2395.8 | pickin' the blues | CHEFS::IMMSA | adrift on the sea of heartbreak | Thu Dec 19 1991 07:47 | 19 |
| Rathole continued.....
re a few back...
Blind Blake, along with Lonnie Johnson, are the two most technically
brilliant guitar players who ever pulled on a G string (pardon :-0 ).
Stands back and waits for the flack.
OK - listen to "Playing with the strings" by Lonnie Johnson and "West
Coast Blues" by Blake and tell me that you have ever heard greater
playing, cos I would like to hear it if you have.
And this from the person who thinks that Ry Cooder is the messiah. :-)
andy
|
| 2395.9 | | ZYDECO::MCABEE | A semaphore named Godot | Thu Dec 19 1991 15:32 | 3 |
| Poor Ton. We can't even stick to the subject in his very own topic. :^)
Bob
|
| 2395.10 | CD out soon | EICMFG::THOMPSON | | Mon Mar 30 1992 11:58 | 8 |
|
Just heard that a CD is due out (or maybe is out by now). I guess its
of his old stuff, on the Shanachie label.
I'll be getting myself a copy if i can find it, i never did get all of
Tons records before they were deleted.
Pete
|