Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 2783 Location: Chino, CA
Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 3:08 am Post subject: Jeff Beck
Picked up a couple of bootleg DVD's of Jeff Beck concerts at the Guitar Show. I did see him play at Phoenix back in early-2001 and that was awesome, but the seats weren't all that good and I didn't really get a good viewpoint of him playing. The first one is a Who Else Live video shot in Japan in 1999. It's just mind-boggling. You see this video and you see why Steve Lukather calls Jeff Beck, "God's Guitar Player".
It's easy to understand why players ranging from Vai, Satriani, Shawn Lane, Erci Johnson, and Buckethead to Clapton, Gilmour, Gary Moore, Pat Travers and Joe Perry to Scott Henderson, Pat Metheny, John McLaughlin, Al DiMeola, and John Scofield all sing the praises of Jeff Beck. Beck can be considered the ultimate electric guitarist, capable of making the instrument sing, cry, scream, and "talk" like no one else can. The range of expressions he can get just from his hands, guitar, and amp is beyond belief (no pedals whatsoever, just echo added from the board depending on the tune).
Track down this video somewhere if you can and especially if you've never seen him live. What makes Beck so special? It's the endless flow of ideas that comes from his head and his amazing touch and sensitivity. The dynamics, the vibrato that delves into microtonal phrasing, and all the chops necessary to let all those ideas and inspiration flow just effortlessly. When Jimi died, a part of his spirit must have went into Jeff Beck because Beck never rested on his own laurels. He kept pushing the boundaries and is now simply the guitarist that all the other great guitarists look up to. Jeff Beck really is God's gift to the guitar world. Beck's music and sheer creative brilliance will leave you in reverent awe. _________________ Ed Yoon
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Joined: 12 Sep 2004 Posts: 21 Location: Lincoln UK
Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 4:44 pm Post subject:
Start with Blow by Blow and There And Beck to get a feel of Jeff in the 70's. Without breaking your bank I would say 2 more essentials are Guitar Shop and Who Else! just to see how diverse the guy is. Him and Metheny are probably my 2 favourite guitarists, Pat for the cerebral melting and Jeff because he still stays this side of raw, what electric guitar is all about IMO. We have a forum over here where we set ourselves monthly recording tasks, I had a go at a Jeff tribute one month where I tried to capture as many of his nuances as I could. (Impossible I know) If you want a listen, click here _________________ It is the height of bad manners to light one's cigar from a burning hat.
Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 2783 Location: Chino, CA
Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:27 pm Post subject:
You sure can't go wrong with Blow By Blow. That one has a timeless feel and vibe to it from start to finish. Still doesn't sound dated and Beck's feel and phrasing on this album is still studied and revered by many guitarists, including myself, today. Wired has some great playing on it, too, but I don't really care for Jan Hammer's cheesy Moog sounds on it. That album does sound dated here and there, but "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" is worth the price of the album alone.
Guitar Shop is a good album and "Where Were You" also makes the album a must-have. There And Back has its moments but that's always been the problem with a lot of the Beck albums - they're not very consistent in terms of the material and the writing. I think that's really the only thing I have to quibble with Beck's output but it's a big point. For instance, the album Flash from the mid-80's is bad... I mean, that album really sucks, but the outro solo of that dumb opening song "Ambitious" is astounding. Jeff seems to be telling EVH and all the other young hot shots coming up of the day: "Hey, I can do everything you guys are doing and then some!" "People Get Ready" is an indispensable track as well.
Of the recent electronica-oriented stuff, they are also sprinkled with gems but there are tracks that just make you scratch your head as well. Some tracks are downright annoying, but the otherworldly playing on others more than make up for them. The concept of marrying heavy distorted burning guitars with pulsing ice cold electronica is really cool, but no one has really nailed it. Buckethead has had his moments, but again, the materials have been weak. Satch tried it with Engines of Creation with very mixed results, and ditto for Beck's recent trilogy. Here's hoping that Guthrie, who also digs electronica, will someday find the right formula!
But getting back to Beck, his catalogue really isn't that vast - certainly nothing like Metheny's. Starting out with his box set may be good way to go as well, although I'm puzzled by the selections (and the omissions) in it. Start out with BBB and go from there. _________________ Ed Yoon
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.strandberg* Guitars USA
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Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 2783 Location: Chino, CA
Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:28 pm Post subject:
Carlo wrote:
J
and compared to Page and Clapton, Beck still looks like a rockstar
_________________ Ed Yoon
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BOING Music LLC - Managing Partner
.strandberg* Guitars USA
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Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 2783 Location: Chino, CA
Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 7:45 pm Post subject:
Donnie B. wrote:
alexkhan wrote:
Carlo wrote:
J
and compared to Page and Clapton, Beck still looks like a rockstar
Uhm, just what the heck are you guys talking about
Hey, Jimmy looks quite dapper there!
But, you know, that's quite appropriate. I've always considered Jimmy Page as more of a supreme songwriter/producer/orchestrator and all-around visisionary for Led Zep than a great guitar player. _________________ Ed Yoon
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Didn't George Martin lend his insight on Blow By Blow? It's a tops album. Scatterbrain and Air Blower are seriously amazing pieces of music, but well orchestrated.
"Where We You?" is one of the few songs, I like to lay down to listen to, the other is "The Sea and Sinbad's Ship" by Rimsky Korsakov.
Beck's version of "Very Superstitious" is cool to. _________________ Fabulous powers were revealed to me the day I held my magic Suhr(d) aloft and said "by the power of great scale!"
Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 2783 Location: Chino, CA
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 3:24 am Post subject:
frankus wrote:
Didn't George Martin lend his insight on Blow By Blow? It's a tops album. Scatterbrain and Air Blower are seriously amazing pieces of music, but well orchestrated.
"Where We You?" is one of the few songs, I like to lay down to listen to, the other is "The Sea and Sinbad's Ship" by Rimsky Korsakov.
Beck's version of "Very Superstitious" is cool to.
George Martin produced the Blow By Blow album, so it was more than just lending his insight.
There is this George Martin album called "My Life", I believe, and JB contributes his magnificent playing on the Beatles classic, "A Day in the Life". Have you heard that or seen him play it live.
When I saw JB live in Phoenix back in early-'03, him performing that track was the highlight. Really amazing... This bootleg DVD "Who Else! - Live in Japan, '99" also features that song and it's pretty spectacular. _________________ Ed Yoon
Certified Guthrie Fan-atic
BOING Music LLC - Managing Partner
.strandberg* Guitars USA
Ed Yoon Consulting & Management
Guitar Center Inc.
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