Discussions
5 Best Guitar Players Ever
Posted by Rozie818 • 5/15/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Tags: guitar, music
No particular order
Of course I could have asked about the top 20, but this way we may tighten it up a bit.
Jeff Beck
Jimi Hendrix
Alvin Lee
Robert Fripp
Jimmy Page
User Comments
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Fripp (largely because he authored a book on 'How to play guitar' which became my guitar Bible.)
But he was awesome to begin with anyway
Ben -
What about Clapton?..-
or Carlos Santana?
Guess we all have our own opinions. -
Tales of brave Ulysses...wow
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This is a hard one but my list goes:
John Petruci
Jimi Hendrix
Joe Satriani
Slash
Eric Clapton
Honorable mention goes to:(in no particular order)
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Jimmy Page
Steve Vai
Kirk Hammett
Keith Richards
Ingvai Malmsteen
Steve Morse
rock on \m/ -
Mine would be
Jimi Hendrix
Steve Hackett
Robert Fripp
Jimmy Page
Eric Clapton
Ben -
Satriani
Hendrix
Clapton
Santana
Some Guy in Mexico none of us has ever heard of.-
That's better. I'll tap into his iPod
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So true, so many great players just playing in their bedrooms.
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I'm not sure about top 5, but Eddie Van Halen and Peter Frampton played well. -
My vote:
Gary Moore
Eric Clapton
Jeff Beck
BB King
Carlos Santana -
john petrucci is a god! -
You gotta have Stevie Ray Vaughn on there!!! Then Santana & Clapton. Those 3 for sure.-
Those are definitely 3 of my all-time favorites
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So many great one's listed already. I would also add:
Larry Carlton -
1. Jimi Hendrix
2. Jimmy Page
3. Prince
4. Eddie Van Halen
5. Kirk Hammett -
ingvay malmsteen
Eddie Van Halen
Eric Johnson
Tom Scholtz
and this kid www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhrDeoJ9S6Y -
Please excuse my detailed response. I used to own hundreds of Guitar LP's and still seek out the occasional one. We naven't scraped the surface :-)
I like this:
Funny you should ask. I sort of like guitar
I like your list very much.
Beck - has a beautiful style and he's fingerstyle
Hendrix a genious - I like Pali Gap and his acoustic playing
acousticguitarist.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/jimi-hendrix-acoustic-blues/
Alvin Lee - has a magnificent right hand technique. I have arare recording of him playing a Ferington guitar
Fripp - was intersting, very intellectual but I prefer Adrian Belew, although it's not right to compare
Jimmy Page - managed to take what was happening around him, e.g. Davey Graham, Nick Drake, and the other British open tuners and turn it towards the rock scene, mix it with the
the electric blues. His ability to bring it together was astounding.
acousticguitarist.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/led-zeppelin-acoustic-guitar/
My Fingestyle Acoustic List:
**********
Michael Hedges - acousticguitarist.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/michael-hedges-the-great-acousti...
Egberto Gismonti
Pierre Bensusan
Ralph Towner (nylon) -
John Renbourn
My Plectrum Acoustic List:
******************************
Tony Rice
Philip Catherine
George Strunz
John McLaughlin - the-guitarplayer.com/?p=157
Pat Metheny - the-guitarplayer.com/?p=149
My Electric List:
*******************
Robin Ford
Jeff Skunk Baxter
Jimi Hendrix
Jaz:z
***************
Martin Taylor
Joe Pass
Jim Hall
Ed Bickert
Par Martino
Singer Guitarists
*******************
Joni Mitchell
David Wilcox ( American guy)
James Taylor ( underated genius)
Harry Manx
Nick Drake
Nylon Stringers
********** ******
Julian Bream
Narciso Yepes
Ralph Towner - the-guitarplayer.com/?p=155
Paco de Lucia - the-guitarplayer.com/?p=162-
OH heavens..
I left out Santana, his tone is the best ever -
Egberto Gismonti is(was) brilliant . -
What do you mean was?
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for a moment I thought he was dead. Raphael Rabello is dead, sorry.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raphael_Rabello -
That's ok. I googled and he's still here
Who's the other person? -
thanks for sharing -
Im surprised you didn't mention Frank Zappa AcousticGuitarist. He always gets overlooked. I think he's really good. He just deserves a mention for his amazing improvisations.
I really like Rodgrigo y Gabriela. Check out this cover. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNc5o9TU0t0
And then check out this song.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lvMQCmUVv8&feature=related
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Jimi Hendrix
Jimmy Page
David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
Eric Clapton
Yngwie Malmsteen
**Honorable Mention**
Alex Lifeson (Rush)
Dave Matthews
Phil Keaggy
Slash
Guitarist who now plays on Audioslave (used to be with Rage Against the Machine)...don't know his name.-
Keaggy is good
also the Rage guy, I had to teach his stuff to young guys in the mid nineties, he can play -
tom morello, right? -
Gilmour...YES!
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@T
Wow!
Hendrix - so very young.
Led Zepplin (Page & Plant) - acoustic OMG!
John McLaughlin and the percussionists blew me away.
Tujechhe
You can take me on a musical journey anytime. (please) -
Cheers
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Pick a style
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Nobody has mentioned Angus Young from AC/DC-
Nobody should...not when I learned how to play his riffs at 11
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Jimi Hendrix
B.B. King
Eric Clapton
Carlos Santana
Duane Allman -
paul gilbert only initiated know he's one of the best!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC60XNiS-MQ-
Great player. He's done a lot of left hand exercise. Guitar Player mag use to cover hima lot.
He's about a 1/4 of the speed of mclaughlin, etheridge, dimeola, holdsworth and those guys.
I think the good thing about him is he has help raise the standard of the technical side of rock players.
Thanks for posting this.
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Some great guitarists on here...what about Nuno Bettencourt? I'm not sure most people know who he is...
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He's great, was sort of famous amongst guitarists (rockers) about 15 or 20 years ago. He played in that band Extreme. Good player
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Nuno, spent some time writing for broadway and then did some solo work for a while. Extreme is back together and is touring this summer.
III sides to every story has some of his best guitar work.
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I have zero clue... but has anyone heard of Les Paul? Old family friend, Robb Lawrence, just published "The Early Years of the Les Paul Legacy: 1915-1963" and a second is coming out soon. Les Paul is turning 90 years old next month...
www.amazon.com/Early-Years-Paul-Legacy-1915-1963/dp/0634048619-
Yes, he was great, guitar players have travelled a long way since then
I had a Gibson Les Paul Gold Top guitar with mini humbuckers for 16 years
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john petrucci (Dream Theater/liquid tension experiment)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YWXpHl9sGk
Herman Li and Sam Totman (dragonforce)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFbuj92ylLk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQgsKqebsX0 -
Well .. without repeating above..
Joe Walsh (James Gang)
Keith Strickland (B-52's post Ricky Wilson era)
John Petrucci (Dream Theatre)
oh .. and Alex Lifeson (Rush)-
Just love Joe Walsh's playing
Time Out
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My brother was waaaaaay into heavy metal so in honor of all the hours of my life I will never get back having to listen to them played, rewound, played again, I choose:
Slash
Steve Vai
Ingvai Malmsteen
Dave Mustaine
Satriani-
Satriani...great sound
Who's Dave Mustaine? -
Dave Mustaine...Lead vocals and rhythem guitarist for Megadeth
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He played lead guitar as well. He was solid in the thrash genre but I don't think he was better than Kirk Hammett, the guy who replaced him in Metallica.
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Kirk Hammett isn't that great. He re-hashes a few Satriani tricks and not even that is enough to stop any Metallica album after '.. And Justice For All' from being utter crap.
Dave Mustaine is way better, and so is any random Megadeth guitarist he hires.
Like the latest one, Chris Broderick.
My top 5:
Chris Broderick (he plays classical and metal)
Andy Larocque (he plays for King Diamond and his phrasing is unmatched)
Jimmy Page (the guy who kicks Clapton's sorry little ass at everything, especially songwriting)
Jeff Beck (he plays everything in a god-like manner)
Chuck Schuldiner (guitarist for Death)
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Malcom
Yngwie Malmsteen
Joe Perry
Jimi Hendrix
B.B. King -
Jimi Hendrix
Joe Satriani
Dimebag Darrel
B.B. King
Albert King-
Dimebag was great. Loved his tone and groove.
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My pick was just my opinion, like I said we could have asked for the top 20
I see a lot of greats added to my start off list -
No one mentioned
Leslie West
or the
Winter Brothers-
Rozie - I like your list
and yes Leslie West, the beautiful tone of his Les Paul Junior. And for years he only used 3 of the fingers on his fretting hand.
One of the only guys with a sound as sweet as Santana in the 70's
It's hard to keep it to 5 because of styles. Pesonally I find there are aspects of players that I like.
The question you have asked, for me is a bit like walking up to saomeone that has just fallen in love and you say " Have you ever been in love?" and hey don't shut up :-)
Why don't you ask who are your top 100 guitarists and what is it you like about them? -
Only Johnnywas the guitar player
Edgar was a keyboard player
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1. Larry Graham
2. Nile Rodgers
3. Jimi Hendrix
4. Eric Clapton
5. Me'Shell Ndegeocello -
George Lynch
Robin Trower -
SRV, baby.
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Hendrix
Jimmy Page
Eddie Van Halen
Jeff Beck
Carlos Santana-
oh oh, Santana and Jeff Beck for sure....Too many guitar players I love!
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Jimi Hendrix
Eric Clapton
Nancy Wilson
Eddie Van Halen
Slash
Maybe in that order, maybe not...depending on my mood and what I am listenting to..... I love em all!-
Nancy Wilson??? From Heart?
Ya had me til then..lol
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Joe Walsh
Joe Perry
Kieth Richards
Chuck Berry
BB King
too many...I should not have come to play this little game.....
my post above, I know how to spell "Listening" -
In no particular order:
Chris Rea
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Mark Knopfler
David Gilmour
Robert Ahwai
Honourable mentions to:
Jimmy Page
Eric Clapton
Brian May
Jimmy Vaughan
Gary Moore
Joe Satriani
Walter Trout
Steve Vai -
AG
I asked for only 5 so people didn't have to make long lists
Other styles emerged from other members, If I did a 100, then we just repeat each other.
Thanks on the heads up about Egar, I seen him jam with Johnny at the Palladium
here in NY and he handled the frets pretty good too.
Rick Derringer and Billy Squier was pretty slick as well.-
apologies for being excessive.
Yeah rick derringer was GREAT
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No apologies needed here. I added Billy Squier above as well
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oh before I forget, let me introduce you guys to Mr Andy Mckee
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt1fB62cGbo
he surely deserves a spot on one of the most greatest guitarist! or creative atleast
\m/ -
Marc that was a very nice Africa instrumental.
Thanks for the introduction-
your welcome very talented huh? he is a genius
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Jimi Hendrix
John Williams
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Jerry Garcia
Johnny Winter -
Mark Knopfler
Carlos Santana
Richie Blackmore
Eric Clapton
Richie Sambora -
Michael Hedges
Jimi Hendrix
Jimmy Page
Stanley Jordan
Jim "Reverend Horton" Heath of Reverend Horton Heat -
Jimi Hendrix
Eric Clapton
Carlos Santana
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Duane Allman
Alvin Lee
A few worth mentioning since they're not on the list yet...
George Harrison
Linsey Buckingham
Robert Johnson
Elmore James
T Bone Walker
Keb Mo -
I'll add Prince and Robert Johnson to the list.-
Prince is just a great musician all around. Great guitarist.
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Andres Segovia
Les Paul -
I am surprised YINGWE MALMSTEEN is not on there -
Richie Kotzen Guitar Solo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xgs9jOZzcQ
Rusty Cooley badd ass shredder
Rusty Cooley - Under The Influence
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtLUz34iofM
tutorial video of rusty
Rusty Cooley - Betcha Can't Play This March 2008
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqtbgDO2OHM
George Lynch
www.youtube.com/watch?v=asUQBl1DTDA
Tony MacAlpine
Tony MacAlpine - Endless Time
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTuWn-ie9oU
Betcha Can't Play This
some crazy player here..awesome guitar skill
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Betcha+Can%27t+Play+This&search_type=-
Kotzen and Lynch are bad ass. George lynch and warren D'Martini from Ratt both had similar styles. Both underated.
Kotzen's "Electric Joy" is still one of my favorites.
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For the blues lovers...
Freddie King
Mike Bloomfield
Albert King
Duane Allman
Albert Collins -
these lists always adhere to the standard guitarists which results in it all being blues/classic rock/prog.
I'll pick Richard Thompson, Tom Verlaine and Bernard Butler-
I like Thompson.
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Enjoy!
1. Carlos Santana (Number One for overall skill, creativity, adaptability and longevity)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSECQtF58BU
2. Jimi Hendrix
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk3SfT8weUc
3. Eric Clapton
www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2sfelvHAlU
4. Al DiMeola (much under-rated; especially Return to Forever period)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClbE6YEO6e0
5. Bass Guitar Virtuoso: Stanley Clarke
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrav_MSMjNs-
If you like di Meola, se if you can get a hold of Vensusian Sunrise ny Lenny White, his solo album. On side 2 of the vinyl there was a duet with Di Meola and Coryell together. You won't be disappointed
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my favs are:
Jimi Hendrix
Bo diddley (HOW could you all forget BO!!)www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgzn7VyoqEw
Thurston Moore
Stevie Ray Vaghn
Jeff Beck -
Did anyone say Bonnie Raitt yet? She rocks.
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The Edge-
The man knows how to use the delay pedal.
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AcousticGuitarist, what about Les Paul? what are your thoughts on his importance?
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The patron saint of electric guitars? He's great. He's playing is unique and he knows how to put on a show. He could make the guitar talk. I don't think he gets as much credit as he deserves for his playing.
My 2 cents anyway. -
I thought Frampton made guitars talk -
Ah yes! LOL.
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Carlos Santana
Eric Clapton
Joe Satriani
Eric Johnson
Steve Vai
Stevie Ray Vaughn (ok I have 6)-
wrong spot
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I can't say who the top five are, that's so hard but here are some worth noting that influenced my playing.
Eddie VH (reason why I started to play)
Eric Johnson
Hendrix (loved the solo for wind cries mary and Vodoo child slite return).
Bruce Cockburn (reason why I started playing fingerstyle)
Tommy Emmanuel (What a player, what a showman)
John Petrucci
Others worth mentioning
Steve Vai
nuno bettencourt
Jerry Garcia
django reinhardt
Ritchie Kotzen
Paul Gilbert
I could go on and probably will-
holy crap! I almost forgot Chet Atkins.
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You didn't specify genre, so here's my list from the classical & flamenco worlds -
Carlos Montoya
Andres Segovia
Christopher Parkening
John Williams
Chuscales -
I'd never pick just five with all the styles and techniques out there but in addition to these greats, I'd add Junior Brown, Merle Travis, Grady Martin, Mississippi John Hurt, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Luther Allison, Buddy Guy. I find it hard to believe that BB is on here and Buddy isn't.
~JD -
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Hard to believe that nobody has posted an video of SRV... Here's a gem I found on youtube where he plays together with another great (and a canadian to boot) Jeff Healey. Healey's solo which starts around 1:15 is unreal and SRV's to follow is almost better.
Even harder to believe that both of these legends are gone, so young.
I'm sure they are jamming together right now with Robert Johnson, Dwayne Allman, Jerry Garcia, and all the other greats.
May they rest in peace
Enjoy!!!
youtube.com/watch?v=XqU9RZqvFKY&feature=related -
Django
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGxDSij9jH4&feature
Les Paul
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb5_DEhmDAM&feature
Wes Montgomery
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXOrj7QAc8M&feature
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUvrabFwzRU&feature
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApaPbP0CT5M&feature
Pat Metheny
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWabRD0c_VQure-
My teacher used to play in Grapellis band after Django died.
one of my other teachers also recorded with him
I'm a Montgomery fanatic
And Metheny, I used to do a few of his tunes live
I had a Gold top Les Paul with mini-humbuckers
I'm happy now after seeing this
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I know I already chimed in but I nominate Tim Reynolds for consideration too. That was an official nomination there.
~JD -
randy rhodes, dimebag, Segovia -
Gary Moore
Jimmy Page
Carlos Santana
Kurt Cobain
A Spanish chap I saw at a festival last year but whose name I can't remember.-
I've asked my DH and he can't remember the last chap's name either. So, as the poor bloke has to remain anonymous, can I swap him for John Frusciante?
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Here are mine:
Jimi Hendrix
Phil Keaggy
BB King
Carlos Santana
Stevie Ray Vaughn -
DOES ANYONE HERE KNOW Yingwe Malmsteen?
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interesting player, very very good. Quite fast.
his devotees were silly enough to vote him as the best classical guitarist in some polls one year. That's very very funny. -
he is a classical guitarist... just that he isn't playing on a classical guitar that's all..
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Yngwie plays a style called neo-classical metal. This means he rips off Paganini and Vivaldi licks for lead guitar but plays it over solid hard rock/heavy metal song structures.
Classical guitar is like Segovia. While Yngwie does allegedly 'know all the music theory there is to know', he rarely plays classical music. One exception is his Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concerto_Suite_for_Electric_Guitar_and_Orchestra
where he did compose in a Baroque style, but he still did not play classical guitar.
Yngwie is incredible and he always works with some the best people in the industry. Classical guitar? That is very funny.. -
Malmsteen has a style but once you heard one song, the rest begin to sound the same (at least with his band stuff). Not one of my favorites but I get why some like him.
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yeah, there's no question about how good he is, but it's like voting for George Benson as best Heavy Rock or Django as country.
Gee he's fast though.
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Stevie Ray Vaughan
Jimi Hendrix
Gary Moore
Albert King
Ry Cooder
but the list is way to many! -
This aways one of my fav's from Jeff Beck
www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1hijzkOrnk
how about Beck and Santana
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDBSIgxJYSs&NR=1
be back with a few more-
Was able to see Jeff Beck in Denver about a year and a half ago and he was incredible. He did a version of "A Day in the Life" (Beatles) that blew my mind.
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MVT- I saw Jeff Beck here in Denver about six years ago and I agree -- he's pretty incredible. Very unique style the way he squeezes notes out of his guitar. I never knew he used a thumb pick before.
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Yes I saw him years ago with Jan Hammer and Tim Fiedler (?) and I know the drummer was sensational but can't remember who it was.
Brilliant. He's just kept going
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Jimmy Hendrix would be the beat guitar player ever! -
A day in a life
www.youtube.com/watch?v=toMTAHsz26I&feature=related
Over the Rainbow
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgGvml0cOKA&feature=related
The Blues
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yGB6d_3n58&feature=related
I remember when we were young how we were amazed how Jeff could make his guitar laugh.-
Awesome, I forgot that he did over the rainbow when I saw him.
THANKS!
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Best song though
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHw9b4BBV9Y -
No mention of Buckethead? For shame. -
One of my fav's from TYA
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4vgnhrWos8&feature=related -
@acousticguitarist
I think you are referring to Vensusian Summer and I have that LP (yes, the plastic sort in my collection. I loved them both in Return to Forever (Lenny White, Al DiMeola, Stanley Clarke and Chick Corea), which I consider one of the best and most innovative bands in history. I was so glad to hear they got back together recently, and hope to see them live this summer.-
Yes , that's the album
Wow, never seen them live. Have seen Stanley Clarke and also Chic Correa -
Chic Correa! Man, just 5 is too hard.
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@acousticguitarist
Here are some samples:
www.return2forever.com/index.cfm/pk/content/pid/400056
After so many years, they still give me chills! -
Carlos Santana, Yngwie Malmsteen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B King, Jerry Garcia
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Garcia
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