Guitar Stuff
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This is the page where I will be adding all kinds of guitar geek stuff as I go on through my adventures.
Guitar Pictures:
Have a look at the some of the guitars I've had the pleasure of playing.
Click Here to see Guitar Pics
Web Links
The following links are either of people I have come in contact with or they have affected me in some
profound musical way, or both.Important Guitar Influences:
One thing these guitar players have in common is, they are musicians first.
I'm listing them in chronological order at the date in my life at which time they were introduced.
Please note that not any of them take precedence over the other, they are all different, which is why I like them. There are too many other great musicians to list.George Harrison - The guitarist for the Beatles - he came up with all those catchy licks in the world's most popular music
Pat Metheny - He is the only guitarist/musician in my mind that has kept me interested in his offerings since the 80's until now. He keeps getting better.
Pierrie Bensusan - Pierre is a poet on the guitar, I am quite taken by his fluid roboto motion and freedom in his style.
Bill Frisell - I discovered Bill back sometime in the 90's but didn't "get it". His strangely beautifil harmonic voicings, melodicism and quirky ideas are a constant source of inspiration.
Ed Bickert - Jim Hall spoke of Ed saying "He is the only guy that makes me nervous when he walks in the room". Many accomplished jazz musicians feel that Ed Bickert is the most underrated, yet highly evolved guitarist ever. It's never about chops - it's always about music. If you are not used to this style, you will barely hear him behind the band in his recordings. When you hear him comping you start to hear beautiful improvised music and you might say "why should he even bother to take a solo, I'm already satisfied with the music he made during his accompaniment". I recommend getting the Paul Desmond record, "Pure Desmond" and Ed's "I Wished on the Moon" recording for starters. If you don't like the recordings at first, I suggest you listen to it ten more times. If you still don't like it, seek professional help.
Jim Hall - What can I say... the grandfather of modern improvisation on the guitar. Close to 80 years of age he sounds like a young adventurous avant-garde explorer on the guitar. Jim possesses a fierce improvising spirit, he has single handedly influenced anybody that is somebody in the jazz world. Jim is a musician first and a guitarist second. "Don't just play something - Stand there!" - Jim HallLuthiers & Misc. Guitar Stuff:
Beneteau Guitars - I have exclusively used Marc's acoustic flattop guitars for the past 8 years.
Paul Saunders - Paul is a great builder of archtops and classicals, he does all my repairs and impeccable set-ups.
Joseph Yanuziello - Joe built me an electric. He builds electric and acoustic guitars, mandolins, mandolas, mandocellos, and lapsteels; resonators, flattops, Weissenborns. A few of the players using his instruments include: Kevin Breit (Norah Jones, etc, etc), Don Rooke (The Henrys), Burke Carrol (Bebop Cowboys, Brothers Cosmoline), Bill Frisell, Pete Anderson, Lee Alexander (Norah Jones), Rob Pilch, Michael Picket, the list goes on...
Erich Solomon - is the VanGogh of archtop guitar builders
Links to Guitar Events & Associations:
SOFGA - Southern Ontario Fingerstyle Guitar Association, Hamilton, ON, Canada
TGFA - Toronto Fingerstyle Guitar Association, Toronto, ON, Canada
Canadian Guitar Festival - Canadian Guitar Festival, Odessa, ON, Canada
CAAS - Chet Atkins Appreciation Association, Nasville, TN, USA
The Walnut Valley Festival - This is a huge mecca of guitar music takes place. Winfield, KS, USALocal Guitar Shops:
Folkway Music - This is a most interesting shop located in Guelph Ontario, it is set up with a museum-like motif, very tastefully done. Marc Stuttman is the owner of Folkway, He knows more about vintage instruments than anyone I know. There is always a wide range of top vintage instruments in his shop, constantly evolving, always circulating. Known as a luthier and restorer of vintage guitars - I don't know where he finds the time.
The Twelth Fret - I was told that the Twelth Fret gets some 60,000 hits per month on their website. They always have an ample stock of vintage instruments and tons of excellent modern guitars.Guitar Players I Know:
All of the players below have been very good to me - hence the links (in no particular order).Bill Mize - Bill's CD "Tender Explorations' tops my list as a favorite fingerstyle CD, Bill's tone and musicality is unrivaled.
Don Ross - Don plays like Stevie Wonder, the consummate groove machine!
Don Alder - Don is a good friend, we met at Winfield where he won at the National Fingerstyle competition. He also works closley with Rick Hanson making a positive difference in this world.
Jason Fowler - Jason is a longtime friend that plays and writes with impeccable taste and fluid confidence.
Dylan Fowler - Dylan is a quiet and understated musician, easily equal to any of the worlds best.
Warren Stirtzinger - Warren is a sleeping giant of jazz guitar, he has given me many insights into understanding Jazz.
Carter Lancaster- Carter is a good friend, he can play any style and hold up with the big boys.
Wendell Ferguson- 5 Time Canadian Country Guitarist and unbelievably funny / witty guy.
Del Vezeau - Good friend, great guitar player, funny and highly intelligent soul.
Noah Zacharin - Fabulous singer/songwriter and fingerstyle guitarist and dear friend.
Shawn Trotter- Shawn can play guitar and mandolin in any genre - Jazz, Celtic and other styles very well.
Pierrie Bensusan - Pierre is a poet on the guitar, profound and seriously beautiful.
Tommy Emmanuel - A man of generous and considerate character, one the best players alive.
Tim Sparks- Tim bends strings in the most harmonic and wonderful inventive ways.
Brian Henke- Brian has his own unique style, kind of new age but beyond that, impeccable musician.
Johnny A- This guy could have been a guitar God had he broke through in the 80's, Gibson makes a Johnny A. model
Andy McKee- I met Andy at Winfield where he won at the National Fingerstyle competition
Pat Kirtley- Pat has helped me in more ways than I can recall, an outstanding National Fingerstyle Champion
John Standefer- I met John in Nashville, He is a Winfield National Fingerstyle Champion
Paul Asbell- Paul has been around the block he can play jazz, blues and folk each at a world-class level.
Pete Huttlinger- I met Pete in Kansas where he won first place at the National Fingerstyle competition
Peter Finger- This guy is crazy good on the guitar - A true musician and kind too.
