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OverHillandDale
05-24-2013, 05:17 PM
COTM - #106 - Six-string Salute

Greetings my moonish friends. It's Memorial Day weekend in America, a time to honor our country and those that served in the armed forces to protect our freedom and keep us safe. It's also a clear signal that Summer is upon us and it's officially time to get out the grills and patio furniture, tune-up the powerboats, head to your nearest beach.

I'm not sure these artist directly reflect that theme, but I'd like to share with you 5 of the greatest guitarists to belong to the progressive rock and fusion jazz or jazz rock genres.

I will start out with a great live acoustic album from Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia. It was recorded during their engagement at The Warfield Theatre in San Francisco on December 5th, 1980. Walter Kolosky, jazz author and critic, described that show as "a musical event that could be compared to the Benny Goodman performance at Carnegie Hall in 1938 ... [it] may be considered the most influential of all live acoustic guitar albums". And who am I to dispute that. It was released in 1981.

Up next is a musician that many guitarists now strife to emulate. The breadth of his talent certainly is one to admire. Innovative is a very apt description of Allan Holdsworth. In 1986 Allan began working with the newly developed SynthAxe, a MIDI controller. This would become his signature sound for the next 15 years. Today I will play his 1987 album Sand. This was the 2nd album to feature this instrument.

Our final guitarist for this show is one that has been at the forefront of Prog since it's realization. Steve Hackett, original guitarist for Genesis, remains to this day one of the other most influential guitarists. I'll be playing his 1998 album Darktown.

I hope you'll find the time in your holiday schedule to listen in either Friday evening @ 9pm e.s.t. or Monday at 12noon e.s.t.

And remember to hug a veteran or someone in the armed services this week.

dale