Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In with Google

Become a Subscriber!

Subscribe to our Patreon, and get image uploads with no ads on the site!

Read more...

Best acoustic guitarist you've ever seen?

What's Hot
RedlesterRedlester Frets: 1072
So who are your faves that you've seen live? 

Thinking about it and looking back, I've been bloody lucky over the years for the players I've seen (often in small venues so you get to hear and see the magic). 

Ralph McTell- great voice and one of the best and cleanest pickers you'll ever see or hear. 

Bert Jansch- saw him a few times. One gig was his 60th Birthday bash at the QEH. Numerous guests including Johnny Marr. 

John Renbourn- again a couple of times. He used to do a Spring tour with Robin Williamson. 

Bert Jansch and John Renbourn together in Pentangle- I caught their reunion tour twice and they were sublime, as were the whole group of course.  

I also saw Danny Thompson play with Richard Thompson. 

Pierre Bensusan- seen him a few times. Gorgeous player and all in DADGAD! 

Gordon Giltrap- what a great player. Exquisite sense of rhythm. Does it all really- picking, strumming, lead lines, looping. And not being a singer, he really works on the melodies of his songs. A really exemplary player. I actually saw him play at the Great British Beer Festival at Olympia. Most folks go for the beer, but I chose my session to coincide with Gordon's early afternoon slot. This meant I was royally pissed a lot, lot  earlier than I used to be, but at least the hangover wasn't as bad next morning. 

Martin Carthy- once with Dave Swarbrick, and a couple of solo gigs, including a free gig at Ray's Jazz in Foyle's bookshop, London. Great player, great voice. 

I'm going to add Roger McGuinn here when I saw him at the Jazz Cafe in London. Although he mostly played his Rickie 12, he broke an acoustic out for a couple of numbers (I think one was 8 Miles High). Mainly though it was the electric, although it has a sound of its own so it worked really well. He basically played all the Byrds and solo classics. He played the lines exactly as he did for the Byrds, but that Rickie is basically orchestral sounding so you didn't miss a full band behind him. I think he played through a Roland Jazz Chorus. The crowd were doing harmonies as well. Great stuff. 

There may be others, but those are the ones I remember the most. 

Picking a standout is hard from that list, they're all great players. But I suppose Bert Jansch just about edges it. His voice isn't everyone's cuppa I guess, but it really mellowed with age. For me, it was as affecting as his playing. But with his playing, the rhythms would shift a little bit every few bars- it wasn't straight 4/4. So he'd draw you in and it was always shifting, always keeping you listening. And he had this ability to play really amazing chords or clusters of notes that were really heart rending- like a talented piano player would find. 

BTW Martin Carthy's doing an online lockdown gig this Saturday 16th which I'll probably 'attend'. 

0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
«134

Comments

  • RedlesterRedlester Frets: 1072
    Sh!t on it! 

    I forgot to mention Paco De Lucia. Saw him twice- once in Spain and once at the RFH about ten years later. What a bloody player. 

    Hmmm. Tough call. 

    Paco or Bert? 

    See Paco did this thing as an intro, a solo piece called Mi Nino Curro. It is hairs on the back of the neck stuff. 

    So the best player I've seen live is Bert de Lucia, closely followed by Paco Jansch. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22516
    I don't think I've ever been to an acoustic gig.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • RedlesterRedlester Frets: 1072
    Philly_Q said:
    I don't think I've ever been to an acoustic gig.
    @Philly_Q Whhhhaaaaaatttttttttttt?!

    Check out the Martin Carthy this weekend- you might like it.  


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • scrumhalfscrumhalf Frets: 11262
    Adrian Legge, supporting Satch. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22516
    edited January 2021
    Deleted - YouTube link didn't work....
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • RedlesterRedlester Frets: 1072
    @scrumhalf I know the name but don't think I've heard any of his stuff. What's his style?  

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • sev112sev112 Frets: 2739
    The bloke who used to play the Chapman stick around Covent Garden bars in the early 1980s - saw him a lot, he was very giod
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • mudslide73mudslide73 Frets: 3049
    Redlester said:
    @scrumhalf I know the name but don't think I've heard any of his stuff. What's his style?  

    Instrumental stuff but uses the tuners to pitch bend in the middle of a song.

    Mine's probably Bert Jansch or Richard Thompson.
    "A city star won’t shine too far"


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • VimFuegoVimFuego Frets: 15476
    probably Martin Simpson, but there's been a few that have been right up there. Martin Carthy (as mentioned previously), Phil Beer, Ben Walker.

    I'm not locked in here with you, you are locked in here with me.

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Seen Rodrigo y Gabriela a few times.  Never fail to impress.
    Trading feedback | How to embed images using Imgur

    As for "when am I ready?"  You'll never be ready.  It works in reverse, you become ready by doing it.  - pmbomb


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • WazmeisterWazmeister Frets: 9446
    Richard Thompson

    Dick Gaughan 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    sev112 said:
    The bloke who used to play the Chapman stick around Covent Garden bars in the early 1980s - saw him a lot, he was very giod
    That's my mate, Jim Lampi :)
    0reaction image LOL 1reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • KebabkidKebabkid Frets: 3301
    Paco de Lucia for me with his sextet

    I saw a guy called Willy Porter support Rickie Lee Jones. He had the tapping thing going on but also used 2 capos for odd tunings and sang like Sting. He was incredible
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10357
    Tommy Emmanuelle, seen him twice just stupidly good and entertaining 
    www.2020studios.co.uk 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • RedlesterRedlester Frets: 1072
    Danny1969 said:
    Tommy Emmanuelle, seen him twice just stupidly good and entertaining 
    Never seen him, but have a mate who loves TE's playing. I suspect he'd put him top of his list. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • JayceeJaycee Frets: 287
    Tommy Emmanuel, Rodrigo y Gabriella, Martin Taylor, Juan Martin, Martin Carthy, Martin Simpson, Andy McKee

    Probably a few more but can't remember Tommy Emmanuel was good fun and Rodrigo and Gabriella amazing
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BahHumbugBahHumbug Frets: 349
    Clive Carroll toured with John Renbourn and now has one or two of JRs Bown guitars.  I saw play in a local village hall a couple of years ago.  Amazing.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • MrTeeMrTee Frets: 499
    Clive Carroll
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • KDSKDS Frets: 220
    Wizz jones
    Tommy Emmanuel 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • richardhomerrichardhomer Frets: 24793
    edited January 2021
    I saw John Martyn play the Manchester International Club with Danny Thompson in (I think) 1987. I’ve always loved his acoustic playing and he was on great form that night.

    They toured again in 2001, by which point John’s health was in serious decline. I saw them at the Bridgewater Hall - frankly it wasn’t great.

    The other stand out for me is Richard Thompson - he does a pretty much annual acoustic solo show at Gawsworth Hall. He’s consistently brilliant.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.