Quality Guitarists you have never heard of.

guitars4you

Habanero said:

About 80% of the people with signature guitars.

not sure if I should Lol or wiz that - But totally agree with you

skaguitar

Another vote for Sean Costello….also Tom Bukovac or Uncle Larry as he’s often known…session player from Nashville who plays for everyone…check out his you tube channel…’homeskoolin’  …he’s a great player 

Kebabkid

Pete Lesperance of Canadian rock band, Harem Scarem. He has the pump and technical prowess of Nuno but with more melodic sensibilities and he's a great songwriter, too. Check out the band's album 'Mood Swings' and Pete's playing


Michael Thompson - big US sessioner on a lot of hits and has his own band. He's very much of the Lukather, Landau, Huff, Tim Pierce ilk but excels at the clean sound parts. He featured quite a bit on those early Xotic Effects demo vids around the same time as another who should be mentioned, Allen Hinds.

Carlos Rios of Lionel Richie's band but his work on Gino Vannelli's 'Brother to Brother' album was outstanding and he was held in high esteem by his peers at the time, namely Larry Carlton.

The cohort of Jellyfish guitarists - Eric Drover, Jason Falkner, Lyle Workman (TV/Film and Beck) and Jon Brion - check out his work on the Aimee Mann albums and the track 'I should've known'

Lastly, if you know, you know with this guy and we've all heard him - the late, great Ian Bairnson of Pilot and the Alan Parsons Project and that's also him on the early Kate Bush albums and it's his solo at the end of 'Wuthering Heights'. A fantastic player with great melodic phrasing that should've been recognised by a more a wider audience when he was alive.

Creed_Clicks

Jeff Lang , 

Creed_Clicks

Ian Thornley

Creed_Clicks

Marc Ford!

bertie

Chip Nosebee

Kurtis

Peter scaffold. 

the_jaffa

DrJazzTap said:

Not sure how well known he is... but I always recommend Pierre Bensusan 

He was good in The Thomas Crown Affair and Goldeneye but the rest of his Bond tenure wasn't great and I refuse to watch Mamma Mia

Kurtis

Neeson Towes

Hurling_Fruitmig

Michael Chapman.

duotone

Dominic said:

unsung heroes like Tony Peluso who played for the Carpenters ...........ultimate quality ,listen to his solo on 'Goodbye to love '
The less known Nashville session players like Brent Mason 
Real guitsr skill ......not Rock Heroes

@Dominic ;
I found this today (it’s 6 months old) & thought you might enjoy it. It’s from Tom Bukovac’s YouTube channel.

https://youtu.be/5B_H_kr9UbA?feature=shared

Bennyboy-UK

Justin Derrico
Jeff Marshall

Greatape

Matt_McG said:

Blake Mills - maybe at least as well known as a producer/songwriter and side man, but he’s a good player, too

Ella Feinstein - funk / RnB session player, but I came across her via Instagram where she breaks down classic RnB, Motown, JBs style parts. 

I really like Madison Cunningham’s playing, too. There’s a great Covid period cover she does of ‘Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us’ on a guitar with a rubber bridge which is great.

Ella Feingold. Agree, excellent. Really understands the playing and approaches of old school funkateers like Jimmy Nolen, Catfish Collins, Wah Wah Watson. Has the absolute fine points of attack, phrasing, note length, pocket etc down pat. I was so impressed subbed to her Patreon. As should anyone with even a passing interest in funk and soul who wants to sound convincing. 

Another shout for Blake Mills. His album with Pino and Sam Gendel ('Notes with Attachments ') is excellent. I listen to it often.

Brandon Ross - NY player of the ferocious free/jazz/ rock group Harriet Tubman. Also partnered Kevin Breit on Cassandra Wilson's 'New Moon Daughter' wherein they did a stunning reinvention of blues accompaniment. 

James Deprato of Chuck Prophet's band. Killer phrasing, always playing the right thing in the right place, like a modern day Mike Campbell. 

Eivind Aarset - Norwegian ambient/impressionist/electronic guitarist with excellent songwriting skills and a tremendous ear for melody. 

David Torn (prob not an unknown by now)

Mark Stewart - plays with Paul Simon but also a big part of the Bang on a Can Allstars. Multi instrumentalist with incredible musicality. 

Joe Gore - played with Waits, PJ Harvey, Tracey Chapman.Currently doing some excellent duet vids with Campilongo. 

Duke Levine - currently with Bonnie Raitt but known for many sideman gigs. My particular favourite things he does are with Club d'elf and The Super Sweet Sounds of the 70's.

Steve Tibbetts - instrumental guitarist/composer whose records veer between electric meltdown and acoustic beauty. Heavy world music influences especially gamelan. 

Teddy Kumpel - plays with Joe Jackson but go and check out his Loopestra stuff. Unbelievable. 

Loads more but that's a good sample. 

Dominic

duotone said:

Dominic said:

unsung heroes like Tony Peluso who played for the Carpenters ...........ultimate quality ,listen to his solo on 'Goodbye to love '
The less known Nashville session players like Brent Mason 
Real guitsr skill ......not Rock Heroes

@Dominic ;
I found this today (it’s 6 months old) & thought you might enjoy it. It’s from Tom Bukovac’s YouTube channel.

https://youtu.be/5B_H_kr9UbA?feature=shared

Yup,the real deal........thankyou I enjoyed that

Matt_McG

@Greatape That’s embarrassing! Misspelling her name. I also subscribed to her Patreon a few weeks back.

Hard agree on Joe Gore, too. His stuff is on the best tunes on Bone Machine. I’ve enjoyed his recent duets with Jim Campilongo, too. 

The Mills album with Palladino is a regular listen, too.

Greatape

Matt_McG said:

@Greatape That’s embarrassing! Misspelling her name. I also subscribed to her Patreon a few weeks back.

Hard agree on Joe Gore, too. His stuff is on the best tunes on Bone Machine. I’ve enjoyed his recent duets with Jim Campilongo, too. 

The Mills album with Palladino is a regular listen, too.

Only correcting so interested parties can find her. 

Agree Bone Machine is a great album. Joe is pretty active and chatty on TGP, and turns out he's a lovely guy. 

Philly_Q

I still find it impossible to answer the question, because I have heard of anyone I can think of.  I'm trying to think of people I've heard of who other people might not have heard of, but second-guessing is hard.

DrJazzTap

Jimmy herring is another one that springs to mind 

HPhillipsmusic

Doug Pettibone back when he played in Lucinda Williams band was exemplary
Stuart Mathis the current guy with Lucinda also phenomenal.
My favourite musician and producer is John Leventhal who just released an incredible solo record. Produced Shawn Colvin, Walking in Memphis, and many more. 

It seems boring to say it these days, but I challenge anyone to deep dive into Blake Mills YouTube search and argue that he isn't one of the best to ever do it...