A most enigmatic guitar player


This is a puzzle to me. I am talking about REGGIE LUCAS, who performed with Miles Davis in his (to me one of the best) album "Pengaea". To me, his solo on "Godwana" (and also on "Zimbabwe"  - the album consists of these two long tracks) is the most exciting, amazing and mysterious solo guitar session in a jazz performance - if this album can be called jazz at all, but I would gladly count it as a jazz album. John McLaughlin and Mike Stern, one of my favorite (jazz)  guitarists, also played with Miles Davis. I love how they played with Miles (Mike Stern's solo on Jean Pierre is excellent and motivating). I also love the solo albums of these two guys. But very curiously, I consider REGGIE LUCAS solos on Pengaea far more superior. But wait, Lucas has no distinguished solo albums (to the best of my knowledge) and (it is not a joke) he played with Madonna! I am confused, how this guy played so amazingly on Pengaea (perhaps, only Miles and  Reggie could have explained - none of them alive...)? 

niodari

Reggie Lucas was an primarily and R&B studio musician/producer/song writer.

I saw Mr. Lucas performing with Miles Davis and he wasn't a soloist.  Pete Cosey took that position.  On the companion album, "Agharta", Cosey is the featured solo guitarist.  I'll have to go back and give "Gondwana" a listen.

For me, enigmatic players are like Zappa or Beck. Impossible to copy. Doesn't necessarily mean enjoyable to many but certainly influential by most.