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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
niodari's avatar
niodari OP
378 posts
 

@inna , I love this composition and the whole album. And of course Carlos Santana is also one of the most outstanding guitarists to me. 

inna
8,240 posts
 

niodary, I like Santana too, and he always does his best when playing with John. Like many other musicians. Same as with Miles - everyone who played with him was at their best. That's a very special talent of a true band leader.

yyzsantabarbara
5,550 posts
 

A friend of mine who is in the music business told me to have a listen to Matteo Mancuso. I only heard of him today, so I have not listened but the comments I am reading about him are very interesting.

niodari's avatar
niodari OP
378 posts
 

@inna , 

Santana's way of playing is completely charming and unique! And yes, Miles was a genius educator, some outstanding jazz artists he grew include Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, Kieth Jarrett, Tony Williams, Jack de DeJohnette, Billy Cobham, Al foster, Don Alias, Dave Holland, Michael Hendrson, Ron Carter, Marcus Miller, John McLaughlin, Colin Walcott, Mike Stern and John Scofield (most probably, I am forgetting somebody). To me, Miles's influence on the career and the development of these musicians was at least essential (and for some of them crucial). 

@yyzsantabarbara, Thanks for the input. Apparently, he is young and we may learn about his other performances in the future. If you like him, you may also like Lari Basilio (a Brazilian woman guitarist). Fortunately, the rock is not dying (thanks to Tony Lommi, Tom Scholz, Jimi Page, Frank Zappa and many others).

 

stuartk
4,006 posts
 

@niodari 

Abercrombie recorded three albums with Wall and Nussbaum but I prefer the one I linked. I heard Abercrombie live with Holland and DeJohnette in Gateway. I will check out the titles you’ve mentioned. My greatest reservation about Abercrombie is his use of guitar synth, which I do not enjoy. Don’t like it in McLaughlin’s hands, either. And once McLaughlin stopped using amps, I found his tone pretty lacklustre. Sorry for the rant.

Lari Basilio is a great player. Do you know Mateus Asato? 

RE: Ginger Baker, I don’t know if you’d like it (it’s not guitar-centric) but I very much enjoy "Coward of the County". Also, some of the Bran Blade Fellowship recordings have Kurt Rosenwinkel on guitar. And yet another fine guitarist that I don’t think has been mentioned is Adam Rogers. 

 

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