A lot of things have changed for me over the last year, including my commitment to music. It has grown by leaps and bounds. Recently, I was talking with a co-worker and we collectively decided that we had won the guitar lottery. Neither of us are ground-breaking, world-changing players, but we were in the right place at the right time with the right skills. Not only have I found the coolest job possible during the last year, but my musical vision has widened.
Therefore, I present you with a list of the albums that opened my eyes (and ears) over the last year.
Dirty Side Down – Widespread Panic. It took me a little time to fully get into this album. Once I spent some time listening to it and then going to see the band live, it all clicked. Now that Jimmy Herring has had some time to find his space in the band, I think WP is finally hitting their post-Mikey stride.
American Patchwork – Anders Osborne. From the opening de-tuned riff to “On the Road to Charlie Parker,” this album had me hooked. I had heard about Anders before this, but never really got into him until this album. In August, I went and did an interview with him in Chicago and he came across as genuine and frantic all at the same time. Two traits that true artists always have.
Orchestrion – Pat Metheny. To really get what this album is all about, you need to forget that it is a “solo” album. I think with Metheny’s last album, the need to create a long-form piece had been met. With Orchestrion you really hear how Metheny’s “sound” comes through. This is probably the tour I most regret missing this year.
Live at the Jazz Standard – Wolfgang Muthspiel & Mick Goodrick. I would consider this album on of the better modern jazz duo albums of all time. Both Muthspiel and Goodrick are intimately familiar with each others playing. This type of connection betweeen two musicians is rare and to have it translate to an album is somewhat of a musical unicorn.
Georgia Warhorse – JJ Grey and Mofro. Pure Georiga blue-eyed soul. JJ has been around for a while, but this album combines the swamp feel of his homeland with the uptown horns of New Orleans. Also, the songs are GREAT. Check out the documentary vid and dig the solo acoustic version of “Gotta Know.”
10/31/2010 – Phish. I didn’t get the chance to see the boys from Vermont this year, but from all the accounts I have read, Phish 3.0 have been melting faces and busting out some new jams. This Halloween show from Atlantic City found them paying tribute to one of their main influences by covering Little Feat’s Waiting for Columbus from front to back. I think for anyone who wants to like Phish, but hasn’t found something they dig, give them the second set of this show.
Living Proof – Buddy Guy. The solo on the opening track “74 Years Young” will make you reconsider the direction of your life. Guy rips into an unbelievable solo that is bursting with fire, intensity, and nearly 3/4 of a century of being one of the most legendary blues-stringers to pick up an axe. Pay attention.
Sugarcoating – Martin Sexton. I am a huge MS fan, and this album continues where the last one left off with a groovy band sound and some great writing. The only downer is the title track where Sexton takes a political slant with his lyrics. Martin, please leave the political stuff at home.
Blues, Ballads, and Favorites – Jimmie Vaughan. For his first solo album in nearly a decade, Vaughan captures the ’50s vibe perfectly and lays claim to the title of MTP (most tasteful player). His trademarked capoed guitar is in full force with a tone that is less Albert Collins and more Gatemouth Brown.
Groove Alchemy – Stanton Moore Trio. If hearing Stanton Moore play drums doesn’t make you either dance or pick up a drumstick and want to hit something, then check your vitals. Here, Moore along with organist Robert Walter and guitarist Wil Bernard head up to Levon Helm’s barn to combine funky, organ dance grooves with some burning modern jazz.
Roadsongs – Derek Trucks Band. After listening to this album and seeing Derek at the Crossroads Festival this summer, I firmly believe we will one day (probably very soon) be speaking his name alongside Beck, Clapton and Page. The sound he gets on this album is equal parts Duane Allman and Aubrey Ghent. You can tell the band has been hitting it hard and luckily on this night in Chicago the tape was rolling.
One of the best clinics I saw this summer was with Oteil Burbridge and his longtime musical companion Jimmy Herring. Oteil is a master musician and one of easiest guys to work with. From his work with The Aquarium Rescue Unit to his current position in the Allman Brothers Band, Oteil is as versatile as they get. I recently caught up with Oteil at an Allman Brothers/Widespread Panic show in Hartford. The show was great and Oteil really gave everyone a lesson on how to lay down the groove with a four string P-Bass and a pick.
Describe your first experience playing music.
That’s heard to recall because it was so early. I remember my first snare drum, a Christmas present. My mom and dad said I was beating on everything so they got me a drum. I was five. My memory is really bad so going that far back is pretty vague. Its something can’t remember not doing.
What has been your most significant musical experience?
All of them have been so valuable. Any time that I get to play with my brother Kofi is a peak experience because he’s so musical in so many ways and to such an extreme degree. Playing with Col. Bruce Hampton totally changed me forever. It was my first “born again” experience. Playing with the Allman Brothers has been so influencial because I now think that they might have been the first true Fusion group to start from rock and go towards jazz succesfully. Jazz Rock Fusion artists rarely had vocals except for occasionally like with Allan Holdsworth, Tony Williams Lifetime, Brand X or Andre Cecarelli. Now I just to work with great singers. that’s what gets me off the most, especially gospel and blues.
What is the best advice on pursuing a career in music you were ever given?
Don’t!
Just kidding, but seriously, making a career out of it can really take the fun out of it. You really have to be realistic about it. I think the best “career” advice I was ever given was a comment that Col. Bruce made once. He said, “99 percent of success is just showing up.” What he meant was that so many musicians show up late, drunk, not at all, or are hard to work with. If you are an amazing player, what does it matter if you are late, absent, too inebriated or difficult to work with? Its the basics that really matter. I want longevity so I have to take care of my body, mind and spirit to have that to its fullest, not just practice. But the best advice I could give is to not let anything come between you and the joy of music. When its not joyful anymore, you’re robbing yourself, and everyone else.
What is your favorite sound?
My fiance laughing. Babies laughing. Motorcycles engines.
Name some of your biggest non-musical influences.
Everything should theoretically influence your music. I’m aiming for my music to reflect my life. Sunrises and sunsets, being in love, friends, family, politics, religion, motorcycles, books, comedians, animals, plants, nature, etc.
What was the most memorable concert you ever attended?
Sun Ra and Bobby Blue Bland, both for obvious reasons. I saw Jaco in his prime when I was seventeen and that made me decide to take the chance on pursuing music as a career. I would give anything to have seen Charlie Christian, Blind Willie Johnson, Rev. James Cleveland, Bob Marley and Howlin’ Wolf live. Fortunately there is great video of Howlin’ Wolf, James Cleveland and Bob Marley.
Put your iPod on shuffle and list the first 5 songs that appear
I do Pandora internet radio now and its programmed to two stations; Bobby Blue Bland and Rev. James Cleveland. I lost all my itunes when my last computer crashed but it would have bounced between Charlie Christian, James Brown, Ralph Stanley, The Meters, Miles, George Jones, Mahalia Jackson, Weather Report, Blind Willie Johnson, Stravinsky, Ravi Shankar and tons of Bob Marley. Family Man might be my all time favorite bassist by the way.
As one of the leading guitarists on the “jamband” scene, Jimmy is widely respected. For many years his fans were urging him to finally make the record that all of us knew he could make. Through his time with Aquarium Rescue Unit, Project Z, Frogwings, The Allman Brothers Band and currently Widespread Panic his talents always seemed (just slightly) pushed to the side.
Until now.
“Lifeboat” is a perfect example of a modern day interpretation of classic guitar heavy fusion. Not fusion in the sense of playing jazz licks with distortion, but a combination of varied influences and styles. Joining Herring is his longtime musical partner Oteil Burbridge on bass. The combination of Jimmy and Oteil really holds this record together.Along with Jeff Sipe, Kofi Burbridge and Derek Trucks there is no shortage of outstanding musicianship.
The opening track “Scapegoat Blues” is an uptempo blues in 6/4. The melody is vibrant and has a hint of a Dixie Dregs/Steve Morse vibe to the phrasing. Recently in Guitar World magazine, Jimmy did several lessons demonstrating the use of the diminished scale in this particular tune.
Another standout track on the album is “The Jungle Book Overture”. Yes, that Jungle Book. It is an amazing feat for a musician to be able to take music from his or her childhood and still make it relevant today. Not only does it speak to the quality of the composition, but also the talent of the musicians.
Overall this is one of my favorite albums of 2009 (even though it was released in 2008). The tunes are so strong that you almost forget that this is an entirely instrumental album.
During our Jam Summit, we were lucky enough to have two of the most in demand musicians on the scene as special guests, Jimmy Herring and Oteil Burbridge. Jimmy and Oteil have a long history together. They first came to prominence as members of Col. Bruce Hampton’s Aquarium Rescue Unit.
Oteil has been the bassist in the Allman Brothers Band for the last twelve years and Jimmy has been holding down the guitar chair in Widespread Panic. This fall both bands are heading out on a tour together. The combination of Oteil, Jimmy, Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks will be one you surely don’t want to miss.
The clinic was a great mix of some performances with our NGW faculty Drum Instructor Simon Lott and questions from the audience. Many topics were covered from live as a professional musician to the creative process.
One of the most interesting topics that Jimmy covered was the use of chord scales within the context of Melodic Minor, Harmonic Minor and Natural Minor scales. Soon I will have a handout available showing these ideas.
This was one of the better clinics I have been to in recent memory and we look forward to having them back again!
As one of the leading guitarists in the Jam Scene, Jimmy Herring is a purveyor of all things guitar.
I first heard of Jimmy from one of my guitar teachers who had given me a copy of an Aquarium Rescue Unit CD. At that time I was really into bands like Gov’t Mule, but I had not come across Jimmy yet. After listening to the quirkyness of ARU, I was sold.
This year at National Guitar Workshop we have the great fortune of not only bringing in Jimmy for our Jam Summit, but also Oteil Burbridge. Many, many people have inquired about this and it is sure to be an amazing time.
Both Jimmy and Oteil are educated musicians who really know how to convey musical concepts.
Recently a guitarist on Twitter forwarded me a link to a video of Jimmy playing a Steve Morse tune at a student concert at GIT.
As you can see, even back in ’85 Jimmy was quite the developed musician. The other guitarists in the video aren’t slouches either.
After I booked Jimmy and Oteil for the Jam Summit, I started to do some research to see what kind of videos are out there. Here are some of the better ones I found.
Here is a short video of a clinic that Jimmy gave at the Atlanta Institute of Music.
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