Fastest Wes cut? Just realized how quick that man could get with that thumb! I have some version of Full House with live extras (paris '65 ?), and, well, it's just astonishing how clean his quick lines are. I mean, he is keeping tempo with Johnny Griffin fer crissakes, and he's squeezing out (8th) triplets at tempos around 300. It's tough doing that with a pick let alone a thumb. I suppose Wes is noted for just about every other aspect of Jazz guitar except speed, so I'm interested to know what peeps think is the fastest Wes on record.
Surely if there is a limit to how quick you could strike notes at will with the thumb, then Wes tested that limit!
Sheesh, is there no end to his command of this instrument? They say he couldn't chord solo like Pass, but even there I gotta say I prefer Wes's chord soloing to anything I've heard from Pass. Some say from Benson on, there have been cats that sounded more exciting, but even then I'm not sure. I used to think Benson was the king of that bag (save for the Gypsy guys), but have since discovered some Wes that gets me more excited than Benson, and that's a very tall order. To the point where I think I'm about to burst! It's almost too much, like when you're on the scariest rollercoaster and you feel like you just can't take it, but you arrive at the end, utterly spent!
Maybe I should listen to more Jim Hall.... |