Take The A-Train by Clarence Gatemouth Brown and Roy Clark

[Herbie]

Now this is fluent!

Guys are really taking the country train.

Specially Gatemouth does it smooth and jazzy. This is first time I ever see him playing. Amazing bare handed techinque.

[ThatRhythmMan]

I think I first found that video looking for some documentation on Leon Rhodes and some of his guitars. I think my computer started to smoke while this video played!


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[sgosnell]

Gatemouth was primarily known as a blues guitarist, but he wasn't limited to that.

[MarkRhodes]

Those two got it going on.

[MarkRhodes]

A Gatemouth concert from Loyola University in New Orleans.

[Hep To The Jive]

Now this is fluent!

Guys are really taking the country train.

Specially Gatemouth does it smooth and jazzy. This is first time I ever see him playing. Amazing bare handed techinque.

That's my go to version for Take The A train. I respect the original Duke's arrangement, but this is how I want my jazz to be played. The only problem it's hard to explain it to drummers. Most proper jazz drummers don't get it, they seem all have been taught to play jazz like it's a conversation or something, you know, bebop style. The drummer in the video just keeps the swing going without any distractions, super tight. It's not easy to find drummers who think like that.

And Gatemouth was far from just a blues player. He played swing, country, Zydeco, New Orleans, all those good American styles.

[Cunamara]

Well shoot! Clarence blew that right out of the water. His right hand technique is really interesting; must be doing a lot of hammers and pull-offs since he doesn't seem to be doing that much with his picking fingers. He seemed much more comfortable with that tune than Roy did; Roy is usually pretty smooth. It seemed to have a little trouble settling in and finding his groove.

[MarkRhodes]

Well shoot! Clarence blew that right out of the water. His right hand technique is really interesting; must be doing a lot of hammers and pull-offs since he doesn't seem to be doing that much with his picking fingers. He seemed much more comfortable with that tune than Roy did; Roy is usually pretty smooth. It seemed to have a little trouble settling in and finding his groove.

I marvel at Gatemouth's picking style. A lot of guys play with only their fingers, but I don't know of any who keep their fingers as straight as he does (and wear the guitar as low as he does because of it).

[WilliamScott]

Well shoot! Clarence blew that right out of the water. His right hand technique is really interesting; must be doing a lot of hammers and pull-offs since he doesn't seem to be doing that much with his picking fingers. He seemed much more comfortable with that tune than Roy did; Roy is usually pretty smooth. It seemed to have a little trouble settling in and finding his groove.

Looks like Roy had to overdub a solo about 2/3 of the way through. Different guitar.

[Cunamara]

Third guitar player, I think.

[jameslovestal]

Third guitar player, I think.

There was the steel guitar player. The start of the video confused me, since I didn't know there was a steel guitar player.

I was watching Brown and Clark play but hear notes (guitar sounds) that couldn't be coming from either of them. It wasn't until the video cut to the steel guitar player that I knew there was a third guitarist.

As for Clark; Yea, he was very stiff and didn't appear relaxed. It made me wonder if he was using a guitar he wasn't used to.

[ThatRhythmMan]

The third guitar is Nashville legend Leon Rhodes!




Roy’s guitar is a Byrdland he was very familiar with.




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[Herbie]

That's my go to version for Take The A train. I respect the original Duke's arrangement, but this is how I want my jazz to be played. The only problem it's hard to explain it to drummers. Most proper jazz drummers don't get it, they seem all have been taught to play jazz like it's a conversation or something, you know, bebop style. The drummer in the video just keeps the swing going without any distractions, super tight. It's not easy to find drummers who think like that.

And Gatemouth was far from just a blues player. He played swing, country, Zydeco, New Orleans, all those good American styles.

Is that difference between a big band drummer and a modern small group player? Or a rock drummer and a jazz drummer?

[Herbie]

The playing technique of Gatemouth is amazing itself, but the most amazing thing is that he seems to have fun all the time! Others look like they are struggling (like many players look like when playing) but he just smiles!

THAT is the lick I’d like to learn!

[Hep To The Jive]

Is that difference between a big band drummer and a modern small group player? Or a rock drummer and a jazz drummer?

Well I don't come across jazz drummers who only specialize in either big band or small group. Usually they all do whatever gigs they can get, and those who are good readers play an ocassional big band gig I guess. But I only play jazz in small groups, at least for now, and I know maybe only couple of guys here who can and would play something like that if I ask them. I use the key words like steady swing groove, Western swing, swing jazz-noooo bebop lol. They get it.

Rock drummers, the good ones can lay down a good groove, but swing, nah, not really.

[ruger9]

Yeah!! Git it!!!

We all know Roy Clark was a fantastic guitarist, but Gatemouth was from another planet. I really need to do a deep dive on Gatemouth.

[MarkRhodes]

Roy and Gatemouth on Austin City Limits, "Under the Double Eagle" one of the must-know country instrumentals.

[DawgBone]

Well I don't come across jazz drummers who only specialize in either big band or small group. Usually they all do whatever gigs they can get, and those who are good readers play an ocassional big band gig I guess. But I only play jazz in small groups, at least for now, and I know maybe only couple of guys here who can and would play something like that if I ask them. I use the key words like steady swing groove, Western swing, swing jazz-noooo bebop lol. They get it.

Rock drummers, the good ones can lay down a good groove, but swing, nah, not really.

All the best drummers will have a swinging groove regardless of whether they can play swing type music or not. Listen to Phil Rudd's work with AC/DC or James Gadsen with Bill Withers as a couple examples.

As for the video, Gatemouth has a laundry list of his own standardized licks you will hear him use on many tunes and he always had top notch players who could swing WELL. I used to hit a jam in Nashville that had a bassist in the host band who toured with Gate for a while. Monster blues player..

[Herbie]

Well I don't come across jazz drummers who only specialize in either big band or small group. Usually they all do whatever gigs they can get, and those who are good readers play an ocassional big band gig I guess. But I only play jazz in small groups, at least for now, and I know maybe only couple of guys here who can and would play something like that if I ask them. I use the key words like steady swing groove, Western swing, swing jazz-noooo bebop lol. They get it.
Rock drummers, the good ones can lay down a good groove, but swing, nah, not really.

I tried to mean the type of drummer, not exact person. At least here in Finland there is so few big bands that no one can specialize in them. But I think that at least most of the drummers know, how should they play in a bigger band: keeping up the groove.

I have had a blessing on last decades to play rock and jazz with drummers that can do both. It is great to be able to play a long rock solo and the drummer answers to Your playing with jazz type of accents.

[Gilpy]

This is a fun album:

Gatemouth actually opened for my band once long ago in the Bay Area. Must have been filling in an off night. He rolled in about a half hour before the gig, killed it, and rolled out before the last note died out.
He was so good!

[olliehalsall]

Amazing player. IIRC, he used an alternate tuning? Similar to Albert King and Albert Collins.