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Both technically and harmonically I can’t imagine the bar going any higher than this. Now to be honest I don’t perceive all the complex harmony in this version as beautiful but as a demonstration of true mastery of jazz guitar, wow. Amazing.
I studied his version of Here’s That Rainy Day and have it under my belt now. That was very hard work but worth it. But this version of Stardust is beyond my abilities.
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09-13-2025 02:54 PM
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But why does his neck pickup have a band-aid on it, did it fall and get hurt on the jazz playground?
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Sometimes I feel as if the players get carried away when trying to come up with an ever new and clever re-harmonization.... in this example it's really over the top for my taste. Mind you, I have the utmost respect for the guy and he blows my mind regularly but still, I prefer a less "cerebral" approach to a standard tune like that. YMMV
The tape is ONE way to dampen the "click" when the pick hits the cover of the pickup. A piece of felt might be more effective though - or using a pick with a more rounded tip - or just kicking the habit.
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Yeah, I was wondering about that, too. Guessing it's a way to keep the pickup cover from rattling. I have all sorts of little pieces of paper and cloth tucked around my pickup covers, under the pickguard, weaved into the strings between the bridge and the trapeze, because stray buzzes when playing acoustically drive me nuts. I will, of course, do something a bit more permanent one day, but these little fixes do the job for now.
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That's the ONE, I chatted with J K and he had that exact explanation .
Originally Posted by gitman
S
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Unpotted pickup, it's probably there to reduce tapping noises from the pick hitting the cover.
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Totally agree. But still, what an amazing talent. Originally Posted by gitman
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He establishes it pretty straight though I thought? Originally Posted by Oscar67
The intro/verse is wild and he takes it out later, but his first pass through the chorus is pretty straight down the middle. Beautiful too. But he stays on the planet there for a minute or two …
then … well … *I* like it but I take your point.
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This performance hits all the right notes for me, both literally and idiomatically. I don't find it purely cerebral at all. But then, JK may be at the very top of my list of contemporary players.
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To my taste, his rendition of Stardust is absolutely beautiful, nothing "out" about it. His performance above is a master's master class demonstrating flawless technique, wondrous harmonic flow, and an understanding of time second to none. He's my favorite player at the moment.
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My feelings exactly. That’s why I shared it. Top of the bill. But harmonically it’s too challenging for me. I’m more into swing than I am into jazz and the song is king. Originally Posted by P4guitar
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Sounds very nice. But I wouldn't describe it as harmonically or texturally complex, though.
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This is certainly a version of "Stardust" of the highest technical and artistic level. If you were to be really picky, you could say that another great guitarist, like Joe Diorio, would have used much more modern and dissonant chords.
Ettore
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Harmonizing every single note of the melody, as he did during the first minute of his rendition, is liable to sound bombastic - he almost got to that point (non-musicians may say he crossed it). It is a good skill to develop though.
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While I agree JK is a top player..this effort has too much showboat..and yes there are other top rated players that could do a more coheasive
rendition of the tune.but that was not JK intent. Of course he could have played it with block chord harmony but then this post would not exist.
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That guitar sounds as in-tune as a guitar could possibly be, btw. Any kind of chord anywhere on the neck sounds sweetly in tune. And like a few other great players like Tal Farlow or Eric Johnson, JK’s hands allow him to play certain stretchy parts and knuckle-busting chords. That takes him where few can follow and is part of his style.
His amp sound always annoys me a little. There seems to be some kind of always-on effect that he uses. It’s a bit synth-like somehow.
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This is absolutely beautiful. Traditional and modern at the same time. Thanks for posting.
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Beautiful and absolutely NOT too out there.
Let me put it this way--if me as a non-academic jazz schlub can understand it, it's not overly complex.
His arpeggios at about 4:30 are to die for. (He has some even more amazing work with Dr. Lonnie Smith on the song Pilgrimage.)
Great player that we all should aspire to.
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Thank you for suggesting this song. Amazing. Not just JK’s solo (which is just stunning) but also the Hammond intro, the vocals… it’s all goosebump stuff. Beautiful! Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
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In case you couldn't tell, that's Lonnie's daughter on vocals. Originally Posted by Oscar67
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Yes, his intonation is spot on, something that aggravates me about the majority of archtop players who are out of tune. Originally Posted by Oscar67
His sound uses 2 amps, usually a Fender tube amp and a Polytone. He has either a Lexicon LXP-1 or an Alesis reverb which gives that slightly flattened sound. I think that’s what you’re referring to. Ben Monder uses one, too, and has a similar quality.
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Harmonically advanced and technically impeccable, but there is that classical guitar feel to it, in fact many modern jazz guitar players have it. I admire it from a far, without following them in that direction.
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Being a fan of Gene Bertoncini, I love the addition of some classical guitar-ness (by which I mean counterpoint, voices that sound like they're moving independently in and out of resolution).
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He seems to have developed an advanced pick/fingers technique as well (imho). DeGrasso and a few others also. This generation seems to do that more than the Metheny & earlier players?
Mind boggling.
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He's harmonizing most of his chords with perfect intervals and it gives it a unique and characteristic sound. I think it's well done. Then he's throwing in traditional harmony moves to balance it out like chords in 3rds and minor 2nds.
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