Self taught legend at Smalls

**sgcim** · 01-10-2026, 04:46 PM

I had to google npd. At least the guy hasn't taken over a latin american country, yet.

**Stevebol** · 01-11-2026, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by princeplanet

(mods - feel free to delete if this has already been shown here)

I'm trying to relearn guitar. I did watch most of the video of STL at Smalls including the part where he sings. He asked them to play Affirmation twice and they blew him off. Interesting.

**Stevebol** · 01-11-2026, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by frabarmus

I started playing guitar around 1972. I saw Hendrix play the SSB in the movie Woodstock and I was hooked. I saw Benson around 74-75'. Then I saw him just after Breezin' came out.
Despite my playing experience, Smalls would put me in my place in a NY minute.

I don't know what STL was thinking. It's his life. I need to practice a lot more.

**mikeSF** · 01-13-2026, 03:51 AM

agree, i've been playing jazz guitar since '88-ish and i'm not ready for that jam at Smalls. For this clown to crap all over the session, 4 nights in a row without basic jazz language nor jam session decorum is insulting to the artform and to the serious people going there to learn. He got what he shouldve.

**Jonah** · 01-13-2026, 05:31 AM

Originally Posted by mikeSF

I started playing guitar around 1972. I saw Hendrix play the SSB in the movie Woodstock and I was hooked. I saw Benson around 74-75'. Then I saw him just after Breezin' came out.
Despite my playing experience, Smalls would put me in my place in a NY minute.

I don't know what STL was thinking. It's his life. I need to practice a lot more..

In these videos not all the other musicians were that good actually. I watch other Smalls jam streams sometimes, it is very different level often...
I did not like some horn players and drummers...
As I mentioned in some other thread on guitar it is more difficult to fake it than on horns... with horns they can take long notes, or long pauses... or fast mumbling passages that do not fit the rhythm and harmony but if they do it with confidence it seems like it works...
On guitar it will sound a mistake because the articulation and phrasing of guitar is much more clean.

If this guy did not behave like this, I think there would be no problem, on some tunes he was ok.

**olliehalsall** · 01-13-2026, 05:41 AM

Originally Posted by Stevebol

I started playing guitar around 1972. I saw Hendrix play the SSB in the movie Woodstock and I was hooked. I saw Benson around 74-75'. Then I saw him just after Breezin' came out.
Despite my playing experience, Smalls would put me in my place in a NY minute.

I don't know what STL was thinking. It's his life. I need to practice a lot more.

I've actually been physically sick after being bested on the bandstand by another, superior player. I learnt humility the hard way, ha...