The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26
    Jazzarian Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Banksia

    So that's my question: Is Holdsworth good, or just complicated, nebulous and difficult?

    That depends.

    In a good band with keyboards, he's exceptional. He's original. He's melodic as all hell. He's incredibly fast.

    In a 3 piece band with no keyboards, he bores me out of my mind in 10 minutes or less.

    I've listened to him for over 30 years now. I've seen him a few times, live.

    From what I've heard from his recent CD, he's still fantastic.

    Much easier on the ears than Scott Henderson or Scofield too.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

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    Tokyo Dream,

    beautiful and strange Holdsworth melody

  4. #28

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    Quote Originally Posted by Meggy
    I had not heard this one before, Holdsworth playing Charlie Parker of all things!
    That's a Coltrane composition, from the album Giant Steps.

    Coltrane changes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  5. #29
    Jazzarian Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Meggy
    I had not heard this one before, Holdsworth playing Charlie Parker of all things! He is just astounding on this one - I already loved his music, but now I think I have even greater respect for him. Truely one of the few true geniuses of the guitar!

    I've been listening to him since the mid-70's.

    Back around 1975, George Benson was able to get Holdsworth signed to CTI Records. Apparently Benson had seen him perform in the Village and was anxious to get him a contract.

  6. #30
    Jazzarian Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
    That's a Coltrane composition, from the album Giant Steps.

    Coltrane changes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    You are indeed correct, for a Canadian.

    I haven't looked at the Coltrane Changes in years. The triangle thingy and all. Good thing to reknow and rethink about.

  7. #31

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    Allan is an incredible musician and improviser. I am a big fan. However, I have to admit that sometimes I feel he plays too much and too fast for my taste. Sand and Secrets showcase some incredibly tasty improvisation, but his music after those albums seems less interesting for some reason. Or maybe I'm just not musically intelligent to understand him at all time. Regardless, I have the highest respect for him. He is very advanced and on a different level than most guitar players out there.

  8. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
    That's a Coltrane composition, from the album Giant Steps.

    Coltrane changes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Did I say Charlie Parker...? Obviously I meant Coltrane... Ahm Otherwise it might sound like I didn't know what I was talking about, which I'm sure you do realise could not possibly be the case!

  9. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by franco6719
    I think ALL Youtube comments are like that. They rag on EVERYBODY. Scofield plays "wrong" notes, Metheny plays too many notes, Martino is just a bunch of "memorized bebop licks", Wes Montgomert didn't know anything about chords, Joe Pass is "boring", blah, blah, blah.
    *laughs*

    I couldn't disagree more with all of those statements. Lucky I'm not the kind of person to argue on youtube

    I love all of those guys for all the reasons listed.

    well not scofield, he never appealed to me. He has poor time. Martino is great when you listen to the diversity among all his albums. Same with all those guys listed... They have an actual style and are consistent in the way they play. That is something that I think any musician strives for. A consistent artistic approach to the instrument that defines them from other 'lick players'
    They have their own licks and ism's and even if the same sounds pop up every second tune... at least you know its them!

    ps- Wes Montgomery knew everything about chords... I can't imagine how anyone would think otherwise.

  10. #34

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    My first post on this site....might as well be about my favorite guitarist. You guys need to check out the work he's done with others. My favorite solos of his aren't even on his solo albums.

    For his best solos check out:

    MVP - "Rocks" (with Frank Gambale)
    Jean-Luc Ponty - "In Spite of All"
    Jean-Luc Ponty - "Nostalgia"
    Planet X - "Desert Girl"
    Stu Hamm - "Radio Free Albemuth"

    His chord work is second to none, as well.

  11. #35

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    Quote Originally Posted by joe pass jr
    *laughs*

    I couldn't disagree more with all of those statements. Lucky I'm not the kind of person to argue on youtube

    I love all of those guys for all the reasons listed.

    well not scofield, he never appealed to me. He has poor time. Martino is great when you listen to the diversity among all his albums. Same with all those guys listed... They have an actual style and are consistent in the way they play. That is something that I think any musician strives for. A consistent artistic approach to the instrument that defines them from other 'lick players'
    They have their own licks and ism's and even if the same sounds pop up every second tune... at least you know its them!

    ps- Wes Montgomery knew everything about chords... I can't imagine how anyone would think otherwise.
    Oh, I don't even look at them anymore. When I first heard about all these jazz videos on Youtube, I went over and checked some out. I was just curious about the comments that would be made and started getting offended, etc.. Pointless. All of these statements really WERE made in various places though. There was a video of Django playing something or other. Great stuff. Some of the comments: "Django was cool. Hendrix was the best of them all though." "Django was the best ever. Bireli Lagrene said so!" "I listened to Joe Pass's Django and almost fell asleep". "This guy was overrated, just like Wes Montgomery. They only played melodies, not the whole instrument." etc..

    Funny, now that I think about.

  12. #36

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    Allan has changed just about everyone who's heard him ... the same could be said for another great , John Mclaughlin . Or Jimi Hendrix ... or Jeff Beck ... or Santana .

    The problem with me is always in composition . Players could have the most earth-shattering approaches to improvisation ... but if the composition is not happening ... it's not happening .

    Good compositions for these musicians ... the ones that lead to transcedence , are extremely rare . When you find them , they're worth more than all the gold in the world .

    In the end , it will always be about the composition in my opinion .

    I remember sitting for hours on the boardwalk for days , listening to "Diamond Dust" by Jeff Beck over and over . Thats what magic does to you .

    When it comes to Allen , one of my favorite pieces is "Belzebub" with Bill Bruford . Pure magic .

    " ...songs are like waves , man ... you can't just cut the 'perfect' wave..."
    - Jimi Hendrix -

  13. #37

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    Is it true that AH plays the lightest gauge electric strings that are made? Weak fingers? Where does the tone come from? Electronics?

  14. #38
    Allan is one of my all-time favorites, but every so often i need to take a break from listening to him. When i go back with fresh ears though, his playing never fails to amaze me. I enjoy his beautiful chord work and compositions and his unique soloing equally.

  15. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo
    Is it true that AH plays the lightest gauge electric strings that are made? Weak fingers? Where does the tone come from? Electronics?
    When I first came across him somewhere in the early 80's, I believe he was using something like a 9-40 set or thereabouts (from a Guitar Player interview), so light, but not the very lightest. Certainly he doesn't have weak fingers! His tone I suppose would be a combination of his technique and touch working with his guitar and the electronics he uses, and why not? Regarding light strings, my own view is that there is tone in them, but perhaps this is best accessed with a lighter touch.

  16. #40

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  17. #41

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    Wow assafusion, that was some impressive Allan-style!


  18. #42

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    Iam happy you liked it

  19. #43

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    Allan in the 70s as a sideman with various prog/fusion bands--Soft Machine, UK, Gong, Lifetime, Bruford---mind-boggling!! Check out various YouTube Soft Machine '74 ish videos to start.

    Allan as a leader of a trio from the 80s --usually with Chad Wackerman --meh.

    Chords? Played with fingers. Single note lines--plectrum.

  20. #44

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    I have seen Holdsworth live three times, he keeps getting better.

  21. #45

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    Allan is GREAT!!! If you listen to the right tracks. He swings. HARD!!!

  22. #46

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    In the late 70's I heard some incredible guitar playing on a Jean-Luc Ponty album (Inigmatic Ocean). It was Allan Holdsworth! Over the years I've listened to alot of Holdsworth's playing. I like the way he utilizes the whole fretboard... he's all over the place. What I don't like is the effects processor sound, that is, too much flanger/chorus, sometimes it's too saturated and muddy to the point that it hides his true talent. I also have difficulty enjoying the Steinberger tremolo/whammy thing. To me it's a bit over-kill.

    I love his lightning fast solos, but the signal is over processed.

  23. #47

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    Quote Originally Posted by caravan
    In the late 70's I heard some incredible guitar playing on a Jean-Luc Ponty album (Inigmatic Ocean). It was Allan Holdsworth! Over the years I've listened to alot of Holdsworth's playing. I like the way he utilizes the whole fretboard... he's all over the place. What I don't like is the effects processor sound, that is, too much flanger/chorus, sometimes it's too saturated and muddy to the point that it hides his true talent. I also have difficulty enjoying the Steinberger tremolo/whammy thing. To me it's a bit over-kill.

    I love his lightning fast solos, but the signal is over processed.
    I think he knows that people aren't always crazy about his (single note) tone, but I think that there is some reason having to so with his legato slurry speedy style. Maybe with a better tone things wouldn't sound so smooth?? Maybe I'm wrong and probably you guys who are more knowledgeable about tech may know better.

    I believe he uses some scales that nobody else uses and gives them some strange names, like "A*". When he was a boy he systematically went through every scale possibility without four half steps in a row. Also, he came home one day and his dad had put his guitar in his bed--sending him a message!

    Metheny said he didn't know why "Allan Holdsworth" wasn't a household name. Steve Vai said he can visualize what every other player is doing even if it is not in his genre, except Allan. Zappa said he was the most interesting guitarist on the planet.

    Who the heck can you listen to every day?? I used to listen to Mahler every day. But now it has been years. Used to listen to Scofield every day. But now it has been years. Used to listen to Allan every day. But now it has been years. Maybe you didn't enjoy the show last time you saw him. Whatever. But he's one of the few people you hear compared to Trane or Hendrix. Hell, his mastery of the SynthAxe alone earns him some kind of place in the history of guitar.

    As for the trio stuff, Sixteen Men has some great stuff. He has always been dissatisfied with everything but his most recent stuff. Always growing. Very very severe self-critic. But admittedly very lazy! He's in the studio now.

    Best way to enjoy him I've found is to put together different playlists. His atmospheric ballads, for example, naturally go together.

    Of course he is good. Of course he is not just difficult.
    Last edited by jster; 07-17-2011 at 08:39 PM.

  24. #48

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    AH and Johnny Mac participated in a dual interview in a guitar mag a few years ago.


    paraphrasing both men:

    John said that he would "steal all of Allan's stuff if he could, its just that he had no idea what Allan was doing".

    Allan's reply was "to be honest i don't either".
    Last edited by fumblefingers; 07-19-2011 at 12:27 AM.

  25. #49

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    Holdsworth is a great player, but not a great composer. His tunes are weak and uninspired. If he'd just play over some better material and lay off the heavy effects...

  26. #50

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    Still, I find especially his clean, chordal stuff amazing. I can hear that influence in Eric Johnson's music, and he can write great, catchy songs too, so they are easier to access. There's a lot to get in Allan's music, but it doesn't come naturally for the untrained mind (like mine).