Anyone wanna talk about Gabor Szabo?

**Fidelcaster** · 03-26-2017, 12:08 PM

**Cunamara** · 03-26-2017, 01:01 PM

Szabo avoided the cliche bebop stuff that has entrapped so many jazz musicians for decades. Yes, to our ears a lot of it sounds dated and 60s-ish now. But to my ears bebop and Coltrane also sound dated- although oddly enough, a lot of Wes doesn't sound dated to me even though his playing was firmly rooted in the tradition. Szabo had a very personal approach to the music and was perhaps more of an influence on other guitarists than a commercial success in his own right.

**mrcee** · 03-26-2017, 01:41 PM

I can see why Gabor Szabo wouldn't be for everyone's taste. Conceptually some of his stuff especially the 60s versions of pop tunes was pretty cheese ball but I bypass that stuff and love his playing overall. This is good.

**neatomic** · 03-26-2017, 05:43 PM

big szabo fan...he and zoller have much in common...szabo was huge influence on coryell (szabo preceded lc in the chico hamilton band) and santana...had (hungarian) folk style (used an acoustic with a soundhole pickup very often)...played a lot of oud like horizontal runs..distinctive player (as was zoller...)

a fave album-spellbinder- from '66...

cheers

**henryrobinett** · 03-26-2017, 05:56 PM

Yup. These clips are all reminding me how much I never was into him. LOL.

**mr. beaumont** · 03-26-2017, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

Yup. These clips are all reminding me how much I never was into him. LOL.

Lol, I hear ya...there's players everybody just loves I'll nevery get.

Gabor''s not one of them, although waaaaay too many of his recordings are schlocky string-cursed 60''s bullshit.

**Fidelcaster** · 03-26-2017, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Lol, I hear ya...there's players everybody just loves I'll nevery get.

Gabor''s not one of them, although waaaaay too many of his recordings are schlocky string-cursed 60''s bullshit.

Absolutely, and yet he managed to deliver the cheesiest melody in the most musical way.

**BeanSinger** · 03-28-2017, 04:07 PM

Another here that never quite got Gabor Szabo. I will still try to learn more about him.

**rlrhett** · 03-28-2017, 04:18 PM

"Mizrab" is on my everyday playlist. And I'm mesmerized by "Bacchannal". But yes, those two tunes are mixed in with a lot of Austin Powers. He was a bit of a lost soul. I don't think even he knew what to do with his talent.

**fasstrack** · 03-28-2017, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by rookeyhook

So I just listened to him. Dreams and Spellbinder album. He reminds me to Yusuf Lateef. Hard to explain. He didnt play like most guitarists.

Yeah, he was unique. I had an LP of his with a tune called The Man in the Moon is a Lady on it---can't remember the title.

I bet it would still hold up...

**cosmic gumbo** · 03-28-2017, 09:58 PM

Anyone remember this intro on Gabor's cover of the Classics IV tune Stormy? Kanye sampled it for John Legend's hit song Save Room.

**fasstrack** · 03-28-2017, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo

Anyone remember this intro on Gabor's cover of the Classics IV tune Stormy? Kanye sampled it for John Legend's hit song Save Room.

...And dig that Caesar hairdo...

**BRohrbacher** · 02-03-2018, 11:35 PM

Here's the truth about Gabor Szabo: He recorded only one truly great album, The Sorcerer. He also recorded one very good album, Belsta River, which is virtually unknown in the U.S. (but now available on apple music). The rest of his stuff is simply not worth listening to. It is essentially bad pop music (the originals are more interesting than the covers by him, which is saying a lot). If you want a more challenging exposure to a Hungarian guitarist with sensibility towards "Gipsy" (i.e., Sinti and Roma) influences. check out Attila Zoller, especially Gipsy Cry. And if you can get a copy of ZoKoMA (Zoller, [Hans] Koller, [Albert] Mangelsdorff), get it.

**jameslovestal** · 02-04-2018, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by BRohrbacher

Here's the truth about Gabor Szabo: He recorded only one truly great album, The Sorcerer. He also recorded one very good album, Belsta River, which is virtually unknown in the U.S. (but now available on apple music). The rest of his stuff is simply not worth listening to. It is essentially bad pop music (the originals are more interesting than the covers by him, which is saying a lot). If you want a more challenging exposure to a Hungarian guitarist with sensibility towards "Gipsy" (i.e., Sinti and Roma) influences. check out Attila Zoller, especially Gipsy Cry. And if you can get a copy of ZoKoMA (Zoller, [Hans] Koller, [Albert] Mangelsdorff), get it.

I agree with this. I did see Szabo at Donte's in West Hollywood CA, with Howard Roberts. Interesting mix of styles.

**mrcee** · 02-04-2018, 02:45 PM

I've always been a Gabor Szabo fan but can understand the criticism. He's into his own bag that's for sure and isn't for all tastes. There's some truth to the above comment that he didn't really know what to do with what he had. I love his best stuff though even if it isn't really jazz the way most people define it.

**AndyV** · 02-04-2018, 05:53 PM

Here's the truth about Gabor Szabo: He recorded only one truly great album, The Sorcerer.

Translation: "Here is my opinion based on my tastes, preferences and previous listening habits."

I do understand your point but I disagree, based on my own tastes, preferences and previous listening habits. If you look at mainstream jazz guitar cannon, Szabo certainly stands apart from the mainstream yet I find value in a lot of his work beyond the Sorcerer album. A lot of what he played was ahead of it's time in its incorporation rock, Indian music and Eastern European traditions. And personally, I dig a lot of his idiomatic phrasing ... drones against moving notes; twanging arpeggios; sweep picking, microtonal bends, etc. His early work with Chico Hamilton and Charles Lloyd still stands up to critical scrutiny but I'll concede that most of his later work is not his best. He was an addict, adrift between cultures, etc. My favorite Szabo LP is Sorcerer, his live record from Boston but most of Spellbinder (with Ron Carter on bass) is pretty good, IMHO.

**Marty Grass** · 02-04-2018, 06:09 PM

You guys break my heart. Szabo is the guy who transitioned me from rock to jazz. I still find his simple melodies mesmerizing. I learned from him that speed and extra notes can clutter up a tune.

**neatomic** · 02-04-2018, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by BRohrbacher

Here's the truth about Gabor Szabo: He recorded only one truly great album, The Sorcerer. He also recorded one very good album, Belsta River, which is virtually unknown in the U.S. (but now available on apple music). The rest of his stuff is simply not worth listening to. It is essentially bad pop music (the originals are more interesting than the covers by him, which is saying a lot). If you want a more challenging exposure to a Hungarian guitarist with sensibility towards "Gipsy" (i.e., Sinti and Roma) influences. check out Attila Zoller, especially Gipsy Cry. And if you can get a copy of ZoKoMA (Zoller, [Hans] Koller, [Albert] Mangelsdorff), get it.

familiar with your references and strongly disagree

dreams...spellbinder...1969... all great szabo

he also played great with chico hamilton quintet and charles lloyd

he was very much a unique stylist..heck he used a flat top acoustic with dearmond soundhole pup...he was different

you either get him or you don't

but once you get him, you like the way he plays everything..inc Beatles & Nancy Sinatra/Hazlewood covers

that's where i am with gs

and i love zoller too...tho ultimately he was far more traditional jazzer than szabo

cheers

**neatomic** · 02-05-2018, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by BRohrbacher

Here's the truth about Gabor Szabo: He recorded only one truly great album, The Sorcerer. He also recorded one very good album, Belsta River, which is virtually unknown in the U.S. (but now available on apple music). The rest of his stuff is simply not worth listening to. It is essentially bad pop music

ps- funny that your fave sorcerer lps opening track is by sonny bono!!! doesnt get more " bad pop" than that

not to dis sonny..rip

sorcerer was my first szabo lp...listening now..certainly benefits from having the great jimmy stewart on second guitar

cheers

**jameslovestal** · 02-06-2018, 01:05 PM

[QUOTE=AndyV;843093]Translation: "Here is my opinion based on my tastes, preferences and previous listening habits."

yet I find value in a lot of his work beyond the Sorcerer album.

Translation: You like a lot of his work beyond the Sorcerer album.

**AndyV** · 02-07-2018, 06:21 AM

If you liked quote 843093, wait till you see 843094.

There are so many terrific mainstream jazz guitar players and as great as they are, I don't think I could pick them out of an aural line up. How many guitarists are so absolutely unique and themselves that they are instantly identifiable like Szabo? Very few, I'd say.

'Can your mother recognise you on the radio?'
- Les Paul

**jameslovestal** · 02-07-2018, 02:35 PM

If you liked quote 843093, wait till you see 843094.

There are so many terrific mainstream jazz guitar players and as great as they are, I don't think I could pick them out of an aural line up. How many guitarists are so absolutely unique and themselves that they are instantly identifiable like Szabo? Very few, I'd say.
*****

Yea, 'quote' number is kind of funky, but I'm glad to see you have a fine sense of humor.

Uniqueness is a virtue and Szabo has that. Like I said I saw him a few times playing with Howard Roberts. While their styles were very different they blended real well live on stage. I.e. Howard played on Szabo tunes that of course were not jazz standards, and Szabo played in a more mainstream way on the jazz standards they did. Each was able to 'be themselves' but at the same type 'become one' as it relates to integrating their approach to the guitar.

**AndyV** · 02-07-2018, 05:38 PM

One of the things I noticed about Howard Roberts early on (and this is very rare for a guitarist - I certainly can't do it) is that Howard could play on any part of the beat effortlessly and land like a cat at the right spot, rhythmically speaking. Szabo was a lot less flexible that way but I bet it was a piece of cake for Roberts to adjust to Szabo's feel.

**backbreakerjr** · 07-16-2018, 01:13 AM

Coming late to this conversation but this is the guitarist that nudged me to move away from rock and towards Jazz (Him and Sonny Sharrock). I am very interested in learning his methods and try to get his tone. I only know "Dreams" and "Bacchanal" and it's enough for me to want to know more.

Any suggestions on where to start (I'm essentially a jazz beginner). I have to say that after reading some of the critiques of his playing that I agree that I am more pulled towards his original stuff but that being said, I don't mind the Lee Hazelwood stuff nor Donovan covers.

**ronjazz** · 07-16-2018, 02:57 PM

I worked with Gabor a few times back in Boston; general business gigs. he had a tough time with those limitations of bad tunes and bad players, but he was always unique and inspirational. I was in the audience for the Sorcerer recording, quite a night! Jimmy Stewart was solid, great bassist, cool percussion sounds. Great stuff.