If Bireli Lagrene was an American, his head would be carved on Mount Rushmore!

**West LA Jazz** · 07-08-2015, 01:58 AM

Ok that's another subject but this guy absolutely insane.

LIVE IN MARCIAC (1994) is a tour de force jazz standards album. Of course it helps that at 8 years old you were playing like a grown man. He plays gypsy jazz, fusion, straight ahead, I've even heard countrified licks and on and on.

In terms of playing... at the very least, he's right alongside the very very best jazz guitarists America has to offer.

Blasphemy? ;-)

SOFTLY AS A MORNING SUNRISE

SMILE

STELLA BY STARLIGHT

Live in Marciac - Biréli Lagrène | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic

**edh** · 07-08-2015, 10:41 PM

Xclnt!!!

**henryrobinett** · 07-09-2015, 01:35 AM

Great record.

Dutchbopper · 07-09-2015, 08:02 AM

I think there's a number of European players that I would rank among the best guitarists in the world. In my top 10 at least half of the players would be European.

Bireli Lagrene
Jesse van Ruller
Martijn van Iterson
Ulf Wakenius
Andreas Oberg

IMO Bireli is most likely the most talented player of them all, if that is even possible on that level. If an intergalictic jazz guitar competition would exist there is no doubt who I would sent to represent earth: Bireli Lagrene.

DB

**West LA Jazz** · 07-09-2015, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

Great record.

Amazing that it took me this long to stumble on this album.

Wouldn't it be an absolute joy to be able to approach that level of playing?

Bireli makes me almost understand what the folks of Italy and the surrounding countries felt when Paganini invaded their towns. Some thought he had made a deal with the devil to be able to play so well.

**fumblefingers** · 07-09-2015, 04:32 PM

a freakish monster if there ever was one. great guitarist.

but... i think if he would make the listener wait for the haymakers and machine gun bursts a bit longer it would come off in a much more compelling and artistic way. the universal method is to build to the climax, then blow up. just a little too much wearing it on the sleeve, and too early in the tune, for moi.

**West LA Jazz** · 07-09-2015, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by fumblefingers

a freakish monster if there ever was one. great guitarist.

but... i think if he would make the listener wait for the haymakers and machine gun bursts a bit longer it would come off in a much more compelling and artistic way. the universal method is to build to the climax, then blow up. just a little too much wearing it on the sleeve, and too early in the tune, for moi.

So true. He must have so so so many ideas from literally a lifetime of playing that they're all crowded at the pearly gates (his brain) waiting for their turn to explode unto the fretboard and as the gate keeper, he is almost helpless to force those unruly ideas to form a straight line before getting onto the bungy jump.

I guess everyone (genius included) needs a coach and that would be you to coach him.

**tribalfusion** · 07-09-2015, 11:03 PM

Not a fan of Bireli's playing but I am glad someone enjoys it.

From France I much prefer Louis Winsberg.

**West LA Jazz** · 07-10-2015, 12:55 AM

Originally Posted by tribalfusion

Not a fan of Bireli's playing but I am glad someone enjoys it.

From France I much prefer Louis Winsberg.

Thanks! I will check out Weisberg. Haven't heard his stuff but I've heard of Phillip Catherine who I thought was French but he's Belgian I think. A very melodic player.

And yes, I totally see how Birelli can be over the top and too busy for some tastes. I like him in certain settings or on certain songs I should say, and I've also noticed when he plays Gypsy jazz for the most part he keeps it almost traditional. His technique is part of my attraction. Plus he makes the guitar talk in different languages. Ha.

And in a separate thought, for all All Di Meola's fretboard mastery, I've never seen him tackle the breadth of material Birelli tackles. Birelli has long since left his "comfort zone" and that's also why I applaud him.

**henryrobinett** · 07-10-2015, 01:51 AM

DiMeola certainly possesses fretboard mastery, but I've never heard him really tackle changes well. Never heard him bop.

**tootZ** · 07-10-2015, 03:13 AM

in this movie (47 mn in french) you can see a lot of things about Bireli (even singing Sinatra stuff as I can remember...), he his a real jazz musician!!

on youtube you can find Louis Winsberg trio vids, he is now mixing flamenco, gipsy an more, a sort of world jazz, I saw him last year, technically crazy, musically exciting!

all the best

Michel

**West LA Jazz** · 07-10-2015, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

DiMeola certainly possesses fretboard mastery, but I've never heard him really tackle changes well. Never heard him bop.

Amen. I have stopped waiting for that day to come. I guess he took advantage of the fusion train (created a following) and has ridden what got him there... pure speed ( and then took a detour writing Latin tinged melodies of slow tempos). Playing with Chick Corea also gave him a huge calling card that he also rode forever. To each his own I guess.

**West LA Jazz** · 07-10-2015, 01:27 PM

Louis Winsberg - shares a lot with Pat Metheny, no?

**ninjasan** · 07-10-2015, 02:40 PM

I' m with you all, Birelli is an UFO musician,
once upon a time he tried fiddle just for fun :

**nado64** · 07-21-2015, 11:28 AM

I read an interview (don't remember the source) where he says when the tour is finished, he stops the guitar because he's fed up.
So, he plays a lot of other instruments, sax, bass, ..., during these periods.

**nado64** · 07-21-2015, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by tribalfusion

Not a fan of Bireli's playing but I am glad someone enjoys it.

From France I much prefer Louis Winsberg.

funny because I get his guitar trio album "douce france" after listened "autumn leaves" on my car stereo.

**West LA Jazz** · 07-21-2015, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by nado64

I read an interview (don't remember the source) where he says when the tour is finished, he stops the guitar because he's fed up.
So, he plays a lot of other instruments, sax, bass, ..., during these periods.

Very interesting. I am not surprised at all to hear this. This guy has been playing professionally since he was what, 8 years old? He definitely needs another outlet to balance out his main gig and keep things interesting.

**Greentone** · 07-21-2015, 04:16 PM

Wait? Isn't Lagrene on Mt. Rushmore? He's wearing his glasses, right?

Looks like Mike Stern, Pat Metheny, Birelli Lagrene, and John Scofield, if you ask me.

**West LA Jazz** · 07-21-2015, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Greentone

Wait? Isn't Lagrene on Mt. Rushmore? He's wearing his glasses, right?

Looks like Mike Stern, Pat Metheny, Birelli Lagrene, and John Scofield, if you ask me.

The one thing I wish is that Birelli payed more attention to his guitar sound like Metheny does. I'm not referring to the reverb. Just something to give his sound a more... you know... something "signature sound" like, so to speak.

**Doctor Jeff** · 07-21-2015, 05:40 PM

Ok the Mount Rushmore of Jazz Guitar would have Charlie Christian (GW), Wes Montgomery (TJ), Joe Pass (AL) and John McLaughlin (JM), IMHO all greats who not only were great players but changed the direction of jazz from the time they appeared on the scene.

Bireli is obviously a great player, and there are a lot of other great players out there, but style and art-wise none of them deserve to be added to Mount Rushmore yet. IMHO.

(BTW I struggled over the 4th person--thought Metheny for the fusion influence, but JM was first and arguably more influential in introducing the rock/fusion element into jazz guitar.)

**pingu** · 07-21-2015, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by Dutchbopper

I think there's a number of European players that I would rank among the best guitarists in the world. In my top 10 at least half of the players would be European.

Bireli Lagrene
Jesse van Ruller
Martijn van Iterson
Ulf Wakenius
Andreas Oberg

IMO Bireli is most likely the most talented player of them all, if that is even possible on that level. If an intergalictic jazz guitar competition would exist there is no doubt who I would sent to represent earth: Bireli Lagrene.

DB

and Silvain luc !

**Greentone** · 07-21-2015, 10:33 PM

You will get no disagreement from me about who _belongs_ on the musical Mt Rushmore. I was just looking at a picture of the faces on the mountain and thought that they sort of look like Stern, Metheny, Lagrene, and Scofield--the way they look, these days. ;-)

Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery would be blasted into the mountain, for sure--beyond debate. Rather than be jingoistic and just beat an American drum, I'd opt for Django, next. Then, I'd carve Jim Hall. His work has been DEEPLY influential to the Metheny, Scofield, Stern, generation of jazz guitarists. From his work with Chico Hamilton, to his work with Jimmy Guiffre, to his work with Bill Evans, and on to his own bands and solo work, Hall is responsible for creating the most sustainable, non-Charlie Christian/Wes Montgomery jazz guitar style in the second half of the 20th century, and in the process proving the value of SPACE.

**fumblefingers** · 07-22-2015, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff

Ok the Mount Rushmore of Jazz Guitar would have Charlie Christian (GW), Wes Montgomery (TJ), Joe Pass (AL) and John McLaughlin (JM), IMHO all greats who not only were great players but changed the direction of jazz from the time they appeared on the scene.

Bireli is obviously a great player, and there are a lot of other great players out there, but style and art-wise none of them deserve to be added to Mount Rushmore yet. IMHO.

(BTW I struggled over the 4th person--thought Metheny for the fusion influence, but JM was first and arguably more influential in introducing the rock/fusion element into jazz guitar.)

Nice list doc. Django was not American but would need to be there's any friggin way.

i know it's sacrilege, but I would put Benson up there too.

cheers.

**Robertkoa** · 09-17-2015, 09:59 PM

I was going to say Benson- though I am not extremely knowledgeable about Jazz Guitarists- but know Guitar.
Benson's Chops , sense of time and ability to add ( or inherently have )a lot of Urban Blues Feel and Funk to his Playing etc etc etc.
Bireli is ridiculous for being so good so young as well as being so versatile and great.
I think it is ridiculous how good someone like Al DiMeola was at 18 or 19 but Bireli takes ridiculous to a completely new Level playing so well at preteen years .
However- to get your Head on Mount Rushmore- or as I say -
"Your own Branch on the Tree"
You MUST come up with a fresh, identifiable Style , and add to the Vocabulary of your Genre to the Lay Public and Music Fans and sometimes Scholars and your Peers.
So as great as Birelli is - playing at or near the Top in every Genre he tackles...

Montgomery,Benson, Santana, Eric Johnson,Charlie Christian, B.B.King, Tbone Walker, Hendrix etc etc .
And even DiMeola- we had not heard that speed before..speed is much more common now and you can not conquer with speed alone any more but DiMeola was one of the first...so he got his Mini Branch...lol.
Metheny is another good example..a kind of " new style".

As an outsider from Jazz - it's MUCH easier to play like DiMeola ( say 90%) than Benson or Birelli...but I am not talking difficulty or Olympic Chops...I am talking about Pioneering or coming up with something that is fresh or at least sounds fresh to get your Branch on the Tree..
Not sure Birelli has done that..as great as he is...