Do you like Scott Henderson?

[jbromusic]

Must be a generational thing! Or, those who come from a Rock foundation. Blistering technique does not a musician make . .

Good thing that blistering technique only makes up about 5% of what Scott and his music have to offer.

[christianm77]

Must be a generational thing! Or, those who come from a Rock foundation. Blistering technique does not a musician make . . . I couldn't take 5 minutes of that stuff without an emesis bag. I'm happy to live in the past where melody and lyricism take precedence over fire-breathing dragons. Good playing . . . Marinero

Well you said somewhere that you are a boomer, so Scott’s of your generation (a little younger maybe.) The generation that invented loud electric rock guitar....

[Marinero]

Well you said somewhere that you are a boomer, so Scott’s of your generation (a little younger maybe.) The generation that invented loud electric rock guitar....

Hi, C,
God . . . are you right! However, some of us, especially in urban areas, cut our teeth on R&B, Funk and Soul Music and had no connection to the mantra of our generation. Here's a classic from my old songbook with some tasty guitar licks in the background. It still moves me after 50 years. I hope you'll enjoy! Good playing in lower decibels . . . Marinero

[Jonni]

I am a huge fan of Scott since maybe 6 years ago. I think of him as a jazz musician, even if what he does is not always jazz in the narrow sense. I think a jazz musician is someone who knows the tradition and is able to play it but it doesnt mean that person needs to be doing jazz all the time to be a jazz musician. You can just use your understanding of jazz to lead you to other musical destinations.

and I also love the way scott uses the tremolo bar. That sounds like horns to me.

[fep]

Yes, jazz.

[jbear]

Not everyone's taste...I get that, but...hands down one of my top five favorite musicians...maybe #1. Can tear it up in any style with anybody. Frontman...sideman...writer...composer. Tone and phrasing uneclipsed to my ear. Some stuff I like better than others, but I've never heard him play (or seen him play) anything that didn't make me smile as a musician. Brilliant.
Scott is also a genuine and honest individual...gracious and friendly with an awesome sense of humor. Biggest flaw in my opinion...way too self-deprecating. He's harder on his playing than anyone here.

[Michael Keller]

I'm a big fan, although I prefer his work on the early Tribal Tech albums over everything else he's done.
I think he's perfectly capable of playing "jazz", although most of what he does I would call fusion.

[jbear]

I agree...the melodic soloing on Nomad, Tribal Tech, and Illicit is mind-blowing. I like everything he does, but that's also my favorite stuff.

[sgcim]

He's got a cool sense of humor. he once did a thing on Stella that he called "Stella By Infra-red Light" (OSLT). I did one called "Stella-Zeen by Flashlight".

[FwLineberry]

Here ya go:

Tribal Tech - Stella by Starlight / Stella by Infra-Red High Particle Neutron Beam

.

[fep]

I know Carl's playing pretty well, Carl solo at 1:35, Henderson after, and trading after that.

[dolphinstreet]

I really like Scott Henderson's playing. For me, he blends rock and jazz together in a funky, hip and groovy way. He's one of my most significant influences, together with Sco.

I've actually talked to him quite a few times and I've done several interviews with him. In fact, I have an interview with him in the pipeline - coming in a few weeks. He's a really nice guy too.

I like that he doesn't care about fitting in to a specific category or genre either. He just does his own thing and some people call it jazz, some call it rock, some call it fusion and so on. I admire not only his playing, but his dedication to "doing his own thing". Whether you want to call it jazz or not, he is an improviser and he has a jazz vocabulary. He writes the music HE wants, not what he thinks anybody else wants from him.

Perhaps his tone and whammy bar technique bothers some jazz guys, but I dig it. The tunes are quite complex too, at least for me. I've transcribed many lines from him, but his tunes are tricky to play for me.

[wolflen]

not into everything he does..but..Im glad he is doing them

and..not many can say..I have a Suhr signature model named after them

[Flat]

I was at GIT in 1983, and reading this thread reminds me how lucky I was. Scott was teaching there. Frank Gambale too. Jeff Berlin was in the bass dept. (BIT, as they called it) and Vinnie was with Joe Porcaro on the drum side (PIT). Scott and Frank had been students there a year or two earlier, I believe. Jimmy Herring was in my class.

And I've always sucked, but man there were some great players in that house. Can somebody turn the clock back, please?

[Doug B]

Yes. His latest album is great. His tone is to die for now. You can hear a lot of Sco and Landau in Scott's playing.
Killer guy who goes for it.

Landau has produced two or three of Scott's albums.

[EastwoodMike]

I love Scott, No filter, a completely authentic person....

^ This.

No, he does not play straight-ahead Jazz. On his podcast he moans about 2-5-1s being boring. Just to rile Bruce Forman most of the time I suspect. I don't think I could call someone who plays Giant Steps in the green room for a warm-up exercise not a serious Jazz player. (Quoted observation from one of his guests on Guitar wank)

A Strat style instrument is his weapon of choice. Yes he uses a Wammy bar like there is no tomorrow. So does Jeff beck. So did Alan Holdsworth. Its not traditional styled jazz. It is a different style of Jazz- that's all.

Personally I'd love the skill to hold my own on the stage of the Baked Potato. Hell I wish Sydney even had a place Like the baked potato.
My Favorite Album of his has to be Dog Party. Cracks me up every time.
Cheers
Mike