The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
Reply to Thread Bookmark Thread
Posts 1 to 25 of 25
  1. #1

    User Info Menu

    Hello,

    I've noticed that Marc Ribot has been mentioned in several topics, but there's been no in-depth discussion of his playing. Hopefully, a thread that gathers resources for studying his playing will be useful.

    Here's a podcast Aram Bajakian has done where Ribot speaks of his training:

    Marc Ribot Interview, Part 1 | Aram Bajakian
    Marc Ribot Interview, Part 2 | Aram Bajakian

    And some transcriptions and exercises by Eric Haugen:

    Tom Waits & Marc Ribot Tabs — Eric Haugen

    Some work by Jan Jakut:

    About Marc Ribot’s guitar moves – Juju Music Edition | Chord Yoga

    A Premier Guitar article studying some of his licks:

    Marc Ribot’s Inside-Out Licks - Premier Guitar

    And a great Guitar Moderne interview wherein we find that Marc Ribot has once swallowed a pick while playing live at a wedding:



    I hope you find these useful. If anyone's got other resources, please share.

    Thanks!

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

    User Info Menu

    Everything i 've heard from him has been great, he's always an extremely musical player!

  4. #3

    User Info Menu

    I haven't followed him that much, but I think he and some others in that genre are incredibly creative. The clip I saw, Mark played like he had a glove on his hand. Maybe that's part of the thing, I still dug it though...

  5. #4

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by jaco
    I haven't followed him that much, but I think he and some others in that genre are incredibly creative. The clip I saw, Mark played like he had a glove on his hand. Maybe that's part of the thing, I still dug it though...
    Which clip did you see?

  6. #5

    User Info Menu

    His Los Cubanos Postizos stuff is wickedly good fun.


  7. #6

    User Info Menu

    He’s on the new album with Alison Krauss and Robert Plant. Always tasteful playing, if a bit restrained here.

  8. #7

    User Info Menu

    They used to call him to sub for me on gigs in this club date band I used to work with. The guys would say he overplayed on everything.
    I heard or read an interview with him recently where he said he doesn't see any value in mainstream jazz guitar playing. Never heard anything by him I liked.

  9. #8

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
    He’s on the new album with Alison Krauss and Robert Plant. Always tasteful playing, if a bit restrained here.
    Huh, I wasn't aware of that 2021 album, thanks!

  10. #9

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by sgcim
    They used to call him to sub for me on gigs in this club date band I used to work with. The guys would say he overplayed on everything.
    I heard or read an interview with him recently where he said he doesn't see any value in mainstream jazz guitar playing. Never heard anything by him I liked.
    Sorry you feel that way, but thanks for the post! You are, of course, welcome to your opinion. Who knows, given enough time I might come around to your point of view, or you to mine.

    In the meantime, any tips from your bandmates about what makes Marc Ribot tick as a guitar player (besides overplaying)?

  11. #10

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by unstrung
    Huh, I wasn't aware of that 2021 album, thanks!
    I think it officially comes out next week. There are a couple of tracks available on Apple Music like this one (Lucinda Williams tune):


  12. #11

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by unstrung
    Sorry you feel that way, but thanks for the post! You are, of course, welcome to your opinion. Who knows, given enough time I might come around to your point of view, or you to mine.

    In the meantime, any tips from your bandmates about what makes Marc Ribot tick as a guitar player (besides overplaying)?
    0
    He used a lot of pedals.

  13. #12

    User Info Menu

    He is playing solo tonight at Evanston SPACE (North suburb of Chicago). I an looking forward to hearing him.

  14. #13

    User Info Menu

    Please come back round and tell us about it, medblues, if you feel like it. I'm curious what kind of guitars he'll bring out for a solo performance. Cheers.

  15. #14

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Flat
    Please come back round and tell us about it, medblues, if you feel like it. I'm curious what kind of guitars he'll bring out for a solo performance. Cheers.
    A few years back when I caught a solo performance he only had his Gibson HG-00 acoustic: Flickr
    Which reminds me of this Fretboard Journal article / interview: The Wooden Scapegoat Marc Ribot

  16. #15

    User Info Menu

    He brought only his beat up Gibson acoustic. Two microphones, a foot stool, in classical playing position. He did not use a pick. Unbelievable dynamics and percussive techniques. At some point, he was licking his finger and making squeaking sounds on the body of the guitar. The audience had a good laugh. He had a very humble demeanor and semi-dry humor. Half the time very raw tone/playing with buzzes and half-played notes, the other half beautiful Haitian classical guitar music played on metal strings. It was very interesting. He could make the guitar sounds like an archtop or make the chords sustain at will. Some songs had the bartenders dance, others were almost uncomfortably rubato. In a couple songs, all he did was use E or A strings as drones. He also did some fast and spastic tremulous vibrato tones for some single note passages. Overall, a very interesting and inspiring evening. Virtuoso he was not but he gave a great example of exquisitely soulful and captivating playing.

  17. #16

    User Info Menu

    Great write-up! Thanks!

  18. #17

    User Info Menu

    Here's an acoustic concert of his on YouTube, for us less fortunate!


  19. #18

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by Alter
    Here's an acoustic concert of his on YouTube, for us less fortunate!
    Thanks! Here are also some pro-shot solo videos:














  20. #19

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by medblues
    He brought only his beat up Gibson acoustic. Two microphones, a foot stool, in classical playing position. He did not use a pick. Unbelievable dynamics and percussive techniques. At some point, he was licking his finger and making squeaking sounds on the body of the guitar. The audience had a good laugh. He had a very humble demeanor and semi-dry humor. Half the time very raw tone/playing with buzzes and half-played notes, the other half beautiful Haitian classical guitar music played on metal strings. It was very interesting. He could make the guitar sounds like an archtop or make the chords sustain at will. Some songs had the bartenders dance, others were almost uncomfortably rubato. In a couple songs, all he did was use E or A strings as drones. He also did some fast and spastic tremulous vibrato tones for some single note passages. Overall, a very interesting and inspiring evening. Virtuoso he was not but he gave a great example of exquisitely soulful and captivating playing.
    I attended a solo performance by Marc at an upstate NY club called Quinns. He had that old Gibson but only used an mic so most of the room could not hear him including me. Sometimes Ribot can get a little “artsy” for me by taking certain things to the extreme where the end product does not justify the methodology. IMHO of course.

    I saw him at the Blue Note guesting with MMW. A fantastic show and Marc fit in with that band like a glove. I love the Cubanos stuff. His solo guitar album Saints is great. His demented version of “I”m Confessin” on that album is one of my favorites.

  21. #20

    User Info Menu

    Just found this interview yesterday, and in it Ribot says:

    "I was recently teaching a class and wanted to find B.B. King tunes to illustrate my own personal history of how I came to play the way I do, and also explain the sense of economy in B.B.’s guitar playing."

    Does anyone have more information about that class? Ideally someone who's attended?
    I know it's a longshot.

  22. #21

    User Info Menu

    I saw him at the old Knitting Factory and he joked that it was probably the only time people were dancing there. I love both of these cds. Love his work with Tom Waits and Elvis Costello. Definitely on of my favorite players.

  23. #22

    User Info Menu

    Another interview with Ribot and Elliot Sharp:


  24. #23

    User Info Menu












  25. #24

    User Info Menu


  26. #25

    User Info Menu

    Marc is one of the teachers/performers featured at Joel Harrison's weeklong AGS camp in August. He's there with Bill Frisell, Julian Lage, Gilad Hekselman, Wayne Krantz, a whole bunch of others.
    Rare opportunity to learn from him, the others and gain a perspective on just how diverse the approaches to guitar can be having those cats comparing notes side by side.