Allan Holdsworth deep dive

[KRosser]

are there guitarists out there who have spent time working out AH solos AND charlie parker solos?

Guilty as charged

[Christian Miller]

I mean, me too?

Quite a lot of Charlie Christian in Allan - if you look at things in a sort of cubist way.

[grahambop]

I saw Allan at Ronnie Scotts once with his trio (probably 1990s?), I think Chad Wackerman was on drums. Unfortunately it was so incredibly loud that I couldn’t make out anything he was playing! It was like a stadium-rock wall of sound, heaven knows why they did that in a small venue like Ronnies. I had to jam my fingers in my ears, I think we left about halfway through. I could still hear a ringing sound a couple of hours later. Not good!

So at least I saw him, but that’s all I can say.

I find his playing quite interesting though, I have ‘None Too Soon’ which I like.

[James W]

This has not long dropped -

[Christian Miller]

I think after the last few years I've come to the conclusion that Allan is hard to play.

Sometimes you have to go the long way round for an obvious conclusion.

[GuyBoden]

I think after the last few years I've come to the conclusion that Allan is hard to play.

Sometimes you have to go the long way round for an obvious conclusion.

Apparently, I have the "Wrong type of hands", otherwise, obviously, I'd be great at playing AH.

That's my feeble excuse and I'm sticking with it.

[Joe F]

Two words - Django Reinhardt.

[James W]

I think after the last few years I've come to the conclusion that Allan is hard to play.

Sometimes you have to go the long way round for an obvious conclusion.

You say that, but it's nice to corroborate one's instinct with empirical research, I think.

But yes, Allan is difficult to play. I'm still working on some lines transcribed by Pete Callard - it's apparent how nifty Holdsworth's right hand technique was as well, what with large interval string skips and bursts of picking seamlessly woven into mostly legato lines. And he does it all so fast and smoothly...

[Christian Miller]

Apparently, I have the "Wrong type of hands", otherwise, obviously, I'd be great at playing AH.

That's my feeble excuse and I'm sticking with it.

That's normally an excuse. But not I think in this case haha.

[joe2758]

I think I'm the wrong species to play it

[Christian Miller]

You say that, but it's nice to corroborate one's instinct with empirical research, I think.

Yeah, how it works for me is that the fingerings make sense mechanically, but they are still demanding and unfamiliar. It's very hard for me to make this sort of congruent with the rest of what I do. Lighter strings would also help I'm sure, but I don't want to do that for the same reason.

So I'm glad I looked into it, but it's not something that I feel is going to end up naturally in my playing.

There are other models of legato jazz guitar such as Tim Miller that seem more accessible.

But yes, Allan is difficult to play. I'm still working on some lines transcribed by Pete Callard - it's apparent how nifty Holdsworth's right hand technique was as well, what with large interval string skips and bursts of picking seamlessly woven into mostly legato lines. And he does it all so fast and smoothly...

Pete's great (as is Deryl Gabel) and they can play this stuff, but actually it's really fun to puzzle them out yourself. Transcribing the pitches is challenging enough, but after that it's like a super hard crossword puzzle. I'm not selling it well haha... but I did find it enjoyable.

[GuyBoden]

I'm a big AH fan, the music I like best is his 1990 to 2000's. The era that included "Wardenclyffe Tower", "The Sixteen Men of Tain" and "None too Soon" etc.

Live in 1990 to early 2000, I think he was fantastic.

He wrote some sublimely beautiful compositions, for example "Above and Below".

AH was true pioneer of the guitar, who created his own voice.

Edit: Yes, Derryl Gabel is great, I've posted his videos a few time.

He has a newish video, that show the AH chord voicings I've always admired, using one of my fav AH songs "Above and Below".

[pauln]

I first heard AH on a record I bought by accident; I was hunting the stacks for a Steve Hillage record I believed was called "Gong" and found one that had "Gong" on the cover. A glance at the French names on the back seemed hopeful since SH was playing with a bunch of French hippies at the time.

This record turned out to be "Expresso II" by the band named "Gong"; a kind of progressive jazz rock fusion project featuring vibes(!), drums, fretless bass, and AH on guitar (1978).

If you just want to hear AH flying go to just before @3:50... he's the one that sounds like a violin.

[Christian Miller]

Some raw 70s Allan

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[GuyBoden]

Some raw 70s Allan

As a teenager, I remember 1976 very, very well, but not for Allan Holdsworth.

[jbernstein91]

The Allan Holdsworth Quartet - Live At The BBC 1978

First tune - Keith Jarrett's "Questar"; 2nd - Kenny Wheeler's "Smatter".

[Christian Miller]

(Delete)
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[Litterick]

With Bill Bruford, Dave Stewart, Jeff Berlin and Annette Peacock.

[Bob_Ross]

The Allan Holdsworth Quartet - Live At The BBC 1978

In case anyone else was wondering (as I was) "Who Was In The Allan Holdsworth Quartet in 1978?", according to that youtube link it's
Allan Holdsworth - Guitar
Darryl Runswick - Bass
Harold Fisher - Drums
Pat Smythe - Piano

Must have been a very short-lived band, because I'd never heard of it (nor any of those players) and I know Allan started 1978 touring with the band U.K., and by 1979 was working with Bill Bruford's eponymous band again.

[jbernstein91]

In case anyone else was wondering (as I was) "Who Was In The Allan Holdsworth Quartet in 1978?", according to that youtube link it's
Allan Holdsworth - Guitar
Darryl Runswick - Bass
Harold Fisher - Drums
Pat Smythe - Piano

Must have been a very short-lived band, because I'd never heard of it (nor any of those players) and I know Allan started 1978 touring with the band U.K., and by 1979 was working with Bill Bruford's eponymous band again.

Here's a video of Holdsworth playing with the Pat Smythe Trio in 1974. Daryl Runswick is also the bass player on this one; John Marshall (who played with Holdsworth on Soft Machine's album "Bundles") is on drums.

[jbernstein91]

Holdsworth also played on drummer John Stevens' 1977 free jazz album "Touching On":

[jbernstein91]

Here's Holdsworth once more playing free stuff with John Stevens, along with bass player Danny Thompson, from the 2009 album "Propensity". Note that he's playing acoustic 12-string.

[Christian Miller]

Here's Holdsworth once more playing free stuff with John Stevens, along with bass player Danny Thompson, from the 2009 album "Propensity". Note that he's playing acoustic 12-string.

Yes it is indeed the case that Allan could Allan on a 12 string

Wtaf

Amazing rhythm section. I rather like this record.

Btw I believe these sessions date from the late 70s?

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[jbernstein91]

Yes it is indeed the case that Allan could Allan on a 12 string

Wtaf

Amazing rhythm section. I rather like this record.

Btw I believe these sessions date from the late 70s?

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Not sure when it was recorded, but it would make sense that it was in the mid-late 70s, when he recorded the other stuff with members of the then London jazz scene.

[kris]

This is a very high level of play.
I remember when I played in one of the hotels in Warsaw.AH was sitting at the hotel bar and chatting with a pianist I knew.
He seemed to be a very nice person.