Eric Gales was already guitar wiz at 16 years old in 1991 when his debut album appeared from Elektra Records, and his immense skill and talent have certainly not diminished since. This set, released by Cleopatra Records and produced by Raphael Saadiq, is vintage blues-rock and features guest spots from Eric Johnson and Zakk Wylde.
G3: Live In Concert matches six-time Grammy Award nominee Joe Satriani with three-time Grammy nominee Steve Vai, and Grammy winner Eric Johnson. The CD documents the group's 1996 North American tour, and features three tracks apiece by each of the guitarists as well as three no-holds-barred jams featuring all three axe-men. G3: Live In Concert is sure to please all lovers of guitar wizardry. This high-energy CD showcases the eclectic compositional skills of the three men, with tracks featuring everything from pumped-up fusion grooves to funk-infused rhythms and jazz-flavored numbers. Each tune, though, is really a vehicle for the soaring guitar pyrotechnics for which Vai, Satriani and Johnson are famous.
Louisiana slide master Sonny Landreth takes his time between releases – his last studio disc of original material was five years prior to this – but when they arrive, the wait seems justified. For the debut album on his own Landfall records, Landreth calls in marquee name guitarists Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Robben Ford, Eric Johnson, and Vince Gill to bolster the visibility factor. Rather than focusing on guitar duals, Landreth wrote songs that incorporate their styles, and occasional vocals, organically into the material. There are plenty of stunning solos of course, but they are integrated into the tunes that stand up just fine without the six-string fireworks. The album's title is a double entendre as "reach" is a body of water and also describes Landreth inviting his guests to be part of the project.