Solo Classic Guitar

Not many true guitar gods have walked this earth. In the hands of these rare beings, the guitar is more than a six stringed musical instrument; it is a source of immense power, a weapon of mass destruction, a light saber, the most magical of wands, capable of removing a groupy’s panties with a single note…

This compilation CD has material recorded by Gary Moore between 1977 and 1979, when he was signed under MCA label, and issued on albums and singles either as a solo artist as well as a member of Colosseum II. Four songs: Back On The Streets, Fanatical Fascists, Don't Believe A Word and Parisienne Walkways come from his second solo album titled Back On The Streets, originally issued in december 1978. All these four songs fwature Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy in a way or another. Back On The Streets has Phil Lynott on backing vocals, Fanatical Fascists was written by Lynott, Don't Believe A Word (a Lizzy song played here in a slower tempo) and Parisienne Walkways have both Lynott on lead vocals.

Jimmy Ponder - Live at The Other End (1982) {Explore Records EXP0026 rel 2007}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 216 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 131 Mb
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© 1982, 2007 Explore Records / Cheetah Company | EXP0026
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Bop / Guitar

Let's face it, solo jazz guitar records – by most guitar masters anyway – would become rather ho hum unless of course you are a student of the instrument or a die-hard fanatic. There are exceptions: Jim Hall, Bola Sete, Tal Farlow, as well as others purposely omitted for brevity here. Live at the Other End by Jimmy Ponder is not only engaging for its entire 55 minutes' running time, it's downright dazzling, and not only in technical acumen – which it certainly is – but in its pure singing musicality. Given that the Other End – formerly the legendary Bitter End – was, in 1982, a pop-oriented room, a solo gig by a jazz guitarist was risky for the club to be sure, but more so for the guitarist.

Think of Canadian rock bands and Rush probably spring to mind, as would Steppenwolf and Triumph. All fantastic bands. That's not to take anything away from April Wine, who in terms of output (if not success), must rank alongside the aforementioned. Classic hard rock that is really worth checking out….

Charlie Christian with The Benny Goodman Sextet - Solo Flight - Live! (2014) {Phoenix Records 131606 rec 1939-1941}
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© 1939-41, 2014 Phoenix Records | 131606
Jazz / Swing / Bop / Electric Guitar / Clarinet

This release features some of the best live recordings by the celebrated Benny Goodman Sextet featuring the legendary Charlie Christian. Taken from rare radio broadcasts, they present the magic of Christians guitar during his short-lived three year music career, before he succumbed to tuberculosis in early 1942. As a bonus, this edition presents four tracks taken from a jam session at Minneapolis Harlem Breakfast Club, presenting the Jerry Jerome Quartet with Charlie Christian on electric guitar (including extended solos), Frankie Hines on piano and the great Oscar Pettiford on bass (no drums).

Wes Montgomery Trio - Guitar On The Go (1963) {Riverside Japan VICJ-23659 rel 1991}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 241 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 99 Mb
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© 1963, 1991 Riverside / Fantasy / Victor Japan | VICJ-23659
Jazz / Hard Bop / Guitar

The final Riverside release of Wes Montgomery material (before the important label went completely bankrupt) was similar to his debut four years earlier: a trio with organist Melvin Rhyne and an obscure drummer (this time George Brown). In general, the music swings hard (particularly the two versions of "The Way You Look Tonight"), and is a worthy if not essential addition to Wes Montgomery's discography. He would have a few straight-ahead dates for Verve, but this release was really the end of an era.

Hubert Laws - Afro-Classic (1970) {Mosaic Contemporary MSC 5002 rel 2007}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 188 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 88 Mb
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© 1970, 2007 Mosaic Contemporary / CTI | MSC 5002
Jazz / Crossover Jazz / Jazz-Pop / Flute

Issued in 1970 as his second album for Creed Taylor's CTI label, Hubert Laws' Afro-Classic is a classic for the manner in which Laws, with brilliant assistance from arranger Don Sebesky, melded the jazz and classical worlds – not to mention pop – into a seamless whole. Laws was the first artist signed to Taylor's imprint. His debut for the label, Crying Song, won critical notice, but it was Afro-Classic that established a new role for the flute in contemporary jazz. Herbie Mann may have been the first, but Laws explored jazz and all the sound worlds that informed it – especially in the electric domain – with the kind of grace and innovative vision that made him a mainstay.