Rock vs Jazz virtuosos

[pawel]

Originally Posted by Flobanez

Yeah, Scott is amazing. Forgot about him.

You know Vernon Reid is a little sloppy but the guy is awesome and his latest jazz rock fusion album on Favored Nations is pretty cool.
I've always liked Vernon Reid ever since I learned "Cult Of Personality" solos and all.

Vernon is the man indeed, and "Known Unknown" is a great album, "Mistaken Identity" is worth checking out too, but it's more groove than fusion guitar oriented...

And Scott Henderson is a great guitarist, I can't get enough of his playing on those Tribal Tech albums...

[fettouhi]

Vernon is great but his new album on Favored Nations isn't really my thing.

Regards

André

[Flobanez]

Mistaken Identity is a great album. The new one is a little different but still good.

[Jebus]

In terms of skill and speed, Jazz would have to win. Jazz players had Shawn Lane on their side.

[lloop9]

Hi all, thanks for all the replies and insights to my question.

Though I'm a rock player, I've always admire jazz players not only for their technique but also their ability to conjure REALLY interesting harhomic ideas. Something that most rock players can't or dun do very well, or maybe the music doesn't provide room for it? I guess thats wat makes jazz the way it is....

cheers

[pawel]

Originally Posted by Jebus

In terms of skill and speed, Jazz would have to win. Jazz players had Shawn Lane on their side.

Shawn is my favourite guitarist, but I wouldn't classify him as a Jazz player as such. He was influenced by bop players and jazz pianists, but even with Jonas Hellborg, what they were doing was more improvisational rock than jazz. Still, those albums are at least as exciting as any jazz record I have ever heard...

[lloop9]

Originally Posted by Jebus

In terms of skill and speed, Jazz would have to win. Jazz players had Shawn Lane on their side.

I have no doubt about Shawn's superhuman skills, I really like his stuff, but is he really faster than, say, yngwie malmsteen or paul gilbert?

[pawel]

Originally Posted by lloop9

I have no doubt about Shawn's superhuman skills, I really like his stuff, but is he really faster than, say, yngwie malmsteen or paul gilbert?

[Hijack thread mode: on]

I am not a fan of counting notes per second or anything of that sort, but there is a member on the petrucci board (who also posts on the Shawn forum) who actually calculated Shawn's speed to be something ridiculously high.

I have however heard enough of his playing to say that not only he was at least as fast as the guys you mentioned, but the things he played at these speeds were much more complex.

Noy that this makes one a better guitarist (well, I think he was, but not for this reason - all IMO of course)

[/Hijack thread mode: off]

PS: I just realied that you are hijacking your own thread, so it's all good...

[Dr. Funkenstein]

Originally Posted by pawel

Apart from Pass, Metheny and maybe Scofield, the guys in your list are/were fusion players who emerged mostly by playing music that had the harmonic complexity of jazz and the energy and sound of rock.

That's interesting. I always considered Dimeola a flamenco player first and fusion a very very far behind second. His stuff with Delucia et al is for me some of the finest music ever played - 3 acoustics, not a note of fusion in sight. Not just the speed thing I admire - their compositions are truly beautiful.

Dave

[pawel]

Originally Posted by Dr. Funkenstein

That's interesting. I always considered Dimeola a flamenco player first and fusion a very very far behind second. His stuff with Delucia et al is for me some of the finest music ever played - 3 acoustics, not a note of fusion in sight. Not just the speed thing I admire - their compositions are truly beautiful.

Dave

I enjoy his acoustic music much more than the electric stuff as well, but DiMeola did come into the spotlight by playing a Les Paul through a Marshall in Chick Corea's Return to Forever...

[Dr. Funkenstein]

Originally Posted by pawel

I enjoy his acoustic music much more than the electric stuff as well, but DiMeola did come into the spotlight by playing a Les Paul through a Marshall in Chick Corea's Return to Forever...

Ah, I didn't know that. Nice to learn something new every day...

[VanWyck]

I picked the rock players only because I listen to them more often.
Is this poll attempting to determine the fastest/best/most complex players??
There can be only one? I'm not sure what you mean by this but there are players who can play jazz and shred - Frank Gambale's performance live with Chick Corea's band one night quite a few years ago totally blew me away. Also there are Eric Johnson and Scott Henderson...

[Flobanez]

Eric Johnson rules in my book
He makes jazz enjoyable with a twist of blues and he can rock.

[Jebus]

Originally Posted by lloop9

I have no doubt about Shawn's superhuman skills, I really like his stuff, but is he really faster than, say, yngwie malmsteen or paul gilbert?

Oh, much faster. Yngwie and Gilbert aren't even at his level.
Check out these videos
It looks like he's just doing some improve in this one. You could really see him show off his skill. (30mb/15min)
http://s21.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0...P0BZ873J1KWNMM

Also check this one out. This is him playing his version of Purple Haze (70mb/5min)
http://s33.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3...V1S14VVHJ4WDKZ

I heard he could go up to 21 notes per sec.

My favorte guitarist still has to be Jason Becker though. I love this guy to death.

[Flobanez]

Took a while.......Listening now. Great licks. Fast too. Awesome.
He is alot like Eric Johnson in some aspects. Awesome,man thanks.