American lead guitarists

Ampsmasher · December 2016

I think we need to start looking up American GJ bands on the youtubes and trolling them all. mwahahahahahahahha

scot · December 2016

Interesting that Chris and I both came to this music via the same starting point - the "Django Legacy" film. And OK, Chris, I accept that your posts were not anti-American. I think I still retain some excessive sensitivity to this sort of thing going back to the times 20 or 30 years ago when there was nasty discourse here about whether or not white people could play blues or whether people not from Appalachia could play bluegrass/old timey music. My attitude then as now was that anyone can play anything. The amount of credibility you can earn is another thing entirely; that's entirely on the individual.

I have made the case here in the past that there are actually two very distinct styles of this music. One is the true gypsy style, developed by gypsy musicians over the last 30 or 40 years and epitomized by players like Tchavolo and Stochelo Rosenberg. There isn't any (or not much) outside influence in the way these guys play. I have never heard many non sinti who can play like these guys do - Denis Chang and Rino van Hooijdonk can certainly do it and maybe Koen de Kauter though he doesn't always do so. I never heard Wrembel play in that style but he has enough power in his right hand that he probably can do it. Then there is the modern style, epitomized by Boulou Ferre and Patrick Saussois, whose styles owe plenty to Django but are still influenced by many other kinds of music, from classical to bebop. For better or worse, virtually all N American guitarists fall into this category. Which does not make them "better" or "worse". They're still playing Django-influenced music, just coming from a different place than the sinti players and I don't see how it could be any other way. Your playing is always going to be a reflection of who you are.

The players listed in my first post are all fine guitarists/soloists in a mostly modern style. I can't believe that I omitted Alfonso, Jesse Barksdale (who is a terrific guitarist!), Rick Olivarez, Jimmy Grant and Ivan Pena. They are all excellent players, so just enjoy their playing for what it is.

Attached are a couple of tunes from one of my favorite guitarists, Dave Biller of Austin Tx - great playing by any standard I can imagine. And this is just one of many styles this guy can play!

ChrisMartin · December 2016

scot wrote: »

And OK, Chris, I accept that your posts were not anti-American. I think I still retain some excessive sensitivity to this sort of thing going back to the times 20 or 30 years ago when there was nasty discourse here about whether or not white people could play blues.....

Well yes, I did worry when I saw Andrew's first post on this subject as I know how it can be misunderstood. I certainly had no anti-American intentions, most of my non-GJ guitar heroes come from the USA, from Lang on down to Hendrix, but some people are quick to read 'different' as meaning 'inferior', and as most Americans are proud of their countrymen and believe attack is the best form of defence we soon arrive at another 'Us vs Them' stand-off.
I too remember the old can white men play the blues argument which was rife in the 1960s when the new generation of white guitar stars were making the big time.
Anyway, the rest of your post above explains the case as well as I could, but I have found one American player who does seem to have a bit more Gypsy in his Jazz; Tony Green, and there is a fine concert of his on YouTube accompanied by one you did mention, Rick Olivarez.

AndrewUlle · December 2016

This is exactly what I was hoping for - suggestions of great US players in this distinctly European genre. As an American, I certainly don't want to bash my own country; I think I just happened to hear some particularly uninspired playing that prompted my post. It's definitely not a question of style - I can accommodate plenty of variety there.

Buco · December 2016

Jeff Radaich certainly deserves to be included on the list as well.

rgrice · December 2016

Great thread @Andrew Ulle! Many interesting ideas.

I think part of my ability to play bluegrass, country, and Rockabilly with such ease is because I'm southern and it's part of my culture. Can Brian Setzer play and sing it? Could the Beatles? Heck yeah, but they'd never have the natural or even affected Southern accent that I have. Does mean they're not legit? Heck no!

Since I have such a limited arsenal of licks, I find myself falling back on ones from the genres that I started with which sounds weird but sometimes works. Blues and rockabilly ones especially work pretty well when done sparingly. Perhaps this is what Django also did and made his interpretations of American songs so unique.

Us old timers do remember the white blues guy argument in the 60s. Kinda disputed in real life with The Stones's relationships Howlin Wolf and Muddy Waters.

IMO Some folks get too hung up on purism and tend to dismiss things that don't fit into their musical box.

BTW @scot I posted on your Instagram. Hit me up. Hoping we can get together with that kid over Christmas.

Bones · December 2016

Well, not being a lead player (and I think we are exclusively talking that as opposed to rhythm) so take it with a grain of salt but I would like to add that the technique is so important to getting the tone and phrasing "correct" (whatever that is) and I believe that the widespread (relative term) knowledge/acknowledgement of the "proper" (whatever) technique has not really been even available in the US until relatively recently. I think it accompanied the widespread use of the WWW as a music learning tool (i.e. forums like this, Youtube, purchasing materials not widely publicized or available, etc) while the European (esp. Manouche) community (I assume) has been somewhat immersed in it since the QHCF days, at least those who were interested in it. Certainly that would put other continents behind the curve on this topic. And since it really takes immersion/dedication sustained for hours every day for literally years to reach the top level and since this music is not exactly "top 40" in the US it only stands to reason that most of the top players are going to be from Europe. That is not to say non-Europeans can't get there if something sparks their interest and they dedicate themselves (Gonzalo for example) but there will just be less people who even hear this music in America and even far fewer (with 'talent') who decide to take it up and can find the research materials to help them with their quest. I wish I had the spark back when I was young enough but sadly I was only listening to pop/rock, etc and didn't get a clue until decades later when I became interested in jazz and even later when I "heard" classic jazz then even later when I "heard" Django. I think if I'd taken it up and dedicated myself as a teen or twenty year old I might actually be a decently mediocre lead player by now :-).