Supergroups come along every once in a while. Them Crooked Vultures and Chickenfoot certainly come to mind as two of the latest. It’s always interesting to hear what creations they make, especially when they come from diverse backgrounds and musical styles. What’s interesting, however, is that most of the time the music just comes out sounding average; certainly less than the sum of its parts. With that in mind, I’ve assembled a list of five guitarist collaborations that I would like to see happen. Who would you like to see?
1. Vernon Reid (Living Colour) & Wayne Krantz
Both spent their formative years playing jazz and pop/R&B. Both have very unique and original playing styles, and both embrace the slightly left-of-center approach to composition and improvisation. I’m envisioning some wild electronica infused with jazz harmonies, samples, and down-and-dirty bass grooves.
www.livingcolour.com
www.waynekrantz.com
2. Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth) & Fredrik Thordendal (Meshuggah)
Perhaps the most obvious and logical grouping of my five, I would love to hear what these two would come up with. Fredrik’s Holdsworthian solos gliding effortlessly over Mikael’s layered guitar riffs and acoustic folk harmonies would make for some beautiful melodic moments. Then things would instantly shift to Meshuggah-esque rhythmic figures from hell while Åkerfeldt delivers his haunting vocals and harmonized guitar lines.
www.opeth.com
www.meshuggah.net
3. Andy Timmons & Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Dixie Dregs)
This collaboration can only bring out the most gnarly playing anyone has ever heard. (Yes, I said gnarly; deal with it!) What I love about this match-up is the versatility both players bring to the mix. I would venture to say that the sky is definitely the limit with these two working together. The only downside is that CDs can only hold about 72 minutes worth of music!
www.andytimmons.com
www.stevemorse.com
4. Pat Martino & John Scofield
Pat Martino has always struck me as a gentle soul with just a touch of devil’s playfulness in him. Though his nature is that of introspection and calm, when he plays we can only wonder what demons are being exorcised. “Sco” also has a playfulness to his style, but where Martino blazes through the sky at Mach II, Sco likes to perform aerial acrobatics like the Blue Angels. I think the pairing would be very interesting, particularly during long vamps and modal tunes. Sco’s chorused tone would also be an excellent compliment to Martino’s dark and woody timbre.
www.patmartino.com
www.johnscofield.com
5. Jimmy Herring (Aquarium Rescue Unit) & Brian May (Queen)
I realize this one might be a bit of a stretch, but I think the orchestration genius of May coupled with the off-the-cuff wizardry of jam band master Herring might end up being the best duo of the five groupings. I can just picture Herring wailing over a wall of May-infused guitar chordal harmonies.
www.jimmyherring.net
www.brianmay.com
What Are Your Pairings?
Don’t be shy; I would love to hear who you guys think would make great collaborations.
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Ritchie Kotzen and John Mayer
You might remember Ritchie Kotzen as the replacement guitarist for Paul Gilbert. If you look up Mr. Big’s last tour in Japan, I think you’ll find his playing to be a nice mix of rock/blues and a tad surprising.
His solo work is solid, but his singing can become a little annoying, … pair his playing ability and blues style with John Meyer’s voice and composition and I think the sum of these parts would bring about a wonder array of music with a great big yummy chunk of bluesy riffs and solos.
Interesting combo, David. There would certainly be a massive amount of blues in the music they come up with. I haven’t really paid much attention to Kotzen so I’m not sure what he sounds like nowadays, but if he is able to lay back and bit when necessary then I think they could pull it off quite nicely.
Thanks for your suggestion!
robert fripp, one of my favorite guitarists, i’m sure one of yours as well, has already collaborated and bounced off some great guitarists, andy summers, adrien below, david sylvian (great match up) and his league of crafty guitarists…i have an off the wall match up – but i’m sure it would generate a noise somewhere between beautiful and heinous: robert fripp and mike ness!
I like Fripp, but I’m not really a die-hard fan of his. And, I’m sorry to say, I don’t know who Mike Ness is; but I’m going to find out!
it would be frippertronics collides with rockabilly punk. one’s cold and controlled and the other is emotional and unabashed. it would be slumming for fripp, and mike ness (social distortion) would probably break bottles over fripp’s head, but i think the sound of this hypothetical partnering would be ungodly.