Hear ye! Hear ye! This eBook will revolutionize the world!

It’s taken me a year to finally be able to make this great announcement.

I’m happy to tell you all that I am now putting the finishing touches on the first volume in the Fretterverse Guitar Concepts eBook series, which will be available for sale very soon! Volume 1 is called “Scale Mastery” and, obviously, details a new method for learning scales and modes.

Surely, there have been hundreds of books, videos, and Internet websites dedicated to learning how to play scales. Everyone has an opinion, and everyone has a “trick.” So what makes this one so special? Why should you check out my eBook when you’ve probably already spent way too much money on everyone else’s?

If you really want to know, keep reading…

I’m not going to give away the farm just yet, but what’s important to know is that Scale Mastery is first and foremost not a book with a list of scales showing pictures of all of the available notes on the fretboard. (That, in my opinion, is not a good way to learn scales.) Nor is Scale Mastery a book of licks that hints at a certain “sound” that you can throw into your bag of tricks. Licks are great – everyone should have some – but again, not a great way to learn scales correctly.

No, Scale Mastery is a system of exercises that will teach you how to Deep Learn a scale; how to really get the sound in your ears and under your fingers so you can use it freely as opposed to shoving into your favorite line. There are no tricks, no secret hints that can shorten your learning curve so you sound like Pat Metheny in two days. No tricks, just a method for honest, hard-working guitarists to become better players and better musicians.

I will be releasing more information about the book in the next few weeks, so stay tuned. I promise it will be good, and I promise it will be more than affordable.

If you like reading Fretterverse, please spread the word. Sales of the eBook will help support this blog and keep it running.

Cheers!

The eBook is Coming! The eBook is Coming! is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

This is a list of the 20 albums, representing the past 80 years of jazz guitar, which I would consider essential to my collection. These albums cover a wide range of styles, genres and combo sizes, ranging from solo guitar to large ensemble. But what links them together is that they are, at least in my opinion, 20 of the finest jazz-guitar records ever made.

Compiling a list like this is extremely difficult, but these are the albums that I wouldn’t want to live without. That have touched me as a listener and shaped me as a performer. There are many other records, especially from non-guitarists, that have had a big effect on me over the years, but these are the 20 that I couldn’t see myself doing without.

Check out the list, there might be some albums on here you haven’t heard before and would like to have in your collection. Feel free to add your own selections in the comments section. Lists like this shouldn’t be definitive, and this one definitely isn’t, so go ahead and add your favorite records to it.

If all that comes out of this is that people are exposed to new music that affects their lives as it has mine, then this exercise has been well worth it.

Charlie Christian: Genius of the Electric Guitar

Genre: Bebop/Swing
Year: 1939-1941

Charlie Christian started us all down the path to modernizing the guitar within the jazz idiom. Being the first guitarist to be featured in a single-note fashion, in the same way that saxophones were at the time, Christian proved that the guitar could hold it’s own as a solo and comping instrument, which changed everything for those that came after him.

Though the sound of the record and the music may become dated over time, Christian’s playing has a timeless quality to it that will be enjoyed by generations of guitarists to come.

Johnny Smith: Moonlight in Vermont (Stan Getz)

Genre: Cool/Bebop
Year: 1952

One of the most successful guitarists of the late ’40s through the ’50s, Johnny Smith really hits the mark with this album featuring tenor great Stan Getz. Though Smith didn’t write the tune, “Moonlight in Vermont” has become synonymous with his name.

The arrangement features his characteristic spread chord voicings, classically based voice-leading and an ear for melodic development that is more compositional than improvisational. This is a great introduction into the musical world of one the 20^th century’s most accomplished guitarists.

Kenny Burrell: Midnight Blue

Genre: Blues Note/Bebop
Year: 1963

While a lot of the players on this list are known for their blazing chops and incredibly advanced harmonic approaches to improvisation, Kenny Burrell is included for the exact opposite reasons. Not that he doesn’t have chops, or isn’t sophisticated, but his playing on Midnight Blue is a clinic in blues-based, melodic and motivic jazz improvisation.

Burrell’s solo on “Chitlins Con Carne” is one of the finest blues improvisations on record. His choice of motive, and ability to manipulate it to create continued levels of interest, is a joy to witness as a listener, guitarist or otherwise.

Wes Montgomery: Smokin’ at the Half Note

Genre: Hard bop
Year: 1965

I know, I know, half the albums on a list like this could have been Wes’. And yes, I know his studio albums are some of best every recorded, but there’s something about this album that is unique and just draws me in every time I hear it.

Hearing Wes play with the Wynton Kelly trio, three of the finest musicians of their, or any generation, is impressive to say the least. Wes is in absolute fine form as he draws from a seemingly endless well of inspiration in his solos. It’s also a great album for those of us who didn’t have the chance to see Wes while he was alive.

Smokin’ at the Half Note provides an inside look into Wes’ approach to a live performance, and what he could accomplish when he wasn’t working within the constraints of the recording studio. This is definitely one of the best jazz-guitar records of all time.

Pat Martino: El Hombre

Genre: Bebop/Hard bop
Year: 1967

El Hombre is one of the best, and most influential, albums from Martino’s “early period.” For decades now, jazz guitarists have cut their teeth by learning Pat’s solo on “Just Friends,” and it’s now an essential and often required transcription in some of the nation’s top jazz schools.

While Martino would go on to experiment with modal music and Eastern sounds during the ’70s, El Hombre finds the young picker at his Bebop prime.

Joe Pass: Virtuoso

Genre: Bebop/Hard bop
Year: 1974

Virtuoso is an important and must have album for several reasons. It was Joe’s first attempt at a solo album, and one of the best solo records he ever made. As well, it transformed the way players conceived of the guitar in a solo jazz setting, opening the doors for future generations to explore the genre.

While his solo playing matured over the following decades, there is an excitement in his playing on Virtuoso that is absolutely engaging. If you only own one solo jazz-guitar record, this is it.

John Abercrombie: Timeless

Genre: ECM
Year: 1974

Timeless, at least to my ears, is one of the first album to redefine the jazz-guitar organ trio. This is an album that is purely modern in context. Sure, the tunes have changes and bebop inspired moments, but this album is not the typical ’60s Blue Note organ record that had come to define the genre at the time.

Stepping out and experimenting with both sound and context is nothing new for Abercrombie. His career’s work has been full of these things, but he really hit the mark with this record. His playing on tunes like “Ralph’s Piano Waltz” and the title track are some of the finest in his long and storied career.

The fact that this was Abercrombie’s debut album as a leader makes it that much more impressive. This is not only a great organ trio record. It’s a great jazz record.

Jim Hall: Concierto

Genre: Cool/West Coast
Year: 1975

Anytime you pair someone like Jim Hall with Ron Carter, Chet Baker and Paul Desmond you know it’s going to be a classic session. Though the album is known mainly for the ensemble’s lengthy interpretation of the “Concierto de Aranjuez,” Jim’s solo on “You’d be so Nice to Come Home to” has become a classic jazz guitar track. Concierto is a must have for any Jim Hall fan.

Ed Bickert: Like Someone in Love (Paul Desmond)

Genre: Cool
Year: 1975

One of the best jazz guitarists to come out of Canada, Ed Bickert turned listeners on their ears when he appeared on Like Someone in Love, led by the great Paul Desmond. Though Desmond’s name appears on the album cover, the saxophonist let’s Bickert shine on his many classic intros and extended solos.

Any guitarist wanting to learn how to perform in a piano-less quartet would be well served to spend time with this record. Bickert’s ability to comp and solo at the same time, as well as conjure up timeless chord solos, will have listeners wondering how many hands this Canuck really has.

Pat Metheny: Bright Size Life

Genre: ECM
Year: 1976

Metheny is another player who could easily fill half this list with classic solo records, let alone those he’s done with the PMG. The reason I’ve included “Bright Size Life” on this list is because it’s the record that started it all.

Jazz, and especially jazz guitar, would never be the same after countless fans heard that stairway of fifths that open the album’s title track. With a lineup to die for, Jaco Pastorius on bass and Bob Moses on drums, Metheny pulls off an album that any guitarist would love to have on their discography. To top it all off, he was only twenty-one at the time it was recorded.

Ted Greene: Solo Guitar

Genre: Cool
Year: 1977

Though he only released one album during his lifetime, Ted Greene knocked the ball out of the park with this record. With stunning arrangements, an unbelievable tone and an unworldly command of the instrument, Greene didn’t have to release a second record, he had already solidified his place in jazz history with “Solo Guitar.”

One of the most under-appreciated and undervalued players and guitar educators of the 20^th century, Greene has recently found a new generation of fans and loyal followers through a new memoir and website dedicated to his music and pedagogy. If there’s anyone on this list that deserves greater recognition, it’s Mr. Greene.

Ralph Towner: Solo Concert

Genre: ECM
Year: 1979

Beginning his musical career as a pianist, fans all over the world are grateful that Ralph Towner decided to change instruments and become the prolific guitarist and composer he is today. Sounding more like an orchestra than a guitar, this album features Towner firmly in his element, performing solo six and twelve string guitar.

The energy that Towner builds with each song is compelling, leaving the listener wondering what else this talented improviser has up his sleeve. Released on the ECM label, this record mixes modern classical and jazz in a way that has come to define not only Towner’s output, but the label itself.

Lenny Breau: Five O’Clock Bells/Mo’ Breau

Genre: Modern/Modal
Year: 1981

Lenny Breau is often thought of as one of the forgotten geniuses of the jazz guitar world. Those who were lucky enough to see him perform, or study with him, while he was alive will often go on and on about what an amazing player and human being Lenny was.

Though he never became the big-name artist that many, including long-time supporter Chet Atkins, had hoped that he would, his musical legacy lives on today in many of his classic recordings of the ’60s and ’70s.

Five O’Clock Bells/Mo’ Breau features Lenny in an intimate, solo-guitar setting, with some vocals thrown in as only Lenny could. His playing is creative, focused and technically impressive, providing one of the best representations of Lenny’s capabilities as a guitarist.

Emily Remler: East to Wes

Genre: Modern Bebop
Year: 1988

Though her career, and life, was cut short due to a long battle with drug addiction, Remler’s music will remain an integral part of the modern jazz-guitar vernacular. With a nod to one of her idols, Wes Montgomery, Remler’s playing on this album is both traditional and modern at the same time.

She has a strong command of traditional jazz vocabulary and her time feel is first rate, but she also brings to the mix a thorough understanding of modern jazz harmony and improvisation. Though she didn’t live long enough to reach her full potential, albums like “East to Wes” are as good as jazz guitar gets.

Mike Stern: Standards and Other Songs

Genre: Modern Bebop
Year: 1992

Mike Stern has had a long and illustrious career, with many considering him to be the biggest name in jazz guitar today. Starting out playing in fusion groups, including Miles’ band in the early ’80s, Stern surprised everyone when he released “Standards and Other Songs.”

We all knew he could play, his previous album “Upside Downside” is a fusion classic, but few people would have guessed that Stern had such a virtuosic command of the bebop idiom.

Any and all of his solos on this record are a treatise on how to play modern bebop. He never misses a chord change, his substitutions are dead on and he screams energy from every solo. With everything he’s done to date, this album stands out as the pinnacle in a long and successful career.

Ben Monder: Dust

Genre: Modern/Avant-Garde
Year: 1997

Though Monder had released Flux before Dust, this is often considered the album that introduced the virtuosic composer/guitarist to the world. This album is not your traditional jazz fair, and most would find that it’s more of a 20^th century avant-garde classical album than jazz, but regardless how one defines this record, it’s a must have for any serious jazz guitarist.

Kurt Rosenwinkel: East Coast Love Affair

Genre: Modern
Year: 1996

Rosenwinkel has firmly established himself as one of the leading figures in the modern jazz movement. His compositions borrow from modern rock as much as they do from modern jazz, but early in his career Rosenwinkel released two albums that focused more on standards than on his own compositions.

One of these albums is the live trio-record “East Coast Love Affair.” Kurt’s playing on this record is outstanding. Showcasing his ability to comp for himself as he weaves through single-line solos, Rosenwinkel’s playing is a study on how to play guitar in a modern trio. As enjoyable to listen to as it is to study, “East Coast Love Affair” is a must have for any fan of modern-jazz guitar.

John Scofield: A Go-Go

Genre: Modern Funk
Year: 1998

Featuring jazz giant John Scofield and funk wonder-trio Medeski, Martin and Wood, “A Go-Go” is often considered the pinnacle of the jazz-jam band genre. Borrowing from ’70s funk groups like the Meters and mixing in their own unique blend of modern jazz, these four guys rock and roll through every track on the album.

As well as being an enjoyable album to get up and groove to, the record has introduced a whole generation of young musicians to the world of jazz. Fans of funk and jam bands, who normally wouldn’t have sought out a jazz record or gone to a jazz concert, were suddenly exposed to the work of Scofield and other great jazz guitarists. For that fact alone, this album makes this list.

Joao Gilberto: Voz e Violao

Genre: Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2000

For those of you who are familiar with this record you might be scratching your head as to why an album with little to no improvised solos is included on a list like this. Jazz guitar doesn’t have to have single-line solos to be considered worthy music, it just has to be great music. Gilberto’s performance, as both vocalist and guitarist, on this record is exactly that, great: his voice and guitar come together to sound as if they are one. His rhythms are authentic yet personal and his right-hand punctuation always supports and accentuates the vocal line, never taking away from it.

With so many great soloists in the jazz-guitar genre, a rhythm specialist like Gilberto stands out for his simplistic, yet engaging, approach to the genre. If you only own one Brazilian Jazz album, this is it.

Dr. Matt’s 20 Essential Jazz Guitar CDs is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

Dave Matthews

Not every guitarist wants to be original. Many people grow up just wanting to sound like their heroes. When John Mayer first hit the scene he sounded very much like SRV, as did Jonny Lang. There are plenty of guys imitating Dave Matthews nowadays, and certainly there are more than a few Holdsworth devotees. I don’t think there is anything inherently wrong with that at all. If that’s what inspires you to play and you like how you sound, more power to you! I just might be very content to sound just like Metheny, Martino, or McGill.

But for those of us who would like to add their own personality and flavor to our playing, becoming a true original and finding our own musical voice seems to be a very daunting challenge.

This is just my personal theory, but I think becoming an original player has more to do with doing something different naturally more so than purposely racking one’s brain to try and set themselves apart from the pack. Someone stumbled upon an idea or way of learning because they didn’t know any better and before you know it they have found their own voice.

So you might be thinking, “Well, that didn’t happen to me, so does that mean I’ll never be original?” Certainly not. But, I think those of us (and yes, I’m including myself) that didn’t have the luxury of stumbling upon something great and just went the traditional guitar-learning route, will have to think outside the box a bit more.

Take Risks

In its simplest form, being truly original is all about taking risks. It’s also about having the conviction to press ahead and stay the course while everyone else is trying to keep you down. You have to run as fast as you can towards the big prize – being able to play the music you hear going on in your head. That is the only true manifestation of your talent. This, of course, requires a certain facility with the guitar, so obviously you’re going to have to practice, but that should go without saying.

Start With One Thing

Many original artists really only do one or two things very well. The Edge has his delay pedal. Tom Morello has his wah-wah and turntable sounds. Don’t feel like you have to go out and completely start from the beginning. Latch onto one thing and milk the crap out of it. Mutate it. Dissect it. Explore it in every conceivable way. Get every last drop out of it, make it a part of your style, and then move on. If you just scratch the surface and never really dig in then it’s more about luck than determination and hard work.

Fail, and Fail Again. Then Fail Some More.

If you’re afraid of failing, you should probably give up playing guitar altogether, let alone try to find your own voice. The measure of success lies in how quickly you stand right back up after every failure. The messier and dirtier you get from each failure, the faster you need to get back on your feet and move forward. I’m inclined to believe that the people who succeed the greatest are the ones that have first failed the worst.

Just Be Original

If you love playing completely out of tune and think that’s the “thing” that makes you truly original, then by all means keep doing it. Everyone else might hate it, but they certainly can’t say you aren’t original, right? More realistically, however, you’ll probably work out a few things on the guitar that, coupled with the way you currently play, will present a unique and interesting twist that many have not heard before. Don’t be confused; being original doesn’t mean you have to be completely, 100% different than everyone else. Eddie Van Halen wasn’t so off the chart that people couldn’t identify with his playing or learn his songs, but he had enough tricks in his bag that were distinctly his own that he became a true, original icon of guitar.

Have Confidence…

Make people notice what you’re doing. If you are afraid to stand out and be original, you won’t. If you hesitate because you think people won’t like what you’re doing, then you’re not finding your own voice – you’re finding everyone else’s. You need to be able to put yourself out there and be unashamedly bold about doing what you do. In many cases, your confidence will win people over more so than the actual part of your playing that is unique to you.

Find Your Own Musical Voice is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

The Jamey Aebersold Jazz publishing company released a five-volume series of Galbraith method books for jazz guitar study. Today I want to talk about Volume 2 in the series – Daily Exercises in the Melodic Minor and Harmonic Minor Modes.



As stated by Galbraith himself in the Introduction:

Many of my students, both amateur and professional, have come to me with an inadequate knowledge of the Melodic and Harmonic Minor Modes. The exercises in the book will prove helpful in mastering this very important material.

Excerpt from Barry Galbraith Melodic Minor Mode Exercise

That’s honestly about as much instruction as you get in the book. Although there are a more few pieces of insight and information given in the Introduction, Galbraith gets right to the heart of the matter by providing very lengthy exercises in many keys for both the Harmonic and Melodic Minor modes. Each exercise takes up two full pages!

Very minimal fingering and string suggestions are given for each exercise. I suspect, and this is just a guess, that Galbraith wanted users of the book to rely on their common-sense and their ears rather than bury themselves in the technical details of fingerings and his way of doing things.

I’ve gone through most of the exercises in the book, and I will say that not only is it a great way to get the sound of the modes in your ear and under your fingers, it’s also fantastic for sight reading practice! You will definitely give yourself a great reading workout!

There is not a whole lot to take apart from the book. It’s as straightforward as you will ever see and really gets to the heart of how I love to learn (and teach), which is just do it; over-analyzing can kill your ability to learn.

My suggestion would be to sightread through the exercise a few times at first, and then turn on the metronome at a very slow tempo and try to play through each one. Once you are able to play an exercise all of the way through you can work on phrasing and other aspects of your playing.

Whether or not you are trying to learn jazz, if you want some more sight reading material, or even if you are just looking for something new to check out and get under your fingers, Galbraith’s no-nonsense approach to learning the Harmonic Minor and Melodic Minor modes will absolutely challenge you and make you a better player by the time you are finished.

You can purchase this (and other) Galbraith books from the Jamey Aebersold Jazz website.

Daily Exercises in the Melodic Minor and Harmonic Minor Modes by Barry Galbraith is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

Mike Ian - Puzzle Pieces

Back in college, my friends and I came up with a nickname for musicians who were so good that we felt compelled to cut off one of their fingers to make it fair for the rest of us. We called these folks “nine-fingers.”

When I met NJ-based musician Mike Ian, it took all of about 10 seconds before we gave him the moniker. In fact, we pretty much made up the nickname for him specifically and then just applied it other people we knew as well. (Scott McGill also comes to mind.)

Mike recently released a new CD called “Puzzle Pieces” and when I received it in the mail I was anxious to put it in and give it a spin.

I’ll get to the actual review in a minute, but I feel that some more background is in order. You see, I met Mike in the music lounge in college. At that time (late 80′s/early 90′s) we basically took over the lounge and turned it into a jam house. Picture “Fame” but hetero. (Just sayin’… not that there’s anything wrong with that.)

The final straw for us wasn’t watching in awe as Mike played some of the most amazing guitar music we’ve ever heard. The final straw for us was when he most humbly told us that he felt he was just a guitar hack because his main instrument was drums!

(We almost stuffed him in the trunk of a car right then and there.)

But he’s right to a point; he is also a phenomenal drummer. You can hear him playing on my progressive rock band’s CD.

Anyway… I felt the background was important because Mike not only played guitar on Puzzle Pieces, but also drums, bass, banjo, pedal steel, and vocals. He also wrote all of the lyrics, recorded, engineered, and produced it. He even designed the CD cover himself! To say that Mike is multi-talented would be like saying Einstein was pretty smart.

Puzzle Pieces

Puzzle Pieces  is a ten-song musical extravaganza that incorporates country, rock, and pop influences into a very solid, likeable, and great-sounding package. The engineering is fantastic, all of the instruments sound great, and Mike sings damn well, too! (This is the first time I’ve ever heard him sing in the 20+ years I’ve know him.)

Fans of Jellyfish will instantly fall in with the CD’s opener Ticket to the Moon. An incredibly hooky song with a great guitar intro, leslie speaker action, and overall a very tight arrangement.

The Sweetest Sound has something of a surf rock meets country vibe going for it. Great vocal harmonies and pedal steel work really shines through here. A nice, tight guitar solo safely weaves its way through the bridge. Definitely a song that you will be singing in your car with the windows down.

The title track, Puzzle Pieces, like Ticket to the Moon, starts with a cool guitar riff. This song reminds me very much of Kevin Gilbert. Beatles fans will really love the chorus, and the second verse has a really cool shuffle feel to it that gets your head bobbing up and down to the beat.

My Lucky Day shows out Mike’s country influence quite a bit, while the ballad The White Gown has a great Peter Gabriel vibe to it. I know Mike is a huge Gabriel fan, but he pays homage rather than wear the influence on his sleeve.

Mountain Song reminds me of the group Train in many ways. It’s a very solid song, but hasn’t quite moved me yet as much as the others. I’m sure the song will grow on me – as pretty much all of Mike’s songs do – but I think it may take a little bit longer to catch on with me than the rest.

The pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and get going, feel-good inspiration song of the CD is definitely Better Days. I don’t know why, but I just had a feeling even before I listened to the CD for the first time that Mike would have a song like this. He’s such a positive and encouraging person, it almost seemed inevitable. Having a bad day? Put this song in and crank it up. Need some motivation to take that next step? Better Days will help you do it.

The Great Escape is a bit hard to peg down. If “Yes meets the Dixie Chicks meets Spock’s Beard” makes sense, that’s how I would describe it. You gotta throw a bit of Jellyfish in there as well. This is a mid-tempo song that perfectly sets up the next track…

Take Another Way is a foot-stomping romp. Banjos, mandolin, acoustic guitar, really get the song moving, right into a great country-rock up-tempo groove. King’s X style vocal harmonies are strategically placed to catch your ear and keeps pushing you forward to yet another catchy chorus that you’ll be singing along with.

The bonus track – Tele Chicken Pickin’ – is also the most guitar-focused song on Puzzle Pieces. The only all-instrumental song on the CD, there is a ton of pedal steel bends, country runs, and great picking. Whereas all of the other songs are instrumentally arranged to complement each other, TCP is definitely a showcase for Mike’s guitar playing. It’s not total country, either. I would put it a little more skewed towards Steve Morse than Johnny Hiland.

All in all, Puzzle Pieces is a very solid songwriters CD and a great showcase of songs you will want to play many, many times. Although you won’t hear as much guitar-centric arrangements that are usually featured on guitar blogs, songwriting is, in my opinion, more important than shredding. I really enjoy listening to how guitars enhance a song rather than dominate. There is just enough great guitar work here to inspire even the most die-hard guitar-only fans, and if you like to sing along while listening then you can’t go wrong here.

For more information, and to purchase Puzzle Pieces, please visit Mike Ian’s website. You can also look forward to hearing Mike play drums on some upcoming Din Within recordings!

Mike Ian: Puzzle Pieces is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

A View From My Window was recorded in 2008 and just released in 2010. Featuring Assaf on guitar, Alon Farber on sax, Daniel Sapir on bass, and Udi Shlomo on drums, AVFMW is a nice, mellow ride with some interesting twists and turns to keep you on your toes.

Todidido, the CD’s opening tune, immediately sets the pace with a very nice melody and counterpoint line between Kehati and Farber. They quickly take it down a few notches for Kehati’s solo. Metheny’s influence on Kehati’s playing is apparent but not overdone or cloned. Kehati certainly has his own voice, of which some sprinklings of Metheny is evident.

Passover, and obvious reference and tribute to the Jewish holiday, straddles the line between a ballad and slow-tempo contemporary bop tune. A bit hard to describe, but it’s a great tune. Lots of thematic phrases in Kehati’s solo, hinting at the harmony and going outside just enough to let his hair down. Sometimes it’s hard to keep things fresh and keep the listener engaged when there is no polyphonic harmony going on behind the soloist; this is not a problem for Kehati.

Quit Now, the third track, is an up-tempo tune that starts right off with a sax solo, accompanied only by drums. The late-era Coltrane recordings immediately come to mind, and though it would be something of a stretch to compare Farber to Coltrane (with all respect to Farber, of course) it’s a great song-opener with excellent phrasing.

A quick head melody is played, and then right into Kehati’s solo. This is the highlight track of the CD for me. I think it’s the most interesting composition and showcases their best performances.

Reflections would have been the worst title for a song had this not been a ballad. Luckily, it is a ballad, and perfectly placed on the CD after the frenetic Quit Now. Nice chord melody work, with just a hint of delay on the guitar to fill in the spaces. My second favorite tune on the CD.

Sunshine Berale, though a perfectly fine song, is perhaps my least favorite on the CD. That’s not to say the song is bad by any means, but it didn’t resonate with me quite as much as the others.

A View From My Window was written by Kehati after seeing a snow-laden view of Fenway Park from his apartment. The Green Monster certainly provided some inspiration for the song, as it features overdubbed, counterpoint guitar solos. This is, perhaps, the most interesting part of the CD overall, though I’m still partial to Quit Now for overall song. Some more Metheny influence peeks its head here, with some hints of guitar synth and more nice chord melody playing to finish things up.

All in all, A View From My Window is a solid outing from Kehati, and I look forward to hearing his next release, which he says will be out sometime later in 2010.

For more information on Kehati and his band – currently featuring Billy Hart (Miles Davis) and Eli Degibri (Al Foster) – and to order the CD, please visit Assaf’s website.

Assaf Kehati Quartet – A View From My Window is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Ty Tabor

Pat Metheny

Allan Holdsworth

B.B. King

Eric Johnson

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