Alex Skolnick of TESTAMENT & Dave Davidson of REVOCATION discuss Jazz Guitar 

Metal is often challenging music to play, and these two players really exemplify the insanely high level of musical prowess evident in the genre, right now.

David Davidson is by far one of my all time favorite Metal artists, as well as the musician who got me into Death Metal.

I showed interest in jazz because of Alex and got even more invested because of Davidson. It's been a decade and I'm about to transfer into my Jazz Studies undergrad. It's made me a better metal player and just a more well-rounded musician in general.

Revocation = The most underrated thrash/death band. Every album is just modern metal perfection!!

This is an awesome video. I don't think I've ever seen Dave Davidson as happy as when he's jazzing out on guitar.

it's funny how all the best metal guitarists are super into jazz / fusion... such a wide range of skills

Okay... favorite video of all time. That’s it.

Man, Dave must have had a blast doing this video, I always hear Testament's riffs influence on his songs, such a nice guy he is.

one of the coolest stories I have is after they headlined Armstrong Metalfest, I was driving both guitar players from Revocation back to their hotel, and they were discussing Chopin vs Liszt in the back seat.

Music has always, and will always be a mood based creature for me. There are days I love metal, days I love jazz, and dare I say, even days I really dig country. It is really amazing listening to someone like Alex Skolnick break down how he sneaks jazz sounds in to his metal solos, and Davidson discuss the wide variety of jazz influences he's had over the years. Very cool!

I love jazz influence in metal music!

Two of my favorite guitarists at the moment. Been following Skolnick since "The Legacy" came out in 1987. Now recently discovering Davidson, I've had their tunes in my car on repeat for months now.

I wish you would have more videos like this. So much more interesting.

You know, I think the best part about these two guys is that they are both supremely kind, and genuine humans. I've enjoyed their music for years. Seeing how friendly and generous they both are with fans at shows is really the ultimate testament to their character. Their talent is obvious, there can be no revocation of that fact.

This is absolutely great, 2 of my all-time fav players, would totally buy an album of them 2 playing together.

The formation of damnation is an outstanding album, early 2000’s we’re a great time for testament, and Skolnik was my favorite guitarist in the scene. Good memories:)

Awesome video!!! Liked and subbed! Please please consider doing a jazz episode with Jim Root, he’d be down for it for sure!!

Man I love Dave as a host for this sort of stuff wish there was more content like this I’d watch it all

Holy shit. This is a jazz duo I didn't know I needed until now!

this was awesome both guys are amazing players and seem super chill

2 of the best guitarists of heavy metal playing jazz together awesome

you guys need to put out a three song project. You seem to connect so well. I would love to to hear that.

Great stuff from two immensely talented musicians.

Nothing better than two super smart metal guys crushing stereotypes and showing everyone what it's all about🤘.

This is the second video I've seen with Dave wearing that same shirt.

The pattern he's talking about around 8:20 is the lead in for the title track (I think?) of Chrono Trigger

that arpeggio at 8:43 or what ever sounds like an opening sax line from John Coltrane's A love Supreme

also appropriate that their drummers have such a connection, Ash was kind of the protege of Gene Hoglan during Gene's SYL days in Vancouver

Masterclass from these two 🤘🏼💀🤘🏼

Wow..this vid is one that makes you tube worth the ads..what a great display of diversity, insight and talent from two of my favorite guitarists.

It surprises me that Alex would think any specific run of notes would be too jazzy for metal. It's all about the delivery. Metal lead playing will accept pretty much any series of notes that make sense musically over the backdrop, and even a lot that doesn't make a damn bit of melodic sense.

Love Dave's grin when he's jamming

The pattern Skolnick talks about at 8:25 reminds me of Chrono Trigger.

Great vid! You should have done a "Guitar Gods" logo for this one! 😉👍

Wow. These guys are a wealth of musical knowledge.

Dave is such a good guitar player. Very underrated.

great interview/vid !!!

It's scary how these two guys make playing guitar look so easy...

Awesome!

Nice! Solar!

David Davidson’s Revocation and Steffen Kummerer’s Obscura are the best modern bands and guitar players out there today. Hail Modern Music!

awesome and wise.

A big fan of both of them! I know that most of the jazz bands doesn't have vocals, but these guys should do something with Myles Kennedy (awesome guitar player too)

More please

Great video!

What an awesome interview.

Please do a U.S. tour together.

Okay, this is epic

This is great. Alex's reputation speaks for itself, and DD is perhaps metal's greatest current torchbearer for six-string virtuosity. Revocation is a lot of fun live, too!

These dues rip and are classy as hell.

Awesome video 8]

Incredible. 🤘🏻🔥

If you are feeling this have a listen to Mahavishnu Orchestra's, The Inner Mounting Flame

Legends

I'm going to be honest, I liked this video during the add

alex's hair is experimental jazz

God love you, Gear Gods

I love jazz and metal, jazzmetal fusion is superb. Listen to bands like Exivious. A lot of prog metal uses a lot of jazz. Alex is one of my favorite players, Randy Rhoads is better 😁🤘

Genios!!!

I love Alex Skolnick, but he plays jazz in a really weird way. It's as if he were trying really hard to play stereotypical jazz, but still always ends up playing it as if it were metal. I guess it's because rock and metal were the first styles he played, as he explains in the video. I'm not hating at all; it's just an observation. The dude is a monster guitar player. It's weird though how NOBODY ever mentions the Attention Deficit albums, which in my opinion have some of his best work, because he wasn't trying to play in any box, and all his styles just melted together. On the other hand, I'm gonna have to check out more Revocation!

12:30 a million times this

Maravilhoso !!

Awesome video, need moar!

i wish dave had some more time to solo

lol @ dave's smirk

Everybody's love Raymond really ruined me. When I see and hear Alex Skolnick, I see Ray Romano

Exhibits A through Z of why one should nail down music theory 🤘

I hate that skolnic feels like he has to "sneak stuff in". Metal players will love it if you play it.

Al Di Meola was the John Petrucci of the 70s....

Metal and jazz are the dark souls of music

Everything i play sounds like jazz cuz i dont know theory and just hit the all the notes my fingers can reach

holy shit lmao awesome

Lil wayne would School these two Guys on Guitar.

Do some Joe Pass.....

Great stuff. Love your music. However, Parents Music Resource Center was headed by Tipper Gore, and she and her husband are not considered “right wing.” They would be considered liberal aka “left wing.” Parents Music Resource Center was behind the parental advisory movement.

the stubborn guys end up making garbage, music is music and what you make suits your karakter most. you can make thrashmetal sound really jazze or visa versa. megadeth peace sell drips jazz just due to the 2 jazz fusion players beeing in that band then.

Does Dave only own one shirt or does he have a closet full of Dodecahedron shirts?

Can't wait for metal to tank again so I can see this duo at Middle East upstairs ;)

Sorry but Alex's clean picking is way too hard. Sounds like shit without distortion.

jazz and metal are the same thing...

ps: bring the Metal Skolnick, i don't like the Jazz Skolnick, the other guy is awesome and monster lead player, im drowning :'''''(, also bring the Metal Dave

Jazz sucks and will always suck.

Grew up on the big four of thrash. Testament was equally important of an influence. I wish ANY of my thrash heroes had progressed to our modern days of drop tuned extremes. Most of them don't even fuck with 7 strings let alone the 8, 9 or 10 string monsters I play. You're never too old guys to come to the heavy side!