with Chris Lightcap on bass and Ted Poor on drums. This concert took place at the Doré Theatre on the campus of CSU Bakersfield in 2006. The audio/video technician was James Dethlefson.
I was lucky enough to host this performance at CSU Bakersfield. It was a stunning day with Ben, Chris and Ted. They did a killer clinic with my music students and then an amazing show - what a blast this show was!
Great music. Not for the faint of heart. I shake my head thinking of how many people wouldn't even know how to begin to listen to this, largely because of their "popular" music programming.
Chris was using a bass from our school (CSU Bakersfield) and it wasn't cooperating with him. Ben killed though - one of my highlights as a professor at CSU Bakersfield was bringing these three guys to the University. Great day for me and our students...
@chessmeister Monder doesn't have any traditional classical training, he basically figured it out on his own. The classical guitar position he uses provides a better angle for the right hand when playing fingerstyle, and also makes it easier for the left hand to stretch over multiple frets. It also helps that his hands, like Holdsworth's are freakishly large!
I read about him in the Penguin guide to jazz so I took a chance and purchased his album Flux. The man is part scientist part poet. I'm not a guitar player but I think of Holdsworth also when I hear him play and vice versa. I purchase anything with him on it.
I saw Monder recently in Berkeley California and he said that he thought chords should be thought of as notes "stacked" not thirds I assume. He asked the audience for note choices, 3, 4, 7, 9, then he showed how to harmonize them in different modes to get new chords. It was important I think to note that was a technique he used to move toward the brilliant playing he does... not a formula.
@fakesoundsjazz1983 You know what Monder likes about Holdsworth? You're sure he doesn't love Allan's brilliant "actual" note choices? Monder is new to me, but he's quickly joining Holdsworth as one of my favorites. You are right, though, that we all like what we like. But I certainly wouldn't presume to know how to label these guys. Too rock, more real jazz, etc...
