I feel like letting space breathe is one of GT’s best assets. I feel like it’s the same as how if you are talking to someone and you just pause and keep eye contact, they start to feel uncomfortable with the silence and they start talking again. You could almost get someone to confess to a crime by just holding their eyes in silence after a question. It’s exactly the same thing with too many guitar players.
Find someone who looks at you like Guthrie looks at Larry, and never let them go. These dudes always blow my mind. Got to see Guthrie at Newport Folk last year, ran in to him a few times around Newport that weekend, got to shoot the breeze with him and buy him a drink. Hell of a human being and one of the finest guitar players we get to share this time alive with.
10:15 pushes you like Duane Allman & Dickey Betts, the greatest co-leads to ever exist, pushed each other. Pretty sure that wasn't even a thing before them. There was always a lead player and a rhythm player. Never 2 lead guitarists swapping duties throughout gig. And especially not like they did it. Hell, Duane pushed anybody he shared a stage or session with. That's how great he was. He made everyone want to play their very best, and they pushed themselves to meet those expectations. Duane and Dickey were something special together. Would've been incredible to see where things would've gone after 1971.
I watch Tom's channel often and dig his intro jams. So much is freely shared in those videos by a master of the instrument. Search RU-vid for the Oz Noy and Tom Bukovac video. Fantastic stuff there. Cheers!
Jordan is such an awesome drummer. Went to see GT trio play and ended up watching Jordan mostly. He played the snare with his hands, used like 5-6 different types of sticks and was just all around badass.
Been in town for a little over a year now and told Jordan recently that he's by far the best I've seen yet, and I've seen a ton. Being able to see them every Monday night at The Underdog is an absolutely insane treat.
Every song that was posted ( 5 so far, I believe )from that show has been nothing short of an amazing, moving and stellar expression of top class musicianship.
I'd like to see you check out Doyle Bramhall II. With his family background is crazy! Eric Clapton and also Roger Waters snatched him up to play with on tours. So I really like to see you do something on him. Thanks!
I don’t think it’s as much about being pushed as in threatened by the other guitar player’s chops but a genuine respect for the other’s taste and talent. They’re not setting out to make the other look bad, they’re looking to inspire one another. Absolute top of the pack talent there. That’s what I love about it…a true passion to just make great music!! Thanks for sharing!!
I’m 51. Grew up on my father’s vinyl collection. Started playing guitar at 12 and my guys were the rock shredders. VH, Satch, Vai, etc etc. I without a doubt put these two cats in that echelon of playing. I’ve seen GT maybe 6 times now. Couple with his trio and rest when he was backing up John Oates. In both situations he has been just fantastic. Seeing him with his trio though is something else. He’s absolutely and utterly devastating. His band is rock solid as well. Lost my father couple years ago and one of my earliest memories is sitting listening to his vinyl. He always held trios in high regard. “Lots of great bands out there” he’d say. “But a great trio is the real deal. There’s no hiding in a trio. No room for weak links”. That always stuck with me and I’m a sucker for trios. GT is one of the BEST I’ve ever seen and one of the best you’ll ever get to witness. Add Uncle Larry to that mix and forget it. If you have not seen these guys….GO!! GT started coming up to NY to play the Bitter End. Hes gotten so popular up here that he sells out IMMEDIATELY. Can’t wait to see them again on their three night run in November.
I was at the Underdog this past Monday (when John Oates and Jimmy Hall performed with Guthrie) with a dear friend who is a professional drummer in Nashville. He was incredibly impressed with the rhythm section as well. Hats off to the ENTIRE Guthrie Trapp Trio.
As good as the playing was by these two cats (effing insane).. your commentary really nails it.. you pick up on, and can put into words, what most of us are probably thinking but can’t put into words what they’re doing - well done 👊🏻
I got to see this in person and it was amazing. Since moving to Nashville it’s been tough to not hit the Underdog on Monday nights for the GT Trio - it’s absolutely mesmerizing every time. Great music from great dudes. I highly recommend it if you’re visiting. Stay away from Broadway and go to the Underdog or other spots similar!
Hi Michael I was 10 feet away at the bar having a few Corona… the whole night was epic … Nashville ..The Underdog Bar …. It’s a total dive bar… Guthrie every Monday night … This was part of a showcase weekend of all the top guitarist’s in Nashville. Only in Nashville
My boy Tim Marks on the bass! Drum tech’d for Jewel on the road for a run and he was on bass for her. A beast in the pocket. Such a phenomenal bass player
I watched this earlier on their channel and then see you're reviewing it, I had to see your reaction lol. The interview with them on Rick Beato's channel was awesome. Just two guys having the time of their lives.
Thanks for covering this. The plague brought out the gift of guitar over those months. Go do a gig with Trapp, Uncle Larry and Jed. Four Muskateers of the COVID Sage!!!
Love these kinds of grooves where musicians get to showcase their talents alone and together. The ability to improvise and not sound like you're improvising is so cool.
These guys are not only great but cool as hell, I want to hang out with them. Tom is one of the most complementary players ever. Who wouldn't want to play with somebody that has this level of feel
To your point at the end - I completely agree about putting people around you that push you to be better. I also agree with not spending your whole guitar life worried about technique. Technique and music theory is just learning the language - no one cares how many words you know, if you're not putting those words together to create interesting things to say!
This has one of my favorite ‘sounds’ ever… that old live Zappa or even page on ‘since’ live… so much space and the reverb man…. Just insane. And that drummer… sweet baby heysus….
Hey Michael what's your take on drone (e) music, I've heard Joe Pass discount it, but it seems to be a big force in music today. Do you think it's a fad or something here to stay? Thank you for your lessons. Joe said it puts the listener to sleep, is this some kind of psych experiment, was Joe wrong, or do we need to be lulled into something these days. Just wondering, asking questions that cut across the grain for the sure humanity of it. No offense, I like it, but then sometimes I don't. Of course these guys are masters but are they too good?
Wow. Just WOW. I've been following Uncle Larry for about a year now- what a humbling experience (between him and Greg Koch, who I discovered about the same time...). But I have a question. You did Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4" and Terry Kath's soloing a while back. I'd kind of written Chicago off during the Cetera period, only to run into this a while back. Talk about putting a spark back in the old band! Very interesting mix of guitarwork between new Chicago hotshot Keith Howland, EWF guitarist Greg Moore (I think) , and Bill Champlin trading licks. This falls under a couple different categories- best showstopper/closer, best combination of two bands, and especially the different approaches to leads, especially between the R&B/Funk based EWF, the 80s flash of Howland, and the old school classic rock of Bill Champlin. Another great example of this is the Yes Tour that essentially combined old school Yes with "Owner of a Lonely Heart" vintage. Finally, gotta love elder statesman Verdine White giving Mick Jagger a run for his money! Whaddyathink? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OA8zo54CeqI.html
Anyone with fingers can learn to play fast, given enough time and practice - but this inherent level of musicality includes a large amount of "feel" that just can't be taught - they were born with it.
You’d be hard pressed to find a bigger fan of GT’s but I’ll respectfully say that the sound of his guitar is not the best I’ve heard from him. Dunno if it’s the mic, EQ… something is off. Still an amazing performance but really not the best example of his brilliance. Everybody has an off night; GT has them once every ten years. The guy is a wicked beast, creative player.
These Trapp clips are some of my favorites. Trapp is on my Rushmore as an adult who has had more phases in my guitar playing than some people have learned songs. He and Tom, wow what a killer pair.
