I mean, I love Matt Schofield's playing, but I just cannot get over the insane inventiveness of Oz Noy's solos - when he goes off on one of those kinda odd scale riffs that sound like they shouldn't be allowed on stage but somehow just crank my gears - absolutely love this jam. Possibly my two favourite guitarists in complete relaxo mode. Awesome...
Oz is a true guitar genius. He plays all 12 notes, and some in between, on a rig that is a fraction the cost of matts. Matt is a great player. It just boggles my brain that people don't know what they are witnessing with oz. at least warren Haynes, Eric Johnson, allen toussant, etc etc etc see his genius. PS, the mic placement of the cell phone this was recorded also adds to the harshness in oz's tone.
+Glenn Cohen So it's a Jew thing...?? Just kidding ;) I like his playing very much too, though I can understand why people prefer Matt's playing, because he travels the usual paths.
Any of those guys shine brighter on any given day. I'm a jew from NYC so obv an Oz fan but matt schofield, while playing less out and quirky, consistently has the best strat tone out of anyone ImO. Josh Smith, Guthrie Trapp, eric gales, these guys...all next level making guys like us wanna give up on a daily 😢😂
Looks like oz is using the back line that was provided. Those that say Matt>oz need to understand that oz is respectfully playing to matts gig. Search for the video of Eric Johnson visiting oz on his stage and come back here and say Matt > oz...
they are both great players, i think oz still has more control of playing in and out of scales and making it sound funky. he also delivers a much more solid rhythm to matts soloing/singing in the beginning few minutes. matt did not keep such a good steady strum when oz played tho...
Matt's gear is far superior to Oz's setup here. Take into consideration the fact that the Two Rock wall that Matt's playing through probably cost anywhere $5-10 grand, and Oz's Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, or one of their cheaper small combo amplifiers, probably ran less than $400, and that despite that enormous price gap, he can still play like that with that harsh and shrill "tone" (which comes out much more when chording, than with single note lines). A lot of players tend to tighten up with tone like that, and limit their own playing because they can't come to terms with their sound. To be able to put that aside and just rip on the axe like Oz has done, is a remarkable feat. Nonetheless, both are fantastic guitarists. It would be nice to have equal volumes as Oz is overpowering concerning his dynamics. Great keyboardist/organist, and a tight rhythm section really drive this thing home! All around spectacular performance.
As far as I'm aware Benson was a big endorser of Twin Reverbs and Polytone Solid State Amps, which are both highly regarded for their clean tones. Benson also uses 12s and 14s in the studio. Comes down to the hands man. George is just a flat out monster. He could play anything and make it sound like a million
zodiacbluesbaby george has 2 fender signature models i think. but a hotrod delux with a 12au7 in the v1 slot. will pull off a george benson hotrod sound dead on. he does have a gb twin also. twins are extreme and powerfully clean beast.
Anthony Mark I agree Anthony. The blues aint got no place for this kinda pretentious bullshit. Just can't understand why Matt even let him on the stage.
+Barry Jansen I can't tell if you're being ironic or not. But I'll agree w/you that I don't know why Matt lets Oz on stage since he gets his ass kicked every time he does. Matt's a terrific modern blues player. Oz is also a terrific blues player, and his funky rhythmic sense and his larger harmonic vocabulary just take things to another level.
Matt Scofield gets his arse kicked ?.Noy crowbars everything 'theoretically' possible into a blues,he sounds like a technique book.Painful to listen to at times but as long as he keeps a straight face he's allowed to get away with it..Scofields harmonic vocab is just as wide,he just doesn't beat you over the head with it every two bars..
Anthony Mark Kind of amazing that you hear and view it that way, really. There's nothing wrong w/ a person liking what they like. But it sounds like you've got an idea of what blues is supposed to be, and that Oz is violating the rules. Sure, he plays outside the boundaries of traditional blues guitar, but in no way is he forcing what's "theoretically" possible into the blues. His playing is strongly based in the blues gtr vocabulary, but it's rhythmically and harmonically enhanced by his jazz vocabulary--quite tastefully so. And no, I'm sorry, but Schofield's harmonic vocabulary is NOT as wide as Noy's. (John Scofield, yes. Matt Schofield, no.) If you think Oz sounds like a technique book, whose playing is at times painful, I can't imagine what you must think of jazz/be-bop blues playing, b/c that vocabulary is much different, greatly expanded. That must be excruciating for you. Schofield is a terrific player. But while it's possible to make delicious food w/ only salt and pepper, there's a whole world of spices out there that can really make things more interesting. Oz takes advantage of that larger spice pantry.
It's amazing to me you think that of Scofield?..He,like Robben Ford,walks softly but carries a big stick,they have tons of technique at their disposal but don't feel the need to batter you over the head with it like Oz Noy seems to.Two choruses in and he's played virtually everything he knows,it's overkill (for me anyway).I do have an idea of what Blues is.It's not playing pentatonic licks whilst you're waiting to unleash your latest whole tone scale lick.to me it's juvenile playing."I know I can use this so I'm going to" whether it fits or not.
Of course Oz is not trying to impress anybody, he is a musician (a great one) telling a story. You are calling weird something obviously you don't understand.
Matt isn't more melodic (less if anything), he is just playing simpler blues vocabulary. Oz is a more advanced player with a very deep grasp of the jazz language.
