Showing posts with label Guitars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guitars. Show all posts

6/21/2023

Concert Review: Martin Barre At The Worthington Country Club

                     Martin Barre Concert-A Brief History of Jethro Tull

The Worthington Country Club, Massachusetts

June 18, 2023

https://martinbarre.com/martin-barre-tour/

Nestled in the country along Route 143 off Worthington Road in Massachusetts is the beautiful Golf Links, owned by David and Helen Pollard. It was my distinct pleasure to attend the concert being held there with Martin Barre. For a few reasons: I knew the Pollards very well and had worked for them for five years in the early 2000s. And I had not seen them in 14 years! Secondly, I am very familiar with Martin’s guitar playing with Jethro Tull, covering several of the reissues of their group’s studio recordings over the years, seeing them play live with the band, and providing coverage before he departed on his solo career. With that in mind and being able to see some old friends, I had been anticipating this event for months.

 

We had a beautiful clear blue sky with the sun shining to usher in this rock legend; however, as the night rolled on, it got a bit nippy, and Martin was warming his fingers to keep them agile.

Martin Barre is one of the finest guitar players in the world and has been for many decades. Now in his 70s, he has not lost a step in showcasing his six-string virtuosity. I was to realize this fully last night as he made his way through two lengthy sets. His band consists of Dan Crisp (lead vocals/keyboards), Alan Thomson (bass), and Darby Todd on Drums. The lead singer bares a remarkable resemblance to a younger Phil Collins. That is what I recognized in short order. And besides that, after belting out the first number with authority, he did a complete turnaround. He sang like a young Ian Anderson, including all the facial expressions and mannerisms of the Jethro Tull mastermind and leader, writer, singer, and musician.

 

Another surprise may have been Martin being an accomplished flute player. I had known this, but many in attendance were surprised. The crowd expressed their delight as Martin handled his second instrument quite well. Quite honestly, and even though I still enjoy Jethro Tull to this day, Ian has lost his voice due to age and wear and tear, and nobody ever could replace Martin on guitar. It has not been the same since he left the band.

 

This night I relived the good old days with Martin wailing away and rocking the crowd and Dan Crisp doing a splendid job with each song from the Tull catalog. There are so many outstanding Tull albums and much ground to cover. Martin and his band are tight and did a marvelous job recreating all the music. Even Ian Anderson would be impressed.

 

The first Tull album I got was Warchild back in the day when there were record and CD clubs that no longer exists. It still stands as my favorite album. Now there are many different choices if you are a vinyl enthusiast to choose from. Hearing them play “Warchild,” “Back Door Angels,” and “Sea Lion” was a treat for the ears and senses. And of course, there are many of the favorites that the audience recognized immediately, such as “Bouree,” “My God,” “Thick As A Brick,” and many more, including the all-out rocking encore numbers “Locomotive Breath” and “Teacher.” Martin and the band ended the show on fire, cranking out those two prog rock classics. Fitting, it ended with plenty of fireworks from Martin’s guitar.

 

It was another night for me to remember, and an honor to be able to see the show and report on it. Thank you, David and Helen, for the night that will forever be in my consciousness and for giving this old rocker a smile from the inside out.

 

If you like the beauty of nature and outdoor music, visiting the Worthington Golf Club this summer is a must. Look at what is on tap for the rest of the season and get your tickets here: https://worthingtongolfclub.com/music-concerts-and-events.

 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

June 19, 2023

First Set:

Look Into The Sun

Someday The Sun

Cat’s Squirrel

We Used To Know

Serenade To A Cuckoo

Bouree

Sossity

Bass Solo

Back To The Family

Nothing To Say

My God

(chat) Thick As A Brick

Passion Play

Whistler

Black Satin Dancer

Back Door Angels

(chat) Warchild

Sea Lion

 

Set Two:

Acres Wild

Jack Frost

(chat) Under Wraps Acoustic

Under Wraps Electric

Protect And Survive

Watching Me

Fallen On Hard Times

Too Old To Rock & Roll

Slow Marching Band

(chat)
Locomotive Breath

Teacher

1/21/2022

Renowned Bassist Hansford Rowe Presents His New Signature Bass by Tao Guitars The HR Superleggera

The Superleggera’s body shape is unique and perfectly balanced. The subtle references to the great Marcello Gandini (Lamborghini Miura, Alfa Montreal) are sublime. The brushed aluminum hardware is entirely bespoke. The bridge is made to my design parameters (as tool free as possible) with Tao’s usual attention to detail and magnificent design aesthetics. The pickups are custom Benedetti.” - Hansford Rowe

American bassist Hansford Rowe began his career in the clubs of New York City. With French drummer Pierre Moerlen, he reformed the jazz-rock group Gong. PM’s Gong is considered one of the great fusion bands of the late 70s. Recording guests included icons like Mick Taylor, Steve Winwood and Didier Lockwood. International touring soon secured Hansford a place among the world’s leading bass players and work with Mike Oldfield, Allan Holdsworth, John Martyn, Biréli Lagrène, La Monte Young, David “Fuze” Fiuczynski, Gary Husband etc Hansford, with Warwick bass guitars and guitarist Jon Catler developed the first Just Intonation bass. He is considered an expert in the use of alternate tuning systems. His last record is Decadence by Gong Expresso.

Tao Guitars was founded by Belgian luthier duo Serge Michiels and John Joveniaux in Brussels in 2004. The boutique builders collaborate closely with customers to perfectly outfit guitars to the individual and since the two luthiers handcraft all of the instruments by themselves they limit their output to just a few instruments per year. Infused by a deep sense of design and inspired by architecture, Italian auto design and Japanese aesthetics, Tao’s work is a perfect balance between functionality, tone and adventurous design. For more on Tao Guitars, please visit: http://www.taoguitars.com/.

HR Superleggera Bass by Tao Guitars

• Lightweight Swamp Ash body
• Neck-through of Bosnian maple with a Wenge center (tinted black)
• Wenge fingerboard with brushed aluminum fret marker inlays
• Custom proprietary Benedetti pickups
• Proprietary aircraft-grade brushed aluminum hardware
• Circular graining of electronics box aluminum lining
• Modified Hipshot lightweight tuners
• Proprietary titanium truss rod by KTS Japan (single bar, double action)
• Fret and nut material 18% Nickel / Silver (Maillechort – copper, nickel, and zinc)
• Paint: Lamborghini Oro Elios
• Scale: 34.5”
• String spacing at nut: 9mm
• String spacing at bridge: 17mm
• Fingerboard radius: 14”
• Weight: 7.8lbs
• Price: 14,000 Euros


For more information: www.hansfordrowe.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

11/26/2014

Book Review: 108 Rock Star Guitars

Book Title: 108 Rock Star Guitars
Photographer/Author:Lisa S. Johnson
Paperback: 396 pages
Publisher: Hal Leonard Books; Reprint edition (November 11, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1480391476
ISBN-13: 978-1480391475
Product Dimensions: 9 x 1.1 x 10.5 inches

At this time last year I had the pleasure of receiving, reading and reviewing the coffee table book 108 Rock Star Guitars by Lisa Johnson. The hardcover version is gorgeous and a real keeper. Now it is available in a beautiful paperback edition. The list price is $54.00 however Amazon.com has it for $34.56 currently and that is steal for what you get in return.

One question about this book that may arise the first time you see it is why 108 Rock Star Guitars? The belief in numbers and combinations of numbers has a long history back to the early times of mankind. They hold spiritual and cosmic meaning. Dependent on your own beliefs or research you may have done this may or may not apply in your life.

To get to the point, this is a book about guitar players in the world of rock. The author and photographer isLisa S. Johnson, who spent the last 17 years compiling all the intimate photos and stories behind each musician and their six strings. The pictures presented are jaw dropping accounts of well-known performers in the industry.

With these detailed and striking photographs each guitar becomes an extension of every individual musician’s body and soul. The end result of the images and words gives a unique personality not to only the musician but the guitar itself. The beauty in the pictures is all the nicks, scratches, and wear and tear. With all the warts you get the story of how the instruments matured into what you are witnessing. 

This is a work of commitment, love and devotion beyond compare. It is a book about music that should not be missed. If you play guitar or are thinking about it, this will inspire and fascinate you endlessly.

From legends like Eric Clapton to Slash, you get much more than the visuals you get the story in their own words on some of the most famous guitars to ever grace a stage. 

Tis’ the season and I you now have a reason to give the gift of music.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder Write A Music Review, Prog Rock Music Talk, New Age Music Reviews, Rate The Tracks

November 25, 2014

Book Review: 108 Rock Star Guitars

Book Title: 108 Rock Star Guitars
Photographer/Author:Lisa S. Johnson
Paperback: 396 pages
Publisher: Hal Leonard Books; Reprint edition (November 11, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1480391476
ISBN-13: 978-1480391475
Product Dimensions: 9 x 1.1 x 10.5 inches

At this time last year I had the pleasure of receiving, reading and reviewing the coffee table book 108 Rock Star Guitars by Lisa Johnson. The hardcover version is gorgeous and a real keeper. Now it is available in a beautiful paperback edition. The list price is $54.00 however Amazon.com has it for $34.56 currently and that is steal for what you get in return.

One question about this book that may arise the first time you see it is why 108 Rock Star Guitars? The belief in numbers and combinations of numbers has a long history back to the early times of mankind. They hold spiritual and cosmic meaning. Dependent on your own beliefs or research you may have done this may or may not apply in your life.

To get to the point, this is a book about guitar players in the world of rock. The author and photographer isLisa S. Johnson, who spent the last 17 years compiling all the intimate photos and stories behind each musician and their six strings. The pictures presented are jaw dropping accounts of well-known performers in the industry.

With these detailed and striking photographs each guitar becomes an extension of every individual musician’s body and soul. The end result of the images and words gives a unique personality not to only the musician but the guitar itself. The beauty in the pictures is all the nicks, scratches, and wear and tear. With all the warts you get the story of how the instruments matured into what you are witnessing. 

This is a work of commitment, love and devotion beyond compare. It is a book about music that should not be missed. If you play guitar or are thinking about it, this will inspire and fascinate you endlessly.

From legends like Eric Clapton to Slash, you get much more than the visuals you get the story in their own words on some of the most famous guitars to ever grace a stage. 

Tis’ the season and I you now have a reason to give the gift of music.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder Write A Music Review, Prog Rock Music Talk, New Age Music Reviews, Rate The Tracks

November 25, 2014

3/25/2014

Gear Reviews: Sound like The Edge for Under $1000


PictureIn light of the new The Edge section in Gear Guides, I think it is appropriate to write an article about sounding like Edge on a budget. We'll set the budget at $1000, and I'll show you that it is pretty easy to get his core sound with a relatively small budget. Granted, we won't be able to cover everything, because the amount of required pedals alone would surpass $1000, but the following rig is one that I have personally used and have had great success with.

Gear Reviews: Sound like The Edge for Under $1000


PictureIn light of the new The Edge section in Gear Guides, I think it is appropriate to write an article about sounding like Edge on a budget. We'll set the budget at $1000, and I'll show you that it is pretty easy to get his core sound with a relatively small budget. Granted, we won't be able to cover everything, because the amount of required pedals alone would surpass $1000, but the following rig is one that I have personally used and have had great success with.

2/12/2014

Introducing Tone Chaser: A Place For Guitar Players

Picture

It's no secret that most guitar players spend a of money on their hobby. We buy, we sell, we spend countless hours researching, trying to find the tone in our heads. My goal for tonechaser is simple - to share my knowledge and experiences with you. VISIT THE SITE NOW!

Introducing Tone Chaser; A Place For Guitar Players

Picture

It's no secret that most guitar players spend a of money on their hobby. We buy, we sell, we spend countless hours researching, trying to find the tone in our heads. My goal for tonechaser is simple - to share my knowledge and experiences with you. VISIT THE SITE NOW!