Mark Knopfler ('Sultans of Swing' - new direction)
Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter (Doobies and Dan)
Ritchie Blackmore ('Smoke on the Water' live!)
Mick Ronson (I love his solo on 'Moonage Daydream')
Jimmy Page (You're thinking: He's left him out!?!)
Andy Summers (Sounds like an orchestra)
George Benson (The whole of 'Breezin'- fantastic!)
Eddie Van Halen (anything by him!)
Yngwie Malmsteen (blew my mind live in Cardiff)
Joe Kohn (Al Kohn's son - brilliant)
Frank Gambale (blew my mind live in Brecon)
BB King (Any better bluesman?)
Pat Metheny (his work with Jaco Pastorius)
John Williams (great technique)
Wes Montgomery (best groover ever)
Jan Akkerman (really, he should be in my top ten!)

All Legends!

Barney Kessel

Here's a taste of what Barney was like:
I played with him 5 times on a tour of South Wales he made 16 years ago.
My brother (he played drums) and I turned up early -he wanted to run through a few songs. I took my bass guitar out of the case. I'll never forget what he said then: 'Son, if you end up sounding like f***ing Pastorius I'll invoke Clause 3.' We ran through a few songs. I survived. The concerts were a success - a big learning curve. Each night we played 'Cherokee'. The first night he counted it off at breakneck speed and on each successive night counted it off faster! My fingers have never forgiven me. Incidentally, after the tour, I asked his agent what 'Clause 3' was. 'Clause 3', came the reply, 'is Barney's right to ask you to leave the stage at any time, if he's not happy with your playing.' I'm glad I asked at the end of the tour, not the beginning..

Herb Ellis

I played with Herb Ellis 15 years ago in Caldicot Leisure Centre. It was fantastic. His use of chords was amazing! I shouldn't have been surprised.. We nearly didn't make the gig - the snow that night was awful and the heating failed in the Centre.. You guitarists and bassists out there know how difficult it is to play well with cold fingers. We all spent 20 minutes in the men's room holding our hands under the blow-driers! Got some funny looks! It worked, though.

Charlie Byrd

Brecon. 20 years ago. Played solo most of the time, called us onstage for the few numbers in each set. Wonderful, completely original lines!

Martin Taylor

In my opinion, the finest of an excellent bunch of British players. Great sound, great technique, great chords, great lines, great accompanist, great everything. It was a privilege to be in the same room as him, let alone the same stage. Unforgettable!

Tal Farlowe

A similar story here to Barney Kessel. A friendly warning about 'being too fussy on that bass guitar thing'. A lovely guy, though. The concert went well apart from one thing: As the concert went on, he got increasingly irritated with the drummer (not my brother this time) for being too loud. He asked him several times to play quieter, to no avail. 3 songs before the end he asked him to leave the stage! He and I played duets! Until the end! What an experience! The 'space' he left me (as a bass player) was unbelieveable.. And his playing - solo - was unlike anything I'd heard before.. Tal Farlowe - I salute you!!

In no particular order..

Joe Pass

Wonderful technique, all the licks and riffs in the world, brilliant accompanist, but above all (if you know what I mean) you can hear his heart and soul in his playing.. 2 highlights:

Listening to him live (solo) 20 years ago in the Penarth Jazz Festival playing 'Embraceable You'.. Heartbreaking lines - no tricks, what he played could have been the new melody for the song.. People were so moved there was silence at the end of the song, until someone was jolted out of their reverie and started cheering, and everybody eventually joined in.. Unforgettable..

Live at Montreux 1977. Onstage with (wait for it..) Oscar Peterson (piano), Nils Pedersen (by 3 million galaxies, the best bassist ever), Bobby Durham (drums), Ronnie Scott (Yes, THE Ronnie Scott), Milt Jackson (ace vibes) and Clark Terry (fluegelhorn). The song was 'Donna Lee'. Joe Pass blew everyone off the stage (apart from my superhero, Nils) with his chord choices and then his solo.. One word: Wow! Look it up.. Check it out..

Mark Warner

Who, I hear you ask? I'm essentially a sad person. Anyone remember Quantum Jump (late 70s), most well known songs - 'Ain't No American Starship' and 'Lone Ranger'? This guy is phenomenal - fluent, innovative, exciting, as good as anyone in his field (rock, blues).. The final part of his solo in 'Ain't No American Starship' contains one of the most original lines I have ever heard.. The best way to look out for it is that it comes just after the guitar sound changes from 'clean' to 'fuzz' and reverb is added.. Make a sentence from these words: 'neck of stand it the hairs neck back my on made the up'. If anyone can tell me anything about his career apart from Quantum Jump I would be very grateful - leave a message..

George Wadenius

I'd known this guy as a jazzer who sang the notes he played as he played them, if you follow.. Brilliant! Then he turned up on Steely Dan's 'Alive in America' (which I, completely unbiased, think is the best live album ever made) and made me laugh out loud with admiration! If you don't believe me, get the cd and listen to his solo on 'Bothisattva'.. It's the blues. WOW! There are riffs and licks to die for - you've gotta listen to it! It should be made compulsory for every household to have a copy of 'Alive In America'!
And then dig up more of his work.. It makes you happy to have ears!

Lee Ritenour

What can I say? Beautiful player.. Listen to 'Rit' and his work with Dave Grusin - lovely tone.. There's a song of his that everybody should sit down and listen to: 'Marketplace'. A model of melody, rhythm, chords and improvisation all in one. An old favourite of mine.. Cheers, Lee!

Larry Carlton

Don't tell anybody, but he is my favourite guitarist.. I've listened to his work more than I have listened to anyone else.. When he improvises, everything seems inevitable, it all falls into place! His thoughts come through his fingers onto the frets and into your head, and it all makes complete sense.. Then you shake your head with disbelief, play it again and discover you were right in the first place! Listen to:

Rio Samba
Kid Charlemagne (Steely Dan)
Tequila (Not complicated, but awesome and fun!!)
Third World Man (Steely Dan)
ALL of 'Larry Carlton Strikes Twice'

I think the guy is a genius, and if any of you check him out and enjoy, then this lens has done some good..

If you disagree, or partly agree - great! These are my opinions, based on fact (in some cases) and ears for the rest! I would check out Mark Warner again, tho', as a dark horse.. I listened to him again and he's sounding really good.. These people are so much better than the 2008 vintage - in my opinion, of course.. Can anybody present me with some fantastic 2008 evidence of better technique, riffs and lines - better than my favourite guys?

Last thing, one of my friends showed me the following piece of kit, which I found brilliant - I wish it had been around when I was starting out.. It's called 'Riffmaster Pro Slow Down Software' and you can install and use it it slow down your favourite solos to play along, copy, improve (!!!) or change them.. It's unbelieveable.. I managed a Joe Pass solo recently (and improved it.. Ha!).

Seriously, it's genuine and well worth the effort - it improves your technique from the start, trying to get your fingers to do what your hero does.. It makes you think about your playing - try it!

Riffmaster Pro Slow Down Software:

Click Here!