My 1st week back at work for a full week after taking a couple of days every week during bird season....and I'm bored already....So... Here's a question bound to elicit a few different opinions and perhaps turn a few guys on to some great players. For the guitar players onboard...no voting for yourselves! One of my favorites....the late Danny Gatton, nicknamed "the Humbler" for his penchant for putting a few guys in their place while "headcutting"! :humpty:

Here's a link to Gatton Mp3's including my favorite Gatton tune the classic "Harlem Nocturne

http://www.dannygatton.com/av.html

Link Wray and John Cale(velvet undergound) - seen both of them at the old Living Room.
They could really jam

You stole my vote. As I have said on these posts before. Without a doubt. D G .I will say this though I started listening to Greg Howe last year and he is pretty incredible. I have his latest album and it is pretty impressive stuff, although most would not find it very toe tapping, it is a very technical playing style.

Not sure how "unknown" he is but the past few years I have gotten into Tim Reynolds

man, this thread has been beaten to death before!

You know who is the most unkown, known guitarist? Les Paul.
99.9% of guitarists never heard him play!

Les is in his 90's and still at it....a living legend!

He's living in a case in my attic:doh:

give this here a listen, its obviulsy lip synched, but realize this recording is ALL Les Paul and Mary Ford, no drums, no bass. Les recorded multiple layers of guitar at different speeds to get the bass sound and layers of guitars. All his recordings were in his garage, with multi track players he made and invented. check out his solo in this clip! absolute brilliance. this guy played more things on guitar than any rock player has in 50 yrs. Those that know would admit it too.
Les is THE most underrated player in this day and age, 50yrs ago he was a household name.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYlG7qb3iCs&feature=related


I met Les at the Iriduim in NY and he signed my Les Paul box set. The coolest thing is that his signature matches the headstock on my Gibson perfecty!

Wow...
Nice commercial in the middle Jim, show that to the wife.... :D

Great tone in the second song!

Pretty unknown from Brazil. He's done some nice work with Eric Gales (another pretty unknown to most people).
Mauro Hector

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtcU9CaFtrA&feature=related

listen to this one.
remember, one guy, thats it, made ALL the sound you hear. Multiple layers of guitars. No computers, no fancy guitar effects (he invented a bunch of those) and recordered with low budget gear, he made. Insane!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiJZDg3RT6s

Pretty unreal Jim..
Gales is a great one was well...
Check Youtube for Hector and Gales doing red house...

Pretty unknown from Brazil. He's done some nice work with Eric Gales (another pretty unknown to most people).
Mauro Hector

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtcU9CaFtrA&feature=related

I like this stuff, played it for years, but its wank. against a very basic structure, he can plan tons of wanky scales and ideas. Can you hum a melody from his playing, what sticks in your head? Prof M, what was it Zappa always said widdly wee wee or something when it comes to wanking players. It doenst impress me. I do like it though!

then theres the blues, everyone knows SRV, Clapton, BB, Clapton
How about magic sam or otish rush? ever hear these guys? Sure, you've heard Zeppelin try to play this...
yess saah....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy2tEP3I3DM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsXK2zL2-yM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoXI1zZbGIc

les paul is unknown?? :huh:

how about mimi fox??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3ThbLLL0tQ&feature=related

john scofield :smokin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isKY6Ht_OGQ&feature=related

eb, do you know anyone that has a Les Paul record? I've been around hundreds of guitar players and rarely have players actually heard him play, all know the guitar, but never heard the man.

I love Mimi Fox, that the style I love. In SF, my wifes company had their Christmas party at the museum of modern art and she played. I sat by myslef for 2 hours, drank and watched her play. It was my own concert!

she is a big student of the man....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyjQv52Nzno

:cool: Not unknown but certainly not known enough, Jonny Lang. Out of the Stevie-Clapton white man CAN play the blues mold. Looks like a little girl with growling voice like Howlin' Wolf.:eyes::cheers2:

good point Jim. Not many own a record, but Les Paul has been immortalized by Gibson..

Joe Pass is great. Mimi is almost too good..id like her to take a Valium and hear her play.

howz about taj?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mVWWmIXKxk&feature=related

andy laroque, king diamond's guitarist.

RIJimmy Here's a little Otis Rush and friends for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXzFPcpzB2Y

Jack White
Jim K

so many greats so little time. I am always hoping that I never run out of hearing someone new. Joe Pass is pretty hard to beat.

RI Jimmy you will like this little interview Steve Via did about joining Frank Zappa's Band. Frank was not easily impressed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6cplMM3d_Q

Thanks PM, a buddy showed me that while demosntrating his iPhone. Pretty wild! Did you ever hear Steve Vais Flex-able record? It was right after his Zappa days and very low tech and Zappa influenced. Not for the average listener, but cool. I will search you tube for the tune "Junkie" one of the cooles solos ever from SV.

got it
Junkie off of Flexable
Corny song, get the jist of it and skip to 2:55 for the solo. I used to listen to this thing over and over, probabaly one of my favorite solos of all time. Talk about a sense of humor!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OaLbZh_vl4

Saw Vai at lupos a few years ago.
good talent, but it is not a concert or album I'd listen to over and over.

They had some kind of guitar center promo w/ a local player on stage... he kind of treated her like a jerk and tried to upstage her... came across as an ass, I thought...

When I listen to that type of solo I think of Alan Holdsworth. He was the first one I heard doing that stuff. I got his album IOU in the early 80's and was blown away. Pretty unheard player too. I have someone, Canalman:wave:, trying to get some Lp's into cd s for me of Holdsworth. Like i said before this Greg Howe guy is pretty fantastic. If you like that style you won't be disappointed.

Guy I used to hang with, Jim Pigg. Hear a tune and would play it better. Had an unGodly gift for guitar and I've never heard anything like that since. Didn't want fame or fortune, just played for fun.

When I think Holdworth it always brings back memories of this guy, Hugh Ferguson. Hugh who grew up in Hingham was one of the 1st guy's I've ever heard play "tapping" style well before EVH became popular. He was a Holdsworth devote. Some may not like the "fusion" style but his mastery of the guitar is amazing for a self taught player. Hugh subed in for me for a year when motocross misadventures claimed the tip of my left hand ring finger and turned my pinky into a pretzel. (Not a good career move!) His brother Pete was a Santana clone; quite a talented family. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1077765352056395202

that guy is cool!

Here's a guy who a lot of people would say who? Lighting fast.
Eric Johnson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sh1P0earDU

One of the many times I saw the Dixie Dregs, later the Dregs, Steve Morse said that if you think he is good then you should hear this kid, Eric Johnson from Texas. He said he is doing things that will impress you. He was right. Great talent and a very individual style.

What can you say about this guy. Piano on the fretboard maybe. Very unique and talented.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHZTyfKseZE&feature=related

couple of veterans. Believe it or not I have several of these guys albums and listen to them right along with Ted Nugent

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-GHDQFy4-A&feature=related

This is how the only person I ever took lessons from played, position guitar. and he got me into looking for players using this guitar style, Pass, Burrell, Martino, etc... I wish I stuck with it but it was hard . If I could do this I would die a happy man. Probably why I most like an educated, music reading, usually studio musician, a la Larry Carlton.
Chords, got to love um. Always luv this tune
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIaseicCzFk

Always liked the late Roy Buchanan - here he is with Albert Collins:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp4BlGXwSew&feature=related

Tal is one of my favorites. The hardest part of learning his licks is that his fingers are like 12" long! There is a great documntary available on him. Left NYC in the heyday of jazz and was a sign painter in Jersey. Then he came back from retirement. Have you ever heard the Red Norvo trio? Red on vibes, Tal on guitar and Charles Mingus on bass.
If you like the chord/melody stuff check out George Van Epps.

great talent, sad life. Luv sweet dreams.
Funny how he and danny gatton both with somewhat similar styles, emphasis on somewhat, and mutual admiration committed suicide. Shame

I like all those old timers. Most really good players have Connie Hawkins, Dr. J ,fingers. Just not fair.

man cant believe this is on you tube, here is a real giant this is relatively unkown.
T Bone Walker, your first guitar hero. Led a big band in jump swing blues. Massive influence on BB King, Chuck Berry, Robillard/Roomful of blues. This guy really invented the guitar as a front line instrument and was an awesome player and showman. This is a really hip video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1xvx0UHa0A

sweet instrument and sound

he used to play behind his head, do splits etc. really invented the guitar showman moves that chuck berry and others picked up on. You can hear jazz ideas in his playing, we was pretty sophisticated.

hopefully FAR from unknown, but the father of the electric guitar. Charlie Christian. This in 1939 and the guitar was basically a rhythm instrument. this solo is perfect. I learned this note for note years ago.
And you cant forget Goodman for saying F segregation and brining in Charlie and Lionel Hampton, whihc excluded them from playing a lot of gigs. But when you had his stature, you can say screw the system and luckily for us he did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRfW_0foo_4

Here's another guy that doesn't get much notice. My favorite of the newer style players. Met him at a Mesa amp seminar; a genuine guy.:uhuh:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaVVZYOvMFY

Good call been a fan. Here is a great site for guitar music. I have ordered form them a lot. He is there.

http://www.candyrat.com/default.aspx

Mick Abrahams (Jethro Tull / Blodwyn Pig).......take a listen!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlIhBF-K9pU&feature=related

one of my favorite blues dudes... RL Burnside..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_IyQz_50IQ&feature=channel

RL unplugged..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIipLehco8M

My vote is for Elliott Smith. Very, very underated. Mostly finger picking acoustic. Most of the time it sounds like two guitars, but it is just him. Look him up on youtube. Check out the track "Angeles".

It has taken me years to learn his songs, and I am no where near what he could do. He died a couple years ago.

I saw Jacob play two weeks ago, this guy can flat out play:kewl:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NGY1lrULlQ

I can't believe Eric Johnson and Steve Vai were mentioned and no one's brought up Joe Satriani.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjNAeELQ_Z8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4fPv450OYM

[QUOTE=flyvice11787;645552]I can't believe Eric Johnson and Steve Vai were mentioned and no one's brought up Joe Satriani.





Great picks. Both really fantastic but not that unknown to me anyway.

[QUOTE=Bernzy;645497]Mick Abrahams (Jethro Tull / Blodwyn Pig).......take a listen!!!


Nice John. I will say one thing that guy looks nutin like a guitar player.:doh: I would have never guessed he was a musician if I met him on the street. Looks like someones machinist uncle or something.:D

The best unknown is some guy sitting in his basement playing while he has a day job....

[QUOTE=Bigcat;645548]I saw Jacob play two weeks ago, this guy can flat out play:kewl:

Very nice. I like that style of play. I can remember my uncle taking me into Passim's in Harvard Square many times to see guys like that. He is a big fan of acoustic players. These 4 below are a few of that style. Take a listen to Donald Ross who has been at if a long time and the other 3 are more new comers than he, Andy McKee, Eric Turnbull, Andy Fox. Got lots on MP3, cd if you need some.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TLWzY-Pkuw&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pbSvsIVTwQ&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T90ELHF8rIM&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJyeRx1gfns

The best unknown is some guy sitting in his basement playing while he has a day job....

So true there are so many great players out there that the masses have never heard. Guys that play for arts sake and not $$$$$$ and the guys that do. Its what is great about music IMO and what keeps the art form moving forward.

probably before a lot of guy's time that post on here
leslie west from mountain

I got one for you. Been called The Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele. Jake Shimabukuro. What he gets out of 4 strings is awesome. Give it a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CUywLspo0A&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mEqEe-PIC8&feature=related

another great deceased one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSzsDWTc4mY&feature=related

probably before a lot of guy's time that post on here
leslie west from mountain

eddie;
he has been mentioned.
Tautog01 and I saw him at Newport Blues Cafe in 2006. great club show!

Always slips under the radar. Here is Roy Buchanan doing a song by another great guitarists. Nice work in the middle of the video. He is well worth listening to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMcjPZgK9GM&feature=related

[QUOTE=Bernzy;645497]Mick Abrahams (Jethro Tull / Blodwyn Pig).......take a listen!!!


Nice John. I will say one thing that guy looks nutin like a guitar player.:doh: I would have never guessed he was a musician if I met him on the street. Looks like someones machinist uncle or something.:D
He looked like the guy in the middle back in the late 60's

Always slips under the radar. Here is Roy Buchanan doing a song by another great guitarists. Nice work in the middle of the video. He is well worth listening to.


Great tune I have it on cd. I have pretty much that same exact guitar too, too bad it doesn't come with his talent.

Since this thread seems to be slowing down I got 2 more greats that fly under the radar. If you have seen Clapton live you have seen Albert Lee as he has been his rhythm guy for a few tours. A Brit playing country. This guy can flat out pick with the best of them . Really like his style and sound. I remember when Stevie Gaines of L. Skynard got great recognition for his style of play . Albert could play circles around him. Not many play smoother than he. Give him a listen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-T6Dp2UAZo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PscAZyOMGiA&feature=related

The other is Arlen Roth another fantastic player. Can't beat that Fender sound.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P769t-_7MKo&feature=related

Not sure if he was mentioned but very talented
Danny Gatton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfBF4rr7FiA

Yes he was. He is my first #1 unknown. Fantastic player and unfortunately another suicide like Roy B.

Young Albert Lee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4F7LdbEgWo

Nice John. I really like the style, sound, he has today.

I dont believe in "best" when it comes to music, but if I was forced to name the greatest electric guitar player of all time, Id say Danny Gatton.
H

check this good ole boy out, Johnny Hiland, a disciple of Danny Gatton. Amazing style of playing, this stuff blows my mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjWmfPdbsco

that's definitely alright for sure. I also don't believe you can put a best on most things in music as all this stuff is totally personal preference. All these guys are fantastic. They make it all look so easy, never getting stuck or at a lose for an idea.

Have not heard this gentlemans name yet.
Steve Morse of the Dixie Dregs, Dregs,His own band and the lead for Deep Purple the last several years. Seen him up close and personal a few times and always left blown away. He plays for Deep Purple for the $$$ i am sure but this video will show his true genius. His hands are gigantic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIu7UA-823Y&feature=related

not unknown but not often heard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yohYSr3jIYk&feature=related


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUMRtHG69V8

check this good ole boy out, Johnny Hiland, a disciple of Danny Gatton. Amazing style of playing, this stuff blows my mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjWmfPdbsco



:claps::claps::claps::claps::claps::claps::claps:

Session guy from NYC, in Steely Dan touring band. Monster!

Skunk Baxter's got talent and a character to boot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LKHCMmHOKQ&feature=related

Saw Vai at lupos a few years ago.
good talent, but it is not a concert or album I'd listen to over and over.

They had some kind of guitar center promo w/ a local player on stage... he kind of treated her like a jerk and tried to upstage her... came across as an ass, I thought...


I was at that show too. The chick is still all over the music scene. A friend of mine produced one of her last EP's. Band is called Starr Faithful, I believe. Steve had a contest in every city on that tour where you sent in a demo to a local station and he picked a player to join him on stage for a tune. I met him at Daddy's in Warwick the morning of that show. He signed my Ibanez RG560 on the headstock and chatted for a while with us about his rig, tone, etc.. Very cool guy and wayyy out there! I don't recall thinking he was trying to upstage the gal on stage. I remember him saying "seriously, she was the best of everyone, not just because she's a chick!" Then said, "Speaking of chicks, how come no chicks ever come to my shows?". :^) I loved how he opened that show with the wacky glasses that had the spotlights on them and the tricked out axe with all the lights on it.

Very selective audience for SV. Mostly a roomful of players at his shows every time I've seen him.

Always slips under the radar. Here is Roy Buchanan doing a song by another great guitarists. Nice work in the middle of the video. He is well worth listening to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMcjPZgK9GM&feature=related

I love the volume swells at 0:44 to 0:52 Sweeet stuff there!

Here' quite a mix of players, Albert Lee,Vince Gill and of course Danny G
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8ljrPfsa50

8 years old
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix4TNJvVk8M&feature=related

one of the best acts you'll ever see. this guy does it all...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAI3QgssxKA

Delmar Fozdic is among the best unknown guitar players! His first album rivals players like Volmar Flipstatin and Jack "Strat-Stroker" Mulligan! :claps:

one of the best acts you'll ever see. this guy does it all...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAI3QgssxKA

Thanks I enjoyed that. So many out there just waiting to be discovered.

oh i got all kinds of stuff you'll like Paul. give me a few...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMONzLf8VvA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4pU3_Ia97E

A little "New" Chicago Blues

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O6UPXwapwY&feature=related