Axsak

Wagner Music

M.I.T.

The Magazine for
Contemporary Guitar Players

Darin Scott

Dick Wagner

Cds For Sale

Cub Koda 1948-2000 Check out the Cub Koda Tribute Check out the Cub Koda Interview and Discography Snuffy Walden Interview and Discography - Tuneup Updates - Lot's has been going on in the guitar world, and here is a list of a few important guitar related updates: IDG Books has just released the book "Blues For Dummies" and it is authored by Cub Koda, Lonnie Brooks, & Wayne Baker Brooks. Real Blues Magazine of Victoria, BC, Canada has just awarded "Blues For Dummies" as the best blues reference guide. Cub Koda and his other former partners in Brownsville Station Michael Lutz & Henry "H-Bomb" Weck have just been featured in an episode of VH1's "Where Are They Now". So keep your eyes peeled and look for that. As part of The National Guitar Workshop The USC Studio/Jazz Guitar Department will be giving guitar seminars & master classes from June 25-30, The featured USC teachers will be Richard Smith (The USC Studio/Jazz Guitar Department Chair), Pat Kelley, Joe Diorio, Frank Potenza, Steve Trovato, & David Oakes.Other USC related news Pat Kelley & John Pisano have just recorded a live CD at "Rocco" in Los Angeles, which should be released sometime this year, and Pat is currently putting the finishing touches on his new solo CD "In The Moment", which will also be released sometime this year. Snuffy Walden's debut solo recording for Windham Hill Records that was produced by Jim Cregan should be hitting the stores soon. Scott Bradoka has been busy, besides the recent release of his third solo CD "Pulse", Scott has co-produced and guested on The Evan Hall Band's debut CD "Four Fried Chickens & A Coke", as well as writing, playing on, and producing a track for jazz vocalist Douglas Powell's CD "Just Listen." Steve Hunter is currently on the road playing guitar in Tracy Chapman's band in support of her new CD "Telling Stories" that features Tracy Chapman, Steve Hunter, & Tim Pierce on guitar. Michael Landau News: Stolen Fish's dedut CD "Give Me A Ride" is now available, Mike played guitar on the disc as well as producing it. Mike will be playing live with Stolen Fish June 21st & July 21st at the original "Baked Potato" in Studio City, CA. Mike has also been doing some live shows with The Michael Landau Trio, Karizma, & Greg Mathieson. Some Darin Scott News: Darin has been working on his debut solo recording at Downtown Digital Studio's , Saginaw, Mi with Dick Wagner producing, the first tune that they recorded for the disc was a song that Darin co-wrote with Pat Kelley, the recording should be out on the market for a Christmas release. Darin has also been adding some guitar tracks to Laura Morris's debut CD "Summer Days", and he has been writing, and playing guitar with Kent Messer, Dick Wagner, & Ray York for the soundtrack for the movie "The Rocket's Red Glare". Pop & R&B vocalist Laurie Stuber will also be recording one of Darin's songs on her debut CD. - Record Reviews - Thumbs Up Ray Pizzi, Carol Kaye, Mitch Holder - MR-C Music Produced By : Carol Kaye, Ray Pizzi, Mitch Holder, and Peter Kaye Engineered By : Peter Kaye Recorded Live at McCabes, Santa Monica, Ca and at The Jazz Bakery, Culver City, Ca Featured Musicians : Ray Pizzi, Carol Kaye, and Mitch Holder Thumbs Up is Mitch Holder on guitar, Carol Kaye on electric bass and Ray Pizzi on sax and flute, and this is the debut recording of this drummerless trio. Working without a drummer is quite an undertaking especially for a live recording, because of the heavy responsibility that it places on the players to hold the whole thing together from a rhythmic, and harmonic standpoint. But with musicians the caliber of Holder, Kaye, and Pizzi it's no problem, as they rise to the challenge and produce one of the best jazz recordings of 1999. From the opening bars of "Green Dolphin Street" to the closing bars of the discs 11th and final track "My Secret Love", the listener gets the pleasure of hearing three seasoned and highly esteemed musicians at their very best.. For guitarists, Mitch Holder just simply plays his but off, with the guitar highlights being on the cuts "Green Dolphin Street", "Thumbs Up", and "Freefall." Just check out his killer tone and his exuberant go for broke approach to his improvised solos, and his pristine selection of playing the right note at the right time. Mitch Holder is one of the most unsung talents in contemporary jazz guitar.. . With the telepathic chemistry that Holder, Kaye, and Pizzi have together, I only hope that there is many more recordings and live performances for them in the future. Thumbs Up deserves a strong Thumbs Up. - Darin Scott Larry Carlton Fingerprints Warner Bros. Produced By: Larry Carlton & Paul Brown Mixed & Engineered By: Paul Brown, Don Murray, & Dave Rideau Featured Musicians: Larry Carlton, Vince Gill, Michael McDonald, Abe Laboriel, Matt Rollings, Vinnie Colaiuta, Kirk Whalum, Michael Egizi, Rick Jackson, Steve Cole, Jerry Hey, Gary Grant, David Woods, Paul Brown, Luis Conte, Larry Williams, Lenny Castro, Josh Henson, Eric Darken, & Sam Riney. Larry Carlton's newest offering "Fingerprints" is a landmark recording for many differant reasons. First it all it is the 20th solo album of his truly legendary career, secondly this is his first new studio release as a solo artist in four years, thirdly it is his return back to Warner Bros. Records {The label he recorded the classic albums Larry Carlton, Strikes Twice, Sleepwalk, and Friends on} and last but not least I feel this is the finest recording of his career. For fans of Larry's guitar playing, you're in for a real treat, not only is he back playing his trademark Gibson ES-335 for most of the recording recreating his signature sound from his early solo records, as he paints a sonic tapestry that will make you come back for more and more. His sense of melody, and the way he attacks a note, his sense of space between the notes, and the underlining quiet fire in his playing that is apparant throughout the whole disc, is something that all musicians should strive for. As with all of Carlton's recordings like Miles Davis he has the knack for finding the perfect chemistry of musicians to back him up, as the ensemble work among this stellar cast of musicians is phenomanal. Compsition wise all ten of these tracks have the potential to become contemporay jazz standards, with the highlights being "Gracias" a breathetaking guitar duet with Vince Gill, "Silky Smooth" that was written by Allen Hinds & Paul Brown { I was in the same GIT class as Allen Hinds} and the title track which in the last couple of weeks has been the number one added single on smooth jazz stations, according to R&R and Gavin Charts, As you have probably have guessed I highly recommend that you go out and purchase this recording, and tell them that Darin sent ya. - Darin Scott Cub Koda & The Points Noise Monkeys J - Bird Records Produced By: Peter Bankert, Joey Gaydos, & Cub Koda Engineered By: Peter Bankert Featured Musicians: Cub Koda, Joey Gaydos, Peter Bankert, & "Cool" Fred Schmidt For over thirty years the world's premier "House-Rocker", and probably the most underrated blues & rock guitarist Mr. Cub Koda has delivered the message of high octane, fun, in your face guitar based rock & blues on stages and recording studio's all over the world with the likes of Brownsville Station, The Del-Tino's, The Houserockers, Blackfoot, & many others. With the release of Cub Koda & The Point's latest recording "Noise Monkeys", which features eleven studio tracks, and two tunes cut live, Cub's message has never been delivered with as much precision & clarity. From the opening track the Bo Diddley influenced "Fast-Food Slow Death" laced with it's thicker than pea soup guitar tone & it's relentless in the pocket rhythm you know you have stumbled onto a phenomanal recording, as it keeps getting better track by track, until the recording culminates with The Cubmasters mindboggling reading of the Link Wray classic "Fire & Brimstone." Cub & The Points are on a mission and if you love high energy blues based rock & roll served Detroit style by one of the greatest blues guitarists backed by a kick-ass band then this disc belongs in your collection & it is guaranteed to give you a lifetime of pleasure & inspiration. - Darin Scott   Steely Dan Two Against Nature Giant Records Produced By: Walter Becker & Donald Fagan Engineered By: Roger Nichols, Elliot Schiener, Phil Burnett, & Dave Russell Featured Musicians: Walter Becker, Donald Fagan, Dean Parks, Paul Jackson Jr, Hugh McCracken, John Herrington, Tom Barney, Ted Baker, Will Lee, Chris Potter, Lou Marini, Jim Pugh, Dave Tofani, Lawrence Feldman, Roger Rosenberg, Michael Leonhart, Michael Harvey, Cynthia Calhoun, Carolyn Leonhart, Gordon Gottlieb, Ricky Lawson, Michael White, Keith Carlock, Roy Hitchcock, Roger Rosenbaum, Daniel Sadownick, Steve Shapiro, Leroy Clouden, Amy Helm, Vinnie Colaiuta, & Sonny Emory, Two Against Nature is Steely Dan's first studio release in twenty years. It's hard to believe that their last studio release "Gaucho" had come out in 1980, I guess it's a combination of the timeleessness of Steely Dan's music & my denial about the passage of time. Nonetheless it's great to have a new Steely Dan studio recording, especially one of the superb quality of "Two Against Nature." This disc is winner on all fronts, for guitarists the disc doesn't have guest appearances by Larry Carlton, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Elliot Randall, Jay Graydon, Rick Derringer, or various other session guitar stars that have graced Steely Dan recordings of the past. For as you listen to this disc you'll soon find out those guitarists weren't necessary "as Walter Becker handles the lion share of the guitar work on the CD's nine cuts. Handling the guitar work is an understatement he simply rips up the disc with his scorching blues tinged licks, most notably on the tunes "West Of Hollywood", "Jack Of Speed", & "Cousin Dupree", the recording also features some great guitar work from Dean Parks & Paul Jackson Jr. on "Negative Girl" & some top notch rhythm guitar support on some of the tracks from Hugh McCracken & John Herrington. As far as the songwriting & the discs production this recording ranks up with the Steely Dan classics "The Royal Scam", "Aja" & "Countdown To Ecstasy" as the groups best recordings, and I predict that many of these tunes will be FM radio standards for years to come & that the disc will be something that every stereo shoppe in the world will have to show off the sonic quality of their equipment. This disc is simply a must have. I just hope that they don't wait twenty years for their next new studio release. - Darin Scott   Janis Ian God & The FBI Windham Hill Records Produced By : Jim Cregan, Janis Ian, & Marc Moreau Recorded & Mixed By : Marc Moreau Featured Musicians : Janis Ian, Jim Cregan, Chet Atkins, Philip Clark, Marc Moreau, Willie Nelson, Matt Rollings, Willie Weeks, Steve Gadd, & David Liker. "God & The FBI" is Janis Ian's second release on the prestigious Windham Hill label and the seventeenth solo album of her truly remarkable solo career, and her first record with producer, guitarist & songwriter Jim Cregan ("Shamus Of The Hollywood Hills" "The Segovia Of Somerset"). And with Cregan at the helm & the backing of Windham Hill, the perfect circumstances are created for her to make the most stunning & desireable recording of her career, which she does and then some.. From the opening notes of the very funky tile cut the listener is hooked as Ian takes you on a musical journey highlighted by the haunting & simplistic beauty of her lyrics, the gentle & vulnerable quality of her voice and the sensitivity of Jim Cregan's very song oriented production & guitar playing. That and the sonic perfection on this recording courtesy of Marc Moreau and Pro Tools, makes this disc one of the top recordings of the new millenium. One can only hope that the musical relationship between between Janis Ian & Jim Cregan will be developed further with many more recordings in the future. - Darin Scott P.S. Check out Chet Atkin's bluesy solo on the disc's third track "Memphis"..   Scott Bradoka Pulse Speechless Music Produced By : Out Crowd Productions : Richard Smith & Tim Redfield Engineered By : Tim Redfield, Richard Smith, Tom McCauley, Pete Davis, & Dana Fehr Featured Musicians : Scott Bradoka, Richard Smith, Tim Redfield, Larry Antonino, Dan Evans, Sean Holt, & Scott Williams. Scott Bradoka's brilliant third release "Pulse"put's him right alongside some of his heroes & contemporaries like Jeff Golub, Carl Verheyen, Craig Chaquico, Steve Lukather, & Richard Smith, (Smith is responsible for the disc's ace production & some additional guitar work, and as a composer or co-composer on seven of the discs nine cuts) as one of the leaders in the contemporary guitar field. As you would expect from a guitarist of Bradoka's vast vocabulary & taste this recording is full of catchy melodies, tight funky rhythm parts, impeccable tone, interesting & focused compositions & solos, and some tight ensemble work from the supporting musicians. With an additional twist the fun factor, which is something that is lacking on many instrumental recordings. Overall this disc is a very excellant recording from one the freshest voices on the modern guitar scene, and it certainly says that as a guitarist & solo artist that Bradoka has plenty to offer the world of music, and hopefully more to offer in the future. - Darin Scott   Bruce Kulick Audiodog Audiodog Records Produced By: Bruce Kulick & Curt Cuomo Engineered & Mixed By: Curt Cuomo & Bruce Kulick Featured Musicians: Bruce Kulick, Curt Cuomo, Brent Fitz, & Kenny Aronoff The legendary Bruce Kulick has over the years worked with Kiss, Meatloaf, Billy Squier, Michael Bolton, & many others, and is currently a member of the new revamped Grand Funk with Max Carl, Tim Cashion, Mel Schacher, & Don Brewer. Audiodog Is Kulicks brilliant debut solo recording, and it features Bruce Kulick at his best as a guitarist, songwriter, producer, & vocalist. This disc is a must for fans of serious rock guitar, as performed by one of it's greatest practicioners. Out of the recordings twelve classic tracks the cuts "Pair Of Dice", "Change Is Coming", "Monster Island", & "Strange To Me" stand out as my favorites. I hope that "Audiodog" is the start of a long & successful solo career for Kulick. Thumbs up to Bruce Kulick! - Darin Scott   Steve Trovato About Time... Trovato Records Produced & Arranged By: Steve Trovato Recorded By: Per Kjeller Mixed By: Dick Mcgilvry Featured Musicians: Steve Trovato, Todd Johnson, Maria Martinez, Gary Hess, Josh Nelson, Masta Edwards, Gabe Witcher, & Chris Jennings. The Los Angeles based guitar maestro Steve Trovato has been given the label "The Great Chameleon", and the title of "Mr. Versatile", because of his extreme ability to brilliantly play many differant guitar styles so well. And well folks this is all true, there is no hype involved, as I have witnessed through the many years that I have known him, & what he demonstrates on his debut solo recording "About Time", Steve can play country, Steve can play jazz, Steve can play rock & roll, & Steve can play the blues. In fact he plays each style so well that you think that this is the only style of music that he plays. You think that this isn't fair that somebody can play all these styles so authentically and with the precision that which Trovato pulls it off, all with his off the wall sense of humor. {He's from New Jersey} As you would expect "About Time" is a guitar tour de'force from start to finish starting with the discs opener "D.G's Boogie" {Steve's tribute to Danny Gatton} and this is an electrified country tele barn burner in the tradition of Gatton, Albert Lee, James Burton, & The Hellecasters {John Jorgenson, Will Ray & Jerry Donahue} If this isn't enough check out Steve's chord melody intro to the Harold Arlen standard "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" this will definetily make Steve's jazz guitar mentors Ron Eschete & Joe Pass proud. Other highlights include the Trovato original "Small Things Remembered" which is one of the discs most emotional statements. And I have to mention the bluesy cover of the Ray Charles classic "Drowning In My Own Tears", the playful rendering of Billy Joel's "Root Beer Rag", and the unique version of Samuel barber's "Adagio For Strings", where Steve creates a guitar symphony with layers of overdubbed e-bowed guitars. Overall a very powerful debut recording & it's "About Time" that the world got a solo recording from Trovato & I hope that there is many more to come. - Darin Scott   Guitar Lesson With Richard Smith click for larger image "City Speak" is the title cut of Saxophonists Richard Elliot's 1996 release on the Blue Note Contemporary label. The cut features Elliot on tenor sax, Richard Smith on guitar, Naoki Yanai on bass, Ron Reinhardt on keys, Dave Reinhardt on drums, & Luis Conte on percusssion. After listening to this cut you'll understand why people such as the legendary studio guitarist, producer, & songwriter Jay Graydon have been singing the praises of Richard Smith's funk guitar chops. In the tunes first measure Richard doubles the bass part in the second position, and in measure two on beats 3 and 4 Richard pulls off from a first inversion F major triad to a second inversion C major triad, (both chords are played in the fifth position) while in measure three, Smith & the bass player Naoki repeat the same figure from measure one, and in measure four Richard throws in some funky doublestops (thirds). After the repeat of the first four measures on measure five Richard plays a second inversion F major triad in the fifth position, in measure six a second inversion G major triad in the seventh position, with measures seven & eight repeating measures five & six. In measure nine Richard plays a second inversion E flat major triad in the third position, in measure ten a second inversion F major triad in the fifth position, in measure eleven a second inversion E flat major triad in the third position, and Smith ends the twelve bar cycle with a a first inversion D seventh sharp nine sharp five chords in the fourth position. Take a special note of the sixteenth note figure on beat one on the measures five through eleven, that part has to be right there & consistant. Practice this tune with a metronome or a drum machine, and play slowly until you can play it perfectly clean and in time. And above all have fun with it. - Darin Scott P.S. Here's a list of some more great funk guitarists to check out: Paul Jackson Jr, Dean Parks, Pat Kelley, Larry Carlton, Mike Landau, Tim Pierce, Lee Ritenour, Steve Lukather, Al McKay,Tim May, Grant Geissman, Chris Standring, Jay Graydon, Bob Mann, Jeff Golub, Hamish Stuart, James Harrah, Buzz Feiten, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Teddy Castellucci, Walter Becker, the list goes on & on.