Arguably, the greatest Guitar session of all time?

[pjpoes]

Ok so first, I have something in mind, hence why I posted this, but I want to know what you think. What do you guys consider the single greatest session with guitarists of all time. I'm not sure how to word this so its broad enough to consist of both single guitar players and groups of guitar players. The only thing I ask is that you consider the comment carefully, as though many guitar playes are fun to listen to, there a few summits of players that have created anything exceptional.

Now for me, the choice is Al DiMeola,McLaughlin, & De Lucia - Friday Night In San Francisco. I cant say that this kind of Jazz guitar actually appeals to me a great deal, which made the find all the more suprising(I bought my first copy about 7-8years ago). The talent brought by each performer was nothing exceptional, all accomplished, but none of them had ever stood out to me before. However this summit became the greatest guiter session ever recorded, with an amazing amount of tallent being presented. Even if you dont like guitar jazz, if you have any semblence of guitar tallent yourself, you will realize how unbelievably difficult what they are playing is, and how well they are playing it. I personally feel that Mclauphlin and Delucia are the stand outs in the group, De Lucia being the fastest guitar player I have ever heard. I have been playing for almost 15 years and just cant comprehend how he can do that. If you havent heard it, or did and wrote it off, give it another listen, it is good. I think what makes this so acceptional is that you can tell that each player isnt just playing, they are playing together, the whole becomes greater than the sum of its part. They each play to each other, something rare in a lot of bands.

For the rest of you, what is it you think is the best guitar session of all time?

[SY]

Any time that Herb Ellis and Barney Kessel sat down and played.

[Le Basseur]

Originally posted by SY
Any time that Herb Ellis and Barney Kessel sat down and played.

If allowed,here+s a paraphrase:
"Each time when Vlatko Stefanovski and Miroslav Tadic sat down and played".
Seriously,if you+re in the Meola/McLaughlin/Lucia thing,you+ll definately love the works of these two Balkan guitarists!
Regards,

[rick57]

I've heard great enthusiasms about that album before – is it available on MP3 for those who have heard the names but that’s about all?

[joensd]

the choice is Al DiMeola,McLaughlin, & De Lucia - Friday Night In San Francisco

It would be for me too.
Although it´s been a long time I´ve been listening to "technical" guitar work I still can listen to that one. Very magic although de Lucia said himself that doing sessions with Meola and Laughlin was not his thing at first. It even caused him headaches. The "classical" background I guess.

If you do like spanish acoustic guitar, give this one a try.
Still my favourite:
Vicente Amigo
The quality is really bad on this one but you get the idea.

greets

[SY]

I'm a big McLaughlin fan since his Miles Davis days (wore out three copies of "Extrapolation") and love San Francisco, but I could never enjoy that abum, as much as I tried...

In the contemporary Spanish acoustic idiom, I was very impressed with a guy I saw a year or so ago, Raphael Fays. Greatest ever? Probably not. But still terrific.

And, of course, there's Tony Rice. For a sample of what that guy can do, I'd recommend universally the eponymous album by "The David Grisman Quintet," one of the most important founding groups of modern bluegrass (though this record transcends that boundary). Circa 1978. It has captivated everyone I've played it for. In vinyl, it's a wonderful recording, too.

[renfrow]

I'm a HUGE fan of Chet Atkins. I've got most of his albums since the 1970's. He was originally a country picker, but evolved into a jazz musician. He did a number of albums with other guitar players:

Les Paul
Chester and Lester
Guitar Monsters
(Most of the music from these two albums is available on: Masters of the Guitar: Together)

Mark Knopfler
Neck and Neck

Jerry Reed
Sneakin' Around

Tommy Emmanuel
The Day Finger Pickers Took Over the World


I've seen that DiMeola/McLaughlin/De Lucia album, at times, but never checked it out. I'll have to give it a listen.

Tom.

[pjpoes]

Wow, I had thought this was a completely dead thread, nice to see people are still contributing to it. To be honost, when I wrote this, I was thinking groups of guitarists playing together rather than just one, but didn't say that. Here I see most people followed that suit anyway.

Since I play guitar I am a big fan of guitar music, so I always look for new challenging material to either listen to or learn to play myself, if possible. I actually hate playing other peoples music, I find it very uncreative. However, I also find that learning other peoples stuff expands my own ability to play a great deal, and allows me to be more creative, since I have more to draw from. So I humble myself and try and learn other peoples stuff.

I also really like drum solo's and drum dominate music, though I dont play them, I get into it. A thread on that would be intresting, my personal favorite for that probably is the worl drum albums done by people like Mickey Hart, or the Kodo drummers. Also, old jazz stuff like Max Roach or Art Blakey.

[Scottmoose]

Only one guitarist, and it's blues rock, but easily the best I have ever seen, or ever will see: Rory Gallaher, live in Cork 1990. Jaw-dropping.
Oh -one alternative: Robert Fripp and the League of Crafty Guitarists. Pick a style -any style. You'll find it in there. Simply staggering.

[pinkmouse]

I still have a soft spot for the EP of Star Fleet Project, a one off jam session with Brian May and Eddie Van Halen. By no means cutting edge guitar technique, but the sense of two guys just having fun playing really comes across well.