Pat Recommends

Four Incredible Guitarists

9.8.2008

Here are four incredible musicians who happen to be guitarists who are making the best music of their careers on their respective recent releases. I have been a huge fan of Bobby since I first heard him with Sonny Rollins and his new one is one of the best guitar trio records ever. Rodney is a total mind blower in every respect and has continuned to grow and expand in every direction using all his amazing facility in an utterly compelling way. I have followed Dave Stryker’s playing since his early days in Omaha through his long stay with Stanley Turrentine and his longstanding relationship with the great alto player Steve Slagle (another undersung heavy out there) and he just gets better and better with one of the most joyous feels around. And Vic Juris has been a total monster ever since we both hit the scene at around the same time in the 70’s, playing great no matter what the setting. But he has taken the knowledge gained from a long stay in Dave Liebman’s band to form a really new way of thinking about melody and harmony on the guitar. His playing is always musical and his pure mastery of the instrument is something to behold.