If this were a list of my five favorite guitarists ever, it would probably be finished sometime around June, 2019. After all, sorting through a potential list of candidates so long and reaching a definite conclusion would be chaotic.
So Instead, I figured I'd highlight the five whose music is turning my crank in the here-and-now: contemporary guitarists, if you will. Do you have favorites? Let us know who and why!
5. Michael Powers - Outside of the rich, layered song lyrics this New Yorker strings together is the matter of his fiery, original guitar. Powers combines elements of Spanish guitar, Hendrixian molten licks and brilliant blues phrasing to set down work that is way beyond the typical blues curve.
4. Adam Pringle - This young Aussie guitarist is now touring with his own band. But anyone who caught his multi-faceted, crisp and soulful playing on the Chris Mawer Band's debut CD in 2005 knew that was going to happen. Pringle is at home with Swampie Boogie-based blues as West Coast Swing, and he squeezes life into every note.
3. Pete Allen - The bandleader for Chicago blues diva Zora Young has absolutely fantastic traditional single-string chops, but manages to stay away from cliches rhythm and solo patters, all the while maintaining some wonderfully thick-but-clean tone.
2. Ronnie Earl - If he played more often, he'd be my undisputed current king. As things are, Earl prefers to spend time divided between teaching and playing. He has a live CD and DVD for Stony Plain Records coming out this year; if the past is any signpost, expect lots of chorusy jangle and lemon-sucking phrasing that could drop a gospel choir to its knees.
1. Lurrie Bell - In the way that Ronnie Earl sometimes makes me thank higher powers for the blues, Lurrie Bell does it just about consistently. True in his patchy career there have been many a personal lapse, and he sometimes gets repetitive on his solo material. But whether fronting his own combo or playing sideman to a myriad of other top Chicago talent, Bell has consistently the best chops, via smooth-as-silk runs and dexterous finger-work. His tone is killer clear and he doesn't waste a note, getting lost in every moment of it.
So who are your top five and why? Let us know!
