by Rob Jones

Created on: December 16, 2006   Last Updated: January 28, 2007

Guitarists are great for the same reason any musician is great. They know how to make their sound work with other musicians to serve the whole sound of the band, and of the song they're playing.

I think this is why I personally tend to steer away from most so-called "virtuoso" guitarists, and for that matter, a lot of over-the-top vocalists too. Despite their dexterous skills and showy acrobatics, they are the musical versions of that guy you meet at a party who always wants to talk about himself. They are musical space-invaders, and attention-gluttons. What's to enjoy about that?

Having said this, there are a lot of guitar players I like who were noted for a style of playing which could be defined as showy. I think Jimi Hendrix is the best example of this. But what Hendrix did well, besides his superhuman guitar playing, was to be able to play with other musicians to gain a sort of point-counterpoint interplay with them. This means that he allowed the musicians in his band enough room to make the whole sound, rather than trying to do it all himself. This is what set him apart from his imitators. Without this skill, all of the guitar virtuosity means nothing as far as my ear is concerned. I don't want to listen to someone talk about themselves all night. I'd rather hear a dialog, or conversation between contributors who might take things in an unexpected, yet interesting, direction..

Here are some guitarists I think typify this skill more so than many others, making them favourites of mine:

Jimi Hendrix: As above. An incredibly dexterous and innovative player who knew enough to let other musicians add to the song.
James Burton: an Elvis collaborator of the "less-is-more" school of playing, providing a second voice to Elvis' vocal no mean feat!
George Harrision: An all-arounder who painstakingly built his solos around the parts played other members of his band. He would later take to the slide guitar, and create an unmistakable, signature sound bluesy whine with a nod to the country-rockabilly influences of his youth.
Robbie Robertson: Who, in the era of the power trio, added his guitar as an element to the whole sound of his group, The Band. Yet lurking underneath was the burbling power of a singular style which would reveal itself in a more overt way on latter-period songs like "It Makes No Difference".
Andy Summers: guitarist with the Police, having served time working with many other bands including Eric Burdon's New Animals - and styles previously, is an embellisher

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