Les Paul

Paul Fredricks_3

Sorry for the delay in getting this in. We had a great time at the Iridium on the 10th. I will say that, at 92, Les Paul is no spring chicken. My friend said he could see a definite difference in his playing from 7 years ago. He seemed to be hunting for notes at time.

That said, it was still a great show. There is nothing like being 2 seats from the stage and seeing a living legend, a man who has been doing what he loves for at least 70, 80 years, and still loves it. Les and his trio played for an hour and 15 minutes. They played jazz standards and had a few guests come out, none of whom I knew, but they were all good at what they did.

We arrived 2 hours early and were ushered in to meet Les during his sound check. My friend Dopey Lopes set this up because we went down with Gil Diaz, one of the original 3 amigos from Guild Guitars. Gil and Les did an emergency fret job in the middle of the night at Gil's house in 1963. Les remembered and the two reminisced for a bit.

For me, the other highlight of the show was the bass player. She's an Australian (great accent) and she's very easy on the eyes. Best of all, can she ever play. There's nothing like someone who is so one with their instrument.

Unfortunately, Les doesn't come out between shows, so my friends didn't get their guitars signed. They are planning on going back soon to get that done.

Steve Ebels_3

Just reading

Just reading Scott's comment elsewhere about Jimi Hendrix and then saw this. It struck me that Les is perhaps THE guy most responsible for the basic instrument design (electric guitar) that Jimi made famous/made Jimi famous. Granted Jimi played a Fender Strat, upside down and left handed no less, but Les Paul has to be considered one of the founding fathers of the electric guitar along with Leo Fender. One has to wonder what not only Jimi, but a lot of other's who met an early drug induced demise, would be like if they were alive today with 40-50 years experience under their belt.

Paul Fredricks_3

Les also came up with multi track recording, just an amazing guy who just thinks he's no one special.

He also happens to be a dirty old man. He and Nicki we talking on stage during the show. She is rather sexy. Les turned to the audience and came out with the best one liner I've heard in a long time, "When I'm around her I feel like a condemned building with a new flagpole". This link will give you an idea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BQyQ2ucUsA

Perry_3

Paul... I believe you are behind the times...

The modern terminology is: Sexy Senior Citizen...

Perry

Bob Harper_2

busted!

Les Paul arrested for assault with a dead weapon. Charges were dropped when they could raise the evidence in court...

ScottMP

Steves right

Les says " Hey look what I made "

Jimi says " Here, give me that thing. Leeme see what I can do "

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Paul Fredricks_3

Oops

I'll never be accused of being overly PC.

Steve Ebels_3

Of all the axe men out there

The one I admired the most was Chet Atkins. The guy could play any type of music, with anyone and do it so effortlessly it made you wonder if he was from this planet. Music poured off his guitar like water over a cliff.

There's a bunch of videos of him on you tube playing with the likes of Mr Paul and Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) to Jerry Reed. Don't go there unless you have an hour because you won't be able to quit watching his hands. A lot of the techniques he used are unparalleled by anyone past or present.

Bill W@Honeywell

They made an album...

"Chester and Lester", and the music on that is beyond belief. Any guitar player will listen in awe. There have been some awesome pickers in our lifetimes...Knopfler, George Benson, Clapton, Roy Clark, Chuck Loeb, Vaughn, pre-accident Paul Simon, and i can't remember his name, but the guitar guy who plays that mind-blowing solo in Chuck Mangione's "Feels So Good"! We are lucky to have seen and heard such artistry.

Mitch_4

Knofler

like his stratocaster, and boy can he make it "cry or sing"

Chet is AMAZING, SRV. I like my Rock, but I love the guys who can make you just listen regardless of what the "style"

Hope I can Les someday before its too late.

Ken_40

Lest we forget...

Django, Charlie Christian, Jim Hall, Kenny Burrell, Lee Ritnauer, Duane Eddy, Tal Farlow, and the inimitable Wes Montgomery.

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Ken D.

Guitar

On the acoustic side, how about Leo Kottke.