Great Guitarists #17: Bonnie Raitt
Now more than ever, the world is a busy place. In the age of social media and being reachable in one form or another virtually anywhere in the world, we find our time is filled up with ever-newer demands on our attention. Yet classic musical genres like the Blues remain a steady fixture, especially in…
Great Guitarists #16: Freddie King
The last of the ‘Three Kings of the Blues’, showing just as much influence on the guitar world as Albert King and BB King, is the youngest of the three guitarists, Freddie King. Known for his biting tone and crossover appeal, King was one of the electric blue guitar players who influenced the young musicians in the…
I’ve never owned a Telecaster, and I think that’s been a mistake
In previous posts, I have asked what the best all-rounder guitar might be. I mentioned various types of guitar, eventually settling on a 335 style guitar such as my Harley Benton HB-35 Plus. I also praised the Stratocaster, another guitar I have more than one of, in various forms. I certainly mentioned the Telecaster, but…
More thoughts on interpretation
In a recent article, I used Albêniz’s Leyenda as an example of varying interpretations, from a performer’s and arranger’s perspective. I stated my belief that interpretation is one of the crucial elements of artistic performance, yet it remains one which is often overlooked in musical performance. It’s what makes a performance unique to you, rather…
Auditioning tips (for both sides of the table)
Auditioning. In this line of work, almost everybody has to go through it at some point. I don’t know many people who enjoy the process – and by that I mean the groups holding the auditions as well. I’ve held a few auditions in the last few years while recruiting for a few different projects.…
Albêniz’s ‘Leyenda’- open to interpretation
A few years ago, I was hired to perform (quite specifically) Spanish guitar music at a wedding service. Amongst other choices was Leyenda (meaning ‘legend’). Originally written by Spanish composer Isaac Albêniz (1860-1909) for piano, but transcribed for guitar within Albêniz’s lifetime, Leyenda is one of the more well-known pieces in the classical guitar repertoire.…
2024 wrapped
Companies and apps have a new habit of ‘wrapping’ the last year. The whole thing is a document in your own consumerism, from the songs you listen to the most to how many minutes you spent staring at a screen trying to improve your Portuguese (or is that just me?). We all buy into it,…
Sad day for the North East music scene as iconic instrument shop closes its doors for good
Today has been a rather bleak day for musicians in the North East of England’s local scene, as the oldest and best known music shop in the region, J. G. Windows, closed its doors for the final time. Many musicians bought their musical instruments from there,including many famous musicians over the years. In a statement…
Great Guitarists #15: Cornell Dupree
Following my last article on the recently passed Herbie Flowers, it felt fitting to return to some of the behind-the-scenes musicians in the next instalment of my (ever-so-intermittent) Great Guitarists series. I have already shone a light on some of my personal favourites, including Steve Cropper and Barney Kessel, and this time I’m focusing on…
R.I.P. Herbie Flowers, one of the best bass players you’ve never heard of – and what you can learn from his long career
Top session bassist Herbie Flowers sadly passed away on the 5th of September, aged 86. Although most people may not have heard of the British session musician, Flowers was well known within the music industry, having been performing and recording since the 1960s. After starting out playing tuba and double bass in the RAF in…
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Tim Higgins, Guitarist 