Just lately I have been adding albums to my Spotify holdings and by way of their “Discover” feature within the past few days I have added several (seven at the moment) Lenny Breau things that I hadn’t seen before.
Anybody else a Breau fan?
Le Ministre frequently mentioned the brilliance of Breau in guitar threads, but he hasn’t been posting lately.
I have listened to a number of his songs - he was held up as a master of adding harmonics when he played (fret the note, count up 12 frets, hold a picking-hand finger to the string while plucking it with another finger/thumb - kinda like what Eddie Van Halen did with harmonics tapping on an electric…)
I’ve spent many days whiling away the hours youtubbing Lenny Breau. Mindbogglingly good player and not nearly as well known as he should be. Seems like he was a really sweet, humble guy too (though strangely really into guns). Yeah, I think he’s considered one of, if not the, main pioneers of harp harmonics (playing an arpeggio alternating harmonics with normal plucked notes).
In the guitar thread, I mentioned Mimi Fox, who is also a master of harp harmonics. If you like that style of play, give her a listen. She also does a lot of tutorials on Youtube. This tune shows her virtuosity with harmonics. This one is just her being amazing.
I thought of her/your reference when this thread came up. Glad you added this - yeah - she rocks.
Very beautiful. Nice Chick Corea and Beatles references in that 2nd link.
Lenny’s the guy who Danny Gatton said was the best player he ever heard, and I accept that the way I’d accept Einstein’s opinion on physics. So although I’ve only checked him out on YouTube, there’s plenty there to hear, and I think I’ve heard all of it.
Amazing player, his right hand technique is just unfathomably good. And unlike some technical wizards you could name who sometimes just play notes, Lenny’s always making music.
Like many of the greats, he was partly a victim of the breadth of his talent. Listeners tend to congregate around categories (in part because that’s how the industry markets music). If you like country, you’re not supposed to like jazz, and visa versa.
Such channelized audiences didn’t know what to make of a guitar player who recorded beautiful versions of “My Funny Valentine” and “I Can’t Help It If I’m Still in Love With You”.