Share Some Music "Finds" On YouTube

[Truckman]

For my money, John Lee Hooker, was the top of the blues ladder.

Just another reason to mourn the loss of my music collection......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

While we are on John Lee Hooker we may as well bring these in---more than anyone I can think of Mr Hooker conveyed an indelible stamp of "I've been there".

Bad Like Jesse James

and maybe his classic signature, One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer.

[Wannabe]

Can we make time for one more John Lee Hooker?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rT-FoZt95D4

[Truckman]

Can we make time for one more John Lee Hooker?

Always......Ben

[Truckman]

My favorite band of long-haired, drug-crazed, maggot-infested Brits took much of their early influence from John Lee......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

While talking guitars we have to include Andre Segovia.

[wacojoe]

While talking guitars we have to include Andre Segovia.

I've hesitated commenting on this great selection because Ben thinks I get too "high brow," and sometimes I recognize I let my passions get the best of me. But, as it relates to Segovia and Asturias (Leyenda), passion does not describe my feelings.

The video above was performed late in Segovia's life when he was advanced in age. It is part of a documentary on his life, which I first bought as Laser Disc. I also have it in DVD. In this performance he plays the song in a slow tempo, perhaps because of his age, although I never read an explanation. It is amazing those hammy hands could be the author of such subtlety. Segovia transcribed Isaac Albéniz' piano piece in the early 1920's and first recorded it in 1951. It was that recording that I bought in 1959, which convinced me I should become a classical guitarist, and when it became apparent that I would never be able to play the piece decently, should give up the quest for lack of talent. In that early recording, he plays Asturias briskly but with wonderful feeling using modulation/dynamics and dwelling on certain notes to great effect. His tremolos (the rapid repetitive single note) is like a machine — so hard to do perfectly. I have heard many stunning guitarists play this piece (it is a standard of all classical guitarists, usually Segovia's transcription), and none come close to this recording. I consider this recording to be my personal choice as the most perfect musical recording ever made, if there can be such a thing, and be aware it was made without any splicing & dicing at that time. One complete take. For all intents and purposes, Andres Segovia invented the genre of classical guitar performer, and it is doubtful anyone will reach his level again.

The YouTube sample of that 1951 recording below is obviously from someone's old worn vinyl, but there have been digitized versions released complete with the background tape or wire noise indicative of the era.

The 1951 version —

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Agl1qZRTcOM

Thank you, YouTube.

The piano original —

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6pDTf6QnL24