Goes2eleven

At the Crossroads Between Truth and Legend

  PART 1: LATE TO THE PARTY Andres Segovia. Even the mention of his name elicits tones of hushed reverence in certain circles. But in the 70’s, there was a backlash against the style of playing that Segovia popularized. I began my guitar studies at a time when the guitar world was reassessing Segovia’s legacy. As a result, I was a latecomer to recognizing the genius of Andres Segovia.   Recordings: David Russell, Capriccio Arabe by Fransisco Tárrega from Reflections of Spain “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” from The Wizard of Oz Oscar Ghiglia, “Allegro Moderato” from Sonata III by Manuel Ponce from Ponce Guitar Collection Volume 3 Theme Music: Matthew Cochran, “Cicadas at the Equinox” from Vapor Trail from a Paper Plane   Commercial Break: Season Sponsor, Strings By Mail Music Bed: Pat Metheny, “Fast” from Electric Counterpoint by Steve Reich   PART 2: SEGOVIA ON RECORD Approaching Segovia’s recordings requires that you set aside a few modern expectations. We’re used to hearing music that’s been created in pr

INTRO: THE INHERENT HEALTH RISKS OF PLAYING GUITAR A couple common themes have emerged with the four guitarists we’ve covered so far. First of all: being a world-renowned guitarist is, without question, bad for your health. Another lesson we can take away from Joe, Paco, and Frank is that good music rarely occurs in a vacuum. What is often considered innovation is usually an artful synthesis of musical influences. Michael Hedges’ 1981 Windham Hill release Breakfast in the Field was a landmark guitar recording full of percussive effects, open tunings, and right hand legato techniques. There’s a third thread that ties all these artists together, and it’s probably my favorite feature of their work. That is that the guitar was a vehicle that served their compositional ideas rather than the other way around.   Recordings: Matthew Cochran, “Cicadas at the Equinox” from Vapor Trail from a Paper Plane Michael Hedges, “Layover” from Breakfast In The Field Commercial Break: Season Sponsor, Strings By Mail Music Bed: St

INTRO A quick warning: today’s episode contains profanity and adult content. Sensitive listeners may want to skip ahead to next week’s discussion of Michael Hedges. Also, I’ve changed some names around so that the people that acted like jerks in my story can continue doing so in relative anonymity.   Recordings: Matthew Cochran, “Cicadas at the Equinox” from Vapor Trail from a Paper Plane   PART ONE: ZAPPA IN THE SCIENCE LAB I talk about an incident with a high school science teacher on the day I learned about Frank Zappa’s death, which takes us to a discussion of Zappa’s cultural relevance. We explore the Parents Music Resource Center and those oddball Senate hearings involving Frank, John Denver and co.   Videos: Frank Zappa on MTV in 1984 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eT8Ip5mpZ0; Frank Zappa and John Lofton on CNN’s Crossfire in 1986https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpdvfTlKjP8 Recordings: The Mothers of Invention, “Dog Breath, In the Year of the Plague” from Uncle Meat   PART TWO: TWO FRANKS AND A WATERM

Goes2Eleven continues its tribute to guitar heroes with flamenco superman Paco de Lucía. We discuss Paco’s traditional flamenco roots and his explorations beyond the folk form into jazz and world music, plus his legendary collaboration with Camerón de la Isla, and Paco’s chart-topping trio with Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin.   INTRO A reminder to G2E listeners to subscribe to the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or RSS feed, and to check us out on Facebook and Twitter. Recordings: Matthew Cochran, “Cicadas at the Equinox” from Vapor Trail from a Paper Plane   PART ONE: WE ALL PRETTY MUCH LEFT OUR HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO (1:07) Paco de Lucía was a towering figure of Nuevo Flamenco by the early 1980’s. But if you’re of a certain age, chances are good that Friday Night in San Francisco was your introduction to the guitarist. Recordings: Paco de Lucía, Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin, “Rio Ancho/Meditteranian Sunrise” from Friday Night in San Francisco   PART 2: AN OVERVIEW OF FLAMENCO CULTURE AND GUITAR PLAYING (5:02)

Goes2Eleven starts its run with a tribute to the jazz giant Joe Pass (1929-1994). We take a look at the guitarist’s early years in Johnstown, PA, his struggles with addiction throughout the 50’s, and his ascent to stardom through legendary collaborations with Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson, and his final years as a peerless solo guitar virtuoso. Visit www.goes2eleven for complete show notes.