I've Just Been Blown Away By......?
The Brothers Johnson.
I always loved their hit single "Stomp" but had never followed up listening to any more of their stuff, I know, criminal, but I have so much of a backlog of listening "musts", you know the score.
I heard a song of theirs called "Strawberry Letter 23" on the radio at work yesterday and that was it, they went straight to the top of the "In Tray". Great Bassist, one of the best I've ever heard, on a par with Larry Graham and Bernard Edwards. Nice Guitar lines too, very slick.
Should have known they would be fantastic with Q. Jones and Rod Temperton among their writers.
I listened to about 10 other tracks tonight and I will probably be listening to them till after the weekend, awesome.
As a side note, the last pedal I had on my list was a Fuzz pedal. I know very little about actual Fuzz pedals, but as I love playing and learning Funk, it seems like a good piece of armoury to have. What is a good Fuzz pedal, whatever price range, for 70's etc....ie in the vain of Summer Breeze by Ernie Isley etc?
Thanks guys.
Summer breeze is a Big Muff. Good for that but useless for any chord work IMO. The twin effect Blackstar does a nice fuzz and overdrive, you might look at the cheap dano pedals too. Simple, bright and dirty work best in the mix but sound shyte on your own in the bedroom.
I like Big Muffs for chord work, they give that true sheer-wall-of-fuzz sound that more 'expressive' fuzzes don't. Definitely one of the best choices for a "70s" fuzz sound, I think. There are several variations though, which don't sound quite the same. My favourite is the late-70s Integrated Circuit Big Muff (hence my forum name!) but it's the most uncompromising wall-of-noise one. The older (and reissued) discrete-transistor versions are a bit closer to a traditional fuzz.
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Little Big Muff can also do the Summer Breeze / Never Met A Girl Like You Before sound.
As oddly can the Boss Metal Driver - really good bee in a jam-jar tone.
Originally Posted by paultheoneyoulove
I believe that was recorded with a Coloursound Tonebender straight into the desk.
Love Brothers Johnson!
This is an interesting live performance of Strawberry letter 23 from Quincy Jones recent 75th anniversary concert.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQTCqb7uKds
It seems to be going well until Paolo Nutini loses his place in the tune. Rare to see musos of the calibre of John jr Robinson, Paul Jackson jr, Greg Phillinganes and Lee Ritenour bamboozled. They cover it up well but there is a palpable air of confusion from 1.45 to the end.
Riff at 2.27 has to be one of the best guitar breaks ever!
Hi, thanks for the link.
That was unusual. It seems like he forgot an entire verses lyrics. I have not heard the song enough times to know exactly what went wrong,but something obviously did, but it was handled really well.
One of my fave Guitarists Paul Jackson Jr.
One question, are PJ Jr and Lee Ritenour sharing the notes in that solo or harmonising?
On this live performance, I tried seeing who was playing the solo and it seems George is teaming up with the other guitarist and sharing the notes. The camera work is bad and only homes in on the guitar players near the end of the solo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGo2SqK6hLo
I also tried transcribing it by ear and had no real luck, so if you have any tabs, this would be a killer finger excersise.
Never said it wasn't amigo, but that you can get that sound .....
That is a cool song. The bass line from the Brothers Johnson version is very funky, but the harmonizing guitar lines come straight from the Shuggie Otis version. He's a fantastic guitarist who has a great album called "Inspiration Information." It's loaded with cool jazzy, soulful jams in the same vein as Strawberry Letter 23.
This is the best version .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L07nHyDedAU .. all funk ..
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