Rex Chapman tweeted out on of his pieces the other day and I and a few others I’ve shared it with have found his stuff mind blowing. Japanese acoustic guitarist, apparently self-thought
I took guitar lessons for several months when I was in junior high school. The instructor my family was paying finally told my Mom to save her money.
Been following kent for years. I'm burnt out on the acoustic fingerstyle, percussive slapper players but Kent and a few others are really tasteful and melodic players that serve the song and not theatrics. I started with Naudo. Sungha Jun is another one. Eddie van de Meer, Peter Gergely, etc I can listen to their stuff everyday and I tackle a few songs here and there although never as well as they do of course.
Having two kids has shown me that people are with born with or without rhythm. My son could bob on rhythm to a song pretty early on and has maintained that rhythm. My daughter never had it.
Percussive is a great word for it. I love what he’s doing with this thumb. Any of yall in the St Pete/Tampa area who want to see a real picker go see Billy Strings tonight or tomorrow. He’s in town.
Thanks. You are way ahead of me. I know little, but those Kent compositions just seemed like wow. Just by heritage, I was exposed a lot to Spanish Guitar growing up in the tradition of Segovia, purely as a listener. Alebeniz, etc, with "Asturias". But this seemed amazing
I still love and listen to Kent's music. There are some over the top acoustic players that randomly bang on their guitar while playing. When used sparingly it can facilitate the song but there is a contingent of players that have overused it at obnoxious levels. Kent and those I mentioned are very tasteful. Also, I never get tired of tears for fears and that's one of my all time favorite songs. I prefer Kent's rendition to Sungha Jun's and Sungha has been hailed as one of the greatest in this style of player.
Sounds from the Big Chair is a really good album. Billy Strings is great. Makes faces when he plays that makes me laugh. Love his talent.
I'm gonna hijack this thread with a few players. Firstly though, I think one thing I like about Kent's playing is his song selection. Ki d of surprising for someone of his age.
Another fave I put up there with Everybody wants to rule the world. Evocative of memories from my childhood.
Low fi recording but this is just a great version of a classic. He steadily builds each verse with more color and depth until there is very little free space but without overplaying. I always go back to this one. Patience. It's worth it. I promise
Classic nature/nurture argument - my take is that to some extent, you're right. Some don't feel it and never will/some do and always will. OTOH, I believe that some who were not born with it can develop it/find it. I believe this to be true for rhythmic time/feel, melodic ability/intonation, and overall musicianship. Music's affective dimension is very problematic if you're trying to claim anything about quality and rhythm plays a huge role in the music's affect. This probably supports your nature take on rhythm. Imagine, though, a piano player or singer who grew up performing in a gospel choir. Esp. those who participate in high quality groups. One of my many girlfriends was the granddaughter of a Baptist minister. She grew up playing piano in a gospel setting. None of her other siblings are musical. I met her mom (total stoner who neglected her children to the extent they were raised by her parents) and she didn't seem to be musical, though she may have had natural talent? She was very cool, a good hang, and a sexy mom but I digress. This was when her children had grown. That girlfriend was probably a combination of nature/nurture, but with a lot of nurture by way of being the weekly accompanist in the church and learning to improvise, sometimes underneath the preacher's words. So yes, but groove can also be learned.
Wow. That was interesting. Two Qs if you know. Musically, what do we call the embellishments, for lack of a better word, he added in, which seemed to change key, temp and style? Second , for pickers, I am assuming that is an extension on their right thumbnail, or do they grow it? I see metal ones on Amazon, but not clear ones that look like nails like that
@gatordavisl is more of the theory guy than I am but I would say he doesn't change key and the tempo stays the same as well but he uses some intrinsic tempo changes to his lead licks which gives it the sense of increaase to speed/intensity for the climax. Watch his thumb during the "fast parts." He is still playing the same bass line throughout. I don't think I heard a key modulation but he plays higher up in a different octave as an added effect. Embellishments is the perfect word because he is adding all kinds of embellishments using extensions to his chords along the way. I probably butchered it but davis can straighten me out I'm sure.
