Favorites

  Here are some of my favorite YouTube videos. Featured here are a few musicians, luthiers, and others who have had a profound influence in shaping my world view. Let’s start with Ervin Somogyi. You will see here why Ervin is a personage for whom I feel a great reverence.

   Next up is Martin Simpson, one of my all time favorite guitar players, in a very entertaining Q&A session with his audience. Martin’s guitar playing is absolutely ravishing, and as you can see here, he’s also quite a great story teller. I included this video because Martin talks about his Stefan Sobell guitar. Sobell is another of my greatest heroes. Sobell guitars are some of the best in the world. YouTube has several videos of this concert up. Watch and listen!

   Here is a video of the phenomenal Canadian guitarist, Don Alder. Don was the 2007 International Fingerstyle Champion at the Winfield Festival. He is a true luminary, destined for further greatness, as his star continues to rise. Here, he’s playing Edwinson guitar number six, which I built for him in 2003. I don’t know if he still has this guitar, but it was a great honor to me to have one of my early guitars in his collection. A player of Don’s caliber can make almost any guitar sound great, but listen to the tone he gets out of this one...

Here’s another video of Don getting hyperkinetic on Edwinson number six. This is a great demonstration of the dynamic range of this guitar, and also of Don’s mind-blowing chops. Check out all that overhand hammer -on and percussion...Whew! Leaves you breathless, huh?

   And here is Pierre Bensusan, for whom no superlative is adequate to describe. I first got turned on to his music in 1983 (?) when I heard a composition by Michael Hedges, entitled Bensusan. I figured if Michael was a fan of this guy, he must have something pretty special going on. I used to own every single commercially available record of Pierre’s music,  but some rare gems were lost to me in the turbulent 90’s. I’m very glad he’s available on YouTube. I am a devoted fan for life. I don’t know how this is possible, but Pierre’s mastery just continues to grow.

Here is Ria Ritchie singing the most moving rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah I think I’ve ever heard. Ria owns this song. She plays it so pared down, so elemental...By about 3:30 in the video, I have tears filling my eyes. Happens every time. Ria sings this song with such devastating honesty.

Okay, this is IT. Brandi Carlile testifying. I am completely in love with this woman. She is a force of nature, like a hurricane, or a breeze riffling a pellucid pool. All in the same song. She has the voice of an angel who has seen the darkness. She sets down the naked truth like nobody else. My bones vibrate when she sings this song. (Click on Watch on YouTube to see this video.)

   This is an important video for anyone who is contemplating acquiring a high end guitar. Richard Glick was the matchmaker par excellence. His mission in life was arranging love affairs between guitars and players.

   Richard passed away early this year, and he is dearly missed by so many in the acoustic guitar community. He is still sharing his wisdom and passion with us. Thank you, Richard.

   More favorites coming soon...Thanks for visiting!