I don't understand Dicky Betts' Greatness

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by jwb1231970, Apr 13, 2016.

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  1. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    I thought about the songwriting aspect also and it is probably a valid point. However, in a live setting Bett's was able to stand toe to toe with Duane night after night. I think that alone raises Dickey to the status of greatness.
     
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  2. rednoise

    rednoise Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston
    Bob Dylan, too :rolleyes:

    This whole thread has been the most blatant troll I have yet to see on this board.
     
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  3. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    I hate to say one guitar player is better than another but to say that Bob Dylan is better than Dickey Bett's is stretching it.....even for me. :D
     
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  4. lucan_g

    lucan_g Forum Resident

    It's crazy town. Like nuts.
     
  5. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    I bought albums after Duane. Brothers and Sisters is an excellent album. But not, for me, because of Betts' playing.

    Look, "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed", "Blue Skies", "Ramblin' Man" are all excellent tunes. If the guy is a decent guitarist, I'm not kicking him out of the band (other than for the behavioral issues he has had) because he's so good a songwriter. For me, the instrumental highlights of the ABB records were Duane, Gregg, Berry, and the dueling drummers. I'm trying to think of one instance where I say when I listen, "That's exceptional guitar work!" or "That guy's a master!" I think he's okay, is a serviceable guitarist.

    I'll add Waddy Wachtel as another excellent guitarist.
     
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  6. PNeski@aol.com

    [email protected] Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    SORRY I DON"T THINK ANY OF THOSE MOSTLY FINE ARTISTS ARE AS GOOD AS DICKEY AS A GUITARIST ,Dylan ?? Paul Simon?? Two of my Favorites hardly known for their guitar playing, Stills will always be one of the best voices and is a fine Guitar player too. But I prefer Dickey,Jorma is good but I prefer the Allman Brothers to the Airplane,
    Pete is a Singer songwriter first!! Thompson is also fine
     
    Last edited: Jun 14, 2016
  7. segue

    segue Psychoacoustic Member

    Location:
    Hawai'i
    Have to agree on that!
    Betts is one of the greats, one of those rare guitarists you can identify by a single note!




    //
     
  8. PHILLYQ

    PHILLYQ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn NY
    Charlie Parker did not bring technical alto playing to another level- he was an artistic inspiration to legions of saxophonists, even tenor players. He was much more than a technician.
    Listen to 'Live at Fillmore East', all the guitar solos are brilliant, half of them by Betts. Listen to how he plays sterling rhythm guitar behind the Duane solos. Shame that you're a musician and you can't hear that.
     
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  9. segue

    segue Psychoacoustic Member

    Location:
    Hawai'i
    Pretty good company

    [​IMG]
     
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  10. segue

    segue Psychoacoustic Member

    Location:
    Hawai'i
    Pretty good company II
    [​IMG]

    Lenny LeBlanc, Gary Rossington, Billy Powell, Jimmy Hall, Artimus Pyle, Bonnie Bramlett, Dickey Betts, Charlie Daniels, Taz DiGregorio and Allen Collins + more
     
    Last edited: Jun 14, 2016
  11. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    First of all, I didn't say Parker only brought the technical aspects of sax playing. Heck, I studied, dismantled, learned, and scatted his solos.

    On your second point, regarding Live At Fillmore East, again, I find Betts' solos rather boring. With the longer tunes such as "Whipping Post" and "You Don't Love Me", not only do I find Betts' phrasing a bit mundane, but he doesn't sustain the ideas on his solos.

    Contrast that with Duane Allman, who gets me on the edge of my seat. His phrasing is startling, and his ideas are terrific.

    I listen to the album for the tunes, Gregg's vocals, Duane's solos, and the ensemble playing. Bett's solo guitar playing just doesn't do anything for me.

    Relatedly, I have been doing a lot of listening to classic Blue Note albums. A lot of them have a sort of predictability to them, particularly in the late '50s through early '60s period.

    But you hear a Tina Brooks and Grant Green, both who can take a predictable approach to a tune, but their phrasing and soloing are so inventive and surprising that they really elevate the albums they're on.
     
  12. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    You add Waddy Wachtel into the debate?o_O Now is the time for me to say "No Mas". Sorry...but you have something against Dickey that is not rooted in musical reality. See ya.
    You are not a guitar player are you. It shows.
     
  13. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    So, tell us what bebop encircling means.
     
  14. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    I'm not sure I can help you on that one, though. I was trying to break them down and memorize them in a class. The instructor didn't mention that one. I'm going to assume that encircling is about created patterns, which Parker did. The one I worked on most was "Now's The Time".
     
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  15. ManFromCouv

    ManFromCouv Employee #3541

    Just saw this thread for the first time. Wish I hadn't.
    :wtf:
     
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  16. VinylRob

    VinylRob Forum Resident

    Just goes to show ya what opinions are like... there are several on this list I wouldn't even say hold a candle to Mr. Betts playing but, that is just how subjective this argument is. Jelly, jelly, jelly :)
     
  17. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    Yup. Subjective. My opinion. I can't like something for you. :fly:
     
  18. wilbur

    wilbur Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    There is a lot of greatness out there that I don't understand. Maybe one day I'll see the light.
     
  19. VinylRob

    VinylRob Forum Resident

    didn't ask you to...
     
  20. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    Ummm...YOU didn't. True.

    But it seems as if anyone who agrees with the original poster is deemed by a few as insincere, or just plain wrong.
     
  21. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    Looks like pretty drunk company as well. :uhhuh:
     
  22. lucan_g

    lucan_g Forum Resident

    There is a difference between 'liking' something and recognizing objective talent. Take Van Halen...or Joe Satriani. Personally, their playing does nothing for me. But I'm not going to be a fool and say they are mediocre guitarists...
     
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  23. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959

    Location:
    Salem, MA
    But I'm going to say that Dickey Betts, as a guitarist, is merely so-so. As a musician myself, I am particularly looking at his sense of phrasing, creative use of scale and harmony. It's just not all that sophisticated or interesting to me.

    I asked in a prior post to point out specific examples I should look at that highlight his ability as a guitarist, particularly as a soloist. No one came forward with an example. I'll be happy to listen to them and reconsider. If I hear something that really is arresting and causes me to reconsider my opinion, I'll be happy to say I was wrong.

    An example of a jazz guitarist who really surprised me recently is Grant Green. I had never heard him before. On Blue Note albums such as Idle Moments, Matador, and Gooden's Corner (or listen to his quartet's take on "It Ain't Necessarily So"), his sense of phrasing and melody is so fresh, taking me as a listener in directions that really have me sitting at the edge of my chair to follow where he's going. Duane Allman is someone I put in that category. Betts? Not from anything I have heard.
     
  24. Devon

    Devon Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Earth
    You know, this is the kind of b.s.-thread of which there are far too many in this forum. But this one almost takes the cake.

    I'm with you, wish I wouldn't know about this here.
     
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  25. segue

    segue Psychoacoustic Member

    Location:
    Hawai'i
    totally agree
     
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2016
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