Who's your favorite underrated guitarist?

Underrated Guitarists

Plenty of underrated rock guitarists out there but my vote goes to Joao Gilberto. One of the all time great players who rarely gets mentioned in polls. He has amazing rhythm, invented Bossa Nova guitar and the Bossa Nova itself according to Jobim. A totally original artist with very significant contributions to guitar playing.

No one plays the Bossa Nova guitar like Joao. Listen to the clip of him playing the "Waters of March (Aguas De Marco) " here from Amazon......http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000008B01/ref=pd_lpo_k2a_3_img/104-3014339-1037555?_encoding=UTF8

Another underrated guitarist is James Taylor. An excellent acoustic player.

Others??

 

I agree, but Gilberto is fairly well regarded in his own right. But theres that rock-centricity thing here....

And speaking of that!.....I'd nominate Peter Green of the original Fleetwood Mac.

But this begs the question...... how should 'underrated' be defined? By the general public? By say the guitarists peers? By fans of the particular genre? Peter Green is quite well known as far as blues revival & 60's rock, so I'm not sure he would qualify within that sphere. But to rock fans generally? Definitely underrated.

 

WAY COOL

George Van Eps

This would be before he even used the 7 string.

Absolutely incredible these recordings I had the pleasure of listening to during one of my guitar lessons way back in 1972 while I attended Berklee College of Music.

You would swear that there were at least 3 guys playing or 4 at times. Yet it was just Van Eps and a 6 string electric arch-top guitar. There were absolutely no overdubs what so ever and yet you could hear a bass line, a melody line and or counterpoint line and the jazzy comping of the songs chord changes as well as a clear and distinct improvised single line and or double stops for a jazzy guitar solo.

This was just one guy playing this all at once! In as much as I love many other players such as Joe Pass and the list could go on. I've yet to hear anything or anyone play with no effects like those recordings I heard from what I'm guessing to be from the 1940's by Van Eps. Sorry I ddn't have an album cover to look at as these were played to me right from a 1/4 inch reel to reel tape player/recorder at the time!

 

I always thought Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues could have done a lot more showing off if he were so inclined. There are a couple of runs that sound amazing to me in "Dawning Is The Day" from Question of Balance, one after the first line of the second verse and one near the end.

 

Yeah, defining "underrated" is tricky. I don't know that my nomination will qualify. Certainly to the general public, he's not just underrated but generally unknown. I would guess he's rated highly by folks were around at a certain time and place in rock history and were paying close attention.

Anyway, I'm not generally one to be impressed by guitar playing for its own sake. It has to be in service of the song. And mere flash or speed does nothing for me.

But I think for originality and passion...for playing that makes me say "I've never heard anyone approach the electric guitar quite that way"...I would nominate Tom Verlaine.

I don't even know his solo stuff...but what he does on the Television live sessions that are out there plus the studio recordings can make my head spin around every time. It's not that he has a particularly notable tone or anything...but the notes he chooses to play and the way he arranges them...for some reason, he really gets to me in a way most other guitarists don't.

 

1) Pete Anderson
2) Mike Cambell
3) Martin Barre

Three very tasty players.

 

" But this begs the question...... how should 'underrated' be defined? ".... I'd nominate Peter Green "

I think you answered your own question very well! ..... Peter Green!

In underrated, I really meant under recognized or under appreciated.

 

<< 3) Martin Barre >>

He was amazing live with Jethro Tull! Just sizzling playing.

 

I second Justin Hayward of the Moodies; understated, he rarely just "whipped it out".
One exception: "Higher & Higher" (To Our Childrens Childrens Children), where he took the Roger McGuinn "Eight Miles High" approach right out of the troposphere, if you get my meaning. Otherwise, his playing always served the song at hand.

Jeff Lynne (the Move, ELO); you could say much the same about him. The consummate guitar guy who wants to make a great record first.

Peter Ham and Joey Molland, Badfinger (I really miss Pete).

Charlie Whitney, Family. Underrated entire band, them.

Peter Tolson...the '70s Pretty Things lead guitarist...just smoked on Cross Talk. Probably the most underrated player.

 

Off the top of my head

Roy Buchanan
Jan Akkerman
David Grissom

 

Peter Green
Gary Moore
George Harrison
John Cipollina

 

Have you ever listened to Justin's solo on "Deep" off of the album Sur La Mer? Wow

 

Buck Dharma

 

Tommy Bolin
Gary Moore
Jake E. Lee

i'll nominate Prince, too, even though i'm hardly a Prince fanatic. he's an incredible player.

for jazz, i'll nominate Gabor Szabo.

 

Because Walsh is so well known and Felder is not, Don Felder.

 

The Guitarist From Davis & McKay

 

On acoustic?

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull.

 

The replies got me thinking of another 'forgotten great' guitarist. Jesse Ed Davis, an excellent session man in the early seventies. A full-blooded Kiowa Indian. I saw him live once in San Diego in 1973. Very tasteful player.

 

Jesse Ed Davis--great choice!

one more: George McCorkle from the Marshall Tucker Band

 

I've got a recording of him from the La Paloma Theater 3-17-73. This was a few years before I started working with him, but a good friend did the sound. I wonder if this is the same show? Jerry McCann was also on the bill.

 

Joni Mitchell
John Martyn
Nick Drake
Richard Thompson
Lindsey Buckingham

 

lou reed

 

Paul McCartney.

 

Kurt Winter and Randy Bachman

 

Wow Doug, you've got quite the recall! ....... I saw him around that time, but it was in the park with the half-shell outdoor venue stage. I believe he was on a bill with Jim Croce and a few other bands. He had his own band under his name. But as I mentioned before, things were a bit "cloudy" in those days and we saw many groups. But I do remember what a great player Jesse live was and always loved his studio work.