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Joe Bonamassa Forum → Other Artists → Favorite instrumentals
I've always liked - maybe even preferred - instrumental music, so like others have said, this is really, really tough. Sticking to guitar instrumentals and mixing styles and genres here's a short list:
Eric Johnson - Zap
Chris Duarte - Like Eric
Jeff Beck - Led Boots
Pat Metheny - Letter From Home
Sonny Landreth - For You And Forever
Tommy Emmanuel - Lenny Bro'
John Scofield - Over Big Top
Lots of great ones, but Santana "Europa" has been a favorite for decades.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3R-MNBd3zk
Absolutely. So Gorgeous. Santana so soothingly seductive.
This is a bit different, but shows why EWF are one of the best bands to walk this Earth.
New World Symphony
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpL7V6z_iQU
Some great ones already listed. I'll toss a few more into the mix....
Blues (just 3 off the top of my head, like others I could go on and on):
"Wham" -- Lonnie Mack (he did this once with SRV...amazing).
"Thank You Mr. Poobah" -- Paul Butterfield Blues Band
"Hide Away" -- Freddie KingJazz (this category almost too easy, since so much great Jazz is purely instrumental)
"Strode Rode" -- Sonny Rollins (this cat can really blow, and is still at it, at 82)
"Take Five" -- Dave Brubeck
"Stratus" -- Billy Cobham (okay, technically fusion, but a great instrumental--plus this track featured Tommy Bolin, on guitar, from the 1973 release Spectrum )
Nice call on Stratus - Fabulous performance
Forget the Purple debacle. Whenever you listen to that and then Tommys solo material, you realise what a waste it was of an extraordinary talent. Teaser and Whips&Roses are fantastic albums and should be mandatory listening to all guitar fans !!
If you like 'Take Five' and you like great guitar playing then watch this live clip of George Benson performing that song. Its my fave guitar clip on YT. A simply insane godly inspired performance .
welcome to the forum Ryn, nice git fiddle there and extra nice with the sig.
I thought about a couple others last night and realized I had overlooked one of the best of the last few years. Our very own Michael Lynch in the UK put this video montage together I think more for me than anything, it is exceptional and required a lot of work. Some here may not have seen it. Others I had forgotten - Camel's Night Out, EJ and Los Endos, Genesis (the slight vocal at the end doesn't really count as they omit this when playing live).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8IScia54c4LittleMissBlues wrote:Cat's Squirrel - Cream - Fresh Cream album and Going Home (Local Hero) by Mark Knopfler Live in Royal Albert Hall version. I can't remember the year but Knopfler played it on his Les Paul 58.
Ryn
Thanks for the welcome and I will check the video out!
@hulldanfan...had forgotten that George Benson could do a tasty take on "Take Five". GB has some pretty good instrumentals that are worthy of this list (beyond that one), IMO. George could definitely play on the edge of "too many notes, too fast". That's almost a requirement for some Jazz, though.
The too much, too fast "criticism" is occasionally levelled at Joe B and Walter Trout (among others). Never been a problem, in my book. Though I appreciate a slow chugger of a tune, just as much.
Back on topic, there's loads of Leo Kottke's fretwork that would make my list of fave instrumentals. "Bean Time" leaps to mind. Bet Joe could tear that one up, too.
And as acoustic guitarists go, Michael Hedges was no slouch, either. Not that he wanted to be known as an instrumentalist. His "Jitterboogie" is another instrumental on my favorites list. (Another artist that was taken from us way too soon.)
Steve Vai's "For the Love of God" and "Whispering A Prayer" are another two of my favorites from him.
The Scorpions "Sails of Charon" is a classic.
Metallica's "Orion" is one of my favorite metal instrumentals ever.
The Allman Brothers have a ton of great ones:
"Little Martha"
"Jessica"
"Instrumental Illness"
"In Memory of Elizabeth Reed"
...
@hulldanfan...had forgotten that George Benson could do a tasty take on "Take Five". GB has some pretty good instrumentals that are worthy of this list (beyond that one), IMO. George could definitely play on the edge of "too many notes, too fast". That's almost a requirement for some Jazz, though.
The too much, too fast "criticism" is occasionally levelled at Joe B and Walter Trout (among others). Never been a problem, in my book. Though I appreciate a slow chugger of a tune, just as much.
Back on topic, there's loads of Leo Kottke's fretwork that would make my list of fave instrumentals. "Bean Time" leaps to mind. Bet Joe could tear that one up, too.
And as acoustic guitarists go, Michael Hedges was no slouch, either. Not that he wanted to be known as an instrumentalist. His "Jitterboogie" is another instrumental on my favorites list. (Another artist that was taken from us way too soon.)
Ive said before on here, I dont really think Joe or Walter are overly fast players. A blues 'purist' may claim that they overplay a little and Walter in particular is never short of a note. (Going to see him for the 15th time next week).
But, like you, I have no problem either. If everyone played the same, what a boring place it woud be !!
Steve Vai's "For the Love of God" and "Whispering A Prayer" are another two of my favorites from him.
The Scorpions "Sails of Charon" is a classic.
Metallica's "Orion" is one of my favorite metal instrumentals ever.The Allman Brothers have a ton of great ones:
"Little Martha"
"Jessica"
"Instrumental Illness"
"In Memory of Elizabeth Reed"
...
IMOER from Filmore East - Wow !!!!
ZeyerGTR wrote:Steve Vai's "For the Love of God" and "Whispering A Prayer" are another two of my favorites from him.
The Scorpions "Sails of Charon" is a classic.
Metallica's "Orion" is one of my favorite metal instrumentals ever.The Allman Brothers have a ton of great ones:
"Little Martha"
"Jessica"
"Instrumental Illness"
"In Memory of Elizabeth Reed"
...IMOER from Filmore East - Wow !!!!
Yup - some of Tom Dowd's handy work there
yeah, Leo Kottke was amazing, made my fingers hurt just watching him. my son reminded me that KWS likes to end his CD's with an instrumental, don't want to slight him here.
Ledbetter Heights
Trouble Is
Strut
All of Mike Stern's work is instrumental (oh that jazz), I would have a hard time picking out a "best of". and the rest of the jazz folks as well - Lee Ritenour, Larry Carlton, John Schofield, Steve Lukather, Earl Klugh, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Bela Fleck.........too many fantastic songs to note.
I'm another Maggot Brain fan. I'm also a Frank Zappa girl. Here's the version of sofa I love!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOMFJ1Fosh0
Thanks for all the replies so far. Lots of names I'm new to, another JB bonus 
Cathy
Probably the Funky Doctor Of Love might be the only one around here to agree with me on this one, Sex Machine by Sly & The Family Stone..........HaHa, we blew yo' mind!!!
All Funked Up!!!
J Dawg
Thanks for the reminder about "Sex Machine", giving that a listen, right now. Nice vocoder (talk box) scat on that one. And an early use of same on a studio record, as I recall.
Thanks for the reminder about "Sex Machine", giving that a listen, right now. Nice vocoder (talk box) scat on that one. And an early use of same on a studio record, as I recall.
Sly was a pioneer, not to mention pushed the envelope in many ways. The Stand album is a pure classic.
Don't Call Me Whitey,
J Dawg
Joe Satriani - "Andalusia"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yaBjr5r … ata_player
Rivera Paradise SRV
Anything by Ry Cooder
Favorite Instrumental?
Well Now You're Talking Gary Hoey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WIPE OUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!
Joe Bonamassa Forum → Other Artists → Favorite instrumentals
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