Customer Reviews

Conversations in Swing Guitar

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a nice recording of swing and blues style guitar. Lots of fun to listen to -- like sitting in on a friendly jam session. Duke Robillard really shines on "Avalon" and the bluesier numbers and Herb Ellis sounds like he's having fun throughout. Recommended for swing fans or those new to jazz guitar.

I can't pick up my own guitar without trying to play some of the lines Duke puts together on these numbers! He really smokes on "Easin' In". Unlike what some others may say, I think his swing chops are awreet and that the major problem here is that Herb Ellis is a little stale and staccato, but that's only compared with the Herb of yesteryear. This album is a fine excursion into this genre of jazz/blues and will be appreciated by more than just a purist jazz or blues oriented audience. Buy it and enjoy!

This is one of the greatest swing albums of all time. I'm not exactly sure who played what parts (someone said that the channel credits were reversed), but Ellis and Robillard both sound great. They seem to have a bottomless well of creative and melodic swing phrases that they can throw around at will. This album will put you in a good mood quick. Make sure to check out the sequel album too - it's just as good.

Veteran guitarist Herb Ellis and and a somewhat newcomber guitarist Duke Roubillard showcase some fine jazz guitar interplay.Even if you're not a jazz fan, you'll appreciate this fine playing. This quintet presents three Roubillard originals with four standards.You'll hear the similarity between this album and the Great Guitar albums from past years. A fine addition to any guitar jazz lover's collection.

The reviewer who put down Robillard's playing on this has got to have his head up his you know what! Duke Robillard really demonstrates his swing chops on this one - Duke is a master of many styles including blues in the style of the likes of T-Bone Walker, Albert Collins, Magic Sam, you name it - and jazz in the style of Charlie Christian - He has a very hard hitting swinging style and he comes up with interesting musical ideas in each of his solos. Herb, of course, is a terrefic soft-spoken jazz guitarist. Like Jim Hall he always has subtle tricks up his sleeve. This is by no means a perfect cd - but my rage at the other review has pushed it from a 4 to a 5. It is a fun listen!

You can't like electric guitar and not love this CD. It's smooth, jazzy, and bluesy all at the same time. If you liked the music in the film "Bull Durham" you'll be in heaven.

This a fun and likeable CD of pleasant swing/blues numbers, but if you are wanting to hear great guitar, don't look here. This CD really points out Robillard's weakness as a jazzer.

Robillard, a fine blues player, doesn't hit the mark here in several ways: he often seems to miss what he is trying to do with his solos, he falters and misses notes regularly, his note choices are amateur quality and unhip, and perhaps worst of all, his comping under Ellis is obtrusive and awkward, Pairing him with a well weathered pro like Ellis, though now well past his prime, is odd - Ellis completely smokes Robillard without even trying. Ellis' solos are creative, swinging, and coherent, and his comping is so perfectly supportive that you don't even notice it (this is a compliment).

I am surprised Robillard's own sense of quality control didn't prevent this from being released --I'm sure you love this music, Duke, but either stick to the blues or do some shedding before releasing jazz CDs -- Charlie Christian you aint!