Customer Reviews

Stratosphere Boogie: The Flaming guitars Of Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My father, Jimmy Bryant, played the heck out of his Telecasters - in fact, he was the first artist to play a Fender guitar for Leo Fender. If you play guitar and have never heard him play, this may scare you to grasp the thought of him doing this in the early to mid 50's - just think about being the first to play a solid body electric guitar without having someone else to copy chops from - and it sounding like this! Hope you like it - you can read more about my dad at ...
Kind regards,
John Bryant

One day a couple of years ago I was looking through the bins at a big music store. The floor I was on contained the country section, and they were playing an album that had sounds on it that I'd never heard before. Everyone in hearing range stopped what they were doing and listened. The music was so unusual (to me, at least) and interesting that I bought the album--this album--right away, and I haven't regretted it since. Will definitely be of interest to non-old-country fans who like good music and crack musicianship.

Originals and souped up country standards, played at warp speed, with sock rhythm and bop lines. My favorite is "Arkansas Traveler" as a I-vi-ii-V song instead of the traditional I-IV-I-V.

HOT, HOT, HOT!!! One of the best instumental albums you'll ever hear. Inventive, creative, original. As Jimmy's son points out, he was Leo's torchbearer with the tele. According to George Fullerton, Mr. Fender's right-hand man, he and Leo were at a club in Riverside, CA, looking for guitarists to "test drive" this new invention. During a set break they approached Jimmy, who took it, sat on the edge of the stage and began picking. As George related the story, all in attendance stopped what they were doing, gathered around and watched Bryant pick away. It, I'm sure, was an historic moment.

Thankfully, the combination of Mr. Bryant and Mr. Fender's invention can be heard in its purist form. Teamed up with Speedy (and that name is accurate) West, you have an album that cooks. Remember, this is the 1950s, and there are no tricks here. As pure and clean as it gets.

Be prepared to be sent into the stratosphere!

Jimmy Bryant's telecaster speed picking along with Speedy West's steel guitar "showbudding" combine on this CD to provide one of the most incedibly fast (and accurate) displays of strung-instrument acrobatics ever recorded. Bryant's jazz-meets-county fair style is second to NONE (including Steve Morse). West's playing extrapolates from earlier styles (such as Bob Wills) but ramps them up to warp speed along with some special effects done the old fashioned way (before there were wah wahs or eventide harmonizers). No vocal tracks provided or needed. Anyone who understands guitar playing will be very pleased with this CD, particularly if taken in the context of the late 50's and early 60's.

To those of us coming from a more Pop point of view this CD sounds like a ruralized Les Paul--lots of flash and a 2/2 beat.

The never-ending debate about which cubby hole to stuff Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant into (are they Country? C&W? Jazz? Country Jazz? Pop Country? yadda yadda yadda?) is less than interesting to me. Whatever it is they're playing, I like it.

"Stratosphere Boogie," "Arkansas Traveler" and "Flippin' The Lid" are the highlights for me. West/Bryant understood the difference between showing off by picking at 1000 miles an hour and delivering a tune with a pit of flash and panache.

I saw the comments of some here about speedy west not being very good. I just wanted to say the cuts on this album are not very representative of some of his best work. There is a CD put out by a european company of about 30 tracks of stuff from his days on the tennesee ernie ford show that are hands down much better than this material.

Simply Stunning, Buy this disc!, in fact buy them all. I purchased this cd within a month of release and have played it at least once a month since. Simple Stated this is superb disc with Stunning musicianship, if you dont like this "Get Out" and dont ever talk to me again!

I bought this CD because of the strong customer reviews and I have to agree completely that this is a great demonstration of superb musicianship. A must have for anyone interested in Swing Music.

OH MY GOD!RUN DONT WALK TO GET THIS CD