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Jeff Beck

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Jeff Beck

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Jeff Beck

Let's just start off with this: "Freeway Jam (Live)." If you need anymore convincing why Jeff Beck made the list of "Bands That I Like," then you will forever be clueless. I first became aware of this legendary guitarist with his April 2010 release Emotion & Commotion. I was immediately blown away by the first note and continued to be blown away- Blow By Blow- by the entire album; I had never heard the guitar sound so orchestral, eerie, emotional & eternal. The saying, "better late than never," surely applies to me here:  In typical millennial fashion- I had heard of the artist Beck before this legendary guitarist (ranked No. 5 of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time by Rolling Stone). After being converted with Emotion & Commotion, I quickly did a deep dive into his catalogue- and I do mean DEEP. This a man who has been recording since 1968 with his legendary Jeff Beck Group, which introduced the world to two new up-and-comers that one soon take over the world: Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood (who would eventually go on to become the permanent rhythm guitarist for the Rolling Stones). I started with what many believe to be his best album, Blow By Blow, and the 1991 3-CD-box-set Beckology, but I soon found that Beck's real shining moments were in the live performance. Early Jeff Beck is captured great on 1968's Live at the Fillmore West and the numerous other live albums- not to mention the rabbit-hole you can go down on YouTube of him shredding AFTER shred AFTER shred AFTER shred... I'm in the minority- but I actually enjoy his later-day orchestral/compositional work over his early blues-psych-rock stuff with the Jeff Beck Band. For instance, check out this song "Plan B" which see's the guitarist further stretching his artistic image and going beyond the constraints of the electric guitar: And that's probably why Beck is recognized as one of the greatest of all time: He is one of the few guitarist in history that furthered the progression of now only guitar-playing- but also- what it actually means to be a guitarist. And that say's a heck...

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Jeff Beck

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