B-Tribe / Paco Fernandez

[boris]

Think I should put them here as Paco Fernandez plays a Flamenco guitar. You may remember that OL mentioned B-Tribe a while ago. I gave it a listen and you can find some of my impressions here: barthelomaus.blogspot.com/2004/10/b-tribe-paco-fernandez.html. That's my blog.

[boris]

So Adam, now that you've listened to it a couple of days more, what do you think of Paco's album. And what do you think of it in comparison to OL's playing?

I still could have a good deal of more guitar playing but well. As a chill out album, it works pretty well. "ando sobre agua" is indeed a good opener, pretty tender. So is the singing in "never knew a light like this" and "where do we go now?". I'm hooked on the last two songs somehow, the voice is soft but intense. Must be a beautiful woman, no matter what beauty you are talking of.
But a song like "colores", I could leave behind easily. Where's the guitar there?

So Paco plays a certain style, a nice one, worth the buy but are his recordings in the range of OL?

[Adam Solomon]

I agree. He's no OL (though the opening track is definitely a goodie), but it's got some good tunes. And I'll always take a guitar over a voice So a bit too much vocals for my taste. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to squeeze in TOO many listens...

[boris]

The last days I couldn't stop listening to "llaut" from this album. It creates such an atmosphere, somehow distorting, hypnotizing. I'd add Jon Gagan's "River Idol" and The Doors "The End" and watch Apocalypse Now. Still have to check it myself but it could work out.

[Matt Callahan]

Oh man, I haven't heard The End in forever. I listened to The Doors through high school. Weird Scenes Inside the Gold Mine is another great loooong song. Off to the archives, I think......

[boris]

Maybe we can exchange "llaut" or something from Round Mountain against "Weird Scenes Inside the Gold Mine"? Tell me offline if yes.
Oh, and Adam, what about a glimpse of Round Mountain against npr? You will buy the Round Mountain album after that anyway ...

[UncleTito]

Don't take this the wrong way, but...

Why is everything compared to OL? Don't you know that there is room in this business for everyone? Besides, OL does not demonstrate what kind of chops he has on the instrument. His music is layered. This is really evident in La Semana. I view OL more like a great modern composer that plays the guitar instread of the piano.

I will give this B-Tribe a listen to see what the fuzz is about.

By the way, I love OL's music. He is one of my favorite artists.

[boris]

Because this is an OL forum. It was built up to express the compassion for his music. So this is from where the perspective is coming from. It's not about wrong or right. It's all about OL. Wrong comparisons made by amateur fans included.

Ts, ts, ts ... do you really think we don't know that there is and we should give room in this business to everyone!?!

OL is the centre from which the heart of us Fanmencos approaches new stuff of music. So it is only natural that we compare it that way. Be it justified or not.

Ah, and by the way, it was Carlos Santana himself who compared the guitar playing of Paco Fernandez to OL and Paco de Lucia and said it was better in a certain respect.

[Adam Solomon]

It's very simple to compare any of these guitarists to OL, even if the styles are different; we simply enjoy that guitarist a certain amount, compared to OL. Since we all love him here, we sort of use him as a measuring stick for newer artists to us.

[boris]

Hey mighty uncle Tito, if you really want to check it out, take Sensual, Sensual because there's B-Tribe's version of Concierto de Aranjuez on. Carlos spoke about that one especially.

[UncleTito]

I was just wondering why the tendency of comparison.

As a professional musician for the last 17 years, I really dislike it every time I compose something and someone says "that sounds just like blah blah blah". Because I think I sound like, well, ME!!!

I guess that some people need a point of reference.

When I listen to music, I look for certain things, and those things vary from day to day. If want to hear something with tons of chops, I wouldn't listen to OL. I would listen to Paco deLucia, or Strunz & Farah. I'm not saying that OL does not have any chops, he just doesn't put them on his records. On the other hand, if I want to listen to layered, moody music with a flamenco flavor, then definitely OL is the guy.

Because I have been playing guitar and composing my own music for so long, plus all the work I do in my studio for local artists, plus all the time I have spent teaching people how to play the guitar, I find it odd when comparisons arise. I like to use adjectives to describe someone's music and skill as opposed to direct comparisons to other artists. Words like moody, speed and technical suit me perfectly. Even the name of the style combined with such words work great: Flamenco with speed, jazzy flamenco, moody flamenco or whatever term I can conjure up to avoid a direct comparison.

I undestand that sometimes the best way to describe something unknown is to relate it to something that is known. I'm cool with that, I do it at times. I just feel a little odd when people debate over who is the best guitarrist in the world, because such thing does not exists, or who is better than who, because those arguments seem to be quite biased.

I don't mean to stir up controversy or to rub people the wrong way. If I do that, please tell me. I just like to introduce a little perspective from a different standpoint, for educational purposes only. ;D

I'm in this forum for the same reasons as you are. I love OL's music.

What is great about this forum is the diversity within it. Both cultural and intelectual. I trully enjoy that.

[Adam Solomon]

Well, we don't compare OL to other artists so much in style (usually) as we do simply in how much we enjoy the music. Group A may be better at a certain style of guitar than Group B, but if the quality of Group B's music sucks and Group A makes amazing music, then you can also make that comparison.

And you're right, the world's best guitarist doesn't exist, not objectively, and subjectively it shouldn't, either. I love OL and, for example, John Frusciante (his solo stuff, especially), and since one plays rock and one plays flamenco, and the quality of both their music is so incredible, I can't really say who's better....however, you gotta take into account that one's favorite guitarist is entirely possible, cross-style/cross-genre.

And you're not riling anyone up, don't you worry

[UncleTito]

Right on. I couldn't agree with you more, Adam. That reminds me of certain heavy metal groups from the 80's. Some of those bands had incredible guitar players, very technical. But their music was very generic. It sucked. They have joined the "where are they now?" club. It's all about the music, isn't it?

That is probably what makes OL's music so appealing. It's high quality stuff, it moves people. If, as an artist, you are able to convey an emotion to the listener, and hopefully he or she feels the intended emotion, then you have succeded as an artist.

I think OL is quite succesful in his artistry. He is able to transmit certain emotions through his music. I think that is what gives him his longevity as a guitarrist and composer.

[Adam Solomon]

Exactly. I was just thinking about this this morning; what's the use (professionally, at least) of being a great technical guitarist if you can't write a good tune? There are probably thousands of guitar players out there who are as good as our favorite guitar players, or better, technically, but are no-names. Are cover bands ever big? Only if they put new spins on the covers they do--originality right there. The only cover songs that ever recieve any acclaim or popularity are those either by bands that are big to begin with, or those that change a song to give it a totally new, cool style and feel.