Various Artists - Guitar Tribute to the Beatles: Come Together

Strictly speaking, this isn't just a guitar tribute to the Beatles, although stringed instruments that are plucked, strummed, and otherwise manipulated are in abundance, representing styles and sounds that will recall Django Reinhardt at one moment and the Mahavishnu Orchestra at the next. Toots Thielemans adds some astonishingly tasteful harmonica (and whistling) to "Yesterday" and Thomas Dawson's organ is almost a lead instrument on "Come Together." But it's the guitars (plus some superb bass) that make up the core of this delightful recording. Larry Coryell, Steve Khan, Ralph Towner, Adrian Belew, John Abercrombie, Allan Holdsworth, Toninho Horta (whose Brazilian-flavored rendition of "She's Leaving Home" is worth the price of admission by itself), and others do what they do best, and the results are revelatory and dazzlingly entertaining. This reviewer's favorite cut was Khan's medley of "Within You, Without You/Blue Jay Way," but that's just because it's that much more unexpected than anything else here. Mark Whitfield's lead work on the title cut, which is also the leadoff track, sets the bar pretty high for the rest of the CD, but everyone clears it and then some, each in his own way. One only wishes there'd been a follow-up album. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Name Credits Adam Nussbaum Drums Adrian Belew Drums, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Synthesizer), ? Allan Holdsworth Guitar (Electric), ?, Engineer Axel Niehaus Assistant Engineer Dowell Davis Drums Frank Balesteri Cover Art Concept Garry Rindfuss Mixing, Mastering, Engineer Gary Willis Bass Gordon Beck Keyboards James Genus Bass Jay Anderson Performer John Abercrombie ?, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric) Julio Peralta Assistant Engineer Kenny Werner Synthesizer, Piano Kirk Covington Drums Larry Coryell Guitar (Acoustic), ? Leni Stern Guitar (Acoustic), Tiple, ?, Guitar (Electric) Les Stevenson Engineer Marc Johnson Bass Mark Whitfield ?, Guitar (Electric) Mark Zampella Assistant Engineer Matt Anthony Assistant Engineer Mike Krowiak Assistant Engineer Mike Mainieri Vibraphone, Photography, Marimba, Compilation Producer, Synthesizer Bass, MIDI Vibraphone, Producer Naná Vasconcelos Percussion, Voices Peter Erskine Drums Ralph Towner ?, Guitar (Acoustic) Rex Rideout Keyboards Rich Courtney Engineer Richie Kessler Assistant Engineer Roland Guerin Bass Rudy Berger Violin Steve Khan Guitar (Electric), ? Steve Newman Graphic Design Suzanne Dyer Assistant Engineer Thomas Dawson Organ Toninho Horta ?, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Vocals Toots Thielemans ?, Guitar (Electric), Harmonica, Whistle (Human) Zachary Breaux Drums, Guitar (Electric), Bass, ?