JIMMY RANEY SHINES IN TOKYO!
J. A. wang | new jersey | 04/22/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"JIMMY RANEY IS A GUITAR'S PLAYER GUITAR PLAYER. WHEN HE WAS ALIVE AND ACTIVELY GIGGING PLAYERS LIKE MONGOMERY,KESSEL,HALL AND OTHERS - INCLUDING ALL THE LOCAL YOKALS COULD BE FOUND SITTING OR SWAYING IN THE AUDIENCE. QUITE FRANKLY THE "BEST"
RANEY FOR ME IS THE OLDER RANEY - HIS EARLY RECORDINGS ARE CERTAINLY SOLID, BUT, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, DO NOT REVEAL THE DEPTH THAT WAS TO FOLLOW. THIS RECORDING IS EASILY MY FAVORITE RAINEY RECORDING AND ONE OF MY TOP 3 OR 4 FAVORITE GUITAR ALBUMS PERIOD. FROM THE FIRST NOTE ON THIS DVD THERE IS MAGIC IN THE AIR - RANEY'S INTERPATATION OF STANDARDS IS ALWAYS COMPELLING.
HIS ARTICULATIONS ARE SOPHISTICATED, COMPLEX AND SUPER HIP - AND HE JUST SWINGS HIMSELF SILLY HERE - "HOW ABOUT YOU" IS TAKEN AT A MID-TEMPO SWING AND IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES - THIS TRULY CAPTURES A MATURE ARTIST FINDING SYNERGY WITH LIVE AUDIENCE.
HIS UNACCOMPANIED VERSION OF STELLA BY STARLIGHT IS EXTREMELY MOVING, BUT IS A MUSICAL CONSTRUCTION OF GREAT DEPTH AND GREAT BEAUTY. THIS IS TREMENDOUS MUSIC BY ONE OF THE MASTERS OF THE JAZZ GUITAR - NOT TO BE MISSED."
Will someone put his name back in the guitar history books?
J. A. wang | 04/11/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Jimmy Raney is an undiscovered treasure. The depth of the musicanship, especially on this album is clearly unmatched by any guitarist. The cross the bar line phrasing, long lines, perfect time, bird references and general melodic genius. No one gets close to this. He was on the level of Charlie Parker and Bud Powell on his instrument or close to it. He also had other strains happening. Listen to Strings and Swings and his classical quintet writing. This clues you in to his mind. This is one of his finest records--done on his guitarist son Doug's (Also destined for unsung hero status)L7"
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1