Awesome SHIT!!! EEAAHHHH!!! The combination of Stanley's MOST EXCELLENT right hand picking/plucking technique and Ray Gomez's over-the-top lead guitar solos sent me into a meditative/ZEN state beyond what most afficianodos would be able to handle!!!
Man, Ray Gomez wails on this tune. I saw this tour in LA at the small Roxy nightclub two days in a row. Sat right in front of Ray and he was killin it, as was the whole band.
I also was lucky enough to see Stanley in the 70s with Ray - sheer brilliance. Ray was totally off the wall. He played the spaces where others stuck to notes.
Saw Clarke playing with Holdsworth in NYC in 1988. Gomez showed up, borrowed Holdsworth's backup guitar, and joined in for a little while. Even Holdsworth (who has a completely different style) was in awe of Gomez's shredding - that was the best live rock fusion guitar I had ever seen. And nothing over the past 25 years has come close. If only someone had taped it. Incredible musician,
People tend to forget just how influential Stanley was. When his records came out, musicians (especially bass players) freaked out. I'm a rock guitar player but when this stuff came out, we really started exploring fusion and became better players. He's had a great career but in terms of influence he should be much more well known. He is a bad MF!!!!
Hey - Let's just remember that Ray Gomez is one of the most completely underrated guitar players ever! This guy can shred, has beauitful tone, kills melodically and has played with some of the greatest musicians - he should get more credit -he's brilliant...
I like and respect Mark King as a bassist, but there is no way he's better than any aspect of Stanley Clarke. This is the man that started ( before Jaco as well) it all. In articles Mark King has talked about how much Stanley influenced his playing.
After searching through the commentary , I noticed that there was no mention of Ray's solo release from '78 called " Volume " ; I believe it was his only solo album and that it never got released on CD ; I have a vinyl copy of it ; It was difficult to find but definitely worth the effort ; check it out if you can !
Know what you mean. I still have Volume on vinyl in good shape.
In my town we had a really good fm station that would play good rock (Skynyrd, deep purple, elp. etc) in addition to Dregs, Ray Gomez, RTF, Chick, King C.
Bitch, but over the last year, RA has gotten so bad, that I can't play anymore.
Sucks big time. Check Cm blues for Ron paul on my page...even that kind of laid back playing is long gone now. Sucks bcz I'd been playing since 11 years old.
If you want to hear another incredible Ray Gomez solo, listen to "Mating Drive" off of Lenny White's "Venusian Summer" album... oh I just saw it listed in the "Related Videos" bar on the right - check it out.
Contd. To hear Ray at his very best just listen to Narada Michael Walden's Garden of Love Light! Having just seen the RTF reunion show I would love to have seen the showdown with Ray and Al mentioned here! I hope Ray is in control of his personal demons these days and re-emerges into the light where he belongs! - Enrico
I second everything said here about Ray - one of the great underrated geniuses! He best bridged the gap between rock and fusion and in my mind was easily the equal of Tommy Bolin. This is one of Stanley's best touring bands and I pray that Claude Nobbs of Montreux fame releases this whole concert as part of his DVD series?! There is a S Clarke live '76 Cd with this band which also features the incredible David Sancious! Contd.
I believe that record was School Days. I saw this touring band back then in a tiny nightclub call The Roxy here in LA...went 2 nights in a row and it was friggin great!
Today I head the music of Ray Gomez for the first time, and, at the same time, developed a much greater appreciation for the music of Stanley Clarke. Thank you for this post lf. j-r
Yeah, I think Lenny White recommended Ray Gomez to Stanley. Stanley, wanted John Mc Laughlin to play this song on the School Days album, but after hearing Gomez, Clarke had to have him play it on the album and in his band.
Oh God... Ray Gomez. I thought only I knew about him, ha. I saw him with Stanley in Norfolk, Va. in 1978. Fantastic show! You know we live on a dysfunctional, highly primitive planet, in the backwaters of the Universe when musicians like Stanley, Ray Gomez, Jean Luc Ponty, John Mcglaughlin, Pat Metheny, Steve Morse, Frank Gambale, Chad Wakerman, Billy Cobham, Jeff Beck, etc., take a backseat to Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, and the rest of the "pop crew". Evolution in process...
no offense at all though lots of people knew about Ray back at that time and he was highly regarded. but these days, you are right, in that most seem to not know him at all. Frankly when people were talking up Tommy Bolin back then some pointed to Ray as being at least as good and more likely better than Tommy though Tommy's work with Cobham and later Deep Purple got him more press.
This is what I'm talking about. Finally after so long I've found the video with Ray Gomez, the person who originally recorded this song with Stanley Clarke on the School Days album. The others simply don't compare to this magic. Thank you whoever you are!
This is what I'm talking about. Finally after so long I've found the video with Ray Gomez, the person who originally recorded this song with Stanley Clarke on the School Days album. The others simply don't compare to this magic. Thank you whoever you are!
Thank So Much for this video, great memories.I was lucky enough to see a Stanley clarke concert in pittsburgh in the 70s.Ray Gomez was with him. Just so happened that Al DiMeola was playing Pittsburgh the same night right across the street. Long story short Al payed a visit to the stage and him and Ray Gomez had a little showdown, it was AWESOME.
Talk About Shredding.Can't wait for the RTF reunion tour
Yeah! I was lucky enuf to live thru this great period and catch a lot of fusion cats...including this tour, and he played like, a week, in the tiny Roxy club in LA--caught 2 of 'em. Larry Coryell & 11th House, Jean Luc Ponty, Billy Cobham, Mahavishnu, a great era unfairly slagged. ~ Jonny O
i love gomez's playing in this video. and on the album aswell. i rather liked jeff beck's palying with stanley aswell though. thanx for uploading (5 stars)
Awesome SHIT!!! EEAAHHHH!!! The combination of Stanley's MOST EXCELLENT right hand picking/plucking technique and Ray Gomez's over-the-top lead guitar solos sent me into a meditative/ZEN state beyond what most afficianodos would be able to handle!!!
phrygian3rd 1 week ago
Man, Ray Gomez wails on this tune. I saw this tour in LA at the small Roxy nightclub two days in a row. Sat right in front of Ray and he was killin it, as was the whole band.
jongreek 1 week ago
nice hair stanley clarke
thenamesfrancisco 4 months ago
I also was lucky enough to see Stanley in the 70s with Ray - sheer brilliance. Ray was totally off the wall. He played the spaces where others stuck to notes.
ubergeraldine 5 months ago
Saw Clarke playing with Holdsworth in NYC in 1988. Gomez showed up, borrowed Holdsworth's backup guitar, and joined in for a little while. Even Holdsworth (who has a completely different style) was in awe of Gomez's shredding - that was the best live rock fusion guitar I had ever seen. And nothing over the past 25 years has come close. If only someone had taped it. Incredible musician,
tombalas 9 months ago
Uneffinbelievable!! Gomez is just rippin that axe a new one!! How come this dude isnt better known is beyond me.
fehdxlch 1 year ago
ray gomez is the shit!!!!
stanley clarke is the godfather!!!!
and all those other cats...i just wish i knew them
lukeado3 1 year ago
Love the part Stan!!!
mercman58 1 year ago
anyone have this one album? I need to know who the horn players are. anyone???
getgoodusa 1 year ago
Holy Shit who is this guy ??? Just heard of him watching a Jeff Beck video....absolutely amazing...does he have any albums ??
ughthisisgay123 1 year ago 2
OMG! What an INSANE Ray Gomez line at 4:42-4:46. Need to slow that one down and figure it out. :)
OrangeCountyCarl 1 year ago 2
@OrangeCountyCarl yep .. and 1 year before any Toto record came out with Luke !!
backthisway 1 year ago
sweet
donnaaustin 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
horrible song...
Albertmerinen 1 year ago
An afro with a part?
hypno59 1 year ago
People tend to forget just how influential Stanley was. When his records came out, musicians (especially bass players) freaked out. I'm a rock guitar player but when this stuff came out, we really started exploring fusion and became better players. He's had a great career but in terms of influence he should be much more well known. He is a bad MF!!!!
61SG 1 year ago
Great version!! ViVA Stanley com " SchOOL Days !! "
Djibinho 2 years ago 2
PETER ROBINSON!!! Amazing Keyboardist. Had A Pretty Good Run With The Fusion Group Brand X Also Around This Time. Good Stuff Indeed.
orlandez22 2 years ago
jajaj! 6:26 ray start doing the wah wah chords and the face of stanley.. 6:55 lol
tyrian2097 2 years ago 8
Exactly !! (There aren't any smileys here so I can't put up a grinning face !)
backthisway 2 years ago 5
man .. Gomez is now right at the top of my fave rock players list along with Pat Thrall.
backthisway 2 years ago 7
ditto-and mind you TY TABOR!!!
804pillow 2 years ago
Great version of this tune.......... Thanks!
TaipeiDawg 2 years ago
Best? what the fuck is that? Why is everything become a race?
If you dig it then that's it!!
I see cats in this vid who love what they do and share it.
Technique alone ain't shit. There is alot more to it. Music is not a sport. It is an act of love. And love need no grade. The muse is magical thing.
BlueRoseRocketBand2 3 years ago 9
I agree. The "best" does not exist. It's all about what someone likes or doesn't like, not about jumping on the popular kool-aid boat and crap.
anakid123 3 years ago 3
Hey - Let's just remember that Ray Gomez is one of the most completely underrated guitar players ever! This guy can shred, has beauitful tone, kills melodically and has played with some of the greatest musicians - he should get more credit -he's brilliant...
rogersdrums 3 years ago 30
You're right! I love him.....he's not just playing the music, he IS the music!
fgc347 2 years ago 4
I cant believe I never heard of this guy
vetmusician 2 years ago 5
mark king -- better than stanley clarke? yeah, sure, right. you must be about 12 years old, so you're forgiven. keep on listening and growing.
grserm 3 years ago
Great video especialy Ray Gomez.However i feel that Mark King is a much better bass player than Stanley Clarke.
bestbass42 3 years ago
I like and respect Mark King as a bassist, but there is no way he's better than any aspect of Stanley Clarke. This is the man that started ( before Jaco as well) it all. In articles Mark King has talked about how much Stanley influenced his playing.
ShangoDC 2 years ago 3
As amazing as this clip is...there is one thing missing, and that is Gerry Brown's name in the heading. How about it?
livingtango 3 years ago
Amen. Gerry Brown is a sick fucking drummer.
GaryNull 3 years ago
After searching through the commentary , I noticed that there was no mention of Ray's solo release from '78 called " Volume " ; I believe it was his only solo album and that it never got released on CD ; I have a vinyl copy of it ; It was difficult to find but definitely worth the effort ; check it out if you can !
letzdolunch 3 years ago 2
Oh yeah, I recall that album. It smokes!
jongreek 3 years ago
@letzdolunch
Know what you mean. I still have Volume on vinyl in good shape.
In my town we had a really good fm station that would play good rock (Skynyrd, deep purple, elp. etc) in addition to Dregs, Ray Gomez, RTF, Chick, King C.
Bitch, but over the last year, RA has gotten so bad, that I can't play anymore.
Sucks big time. Check Cm blues for Ron paul on my page...even that kind of laid back playing is long gone now. Sucks bcz I'd been playing since 11 years old.
randallcaster 1 year ago 2
Yes..this is the real deal.
AndyBaylor 3 years ago 5
If you want to hear another incredible Ray Gomez solo, listen to "Mating Drive" off of Lenny White's "Venusian Summer" album... oh I just saw it listed in the "Related Videos" bar on the right - check it out.
pbanders 3 years ago 2
I have Venusian Summer and that is one great record. Mating Drive is off the hook!
jongreek 3 years ago 5
Contd. To hear Ray at his very best just listen to Narada Michael Walden's Garden of Love Light! Having just seen the RTF reunion show I would love to have seen the showdown with Ray and Al mentioned here! I hope Ray is in control of his personal demons these days and re-emerges into the light where he belongs! - Enrico
enfetish 3 years ago
I second everything said here about Ray - one of the great underrated geniuses! He best bridged the gap between rock and fusion and in my mind was easily the equal of Tommy Bolin. This is one of Stanley's best touring bands and I pray that Claude Nobbs of Montreux fame releases this whole concert as part of his DVD series?! There is a S Clarke live '76 Cd with this band which also features the incredible David Sancious! Contd.
enfetish 3 years ago
I believe that record was School Days. I saw this touring band back then in a tiny nightclub call The Roxy here in LA...went 2 nights in a row and it was friggin great!
jongreek 3 years ago
That Ray, just colorful brilliance, just amazing.
rmsolympic1 3 years ago 2
flippin sick ray simply sick
butterthiefmusic 3 years ago
Today I head the music of Ray Gomez for the first time, and, at the same time, developed a much greater appreciation for the music of Stanley Clarke. Thank you for this post lf. j-r
JRL10040 3 years ago
Yeah, I think Lenny White recommended Ray Gomez to Stanley. Stanley, wanted John Mc Laughlin to play this song on the School Days album, but after hearing Gomez, Clarke had to have him play it on the album and in his band.
ShangoDC 3 years ago 3
Que grande eres Ray.
Un abrazo!!!!
JoseManuelLOPI 3 years ago 3
Oh God... Ray Gomez. I thought only I knew about him, ha. I saw him with Stanley in Norfolk, Va. in 1978. Fantastic show! You know we live on a dysfunctional, highly primitive planet, in the backwaters of the Universe when musicians like Stanley, Ray Gomez, Jean Luc Ponty, John Mcglaughlin, Pat Metheny, Steve Morse, Frank Gambale, Chad Wakerman, Billy Cobham, Jeff Beck, etc., take a backseat to Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, and the rest of the "pop crew". Evolution in process...
altoonajazz 3 years ago 6
no offense at all though lots of people knew about Ray back at that time and he was highly regarded. but these days, you are right, in that most seem to not know him at all. Frankly when people were talking up Tommy Bolin back then some pointed to Ray as being at least as good and more likely better than Tommy though Tommy's work with Cobham and later Deep Purple got him more press.
bowiemott 3 years ago 2
This is what I'm talking about. Finally after so long I've found the video with Ray Gomez, the person who originally recorded this song with Stanley Clarke on the School Days album. The others simply don't compare to this magic. Thank you whoever you are!
TokenRah 3 years ago 2
This is what I'm talking about. Finally after so long I've found the video with Ray Gomez, the person who originally recorded this song with Stanley Clarke on the School Days album. The others simply don't compare to this magic. Thank you whoever you are!
TokenRah 3 years ago 4
Does anyone know who the keyboard player is?????
mercman58 4 years ago
He is really good!!!I love the sound of those Leslie speakers.Good keyboard player but who is he?????????
mercman58 3 years ago
peter robinson
wonkavella 3 years ago
Just excellant.They kick ass for sure.Ray is very intense to say the least.
mercman58 4 years ago 2
Thank So Much for this video, great memories.I was lucky enough to see a Stanley clarke concert in pittsburgh in the 70s.Ray Gomez was with him. Just so happened that Al DiMeola was playing Pittsburgh the same night right across the street. Long story short Al payed a visit to the stage and him and Ray Gomez had a little showdown, it was AWESOME.
Talk About Shredding.Can't wait for the RTF reunion tour
bsauers1000 4 years ago 14
RAY GOMEZ finally seen in the pioneering days of fusion with Stanley Clarke,the REAL DEAL!
These guys were before all the shredders!!!
ALL THE 80S HEROS
fewjion 4 years ago 9
STANLEY CLARKS -School Days
yurgeee 4 years ago
wow that was the shiznel! Thanks for the upload and the new favorite.
ackerlaw2004 4 years ago 8
Ray Gomez is one of the worlds greatest guitarists and a geuinely great guy. I am privileged to call him my friend.
edwina9 4 years ago 8
Yeah! I was lucky enuf to live thru this great period and catch a lot of fusion cats...including this tour, and he played like, a week, in the tiny Roxy club in LA--caught 2 of 'em. Larry Coryell & 11th House, Jean Luc Ponty, Billy Cobham, Mahavishnu, a great era unfairly slagged. ~ Jonny O
jongreek 4 years ago 7
badass
thepedestrians 4 years ago 8
Fantastic!!
The great old fusion days ,wow!!
i wish i was there!!
super!!!!
glupitac 4 years ago 5
The drummer's gerry brown,yeah,both Ray and Jeff sound great with Stanley.
hugetim 4 years ago 4
Does more footage of this concert exist? A live CD of this tour came out and it is awesome - the best band Stanley had!
I hope the gig gets released as part of the Montreaux DVD release programme!
It looks like Gerry Brown on drums.
enfetish 4 years ago
whos the drummer?
bozotexino2 4 years ago
great period of real rock fusion!!
Ray and Stanley kicked ass!! THE TOP!
Gomez seemst more intense,concern about high energy compared to the more melodic relaxed but intense bluesy funky feel with narada micheal walden,,
but this his rock and rock!!
5 stars
primalfeel 4 years ago 4
garden of lovelight, what an album!!!
weecathy 4 years ago 4
i love gomez's playing in this video. and on the album aswell. i rather liked jeff beck's palying with stanley aswell though. thanx for uploading (5 stars)
fusionbassist1 4 years ago 6