Great, I'm officially a fan of this guy now,besides the Holdsworth stylistic similarities -in his soloing/voicings , I also hear a Police/Andy Summers vibe on some of that rockier beat + arpeggiated guit. w/ clean sound transition around 3:50 min.
kind of reminds me of Alex Lifeson when he was using Holdsworth influence. I liked Connors work with RTF better. Funkier, more original. Stanley Clarke loved him then too, actually preferred him to Di Meola
I actually think Connors tone is more meatier and I think hes alot more earthier...Both are awesome players...But I actually like Bills tone a little more than Al's but again...Id be happy to hear them both play anytime.
This is beautiful playing. I guess it sounds enough like Holdsworth's style to initially make me wonder if it is Holdsworth, but then say, 'Nah', and try to figure out who the hell it is, and why I never heard of him before today?!
yeah. it was the '80's ie the "Clean tone w/chorus/Dimension D effect" for chords ad the "flutey high gain tone with legato phrasing" for leads. Holdsworth pioneered the sound and style, so it's natural Bill would pick some of it up, as I'm sure everybody did at the time. Just like the earlier raw McLoughlin styles of the early '70's that everybody was influnced by at that time.
I'm a guitar player and I'm glad there is none of the soprano sax playing on his later albums, but to each his own. I like the sax solo on Cafe Vue, but this electric stuff shows how Bill isn't content to play the same thing forever. I never heard the Double it album cuts until tonight, but love them. He and Holdsworth do have similarities during this period IMO, but I agree, Bill has a somewhat ballsier, earthier sound. "Return" is very different from things he recorded during the 80's.
I much prefer either Bill's work with Garbarek or his acoustic work on Theme to the G.
This is missing something like a horn or keyboard and feels so dated like a Police track sans vocals. Too bad Sting didn't take Bill on tour! That would have been great!
But I strongly disagree that he sounds like Holdsworth. Bill has a much more gutsy sound to me, more influenced by Blues and Clapton than by musty Jazz players.
and then the solo sounds rather holdsworth-ish, especially in its use of legato.... dimeola has always picked a lot of notes rather than played legato
I hear some similarities in the tone/effects at times but I agree there are some distinct difference in phrasing. I kinda wish Allan would groove more like Bill does at times. It doesn't always have to be about how insanely complicated or high speed something can be, to have my ear tuned to it. When they go into 5 (1:00-1:11), that is solid groove right there, with everyone's leaving spaces for each others' sounds to breathe, especially Tom's which mostly underneath..
@WELLBRAN I saw Al with RTF last June and think Al's a bit stale by now. I heard all the same tricks in 1974. Bill keeps on evolving into new territories. Police? Men at Work?!? Turn your ears on, I think they died. (response to GordonS2)
Stale? Well I think al has been riding on his past reputation for uite awhile I hate that every album He makes there is the Traditional oldie tacked on to most Albums, but He is still a great player
He does have a little bit of Andy Summers (Police) chord voicings and flanger sound. I did notice that myself, when I first heard of it, but I don't think it is a bad thing, although the phrasing is a bit along the style of Allan Holdsworth, and that's definitely not a bad thing. This is a classic album, a must-have for any fusion fans, like myself. I've been loving it ever since 1986.
@rawel34 I think your right. But after playing with keys and/or Rhythm behind you, you tend to get lazy. Most bands I've played in have been trio, and it's a lot of work for the guitarist. I play lead and lead vocals and by the end of the show I feel like I've been roofing all day.
i can't get tired of listening to this tune, especially the bass line at 1:46, reminds me of Geddy Lee's sound on the Moving Pictures album.
Pericles6117 5 months ago
...there is no 1st, 2nd, 3rd at this level. It's allll good:)
batmandeltaforce 5 months ago
Actually, Shawn Lane and Holdsworth are supreme in this style. Gambale a close third.
Easleytee 6 months ago
Conors criminally overlooked.
Easleytee 6 months ago 2
David T. Chastain-ish
sanchz1111 8 months ago
wow.. sounds a lot like allan. gonna check this album asap! :D
thanks!
StromboliKicks 9 months ago
wave deckl!
jamesedwardtheobald 9 months ago
Great, I'm officially a fan of this guy now,besides the Holdsworth stylistic similarities -in his soloing/voicings , I also hear a Police/Andy Summers vibe on some of that rockier beat + arpeggiated guit. w/ clean sound transition around 3:50 min.
tiluriso 10 months ago
kind of reminds me of Alex Lifeson when he was using Holdsworth influence. I liked Connors work with RTF better. Funkier, more original. Stanley Clarke loved him then too, actually preferred him to Di Meola
flowerdrop1 1 year ago
@flowerdrop1 Alex Lifeson=good but very "overrated"
BGoldtone 7 months ago
OH MAN! SIIIICK!
VortexProducer 1 year ago
@VortexProducer
'meatier' is a great way to describe it!
JonP1961 1 year ago
I actually think Connors tone is more meatier and I think hes alot more earthier...Both are awesome players...But I actually like Bills tone a little more than Al's but again...Id be happy to hear them both play anytime.
nickerz65 1 year ago
@nickerz65 i have to say this is the best fusion without keyboards i have ever heard
rg1232 11 months ago
I love this stuff! What year did this come out?
rodgerguitar 1 year ago
This is beautiful playing. I guess it sounds enough like Holdsworth's style to initially make me wonder if it is Holdsworth, but then say, 'Nah', and try to figure out who the hell it is, and why I never heard of him before today?!
placidian 1 year ago
@placidian
Check out Chick Corea's original Return To Forever lineup.
Bill tends to stay more in the pocket than Allan.Don't get me wrong, I like both players but I really dig Bill's groove and his use of harmony.
JonP1961 1 year ago
@placidian this guy is totally unique
rg1232 11 months ago
yeah. it was the '80's ie the "Clean tone w/chorus/Dimension D effect" for chords ad the "flutey high gain tone with legato phrasing" for leads. Holdsworth pioneered the sound and style, so it's natural Bill would pick some of it up, as I'm sure everybody did at the time. Just like the earlier raw McLoughlin styles of the early '70's that everybody was influnced by at that time.
prinznevsky 1 year ago
I'm a guitar player and I'm glad there is none of the soprano sax playing on his later albums, but to each his own. I like the sax solo on Cafe Vue, but this electric stuff shows how Bill isn't content to play the same thing forever. I never heard the Double it album cuts until tonight, but love them. He and Holdsworth do have similarities during this period IMO, but I agree, Bill has a somewhat ballsier, earthier sound. "Return" is very different from things he recorded during the 80's.
jimmied01 1 year ago
I much prefer either Bill's work with Garbarek or his acoustic work on Theme to the G.
This is missing something like a horn or keyboard and feels so dated like a Police track sans vocals. Too bad Sting didn't take Bill on tour! That would have been great!
But I strongly disagree that he sounds like Holdsworth. Bill has a much more gutsy sound to me, more influenced by Blues and Clapton than by musty Jazz players.
Rexicano 1 year ago
and then the solo sounds rather holdsworth-ish, especially in its use of legato.... dimeola has always picked a lot of notes rather than played legato
mrgone78 2 years ago
this kind of sounds like the police minus vocals...
mrgone78 2 years ago
No, sounds like Alan Hodlsword.
Tom and Dawe, is my favorite.
bonyplan 2 years ago 7
@bonyplan Allan Holdsworth..and no, Bill sounds like Bill Connors and Allan sounds like Allan ;-)
stratoleft 1 year ago
@stratoleft
I hear some similarities in the tone/effects at times but I agree there are some distinct difference in phrasing. I kinda wish Allan would groove more like Bill does at times. It doesn't always have to be about how insanely complicated or high speed something can be, to have my ear tuned to it. When they go into 5 (1:00-1:11), that is solid groove right there, with everyone's leaving spaces for each others' sounds to breathe, especially Tom's which mostly underneath..
JonP1961 8 months ago
Sounds like a bit of Al Di Meola, tone a phrasing :). Nice stuff.
ChaiVat 2 years ago
@ChaiVat Maybe Al just sounds like Bill Connors?
WELLBRAN 2 years ago
@WELLBRAN I saw Al with RTF last June and think Al's a bit stale by now. I heard all the same tricks in 1974. Bill keeps on evolving into new territories. Police? Men at Work?!? Turn your ears on, I think they died. (response to GordonS2)
jimmied01 1 year ago
Stale? Well I think al has been riding on his past reputation for uite awhile I hate that every album He makes there is the Traditional oldie tacked on to most Albums, but He is still a great player
WELLBRAN 1 year ago
Sounds like The Police + Men At Work
gordonS2 2 years ago
He does have a little bit of Andy Summers (Police) chord voicings and flanger sound. I did notice that myself, when I first heard of it, but I don't think it is a bad thing, although the phrasing is a bit along the style of Allan Holdsworth, and that's definitely not a bad thing. This is a classic album, a must-have for any fusion fans, like myself. I've been loving it ever since 1986.
vampiroangelico 2 years ago
To me, trio is the best way to play music.
rawel34 2 years ago 4
@rawel34 I think your right. But after playing with keys and/or Rhythm behind you, you tend to get lazy. Most bands I've played in have been trio, and it's a lot of work for the guitarist. I play lead and lead vocals and by the end of the show I feel like I've been roofing all day.
nighthawg 2 years ago