Allan Holdsworth Low Levels High Stakes

[jamesedwardtheobald]

piano solo on this is also quite evocative...

[InquiringDeist]

I once played my own version of this to a crowded gig crowd one time and I could quite literally see people's eyes glazing over. It was heart-breaking.

[geonego]

ALLIEN HOLDSWORTH! SUPERNATURAL

[InnerTranquility]

oh man!....I love when the beginning is repeated in the end!....gonna love full circle ;)

Allan holdsworth is one of the most talented guitarist i ever heard. Amazing piece!

Mega thanks for upload bobford100!

[BigTymerPimp]

The beginning lines remind of Nina Simone's little vocal run in "Wild Is The Wind". I wonder if it was an influence.

[geonego]

Hard hat area one more pearl of Allan ! The Allien !

[ExtremeBogom]

No need for LSD, this does the job just fine hehe... Cheers Allan!

[SweeetPicker]

Absolutely incredible ... The guitar here try to tell us something

[Informatisse]

Some notes at the end remember me "King Kong" from Frank Zappa.

[moodlifter]

I think it's Skuli Sverrisson on bass.

[ShredFever92]

whos playing bass? sensational

[jazzpsalti]

the growl in the 2nd chorus is the shit

[AppleFender]

Beautiful!

[aumentada]

that "elephat scream" at 6:38 should have granted him instantly 10 naked ladies, a place in parlament and a beer!

[Joeh1154]

Awesome playing all around on this track. Holdsworth is a true musician's musician. I had the opportunity to see him live many times at New York's "Bottom Line" which is now no more but was a great venue and he always packed them in.

For players, he is an inspiration. What kind of mind comes up wth this amazing music?!? I love it. As Clive Davis once said about Zappa-"...no commercial potential" and arent we glad.

[bobford100]

@Joeh1154 Absolutely right....... Once commercial pressure is lifted the creativity can flourish!

[Samsgarden]

@bobford100

Interesting way of looking at it, although we must strike a balance between pragmatism and creativity.

[zarwarrior]

@Joeh1154

I saw him at the Bottom Line too. It was special and I would neve forget that time.

Too sad that the Bottom Line is no more.

[vgraham44]

This is just my opinion, having hung out with allan h after a gig in piermont back in feb.i may be biased in saying this is perhaps the greatest guitar solo ever composed by an organic being.

[bobford100]

@vgraham44 I totally agree.....

[marlies1905]

@vgraham44 not only guitar solo! in my opinion one of the greates improvisations ever!

[Sveccha93]

@vgraham44 allan h, remove n = alla h, combine = Allah. Coincidence?

[tkdman45]

@Sveccha93 so what you're saying is that allan holdsworth doesn't exist?

[Sveccha93]

@tkdman45 I'm saying he's too unfeasible to be other than the psychokinetic manifestaion of some collective Jungian stereotype with a healthy dose of ancient superstitions control-impulses. so, yes.

[Sveccha93]

@Sveccha93 I mean, of course, archetype.

[tkdman45]

@Sveccha93 I see.

[vgraham44]

This music is not designed for common peasantry. although allan has sald he doesn't particularly enjoy playing to other musicians, most people are just too impatient to allow the music to transport them beyond the narrow confines of their own limited egos.

[SimulacronX]

@vgraham44 Nice comment mate. You are so right. I'm a victim - once I got hooked, I listened to him day and night, looked for every note he possibly released. Got every record, won't ever miss a gig etc. You know what I mean.

[jamesedwardtheobald]

@SimulacronX fellow 'completist'

[SimulacronX]

@jamesedwardtheobald High five!

[22fret]

Surely one of his best tunes ever, along with The Un-Merry Go-Round and other incredibly brilliant stuff. AH is a true master, who unfortunately is not getting the attention he deserves. He is at least in the same league as McLaughlin & DiMeola, but has to play in front of 100 people. I have seen him play live like this twice. After more than 40 years of brilliant performances, this is not really justified...

[janderson2000]

Both Di Meola and McLaughlin are not in Holdsworth's league.

They're not even close.

[22fret]

I wouldn't say that. They are both true giants at their instrument, but they are doing different things with it. All three players have an enormous respect for one another. DiMeola and McLaughlin are incredibly good on their acoustics, but when it comes to playing the electric guitar, none of them can reach AH's level. On this area, he is just unbeatable...

[janderson2000]

You ever hear Allan's acoustic albums with Gordon Beck? He's unbeatable there as well.

[22fret]

Not yet, but that must sound quite interesting. Acoustic Holdsworth is rare on Youtube, but "Kinder" is posted here and just beautiful.

[vgraham44]

@22fret Amen.

[fulehammare]

There might be speedfreaks out there but Allan is an artist making us discover new musical terrains like noone else ever.

[JPL1982]

One of my favorites from Holdsworth, along with "Metal Fatigue", "Texas" and "Peril Premonition". Hard Hat Area is probably his most intense and creative album in terms of structures and variations. The production/mixing is flawless.

[bobford100]

@JPL1982 , I agree with your choices too.. Peril Premonition being my second favourite track ever.

[NotYourTypicalNegro]

"Peril Premonition" is the most vicious guitar playing I've EVER heard in recorded music.

[bobford100]

Also love Zarabeth and Dodgy Boat from Wardenclyffe Tower. Not quite as huge as Peril or Levels.... But still some awesome guitar passages.

[ShredFever92]

@bobford100 do you know who is playing bass?

[13guitard00d]

wow....just...wow...

[bobford100]

Couldnt have put it better.....

[barrabas600]

What a great improviser. Tremendous musicality. Wonderful technique. Beautiful harmony. A masterpiece. Thanks for the music.

[twirlyboggs]

what a composer/player

way up there above the ground somewhere in space

[litaskol]

I love this

[Putrefraction]

beautiful stuff