Steve Kaufman Takes On the Competition

[mijnoco]

Im not a big Kaufman fan but he can play thats for sure... dont know if i put him up with Tony,Norman or Doc but he can play.

[paul29671]

I keep coming back to this video

[taxisteve929]

These guys are incredible, but I agree with the song losing something with everyone showcasing their incredible talents simultaneously. Fortunately, we can hear them play individually and it makes this video much easier to follow and appreciate.

[snapperjohn1000]

this realy gets thick with all of these interpretations of the melody,i think it is just a contest to show ones hard earned guitar skills,and that is good,but nothing like hearing the solid core melody of a tune with all of the traditional instruments working to gether,complimenting each other. i dont think i will ever be an outstanding soloist, but i know my place and thats where my developed skills are. i consider my self to be a good side man,because i listen,and my timeing is impeccable.

[TheBibleWitness]

@snapperjohn1000 I respect your opinion, but I will have to disagree with you on that. I guess its partly because I am a jazz fan and in that style of the music the melody is usually only play twice, at the start and finish. The middle part is for the soloists to shine, and that's the way I like it. It isn't merely showing off, its improvisation, which is a legitimate way of making music. Think of it like this, they are not just playing, but playing and composing at the same time!

[barefootsoul83]

I believe the tune is called Alabama Juiblee... good stuff

[methodinsane]

Who the hell dislikes this??

[martinaxman]

@methodinsane ...guys who climaxed before it finished.

[birdy2foot]

These guys suck. Just kidding, they rule!

[GibsonHummingbird]

Stunning.

[Hollcall]

Check out ------J.P.Cormier !

Trust me !

[VWingTMA]

'phwee phwee phwee phwee phweer'

3:28 - 3:30 priceless. hahahahahaha

[19ojnab37]

GREAT!!

[Scuddog999]

Is it a gallagher guitar?

[clarktunes]

Steve's guitar is a Gallagher.

[wstewart1]

I live in the same area as Robin Kessinger and he was my teacher for years. He is all sorts of awesome and a very nice person. We play the same custom guitar from a local artisan, Bob Thompson.

[parcgreene]

I agree Kessinger is cool. Just met him on hatteras island at a Kaufman Class. These guys all rock. Steve is a super nice guy as well...and really funny!

[nescopeckeagle]

Fabulous! Thanks for putting this on here. I was there and was thrilled. I saw you filming, kept quiet but allowed myself a little decending giggle at the end. You can't help yourself at Kaufman Kamp! We take away an afterglow and longing. And for 12 months we wait for next year's Kamp. CU thar!

[Hajemfatt]

the size of the mustache gauges the flatpicking skill

[fendertexas]

fantastic

[AlbiCollier]

that sounds like banjo playing... awesome though.

[r29spatrickm92m]

haha Robin Kessinger is my Flatpicking instructor great guy great player

[maxneu]

why the hell can't I be that good?

[perryguitar]

Just practice....

[cuda163]

flinstones, with the flinstones... ooppss wrong song :)

[pretourious]

WOW WOW WOW! Just W O W!!!

[flatpikinguitar]

they need bryan sutton and tony rice

[danflatpick]

Certainly no disrespect to Bryan or Tony, but this lineup doesn't need anything!

[jocwalk]

Tony isn't the guitarist he once was. His timing seems to be off now but I've heard he's had quite a few health problems including problems with his hands. Pretty much all of the guys in this video play cleaner than Tony does now. It's unfortunate but true. No one stays on top of his game forever.

[thirdstone3]

I saw Tony twice during his prime and it was unbelievable both times. The 2nd time was at the Somerville Theater outside Boston and Tony had lost his voice - the show was completely instrumental and totally unreal! I think Tony may have done a little too much 'blow' during his time which may be why he is off his game.

[TheMemphisSlim]

It's not "blow" it's Meth that took his voice out.. he completely blew out his vocal chords..

[JHoodtheGood]

@TheMemphisSlim he had cancer, you dick

[WinslowMingus]

@JHoodtheGood no he didn't

[ChristopherDowning]

You mean Tony Rice? He wasn't at this event.

[tattooabilly]

amazing talent right there!

[ryano442]

I love this vid, never fails to bring a smile to my face.

[Mike2008and2008]

That was a ride...Thanks!

[greekflatpicker]

Flatpicking orgy!

Didn't know that Robert Shafer was THAT good!

[Estockard]

Who is the guy on the left?

[prettyjo18]

Stephen Bennet

[Pickinbuddy]

Great "inter-picking"!

[Mandopete]

Wazzat at 3:27 ?

[villagodzilla]

A Hendrix lick.

[Mandopete]

Meet the Flintstones!

[Modes9]

The line between western swing and bluegrass is pretty blurry here. Who cares? These guys are great! It was a lot of fun and you can also feel the humor.

[commando7144]

well stop fartin around with it and check some lessons out on here and give it about 3 hours a day 6 if ya got the time

[cnedwick]

I'm in heaven!

[LeaheyHoo]

nice chops!!

[baddd60]

Heck yeah. I was there that night. Now that I know the poster is Cindy, I will add my comment.

[Entropy56]

Heh, they laughed when one guy played the Flintstones theme.

[jocwalk]

Yeah, that guy is Roy Curry. He is the guitarist in my guitar teacher's band. Roy is amazing. He won the national championship twice and has placed in the top three several other times, including 2007 at the age of 50. He's also hilarious, hence the Flintstones' theme. Check out Dixie Hoedown by the Lone Mountain Band on Youtube to see more of him.

[Entropy56]

I couldn't see but I'd bet it was also Roy at 3:27 - 3:30.

[wolffrankenstein]

Holy shit dude! That's fucking insane!

[wastrel1066]

been farting around with the guitar for nearly 30 years and watching guys (and girls) like this makes me want to cut my hands off. I`ll never play or sound like this!

[NossedEvo]

Great vid. Gallaghers are so sweet--and killer.

This is why I Youtube!

Thanks

[jocwalk]

I've heard good and bad about them. One of the guitarists in this video got rid of a Gallagher he won as he was really disappointed in the sound. Still, the same guitarist has heard others he said sounded great. I think that's one of the issues you run into when you start talking about smaller luthiers. Two of the guitarists in this video as well as Jim Hurst and Cody Kilby have Rockbridge guitars they play.

[agarfield2004]

'Tis pretty awesome.

[dp11issosweet]

just learned this one myself...cool melody

[D1A10361]

The part at the end where they pass the tune around is a real mind-bender!

[scodur47]

Second from the left with light shirt and cap is Robin Kessinger

[Pelagia71]

and you don't see Stephen Bennett flatpicking much anymore, so this is great to have on the web.

[guitgrl]

WOW! Flatpicking doesn't get better than this! Fantastic!

[xvqgdr6]

Cindy, thanks for adding this video. I have the video that SK produced of most of the same guys and play it constantly. It doesn't get better than this for flatpicking. DVB