Tal Farlow and Lenny Breau chats and plays together

[earsoup]

Lenny is the Bill Evans of guitar, bar none.

[bennryan2]

Tal: who is this psycho fuckhead and is he going to rape me?

[bennryan2]

what an uncomfortable situation.



[gabri3l367]

Ce l'ho questo video. L'incontro tra i due grandi chitarristi è unico e stupendo. La conversazione in musica è di altissimi livelli. Sanno suonare assieme.......

[philipatoz]

Thank God these guys lived during the era of recorded music, electric guitars and amplified sound. I sometime think about all of those musical geniuses that lived in centuries past, where their fame and history is known but yet no one beyond their time will ever hear and see them play, even vicariously through recordings or videos. What a treasure trove YT brings those whom would otherwise never see greats like Tal and Lenny.

[rooseguitar64]

Breau mentions that he didnt know what chords Tal was playing....this is most likely due to the fact that Farlow approached arranging for the guitar from the perspective of not just utilizing known chords for melody-chord solos, but more importantly having total control of sound...you can spend years memorozong shapes and inversions, and this is not to say that a professional guitarist doesnt need a foundation. But control of sound is far more useful..

[kerranz]

Tal was not only laying under for Lenny but was probably mostly retired at this point...

Farlow was a sign painter for a good deal of his life, I bet Mr. Breau couildn't do a lick of quillhandling.

[irockyouroll]

its all about time, obviously lenny has more time to learn shit because he had access to music that tal didn't, the point is, musicians can only get better with time, and that is a great thing

[hotplate85]

Amazing! And the chords don't require Kareem-sized hands due to the right hand tightening the voicings!

[hotplate85]

Amazing! And the chords don't require Kareem-sized hands due to the right hand tightening the voicings...

[BryanRason]

a musical conversation on the level of Shakespeare..... metaphor after metaphor upon a metaphor

[AmadoGalloway]

keep me warm baby # lushfmlk.info #

[beerndumplings]

wow

[MusicMan20061210]

There's nothing better than being out in the countryside. And all the birds are chirping away.

[wkg55]

@MusicMan20061210 Sea Bright, New Jersey. 5 Miles from, Red Bank, New Jersey. The Birthplace of the great Count Basie.

[clarkeco]

Un freakin' beleaveable! My fav ravs!

[martinaxman]

Damn. To hear someone as amazing as Lenny Breau say that to Tal Farlow completely messes my head up..They are both so outstanding!! This is a great clip! Thank you for shaing it!

[echo680]

@martinaxman exactly. and I love how they are both smiling so much .. as if to say, "yeah, this guy's on my wavelength".

[martinaxman]

@echo680 Yep. Definitely in the same groove. I love it when that happens. Even if you can't see them it makes you smile.

[haroliyk]

To save me reading all this and watching the vid...

Just tell me who is kicking the shit out of who here?

[ibaneziano]

Cole Porter " I Love You" jam at the end! So cool.

[michaeldh53]

Brilliant musicians. Listening to Lenny while making a late dinner tonight.

[jazzforthepeople]

Beautiful...

[Benj888]

It took me five fucking years to figure out artificial harmonics.

[elpudino]

I love lenny's chuckle at the end, he loves plaing that thing, don't he?

[mrlaa1]

It's beyond me...but i love it so much :) One day! that is my aspiration....

[associate434]

is this off of the tal movie or where does the rest of this footage exist like from the gig him and lenny did at that bar? i saw this originally on a tal hot licks video. i'm dying to have a copy of that gig they did ! how ever long it is..

[HarlanKristofferson1]

Great Video, The Only Thing That Sucks About It Is The Length Of It

[NJfclef]

that was filmed @ Tal's house in Sea Bright, NJ on the Shrewsbury River. i grew up there and used to see tal play in a small club a few blocks away for free when i was 15. didn't know how fortunate i was.

[bloozman1]

wow, I saw Tal at Carnegie Hall back in the day at the Great Guitarsits Concert with so many others.......Thank you, his lyrical genius can not be understated

[melrhyne]

Tal is the business!

Upper extensions on guitar?!

Look to Tal!

[danilomarrone]

Jazz interplay at its best!

[skint0n0minted]

two brilliant masters!

[silkychief]

GuitarGare

i had the privilege of shaking the Man hand when he came to England got to be 10 years ago if not longer.Humility is another word i would use.I have never seen hands so big yet graceful he was a good 6ft 4 but gracefula and charming.the vid featured is one of those you sit down and chill with over a beer or two

peace bro

[aaronentresz]

Tal seems to be such a nice person. I wish I could have met him.

[rpizell]

hahaha I like the chord along with the look that lenny gives tal at 3:02

[Abaddon2005]

does anyone know what guitar Lenny is playing? I've seen him use it pretty often.

[juvserr]

IF I'm not mistaken, he built it himself.. this doc is where I first heard of Lenny, he's haunted me ever since....

[agoblinist]

@Abaddon2005 Lenny's guitar is a Tom Holmes 7 string that he designed with luthier Tom Holmes of Nashville. It had string breakage problems and he replaced it with a Kirk Sands 7 string which had a shorter scale and no problem with the high A snapping.

[Zephyrwood]

Awesome - Just love it

[GuitarGare]

I added this to my faves for the things unspoken, for the things unheard, and for the sheer acquiescence between two geniuses. The humble sign painter by day, and the child prodigy.

[echo680]

@GuitarGare very nicely put

[ELMASLAD]

I remember Lenny knocking around Toronto in the mid 60's. I saw him playing somewhere but can't recall where...might have been at the Riverboat in Yorkville while I was living on Scollard half a block away.

[griffinsemple]

can anyone decipher what tal farlow says at 3:33? it sounds like shut up, but I don't think that's right.

[ELMASLAD]

It is 'shut up' used the way it is used nowadays to mean'get out' or 'holy shit'.

[arthurthegreat]

I think that Lenny was the one to say "shut up" after he saw Tal using his right hand to add a bass note to the chord

[purchi]

the song they play is i love you of cole porter isn t it???

[egits]

I saw jim hall and ron carter at the blue note last year. jim did some of the most interesting guitar work i've heard in a long time... the point is don't underestimate the older generation of players learn and keep a good attitude. as a result your own playing will excel.

[angeloamericano]

Only idiots or guitar egomaniacs would look at these 2 greats playing and make judgements on who's better who's kickin' who's ass. That garbage is for rock thrashers no jazz masters or genre crossing giants like Gatton or Coryell. Just enjoy the genius of Lenny Breau and Tal Farlow!

[skwidbreth]

thank you

[FrodoDojo]

@angeloamericano ... well said!

[MrMudclub]

I think myself very lucky as I got to see Tal about a year or two before he died.He came across as a very humble man with an amazing talent.Both Lenny and Tal where masters and good friends,just sit back and listen.

[whiskyorgod334]

Why cant people enjoy music!!! Why must it be a competition!!! This guy sunderlanding must not understand true music!!! I hate people like him and wish upon them a swift death!!!

[AWrunsthevoodoodown]

thanks very much for posting this.

[lazur1]

Amazing; If ever there were 2 players who shouldn't/don't need to play wi/ another chordal instrument, it's these guys, Each is so complete on his own. But w/mutual respect & 'big ears', this massive musical output all fits together so gracefully.

[MasterCollecter]

lazur1, there is some serious educated listening going on there.

[zeramski]

i think someone's a little jealous

[shomette]

video doesn't download anymore.

[gregshot]

one of my friends ued to take lessons from this dude

[lowgrau]

Why is he laughing?

He just got his lunch handed to him, and he laughed over a beautiful ending.

[optimusdime]

If you had friends you would understand. They're just hanging out having a good time man.

[mkiese]

Man! Lenny Breau is a Tal Farlow in his own right. You should really check out a bunch of Lenny's videos on YouTube. He's a true pioneer.

[Sunderlanding]

Lenny Breau kicks the shit out of Tal Farlow, it isn't even a competition.

[Mensch444]

Sunderlanding wrote: "Lenny Breau kicks the shit out of Tal Farlow, it isn't even a competition."

This isn't boxing match; it's just two friends making great music together. Hopefully one day you'll mature and understand that.

[Sunderlanding]

What the fuck are you talking about? That doesn't have anything to do with what I was saying.

[keyehaw]

Tal was a bit past his prime, but in his prime he was untouchable. Here he is clearly being the gracious host, playing those amazing chords and letting Lenny do his thing. This is particularly true of the gig they played later on that evening.

I saw a transcription of a Farlow recording. It had a chord using a fingered bar slanted over three frets!

[MasterCollecter]

keyehaw Tal Farlowe was untouchable in his prime?, ever hear of Johny Smith between the years of 1952-1957?, and Wes Montgomery from 1957-1963,Lenny in late 60's, Scotty Anderson in the early to mid 80's, and Danny Gatton in 1977, 1988, and 1992. Those guys played some serious guitar too; not only Tal Farlowe. And Hank Garland, Jimmy Bryant, Django, and Joe Pass were also terrific!masercollector

[keyehaw]

Yeah, yeah. I know. I've heard everyone you've mentioned. My point is that he was an amazing guitarist in his prime (ever hear his reading of "Yesterday"?) and while "untouchable" is a bit hyperbolic, he was amazingly good. Not for nothing did Art Pepper ask him to be on his final recording. So Farlow doesn't deserve what some posters have said about "having his butt kicked by Lenny Breau."

All those guitarists you mentioned were/are amazing as well.

Is that better now?

[MasterCollecter]

keyehaw Sorry. Thier all great for sure. For Johny check out s'wonderful,three little words,tickle toe,love for sale,lover man,zing went the strings of my heart,& tea for 2; Wes I love Jingles from 65 Jazz 625 show, Bryant check out lover & china boy; Scotty Anderson the 85 Yamaha clinic is easily his best; Lenny I like Cherokee w;Farlowe Chance Meeting, Lennys radio,69 Dontes live,83 Bourbob St. live, Complete Living Room tapes;Farlowe Cherokee-Jazz Masters 41; Pass-Secret Love 74 Dontes live

[chasna2]

Many years ago, I was talking to Farlow backstage after he performed. I asked him to compare hands on a palm-to-palm basis. I'm 6' 2" and he could wrap his fingers comfortably over the tops of mind at the first joint. Farlow had every thing going for him.

[MasterCollecter]

chasna2 probably the biggest hands of any player ever over Vai, McGlaughlin,Hendrix, Montgomery. Probably some of the best chops jazz wise ever with Pass, Smith,; Jimmy Bruno is very fast but there isn't enough substanbce there or I don't know it's hard to explain. OK try this listen to Jimmy Bruno and then listen to Johny Smith between 1952-1957; it's almost embarrasing but you'll see what I mean!!!!! mastercollector

[jsagn]

A real nice human and guitar talk ... within the sound of nature ...

[foooseball]

they're just hanging out and making each other laugh, real. goofin' around on the gittar, cutting up. hear lenny at the end, he just loves it! classic! true artists.

[campocat]

For us modern guitar players a tape like this is invaluable. The knowledge revealed from a forget master like Tal is amazing.

[bransonguitar]

WOW!

[azharkamal]

absolutely awesome mindblowing guitar art of the highest order.guitar olymp!!

[DRGasMoney]

momutt, i think someone says "shahaha" like an impressed laugh at the riff.

[steffanii]

no.. i thnk it's "shut up" in a good way

[Barnekkid]

Thanks for the post. There's no words to describe the likes of a player like Breau. Or Farlow, or Pass, or Gatton....

[momutt]

does one of them say "shut up" right around 3:33??

[TheDeLi]

Wowwwwww. Rare, Lenny seems like a real nice guy. Warms Tal up.

[wallybox]

Amazing chord configurations...such amazing finger dexterity.  Wow...I'm speechless.

[fuzhead]

I really love this!

[glebrial]

Whoever posted this should post the other part of the tal video where it's lenny and tal and lenny TOTALLY steals the show with his outtro... those two guitarists were meant for each other and impressed each other unceasingly whenever they jammed

[utubesucks2003]

I saw this on classic arts showcase -- Don't remember who stole the show with the outro but when Farlow was young -- Untouchable, I would say even more in control than Joe Pass

[lazur1]

No doubt, Tal was always better than Joe.

[theloniousrex]

Thank you for posting this! Such priceless footage.

[guitarmarty]

Wow!! I'd love to see that whole session! Crazy how Tal played all those chords with his thumb.

[mrc803]

Beautiful - two of the greats! So much guitar, so much soul, without a blizzard of notes. Every young guitarist should hear this simple give and take.

[echo680]

@mrc803 real nice comment

[mxer]

thanks this is too cool!

[Pates335]

Two of the greatest guitar masters what a treat

[rkatz]

wow