Allan Holdsworth Trio - The Sixteen Men Of Tain

[69cohonas]

the best ever!!



[AmericanDiaz]

I remember going to see Holdsworth a lot in the nineties and wanting to go home and burn my guitar, lol. Good thing I didnt, i realized you dont have to be able to play like this to ignite a crowd although it helps, lol. Music takes soul and that can be achieved just as easily with three chords and the truth.,

[paisteguy799]

@AmericanDiaz its inspiring tho that a human being is able to play as complex as allan, his playing is just beyond anything ive heard other than coltrane basically

[soupnclothespink]

Holdsworth is just sheer uniqueness, its like its not even real! thats how good it is. :D

[soupnclothespink]

This like seriously makes me want to cry in the most honest way cause its just so damn good!

[betodrums2110]

Great tune!, sounds great this trío!!!.

[SeerTrulth]

My shit's for sale. All of it.

[terrytickler]

does anyone own a sig allan holdworth carvin and whats it like i was thinking of getting 1

[Aidan6496]

It's nice how NO-ONE has disliked this video. :)

[acbionic]

classic fusion,chord melody greatness.



[Yellerwood]

Whatever he does, Allan Holdsworth never fails to mesmerize.

[VPanzerDivisionen]

Ciao Dave.A GIANT bass player!

[benaberry]

cant beat a high strapped bass.

[alexfattoruso]

No one composes tunes like this anymore...

[Mattius946]

@alexfattoruso i agree i feel that the true evolution of music has been stifled in some ways, bebop, heck louis armstrong was far ahead of most todays music's time, thats why jazz is an essential track on that evolution if we pick it back up it'll help us get in tune with where we truly should be musically today

[Guilhermevphmay]

@alexfattoruso There´s plenty of people composing music like this today, just go look for it.

[Kuzalias]

I miss Dave Carpenter... One of my favorite bassists ever.

[Samsgarden]

@kjtkyshn

Agree totally, although the sunsets are beautiful in October but point taken.

[777petrucci]

cant agree more with @MrFiskegal, really my thoughts also, this guy is just incredible

[paisteguy799]

fuck man, i almost feel sad for gary novak, too me, hes THE most underrated drummer period, his skills rank as high as colaiutas or weckls in my book, and yet for what ever reason he just is not that well known..his feel, and creativity are not human

[Samsgarden]

@paisteguy799

Because nobody noticed, he decided to play rock and roll

[paisteguy799]

@Samsgarden ...well yes and no, he still plays alotta jazz..or types of jazz with wayne krantz n such but i mean he has taken some more rock gigs like robben ford n stuff

[jamesedwardtheobald]

@paisteguy799 he's musical! not a basher! makes the kit sing, and his fiery technique doesn't get in the way... dave is a monster too; i always usually dislike trio settings with guitar; not enough chordal meat for the lead single note soloist, but this trio with Dave and his intense chordal approach are the exception. Allan is in a rare relaxed moment here, esp. considering all the cameras on cranes; he is camera-shy plus his tone is GIGANTIC here, and he uses the synth too!

[lazur1]

@paisteguy799 Indeed! I actually prefer Novak to the others you mentioned. I guess if you're not playing with Jeff Beck, you're invisible.

[DownSouthable]

Wow i would say all of these guys are the best ive heard at their instruments. I think the bassist and drummer in this vid are very underated. That bassist could kick victor wooten in the but lol, I think this is some of allans best soloing as well!

[Samsgarden]

@DownSouthable

Unfortunately Dave Carpenter died. I agree, both are great. Allan should do more with Novak, he's a subtle and interesting player.

[DownSouthable]

@Samsgarden Thats too bad.. But he should do more with the drummer. 

[Samsgarden]

@Samsgarden

There are some just submited videos of Allan playing with Ronald Bruner Jr.

youtube.com/watch?v=wxsce9sBLC­M&feature=related

Another great drummer but a little rambunctious for my liking.

Agree with you about Novak though.

[DownSouthable]

Wow i would say all of these guys are the best ive heard at their instruments. I think the bassist and drummer in this vid are very underated. That bassist could kick victor wooten in the but lol,

[taoart71]

wow, Ese Tempo de Gary es perfecto, no entiendo como Chick solo hizo 1 album de electric Band 2 con el. El ensamble de este trio es brutal, lleno de matiz y dinámicas.

[Aidan6496]

This drummer's ride cymbal sounds great for jazzy stuff-does anyone know what type it is?

[cheezruff]

@Aidan6496 Gary Novak's ride looks like a 20" EAK crash. he used it with chick corea too i think

[std882]

ThisTrio is - in my humble opinion - the best of Holdsworth's trios. Novak and Carpenter are just out of this world. Needless to say about the big man himself. Where can I get this DVD.

[agapefriend04]

you're right Sam... unusual bass playing... Holdsworth IS remarkable!!

[MorningBuzz]

I wonder where this was filmed-unfortunately there is not one city in the USA where music like that can draw a crowd that big. I imagine western Europe somewhere.

[ZzFCNzZ]

@MorningBuzz actually on the screen in the upper left corner you'll see BR for Bayerischer Rundfunk. That's in Bavaria, Germany so I imagine the Jazz Festival in Burghausen was where it was filmed. Being that there's a Jazz Festival there every year and it is in Bayern.

[agapefriend04]

ODD that there are no shots of an obvious keyboardist there???

[Samsgarden]

@agapefriend04

Good ears.

That Rhodes keyboard sound is actually Carpenter's bass.

[agapefriend04]

SAM & STEVE... may I appeal to you both... (intelligent and correct as you both are!)...

Holdsworth IS unique, but oblique... not very 'accessible' and indeed (in his own way - indulgent) He has tried to reign in his outrageous technique... he even (briefly) joined Level 42 - I wish he had stayed with them.

[Diatonic5th]

Amazing trio here! Gary Novak is the "drummer's drummer"... he's criminally underrated in my opinion.

[Joeh1154]

Great live version here of this piece. Every one of them is in top form and they are just a pleasure to watch and listen as they explore the music. Mr. Holdsworth never ceases to amaze. Beautiful playing.

[papachops413]

you can tell he really loves that carvin!

[paisteguy799]

is it just me or is all the shit novak playing just unreal, i mean am i the only one who thinks gary is as good as vinnie weckl, or pretty much any drummer in the world, to fuckin underrated

[Samsgarden]

@paisteguy799

Oozes infinitely more style than Weckl

[stevegrierson]

Seriously I do not get this at all. It simply sounds for the most part like myriad random notes with no form, feel or melodic relevance. Yes he is a stunningly good technician but musically this is awful. I feel in part that people are frightened to criticise Allan as he is a great guitarist. But communicator of musical ideas and writer I say no. Can anybody hum a single line of this ? Where is the phrasing ?The repetition of ideas ?The building of themes ?Sorry pointy head Jazz intellectuals.

[daschwarjazz]

@stevegrierson Personally, I do not think he is the best live performer. I've seen him a few times, and after a few songs I found myself bored. His music is much better realized in his studio recordings in my opinion, particularly the "Sixteen Men of Tain" album, which I recommend. I also tend to like him more as a sideman in recordings such as Bill Bruford's "Feels Good to Me." I agree with some things you are saying, but there is more to him than what you are hearing in this video.

[stevegrierson]

@daschwarjazz Thanks for an intelligent response rather than taking issue with what I think is a reasonable set of remarks. I will indeed have a listen to that record and hopefully take something from it.

[jan1080]

@stevegrierson I'm an amateur guitarist myself, and I originally didn't really like much of Holdsworth's music. It really is an acquired taste though, and I've caught myself humming the melody to this, Proto cosmos, Letters of Marque etc many times. It's not catchy in the most poppy way ever, but when you've heard enough diatonic music, you tend to "breathe out" when you hear this. It's really a breath of fresh air, as there's nothing like it anywhere.

Not to be snotty, but it needs insight :)

[Samsgarden]

@stevegrierson

"Where is the phrasing ?The repetition of ideas ?The building of themes"

Surely you are joking. Which musical canon are you referencing with such assertions?

[stevegrierson]

@Samsgarden So the concepts of phrasing, rhythm, atmosphere and repetiton are not important in your strange world of music....................inter­esting. You may wish to listen to a computer downloading or a house alarm going off as your next musical reference. Hum a single line of any part of the melody and I will remove my comment.

[Samsgarden]

@stevegrierson

phrasing and rhythm are present, this is a replicable composition off the album by the same name. If you're referring to the solo, Holdsworth is renown for his absence of hooks riffs and repetition. In actuality, you're alluding to an inability to grasp something familiar and accessible therefore you denigrate it by reducing it to something mechanical. There's barely anything tenable in your response. Again, what canon did you consult when writing this? Atmosphere? repetition?

[stevegrierson]

@Samsgarden The chords appear randomly spewed out without any sense of cadence or resolve. The solo is garrulous with no space or sense of melody (it appears to trip from consonance to dissonance at will) You say Holdsworth is renown (renowned) for absence of hooks. Maybe that is a failing within his music. I do not know him personally but I take it he has failings (like everyone else) And yes I do denigrate this to sounding mechanical as I trust my ears."The emperors new clothes" methinks

[Samsgarden]

@stevegrierson

Let me get a thesaurus, if Holdsworth is garrulous, your English is clearly verbose.

This discussion is heading into the realm of tautology. I ask you about your music canon and you keep spouting opinion like it's maxim. When was repetition a fundamental law of music? When was 'atmosphere' a term for the collective? Compositionally, I don't hear these random chords, are you talking about comps or soloing? Not everything AH does appeals to me, so I don't listen to it -try it.

[stevegrierson]

@Samsgarden:Read my original statement "Seriously I do not get this at all".Do you see the word "I".It is my opinion, my individual perception of what are the pleasing and fundamental aspects of music that please me.That is my "music canon" as you put it.Organisation is fundamental to human nature, as is repetition, as is phrasing.When we talk do we pause, add inflection into our speech, have a reason for opening our mouths in the first place?

[Samsgarden]

@stevegrierson

Organisation is fundamental to human activity. Art is expressive, not expedient and any music that relies too heavily on constructs such as repetition and palatability, really ceases to be art -don 't you think?

Keep in mind that I'm not criticising a particular genre, nor am I referring to A.H. but seriously, you sound as if you want music served up on a platter.

Music should break rules but with good reason.

[stevegrierson]

@Samsgarden Sam I have enjoyed our discussion hugely. I am going to have to sign off now though as my responses are getting in the way of my other life (kids, work etc) Best wishes Steve

[Samsgarden]

@stevegrierson

Cool. Just between both of us, I reckon 75% of Holdsworth's STUDIO output is cheesy and dated.

I hope he breaks the synthaxe into a million pieces.

Wait, did everyone hear that? Oh dear....

[alembicbassguy]

This is unbelievably good - almost otherworldly. Stunning. Dave Carpenter r.i.p

[charlezurich]

I love Gary Novaks style a lot

[Sakurazuka1999]

I saw him on live many years ago, it's still the most astounding live performance I've ever saw in my life. So much skill, so much tension, so much feeling, it was unbelievible, like a dream.

[jpphoopha]

DId anyone notice Holdsworth is using a Carvin Fatboy with a synth pickup?

[bbmusic1]

Playing his Carvin signature model with the synth pickup.

[bbmusic1]

Playing his Carvin Fatboy with the synth pickup.

[rayoLFP]

10/10

[fieldfullofthistles]

Those chords are out of this world. I like how he lets his drummer go.

[carcassgrindcorpsesc]

i never really liked gary novak for allan until i saw this video, i think it has a lot less of the "rock" feel i'm used to, its like 95% jazz and i always thought of allan as a 40 % jazz, 40% rock, 20% improvisation, 100% awesomeness..

[boertush]

@carcassgrindcorpsesc Jazz and improvisation aren't really seperate things, since most jazz requires some sort of improvisation. In fact, the form of a lot of Holdsworth material is the same as most traditional jazz : head(or theme) then improvisation then the head again.

[chickendancelex]

51 people have beautiful ears!!

[drumz47]

Thats Gary Novack o drums from america. He kills with this trio. Nice work Alan ,Dave and GARY..Thanks

[Jdudeo]

Allan's tone sounds pretty bad in this vid :(

it's not his usual tone

[TheFigueroa007]

@Jdudeo Hmm, sounds like his normal tone to me, what's bad about it? I think I notice it now, its a bit more trebly than usual?

[Jdudeo]

@TheFigueroa007 hmm listening to it now I don't think it sounds as bad as I originally thought, it is a bit trebly and squeaky though I think, the clean sound is good though.

[studiologos619]

@Jdudeo He is using different amps than usuall

[shpilk]

This is narrative about Glenmorangie scotch. I swear, it's a tour of the distillery. You can hear all the activity as the people go around making that wonderful drink. If you listen to the album version, there's even a pet mascot [a cat] at the end of the song, and at the very end, Allan waves "bye-bye" to the folks ..

Allan Holdsworth could be artist, a sculptor.

He is clearly a unique _story teller_, and he's got great help with Dave Carpenter [RIP] and Jay Novak.

[alexfattoruso]

Funny! They claim an actual human being composed this.

[ExtremeBogom]

I like to read Philosophy, and listen to Holdsworth's music.

It gives me peace of mind like none other. This man has a rare gift.

[zakkwyldeverehrer]

this is crazy music

[legatoman]

I've not often heard Allans playing this great often in live situations.

[rexasul]

Allan's playing here is fucking terrifying. Totally inhuman.

[victorcolmenero2008]

The best 2

[drumz47]

Looks like Gary Novak on drums. Love his playing ..Nice touch and phrasing.

[drewhet]

4:33 "we did it guys"

[22fret]

unfortunately, carpenter is not with us anymore...

[mraggrovator]

The best.

[MrFiskegal]

His improvisation skills are of his origin. Completely unpredictable and of course no rehearsed "licks". His solo is not about "licks". He is tellings a "story" many muscians would die for. The timing, rhythm, and his solo sounds like a painting too me.

[RafalNitkaBialek]

@MrFiskegal Thank you for your comment! It looks like.you can read my mind. : )

[Rafaellennert]

@MrFiskegal That's it man! you got the spirit! great words!

[oimiuyigumustustir]

Dave Carpenter...

I love his playing.

[sebarequiem]

great vid, thanks for uploading