Good instrumental/progressive music

[Roubster]

So I saw the thread about the 80s stuff. I was born in the 80s so I dont know all that much about it. I am not a big fan of the hair metal stuff at all. Few things I can listen to like Scorpions and Metallica. However I am a huge fan of instrumental and progressive music. For me personally, I find that very few bands have a singer that does the music justice, therefore I much prefer instrumental music. So now we get into what the bands I like to listen to in this genre. If no one has caught this yet in my previous posts, Steve Morse is my God. I started listening to him with Deep Purple and than went on to Steve Morse Band and the last was Dixie Dregs. To me he plays the ULTIMATE music that I wish I could play if he wasnt around, but I must find my own path. The other stuff I really LOVE is both Liquid Tension albums, and Petrucci's new solo album (suprised he hasnt come out with one much earlier and more than one). Of course I like Dream Theatre, and my favourite album from there is Images and Words and Falling Into Infinity. They are all pretty good, but once again I think that James LaBrie is pretty horendous. Sorry guys, but he sings like a little bitch. The singer from Symphony X is much much better. The other instrumental stuff I listen to is Vinnie Moore, Tony MacAlpine, Joe Satriani, Symphony X, Planet X, Shakti, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Eric Johnson and sometimes Steve Vai (mainly for his technique and some compositions that appeal to me, otherwise the compositions are too freakin weird for me).
On my list of things I need to get is Steve Lukather, Pat Metheny, more of Joe Pass, and possibly some Paul Gilbert stuff. I dont know what to get of Gilbert's stuff tho. I have his solo album Burning Organ which does not appeal to me at ALL. I think it sux. No shiznit that he is 1000000 times better than me (at the moment ), but I dont like that album.

So what do YOU people listen to in this category, and do you have any suggestions what I should look into and get that is necessary for instrumental/progressive music addict like me? I am also getting more into jazz, but I dont know where to continue on from Joe Pass and Stanley Jordan.
Oh and has anybody heard of Phillipe Thibaut? He's pretty good. Kinda like a mix between Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Morse.

 

[shreder75]

hmmmm....progressive..let's see...

Pagan's Mind--Celestial Entrance...far superior to Dream Theater, song writing wise if you ask me..

Also, Magnitude 9..even though the production sucks....they have very cool songs..

Maybe Vanden Plas? not sure if you'd consider them progressive..

and I guess i might as well mention Symphony X..from my home state, don't ya know

wooops, saw that you had SX already covered =D

 

[blackspy]

Kings X (? I think), Queensryche, Rush, Holdsworth, lots of things I can't even remember the name of anymore....

 

[SteveB]

Check out these albums:

"Metal Fatigue" by Allan Holdsworth - jazzy yet monstrous

"SMPTe" by Transatlantic - unreal prog


Both albums have vocals on some tracks (maybe all of them on the Transtalantic album, but the vocals are good on most).

The Holdsworth album is fronm the 80's. The Transatlantic album is just a few years old, but I think it's one of the best albums in decades.

 

[Roubster]

Yea, I actually found out about Transatlantic a little while ago on Amazon. I believe Mike Portnoy is on there no? However there is not enough of preview time of the songs to tell what the album is like. For example all of LUKE's CD's have no preview you can listen to. I'm definatly gonna check that Holdsworth CD out. I saw him in NYC earlier this year, and the guy is freakin INSANE. He has some great interesting alien type of jazzy sound. I loved the concert, just had no idea where to start with album wise. The concert was funny at the same time, cuz he kept cursing a lot. He didnt like anything he played, saying to everyone that he sux! lol that was hilarious since everyone was in awe. I would like to know what he sounds like when he plays GOOD, hahahahaha.
How about some John McLaughlin stuff? Any solo stuff I should look into? He has millions of things. Anybody a fan of his?

 

[savannah_sean]

I really like the late 70's/early 80's stuff by Al Dimeola:

Land of the Midnight Sun, Elegant Gypsy, Casino, Splendido Hotel, Electric Rendezvous.

Return To Forever has some really good albums, above all I'd reccommend "Romantic Warrior" - this features Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Al Dimeola and Lenny White, all of whom are monsters.

Chick Corea's Electrik Band also has some great albums, notably Beneath the Mask, Inside Out, eye of the beholder, Light years.

I don't really like trying to characterize or label music like this- but if it's to be called "fusion", then I'd say it's more on the jazz side and less on the rock side,

There are a couple of acoustic guitar albums with Al Dimeola, Paco Delucia, and John Mclaughlin: Friday Night in San Franciso and Passion, Grace and Fire are guaranteed mind-blowers. they have a newer one too, but I haven't heard it.

Speaking of monsters, those Electrik band albums feature chick corea, Frank Gambale, John Patitucci, Eric Marienthal and Dave Weckl.

 

[Roubster]

What's up Sean. I actually have the Friday Night in San Francisco. That is a pretty insane acoustic action between the 3 giants. I especially love the little jams and answer and calls between all of them. I like when they go into the Pink Panther theme. Kinda reminds me of Joe Satriani in NY recently when all of a sudden he starts playing the James Bond theme.
I have 2 of Frank Gambales albums: Great Explorers and Passages, they are pretty good albums.

 

[Adwex]

Dregs, and Vai as you mentioned of course. One of my relatively recent favorite instrumental bands (also local to me) that I like to plug is Magic Elf www.magicelf.com
They are from Long Island, and I've seen them a bunch of times. If you like Dream Theater, Rush, Dregs, Yes, Allan Holdsworth,etc. you will LOVE Magic Elf. Really cool instrumental rock fusion with an edge. Their CD "Heavy Meddle" is in my car player as we speak, and gets alot of play time.

Also, check out Joe Nardulli.
www.joenardulli.com
I saw him a few times as he opened up for Magic Elf. His CD, (and earlier performances) were him playing solo guitar over a sequencer recorded "band" (pretty friggin' awesome sequencer programming too). Now he's working with a live band of talented players. I'd describe Joe's style as a mix of Steve Morse, Eric Johnson, ....can't really think of anyone else that fits. Very progressive, odd meters, beautiful melodies, mature writing, well executed guitar work.

Check both of these bands out, you won't be disappointed.

 

[SteveB]

Yea, I actually found out about Transatlantic a little while ago on Amazon. I believe Mike Portnoy is on there no?

Yes, Portnoy is the drummer.

..he kept cursing a lot. He didnt like anything he played, saying to everyone that he sux!

Holdsworth is famously insecure.. it's a wonder he's functional. But he's as amazing as he is eclectic. On the "Metal Fatigue" album there's a tune called "Devil Take the Hindmost" which will blow your mind. Chad Wackerman on drums, too! (He played with Men at Work in the 80's and also Frank Zappa.. phenomenal drummer!)

 

[Adwex]

Oh oh, was this limited to 80's stuff again? Sorry 'bout that.

 

[savannah_sean]

How about some John McLaughlin stuff? Any solo stuff I should look into? He has millions of things. Anybody a fan of his?

Roub,

I used to have a couple of the old Mahavishnu Orchestra records- Birds of Fire and Visions of the Emerald Beyond. I was about 17 when I got them and I have to say it really wasn't my thing. Birds of Fire is the better of the two, but it's been years since i've heard them. part of what i didn't like about it was the production and the tone- but I was listening to these early 70's records with late 80's ears, so what can you expect. I'm sure the playing is brilliant, but it was a little too hippy-dippy spacey sounding for me.

My experience with guys like John McLaughlin and Chick Corea, who have these enormous careers that span decades and lots of styles, is that you have to be careful. some of their stuff is brilliant and some of it isn't.

for instance, chick corea is one of my all time favorite musicians, and the albums I mentioned in my previous post are outstanding, but some of his stuff (e.g. early 70's "exprimental" stuff like A.R.C.) just sounds like crap to me.

 

[Adwex]

I never really heard Mahavishnu until recently, but I agree with Sean regarding the production and tone. The thing about McLaughlin though, is, that it doesn't matter what he sounds like, he's not about tone. Like Vai, John McLaughlin is not a normal human....if they're human at all, which is questionable.

I was kinda into Dimeola back then, Elegant Gypsy, Electric Rendezvous, and I think I had another record, can't remember the name. Mediteranean Sundance (I think that was the name), the duet with Paco, was amazing. Like Steve Howe, I prefer Al on acoustic as opposed to electric. What was the name of the cool tune with Chick Corea, I can't remember. I think it was on Elegant Gypsy. It's been a long time.

 

[Roubster]

So how about some fusion then? I guess Holdsworth goes into that category. Who else. Well has anyone heard of CAB? Tony MacAlpine is in it, but it's not a neoclassical type of shred at all. Any other fusion stuff kinda like that, if anybody has even heard CAB that is. I would suggest it, but I only have the first album, and the best song on there that I like is naturally called CAB. hahahhaa that song actually has an AMAZING solo. It is actually one of my ALL time favourite solos AFTER all of Morse's of course .

 

[savannah_sean]

I was kinda into Dimeola back then, Elegant Gypsy, Electric Rendezvous, and I think I had another record, can't remember the name. Mediteranean Sundance (I think that was the name), the duet with Paco, was amazing. Like Steve Howe, I prefer Al on acoustic as opposed to electric. What was the name of the cool tune with Chick Corea, I can't remember. I think it was on Elegant Gypsy. It's been a long time.

Adam,

"Mediterrenean Sundance" is on Elegant Gypsy.

Al has done a couple duets with Chick Corea on piano- you might be thinking of "Short Tales of the Black Forest", which is on Land of the Midnight Sun, and also re-done with the guitar trio on Friday Night in SF...This is the tune that has the Pink Panther theme and the blues jam in the middle (the original version doesn't, though)

There is also an Al/Chick duet on "splendido hotel" called "two to tango". That album also has the "sequel" to Mediterrenean Sundance (at least that's how I thought of it)- called "splendido sundance" - although Al plays both guitars on that tune, so no Paco.

 

[savannah_sean]

So how about some fusion then? I guess Holdsworth goes into that category. Who else. Well has anyone heard of CAB? Tony MacAlpine is in it, but it's not a neoclassical type of shred at all. Any other fusion stuff kinda like that, if anybody has even heard CAB that is. I would suggest it, but I only have the first album, and the best song on there that I like is naturally called CAB. hahahhaa that song actually has an AMAZING solo. It is actually one of my ALL time favourite solos AFTER all of Morse's of course .

Yeah, I have one CAB album, I really dig it. Bunny Brunel on bass, right?

 

[Funky Chicken]

"U.K." self-titled first album. Holdsworth on guitar, Bill Bruford on drums, John Wetton (the voice of "Asia") on bass and vocals, and Eddie Jobson on keys and violin.
Any of the Bill Bruford solo outings as 'Bruford'-Feels Good to Me and Gradually Going Tornado are the 2 titles I remember. Holdsworth again, and Jeff Berlin on Bass.

 

[Adwex]

Adam,


Al has done a couple duets with Chick Corea on piano- you might be thinking of "Short Tales of the Black Forest", which is on Land of the Midnight Sun

Bingo! That's the record, and that's the tune! I can't "hear" it in my head now, but I remember really digging it back in the 80's. Thank you sir.

 

[kbaim]

If you like instrumental stuff, 2 of the timeless classics (imo) are still

Jeff Beck's"WIRED" and "BLOW BY BLOW"

Other favorites are
Satriani - SURFING WITH THE ALIEN
Chick Corea - 1st elektrik band and "PAINT THE WORLD"
Lurence Juber - "LJ PLAYS THE BEATLES"
Mike Marshall and Chris Thile - "INTO THE CAULDREN" (both mando players)
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - all but especially "UFO TOFU" (banjo for guitar players)
Al Dimeola - (the ones mentioned)
Morse - (all, but especially HTW, DOTE, UH)
JL Ponty - "ENIGMATIC OCEAN" (w/ holdworth from the 70's)

 

[Adwex]

"U.K." self-titled first album. Holdsworth on guitar, Bill Bruford on drums, John Wetton (the voice of "Asia") on bass and vocals, and Eddie Jobson on keys and violin.
Any of the Bill Bruford solo outings as 'Bruford'-Feels Good to Me and Gradually Going Tornado are the 2 titles I remember. Holdsworth again, and Jeff Berlin on Bass.

The first time I saw Alan Holdsworth was when he opened for The Dregs on the Industry Standard tour. Jeff Berlin was on bass.

 

[Roubster]

Sean, it is with Bunny Brunel on bass. He is pretty damn good. Actually I believe that he wrote majority of the songs on the first CAB album, and MacAlpine wrote only 2. I'm definatly gonna check out the other 2 CAB albums. It is definatly something different, and the CAB song is the only one that really sounded like rock. I have a very wide range of musical interest, but when it comes to guitar music I am pretty specific but it is unexplainable in human words lol. I love classical music and also new age, but lets not get into that.....unless you people wish to .
Keith, I do have WIRED from Jeff Beck. It is a pretty good album, but for some reason it does not appeal to me that much....dont know why. OH, maybe because I need to listen to it more .