Stanley

[6string40]

No, not Paul, Jordan.

I am usually listening to metal or hair bands, but occasionally get the urge to check out other genres. I can listen to this guy all day...simply unreal. His knowledge of the fretboard and feeling are amazing. And watching him just makes me want to quit playing!

Not your typical cover, but...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QaWUjJkBZA&feature=related

another great one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwLGR3eLoKM&feature=related

and here he is playing 2 guitars at once...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQZY87PDsnQ&feature=related

I'm always speechless after watching Stanley play.

[missionguitars1]

Man, I remember buying his first record (yes, record!) back in college...1986-ish?...on Blue Note...just completely blew me away, his version of Eleanor Rigby is mind-blowing...and I can't stand the Beatles!!!

[Endrik]

Stanley is sick, I really like this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3gHtPLXQOI

I never even tried to get all that shit down, it would take too much time and effort, instead I opted to copy some Tony Levin's grooves and whatnot which he does on the Stick.

[6string40]

I really don't know how you learn or teach any of what Stanley does...that is simply a gift. For someone to actually sit, study and learn that style, I don't think they would ever have the feeling behind their playing like he does...it would be too robotic.

[Endrik]

you can sound robotic when you don't put a lot of emotion into your playing not because you try to emulate some style

[6string40]

Oh absolutely...I agree you can sound robotic playing anything without feeling. My point was that his style appears to be much more difficult to emulate with feeling than most styles.

[Endrik]

definitely, basically it's like starting all over again but with a different hand but you also have to play two different rhythms at the same time which makes it even more difficult.

I play some 8 finger tapping stuff but all that fast shit that Stanley does + all those out of box phrases... oh hell no!
I only try stuff like this on the guitar which Tony does on the stick http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76eoyyem2K8

[Trussrod]

I bought his first two albums in the 80's. After listening to them for a month or so I decided I liked music that was much simpler melodically and harmonically. I miss the pick attack in his playing and too many single notes only sound like part of a note. His music is too sensitive for my tastes and I recall one of the songs not working very well technically. I agree he's great but I haven't listened to him since the 80's.

[Rupe]

He's f'in amazing!!! I saw him in '90 at Penn State open up for Al Dimeola...I thought he blew Al away that night. I was absolutely mesmerized...I had never really heard him before to any great degree (saw one tune he did on a Les Paul special) and didn't know what to expect. The coolest part was that I was literally front row/center maybe 15' away...an old girlfriend worked in the university ticket office
You could hear him breathing, tapping his foot, and actually hear his playing acoustically in addition to what was coming throught FOH.