14 Replies to “Flying Fingers”

  2. Thanks for that. Unfamiliar with his work. While listening, made me think of Jeff Beck’s work with Jan Hammer and, at times, Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention.

  3. Mancuso and a few others such as the Dirty Loops trio and Jason Lee Schultz have raised the bar so high that everyone else sounds like a garage band

    It’s lovey that music is getting a face-lift after a couple of decades of dancing and shouting monotone trash.

    I am also delighted that Steely Dan is finally getting some much deserved attention from a lot of YouTube pundits who are too young to remember all the greatness of the 60s and 70s music.

    They are in discovery mode with sites that are based on their reaction to this new strange music from the past.

  5. That’s a more upbeat version of the same number I play in a Big Band. I’m not familiar with his work but they are a talented and polished trio. A rock finish to a Jazz-funk number.

    1. John Chittick,
      That is a composition by the late, great bass man, Jaco Pastorius.
      Jaco wrote big charts for a big horn section, so I guess that is why you play the funky version.

      1. I am familiar with Jaco and “Weather Report” but not the young Mancuso above. I seem to recall that Jaco died in a bar room brawl. He set the bar for fretless bass players.

        1. John Chittick,
          Yeah, Jaco sadly died in coma after being beaten badly by a bouncer.
          He was indeed a master of the fretless bass, influencing everyone that came after him.
          His Weather Report work is legend, but the tune you are hearing is with his Word of Mouth big band.
          Excuse the nerdy context.
          As for Mancuso…he can shred for sure, thanks to being standing on the shoulders of giants.

  6. No doubt that he’s a fine player but, afaic, that kind of playing can be imposed on so many songs. Shredding? Meh. Give me George Harrison crafting the perfect solo that fits the perfect song.

        1. I am a Uuuuuge Jon Herrington fan and have seen him live at multiple Steely Dan concerts. A superb guitarist. He faithfully played every style of every Steely Dan guest guitarist … perfectly. It’s all about timing and feeling.

          It was David Gilmour who famously said he doesn’t play fast because he is seeking to create a memorable (hook) melody. And I’d say he accomplished his goal.

          https://www.guitarplayer.com/news/david-gilmour-on-shred-and-tasteful-soloing

          Technical skill, and copying standard patterns … like staying exclusively inside the BB box … isn’t what makes great guitarists … it’s melody, and finding those sonic “hooks” that make a song eternally memorable. George Harrison was a MASTER of this. I challenge you to listen to the ENTiRE Beatles catalog … esp. the early stuff and find a single HIT record that didn’t have an innovative, unique, melodic guitar riff that MADE the song. OK … Michelle was an exception LOL.

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