Danny Gatton - One For Lenny

[@CosmosArchipelago]

Still being appreciated in 2024.

[@Captain_Jack514]

It's a shame this album was discontinued. It is definitely one of my Desert Island discs.

[@eliotmccann2589]

No one plays like Gatton. my all time favourite guitarist.

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

I wish Danny had done more straight-ahead jazz sessions like this one; he sounds entirely at home and at ease among the jazz cats. This is a masterful tribute to Lenny, another musical genius who left us too early... Modes9, I'm with you... I am enjoying Danny's comping as much as his solo work. Amazing how much better Danny sounds playing with world-class players than with the usual crew. That's no slag on his normal crew; just good to hear him in a different setting.

[@pauljannone123]

I wish Danny was still around, I miss his music a real lot, definitely one of my favorites.

[@jmendi55]

Nobody could ever cover every genre like Danny Gatton could. He was truly a freak of nature in the best way. Such a shame.....

[@angeloamericano]

Too bad no vid. Great recording putting Danny with the best in the big apple. Long live the memory of Danny Gatton and his friend Lenny Breau.

[@taildragger53]

DG was such a versatile player...sheer genius from a different era. We'll never see the likes of him again.

[@kcocking]

this song is beautfiul. i love this album.

[@jmsbk12345]

Sublime. The master at work.

[@taildragger53]

Danny Gatton was a groundbreaking genius. Whatever he played turned into a masterpiece. I can't think of any guitarist who was as versatile. God rest his soul.

[@philturner6642]

Danny was in a league of his own.if you play and want something to do.. transcribe one of his solos.that should keep you busy for about a year.lol.

[@Mark8395217]

Danny played for ME... no insult to anyone reading this but he played exactly what I enjoyed and I'm sure he played it the way he did because he KNEW what I liked! Looking back on the DC music scene when Danny was around, I have to wonder what the hell everyone else in the country was thinking about when it came to music. We are all unique, Danny is clear proof ot that.

[@flinx649]

Damn you Danny....you had so much more to give us...RIP....Genius in the first order!

[@taildragger53]

Very few guitarists can fit into any situation comfortably. This guy was the exception. Multi-directional and with the imagination of a genius. But as with all geniuses, he was in torment.

[@vestibulate]

taildragger53 I feel fine.

[@popsgt17]

One of THE BEST guitarists I've ever seen... or heard! And I've seen Hendrix!

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

Sure wish DG did more recordings like "NY Stories" with the top jazz cats... it was a dream of his to do an album like this, and he sounds totally at home. Hearing this makes me wonder what surprises Danny would have had in store for us had he stuck around. Sure do miss him. This tune is one of my DG favs....

[@frankboyle1320]

Great album still have it. 1 of my favorites from it. I mean Gatton with Hargrove , Watson , Redman , and others in the jazz world great combination. 1 of the greatest guitar player's of all time. A style all his own. Have every recording some twice. Bummer he left us way too soon.

[@Crussman499]

Frank Boyle So true. Same with Lenny and Mr. Shawn Lane. :(

[@canadianRadio]

This Lennys Melody.. awesome.. Just wicked.

[@moseyalong1]

Jeezuzz louizuzz and holey von schmoley - this guy has an incredible musical mind - beautiful jazz composition, and great musicians.

[@646879]

ok now i got to go to the music store...thanks

[@zthetha]

@trcoster Hi and thanks for your reply. There was a line in Clint Eastwood's movie about Charlie Parker where he has him say to a fellow musician who has forsaken jazz in favour of the more profitable R&B scene, "I guess that's fine for someone who can only play one tune at once."

[@tufnall]

this ones a lost gem.. beautiful piece. Not enough of Gatton playing straight jazz out there. One of the few guys that can play it pretty straight but not be boring. Allot of this is more "out" than it sounds in the solo etc. How many guys have the balls to squeeze in some banjo licks in their jazz?

[@flinx649]

Beautiful song!

[@zthetha]

@GMoorefan115 Many thanks or your endorsement - had to check what it was I'd said and so had the sublime experience of hearing again this small chunk of heaven that fell to earth.

[@theerion]

you're not kiddin, niles. i've been struggling to follow what he's doing in "sun medley" and well, my brain's bleeding. i spend every lunch with danny (on video doing his hotlicks episode).

[@theerion]

god what a shame danny's gone - unbelievable guitarist. i'd love to play harlem nocturne someday - even 10% as good! :-)

[@livemusichere]

So good. Gone too soon. There was a whole new Danny coming out. Wade Matthews and Tim Eyerman as well. I miss those guys.

[@theerion]

re: danny's videos - the only one I have is the Hotlicks video he did, which is over an HOUR of INSTRUCTION. i'm boggled by it daily - he's unreal. he played a guitar like a piano

[@theerion]

oh don't worry, my gatton obsession is just ramping up. i'm mesmerized by the LIVE sleepwalk he did that's in my favorites on my channel. in fact, i learned the song last night in part because of gatton's youtube version, and setzer's :-)

[@flinx649]

@zthetha Hey sorry...there's 3 of us then...Danny was special....usually guitarist like him...most people have never heard of him...this is really a great song...all instruments are played at a top notch level...some great musicianship...i need to pick up this cd.

[@honeboy57]

Great album start to finish and quite different than the rest of his recordings. Essential for Gatton fans.

[@livemusichere]

I wish I coulda heard more brother. See ya next time.

[@Modes9]

I like his comping more than his soloing. Danny just seemed to have a never-ending supply of double-stop and three-note-chord ideas. In an era when flashy single-note solos seem to be the only thing that matters, I really admire his commitment to being a great rhythm section player. He's as cool as Toninho Horta, Mick Goodrick, or Lenny Breau in that way.

[@1669martin]

So true. He was brilliant at comping and fills.

[@sallemjazz1]

et Franck Amsallem au piano, merci de m'avoir oublié (thanks for forgetting me, dude, what am I, chopped liver?).

[@twangbarfly]

Aha - merci de nous l'avoir rappelé! Je vous entends assez fréquemment à TSF, et j'ai ce disque, mais j'avais oublié que vous aviez joué dessus. Pareil pour Roy Hargrove et Josh Redman... Maintenant je sais - bravo et merci!!! Danny Gatton est l'un de mes guitaristes préférés - si je vous vois un jour à Paris, ce sera un plaisir de vous offrir une bière - en guise de réparation :-)

[@sallemjazz1]

@@twangbarfly ce n'est pas Wallace Roney, mais Roy Hargrove....

[@twangbarfly]

@@sallemjazz1 Oui, je m'en suis rendu compte et je me suis repris ..... en espérant que vous n'alliez pas apercevoir le couac.... mais trop tard... Il y en a qui ont vraiment l'oreille trop rapide :-)

[@sallemjazz1]

@@twangbarfly hahaha....une session comme celle-là, ça ne s'oublie pas....!

[@twangbarfly]

@@sallemjazz1 J'imagine - le bonheur !

[@PreactorTunes]

If it's not a Tele on this track, DG was known to have played a 50's era gold-top Gibson ES-295. He remains the undisputed Master of the Telecaster! Brent & Brad would have been humbled just to change his strings....

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

I tend to envisage Danny using the neck pick-up (perhaps a hot-rail or similar ) on a Tele for this song but he also played various other models during his career .I love the tone ,the playing and the song whatever he may have used !

[@steveburchfield5576]

Danny used Barden pickups on his teles

[@valdane8371]

Dear Blue Note, put this on vinyl…WTF are you waiting for? I want to hear the tubes hum.

[@steveburchfield5576]

People who think music is a competition strike me as STUPID! To each his own. I like Danny with Buddy Emmons as well.

[@theerion]

hiya niles! i've only recently been turned on to gatton, by my guitar teacher (yes i'm a beginner guitarist - been playing for just under a year - check out my vids). my teacher used to be rhythm guitarist for freddie king, so i'm learning ALL sorts of musicians...

[@Maniac69Guitar]

it's apples and oranges my friends. You can't compare Danny to Brad Paisley, really? that's like comparing Eddie Van Halen to Yngvie. Danny is in a class of his own, all by himself right to then end unfortunately. The man obviously and without a doubt took the instrument to places it has rarely ever gone before or will ever go again. You can't put down good players just because Danny ate their lunch. As far as improvising and playing off the cuff, obviously one of the greatest.

[@jiricirtek8160]

Not taking anything from what you said but this: Ingvie comes to play in Czechia frequently and all I can say, the guy starts with an overcrowded gig because he's a legend/guitar god and ends half empty :-)

[@zthetha]

@flinx649 WOW! Our exclusive little club has just grown by 50%!

[@timhitt8956]

too bad danny gatton lenny breau and roy buchanan all had to leave so soon lucky they left such extraordinary music behind

[@jsnmlny1972]

@Maniac69Guitar Tommy Emanuel is the only one on Dannys level,,actually above in differant aces up sleeve ways,,cant imagine tho if Danny was still around,what a waste to have that much and not stay around,guess we'll never know,RIP Danny!

[@Maniac69Guitar]

What about Jimi Hendrix though? did he not take it where it never went? or Yngvie? or Vinnie Moore? or Jerry Reed or Chet? Their all great players, and Chet for thumb pickin is one of the smoothest ever. and Scotty Anderson, check out "Are you from Dixie" amazing speed and thumb pickin. I guess it boils down to who you like hearing the most. and for me, Gatton is definitely at the top.

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

@theerion: See if you can find DG's older instructional VHS tape from the 1990s, called "Licks and Tricks for Guitar," Danny does some amazing things and also shares alot of his insider info on RH technique, slide playing, and much more. IMHO, this video beats his later two for Hot Licks. I own all of them, BTW. And this video predates Arlen Roth, so you don't have to worry about him trying to steal the limelight.

[@theerion]

.. and yes, I agree. if I could ever play (and I mean really play, no bullshitting) harlem nocturne, hell at 5% gatton, I'd count myself a guitarist of infinite space. would love to play 'thirteen women' someday too (on guitar, lol)

[@flinx649]

@gattonmaster Have you seen the Capitol Stories profile of Danny Gatton?

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

Texanonfire, when Brad Paisley can lay stuff like this down, then I'll mention him in the same breath as Danny Gatton. That's no slam on Paisley, a bonafide superstar and monster player - but DG was unique. Actually, would love to see BP cover some jazz in NYC like a modern-day Hank Garland; that would be cool... but don't see it happening nowadays.

[@VerhipBe]

Heathens, obviously.

[@CosmosArchipelago]

Heathens!

[@dyskover]

Which "Lenny" is this song about? Uniquely creative Jazz Guitarist Lenny Breau?... or is it about Lenny Bruce? You all know both of these creative geniuses don't you?

[@jamesp.mcquoid1639]

Harmonics at beginning would indicate Lenny Breau

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

@gattonmaster: Hi Don, how are you? I knew with the way you watch the comments on DG, I'd hear from you! I got you figured out, buddy... hey, you got good taste in music, though. Speaking of good music, I found someone we should go see sometime - plug in Reginald Robinson with the keywords "piano" or "ragtime" and have a listen. He's very impressive in this style of music, if your tastes run to that sort of thing. I love ragtime, so I dig him.

[@freddymclain]

A goodly percentage of the general populace has not heard of Danny, which makes sense- he's far too good. Ed Bickert, a Canadian, and also a Telemaster is even MORE OBSCURE. He's legendary around Toronto, and my favorite Tele guy, even though in his hands it sounds like an L-5. Not the flashiest, but his LINES are so hip.

[@steveburchfield5576]

I think Lenny learned from Ed at first.

[@zthetha]

@Mark8395217 Hate to suggest you are not a unique soul - I am sure you are - but Danny has the self same effect on me - it's just what a guitar SHOULD sound like - his phrasing, his musicality, his technique were immaculate.

[@flinx649]

Of course the easy guess is a tele...it sure does sound like it...it has a twang to it...maybe i am mistaken.

[@hetjaar]

is that a rolex??????? that is the way you start a interview with danny gatton?

[@canadianRadio]

I hear Lenny in the melody.

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

Does anyone know for sure what guitar Danny used during this recording ?

[@geordie54]

@gattonmaster You're right !!

[@mollers92]

@gattonmaster ahh come on, can we have just one youtube video of a guitarist where it isn't people just saying who's best and who's shit in the comments. Brent Mason and Brad Paisley are great guitarists, their styles don't even compare to Gatton's.

[@vestibulate]

Kozlovsky91 I see what you did there.

[@flinx649]

@Satchmoeddie Preach it brutha!

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

When I first heard 'Five String Blues' by Roy Buchanan I thought that I was listening to the most expressive use of a Wah Wah pedal ever. I then discovered that Roy had got these emotionally charged sounds by expertly manipulating the tone control on his Tele as he played !

[@storyboarddave5860]

I don't know who they are either

[@TheGattonmaster]

BINGO formally gattomaster/mastercollector

[@55Deluxe]

check out Django sometime

[@Maniac69Guitar]

I agree Brent Mason and Brad Paisley are very good guitar players, However, If you sat those three in the same room, it would be very obvious who had more depth and technique and chops honestly. Gatton had an unlimited amount of Aces up his sleeve he could pull out anywhere at anytime. lol. Only person I think could possibly touch Gatton at his style might be Scotty Anderson. And that's Scotty eating his wheaties on a good day. Of course fingerstyle I think Chet might have had the hand

[@popsgt17]

@Maniac69Guitar Sorry, but Danny was better than all those you've mentioned.

[@trcoster]

@zthetha from 3:47-5:57 sounds like mindless twiddling to me.

[@chalone2]

or worse! :-)