Sonny Landreth & Girard Petite Sirah

Sonny Landreth, born 2/1/51 in Canton Mississippi, is one of my favorite slide guitarists, and I dare say he’s one of the best in the genre. I love the way he frets chords and chord fragments behind the slide. His right hand technique employs a flat thumb pick that allows him to pick a melody line while using his fingers for his slide technique. Notice he also uses all of his fingers to pick. The pinky doesn’t get left behind. He’s got a new album out called Elemental journey on which he’s joined by Eric Johnson and Joe Satriani for a couple of numbers. Satriani’s solo on Gaia Tribe is ferocious. Don’t miss the modified G3 band with Satriani and Davy Knowles, the later a real up and coming blues man. His duet with Eric Johnson on Milky Way Home is also very nice. All around one of the best. Enjoy!

The KDHX Boogie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRwV-Y-V_7M

Cherry Ball Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFBEP4q9_bY

Forgotten Story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaJRJW8ibF0

Wonderide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc_MsBCrqAw

Mountain Stage Concert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjHO_wB8FPI

Broken hearted road: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3x0WizSAHk

Hard Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID0yzYV-ZZ0

Gravy Train: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOJHSrxHNhw

World Away: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGKI5oHl3GU

Backstage Shuffle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moMTtJEHmZQ

Crossroads Solo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfhxsy13WYk

Hell at Home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMagLZPMiOM

Gaia Tribe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KozQkUlEs44

Milky way home (with Eric Johnson): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K5a8cSp8b8

Goin Down with Satriani and Davy Knowles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANiuAKr2j0U

Listening to Landreth’s slide guitar conjures up images of sittin on porch in the hot and steamy Louisiana bayou where he lives, sippin rot-gut whiskey. Unfortunately, I don’t like whiskey, so instead I suggest a bottle of the 2011 Girard Petite Sirah ($18.00 at CostCo).  Let this one breath for about a half hour to an hour before you drink it as it’ll really open up. The wine is dark purple with aromas of berries and peppery spice. The taste is full of black raspberries, dark plums, and chocolate. Finishes like a Sacher torte (for those of you who’ve never tasted one, it’s full of dark chocolate and raspberry jam). It’s a wine to stand up to the slide guitar and blues of Sonny.

Cheers! 

Kelly Valleau & Earthquake Petite Sirah

Kelly Valleau is one of my favorite guitarist not only because of his technical prowess, but because he has a unique ability to translate rock classics to solo fingerstyle guitar. He started playing electric guitar at the age of 15 and made his first Indie CD at the age of 21. His early influences were David Gilmour, Jimmy Page, Tommy Iommi, Randy Rhoads, James Hetfield, and Kirk Hammett.

About ten years ago, he hung up his electric guitar and devoted much of his time to traditional classical guitar studies. Much of his early acoustic work was very classical/Spanish. Then in 2006 he attended the Canadian Guitar Festival and the performances by Don Ross and others grabbed his attention. He moved into the contemporary acoustic world incorporating percussive techniques into his music, although his tunings are still standard. He’s also moved from playing classical nylon stringed guitars to steel string, which he finds a more moving instrument.

The selections I’ve included below reflect his more recent ventures. So sit back and enjoy one of the premier solo acoustic guitarists on the scene today.

Fused: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1XdxZqqZQ0

Blue: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBKXkKQf_nQ

Anubis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuPjRyrKenE

The Unforgiven: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6imqOqVsn8

Sultans of Swing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI8tvq_b2vQ

Message in a bottle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4kxOoJ2xi8

Sweet Home Alabama: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KagFJDhtUA

Cthulhu: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_sIAEPOYME

Stremnaya: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82rqhR1-xqg

Heart-shaped Box: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ur0WqqqeUI

Mad World: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpJXJX2EzK4

Smooth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmBfmtyLG78

The A Team: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu9BWJ-rzas

I’m pairing Kelly with a 2009 Michael David Earthquake Petite Sirah that I bought on sale for $23.00. Michael David Winery makes some of my favorites that include Petite Petite Sirah and Seven Deadly Zins Zinfandel. Earthquake is the reserve level wines from the vineyard. There’s a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon blended into the wine that gives it a mouthwatering palate of blackberries, chocolate, coffee, and Christmas spices. Same goes for the aromas. It finishes strong, but beware, this one’s 15% alcohol, so don’t plan on driving. Then again, with Kelly’s music, why would you want to go anywhere. Enjoy!

Cheers!

The Beatles and Girard Petite Sirah

I decided to expand on my last entries and focus on groups from the sixties that set the course of music for decades to come. So, tonight I’m leading off with a group that had by far the biggest influence of any of these groups, namely the Beatles. I remember watching them on the Ed Sullivan show straining to hear the music over the screaming girls. To this day, I don’t understand the weird emotions young girls felt that made them go absolutely bonkers. But hey, I’m a musician, and their yelling made it hard to hear the music.

Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison were very good guitarists even by today’s standards, and the song writing team of Lennon/McCartney has yet to be surpassed. Don’t miss the video labeled “Last Ed Sullivan Concert.” It contains one of my favorites, “I feel fine,” but more importantly, it was the debut performance of Paul singing “Yesterday.” Enjoy!

I want to hold your hand: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iim6s8Ea_bE

I’m a loser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMZzUvbTQHo

I should have known better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3Qxlj9pnTc

I saw her standing there: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhNWNktU2v8

Twist and shout: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_I8RCUpe-c

Last Ed Sullivan Concert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FkQWAc27FU

Daytripper: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFh0XGjFhGk

Get back: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS2DGxRl1hU

Shindig (Kansas City; I’m a Loser; Boys): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEp2O3JfMUs

Lady Madonna: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucPcofSjNbE

Revolution: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKB-w179PIQ

You’ve got to hide your love away: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv4gGTtbRqg

Hey Jude: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMTqvhV_nDM

Blackbird: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrxZhWCAuQw

Sargent Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj2bmQ4P4cM

Let it be: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4zaofnVhps

In my life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3wvUwb4p4Q

A fine vintage group like the Beatles calls for a equally fine wine. The 2010 Girard Petite Sirah ($21.00) is one of the best wines I’ve tasted. Beautiful aromas of dark berries, spice and herbs lead to a palate full of blackberries, black currents, spices, and a bit of black pepper. It’s a luscious wine, elegant and refined. Oddly enough, I got it at Costco at a very good price. Enjoy the wine and the Beatles and have a great weekend.

Cheers!