Shredders & Gnarley Head Zinfandel

I’m sick and tired of cold weather and feeling rather rambunctious tonight, so I’ve put together music to match my mood. I can’t even begin to describe each guitarist, but all of them are icons of the business. Rather than write a lot of commentary, I suggest you crank up the volume and psyche up for the coming week.

Joe Satriani: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo6LXD7uzn4

Steve Vai: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ7vyFnLvjw

Michael Firkins: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ_dawPc3Xw

Gary Hoey: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7mq0g6Tp9Y

Orianthi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cLZSn4B7uQ

John Petrucci: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5VwPfyEq3w

Yngwie Malmsteen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbHc5i4O2tc

Joe Stump: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EneQUjwMTE

Shawn Lane: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pbq3y1TcALM

Paul Gilbert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPGA3vjMLgE

Guthrie Govan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LY8sok2RgE

The power of tonight’s music calls for a powerhouse wine. Last week I reviewed Brazin zinfandel, one of my favorites. Tonight, I suggest trying its little brother, the 2011 Gnarley Head Zinfandel ($10.00). While Brazin is considered a super premium Zin (although I bought it for $14.00), its little brother Gnarley Head is the largest selling Zin in the United States. It even has its own Facebook page in Sweden. They’re made by the same vinter so it’s not surprising that there’s a strong family resemblance.

Gnarley Head has wonderful aromas of dark berries and spice. It’s a mouthful of blackberry jam accented with vanilla and a peppery finish. It’s also 14.5% alcohol so don’t plan of leaving home after you try it. Instead, sit back, blast the music, and hope it scares the snot out of this linger winter enough to finally let spring arrive.

Cheers!

G3 Concerts & Bodegas NQN Malbec

Hump day and it’s down hill to the weekend. I need something to pump me up for th last two days so I’m featuring a couple of the G3 concerts. The G3 events were organized by Joe Satriani and began with a lineup of Joe, Steve Vai, and Eric Johnson. The members varied from year to year with Satriani and Vai the main staples while Johnson was replaced by Yngwe Malmsteen, John Petrucci, and others. They also included some of the greatest rock bassists including Stu Hamm and Billy Sheehan. The concerts were always brains-against-the-wall shredding, except when Eric Johnson took the stage. He is one of the most lyrical and complex guitarists ever to pick up the instrument. Playing along with him is a most tasteful bassist, Roscoe Beck. Contrast that style with the high caffeine insanity of Malmsteen. I can’t see Malmsteen and Johnson playing together on the same stage. At any rate, I’ve included two full concerts below. You can use the sliders to pan through the artists if it gets too intense. Hope you enjoy them.

Satriani, Vai, Johnson:

Full Concert:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDbGpgJMK_s&feature=related

Satriani, Vai, Malmsteen:

Full Concert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U_Q-M8Bnvw

You need a dense wine with this musical line up so I suggest trying a 2009 Bodegas NQN, Malma Malbec from Argentina (~$22.00). With a bouquet of blackberries and spice followed by dark berries, curants, black pepper, and a hint of cinnamon, this wine stands up strong against the shredders. You might want to use a thicker glass when you pour it as the music can be a bit hard on the crystal. Enjoy!

Cheers!

Chickenfoot & Arista Toboni Pinot Noir

Chickenfoot is a supergroup made up of former Van Halen Band members Sammy Hagar (vocals) and Michael Anthony (bass), Guitar god Joe Satriani, , Red Hot Chili Peppers Drummer Chad Smith.  Hagar, Anthony, and Smith were fooling around jamming at a club when someone asked them when they were going on tour. They needed a guitarist, and Sammy wanted the best, so he approached Satriani. While each of them have their own careers, the main motivation for Chickenfoot is four guys having fun. As for their music, it’s kinda like Godzilla on Red Bull. Get ready to rock!

Oh Yeah: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKkxxLEBwBo

Soap on a Rope: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNr-fnz0fXY&feature=related

Sexy little thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPLe15wOP5Q&feature=related

Big foot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZwfakOO9ck&feature=related

Down the drain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd0qVum3ElY&feature=related

My kinda girl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3LMaaSrLWc&feature=related

Avenida Revolution: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8A3bD-uzxM&feature=related

Bitten by the wolf: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mubjv6apvC4&feature=related

Learning to fall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3vJXEjmJjs&feature=related

Future in the past: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A16ghCx2cKc&feature=related

Get it up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKe4zO20syQ&feature=related

Highway star: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vzfSi0pxu8&feature=related

Haven’t posted for a while as I’ve been traveling and then caught a bug that’s had me down for a week. But while I was traveling, I tried a few wines that I probably couldn’t afford by the bottle. I got in late to San Francisco and the only place open for food was the hotel bar where I had a glass (actually two) of a 2006 Arista Toboni Pinot Noir ($12.00/glass but the bartenders were extremely generous with what they considered a glass. They were probably about 8oz each). The wine was a deep ruby red with aromas of cherry pie, vanilla, and a touch of cinnamon. Good structure with flavors of bing cherries that transitioned into darker berryland. The Toboni was silky smooth and a nice way to cap a long flight. However, I think I’m going to have to drink something with a higher alcohol content tonight to help kill whatever is living in my chest, sinuses, and throat. Maybe Cognac. Die you gravy sucking bugs!

Cheers!

Stu Hamm & d'Arenberg Stump Jump Shiraz

Stu Hamm was born inNew Orleans, but spent his childhood and youth in Champaign, Illinois where he studied bass and piano, played in the stage band at Champaign High School, and was selected to the Illinois All-State Band. Following high school, he attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston, where he met guitarist Steve Vai and, through him, Joe Satriani. Hamm played bass on Vai's debut solo album, Flex-Able, which was released in 1984.

Stu has performed and recorded with Steve Vai, Frank Gambale, and Joe Satriani, with whom he is most frequently associated. It was playing on tour with Satriani that brought Hamm's skills to national attention. Subsequent recordings with Satriani and other rock/fusion artists, along with the release of his own solo recordings have solidified his reputation as a bassist, composer, and performer. He’s one of my favorites. Enjoy!

Count Zero: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQuZrJtXLa0

Black Ice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UkIVRVdQGo&feature=related

Obligatory Boogie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v11t2Rcb3c

Call Of The Wild: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSYmejnAE5s&feature=related

I want to Know: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD-kwrYy634&feature=related

Geo 100: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LERgQ1mwEyA&feature=related

Flow My Tears: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqADj5SuKJE&feature=related

Driving at Night with Satriani: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO7bQAjMWV0&feature=related

Linus and Lucy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F47nSQuDfnE&feature=related

Going to California: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUYuK0qkuAw&feature=related

Stu Hamm himself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8Q_J2fIKPI&feature=related

Flying in a blue dream: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I56Ar4lDxNw&feature=related

Summer song with Satriani: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAHRoeiOt-s&feature=related

Stu deserves a powerhouse wine to match his music, so I suggest the 2008 version of  d’Arenberg’s Stump Jump Shiraz ($10.00). The name 'Stump Jump' relates to the South Australian Stump Jump plough. This plough became a popular piece of machinery for plowing fields because of its ability to ride over stumps, gnarled Eucalyptus roots, and snags, saving valuable time and resources by not stopping the draught horse.

The wine has abundant plum and raspberry aromas that leap out of the glass enveloping your nose in a heavenly pot-pourri. The palate is juicy with cherry, raspberry, and red currents along with the spice typical of Shiraz. There’s an underlying earthy complexity that’s evident throughout. This is an incredible wine for ten bucks and was rightly placed in Wine Spectator’s top 100 wines for 2010. So, kick off the week with the driving rock of Stu Hamm and open a bottle of Stump Jump to jumpstart the week. Enjoy!

Cheers!