Robbie McIntosh & Arietta's Quartet

Robbie McIntosh (born October 25, 1957), is an English guitarist who started out as a session guitarist and member of the Pretenders from 1982 to 1987. In 1988, he joined Paul McCartney’s band and was a featured guitarist until 1994. More recently he worked as a sideman with John Mayer as well as touring with his own band, the Robbie McIntosh Band.

He started playing guitar at the age of ten and his early influences were the Beatles, the Stones, the Spencer Davis Group, the Kinks, and Jimi Hendrix. Later, his father’s influence exposed him to Django Reinhardt and other jazz greats. He joined the Pretenders in 1982 and took a short detour in 1985 to play on Roger Daltrey’s sixth solo album, “Under a Raging Moon.”

He was the featured guitarist with McCartney’s band and recorded on his albums from 1989 to 1993. In 2004, he toured with Nora Jones then joined John Mayer’s tours from 2006 through 2010. He is one of the premier slide guitarists and a favorite of mine. I think you’re going to like him.

Best of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkW9Q6lXJ9k

I saw three ships: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31uz8lkLLBY

Demo #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxA1Id09SXY

Stone Cold: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf621Zd2rpc

Dueling with Derek Trucks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g2-8lAjubk

Talking guitar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ReEBOTrpwI

Robbie’s bit with Paul McCartney: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BORQTtjscTg

Blues Slide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuSjelpUj9Y

Medley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIft1yp29H4

Biodegradable man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHysjOEkbV4

Off the ground: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eqqKxZ1jXE

Pick up the pieces: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdTTnh4vJlc

Coffee cup with Scott McKeon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJSxgGheVL0

Hang me on the line: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ML1EL8YVT8

I’m in San Francisco this week on a consulting gig and at dinner with the research team, one of the wines we sample was Arietta’s “Quartet”, a superb blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Now, this wine is outside of my usual price range (~$60.00), but I thought since it was such a wonderful wine, I’d review it anyway. Besides, it didn’t cost me a thing.

The wine is deep garnet with aromas of blackberries, mocha, pepper, and coffee. The palate is full of dark fruit, cassis, and chocolate. It’s a very smooth wine with mild tannins and a touch of oak. Very nice, as you’d expect for the price, but then again, if someone else is buying, it’s a great choice.

Cheers!

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! 

Harry Manx & 2010 Domaine Vincent Ricard Cuvee Les Trois Chenes Touraine

First of all, my thoughts and prayers are with the people of Boston tonight. My son was going to watch the Marathon from Copley Square, so you can imagine what went through my head when I heard the news about the bombs. Fortunately, he decided to stay near his apartment up by Fenway.

Harry Manx is known as the “Mysticssippi Blues Man” whose music is a link between east and west. He was born on the Isle of Man in the UK, but migrated to Ontario with his parents as a child. At the age of 15, he started working as a roadie and worked his way up to become the sound man at the Mocambo Club, a blues establishment in Toronto where he worked with a slew of blues legends. At the age of 20, he went to Europe and made money busking on street corners. From there he moved to Japan where he worked and played for the next ten years. He did a stint in India under the tutelage of Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, the inventor of the ten stringed Mohan Veena.

He returned to Canada and now lives on Saltspring Island, British Columbia. His music, although heavily steeped in the blues, contains elements of Indian ragas, creating a unique style and sound that has a mystical spiritual quality to it. He is a prolific recording artist having released 12 albums in 12 years. He has received 7 Maple Blues Awards, 6 Juno nominations, the 2005 Canadian Folk Music Award for best solo artist, and the 2007 CBC Radio’s Great Canadian Blues Award.

Oh, and did I mention his voice? It’s a perfect match for his blues guitar style. Enjoy!

Nine summers lost: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXfyDbkINPo

Make way for the living: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QwIB5Hbs2w

Baby please don’t go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysA_2cVHRxQ

Crazy love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnX0D9ACIfs

Voodoo child: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNUTD6fylLc

A little cruel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC5Er3Fa6K0

Don’t stand at my grave and weep: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNvk242lr-I

Long black veil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52FjggBv94M

Don’t forget to miss me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWSRSzNv0yc

Can’t be satisfied: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO73Fczq9IM

Walking ghost blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17xZ_evOHl4

Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j_Kn6cwP20

If you’ve never had an Asian pear, you need to try one. When I was overseas, they were my favorite fruit. They look like an oversized funky apple with a greenish yellow skin, but the texture is crisp and like the juiciest pear you’ve ever tasted. The 2010 Domaine Vincent Ricard Cuvee Les Trois Chenes Touraine brings back memories of my days in Kuwait with its aromas of a freshly cut Asian pear. The flavors follow the nose with the addition of a bit of citrus and honey. It’s a fresh, crisp wine with great acidity, perfect for sipping. Vincent Ricard is one of my favorite winemakers and at $18.00 a bottle, this is a Sauvignon Blanc like no other.

Cheers!

Slide guitar & Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc

I feel like a little slide guitar tonight, but with so many great players to choose from, I decided to listen to a few cuts from all of my favorites. I don’t need to elaborate because the music speaks for itself. Hope you had a great weekend and to help you slide into the week, I present the best of slide guitar. Enjoy!

Kirk Lorange

Come a long way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNK8kfB8_CQ

Storm a comin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIOKHdA4nbk

Roy Rogers

Walkin Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW08Rc802MQ

The sky is crying: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rZVz3O47yo

Money maker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a2e7aB0t8I

Derek Trucks

Cheverolet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clkrASgM8Rc

Space Cowboy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkzLatem0VY

Sonny Landreth

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

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

Bonny Raitt

Coming Home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErCfACTylvc

Sugar Mama: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p9XCSz7gAQ

Warren Haynes

Acoustic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mavbcr6wtW8

Old Friend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UauECrCIYl8

Duane Allman

Statesboro blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8lj-nQCFR4

Rory Block

Crossroad blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaK4x7TLQ3E

From the dust: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpQWPo4kQKs

Andrew Winton

Number’s down: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n27GpYJ_2Hs

Pink Palace: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THsXXBPERC0

Ry Cooder

Vigilante man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4KmbUCwkyE

Dark was the night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de3xz1AV8HA

Readers of this blog know that I love Sauvignon Blanc, especially those from New Zealand and tonight I’m featuring what I believe to be the best one I’ve ever tasted. The 2011 Saint Clair Family Estate Sauvignon Blanc Wairau Reserve ($20.00 at Costco) is pale straw yellow. The aromas of grapefruit, lemon, and honeydew melon will simply blow your mind. The taste bursts with more grapefruit and tangerine with crisp acidity and a long, lingering finish. I served it with grilled salmon marinated in an orange-ginger-sesame sauce and it was a fantastic compliment to the meal. It’s also a wonderful wine for sipping, which is what I’m planning on doing while I listen to some of my favorite slide guitar players. Try a bottle. I guarantee you’ll like it.

Cheers!

David Lindley &Domaine du Carrou Sancerre Rosé.

David Lindley is a multi-instrumentalist whose expertise includes the acoustic and electric guitar, upright and electric bass, banjo, lap steel guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, Weissborn guitar, zither, oud, cümbüs (a Turkish banjo), charango (a Bolivian ten stringed instrument the size of a ukulele whose back is traditionally made from the shell of an armadillo), a hardingfelle (a Norwegian violin) and a host of other instruments that I’ve never heard of. Although he’s notable for his work with Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon, and other rock stars, he’s known for his work as a session musician with an enormous list of credits.

In these days where a good acoustic guitar can run upwards of $3,000, Lindley is known for his use of cheap instruments purchased from such illustrious sources as Sears and intended for amateurs. Personally, I love his slide work. In fact, Ben Harper credits Lindley’s distinctive slide guitar style as a major influence on his playing and in 2006, Lindley sat in on Harper’s “Both Sides of the Gun” CD.

Between his solo recordings and his session work, David has a discography as long as my arm. He’s unique, and I hope you like him.

Mercury Blues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr3Jp_aF1Ok

Cat food sandwiches: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXHlBkg3Mzk

Burnaby blues festival: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJw7EeozDIY

King of the bed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX_5d1-Jek4

All night long: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYepBEoyyos

Well, well, well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jru7SV7jjFk

Revenge will come: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7y8WJEDf-g

Boy who wouldn’t hoe corn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG_3U3axuqQ

Soul of a man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cb5SajtwdU

Death have mercy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3T2WPpPPRk

Brass monkey tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh6MKCBBaj8

Brothers under the bridge: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieflqGN0lBc

Talk to the lawyer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mNgU7fj5l4

For a unique musician like Lindley, I suggest an equally unique wine, namely a 2011 Domaine du Carrou Sancerre Rosé. I love Sancerre, which is a French version of Sauvignon Blanc, but this is the first Sancerre Rosé I’ve ever tasted. The color is brilliant salmon pink which was appropriate since I drank it with grilled salmon. The nose is amazing and reminded me of my Thanksgiving favorite, cranberry-orange sauce, and a breakfast fave, pink grapefruit. The palate follows with the addition of strawberries and nice minerality. A very crisp, refreshing wine and one that I hope to drink often. It complimented the salmon and the music of David Lindley perfectly. Enjoy!

Cheers!