This is yet another mega project for multi-Grammy-winning producer Tom Hambridge, aggregating a stunning list of guitarists to play alongside one the best, guitarist Arlen Roth, on Tele Masters. Hambridge plays drums with his long-time bassist Tommy MacDonald, with Arlen’s fellow Woodstocker Cindy Cashdollar on lap steel, and ace acoustic guitarists Billy Panda and Bryan Sutton. The guest guitarists are a veritable who’s who list, in alphabetical order: Joe Bonamassa, Steve Cropper, Jerry Donahue, Vince Gill, Johnny HIland, Bill KIrchen, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Brad Paisley, Jack Pearson, Will Ray, Redd Volkaert ad Steve Wariner. Take a breath now.
The album is dedicated to the great ‘Tele Masters’ of the past. These include Albert Collins, Danny Gatton, Mike Bloomfield, Roy Buchanan, and many more. These are some of the songs across a wide span of roots music – “Remington Ride,” “Key to the Highway, ”Rumble,” “Promised Land,” Satisfied Mind,” “Mrs. Robinson,” “Ghost Riders in the Sky” and “Tennessee Waltz” together with five Roth instrumentals. Yes, there is some singing, courtesy of vocals from Steve Cropper, Jack Pearson, Sweet Mikey C. and Arlen’s daughter, Lexie Roth – on five of the 13 tracks.
With the many guitars in different channels, headphones are highly recommended. On some tracks as the guitarists trade leads, there are as many as 12 or 14 solos. In some cases, two guitarists share leads too. Breaking it down, Cashdollar is on steel for “Remington Ride” as she, Wariner, and Roth trade leads. Former Allman Brothers guitarist Jack Pearson takes the vocal and trades with Roth on “Key to the Highway,” a steady version of it that has its moments but be assured no rendition of this tune can match the intensity of Clapton and Duane Allman’s take on Layla. That said, the tradeoffs at the end between Roth and Pearson are damn combustible.
Steve Cropper and Hambridge penned “White Lightning,’ with Cropper delivering a rare vocal, while he and Roth trade leads, as Bryan Sutton’s acoustic slide bubbles underneath. “Bunky, a Roth original, is an instrumental tune where Roth and go honky tonkin’ at a blistering tempo while Link Wray’s “Rumble” has Roth in tandem with Will Ray with amps cranked up throughout and the glory of blaring feedback. You’ll detect the familiar melody of “Mrs. Robinson” occasionally but leave it the blazing fast Albert Lee and Roth to take to entirely different level.
”Satisfied Mind,” a mid-tempo tune, features Vince Gill on no less than six solos (Roth has eight)but it reads as a terrific dialogue between the two. It’s the only tune with a different rhythm section as Lee Falco is on drums with Brandon Morrison on bass. “Roadworthy” is another Roth original, featuring stellar country guitarist Brent Mason and Roth. After a slow build-up, this also kicks into a frenzied tempo. The picking here is mind-numbing. Pearson returns for both a vocal and guitar share on his own tune “I Can Fix It,” a funky number with the ending tradeoffs producing fireworks.
At this point in the proceedings, we need a slow, tantalizing break, delivered here by Roth alone as his daughter sings “Tennessee Waltz” as Roth shows he can play sentimentally too with Billy Panda’s acoustic providing the perfect foil. That sets the stage for a clear standout track, “Joe’s Blues,” written by Bonamassa for the late Albert Collins. Roth, Pearson, and Roth trade solos before sharing the fiery close. “Funky Mama” follows in tribute to Danny Gatton with chicken pickin’ master Johnny Hiland trading licks with Roth. The interplay of Cashdollar’s steel and Roth’s telecaster is dazzling on “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” the only tune with keyboards as Alex Salzman supplies the organ undercurrent.
<Bill Kirchen of Commander Cody fame, (you knew he’d be invited) joins for another Roth instrumental original “Tuff Tele.” Jerry Donahue (Fairport Convention) teams with Roth on Chuck Berry’ “Promised Land,” with Sweet Mikey C. on the vocal. Another telecaster stalwart, the twang master Redd Volkaert joins Roth for the original A Minor Thing, taken first at a reasonable tempo before it explodes into mind-blowing fury.
With these highly decorated telecaster masters aboard, this may prove to be one of the best electric guitar albums ever recorded by an array of artists. There are too many highlights to cite. Leave no doubt. It will shake your windows and rattle your walls.
One Response
Telemasters is the best of the best. There isn’t one track on this album that isn’t great and every artist are playing at the top of their game. If you haven’t heard this album you are truly missing out.