Allan Holdsworth: Difference between revisions
From Allan Holdsworth Information Center
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Holdsworth's musical style was often referred to as jazz-rock or fusion, although he disapproved of such labels. His music was influenced by jazz in that he devoted most of his energy to improvising on chord changes, but rhythmically and sonically he drew heavily on rock, and harmonically he created a very personal amalgam of jazz harmony blended with contemporary classical music of the 20th century. He eschewed traditional forms such as the blues or bebop, with a few notable exceptions. During his solo career, he mostly played his own compositions live and on record. | Holdsworth's musical style was often referred to as jazz-rock or fusion, although he disapproved of such labels. His music was influenced by jazz in that he devoted most of his energy to improvising on chord changes, but rhythmically and sonically he drew heavily on rock, and harmonically he created a very personal amalgam of jazz harmony blended with contemporary classical music of the 20th century. He eschewed traditional forms such as the blues or bebop, with a few notable exceptions. During his solo career, he mostly played his own compositions live and on record. | ||
Holdsworth was known for his distinctive guitar work both as a soloist and accompanist. His guitar solo work pioneered the use of legato technique combined with sophisticated signal processing, harnessing amp distortion, to create a fluid sound recognized by fast and harmonically complex scalar runs, which has drawn analogies to John Coltrane. His chordal work is recognized by a pianistic approach, with the use of close intervals and unusual chord voicings, and a sophisticated use of delay, chorus and pitch shifting, to create a lush, ethereal sound. | Holdsworth was known for his distinctive guitar work both as a soloist and accompanist. His guitar solo work pioneered the use of legato technique combined with sophisticated signal processing, harnessing amp distortion, to create a fluid sound recognized by fast and harmonically complex scalar runs, which has drawn analogies to John Coltrane. His chordal work is recognized by a pianistic approach, with the use of close intervals and unusual chord voicings for guitar, and a sophisticated use of delay, chorus and pitch shifting, to create a lush, ethereal sound. | ||
A prime example of his skills as a guitar soloist can be found on the track "Devil Take The Hindmost" from the album "Metal Fatigue" (1985). Likewise, a prime example of his chordal playing can be found on the track "Above And Below" from the album "The Sixteen Men Of Tain" (2000). The SynthAxe was introduced on "Non- | A prime example of his skills as a guitar soloist can be found on the track "Devil Take The Hindmost" from the album "Metal Fatigue" (1985). Likewise, a prime example of his chordal playing can be found on the track "Above And Below" from the album "The Sixteen Men Of Tain" (2000). The SynthAxe was introduced on "Non-Brewed Condiment", the first track off his 1986 album "Atavachron". | ||
==Biography== | ==Biography== | ||
