Following from my previous post on which guitarists i recommend my students to check out when they want to get better at the Rock genre, here is my list of top ten influential guitarists for fusion. Obviously there are many more than ten great fusion players out there, but these guys are the ten players that influenced me the most as a studying Fusion guitarist, and the players i direct my students to for their learning and development. I'm also going to recommend some great albums that you really shouldn't overlook too. So, let's take a look at the list.
1. Frank Gambale
If there is one player that really defines this genre for me it has to be Frank Gambale. He can effortlessly and convincingly play rock, blues and jazz tunes, but is so capable of molding those genres in to one unique style that absolutely blew my head off when i first heard it. He's a player i didn't pay too much attention to when i was younger as i was basically a rock player, but when i started taking lessons from my second teacher around age 17, he introduced me to jazz harmony. What i wanted was to find someone who played with rock tone and ferocity but with jazz sophistication. Frank was just the right guy. He can play over any changes, has mind bending technique and is also a great composer. He's done so many albums with so many artists that its really difficult to pick my favourites, but if i was really pushed i would say that Passages is probably the album that showcases his talents best. I would also check out all of his other solo work, anything he did with Chick Corea, Vital Information and GHS. Not only is Frank a first class musician but also a great teacher, which has also inspired me in my career. To find out more about Frank and buy his music click here.
2. Allan Holdsworth
My next guitar player for the fusion genre is a giant of the instrument. Allan Holdsworth was a staggering guitar player that has probably been unrivaled in terms of his harmonic approach or technical ability. His Legato playing was better than any other players by miles, and his command of Harmonic major scales, whole Tone Scales, Diminished scales, Chromaticism, Beebop scales and more is to this day beyond what any other guitar player is capable of doing. He is regularly cited by most other top guitarists as being the best, even Yngwie Malmsteen concedes that Allan was untouchable, and that really does say something. The body of Allan's work is huge so like Frank Gambale, it is really hard to say what you should listen to. A great place to start would be the truth in shredding album, part of the Mark Varney project and released on Legato records back in 1990. the album features both Allan and Frank just blazing over complex Jazz changes from beginning to end, its a mind blowing bit of guitar work. Check it out on youtube, or you can buy a collection of 12 of Allan's albums called the man that changed guitar forever. Allan Sadly passed away in 2017, and his passing is mourned by guitarists and musicians the world over.
3. Shawn Lane
When thinking about Shawn Lane, one word comes to mind.....SPEED!!!!. Shawn Lane was a guitar player with other worldly technical ability, he had it all, Alternate, sweep, Legato, Tapping, Hybrid picking, and not only could he do it all, he could do it faster than anybody else. The thing is though, Shawn managed to play at his warp speed tempo whilst remaining a level of musicality that was as good as you're ever likely to hear. Shawn was a stupendous guitar player for many different genre's and was just as in control of his melodic playing as he was the speed stuff. Shawn sadly passed away in 2003 after a long battle with ill health. The go to album to check out for Shawn is Powers of ten, which contains some of his strongest compositions. Heck out his website for more info on his music, and definitely watch some of his instructional stuff, it's awesome!.
4. Brett Garsed
Remember when i was discussing Allan Holdsowrth i talked about MVP, the Mark Varney project? Truth in shredding was the first release, featuring Gambale and Holdsworth, well the second offering from MVP had Gambale, Shawn lane and this guy, Brett Garsed. When i first heard Brett play i just couldn't believe it. His Legato playing is impossibly smooth, and his note choice is sublime. He has a particular approach to chromaticism that sounds like silk, which he describes in his two tutorial videos Rock Fusion and Rock Guitar improvisation. In order to hear all four guitar players so far mentioned get hold of the two MVP releases, all four of these guys are on fire on these albums. One thing i like about Brett's personal playing is that he still maintains a bit more of the rock sound, with just a hint of Jazzy sophistication that makes him a fusion player. Check out his albums Big Sky and Dark Matter for his signature sound, and visit his website for more info.
5. Greg Howe
Greg Howe started out in the late 80's on the shrapnel records label as a neo classical type shredder, but in 1993 he released Introspection, which was an album with rock tone but Jazz style phrasing and harmonic sophistication, and a very funk influenced rhythmic feel. Introspection is the album that defines Greg really, its just super funky, full of soul, blues and chops galore. Greg is particularly famous for his hammering from nowhere technique, a legato approach that is all about changing strings without picking the first note, you literally hammer it, from nowhere. He is also well known for his unique use of tapping, and a very special slide vibrato. Greg is a technical and harmonic master, that's also had a successful career playing for pop superstars such as Michael Jackson and Enrique Iglesias. Check out Introspection, and parallax as two of my favourite GH moments. Visit Gregs website for more info.
6. Tony Macalpine
Tony Macalpine is probably not a guitar player you'd expect to find on a Fusion list, as he is mostly associated with the late 80's Neo classical rock scene. However, Tony also did four albums with the Jazz fusion band CAB, featuring Dennis Chambers on drums, Bunny Brunel on Bass and Brian Auger on Keyboards. The CAB albums were a big influence on me, with Tony playing a very metal/shred lead style on them over the Jazz style changes. Tony is a fabulous musician who also cropped up in my younger days as the keyboard and rhythm guitar player for Steve Vai. Find out more about Tony here.
7. Shaun Baxter
I mentioned that Tony Macalpine played over Jazz changes with a particularly metal tone, and if you like that idea, then you really ought to check out this guy, Shaun Baxter. Shaun is an unbelievable virtuoso guitarist from the uk, and he championed a new form of fusion music in the early 90's called Jazz Metal. Shaun was basically trying to fuse together the harmonic qualities of players like John Schofield and Pat Martino from the Jazz world with the tone and ferocity of rock and metal players like Yngwie Malmsteen. Shaun's 1993 album, simply titled Jazz Metal, shows that he really achieved this with stunning results. For me, Shaun has not only been an influence with the music, but also in education. Shaun set up the Guitar institute, the first college of its kind in the UK, which later became ICMP where i studied. My second guitar teacher had also had private lessons with Shaun and he showed me some of the lesson notes, they weren't simple that is for sure. Shaun still does a monthly column in guitar techniques magazine, so check that out for some of Shaun's amazing insight.
8. Guthrie Govan
When people ask me who i think is the best guitar player alive today, i always say this guys name. Guthrie Govan is a mind blowing player who's raised the bar so high. In my opinion, he's my generations Jimi Hendrix. He is just so far ahead of everyone else in terms of technique, versatility and musicality that i think he's probably the best guitar player that has ever lived. His album Erotic cakes, is an album that i firmly believe to be the most important guitar release in decades and has helped influence the surge of technical guitar playing we now see on youtube and instagram.
9. Alex Hutchings
Alex Hutchings is one of the first guitar players i heard about from the now popular Jamtrack Central website. Alex tunes in fourths, which allows him to play ultra fast and smooth legato phrases and blistering arpeggios. He can slow it down though and play some beautiful melodic stuff too. He's one of the top guitar players to come out in the age of online guitar, and he's also now Steven Wilson's touring guitar player too.
10. Tom Quayle
Tom Quayle is another player that has become popular since the advent of Youtube guitar playing. He was one of the first to capitalise on the global nature of exposure that youtube can give you. He is particularly noted for his stunning legato playing technique, and is also phenomenal at playing over jazz changes in a cool, funky, rocky fusion setting. He is one of the first online guitar players to get a signature guitar deal (its the Ibanez TQM1, beautiful guitar) and Tom's achievements are paving the way for a healthy future for guitar music.
So these guys represent the ten players that influenced me the most for the fusion genre, and are the ones i most often recommend to my students. Feel free to discuss other fusion players in the comments as there are hundreds more great players for this genre. If you're still hungry for more gifted players then check out these Rockers. I've transcribed many different solo's and parts by these guitarists that i use in my guitar lessons, so if you're keen to learn to play fusion style guitar just get in touch.