by stuartcosgrove » 17 Apr 2013, 21:53
I agree TOTALLY with Justin Daish on this topic !! Hank has been mismanaged in the past,and it is such a shame that an artist of his calibre is left high and dry without a record company wishing to help in new guise as a Gypsy Manouche player.
DIDIER, I completely disagree! I have been into Gypsy playing for the past 6 years and the Shads,the past 46 years and I love them both.I have seen fantastic players such as Jon Jorgenson and Robin Nolan,and fully appreciate their talent.
However,what Hank brings to the table is a wonderful feel and TONE,just like he did on the Strat. He has a brilliant finger vibrato and melodious feel on his Gypsy soloes that some of the others do not,but without the OVERFRENETIC playing of some manouche players that drift in and out of the melody ,sometimes throwing themselves off cliff's musically speaking and at the expense of tasteful feel. Listen to COQUETTE and NOTO SWING by Hank on the 'STARS OF GYPSY SWING' album and his tone and feel shine right up there with Lollo Meier and Jorgenson!! Also relisten his Gypsy/Latin version of Windmills of your Mind and the amazing soloes,every note having its rightful place but with some amazing speed playing.
I play myself,being Lead Player in 'The Epitones' and I personally rate a solo as being exemplary if to change even one note would ruin it.ie Impossible to improvise!! Hank has these gems both in his Electric and his Gypsy playing.
Going back to Hanks change of style,he did it in the past with a great album called 'The Hank Marvin Guitar Syndicate' in 1977,with some fantastic arrangements and amazing sounds,so why are people not giving him a break with Jazz,which was one of his first love's??!! I personally think that under the right managment, Hank Marvin could bring melodic Gypsy Jazz to the Masses.
So finally lets get behind the man who is the main reason we started this site in the first place!!