Search - Tuck Andress :: Reckless Precision

The "Total Guitarist"

coryd24@hotmail.com | 04/10/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tuck Andress is beyond categorization as a guitarist and musician. He is not entirely a jazz, rock, funk, Latin or even a classical guitarist. Perhaps the best term to describe him is the "Total Guitarist"; a uniquely balanced meld of all different musical disciplines. Tuck plays with the mind and soul of a jazz guitarist ("Stella by Starlight"), the force of a rock guitarist coupled with the attitude of a funk guitarist ("Manonash"), the feel of a Latin guitarist ("Manha de Carnaval"), and with the precision and discipline of a classical guitarist (the entire CD). His musicianship is evidenced in his unprecedented ability to take familiar tunes, dress them up and make the audience laugh ("If I Only Had a Brain"). In short, Tuck Andress truly is a "Total Guitarist." If you love the guitar you'll love "Reckless Precision."And a plea to Tuck: we'd love to hear more. How about your interpretation of Sor's edition of "Variations on a Theme by Mozart?""

Chairman of the Board

Jazzcat | Genoa, Italy Italy | 12/30/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tuck is the number one jazz guitarist. Probably the greatest ever. At least for what solo jazz guitar is concerned, to me the competition is over. GAME OVER GUYS. Noone has ever played better, can come close to Tuck, but noone can even be compared to Tuck. I mean. Noone. Probably Martin Taylor in the solo guitar contest can be considered close, and of course George Benson can play majestic and astounding Jazz solo guitar pieces ... but to me talking about strictly solo guitar, Tuck's the best. He's totally mindblowing. But it's not only a matter of technique. Tuck's very personal and absolute control of the instrument is comparable only to his masterful taste, fantasy and ability to reinterpretate a song at its very highest peak. He is the number one guy in Jazz guitar. Number one. Please, don't talk to me about Joe Pass as the solo guitar master. I perfectly know Joe, I own a lot of his solo records (and even combo records) and obviously as a jazz guitar enthusiast myself I really love Joe, but Joe compared to Tuck seems to be mechanical and uninspiring. It's like seeing a movie in black and white and then see another one in High Definition Colour!!!! Exactly like this!!!!!!!!!!! I know it may sound like an overstatement especially if you have never had the opportunity to hear Tuck's music. But it's not, believe me. Tuck is Joe Pass but with the enthusiasm, the spontaneity and the vitality of Edward Van Halen taken to jazz. Tuck's total command of the harmony-melody-rhythmn interactions and his incredible array of "tricks" and tools make his music something incredibly vital and vivid. Solo Jazz guitar has never sounded so funny, deep, entertaining and challenging. Each piece is a picture, a painting, it's alive! I mean. I think THIS ONE IS ABSOLUTLY THE GREATEST SOLO JAZZ GUITAR ALBUM OF ALL TIME. I'm really sad Tuck never recorded alone again and dedicated his art to the duo format together with his wife Patty exclusively. It's great music don't get me wrong what he plays with Patti, but Tuck's precious 53 Gibson L5 doesn't need Patti's voice (even if wonderful). It's a full orchestra by itself! Listen how he creates impressive and intricate rhythmn parts that seems a full combo taken at high speed ("Louie Louie"", "Mahonash", "Sweet P" from the middle on...). Listen how he masterfully reharmonizes "Body and Soul", "Manha de Carnaval", "Stella by starlight" or "Beguine the Beguine", with subtleties so marvellous that leave you speechless. Listen the fantastic version of Michael Jackson "Man in the mirror". Every tune is a marvel! Tuck's sound is so beautiful that makes me cry! He plays only with his fingers and he literally create worlds with them! I was saying that his sound is incredibly beautiful. The L5 is an archtop of course but with the various improvements Tuck's made to his personal guitar (Bartolini pickups and a lot more) it sounds something like an archtop that meets an acoustic guitar more that a "closed Jazz box". His sound is full on the range it's not like Jim Hall closed tone (that I personally don't like). It's arious, open, full and gratifying. Yeah, you hear a lot of Tuck's fingers rumors on the strings too but these things are some of what makes Tuck's music so unique, realistic and vivid. The program is absolutly lovely and once it's over I always find myself with the will to listen to it again and again. An important note for the audiophiles friends out there. This album is a killer in terms or recording quality! A killer! It is one of the most fantastic albums I own. Windham Hill did it big that time. My precious Avalon loudspeakers adore this album. Tuck is like hearing Leo Kottke playing Charlie Parker! =)))) "Manonash" is playing now .... my God."

This artist can HANDLE the SOLO guitar standards.

Jazzcat | 11/27/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tuck is one of the FEW big artists left to HANDLE the challenge of SOLO guitar [straight-ahead] Jazz Standards. He Controls bass-line, chordal harmony, melody lines and percussion - all done in top-flight arrangements. I would love for him to address the next 50 important tunes. CDs dedicated to George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Jimmy VanHeusen, Duke Ellington - would become the 'Rosetta Stone' for solo guitar in 100 years."