Scott Henderson Discussion

[Kevin Thomas]

Scott,

On the last podcast, you and Troy mentioned a few names of people that may come in Prohibition Studios in the next episodes. And I think Toy said that your friend Kinsey will come. Did I hear it right? Is that Scott Kinsey? Or is it another Kinsey, or Kenzie?
A few days ago, I would have thought it is impossible, but I read you said to someone that you're still friends, so I don't know, maybe...
Another word about guests on the podcasts. You once said that if Steve Lukather comes, the episode will be XXX-rated. I listen to another show with him as a guest, and he was a perfect gentleman. You spiteful tongue!

[Scott Henderson]

Scott Kinsey and I are still friends - he'll be on the podcast this Sunday, and he'll have plenty of space to say mean, evil things about me.

We'd love to have Steve on the show, and though he's even more foul-mouthed than I am, I'm sure he can be a gentleman if he tries. Thank goodness on our show he won't have to.

[Kevin Thomas]

Holy sh.... !
That's good news.
I really thought it had gone bad between you and him. You wrote some tough things about him. But if everything you say about him is things you already told him straight to face, then it's different. Please make some more good music, together or not, and keep on making fun of yourselves and of each other as well.

By the way, I was watching a vid of Shorter, Willis and Forman (probably one gig you watched before going to work with Mr Corea). They're not bad...
Watching Wills play, I remembered you saying that he has a lot of Jaco, but also a lot of other things he does, which Jaco did not. And there is one thing that only Willis has : his footwork. He may be the only bass player that you can recognize either by ear or by watching his feet.

Does he move like this ALL THE TIME on stage?

Oh, and about Steve, I think you're right, it might depend on which show he's on!

[BS]

What do you think about Lukather's guitar playing?

[Scott Henderson]

I hope this isn't being rude, but I'd like to stay off the topic of what I think of other people's playing. If you like his playing, that should be good enough, you don't need my opinion.

That being said, obviously he's a great player, but I haven't heard him play in many years, and most of the sessions he's done have been for artists that I don't listen to. I'm sure he has his own albums but I haven't heard them. We're hoping to get him as a guest on the podcast because he's a great and funny guy, and I haven't seen him in a long time so it would be fun to hang with him again.

[BS]

That's not being rude, I totally respect your attitude!

The blindfold test has always been my favourite part of Downbeat, and I think I learn a lot by hearing how a musician review the recordings of another musician. A professional musician is very often able to make a qualified and insightful assesement of a recording, that makes you listen to different elements and learn new stuff. A musicians competence level is usually on a completely different level than a critic, and they are able to give very concrete and accurate desciptions in clear technical terms, an important part of the verbal learning process of jazz.

But again I totally respect your point!

[Scott Henderson]

I did a blindfold test for Downbeat, but asked Bill Milkowski to play songs by musicians whose music I like - I was afraid he was going to do what they often do, which is play music they know the guest is going to hate, because they know their readers love to hear musicians trash each other.

I totally understand your point too, and it's natural to want to know what musicians think of each other, but most of them have no desire to be music critics (at least in public). I don't feel comfortable giving a blanket opinion on anyone's playing, because there are usually aspects I like, and don't.

I've been pretty blatant about not being a fan of most shred players, and I've also given my opinion about musicians who I've had problems working with, or for. Those comments are about personal taste or experiences, not to pass judgment on anyone's playing. I respect most pro musicians, because they're good at what they do and many of them can do things I can't. Even if I'm not a fan, I have no reason to be critical of them.

[BS]

A great attitude! Being a decent person is even more important than being a decent musician!! It would be interesting to read that blindfold test, do you remember which year it was?

[Scott Henderson]

It was 1990, and they asked me about Beck, McLaughlin, Stern, Metheny, Holdsworth, Frisell, and Brecker. Not much to criticize in that group!

[Kevin Thomas]

I also un derstand that you don't want to answer that kind of question (though I also came once or twice with someone I wanted you to listen or talk about), because
1- nobody feels comfortable with that (especially on a forum, where everyone can read it)
2- if you start doing it, you'll get a hundreed more question of that kind

That being said, don't you think you kinda started it by doing it on the first episodes of guitarwank? Then people felt free to ask, don't you think it as to do with it?

To come back to Kinsey's appearance on the show, will you discuss the Ipad thing? interplay on stage? Will you go into a cloning ethics debate?
And I almost forgot... Do you think it would be possible that you talk a little about Allan Holdsworth?

[BS]

He, He - seems like Milkowski fulfilled your request!!I will see if I can find that issue.

BTW - Metheny is one of those guys I can't remember having seen in the Blindfold Test, probably one of those guys who didn't want to join. But he really came alive when Kenny G did that Louis Armstrong thing..!!

[Scott Henderson]

Kevin, it's impossible to do a podcast without mentioning other guitarists, but that's the podcast. This message board is more about helping people with advice about gear, music situations, etc.

Ha ha - I think we've talked enough about Allan - if his name is mentioned again, Bruce will explode.

I won't try to embarrass Kinsey about reading on stage or get on his case about his Joe influence, but we will talk about originality and why I wasn't happy with reviews of TT albums. That'll probably lead us into talking about Joe and WP - we'll see.

[dizzy]

I don't like the concept of the question. "What do you think of so and so "
When someone asks me that it makes me feel like they didn't put enough effort into the question.
When I hear that question on the guitar wank podcast I feel grouchier then Bruce and I am just a listener.
When asking questions people should put energy into the question so that the person being asked has something to go on.
Also, the question itself has questionable motives.

Sorry, I am on my period.

[Scott Henderson]

I agree Dizzy, it's a question which wants the answer to be "I like it" or "I don't like it". I totally understand wanting to know, but it's something you talk about with your friends, not something to tell the public. I think it's easy to forget that musicians all know each other, or at least have mutual friends - anything that's written about someone eventually gets back to them. Even if I say something positive, it still feels like I'm up on a pedestal judging someone else, and what gives me the right to be there? It's a very uncomfortable feeling so I'd rather talk about capacitors and resistors. I'm a god to them and it's my right to judge them.

Hope your period is ending soon.

[tribalfusion]