What Means Solid David Torn??

It was 1998 and I was ready for one of the best shows in my life. I mean who would not want to see the rhythm section of King Crimson with David Torn and a really unknown Chris Botti. I mean the music they made could be crap, but in this instance it was some of the most beautiful and atmospheric I have ever heard. Each person showed why they are amazing on each of their instruments. The four people on stage sounded like there was a orchestra but twenty times fuller.

I could write for days and days about how Bruford and Levin changed my mind on what music should be. I could write about all the shows featuring Bill Bruford and Tony Levin on stage. I would mention some of my concert going highlights is seeing Tony Levin with Seal in 1999 with Brian Blade on drums. I could mention when I saw Bill Bruford touring with his "Jazz" band Earthworks at the Knitting Factory in New York City and playing for little over 2 hours. Those were shows amazing. I would love to talk about the time I saw Bill Bruford and Tony Levin with David Torn and Chris Botti at the same Knitting Factory and they blew my mind, but what blew mind more is the same sandwich shop I go to, they are there having a pre-concert meal.



What I am going to talk about is David Torn. He is one of the most underrated guitar Gods in this world. He, to me, is a man who can play his heart out and at the same time you the listener will have his jaw on the floor the whole time. I have seen him solo at the Bottom Line. I went to see him just last year with the great Tim Berne, Craig Taborn, and Tom Rainey. He does soundtracks to movies like Friday Night Lights, Lars and the Real Girl, Departed and Traffic just to name a few. He has worked with a who's who of musicians.

David always amazes me every time I hear him. He can make these atmospheric sounds, sound natural. He could make solos out of thin air and make them sound so effortless that you wonder where he was thinking this. His shows with Elliott Sharp and Vernon Reid left you wondering if he just ran rings about the other guitar players. Sadly, his albums are out of print. I got turned on to him by a friend who loves this kind of stuff. The same man who introduced me to Steve Tibbetts. My friend told me if I want to hear guitar players who play way outside the box I should listen to Marc Ducret, David Torn and Steve Tibbetts. I took him up on his suggestions.

I am not sure if I could pick the correct David Torn album to buy, but the one I always go to is the one below. It's full of wonderful exotic guitar sounds and wonderful loops and electronic blips and pops. What Means Soild, Traveller? should be their with guitar albums. Each song has a wonderful hook and begs you to play it more to figure out what David is doing. Even his slide guitar parts with those unusual sounds makes it a treat to the ears.



Go ahead and find something new to listen to, but if you do that I would start here. This might the most interesting thing in your collection. I put it on today to hear how fresh it sounds and now it sounds like it belongs in this 21st Century. Go for it, what you got to lose.