Which musician?

Subject: Which musician?
From: Tunesmith
Date: 19 Sep 19 - 03:21 PM

If you could suddenly, magically, acquire the music abilities, talents etc of any musician living or dead, who would you choose, and why.

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 19 Sep 19 - 03:28 PM

why would you want something you haven't worked for?

There wouldn't be any point in being able to do what Martin Carthy does, if you weren't Martin Carthy.

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: Tunesmith
Date: 19 Sep 19 - 03:43 PM

Well, I'd like to able to run a marathon in 2hrs just for the pleasure of being able to do it, but without all that (satisfying?) training.
I'd like to able to see my fingers play a Beethoven Sonata, beautifully, but without having to put in those 10,000 hours.
I'd like to have £10,000,000 in the bank but without having to work for it.
But I guess that is just me.

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: Gordon Jackson
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 05:25 AM

Well, given that this is intended to be a bit of fun, rather than an in-depth study of the ethics of wish granting, I'd have to say Richard Thompson. He is a master of all styles of electric and acoustic guitar, a fantastic songwriter and can play very decent mandolin and tenor banjo. He has fantastic knowledge of so many genres and has a great sense of humour to boot. On the other hand, perhaps Martin Carthy. Or Mick Moloney. Or maybe Kevin Burke. Or ...

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 05:55 AM

Mike Oldfield. He can play everything and every style as far as I can tell.

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: gillymor
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 09:56 AM

Today it would probably be Bill Frizell but I would try and take those
"music abilities, talents etc" in my own direction, otherwise you'd just be a jukebox.

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: Lighter
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 10:03 AM

Wot, no Mozart?

They say Beethoven was pretty good, too.

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 01:34 PM

Norman Blake.

While there are other musicians I admire whose technical abilities are greater than Norman's, my acquiring their abilities would be pointless because my brain would have to be rewired to utilize them.

I could probably squeeze Norman's skills into my existing brain structure and still be recognizable to family and friends. I would still be playing the same stuff on the same instruments, only a lot better.

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: Pete from seven stars link
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 03:34 PM

I had always wished that I could play guitar like any of the great lead guitarists , but if I had , I would probably never have developed my vocals and songwriting .

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 06:10 PM

Dumb question.

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 21 Sep 19 - 02:14 AM

I think I would like to acquire the songwriting skills of Anonymous.

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Sep 19 - 04:54 AM

Or "Trad. Arr."

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: GUEST,Gealt
Date: 21 Sep 19 - 06:28 AM

Are we talking tribute bands here?

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 21 Sep 19 - 08:14 AM

Ignaz Schuppanzigh.

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: gillymor
Date: 21 Sep 19 - 08:24 AM

One of the Engelbert Humperdinks.

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 21 Sep 19 - 08:33 AM

Barney McKenna. There are probably greater technicians but he always was "the man" and if I could ever emulate anyone else on tenor banjo, it would be him - even with the odd mistake/loss of concentration...

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: Neil D
Date: 22 Sep 19 - 01:52 AM

Cedric Watson can play any variety of Cajun and Creole music (and can tell you the difference) as well as old-timey and traditional. He is proficient on fiddle , accordion and gourd banjo and can sing in English or French.

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 22 Sep 19 - 03:56 AM

Dumb question....? I'm not so sure. Its quite profound.

Most of the contributors to the thread have played enough music or have been close enough to great musicians to grasp how profoundly isolating being an artist is. Being a great artist is all that in spades.

The guy who said - I would need my brain re-wired is SO close to the truth.

Just recently I read rhe biography of John Williams, the guitarist. Its a smashing book. The weird and wonderful man who was John's father occupies 80% of the book, the rest is a recital of the various projects John has committed to and the good causes he supports.

Apparently Williams has always fought shy of having a biography, but he gave his cooperation to this guy. But for all the background information - the centre of this storm - remains an enigma - completely unknowable.

There is a slight clue with the review of John's Wigmore Hall debut. Segovia famously wrote fote for the programme notes - God has laid a finger on this young man's brow. To whickh Len (John's Dad) rejoinded God would have got more resonse from John by kicking him up the arse.

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 22 Sep 19 - 04:02 AM

correcting the typos's

Dumb question....? I'm not so sure. Its quite profound.

Most of the contributors to the thread have played enough music or have been close enough to great musicians to grasp how profoundly isolating being an artist is. Being a great artist is all that in spades.

The guy who said - I would need my brain re-wired is SO close to the truth.

Just recently I read rhe biography of John Williams, the guitarist. Its a smashing book. The weird and wonderful man who was John's father occupies 80% of the book, the rest is a recital of the various projects John has committed to and the good causes he supports.

Apparently Williams has always fought shy of having a biography, but he gave his cooperation to this guy. But for all the background information - the centre of this storm - remains an enigma - completely unknowable.

There is a slight clue with the review of John's Wigmore Hall debut. Segovia famously wrote for the programme notes - God has laid a finger on this young man's brow. To which Len (John's Dad) rejoinded, God would have got more response from John by kicking him up the arse.

Subject: RE: Which musician?
From: Mo the caller
Date: 22 Sep 19 - 10:34 AM

I suppse the difference between them and us is that they DO put in the hours, are driven to do it.
While we ask questions about it online.