Who is the greatest pick technician?

Subject: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 14 Oct 03 - 03:38 PM

This question of course encompasses players of the guitar, mandolin, tenor/plectrum banjo and a number of ethnic instruments. Ideally, I'd like to keep this to acoustic players, as the requirements for players amplified instruments is very different. Anyway, here's a few astonishing players to get things going. Django, Harry Resser( banjo) and Dave Apollon( mandolin).

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: John Hardly
Date: 14 Oct 03 - 03:51 PM

I guess because I find the art of crosspicking guitar to be the most frustrating skill to master, and because I've heard few do it with such facility and amazing speed and clarity and yet not giving up power, I would nominate...

David Grier.

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 14 Oct 03 - 04:01 PM

Django , of course, was a fabulous cross-picker, as are many banjoists. Grier is great, of course, as is Tony Rice.

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Mooh
Date: 14 Oct 03 - 11:20 PM

Radim Zenkl. Steve Morse. Dan Crary.

Mooh.

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 01:55 AM

Doc

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Greycap
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 04:01 AM

Norman Blake, Tony Rice & Bryan Sutton

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 04:24 AM

Chris Newman.

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Willie-O
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 10:06 AM

For pioneers, I'd go with Doc Watson and Clarence White.

My current favourite, although I certainly wouldn't dispute the greatness of Tony Rice and other worthies mentioned, is J. P. Cormier.

Getting away from the straight flat-picking talent, Kelly Joe Phelps is something else...

W-O

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Steve-o
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 11:36 AM

Clarence was not only a pioneer, he has never been surpassed in both power and finesse (not to mention timing). When he was playing rhythm and runs he was better than most lead players.

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: BTMP
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 12:31 PM

The mandolin cross picking of Jesse McReynolds is incomparable. No other mandolinist has ever come close to this style and technique of using the pick.

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: GUEST,pdq
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 03:06 PM

BTMP: Have you recorded? If so, I will buy a CD but have no clue how to do so. Also plan to buy CDs from Ted Jarum and maybe justapicker.

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: breezy
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 03:59 PM

s grossman

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Mooh
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 04:36 PM

Willie...J.P.Cormier is great, I agree. I also like Norman Blake's way with a pick, it's so graceful. Mooh.

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Spartacus
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 04:47 PM

I have Bob Swartz work on all of my picks. He's the best pick technichan I know. Yessir. When my picks need repair...Bob's my guy.

-epk

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Bobert
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 07:25 PM

Yeah, Willie-O, Kelly Joe Phelps has to make the final cut.

Also in the running: Leo Kottke, John Fahey, Ry Cooder, Michael Hedges, and, ahhhh,.................. me.

(No, Bobert, you can't pick with none of them folks!)

Okay, maybe not me....

Bobert

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 15 Oct 03 - 07:28 PM

Arie Ligthart who played banjo with The Dutch Swing College Jazz Band
and wrote classic pieces like 'Take Your Pick'

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 03:31 AM

Bobert, I don't think any of your selections qualify as they are primarily fingerpickers (and excellent ones too)

Murray

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Beverley Barton
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 03:36 AM

we have some excellent pick technicians on our building sites, but nowadays they prefer pneumatic drills

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Bobert
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 08:31 AM

Well, danged, Murray, what the heck is a "pick technican", anyway? Someone mentioned Kelly Joe Phelps and it sounds to me like he's finger pickin' even if he has his guitar on his lap... You gotto be a *flat picker* to qualify, 'er what?

Bobert

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Steve-o
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 12:05 PM

Yup, flatpicking makes you a pick technician. The other guys are finger technicians- all of them superb, but N/A to this question. There are some who are spectacular in both arenas, but not many- Doc Watson would be the top of that heap.

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 12:19 PM

Sorry to disagree Steve, but hopefully without getting into any protracted discussions about the matter, I am forced to say that Tony McManus is in fact top of that heap. I have never seen anyone else, including Doc, who possesses such fluency and virtuosity in both departments.

Any Mudcatter who has been to one of Steve Kaufman's Guitar Camps will know exactly what I am talking about.

Murray

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Mark Ross
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 01:55 PM

I heard Utah Phillips say on more than one occassion that Ramblin' Jack Elliot was the best flat-picker in the country, not because he was the fastest or flashiest, or played the most notes, but that every note he played was right were it was supposed to be.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: John Hardly
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 01:56 PM

Oh, I can think of at least two who are at or near the top of a finger-and-flatpicking list...

Jim Hurst
Joel Mabus
and a special nod to Rich O'Brien

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: GUEST,crosspicker
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 02:51 PM

To qualify for the greatest technician, I would say it would have to be a player who used the pick all possible ways. Someone who could play terrific flamenco with a pick; someone who could duplicate the sound of fingerstyle with a pick; a master of rhythm playing, and someone who could play lead with a terrific facility.

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Oct 03 - 10:46 PM

No one has mentioned George Shuffler, who created the term "crosspicking," and is still it's master. David Grier is certainly a current master, as are both Tony Rice and Wyatt Rice. Bryan Sutton and Cody Kilby are part of the young bunch. Recently saw a 17 y/o girl from Wasilla, AK, who's been flatpicking two years and can pick with the best of 'em. Doyle Lawson is known more for picking mandolin, however, he's no slouch at flatpicking.

Subject: RE: Who is the greatest pick technician?
From: Midchuck
Date: 17 Oct 03 - 11:12 AM

I'd say I like Norman Blake's sound best, but Chris Newman and Jack Lawrence are my picks for the two who don't get as much recognition for both technical ability and all-around musicianship, as they deserve. And they're both really nice people.

Peter