VIDEO Jazz Fusion on Rickenbacher Ace

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 25 Jun 2015 9:58 pm

I've had this beauty for a few years - mostly in storage.

Pulled it out the other day, and felt inspired...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2jLPfsZ-Ws

Anders Eriksson · Post by **Anders Eriksson** » 26 Jun 2015 12:55 am

Nice!

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 27 Jun 2015 8:25 am

Thanks Anders.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 27 Jun 2015 9:37 am

That's cool, Steve. Your Ace looks like it's in great condition. I notice that you have a dobro capo on fret 1. What tuning are you using?

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 27 Jun 2015 10:17 am

Steve, I really dig your style. The use of open strings is awesome. Dobro players, take note. Also, Sol Hoopii would have loved it, too. And your tone and hands yield a really nice soulful vocal quality.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 27 Jun 2015 10:17 am

Steve, I really dig your style. The use of open strings is awesome. Dobro players, take note. Also, Sol Hoopii would have loved it, too. And your tone and hands yield a really nice soulful vocal quality.

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 28 Jun 2015 6:59 am

Great video Steve.
You are one of the few players that I can tell within a note or two that it's you

Always makes me want to pick up the guitar and give it a spin

Thanks for that

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 28 Jun 2015 9:47 am

Thanks a lot guys...I really appreciate you giving it a listen.

Yeah Doug, she's in pretty good shape...overall a beautiful instrument.
The tuning is open E...E-B-E-G#-B-E.

Mike, I've always been fascinated by open strings...the way every different key gives you different static "gifts".

This particular track is in Cm, so capoing the 1st fret gives me the root, 4 and 6...and I'll take 'em all!

Jay, I think I'm slowly learning to accept (and sometime even embrace) my sound. I've always felt pulled between the Lindley/Trucks/Sacred Steel kind of style, the Morrell/Jeffries/Bob Dunn western-swing sounds, and my non-steel influences...Prince, Mike Brecker, Jan Hammer, Monk, etc...I guess I've studied them enough to let them come out when it seems appropriate, with as little thinking as possible.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 6 Jul 2015 9:12 am

Many years ago, probably mid to late 1970's, I had a pretty blue ACE like that. I also had the matching blue amplifier. As I recall, I sold the set to a guitar player that was passing through, playing in one of the clubs here.

Gerard Ventura · Post by **Gerard Ventura** » 6 Jul 2015 10:08 am

Very nice! It looks like no thumbpick or fingerpicks used?

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 7 Jul 2015 9:53 am

Just a flatpick and bare fingers.

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 8 Jul 2015 3:17 am

That is very creative work, Steve. Its really quite beautiful playing.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 8 Jul 2015 3:30 am

I'm OK with a pick on standard guitar and sometimes play with a flatpack on steel but I can't get anywhere near the coordination of the pick with the other fingers you achieve, Steve. You have a unique, recognizable style and that's a real gift for any musician. I love the way you use blocking versus sustained notes. The cut kinda reminds me of several '80s fusion guitar players.

That Jan Hammer synth influence with pitch wheel bending shows up in Mike Neer's playing too. It's so cool what both of you are bringing to the instrument.

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 9 Jul 2015 10:32 am

Thanks guys.
Yeah Andy, Mike Neer is a Fellow Fusion Freak.

Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 9 Jul 2015 12:07 pm

Finally got around to listening to this and am sure glad I did. Amazing!

Don McClellan · Post by **Don McClellan** » 10 Jul 2015 7:08 am

Interesting!
I too am a fusion nut. Here is one of my favorite fusion videos (guitar).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tq3a2K5J6s

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 13 Jul 2015 10:46 am

Thanks guys!
Yeah Don, that guy can play...sure knows his way around a Lydian mode!