The Steel Guitar Forum

Anybody know who this guy is?
I heard him a few days ago, playing with a jazz band on a Single 12 C6. (Besides Al, who tripled on Guitar, Steel, and 4 string banjo, (The other instruments included Trumpet, a fellow who sang and doubled on Trombone and Piano, Bass and drums.) Al is an incredible player.

I think he is one of the finest jazz steel players I've ever heard. I rank him up there with Reece, Buddy and Paul F.

How come so few people have ever heard of him?

This band plays every thursday night in a club called "Caseys" in the west San Fernando Valley. All you L.A. based players owe it to yourselves to go hear them.

Mike...yeah Al is a killer player! Is he as great on the guitar as on the steel?

Rick, Al is hot no matter what instrument he plays. But there are hundreds of thousands of jazz guitarists around, and while Al is unquestionably better than most, he is also somewhat familiar sounding, simply because we've all heard so many others who do the same thing. But as a steel player, he is one of the very few as well as one of the very best.

I knew Al back in Denver in the mid 1950's. He played with a flute player named "Punky" and they "twinned" on songs with those incredible fast flute runs, in a western swing band. In the 80's I was living in California for a short time and took lessons from Al for a while. He lived in the San Fernando valley. He also played guitar on a couple of the CMA award shows from LA. A great guy and an incredible musician.

Hey Mike,
Remember when I was playing across the street from you at the DJ Ranch in North Long Beach, Calif? Danny Michaels did a lot of our Sunday afternoon and Monday night gigs and he used Al a lot. Our trumpet player (Gino Ciriano) used to play with Al in a jazz band. I was impressed with his playing at that time and thought he was also a pretty nice guy. Danny also used Buddy Merrill so I got aquainted with a couple of good 'uns while there, I even got to go see you on break time.

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Have a good 'un! JH U-12

I think I saw Al playing in a very large band at the annual Bachelors Charity Ball/costume party a couple of years ago. I was dreading the event and burning up in my full Pink Panther costume. My spirits changed when I found the bar and saw a blue MCI 12 string on the stage.
I remember meeting and thanking the steel player during a break. I believe his name was Vescovo and he belonged in front of the band. He graciously let me watch from the stage side, despite my Pink Panther suit.
Chris

I believe he added some Hawaiian styled parts to a Beach Boys LP around 1968 or so, it was a novelty track on one of their albums, which now I'm looking for I can't find anywhere!
I can't have lent it to anyone, all my friends hate the Beach Boys?

<SMALL>all my friends hate the Beach Boys</SMALL>

...change your friends.

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martin abend Pedal-Steel in Germany
s-10 sierra crown gearless 3 x4 - Regal RD45 - fender hotrod deluxe

Al is a wonderful player!! A few years ago he and I shared the guitar slots on the Broadway show "The Will Rogers Follies". He traveled as a pit musician with the show for a couple of years. His part called for him to play Steel guitar, Banjo, acoustic guitar and electric guitar. He was great on ALL of them. Seasoned studio pro out in LA. He was very cordial and we had a wonderful time. He is originally from Memphis.

He played a single neck MCI guitar that was tuned C6th.

I've never met Al, but his brother, Pete, sold me my first psg in '77, while he was working at a musical instrument store in Memphis. Pete is also an accomplished musician as a bass player; also a heck of a nice guy. Most of his gigs are with orchestras or in jazz groups. Must be a gift that runs in the family.

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"Steel is the real deal"

A few years ago I was working the Orange County Fair with the Gatlins and Al showed up. He and Larry has worked the "Follies" together and I'd heard a lot of really good stuff about his musicianship. Although I didn't get to hear him play, he was a cool guy and I enjoyed talking with him.

Al's name just popped up in another topic about the Beach Boys. The tune he played and co-wrote was "Diamond Head" on the 'Friends' album from '68. Wonderful song with very cool chord changes on a great, overlooked album. I believe it was the worst-selling BBs album ever!

Jason, we must have the same friends!

'Diamond Head' was wriiten by A. Vescozo(Typo on the album), L.(Lyle Ritz), J. Ackley, B. Wilson. On the two-fer liner notes they descibe the song,

"With full instrumentation and sound effects, 'DH' is probably the most complicated creation on 'Friends'. As it unfolds, 'DH'draws a musical painting of the Hawaiian landmark and is yet another remarkable example of the arranging genius of Brian Wilson. " They go on to say that the Bridge is reminiscent of the music from 'Smile'.

I love that song and was also shocked to see an instrumental with beautiful steel on it when I purchased it this winter.

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Regards, Craig<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Craig Stock on 29 August 2001 at 04:21 PM.]</p></FONT>