These videos and audio files are bonus content related to the January 2015 issue of Guitar World. For the full range of interviews, features, tabs and more, pick up the new issue on newsstands now or at the Guitar World Online Store.
Though the late Lenny Breau never achieved popular acclaim like jazz virtuosos Joe Pass and Wes Montgomery, he is a legend among serious guitarists, admired for the wealth of techniques he perfected as well as his musicality.
A master on acoustic (nylon-string) and electric instruments, Breau turned pro at age 14 when he became a guitarist in his parents’ country-and-western band. By the time Breau died, in 1984, at the tragically young age of 43, his style was a seamless blend of jazz, country, flamenco and raga—think Joe Pass, Bill Evans and John Coltrane, mixed with Chet Atkins, Ravi Shankar and Sabicas.
Today, Breau’s influence is still being felt: such renowned players as Tommy Emmanuel, Tuck Andress, Doyle Dykes, Ted Greene, Steve Morse, Eric Johnson and Danny Gatton have all cited him as an influence. Let’s examine some of this guitar legend’s inspirational moves.
“You wanted me to come on your track and do something in a Spanish style. I thought, ‘I have to show him how I do it on the whole guitar’”: Marcin shows an astounded Will Smith his virtuosic guitar technique
“I probably hauled in 20 guitars. I listened to the record top to bottom, turned to him and said, ‘It doesn’t need anything’”: Jeff “Skunk” Baxter on the one studio session where he lugged a ton of guitar gear – and didn't use any of it
