Best Guitarists of 2011

Words & Photos (unless otherwise noted) by Frazier

Since Zlatko is dropping a ton of electronic knowledge in his year-end lists, I figured I needed to really represent the instrumental talent I saw in 2011. I couldn't rank the bands but ranking the guitarists makes a little more sense, if only to emphasize just how mind-blowing number one was to hear. The order was determined by a combination of guitar skills and repeated incidences of amazement, which, once again, indicates that number one on this list was basically in a world of his own. (And before you get in a tizzy, yes, I recognize the pure genius of both Trey Anastasio and Jimmy Herring. But these guys could be at the top of this list every year and I'm trying to mix things up.)

6. Fareed Haque

No list of amazing guitarists that comes out of Chicago would be complete without Fareed Haque. He is a jazz guitar wizard and made over a dozen appearances in the city in 2011. I made sure to send as many different writers as I could to cover Fareed this year and the response across the board was indentical: "WHOA." If his activity in 2011 is any indication of his 2012, expect to see him pop up all over the city in a variety of groups, with his main focus being the blossoming electro-jazz group MathGames.



5. Grant Tye

The transformation of Van Ghost was obviously a group effort, but no member has made more of an impact on their newfound power than Grant Tye. He is the perfect blend of rock energy and blues soul, with a twist of psychedelia on the side. His style is razor sharp, with every note sounding like a bullseye: accurate and clean. Tye's jams loosened up considerably over the course of 2011, so I can only imagine how far he will push Van Ghost's improvisation in 2012. I could see him turning a few tunes into bonafide jam monsters. Grant Tye is a beast.

4. Eric Krasno

For some strange reason, it took me a long time to see Eric Krasno in person. But in 2011 I finally saw him, and saw him again, and saw him again... And each time he continued to show me that he's one of the best guitarists around. He is a wild combination of jazzy soul, with a funky underbelly, and a nose for potent jam-rock solos. He wears a number of hats in a number of different groups, but no matter who he's with, he always manages to steal a large piece of the spotlight. I think his most magical work is with his power-funk band Lettuce, who seemed to build a massive head of steam through 2011.

3. Marcus Rezak

I gave this guy the nickname "The Sultan of Shred" for good reason: this guy is a dominant force of extremely aggressive axe swinging. He stars in two very different bands, Digital Tape Machine and The Hue, but both bands end up with his fingerprints all over the sound. His work in DTM is strong, and has a lightning-fast pace that acts as volatile dance fuel. But his work in The Hue is every bit as aggressive, just in a slower, more metal-leaning direction. He is also one of the fastest guitarists I've seen and can take any song to the edge of metal guitar mania. Rezak is a madman, plain and simple.

2. Jake Cinninger

Of course I would have Jake on this list! Due to my unabashed Umphreak-ness, he might always be on the list, but this year was the most I'd ever seen Umphrey's, so it makes even more sense. But he lands at number two thanks to both an insane amount of talent and the mountain of mind-boggling performances over the course of 2011. His self-attached moniker as a "chameleon of rock n roll" is about as apt a description as you will ever see. My favorite Jake moments are the unhinged metal outrages of "Snucka 3" and "Wizard Burial Ground," but he can go in any musical direction, as evidenced by the electronic nature of "Cemetery Walk II" or the bluegrass-based "Bad Poker," or the reggae of "Utopian Fir," or the classic rock of any one of about a million covers they bust out. There's just no way around it: I love Umphrey's McGee and Jake Cinninger is a huge reason why.

1. Joe Bonamassa

Photo by Tyler Sporer

This list just wouldn't be honest if I didn't lift Joe Bonamassa all the way to the top... even though I only saw him play once this year. The fact of the matter is that Bonamassa is the greatest guitarist I've ever seen play live. He owned the sold out Chicago Theater with a concert of start-to-finish virtuosic guitar mastery. The word virtuoso was invented for people like Bonamassa. From his commanding stage presence, to the laboratory-like precision of his playing, he was in control of every second of this show. Each of the eight (?) guitars he played all had their own personality--especially the dual-necked electric and the acoustic flamenco--but sounded as if they were meant only to be played by Bonamassa. There's nothing I appreciate more in this world than overwhelming musical talent, and Joe Bonamassa put on a display of talent that was one the finest I've ever seen, on any instrument, in any setting. You need to put this guy on your MUST SEE list immediately.