Who is the most underrated prog rock guitarist? - Progressive Rock Music Forum

^Interesting and valid suggestion (Edgar Froese), thanks! Thumbs Up

I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!!

verslibre wrote:

rogerthat wrote:

Speaking of speed, how about speed AND complexity AND flavour? Mitch Watkins has it all in this solo:

Wow, nice call. BaldJean is the only other member here I'd expect to ref the Mitch. I love that line-up. Clap

Videos like this one are one of the reasons why Jean and I wanted Barbara Denerlein added to jazz-rock/fusion. Her string of seven albums from "Orgelspiele" released in 1984 to "Outhipped" in 1999, six of which included Mitch Watkins, that in our opinion all clearly were jazz-rock/fusion, was another reason. A third reason was that she clearly is an innovator with her use of MIDI-technology and the way she plays the bass pedals.

Here another smoking track of her featuring Watkins:

The jazz-rock/fusion team did however not agree with us.

Edited by BaldFriede - January 09 2021 at 04:40

BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue.

BaldFriede wrote:

Videos like this one are one of the reasons why Jean and I wanted Barbara Denerlein added to jazz-rock/fusion. Her string of seven albums from "Orgelspiele" released in 1984 to "Outhipped" in 1999, six of which included Mitch Watkins, that in our opinion all clearly were jazz-rock/fusion, was another reason. A third reason was that she clearly is an innovator with her use of MIDI-technology and the way she plays the bass pedals.

Here another smoking track of her featuring Watkins:

The jazz-rock/fusion team did however not agree with us.

This clip is brilliant too, thanks for sharing. Rick Keller plays a mean saxophone too where Andy Shepard was kind of off colour in that Sonny Rollins track performance. Of course, Barbara Dennerlein is always, unfailingly brilliant.

I can see why the JR-F team wouldn't have accepted her. I think they have a specific JR-F sound in mind for PA and she doesn't fit that. I had suggested Ilayaraja for Indo-prog/Raga Rock as a long shot suggestion (he released two non-film all instrumental albums) and he was rejected too. I guess he didn't fit the Indo-prog 'sound', whatever that maybe, though, um, he is Indian. It's alright. I am sure she has a home on JMA.

The answer to this question comes easy for me ... Kerry Livgren from Kansas. ever seen him live you would agree. Tongue

Edited by Enchant X - January 09 2021 at 13:36

yam yam wrote:

John Mitchell and Mike Holmes are certainly underrated in my opinion, and have both already been mentioned here, but someone who hasn't been mentioned thus far is Per Nilsson of Kaipa.

He's also in a metal band called Scar Symmetry. Nice guitar work there as well. Tongue

Edited by Cristi - January 09 2021 at 14:25

yam yam wrote:

Cristi wrote:

He's also in a metal band called Scar Symmetry. Nice guitar work there as well. Tongue

Agreed! The harsh vocals spoil that band's music for me though.

one of the few melodic death metal bands I enjoy. Big smile

Psychedelic Paul wrote:

The most underrated Prog-Rock guitarist will most likely be a guitarist I've never heard of.

That would probably be Roman Bunka. Jean posted two songs of his first solo album on page 1 of this thread. Here are two other great tracks on which he plays, one more from his great first solo album, the other from the

Embryo album "Steig Aus!":

BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue.

verslibre wrote:

BaldFriede wrote:

Here another smoking track of her featuring Watkins:

Mitch positively shreds in that clip! Clap

In case people don't know, Mitch and Ronnie Burrage (drums) are Americans. Both had a couple albums released on the German jazz label Enja.

BaldFriede wrote:

The jazz-rock/fusion team did however not agree with us.

That does surprise me, because the Chick Corea Elektric Band are in the Archives under JR/F and a lot of CCEB sounds like contemporary jazz, which is what I assume the PA team considers Dennerlein.

Yes. Their first self-titled album sounds quite similar to Barbara Dennerlein's album "Hot Stuff".

BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue.

All the more reason Chick should have his own entry here. His mid-70s and early 80s output certainly qualifies him, moreso than Elektric Band.

But we're talking guitarists. I love Allan Holdsworth, who is only maybe slightly underrated here (his solo output certainly is), but is certainly less well-known than he should be to the masses.

lostrom wrote:

Mike Oldfield?

valid suggestion for sure. Oldfield has created his own style with one of the most used instruments in existence. No mean achievement. Who else can we truly say has done that?

Brian May springs to mind. Others?