Magic fingers

I tried to find something Christmassy, but the isolated tracks collection in that milieu seems limited to bad Mariah Carey performances. No, gracias.

Instead I found this spectack version of Dire Straits’ “Sultans of Swing” with everything removed but Mark Knopfler’s guitar. You have to listen to the whole thing, because the solos deep in are exalted. It’s a masterpiece from start to finish. His technique is as if delivered by a host of angels – so that must be the Christmas connection. He doesn’t use a pick, so he plays rhythm and lead at the same time, and you can hear all kinds of plucky, tappy, percussion-like sounds, all made with his right hand.

This is what a Fender Stratocaster was meant to sound like, by the way. Undistorted. Thin but detailed. And with a touch like Knopfler’s, the Strat is clearly the best instrument for a virtuoso. Jimi. Clapton. Gilmour. Beck (as in Jeff).

This one goes in my “listen n’ learn” file.

Merry Christmas, amigos y amigas!

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