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For the Ladies
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Redd Volkaert Album Review:
Extraordinary guitar pickin at 2004-09-25
Volkaerts day-job as one of Merle Haggards Strangers has shown him to be a virtuoso of the Telecaster. For his third album, Hightone has assembled tracks from his first two albums, augmented them with a few pieces recorded with The Twangbangers (Bill Kirchen, Joe Goldmark and Jack ODell), and added two live videos. The result, naturally, follows the template of his earlier releases, focusing on Volkaerts extremely fluid and fluent Telecaster picking. He crosses through various shades of blues, country, swing and pop, with playing that brings to mind everyone from former Stranger Roy Nichols and blues legend Johnny Winter, to rock instrumentalists like Hank Marvin, Nokie Edwards and Link Wray.Highlights include the lyrical, twanging swing of No Stranger to a Tele, the honky-tonk Youre Still on My Mind, the Buck and Don inspired The Buck Stops Here, and a multi-guitar attack on the classic Truck Drivin Man. The latter, along with She Loves Anything That Swings and a live take of Voelkerts signature Telewacker, includes Bill Kirchen, Joe Goldmark and Jack ODell as The Twangbangers (whose own album is also available on Hightone). The low-end reverb of Chee-Z brings to mind the classic 60s instrumentals of The Shadows and Ventures, and the picking on Breakneck shows off Volkaerts incredible technical abilities alongside those of steel player Jim Murphy.This is a nice overview for those whove yet to learn of Vokaerts charms, but other than the bonus videos (live versions of Truck Drivin Man and Tuben), theres nothing new for those who have his first two CDs and the Twangbangers release.
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No Stranger to a Tele
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Redd Volkaert Album Review:
The Real McCoy at 2006-02-27
This Canadian-born telewhacker is the Real McCoy. There just a few current tele players of this calibre, these would include James Burton, Brad Paisley and certainly Redd. Whether it is corny country or real Texas swing, he can navigate that fretboard like nobodys business. Any fan of Danny Gatton or James Burton will flip over this guys stuff. A must-have for any telecaster fan, or ANY guitar fan for that matter!
Redd Volkaert Album Review:
REDD at 2004-06-02
I have known Redd since he became a Stranger with Merle. The first concert I saw him with Merle I told Merle that his duet with Redd was ausom and he said I have finly found some one I can play with! This is Redd! He can out play any one but he will not agree with this. In the No stranger to a telly he showes us this. His fingers never seem to move and he seem boored but never call him short, he knows how to play. He was known as Mayor of Brod St in Nashville for many years where a lot of pickers stole many of his liks! Brad Pasley admits this! By this CD and the first one and his last a DVD and watch those stubby fingers go!!Thank you, frend Redd!!Ron Frazier
Redd Volkaert Album Review:
Enjoyable fun listen at 2002-03-10
Redds playing is just plain fun to listen to. You can feel the fun and sometimes plain ole silliness he tries to get across. If you like to listen to the guitar in country (or are a picker yourself) this is just one of those albums that you need to have. The joy he gets in what he is doing and the energy around him clearly is transmitted. This is one of those albums that wont get air play, but you wish you can see him in person and just join in the fun. Fine playing, fine recording, and you can almost see him playing his tele. This is my 2nd Redd album and I will buy his next too. As always there is something you can pick up for your own playing. And, it is one of those albums we thank AMAZON for having as is is not likely Id find a copy locally.
Redd Volkaert Album Review:
Haggards Long Lost Kin at 2002-01-21
Okay, Redd is probably best known for his work with Merle, but this CD proves the man has something of his own to offer. Mostly though, this CD is a showcase for some real tasty guitar playing, and anyone familiar with The Strangers and great tunes like Big, Big Love wont be disappointed with this modern classic of American folklore.
Redd Volkaert Album Review:
Great pickin, great vocals! at 2001-09-29
While I bought both this CD and Telewacker for Redds guitar work, my favorite part of both CDs has been the vocal numbers. Redd chooses semi-obscure but classic honky-tonkers for his vocal workouts and his every-guy voice (theres actually some similarity to Junior Browns) suits them just fine. Standout vocal cuts on this CD are Big Big Love and the swing number End of the Line. These two cuts alone are worth the price of the CD. The guitar work on this CD is, of course, excellent. Unlike some of the other guitarists turning out solo albums these days (Scotty Anderson comes to mind), Redd doesnt shy away from pieces that emphasize tone and taste over flash and notes per second. His instrumental take on I Forget You Every Day by Merle Haggard makes for some really great listening without resorting to needless pyrotechnics. I especially like Redds liberal use of steel guitar breaks on both of his CDs. On this CD he features Norman Hamlet (formerly with Merle Haggard) who adds plenty of solid steel. This is a really enjoyable CD for anyone who likes straight ahead country music and swing. Some of the original instrumentals are nothing special, but there always seems to be a killer cut just around the next bend. Keep it up, Redd! And keep including those vocal numbers!
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Telewacker
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Redd Volkaert Album Review:
This is a Kick A** CD at 2006-03-21
I read some of the other reviews before I submitted this. I dont see how someone could get upset over the liner notes. Redd doesnt include Danny Gatton as an influence because he didnt listen to him. As far as other reviews concerning tone and the lack of fire, well, I dont even know how to address that. Redd has one of the best tones Ive heard on the tele and his note selection is what sets him apart from other pickers. Ever hear of diarrhea of the guitar? Well, you wont get that on this CD because Redd doesnt play something to just play it. This CD showcases Redds versatility from country, to swing, to blues, to rock, it has it all. If you like good pickin, then by this CD.
Redd Volkaert Album Review:
Yes, A Very Skilled Tele Player at 2005-08-21
I had heard a lot about Redd Volkaert as kind of being the New Cat on the tele. I am a tele-lover, and tele-player of little note, but I try. I have always been a excited at word of a new player of this not so forgiving, but pure guitar. When I got Redds Telewacker, I read the liner notes. I was very disappointed. Redd credits various tele players, such as James Burton, Jerry Donahue, I think Scotty Moore, and a few other not so noteables. What upset me the most was that Danny Gatton was not mentioned. Gatton was and is the true Telemaster. Dead, but surely worthy of mention by Redd. Even Johnny Hiland says that if he was put on a deserted island and allowed only three albums to take, the first would be Relentless. That one with Danny and B-3 master Joey DeFransico. Listen to it, and you will realize where the title came from. Johnny is honest and humble enough to admit that Gatton is on the level of amazing and uncanningly skilled on his chosen tele. Lovers and players of the tele all know it is a unique guitar, and can appreciate the truely great players. Johnny does a fantastic job with his instrument, as does Redd. But please Redd, pay some homage to Danny. Redd slides through different styles, chicken pickin, blues/rock, Bakersfield, and jazz with skill. But the genre changes in his songs, are like seperate events. Gatton was seamless in his flow, his solos are a process, not an event, covering all playing styles in one song. Danny listened to sax and organ players to refine his style. Any doubters of my opinions are invited to listen to 88 Elmira Street, Relentless, Unfinished Business, and Crusin Deuces. Redd has great dialouge wih his steel player on Telewacker, but I ask you to listen to The Redneck Jazz Explosion Live At The Cellar Door. Just listen to the call and answer of Danny and Buddy Emmons on steel, and this is live without the benefits of studio recording. Redd tries many of Dannys hooks and tricks, but just doesnt quite make it to Gattons level. The double stops, the jazx runs, etc. All this said, Redd is a great player, as is Johnny Hiland. I just wish Redd would pay due homage to the man who is the true Telemaster. Although I will need to ring in on this later after Hiland gets some more years of playing. Johnny is a very fine player, better in many respects than Redd, and only in his early twenties. I do love Redds song writing, and his voice, its pure honky tonk as it should be. Ill still be buying Redds CDs, but I will always have a small resentment when any tele player does not pay some tribute to Danny Gatton. Not that this is a definition of greatness, but you dont see Fender making a Volkaert model Telecaster, they do have the Hiland and the Gatton models though. Gatton was named the Worlds Best Uknown Guitarist, by Guitar Player magazine. Dannys demons finally consummed him.
Redd Volkaert Album Review:
Two All-time Masters on Telecasater and Pedal Steel Guitar at 2005-03-22
Redd Volkarets mastery of the telecaster puts him in a rarified company that includes only a handful of players who combine taste, touch and tone in such a way that they both define and break open the boundries of their genre. Redds playing touches on Bakersfield country music, western swing, Django, chicken pickin, 60s rock, Roy Lanham and more. The late steel guitarist, Big Jim Murphy played fabulous, rich C6th chord solos in the Curly Chalker mold as well as great E9th country. He and Redd were truly simpatico. If you dig Country music with a touch of swing you wont regret buying this one.
Redd Volkaert Album Review:
One of the best guitarists playing today at 2003-10-03
I wouldnt place much stock in the reviews by our friends from across the pond. Those who dont equate guitar mastery with blustery noodling will find Volkaerts playing incredibly inventive and his execution flawless. He sounds like a man who knows exactly what he wants to say through his instrument. Redd Volkaert is one of the finest guitarists to ever pick up a Tele. The guy can flat-out play.
Redd Volkaert Album Review:
Technically able, but no real voice at 2002-08-05
Youll get a fine example of how to play the Fender Telecaster if you buy this record, no question about that. Volkaerts main claim to fame is a comparatively brief spell as a sideman with Merle Haggard and, as youd expect, within his genre he is about as accomplished on his instrument as it is possible for a man to become.But fundamentally, Redds a sideman, not a showman. At times his pickin is genuinely electric, but theres nothing here you wont hear on a Jerry Donaghue record at about twice the velocity and with a lot more of a snap and crackle for your buck. Telewacker doesnt go anywhere, and most of the time feels like a good country record put together for a session at which the star never showed up and where the guitar player sang the guiding vocal maybe, and when the singer never recovered from his chronic condition, Redds vocal and guitar lines were all the studio had to go on.Redd makes a couple of ill-advised forays into rock-lite and blues - and these I think expose him more plainly than the country sides, which he just about gets away with. Again, no complaints with his technique, but a real blues guitar player is by definition - well maybe not definition, but certainly by well established convention - a real showstopper. And that is one thing Redd just aint. His blues dont bite, they dont snarl, they dont sing, they really dont have much to say at all - nothing that isnt said in so many different ways by tens of thousands of axe-men, in tens of thousands of seedy bars in every corner of the world, most every night of the week.
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