Bill MilkowskiSocial Links Navigation Latest articles by Bill Milkowski "It’s always going to be random — it’s never going to sound the same. Sometimes it’s great, sometimes it’s not so great": Jazz guitarist Oz Noy on the spontaneity and experimentation of looping and "dancing on the pedals" By Bill Milkowski published 2 February 24 His new live album Triple Play is a laboratory of sonic experimentation. Oz Noy tells us how fusing modern effects with inspiration from legendary jazz and blues heroes became central to his process “It was a way to kind of memorialize the folks that I lost”: Grieving the death of his grandparents and close friend Joey DeFrancesco, jazz guitar ace Dan Wilson found solace in creating his beautiful new album, Things Eternal By Bill Milkowski published 4 December 23 For this dazzling LP, Wilson recorded a stirring array of covers and originals, all the while channeling the lessons he's learned from George Benson, and approaching the material more like a drummer than a guitarist Steve Vai was stunned when he heard him, Joe Bonamassa says he’s reinvented the guitar, and Al Di Meola says that it “would take lifetimes to catch up with him.” Meet Matteo Mancuso the man who’s light years ahead of us all By Bill Milkowski published 19 October 23 When it comes to improvisation, Italy’s fingerstyle fusion maestro Matteo Mancuso is leaving the best players in the world in the dust “These Are All Familiar Songs From a Play or a Movie”: As He Drops ‘Stage & Screen,’ John Pizzarelli Celebrates His 40th Year of Recording and Reflects on the Lessons He Learned From His Father, Bucky By Bill Milkowski published 28 September 23 The seven-string slinger’s landmark album is a collection of familiar tunes from Broadway and Hollywood spanning 90 years “Nobody Can Be the Best Guitar Player. There’s No Such Thing”: Mind-Blowing Guitarist Harvey Mandel Riffs With ‘GP’ on His Music, Guitar Technique and a Certain Player by the Name of Eddie Van Halen By Bill Milkowski published 28 June 23 Fifty-five years since his solo bow, “The Sustain King” shows no sign of slowing down on his latest, ‘Who’s Calling’ How Jeff Beck Threw Down the Gauntlet in 1968 With ‘Truth’ By Bill Milkowski published 10 February 23 His debut studio album set benchmarks for guitar heroes “Every Note Is a Question”: Bill Frisell Reveals the Approach That Helped Him Become Guitar’s Most Sought After Player By Bill Milkowski published 24 January 23 ‘GP’ asks a few questions of our own in this essential interview with one of the greatest jazz musicians of our time “It Was Just so Shocking”: Bill Frisell Recalls Seeing Jimi Hendrix Perform in 1968 By Bill Milkowski, Guitar Player Staff published 18 January 23 “It was just too much to comprehend,” says the jazz guru “I’m Not Really so Impressed by the Guitar Playing; I’m More Interested in Hearing People Talking to Each Other on Their Instruments”: Rising Star Jakob Bro Talks Finding His Voice and the Mystery of Music By Bill Milkowski published 18 January 23 With his guitar, looper and effects, the Danish sonic explorer captures moods in dreamy improvisations Want to Be as Stylistically Fluid as Bill Frisell? The Man Himself Explains How By Bill Milkowski published 17 January 23 Forget about labels. Drop the attitude. Be humble. “I Was Always More Influenced by Horn Players and Piano Players”: Jazz Star Pasquale Grasso Reveals His Unique Inspirations By Bill Milkowski published 20 September 22 One of the most gifted and musical jazz guitarists of today takes inspiration not from his six-string brethren but from the genre’s legendary ivory ticklers John Scofield: "You Gotta Bend the Notes – that’s Part of Our American Tradition!" By Bill Milkowski published 12 July 22 The jazz guitar master reveals how – after nearly 50 years and more than 40 albums as a band leader – he finally went solo, and revisited his musical roots, on his new, self-titled album. “I’m feeling Like FrankenStern – Kind of Rewired and Half Bionic”: Mike Stern Reveals How He Perseveres One Gig At a Time By Bill Milkowski published 14 March 22 Five years after a misstep on a New York City street left him badly injured, the maestro promises, “I’m never going to give it up.” Kurt Rosenwinkel Discusses Sound, Technique and Approaching Jazz Guitar Like a Pianist By Bill Milkowski last updated 22 December 21 The Philadelphia-born jazz virtuoso returns to a trio setting to remind us why he is one of today's most influential players. Lionel Loueke Talks Seven-String Jazz Guitar, Rearranging Herbie Hancock, and the Improvisational Magic of a First Take By Bill Milkowski last updated 22 December 21 The jazz fingerstylist gives a musical fist bump to his mentor Herbie Hancock on 'HH.' Wolfgang Muthspiel on Technique, Composition and Why Three is the Magic Number for Making the Guitar Talk By Bill Milkowski published 13 August 20 On 'Angular Blues,' master improvisor Wolfgang Muthspiel brings his conversational approach to a trio setting. MOST READ1How Robin Trower crafted his blistering tonal triumph, Day of the Eagle2Gary Clark Jr. never asked to be a guitar savior 3Best Travel Guitars 2024: Top Portable Instruments From Lowden, Furch, Martin and more4“‘Those old Beatle bashers?’”: Paul McCartney talks Vox amps, and his love of dirty tones5“I was 17 years old and found it in this local paper. It said, ‘Gretsch guitar, 100 bucks.’ I called the guy up and asked, ‘Is it like Eddie Cochran’s?’ He was like, ‘Who?’”: How Brian Setzer forged his trademark twanging tone
"It’s always going to be random — it’s never going to sound the same. Sometimes it’s great, sometimes it’s not so great": Jazz guitarist Oz Noy on the spontaneity and experimentation of looping and "dancing on the pedals" By Bill Milkowski published 2 February 24 His new live album Triple Play is a laboratory of sonic experimentation. Oz Noy tells us how fusing modern effects with inspiration from legendary jazz and blues heroes became central to his process
“It was a way to kind of memorialize the folks that I lost”: Grieving the death of his grandparents and close friend Joey DeFrancesco, jazz guitar ace Dan Wilson found solace in creating his beautiful new album, Things Eternal By Bill Milkowski published 4 December 23 For this dazzling LP, Wilson recorded a stirring array of covers and originals, all the while channeling the lessons he's learned from George Benson, and approaching the material more like a drummer than a guitarist
Steve Vai was stunned when he heard him, Joe Bonamassa says he’s reinvented the guitar, and Al Di Meola says that it “would take lifetimes to catch up with him.” Meet Matteo Mancuso the man who’s light years ahead of us all By Bill Milkowski published 19 October 23 When it comes to improvisation, Italy’s fingerstyle fusion maestro Matteo Mancuso is leaving the best players in the world in the dust
“These Are All Familiar Songs From a Play or a Movie”: As He Drops ‘Stage & Screen,’ John Pizzarelli Celebrates His 40th Year of Recording and Reflects on the Lessons He Learned From His Father, Bucky By Bill Milkowski published 28 September 23 The seven-string slinger’s landmark album is a collection of familiar tunes from Broadway and Hollywood spanning 90 years
“Nobody Can Be the Best Guitar Player. There’s No Such Thing”: Mind-Blowing Guitarist Harvey Mandel Riffs With ‘GP’ on His Music, Guitar Technique and a Certain Player by the Name of Eddie Van Halen By Bill Milkowski published 28 June 23 Fifty-five years since his solo bow, “The Sustain King” shows no sign of slowing down on his latest, ‘Who’s Calling’
How Jeff Beck Threw Down the Gauntlet in 1968 With ‘Truth’ By Bill Milkowski published 10 February 23 His debut studio album set benchmarks for guitar heroes
“Every Note Is a Question”: Bill Frisell Reveals the Approach That Helped Him Become Guitar’s Most Sought After Player By Bill Milkowski published 24 January 23 ‘GP’ asks a few questions of our own in this essential interview with one of the greatest jazz musicians of our time
“It Was Just so Shocking”: Bill Frisell Recalls Seeing Jimi Hendrix Perform in 1968 By Bill Milkowski, Guitar Player Staff published 18 January 23 “It was just too much to comprehend,” says the jazz guru
“I’m Not Really so Impressed by the Guitar Playing; I’m More Interested in Hearing People Talking to Each Other on Their Instruments”: Rising Star Jakob Bro Talks Finding His Voice and the Mystery of Music By Bill Milkowski published 18 January 23 With his guitar, looper and effects, the Danish sonic explorer captures moods in dreamy improvisations
Want to Be as Stylistically Fluid as Bill Frisell? The Man Himself Explains How By Bill Milkowski published 17 January 23 Forget about labels. Drop the attitude. Be humble.
“I Was Always More Influenced by Horn Players and Piano Players”: Jazz Star Pasquale Grasso Reveals His Unique Inspirations By Bill Milkowski published 20 September 22 One of the most gifted and musical jazz guitarists of today takes inspiration not from his six-string brethren but from the genre’s legendary ivory ticklers
John Scofield: "You Gotta Bend the Notes – that’s Part of Our American Tradition!" By Bill Milkowski published 12 July 22 The jazz guitar master reveals how – after nearly 50 years and more than 40 albums as a band leader – he finally went solo, and revisited his musical roots, on his new, self-titled album.
“I’m feeling Like FrankenStern – Kind of Rewired and Half Bionic”: Mike Stern Reveals How He Perseveres One Gig At a Time By Bill Milkowski published 14 March 22 Five years after a misstep on a New York City street left him badly injured, the maestro promises, “I’m never going to give it up.”
Kurt Rosenwinkel Discusses Sound, Technique and Approaching Jazz Guitar Like a Pianist By Bill Milkowski last updated 22 December 21 The Philadelphia-born jazz virtuoso returns to a trio setting to remind us why he is one of today's most influential players.
Lionel Loueke Talks Seven-String Jazz Guitar, Rearranging Herbie Hancock, and the Improvisational Magic of a First Take By Bill Milkowski last updated 22 December 21 The jazz fingerstylist gives a musical fist bump to his mentor Herbie Hancock on 'HH.'
Wolfgang Muthspiel on Technique, Composition and Why Three is the Magic Number for Making the Guitar Talk By Bill Milkowski published 13 August 20 On 'Angular Blues,' master improvisor Wolfgang Muthspiel brings his conversational approach to a trio setting.
