Music: Gary Moore

A true master that spans genres and decades, Gary Moore was a guitarist's guitarist.

I first heard Gary Moore when I was a wee lad, listening to the Sunday night progressive rock show on the San Jose radio station KSJO. The host, Greg Stone, had an impressive library, and the song that got me into Mr. Moore was from a rare import of “The Gary Moore Band”. In 1981 it was long out of print, and I never got a copy of it until in the 2000’s I found a CD reissue when browsing a Tower Records store in Tokyo.

Gary Moore, an Irish rocker, who played with Thin Lizzy, did some pop-ish things in the 70’s, broke into hard rock in the early 80’s before becoming an absolute blues legend. He had a ton of talent, a Grand Canyon-esque range of styles, and constantly reinvented himself, keeping it fresh, while consistently dishing out just killer jams.

By 1992, his album “Still got the Blues” was the genesis of his most profitable era. He blended classic blues, with searing licks, and respectful nods to the greats from the 50’s and 60’s, even playing with Albert Collins and BB King.

A graceful player, with just a killer touch.

Here is a gem recorded at a venue in 1992 in London. The extended intro is worth the price of admission. Take a listen, and tell me what you think!

I was blessed to see him several times in the 1980’s in massive arena shows, and in a small, local club (Garden City in San Jose, CA). He was just all that.

Check out “Parisienne Walkways”, “End of the World”, and “Still Got the Blues” for more awesomeness.

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