[PRELUDE]

 WIM MERTENS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2xa46ytiSs&feature=related

[rockadanny]

Rory Block

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmR0_epz5OQ&playnext=1&list=PL3308AACB91DE8560&feature=results_main

[1oldguy]

Walter Rossi

http://www.facebook.com/groups/16684820837/

[jjc1]

      Phil Palombi

[jimdgoulding]

It is a shame that there are so many great musicians out there that are underrated.
Why we do not share it here and we might able to change this somehow.
Here is one.
HARRY MANX
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXfyDbkINPo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QwIB5Hbs2w&feature=related

Geez, Pre, that guy has some serious touch to his playing.  Just beautiful it is to me.  Good topic.

[PRELUDE]

Geez, Pre, that guy has some serious touch to his playing.  Just beautiful it is to me.  Good topic.

Now try this guy for another great blues moment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qErIkRJGmFU&feature=related

[WGH]

Rainer Ptacek

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDZCZuXTIQI

Rainer lived in Tucson, AZ and I saw him many times; besides solo gigs he also opened for and was friends with Greg Brown and Robert Plant and co-founded Giant Sandworms with Howe Gelb.  A tribute album to Rainer, The Inner Flame, included contributions by Plant, Jimmy Page, PJ Harvey, Emmylou Harris, Victoria Williams, Vic Chesnutt, PJ Harvey, The Drovers, Madeleine Peyroux, Kris McKay, Jonathan Richmanand, and others and was indicative of his reputation as a "musician's musician". He passed in 1997.

[timind]

Dan Bern

[weitrhino]

A bit on the heavier side is Sweden's Freak Kitchen.  Now here's a band that's been operating since 1996 and has 7 albums already under its belt.  Heavy rock has been done for so long that it's tough to find anything truly new and different to sink your teeth into, so when I do find such a band I go all out spreading the word.  Freak Kitchen are large across Europe but remain relatively unknown in North America.  Their central driving force is guitarist Mattias 'IA' Eklundh who can pound out the most skull crushing riffs and fiery yet totally baffling solos combined with great pop song sensibilities.  The songs are so well crafted it's easy to miss how incredibly complex they must be to play.  There's no fooling around with effects pedals, Eklundh plugs straight into his Laney amp and plays.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZqp-4gM37Y   Good god what a solo!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onFPET1BWMA&feature=related



Another long time favorite is Morglbl from France.  Pronounced MOR-gull-bull, this is how a power trio makes a severe left turn.  Similar to Freak Kitchen, the core of Morglbl is a guitarist, Christophe Godin, who's playing is ridiculously fluid veering between shredding peaks, jazzy moods, and sweet interludes.  Guitar wankery it's not.  This guy can flat out play to rival the best you can think of in any genre.  Put your tongue squarely in your cheek when listening because even though there are musical chops to die for the music isn't meant to be taken seriously.  In fact, fun and humor are central despite being instrumental music.  How can that be?  You be the judge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7Fz-QW6Ynw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxknq21-EM8&feature=related

[StigO]

Black mountain
madrugada
Black angels
The Sounds

All great bands

[Laundrew]

This is a great idea for a topic PRELUDE as I find myself asking this very question every now and then.

After I read this post, the first artist, that came to mind was Anna-Varney Cantodea (Sopor Æternus & the Ensemble of Shadows). Anna's lyrics are most profound and her video interpretations of her music is truly food for the soul.

Music video "In der Palästra"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwsJlUdklmk&feature=related

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopor_Æternus_%26_the_Ensemble_of_Shadows

Be well...

[PRELUDE]

Welcome back Laundrew.

[Laundrew]

Welcome back Laundrew.

Thank you very much PRELUDE 

Be well...

[J-Pak]

Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats