Great Guitar Solos 3

I suppose if I ever have to name my top ten albums of all time Stevie Wonder's Talking Book is going to be in there, though it's going to be difficult to leave out Innervisions and I'm not sure I can make room for two albums, even from the mighty Little Stevie, as he once used to be. I think Talking Book edges it though on the strength of the last two tracks on side 2, and it's on one of these that Jeff Beck provides a solo that defines good taste, charm and a whole raft of other qualities usually disregarded when one considers the guitar solo as a sort of genre in itself.

Actually there are two lead guitars credited on the track in question, from Jeff Beck and Buzzy Feton, but it's the solo following the initial chorus of I'm lookin' for another pure love in my life, from which the song takes its title, that wins my heart, and I assume it features Jeff as you can hear Stevie saying, Take it away Jeff after the initial few notes. You also hear him chuckling, as if delighted at the perfection of the playing in terms of the mood of the track, quite early in the solo and towards the end. In fact, all the guitar work on the song featuring both players is quite lovely, embroidering thin almost ethereal lines in and around the gorgeous melody, and equally gorgeous sound world of synthesisers, vocals and percussion that bodies forth the piece. (I know that sounds odd, but it's the only way I can describe what Stevie and his producers seem to be doing here, and on the other albums of this period. It's as if they are inventing a new vocabulary for popular song following the excitement of realising what might be done with the technology of the period. On many tracks you really have to work hard to figure out what exactly is being played even though it sounds absolutely right - especially in the lower depths. The Moog bass, if that's what it is, is just from another place.)

But back to the solo. I'm guessing that with the exception of the falling line that comes towards the end it isn't terribly difficult to play. There are no pyrotechnics here, and this from a player who is capable of unleashing the ultimate in fretboard fireworks. But that sense of restraint is at the heart of what makes it work musically, as if the top notes are striving to go somewhere that no one can reach. Ultimately the player is saying, Don't look at me, but listen to this beautiful thing that I'm just a part of. Very good advice in this case.