but a typical musician back then seemed to have compressed a lifetime's experiences into a few short years and perhaps this is why that generation developed as players so quickly. And some started ridiculously young, like Robbie Robertson for instance. And I'm not necessarily talking about being 'King Widdly', rather that they understood the importance of listening to their fellow musicians and playing sympathetically. So bands of that era really sounded like bands; The Band being a perfect example.

you'd have to look to young jazz musicians to get anywhere near to anything like this today. But could they "perform" as well as play by which I mean could they make their way through a track with other musicians to be greater than the sum of their parts?

My father-in-law is in his 70s but took up drum lessons a few years ago. His thing is jazz and he plays drums with teenagers who amaze him with their virtuosity. He's astounded when some 15 year old name checks Harry Allen or an old drummer like Buddy Rich.

I think the point is he was a prodigy and probably better at that kind of super long jamming thang - than almost anyone other than the obvious - maybe Clapton in Cream, Rory Gallagher in Taste - I doubt many beyond them could play like that then. I wouldn't be surprised if there are young guitarists out there who aspire to play like that but noone would be remotely interested in them, more is the pity. Personally I adore the Allman Brothers and in fact was amiably debating Duane's 21 minute guitar solo on "You don't love me" off the Filmore album with Azzeem on Friday night. It is a magical thing, melodic, full of invention, ever changing, and if someone transposed onto manuscript it a concert violinist would probably play it thinking it was a lost masterpiece by Paganini.

Not all of todays yoof are emo's or devoted soley to indie landfill. But they remain beneath the gaze of the media (and probably therefore the "rock schools") because they play that most unfashionable of genres - blues music.

The clip below was recorded when I think Krissy Matthews was 17 or 18 - the vocals aren't great but the guitar makes up for it

Olli Brown can't be much older

I agree - neither will ever be on Radio 1 (just like the Allman's wouldn't be today either). But you're wrong about nobody wanting to hear this kind of thing. Not many may want to hear it - we may be a distinct minority but I still love this kind of stuff. Luckily there are a few kids that do too.

(nephew of Allman Brothers drummer Butch Trucks, too.)

David, you know what you were saying on the podcast about success being a result of wanting it hard enough? Legend has it that Duane Allman got the gig(s) as a session player at FAME by camping outside the studio and repeatedly badgering Rick Hall to let him work there.

Once he was in for his first Wilson Pickett session, then he made his mark and of course graced further recordings by Aretha Franklin, Clarence Carter, Johnny Jenkins, King Curtis, Arthur Conley and even Lulu.
By 1970, I guess you could say that sheer determination with a talent to match had got him that far, and I think you can hear it in his playing.

Musically this young lot are pretty hot, especially the drummer. And lyrically, he is way ahead of his peers.

His point being that plenty of bands can "play" really well, members strumming away since their early teens is pretty common. What's uncommon is having anything to say.

My own opinion here is that if people want to play as well as that and are lucky enough to meet like minded souls then they will. But do the kids want to play like Allman? Perhaps not now, but perhaps in a few years. What's valued musically seems to change an awful lot.

But, let's be honest, it's not very now, is it? I mean.. the guitars are OK but I bet Duane Allman wouldn't have a clue at programming a sequencer. Get with it, Daddy-O..

Players today are frighteningly accomplished thanks to VHS/DVD/Youtube & many other ways of learning skills. The styles of music around currently don't allow much room for self-expression though and people can master technique without musical feel anyhow.

There is a tendency to go for 'weapons grade widdly widdly' when playing the guitar, showing off your bag of tricks without playing a song. This dates back to the influence of Joe Satriani's Surfing With The Alien, which ironically is jam-packed with hooks and is effectively the work of a one-man shred-Shadows. Unfortunately people only heard the manual dexterity and took it from there. I bet Joe wakes up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat wondering what he has created.

Surfing with the Alien came out in 1987, 20 years after Are You Experienced. That was 23 years ago.

..trained young "virtuosos" (the blues scene seems to attract them like flies), along with the regulatory "stage dad". These kids can play every lick under the sun, but the idea that any of them know the first thing about true improvisaton (i.e. working in concert and sympathy with the other players) is, frankly laughable.
The two UK examples above? Sorry, but they both seem to have sprung neat as ninepence from the same cloning machine.They shouldn't be anywhere near a profile gig until they have something real to play.
I have nothing against young people playing this style of music (look at the mighty Free, average age 17 when they made "Tons Of Sobs")but they really should stay in the shed until they're good and ready.
(..and yes Dave, Derek Trucks can play like that)

They don't exist any more, but the backing band to Vedder were about 15 at the time. It's the drummer who does it for me.

the allamns were reputedly a taciturn bunch, especially when it came to photoshoots.

The cover of live at the filmore shows them displaying unbridled mirth.

why?

apparently Duane's dealer arrived during the shoot and the small bag he is holding in the photo was a bag of just acquired coke.

Sorry if I'm retreading previous comments here, but it's a point worth dwelling on I think:

An immediate difference I can see between the Allmans and the more modern blues clips above is that with the Allmans the ensemble playing is at least as important as the individual virtuosity.

Just about every great (rock) virtuoso of the past had a great band behind him (or her!). Hendrix is the obvious example: seems to be the very model of a twiddly diddly show-off soloist but on the whole he was part of a tight and muscular power trio which is a big part of his impact.

And the Arctic Monkeys: no, not virtuosos, but they have a solid ensemble sound where everyone knows their place. I think that's more important.

At 4.13: