High Wire



http://www.youtube.com/wa...moXgDDBb08


She Takes Me Up



http://www.youtube.com/wa...ed&search=


Who's That Lady



http://www.youtube.com/wa...ed&search=

One of my faves! Thanks for posting these, because I'm not really familiar with his work outside of The Isley Bros. He's rippin' it on She Takes Me Up.

Kool!

BTW, Just for trivia, did anyone notice Lee Curreri backing him up on keyboards on those clips? (Bruno from the "Fame" movie/ TV series, )--I'm not joking!! He played keys on the High Wire album....currently fronting a neo-soul/acid jazz group called Aquabox...


...

paligap said:

DAMN!! Whaaaat?! Seriously, I wasn't hip to that. I remember the cat from the film "Fame" but didn't know he played keys on Ernie's album. But yeah, I can see it's him now that you've mentioned it. Only u, pali!

Very cool thread, Pill. Nice picks. I saw Ernie on his promo tour for his High Wire album at The Roxy in Hollywood. He's definately one of my all time fave lead guitarists. His influence on my playing is paramount. Also, he's the only cat that I've ever seen in the flesh who can switch from playing right handed to playing his leads left handed! His High Wire album is a very good album as well.

blackguitaristz said:

Thank U kindly

Ernie is very underrated & multi-talented

One of my favorite Ernie guitar tracks are "Ballad Of The Fallen Soldier" He kills it on that one. Anyone remember that song?

ThePunisher said:

That was on the "Between the Sheets" album, the last album of the 3+3 album Isley Brothers era.

funkpill said:

"Ernie Isley" and "underrated" don't fall in the same sentence, IMO. He played a major role in soul acts using rock influences in the 1970s and after big brother Ronald he is arguably the most recognized and acclaimed members of The Isley Brothers.
[Edited 2/10/07 13:14pm]

Najee said:

To some degree, it does.

He doesn't get that much recognition when it comes to his talents.

funkpill said:

When it comes to the soul music genre, Ernie Isley would be on most people's short list for top guitarists. His guitar work is synonymous with most of The Isley Brothers' greatest songs, and he played a major role in rock elements being introduced into soul music.

In what context do you mean Isley is underrated?

Najee said:

I think he means his not being recognized outside of the soul music realm...He is virtually unknown anywhere else...I am still waiting for one of the millions of guitar mags to do a REAL interview with him and put him on their cover...this is a man who for a least a couple of years had the greatest guitarist EVER living at his house!!! THAT alone should make for in interesting interview...in addition to himself playing some of the most impressive rhythm and lead guitar of any genre...IMO he has played as good if not more impressive guitar work than Clapton.
[Edited 2/10/07 15:57pm]

panther514 said:

In that regard, I can agree that Ernie Isley is not universally revered as a Eric Clapton or Carlos Santana. In fact, Isley may not be as universally admired as Prince as a guitarist but I feel a lot of that is because Isley always has been a sideman (although a rather high-profile one) while the others have been out front.

panther514 said:

Exactly....

Najee said:

Good point...

There's something about an Ernie Isley solo that sets him apart from other guitarists. Same with Neal Schon and David Gilmour. They're all very melodic. Ernie's rhythm chops further distinguish his style.

Here are some of my favorite Ernie moments:

"Love Fever"
"Hope You Feel Better Love"
"Ballad of the Fallen Soldier"
"Summer Breeze"
"Who's That Lady"
"Midnight Sky"
"Rising From the Ashes"
"Ain't Givin' Up No Love"
"Need A Little Taste of Love"
"Climbin' Up the Ladder"
"Voyage to Atlantis"
"Back to Square One"
[Edited 2/10/07 23:28pm]

Whoa, man! Thanks for lifting those links!

These look pretty recent!
Bruh must be woodsheddin' for his own thing!
Certainly he stands atop the pile of revered rock guitarists.
Only Jimi, Jimmy Nolen and maybe Eddie Hazel would loom as more influential than Ernie.

I'd be so THERE for anything Erie would do live, man!

JesseDezz said:

That's the one

Najee said:

Isley seems to be content with staying in the R&B genre with The Isley Brothers. Therfore he is not going to get as much talk or exposure as the other guitar players from the more well known guitar oriented generes in music. The fault for Ernie's lack of recognition(if you want to call it a fault that is) could very well lie with Ernie himself and his unwillingness to try and branch out into other styles of music outside of R&B. But its really not surprising that he has chosen this path for his carrear because he has a clear built in audience as a member with The Isley Brothers and the fact that his one solo album did not meet with much success at all.

I watched a dvd of James Brown at Montreux and he had Ernie do a solo on geetar.Halfway through te solo,Ernie's guitar stopped working.It was funny.Even James laughed. Poor Ernie.I felt bad for him.

PurpleJam said:

He did venture into more rock-oriented territory with his solo album. And that solo album got him mainstream appearances on David Letterman (an appearance that had Letterman impressed)and in mainstream guitar publications like Guitar Player and Guitar for the Practicing Musician. For a black guitarist with rock leanings, that's anything but a failure. At the time, Ernie Isley was getting a good bit of publicity.

JesseDezz said:

I was not aware that his album had gotten that much publicity at the time, although I was aware of his apperance on Letterman's show but not about the mention in the guitar player magazines. However the album was not a real success. And yes, he did attempt to branch out a little more on his solo album, after which though, he returned strickly to the R&B music scene with The Isley Brothers and he has remained in that genre where he will not recieve much recognition for his guitar skills. And the fact that the group insists on still working with an overrated artist like R. Kelly and continuing on with this whole ridiculous and stupid Mr. Biggs thing, its not exactly the best kind of carrear choice and exposure for Ernie and his development as an artist in the guitar world.

Purple Jam is totally "On Point"!
Clearly echoes my exact sentments on Ernie.
If he's "underrated" it's nobody's fault but his.

I think the R. Kelly association was a misguided attempt to appeal to a younger r&b audience. Ronald took the whole "Mr. Big" concept entirely too far and it's kind of offputting to see 'ol Ernie wearing see-through Ricky Martin shirts and tryin' to act "gangsta".

With Ronald in tax trouble, looks like Ernie is gonna have a bit of time on his hands...Maybe he should give the 'ol solo career another try or maybe do a purely "musical" project with some major players like a George Duke or Stanley Clarke - it could be similar to Clark's "Vertu" group, which exposed guitar virtuoso Richie Kotzen to a whole new audience.

Hey, it's worth a shot...

JesseDezz said:

I completley agree with everything you said. I just hope that if Ernie does make another solo album, that it will not be featuring alot of R. Kelly or a bunch of guest apperances from any rappers. I fear that Ernie may indeed do this as a way(as you pointed out above) to appeal and keep in touch with The Isley Brothers new audience that they attracted by their association with Kelly. I am hoping that Ernie will do something different and something that is all and entirely his own.

I wonder if their is a youtube of Climbing Up The Ladder, I would love to see that one live, thanks for posting those

It's kinda funny how Jimi didn't stay with the band but Ernie ended up playing so much like him in the 70's.. that just goes to show how far ahead Jimi was

The Isley's.

Meloh9 said: