Other noteworthy guitars in Geils’ collection include a Gibson L-5 previously owned by Howard Alden, a Gibson ES-250 and matching EH-150 and EH-185 amps, a Stromberg Master 400, three D’Angelicos, all three “stairstep peghead” guitars made by Gibson, several ’40s Epiphones, a blond ES-5, a blond ES-350, a Charlie Christian tenor guitar, a blond non-cutaway Super 400, and a cutaway ’59 blond Super 400.Ī lot of people are surprised to hear how much your style has changed since your days with the J. Geils Band record and onstage at the band’s early performances. The pièce de résistance, however, is his 1959 Gibson Les Paul, which appeared on every J. Along with Beaudoin and Robillard, Geils is releasing another New Guitar Summit CD that includes Randy Bachman as a special guest.Īt his studio in northern New England, Geils recently sat to discuss his influences, favorite instruments, and memories while walking through his awe-inspiring collection of instruments, which include vintage D’Angelico, Gibson, Gretsch, Epiphone, Rodier, and Stromberg archtops, and his complete series of Gibson tweed amplifiers. A rich hybrid of jazz and blues, Summit features three-part harmony guitars played at a level few achieve. Previously, Geils’ tone, choice of notes, and instruments all helped him channel Charlie Christian in his Jay Geils Plays Jazz CD, as well as the New Guitar Summit live DVD with fellow guitar heavyweights Duke Robillard and Gerry Beaudoin. His new disc, Jay Geils: Toe Tapping Jazz, is a set of jump blues and jazz standards by Count Basie, Benny Goodman and others. Geils Band later adopted a straight-ahead rock sound that helped them score numerous hit singles including the blockbusters “Freeze Frame” and “Centerfold.”įor the last 15 years, Geils has immersed himself in the jazz and swing of the 1940s and ’50s. Originally focused on blues, R&B, and soul, The J. Led by guitarist John “Jay” Geils, the group toured the world and recorded more than a dozen albums, selling millions through the early ’80s. Geils with a five-piece band that played raucous rock and roll to hip-shaking partiers. If you grew up listening to music in the ’70s, you probably associate the name J. Jay Geils with his 1936 Gibson ES-150 and ’61 Ferrari 250 GTE "2+2".
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