Jeff passed after a sudden illness, he was 78.
Yes just saw that on the news. 78 years old.
Warren Haynes cited Jeff Beck as his favorite guitarist and mentioned that Jeff has pretty much quit using a pick.
Like him or not nobody could do what Jeff Beck did on a guitar.
Bacterial Meningitis.
Jeff Beck was one of those players who you could identify in a single note. Blow by Blow ... just blew me away! He had style, touch and taste all his own. I'm grieving right now.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/11/entertainment/jeff-beck-death/index.html
He died today near his home in Surrey, England of bacterial meningitis!! That really makes you sick. Years ago a first cousin of mine died from bacteria meningitis at age 19. Extreme high fever before he died. I think it is an infection of sorts in your spine.
Jeff Beck was 78.
He, Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton all were in the Yardbirds and they were close friends for years.
This is a huge loss for the world of electric guitar.
Why Jeff Beck can not be copied. You don't know how to play his licks!! ( Of course somewhere there is a kid who can nail all of them:)
RIP Jeff Beck - as was said his licks can’t be copied - example imo, Goin Down from The Jeff Beck Group
Tremendous loss for music - certainly one of the greats
Damn that is sad news. Another one of my guitar heroes RIP.
There are vaccines to help prevent bacterial meningitis. Don’t know if I ever got one.
Jeff Beck was second only to Jimi Hendrix on my list of all-time favorite electric guitarists. Extraordinary musical talent and imagination. R.I.P.
@rusty Saw an interview with Jeff Beck last night on TV.
Jeff said if he didn't break the rules at least 10 times per song he wasn't doing his job. And he said his job is to play an electric guitar in violation of the rules. In violation of how one would be taught. To find and play notes on a electric guitar that are new, original and different from any other player.
Sorry other players. You can't play this!! Oh is that ROBERT PLANT in the audience??
@robertdee You'd think - or imagine, that the sound that comes out of an electric guitar and amplifier would essentially sound like that guitar and amp. The mechanical and electronic components should create a sound that is similar no matter who is pressing the string to the fret and picking the string. Of the three Yardbirds players, Jeff Beck (to my ears) had the most distinctive sound.
As great as Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page are, it is sometimes hard for me to differentiate between them and a number of other great white Blues players.
There are (again, to my ears) a handful of players who I can identify in a note or two regardless of what style of music they're playing or who they're playing it with. When I heard that David Sanborn album a few years ago, the first song that jumped out at me was the one with Jeff Beck. I knew it was Jeff from the first couple of notes of his playing. I think Derek Trucks is on that album, too - I can also ID him a in a note or two.
There are a LOT of great guitar players in this world. Again, a small handful that most people recognize instantly. Steve Lukather (a badass player in his own right) said that he played Jeff's rig (guitar, amp, pedal board etc.) and he still sounded like himself. Jeff Beck was a lot like David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler, Brian May and a few others in that you know him immediately.
Sad news....What a unique and one of a kind artist. I feel fortunate that I got to see him a few years ago on a joint tour with Buddy Guy. Beck and his band, as always, were fantastic. I had hoped to see him again some day but, sadly, it will not happen.
As a dear friend pointed out after hearing of his death, Beck wasn’t only an incredible guitarist, but a great mentor to other musicians the world over and gave many, many players their big break by bringing them into his various bands over the years.
- @rusty Oh there is probably some kid out there who can play Jeff Beck note for note on some songs. Yes Jeff Beck's hands and how he pressed on the strings and the whammy bar and only Jeff could handle his rig that way. I imagine if Clapton played Jeff's rig on a certain stage set up for Jeff when he took the stage, it would sound like Eric Clapton and not like Jeff Beck. In other words Jeff himself is the key to making his rig sound like Jeff Beck.
I've been reading tributes from famous musicians pouring in from everywhere and EVERYONE acknowledged Jeff Beck as a master electric guitar player with a style and sound all his own and difficult to copy.
Warren Haynes feels the loss very much. A huge Beck fan from before he became a guitarist himself.
When Dickey Betts ( now 79 and apparently does not play much and that well now) was in his prime, he was another who had his own style and was recognizable in a few notes. He was to me. His style was a big part of the Allman Brothers sound and his sound was uniquely his.
This 1973 live Stormy Monday sounds like Dickey right out of the gate to me.
huge loss. imo the best ever
I never got tired of listening to Jeff Beck.
A totally brilliant musician, always so fluid. Fortunate to have heard him play several times. A great loss for the music world.
"Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho?"
Spent a good part of the evening watching videos of Jeff throughout the years.
1984 CBS Records Convention with SRV
PRE-show 2004 Crossroads Festival jamming with ZZ Top
pre-show jamming with members of Gun 'N Roses & Aerosmith
And then his epochal set at Crossroads 2007
"Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho?"
RITCHIE BLACKMORE Pays Tribute To JEFF BECK: 'He Could Reach Up Into The Stars And Make Magic With His Playing'
Former DEEP PURPLE and current RAINBOW guitarist Ritchie Blackmore has paid tribute to British guitar legend Jeff Beck following his death on Tuesday (January 10).
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, who rose to prominence with THE YARDBIRDS, died "suddenly" after contracting bacterial meningitis, his representative said.
Ritchie took to his social media on Thursday (January 12) to write: "First met Jeff Beck around 64-65 and it was a session where we were both playing guitars and Jimmy Page was producing. I couldn't believe how incredible he was, not only with his technique but his sound too. I became a fan of his ever since. He could reach up into the stars and make magic with his playing. His choice of notes were always absolutely perfect.
"This whole thing is a shock. We shall always remember Jeff as the best rock and roll player."
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
Been reading a lot about Jeff Beck. Other guitarists say Jeff had more licks and tricks than anybody.
Here are the two guitarists who really influenced Jeff Beck in his youth.
Cliff Gallup
And Les Paul
And here is the master himself!! May he RIP.
Oh I bet Steve Vai would shake his head if someone said play this for us note for note!! 
@jszfunk Man JSZFunk I've been reading all the tributes too. When players of the caliber Richie Blackmore, Jimmy Page and many other famous guitarists including our Warren Haynes praise a man for his greatness and inspiration and being in a league all his own, it becomes clear how a great innovator and accomplished player Jeff Beck was!!!!
https://youtube.com/shorts/n1EAvTFRG2A?feature=share
I will be honest, I really never listened to alot of Jeff Beck. I am familiar with some of his solo material, but its not in heavy rotation. I think growing up and when I was younger his music was really not played on "classic rock" radio like his contemporaries...at least that I remember . Yardbirds stuff? Maybe his stuff was not as radio friendly as others. Not that means anything at all. You cant gauge radio airplay with quality at all.
I know he is supremely talented and is highly regarded by his peers ala' Page, Clapton, and etc as being the best and so on. Like your favorite guitarist "favorite guitar player" , if that makes sense.
I just get the sense he is regarded more as player and what he does with the instrument vs having a massive catalog of songs/song writing that are staples of that genre'. I hope this does not come across like I am dismissing what he has done and released. Its not that at all. I know more guitar aficionado's and his hardcore fan base would disagree vehemently with me and I get it. I should try and dig more deeper into him and explore his music.
I know over recent years I would pull up clips of him and watch, but it was hard to make it through . The way he would use the tremolo arm, almost constantly was tough for me to continue to listen. It seemed to be so much of his playing. Like in order to play you have to pick, but with him to a degree to play you have to use the whammy. I am sure there is more to it. I am sure part of it is just a me thing. Not a big tremolo arm person.
Hopefully all of this makes sense. Not trying to dig at the guy, maybe trying to understand?
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
I will be honest, I really never listened to alot of Jeff Beck. I am familiar with some of his solo material, but its not in heavy rotation. I think growing up and when I was younger his music was really not played on "classic rock" radio like his contemporaries...at least that I remember . Yardbirds stuff? Maybe his stuff was not as radio friendly as others. Not that means anything at all. You cant gauge radio airplay with quality at all.
I know he is supremely talented and is highly regarded by his peers ala' Page, Clapton, and etc as being the best and so on. Like your favorite guitarist "favorite guitar player" , if that makes sense.
I just get the sense he is regarded more as player and what he does with the instrument vs having a massive catalog of songs/song writing that are staples of that genre'. I hope this does not come across like I am dismissing what he has done and released. Its not that at all. I know more guitar aficionado's and his hardcore fan base would disagree vehemently with me and I get it. I should try and dig more deeper into him and explore his music.
I know over recent years I would pull up clips of him and watch, but it was hard to make it through . The way he would use the tremolo arm, almost constantly was tough for me to continue to listen. It seemed to be so much of his playing. Like in order to play you have to pick, but with him to a degree to play you have to use the whammy. I am sure there is more to it. Probably itd just a me thing. Not a big tremolo arm person.
Hopefully all of this makes sense. Not trying to dig at the guy, maybe trying to understand?
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
@jszfunk The Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart on vocals was popular with rock fans. But the band, like Clapton's bands, didn't stay together long.
He hit real big in the 1970's with his masterpiece album BLOW BY BLOW. But it didn't have an individual song that got heavy airplay.
Jeff Beck toured in support of that album and it drew good crowds. I saw a show on that tour. About 1974 or so.
Jeff used a pick most of the time then and on the show I saw he played a black Gibson Les Paul more than a Stratocaster.
Apparently his journey which including him wanting to break all the rules and play radically different from others led to Jeff getting away from a pick and heavy use of the whammy bar.
One thing is certain. These great guitarists who are praising him can't play like Jeff Beck. I'm sure they eventually could, many of them, if they woodsheded Jeff's huge amount of licks.
Our beloved Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks and Jack Pearson are others that NEVER had a song that got a lot of airplay too. Warren and Derek have never had a Layla, Jessica, Stairway to Heaven, Midnight Rider, Smoke On The Water, etc etc.
Warren did write Soulshine for the Allman Brothers which got decent airplay on album rock stations.
I think Freeway Jam got a good amount of airplay for awhile off Blow by Blow but is only a hit to Jeff Beck fans. It's not like All Along The Watchtower where even people who are not big Hendrix fans know it, heard it and like it.
Shapes of Things was about as close to a hit as the Yardbirds came. Jeff Beck played on the original version - then the YBs did another version with Jimmy Page. Then, Jeff covered it with his own band. The video is strange. Close up of the singer, drummers hands and the lead guitarist - from the neck down. Is that Jeff? Are those his fingers?
Jeff's unpopularity or non-mainstreamness (?) - possibly due to not being a singer or a songwriter. My guess.
@rusty Warren Haynes is a singer and he hadn't scored a hit song either. Of course he co-wrote a hit song for Garth Brooks. And he wrote Soulshine which is a hit album track by the Allman Brothers Band and Warren plays guitar on it.
Warren has written some real fine songs but so far no Hey Jude or Honkey Tonk Women.
10 Best Jeff Beck albums. What are yours?
Good comment in the link imo about listening to blow by blow and wired in tandem - I do that w/many albums, incl the 2 JBG albums that weren’t mentioned
The Band’s & ABB’s 1st 2 - rubber soul>revolver - sgt pepper>MMTour - Workingman’s>American Beauty - many tandem listens
RIP Jeff - in Truth there’s no best about his music - as we all know It’s What You Like The Best, or most
just as one has to break down “the best” hoop players by position, imo I pontificate his career was too wide ranging & listened to across so broad a spectrum of ears that ‘best’ imo doesn’t apply to Jeff -
unless mayb judging by his two eras - his early stuff up to mid-70s or so (BBBlow era) - & his later instrumental albums
always a good discussion & discuss/flame away
He’ll be remembered & loved forever - still can’t believe he died that suddenly
