VINTAGE GUITAR MAGAZINE - ARLEN ROTH: STARTS GATHER FOR TELE MASTERS
Author, composer, label head and session cat who has backed A-list performers (including John Prine, Eric Andersen, Duane Eddy, Janis Ian) and fronted his own groups, Arlen Roth emerged as a top-tier musician with his first album, Guitarist, which won the Montreux Critics Awards for Best Instrumental Album of 1978.
RAMBLES - ARLEN ROTH: THE TELEMASTER
On TeleMasters the respected musician Arlen Roth assembles artists from a range of genres to celebrate the mighty sound of the Telecaster guitar. Happily, these aren't pointless jams in which stylistically incompatible pickers play against each other in an attempt to achieve world dominance. Instead, it's the supremely adaptable Roth working individually with country, rock, blues and all-purpose artists to cover familiar and obscure material to whose character the Telecaster has given definition.
Arlen Roth Interviewed by Art Tipaldi on Don Odell's "Legends"
American Treasure Arlen Roth is interviewed by Blues Music Magazine Editor Art Tipaldi. Arlen touches many topics including The Guitar Hall of Fame. Tele Masters and much much more!!
jazzweekly - ARLEN ROTH: THE TELEMASTER
ONE OF THE ICONIC GUITARS FOR JAZZ, BLUES AND ROCK FANS IS THE FENDER TELECASTER, BETTER KNOWN AS THE “TELE”. CREATED IN 1950, THIS SOLID BODY BEAUTY HAS CREATED A SOUND AND STYLE ALL IT’S OWN, WITH LEGIONS OF FANS STILL LOOKING FOR VINTAGE VERSIONS.
LA HORA DEL BLUES
Arlen Roth “Tele Masters”. Aquinnah / Mark Pucci 2019. Con una carrera musical a sus espaldas de mas de cuarenta años, el guitarrista Arlen Roth es una de las grandes leyendas de la música con raíces del siglo XX y XXI. A lo largo de su dilatada carrera Arlen ha actuado y grabado con artistas como Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Levon Helm, Ray Cooder, Dusty Springfield o los Bee Gees.
FERVOR COULEE - ROOTS MUSIC OPINION
Largely instrumental, upon cursory inspection this set of 16 tracks, mostly recorded in Nashville, ‘feels’ like a vanity project. A solitary listen provides evidence that TeleMasters goes well beyond that dismissive descriptor.
Woodstock’s Arlen Roth has been a name in Telecaster circles for decades, and just because some of us (hands up) haven’t encountered him doesn’t shade his bonefides. A well-respected instructor and creator of instructional materials, Roth has been a recording artist in his own right while serving as a sideman and studio musician…
Telecastin’ the night away on Arlen Roth’s Tele Masters
Released in the early 1950’s, the Fender Telecaster was the first commercially successful solid body guitar and has been used by blues, rock, and country bands ever since because of its distinctive tone (and relatively cheap price!). Famous artists like Buck Owens, Albert Collins, andMuddy Waters played the Telecaster in the fifties and Keith Richards and Jimmy Page have used it in an exquisite manner since the 1960’s. On his new album, Tele Masters, Arlen Roth displays his own love and mastery of the Telecaster with a stellar set of 16 tunes…
Music Reviews by the Rock Doctor
If you love great guitar playing with some twang, this will be the best purchase you ever make. Arlen Roth has gathered some Tele-playing greats to make Tele Mastersand this is as sweet as it gets. The sound of a Tele lends itself to country expression, and you’ll hear and feel a lot of that here. This disc was recorded mostly in Nashville, crisply produced by Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Foghat), who also played drums. Some of the songs you will recognize and a good number of the players too, but what makes Tele Masters so damn good is it’s a journey of discovery… it sounds like everyone had a hoot laying these songs down…
Arlen Roth | Guitarist, Teacher, Author | Video Review
Roth has toured the world and recorded with countless acts such as Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, John Prine, Phoebe Snow, Levon Helm, Ry Cooder, John Sebastian, Janis Ian, Eric Andersen, The Bee Gees and many more. He has released 15 albums, including ones such as All Tricked Out!, Slide Guitar Summit and Toolin’ around Woodstock with Levon HELM. His most recent album Telemasters, released in late 2018, features Roth in duets with other Telecaster masters such as Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Steve Cropper, Joe Bonnamossa, Brent Mason, Albert Lee, Johnny Hiland, Jack Pearson, to name a few. It is produced by 2-time GRAMMY award-winner Tom Hambridge..
BLUES MAGAZINE: Arlen Roth – Tele Masters
If ever there was a true guitar-geek album, this must be it. For many a Tele may mean television, telephone or the likes, for a guitar geek it can have but one meaning – a Fender Telecaster, an electric guitar that most will have seen in use and inescapably heard somewhere down the years. Arlen Roth is a mean guitar picker who favors a Telecaster, generally a marque shortened to ‘Tele,’ by pickers around the world, a universal guitarist-shorthand understood by all…
ARLEN ROTH: TeleMasters - JAZZ WEEKLY
One of the true guitar legends, Arlen Roth celebrates the legendary Fender Telecaster by bringing together some of his favorite 6 stringers, with the breadth, width and range of this legendary axe being shown in all of its glory…
GUITAR LEGEND ARLEN ROTH JOINS FORCES WITH AN AMAZING LIST OF ICONIC AXE MEN ON ‘TELE MASTERS’ (ALBUM REVIEW)
This is yet another mega project for multi-Grammy-winning producer Tom Hambridge, aggregating a stunning list of guitarists to play alongside one the best, guitarist Arlen Roth, on Tele Masters. Hambridge plays drums with his long-time bassist Tommy MacDonald, with Arlen’s fellow Woodstocker Cindy Cashdollar on lap steel, and ace acoustic guitarists Billy Panda and Bryan Sutton. The guest guitarists are a veritable who’s who list, in alphabetical order: Joe Bonamassa, Steve Cropper, Jerry Donahue, Vince Gill, Johnny HIland, Bill KIrchen, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Brad Paisley, Jack Pearson, Will Ray, Redd Volkaert ad Steve Wariner. Take a breath now…
ARLEN ROTH INTRODUCES US TO THE ‘TELEMASTERS’
Of course, the obvious question is if this kind of music is so great, why isn’t it more popular? It’s a fair, if somewhat aggressive, question. This kind of music is old-fashioned in a way that hasn’t come back around. The country influences take a lot from pedal steel, which is certainly heard on contemporary country tracks, but is rarely featured for more than a few bars. Jazz always seems a tough sell. Bluegrass played on electric guitar is sacrilege for many. The music is, while not exclusively instrumental, dominated by long instrumental passages that are really only still heard in rock and metal. Yet the music isn’t rock or metal. But it pulsates with a rock energy. Interestingly, for many, these are the very same reasons these guitarists’ guitarists are held in such high esteem…
CDs, VINYL & DOWNLOADS
Guitar master Arlen Roth has done it again. He has pulled together the cream of the crop of guitar pickers who are known as masters of the Fender Telecaster, and you'd be hard pressed to find an album anywhere with more A-list guitar talent, unless it was Roth's previous Slide Summit release…
elmore magazine
If ever there was a true guitar-geek album, this must be it. For many a Tele may mean television, telephone or the likes, for a guitar geek it can have but one meaning—a Fender Telecaster, an electric guitar that most will have seen in use and inescapably heard somewhere down the years. Roth is a mean guitar picker who favors a Telecaster, generally shortened to “Tele,” (TELL-ee) by pickers around the world, a universal guitarist-shorthand understood by all…
Arlen Roth Introduces Us to the ‘TeleMasters’
Like any subculture, the guitar world has its secret heroes. Players who aren’t household names, but who are beloved by other guitarists. Within this subculture are American-influenced players, not all of whom are born in the United States, who specialize in a uniquely American sound that combines country, jazz, bluegrass, and blues. Arlen Roth is one of these revered players, and TeleMasters is his tribute to these less well-known guitar heroes and the Fender Telecaster, the guitar favored by so many of them.
GUITAR LEGEND ARLEN ROTH JOINS FORCES WITH AN AMAZING LIST OF ICONIC AXE MEN ON ‘TELE MASTERS’ (ALBUM REVIEW)
February 22, 2019
This Weekend: Slide Guitar Summit with Arlen Roth!
December 2015
What’d I Say: Seven Sons Of The Blues You Need To Hear Right Now
May 2015
Arlen Roth Interview – Everyone Loves Guitar #249
June 2018
in the press
MORE FROM THE VAULT
FLOURISHING AFTER ADVERSITY
By: Dan Forte
"I love the green on this ’68 Mosrite. It has great tone, butter-smooth action, a great whammy bar, and really hot pickups." - Arlen Roth
Forgotten Guitar: 'Crossroads' and Its Unsung Guitar Hero, Arlen Roth
February 13, 2017 - Johnathan Graham
In early 1984, director Walter Hill contacted Arlen Roth—guitarist, columnist and co-creator of the Hot Licks instructional video series—about a new film he was about to make starring Ralph Macchio.
ARLEN ROTH'S SLIDE CELEBRATION
May, 14, 2015
Generations of guitarists have learned to play slide from Arlen Roth’s books and Hot Licks videos. For Slide Guitar Summit [King Mojo/Garage Door], the educator/player assembled nine fellow guitarists—some of whom grew up on his tutorials—to demonstrate the art of moving metal across the strings.
ARLEN ROTH VOTED IN TOP 50 ALL-TIME ACOUSTIC GUITARISTS
Tue, Dec. 7 2010
A poll taken of writers and a fans of Gibson guitars resulted in Arlen making the "Top 50 ALL-time Acoustic Guitar Player's" list! A wonderful honor, and a great addition to his list of accomplishments, such as being voted in the "Top 100 Most Influential Guitarists of the Century" by Vintage Guitar magazine!
ARLEN ROTH BAND/TOWNE CRIER, OCT.23RD!
Wed, Oct. 13 2010
Come on down (or up!) for another spectacular evening of music in Pawling, NY at the historic TOWNE CRIER, with the Arlen Roth Band! Featured will be Arlen's daughter, LEXIE ROTH, along with Matt Rae, Shannon Ford and Eddie Denise. Music should start around 8:30, and the food and desserts are world class! Hope to see you there for this special evening of music!
ARLEN ROTH TO PERFORM IN COOPERSTOWN, NY 10/16
Wed, Oct. 13 2010
Arlen Roth, along with his bassist, the great John Previti, will perform an acoustic and electric evening of music at the High School in historic Cooperstown, NY at 7:30PM on Oct. 16. Come hear this rare personal performance in this lovely setting where it is the peak of fall foliage in one of the most lovely parts of upstate NY! Come early, and take in the Baseball Hall of Fame, too!
New ARLEN ROTH Radio show! WPKN.org. 6/14 4-7 EST!
Fri, Jun. 4 2010
Arlen gets to fulfill a longtime dream of his with his new FM radio show, "Arlen Roth's Guitar Hall of Fame" on WPKN-FM. It can be streamed on the internet at WPKN.org. The first show will be on June 14, from 4-7PM, and it's with his longtime partner and sidekick, the great ROGER D.! So look for lots of great stories, guitar music and humor on Arlen's great new, fun radio show. Hope you can tune in!
TOWNE CRIER, MARCH 5, 2010 AR AND BAND!
Sun, Feb. 28 2010
Always a special night, Arlen and band, (Shannon Ford, John Previti, Matt Rae) will be performing a set with lots of new tunes on Friday, March 5th...C'mon down! NEW ACOUSTIC CDS AVAILABLE THAT NIGHT, TOO!
ARLEN, LEXIE AND BAND at LEVON'S RAMBLE IN WOODSTOCK 7/11/09!
Sat, May. 30 2009
Time for a great, long-awaited gig at Levon's "Midnight Ramble" at his place in Woodstock, where we cut the new Toolin' Around Woodstock album! Tickets are avialable from Levon Helm's website. Arlen and Levon are going to play together, too! Don't miss this rare event!
VINTAGE GUITAR - April 2008
Roth's "Hot Licks" instructional series has helped many a player. But he's criminally overlooked to the general public. Toolin' Around Woodstock puts him in the limelight with wonderful songs that exhibit his mastery.
Most of the songs are familiar and his guests are as tasteful as his playing. Levon Helm, fresh from his recovery from throat cancer, sings soulfully on cuts like "Sweet Little Sixteen" and "Cryin' Time." He also drums on more than half the cuts. Twangbanger Bill Kirchen joins in on a picture-perfect version of the Joe South classic "Games People Play," and the very twangy country-rock of "Gas Station Frustration." The dueling slide guitars of "Tumblin'" pair Arlen with Sonny Landreth in an orgy of smolderingly quiet slide and fiery riffs.
While most of the cuts feature vocals from Helm, Roth, Roth's daughter, Lexie, or Levon's daughter, Amy, a couple of instrumentals allow Arlen to cut loose. Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man" gets the full treatment, with Arlen displaying his vast arsenal of chops. And just when you thought another version of "Sleepwalk" had reached the point of saturation, Roth's slightly country feel gives it a breath of fresh air.
A bonus DVD (included in the Special Edition) lets you in on the making of the record, with behind the scenes rehearsal footage; watching the fellas listen to a playback of "Matchbox" proves they enjoyed it as much as you will. - Jon Heidt
EVANSTON REVIEW - 2/19/2008
Guitar afficionado Roth kicks it with the Band's Levon Helm, Helm's daughter and Ollabelle singer Amy Helm and Louisiana slide guitar master Sonny Landreth, among others on this workmanlike but nonetheless engaging slab of gritty, greasy guitar rock. Roth takes runs at standards including Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen," Carl Perkins' "Matchbox" and, as an instrumental, Bob Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man," and while he many not erase the originals from listeners' memories, his work is none too shaby, either. - Jeff Wisser
PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS - 2/19/2008
Singer/drummer Levon Helm, winner of the Grammy for best traditional folk album, is the special featured attraction on guitarist Arlen Roth's "Toolin' Around Woodstock." Sounds more like they've stopped into the local tappy for a Monday night jam session, as they're working over bar band faves like "Sweet Little Sixteen," "Cryin' Time" and "Ballad of a Thin Man" in ragged, righteous fashion. Bill Kirchen and Sonny Landreth are also along for the ride, and a bonus DVD offers a tour of the legendary little music town. - Jonathan Takiff
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER - 2/17/2008
...Toolin' Around Woodstock is a wide-ranging joyride through American roots music, but, for all the six-string expertise on hand, it is as much about deep feeling as virtuoso technique, about putting a fresh, heartfelt spin on mostly familiar material.
Helm applies his once-again-robust vocals to Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen" and Buck Owens' "Cryin' Time"; Kirchen joins Roth on guitar and vocals for Joe South's "Games People Play" and shares some rock-and-roll fireworks with him on Roth's "Gas Station Frustration"; daughters Lexie Roth and Amy Helm duet on the pop-soul classic "Just One Look"; and Landreth engages Roth in a slide duel on the latter's "Tumblin'," one of several tour de force instrumentals that include "Sleepwalk" and "Unchained Melody." - Nick Cristiano