Guitarist Jimmy Herring recently released his debut solo album, titled Lifeboat. Although this is Herring’s first solo album, he is already well-known in the guitar community. He’s played with some great bands, including The Allman Brothers, Col. Bruce Hamptons’ Aquarium Rescue Unit, the Dead, and Phil Lesh and Friends, and he is now the lead guitarist for jam-band supergroup Widespread Panic.

In addition to Herring on guitar, Lifeboat includes some great supporting musicians, including Jeff Sipe on drums, Oteil Burbridge and bass, Kofi Burbridge on piano and flute, and Matt Slocum on clavinet, piano. Derek Trucks also plays on two songs. Even with these great musicians, Herring’s guitar is the centerpoint of this album.

I’ve been a fan of Herring’s for a while, ever since hearing of him when he was playing with the Allman Brothers and Jazz is Dead. However, I wasn’t sure what to expect with his solo album. What it is is a fantastic jazz-rock fusion album. The Dixie Dregs/Steve Morse influence is undeniable, but Herring definitely stands on his own in the jazz-rock world. The album includes six songs written by Herring, two songs by Kofi Burbridge, a cover of Wayne Shorter’s Lost, as well as an interpretation of Disney’s The Jungle Book.

I know I’m listening to a great guitar instrumental album when I forget that I’m listening to a guitar instrumental album. In other words, when the music grabs me more than the guitar playing. That’s what happens with Lifeboat. While the guitar playing is amazing, the music itself is equally good.

With Lifeboat, Herring further solidifies himself as one of the leading jazz-rock fusion guitarists of our time. His playing is fluid and harmonious, and the music sings with emotion. If you’re already a fan of Jimmy Herring, you’ll love Lifeboat. If you’re new to Herring, Lifeboat is a great starting point.

Note: To commemorate the release of the CD, Abstract Logix recently published an interview with Herring.

Win a Free Copy of Jimmy Herring’s Lifeboat!

Abstract Logix has graciously and generously agreed to give one lucky fan of Guitar Lifestyle a copy of Lifeboat! To enter to win: all you have to do is send me an e-mail by filling out the contact form using “Herring” as the subject and letting me know that you want to be entered into the contest. I’ll randomly select a winner on November 15, 2008.

Please enter only once. Also, I’d appreciate it if you’d help spread the word about the contest! Good luck!

Griffin Technology has released a free iPod/iPhone app called iTalk that let’s you use the microphone of the iPhone to make recordings:

iTalk Recorder lets you record, pause, resume and append to existing recordings, manage the list of your recordings, and add text notes, all on the touchscreen of your iPhone or iPod.

You can then sync the recordings to your Mac or PC using the (also free) iTalk Sync application:

iTalk Sync is a dedicated app you run on your Mac or PC that searches your Wi-Fi connection to find any iPhone or iPod touch that’s running iTalk. It lets you drag recordings from your iPhone or iPod to your computer’s desktop.

iTalk seems like a great way to capture quick song ideas or record brief interviews with other guitarists.

(via Daring Fireball)

I’m a sucker for a good factory tour. I worked in a manufacturing plant throughout college and have always been fascinated by how products are made. As a guitarist, I’m especially interested in how guitars are made, so I was pleased to see that Premier Guitar magazine posted this past summer some videos of their factory tour of Nazareth, Pennsylvania’s Martin Guitars. Part I of the factory tour is posted below.

After checking out part I, also check out part II, part III, and part IV.

Yahoo! Music has recently posted a performance by Buddy Guy in their Live Sets series. I finally got a chance to see Guy live a few years ago, and he puts on quite a show. I’m glad to see Yahoo! putting up one of his shows.

Guy plays a number of songs from his recently released album Skin Deep, but he also plays some classics. Below is Guy’s performance of one of my favorite Guy tunes “Damn Right I’ve Got the Blues” from the Live Sets performance:

(via Guitar Noize)

Nashville-based writer and media producer Craig Havighurst (of String Theory Media) has recently written an article for the Washington Post about the opening of the B.B. King Musuem and Delta Interpretive Center in King’s hometown of Indianola, MS:

The B.B. King Museum took shape over the past five years as a biracial coalition raised private and state money with the aim of creating a critical tourist destination in a struggling region. The museum’s executive director, Connie Gibbons, says that once the facility is complete (a blues study center and outdoor performance venue are still under construction), it will also be an education hub with after-school music activities for at-risk kids.

Not only does Havighurst discuss the museum, he also offers a brief biography of King’s career from working the land in Indianola to playing some of the world’s largest stages.

Last week, I met some friends at a local movie theater for a showing of David Gilmour’s Live at Gdansk DVD. I’ve been on a bit of a David Gilmour kick over the past few weeks, and I’ve recently watched Gilmour’s Remember That Night – Live at Royal Albert Hall and Pink Floyd’s Pulse. So, I was pretty pumped to see this new DVD.

Much like the Live at Royal Albert Hall DVD, the Live at Gdansk DVD includes many great Pink Floyd hits, as well as performances of songs from Gilmour’s latest album On an Island. In addition to Gilmour’s touring band, the DVD features the Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, which adds an interesting touch to the music.

Overall, I thought this was a very good concert recording. Gilmour, as always, is great, and the band is also very good. However, having recently seen Remember That Night – Live at Royal Albert Hall, I can’t help but compare the two DVDs, and the Royal Albert Hall concert was better, in my opinion.

My first impression of the Live at Gdansk concert was that it took Gilmour a song or two to really get going. And, his playing, while tasteful as always, lacked a little bit of the spark that was in the Royal Albert Hall concert. By any standards, his playing was still great, but just not quite as crisp and sharp as in the Royal Albert Hall show.

That being said, I still really enjoyed the Live at Gdansk show and would recommend it to any fan of Pink Floyd and David Gilmour. However, if you haven’t seen Remember that Night – Live at Royal Albert Hall, I would recommend getting that DVD first.