Randy Resnick

Randy Resnick (born 1947), is a guitarist who has played with many blues and jazz luminaries, such as Don "Sugarcane" Harris, John Lee Hooker, John Klemmer, John Mayall and Freddie King. He published a CD of his own music in 1995.

Career

Resnick was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He began his career playing in Minneapolis clubs, moving to Los Angeles in 1968. There he met drummer Paul Lagos who was working for the band, Kaleidoscope. Lagos eventually introduced Resnick to Canned Heat bassist Larry Taylor and violin player Don "Sugarcane" Harris. The four musicians formed a band called Pure Food and Drug Act, based on Sugarcane's blues/jazz violin and singing. It was during this period that he developed his tapping technique. Paul Lagos died on October 19, 2009 in Minneapolis, MN.

After quitting the PFDA, Resnick went on to play with John Mayall and recorded the album The Latest Edition, with Larry Taylor on bass, Red Holloway, a seasoned jazz player on sax and flute, Soko Richardson, former Ike and Tina Turner drummer, and High Tide Harris sharing the guitar spotlight with a contrasting, simpler bluesy style.^[1] This band toured Europe and Asia in 1974. Although the musicians were all talented, the material was lackluster and the album did not sell. He then went on to tour with John Klemmer. Resnick has retired several times, disappearing for 6 to 8 years and resurfacing in strange places like Bordeaux, France where he now lives.

Resnick was mentioned in the Eddie Van Halen biography^[2] for his contribution to the tapping guitar technique and by Lee Ritenour in the January 1980 Guitar Player Magazine, who saw Resnick use the tapping technique in 1974 at the Whisky a Go-Go with the Richard Greene Group. The legendary Ted Greene, from whom Resnick took one lesson, spoke of his playing in an interview given shortly before his death.

Other mentions include All Music Guide to rock,^[3] Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll ,^[4] Billboard Magazine, Jul 29, 1972,^[5] The Jazz Discography Volume 9,^[6] Cadence, Vol 21^[7]

References