Randy Resnick

Randy Resnick is an American guitarist and saxophonist who has played with many prominent blues and jazz musicians, such as Don "Sugarcane" Harris, John Lee Hooker, John Mayall and Freddie King. He was developing both one- and two-handed tapping style in the early 1970s. He published a CD of his own music in 1995, "To Love" under the name Randy Rare. There is an example of his tapping work in the recording from that CD below.

Randy 'Rare' Resnick
Resnick Avignon Blues Festival with Canned Heat, 2012
Background information
Birth nameRandy Resnick
Also known asRandy Rare
BornMinneapolis, Minnesota, United States
GenresRock and roll, blues rock, blues, funk
Occupation(s)musician
Instrumentselectric guitar, upright bass, saxophone
Years active1965–present
Associated actsSugarcane Harris, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Canned Heat
Websitehttps://RandyResnick.com

Career

Resnick was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Resnick 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. Victor Conte replaced Taylor on electric bass after a few concert gigs. Sugarcane Harris died in 1999 in California. 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 Hi 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, and plays his music with a trio based in Paris, France, as well and playing saxophone wherever possible. As of March-May 2020, no live gigs are possible.

Return to the concert stage, October 2012: Canned Heat leader Fito de la Parra called Resnick to replace Harvey Mandel, who had to fly back to California for a family emergency. He played two dates of the Canned Heat European tour in Bergerac, France on October 4 and Avignon, France October 5th, but was unable to play the rest of the dates because of a prior commitment.

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.

In 1965, while working at B-Sharp, a local musical instrument shop, he presented George Harrison of The Beatles with a Rickenbacker 12-string guitar during their 1965 US tour. Photos of this presentation at the press conference were published in photographer Bill Carlson's book "The Beatles!: A One-night Stand in the Heartland".[3]

Longtime friend Owen Husney, who discovered Prince and signed him to Warner Brothers, mentions Randy's guitar influence in his 2018 book "Famous People Who've Met Me". It's just possible that Owen wouldn't have discovered Prince had he not split from the band he played in with Randy. [4]

Other mentions include All Music Guide to rock,[5] Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll ,[6] Billboard Magazine, Jul 29, 1972,[7] The Jazz Discography Volume 9,[8] Cadence, Vol 21,[9] John Mayall: The Blues Crusader[10]

References
  1. Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2003). All music guide to the blues: the definitive guide to the blues. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 377. ISBN 9780879307363. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  2. Sanchez, Abel. Van Halen 101.
  3. Carlson, Bill. The Beatles!: A One-night Stand in the Heartland.
  4. Husney, Owen (2018). Famous People Who've Met Me. Rothco Press. ISBN 9781945436208. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  5. Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2003). All music guide to the blues: the definitive guide to the blues. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 377. ISBN 9780879307363. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  6. Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll.
  7. Billboard Jul 29, 1972.
  8. Lord, Tom. The Jazz Discography, Volume 9.
  9. Rusck. Cadence, Volume 21.
  10. Logos, Dinu (2015). John Mayall: The Blues Crusader. Edition Olms. p. 120. ISBN 978-3283012281. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
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