Here's Guitar God Jeff Beck at the second Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago. He still has that magic--pure, arcing melody, shivery growls, and watch him finger-picking the strings while manipulating his vibrato bar with the same hand.
He played for an hour, brought the house down. But I chose this video to show his very talented female bassist, Tal Wilkenfeld. I thought she was his daughter, but no. She has her own website if you're interested.
I thank Beck for giving a woman the chance to strut her stuff... because Rock has always been a man's world and women struggle to compete. Today's production and record bosses are predominantly male, and you'd be hard pressed to find a woman among the instrumentalists and session musicians.
Yes, times are getting better, but women with guitars are still seen as a novelty...a gimmick, something not entirely serious. Women are supposed to be only groupies and adoring fans, not serious musicians.
So thanks Jeff, for giving Tal a chance. From the crowd's reaction to her, she can do the rest.
