Harry Hood
Phish, 1995, from A Live One. Solo by Trey Anastasio.
The A Live One version climbs slowly from a quiet vamp to a euphoric peak.
The A Live One version of Harry Hood is a lesson in slow-burn improvisation. The jam begins in a quiet, almost meditative vamp, and Trey Anastasio plays sparingly at first, placing single notes and small figures that leave plenty of air. Over many minutes the band tightens and the dynamics rise, and his lines grow longer, more sustained and more insistent until the whole piece tips into a bright, euphoric peak. The payoff works because the build has been earned rather than forced. It became a model for the tension-and-release style that defines much of Phish's live playing. Listen for the exact moment the band shifts from gentle support to full push, and how Anastasio starts holding notes longer as the climax approaches.
Harry Hood by Phish is featured in our Jam (#10) list. The solo is played by Trey Anastasio and the song was released in 1995.
In our lists
- The 25 Greatest Jam Band Guitar Solos — #10
- Greatest Live Solos — #22
- The Best Phish Guitar Solos — #4
Sources
Who played the guitar solo on Harry Hood?
Trey Anastasio played the solo on Phish's Harry Hood (1995).
What guitar was used on the Harry Hood solo?
A languedoc, according to widely reported accounts.