Best musician in Mark’s latest band

[Eddie Fox]

Mark was a brilliant improviser. He’s always had his signature licks in every song, those he would play every night as signs to the band, but everything in between seemed very relaxed and free to my ears.

[hunter]

Mark is definitely the more complete musician given the scope and quality of his work. Judged by his skills on the guitar alone, he doesn't rank all that high though, but then again he never set out be an instrumentalist.

[wakeywakey]

I think this would be better if we voted one out each week.
For me the songwriting would make Mark the winner but if we are to base it in the here and now it would be much closer.

[MagicElliott]

Okay, okay! I’ve shot myself in the foot by including Mark in the poll.
I meant it purely through musicianship, not song writing.

I remember Guy saying that Mike McG had a rare ability to learn a song faster than you can play it to him….this is the kind of thing I’m trying to describe!

[quizzaciously]

Okay, okay! I’ve shot myself in the foot by including Mark in the poll.
I meant it purely through musicianship, not song writing.

I remember Guy saying that Mike McG had a rare ability to learn a song faster than you can play it to him….this is the kind of thing I’m trying to describe!

I still stand with Glenn. I think he's the guy. Mark has a strong bond with bass players it seems, and the fact he had only two constant bass players, one for each era, says it all. The bass player is the foundation upon which everything else is built on. Then you can add drums, keyboards, and guitars. And Glenn seems like an extremely capable guy as he even writes all the charts down all the time.

[Jules]

Glenn Worf is winning, as MK doesn't count.

[KnopfleRick]

I wouldn’t have Mark as an option, it’s his band. That being said MK at his peak was unreachable, in a league of his own, and it lasted for a very long time. Now it’s pretty clear, at least to me, if he happened to be just a regular member of the band he’d be its weakest end. Time is merciless.

As I said in a previous post, Mark's songwriting - lyrics and music, has to be taken into consideration, as well as his guitar-playing and singing, all of which wouldn't make him anywhere near the weakest member of the band!  Even so, when I go to a Mark Knopfler concert I know that I'm seeing an exeedingly talented band!

I see it like you, superval99!
To me, Mark is the greatest musician and the great guys in his band were handpicked by him. They are all brilliant musicians and know exactly how to turn Mark's musical thoughts into music.

[Darling Pretty]

(MK)
Glenn Worf
Richard Bennett
Ianto
Jim Cox
GF
Folkies
Danny
Brassies

[Eddie Fox]

I wouldn’t have Mark as an option, it’s his band. That being said MK at his peak was unreachable, in a league of his own, and it lasted for a very long time. Now it’s pretty clear, at least to me, if he happened to be just a regular member of the band he’d be its weakest end. Time is merciless.

As I said in a previous post, Mark's songwriting - lyrics and music, has to be taken into consideration, as well as his guitar-playing and singing, all of which wouldn't make him anywhere near the weakest member of the band!  Even so, when I go to a Mark Knopfler concert I know that I'm seeing an exeedingly talented band!

I see it like you, superval99!
To me, Mark is the greatest musician and the great guys in his band were handpicked by him. They are all brilliant musicians and know exactly how to turn Mark's musical thoughts into music.

Well, I said ‘if Mark was just a regular member of a band’ didn’t I…

[Robson]

Mark said in one of the interviews that he is the weakest link in the band and makes mistakes.  But the vocalist is always right. I really like his humor. 

[KnopfleRick]

Mark said in one of the interviews that he is the weakest link in the band and makes mistakes.  But the vocalist is always right. I really like his humor. 

Me too! 

[qjamesfloyd]

For me it's Mark by a mile, not that the rest of the band aren't great, they are, and as a complete group of musicians they are about as good as it gets. For me, being a musician is not just about how you play an instrument, but with Mark he does that and composes songs that have exceptional lyrics of depth and meaning, writes film music instrumentals of real beauty, plays the guitar with such a unique style and approach, and has one of the best touch and feel on the instrument, and seems to find notes that most others can't, to add to all that, he is a first class producer and arranger and a very humble person with no ego compared to some other musicians, he commands a huge respect from the music industry and has released album of a very high quality for his whole career, something most of his contemporaries have not done. In my view, all of that, and more is why I think Mark is the best musician in his latest or any of his previous bands.

[Robson]

I agree with every word

[KnopfleRick]

There is nothing more to add!  MK is a genius!
Great post, qjamesfloyd! 

[Klaus74]

Wow, it is really hard to point that perfect musician out, because all of them are masterclass-musicians, incl. Mark.
I left Mark out, sorry dear Mark, but you are a class of your own. 
I have voted for Guy. Guy Fletcher is also a very instinctive and very versatile musician, whith his heart on the right side. He feels and lives the music, the arrangements, the compositions, his  instruments, the interaction with the whole band, and he is a very polite and handsome human beeing. I have met him in Cologne at the Hyatt-Regency-Hotel in around 2010 worldtour. He came out of the main entrance of that well known hotel and he recognized me with my record-sleeves. We got together and had a very cool talking, and he signed some of my records. He also took some photos from the hotel and the rhine-shore-area for his Guy Fletcher tour-diaries. He was so cool and relaxed. Fantastic.