Since his first release, Lenny Kravitz has been the master of impeccable riffs, perfect guitar tone and genre-melding music. As he releases Blue Electric Light, he tells Guitar Player what drives his passion for tone and shares a look at some of his most prized vintage axes.
BY MARK McSTEA PORTRAIT BY MARK SELIGER
PLAYERS| LENNY KRAVITZ
LENNY KRAVITZ HAS been curating his own unique blend of rock, soul, funk and R&B since the appearance of his debut album, Let Love Rule, way back in 1989. Unafraid to mix and match genres, he has an impeccable sense of taste and an encyclopedic knowledge of the music that came before him. Since that first album, it has served as the glue that holds everything together, informing and influencing his own creations without ever slavishly resorting to mimicry.
Given all the above, it comes as no surprise that Kravitz is a supreme tonehound, relentlessly chasing down vintage gear in his pursuit of the ultimate sonic experience. “I’ve been doing this for so long now, even from the first record,” he confirms. “I was already on this kick, you know?” But it’s not simply nostalgia for the past that fuels his gear lust. “I just prefer the sound,” he says. “I was A/B-ing all kinds of gear from the very start, and the vintage gear always won. It has much more warmth, depth and dimension.”
Kravitz maintains his patented approach on Blue Electric Light (Roxie/BMG), his latest album and first full-length release since 2018’s Raise Vibration. The record finds him teaming up once again with Craig Ross, his longtime band member and guitar partner. “Craig is a guitarist who deserves his due,” Kravitz says. “He’s been with me for over 30 years, and I rank him with anybody. What’s so great about him is all the styles that he can play. He’s limitless.”
The album was initially completed well over 12 months ago, but Kravitz held it back. “There were a lot of things going on and a lot of planning in putting the tour together to promote the album, so we were just waiting for the right time, logistically. For me, there was no rush.”
Having lived with the album for a year now, were you tempted to tweak things, or did you adhere to the“leave well alone” philosophy?
I actually did tweak it. I had the time to make sure that everything was perfect. I’ve mixed this album so many times, you wouldn’t believe it. [laughs] I can say with total con
