ORANGEVALE—A rare all-star guitar tribute honoring the legacy ofJeff Beckis coming to Orangevale, with a limited number of tickets available for a special one-night performance at The Boardwalk.
Scheduled for Friday, Jan. 10,A Tribute to Jeff Beck – An All Star Eventbrings together an accomplished lineup of musicians for an evening dedicated to celebrating Beck’s enduring influence on rock, blues, and fusion music. Rather than a traditional tribute band format, the event features a rotating roster of respected artists, each reflecting Beck’s impact through their own celebrated careers.
Among those taking part isStu Hamm, known for his work with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, alongsideJude Goldof Jefferson Starship andMike Vanderhuleof Y&T. VocalistDarby Gould, whose résumé includes Jefferson Starship and Big Brother & the Holding Company, is also part of the lineup.
The tribute further includesDanielle Gottardo, widely praised for her expressive playing and cited by Steve Vai as one of his favorite modern guitarists. Veteran session guitaristFrank Martinbrings decades of experience performing alongside Stevie Wonder, Sting, Whitney Houston, John McLaughlin, Larry Carlton, and other major artists.
Also contributing to the evening areEric Barnettof Points North and Guitar Player Magazine’s Guitar Superstar Competition; slide guitar specialistJules Leyhe, whose career includes performances with Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan, Charlie Musselwhite, and Fantastic Negrito; andJimmy Leslie, a longtime Guitar Player Magazine journalist and Bay Area guitarist.
Rounding out the all-star roster areDanny Jones,Farida Nelson, andTara Rae, each adding their own interpretation and voice to a program designed to reflect the depth and reach of Beck’s influence across multiple genres and generations.
Rather than attempting note-for-note recreations, the evening is designed to honor Beck’s spirit—his adventurous phrasing, expressive control, and refusal to be confined by genre. Each performance reflects how his influence continues to shape modern guitar-driven music.
The legacy behind the tribute
Jeff Beck was one of the most innovative and influential guitarists of all time, widely regarded as a “guitarist’s guitarist” for his technical mastery, expressive touch, and fearless genre-hopping approach.
Beck first rose to prominence in 1965 when he replaced Eric Clapton as lead guitarist for the Yardbirds. During his tenure with the pioneering British blues-rock group, he helped shape the emerging psychedelic rock sound through groundbreaking use of feedback, distortion, and tone manipulation.
In 1967, Beck formed the Jeff Beck Group, featuring Rod Stewart on vocals and Ronnie Wood on bass. Their albumsTruth(1968) andBeck-Ola(1969) delivered a raw, blues-drenched sound that would help lay the blueprint for hard rock and early heavy metal, influencing bands such as Led Zeppelin.
Following additional projects, including Beck, Bogert & Appice, Beck launched a solo career that marked a dramatic shift toward instrumental jazz fusion. His albumsBlow by Blow(1975) andWired(1976), produced by Beatles collaborator George Martin, were critically acclaimed and became cornerstone recordings of the fusion movement.
Throughout the following decades, Beck remained a restless innovator, incorporating elements of electronica, classical music, and hip-hop into his work. He collaborated with an extraordinary range of artists, including Stevie Wonder, Mick Jagger, Kate Bush, and Johnny Depp, while continuing to evolve his sound.
Beck’s distinctive playing style—defined by finger-picking instead of a guitar pick, masterful whammy bar control, and expressive use of controlled feedback—allowed him to create vocal-like tones unmatched by his peers. He earned eight Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: first as a member of the Yardbirds in 1992, and later as a solo artist in 2009.
Consistently ranked among the greatest guitarists of all time by publications such asRolling Stone, Beck influenced generations of musicians, including David Gilmour, Johnny Marr, and Joe Satriani.
Beck passed away on Jan. 10, 2023, at the age of 78, due to bacterial meningitis, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire musicians around the world.
The Boardwalk is located at 9426 Greenback Lane in Orangevale. Long regarded as one of the region’s most iconic live music venues, the Boardwalk is known for hosting intimate performances that allow audiences to experience high-caliber musicianship up close.
The show begins at 8 p.m., and tickets are limited for this special engagement. Tickets and event details are available atwww.rocktheboardwalk.com.
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