Isaiah Sharkey is a master of jazz, R&B, gospel, blues, rock and more – and if you’ve heard D’Angelo’s Black Messiah, Miles Davis’ Rubberband, or seen John Mayer live, you’re a witness.
“Playing with John is awesome,” says Sharkey, 36. “It’s always fun and it’s always a university of learning and experimenting with tones.
“Sometimes I have to go and seek what he used. I’ll get that pedal or use that kind of amp or guitar. I’ll shift my rig to suit the style of his playing.”
Sharkey just wrapped up a residency at the Blue Note jazz club in New York City. He’s got two Ibanez signature guitars on tap, and a host of solo and collaborative touring across the fall. He’s fired up about all that – but nothing matches his burgeoning friendship with George Benson.
“To be able to sit down, and more than even playing, just listen to his stories, was beautiful,” Sharkey says, having recently spent a weekend with the jazz guitar icon. “The wisdom he has, just in basic conversation, gives you so many perspectives to take into consideration – musically and in life.”
What was your rig like for your four-night run at the Blue Note?
“It was a great turnout and we had a lot of fun. I was using a Fender Hot Rod Deville and a Crews Maniac Sound guitar that’s basically like a Tele with two humbuckers. And I was using a Boss GT-1000 pedal.”
How does that differ from your typical live rig?
“It’s definitely more compact. If I’m doing an extensive tour I’m using a lot more analog pedals. It can range from boutique pedals, like Chase Bliss and J. Rockett to some old Boss stuff. The speakers are pretty much stereo, so I use Victory V140s. And of course, way more guitars!”
You’ve got two signature guitars on the horizon with Ibanez.
“We’re currently in development. One is a solidbody and the other is a semi-hollow. We want to create something so that guitarists can bring two guitars, and not a million, to a session or on a tour. So it’s two guitars that cover the spectrum for the most part.
“Being a session and touring musician with different people, I’ve found myself playing Strats, Teles, Les Pauls, 335s – and in some instances, archtops. Then, for funkier stuff, old Jazzmasters, Jaguars and that kind of thing, where you can get those kinds of out-of-phase tones.
“Now I’m able to achieve a lot of different sounds just by using one of the signature models – not even including the other semi-hollow.”
You’ve also been spotted playing the Ritter Princess Isabella.
“I don’t really get a chance to play that much. I acquired it a couple of weeks ago; it’s very special because Ritter made that guitar for George Benson. It’s the prototype for George Benson. It's one of one. It’s surprisingly warm for the body shape, being so thin.”
What was your weekend with George like?
“It was beautiful! Over the years we’ve met briefly; but connecting with him on a more consistent basis has been surreal. You grow up and listen to the greats like Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell; and, of course, George is among those greats. He’s funny and a really great guy. And we all know he’s the best on the guitar.”
You’ve been touring with John Mayer for around a decade. What has that taught you?
“It’s very experimental when it comes to tone. It can be as simple as a tube being changed in an amp, or the subtle differences between kinds of overdrives. It’s the same with delays, reverbs, and the effect they have on the sound of the guitar.”
Has your choice in gear changed because of that?
“He’s really got me into trying out vintage guitars. I’ve jumped on the bandwagon and just lost my mind with that – he’s ruined me with getting new guitars and some vintage stuff!
“He achieves different tones for different songs that he’s pulling from those classic albums, and he’s also experimenting with new stuff. I have to expand the possibilities of my own rig.”
John can get complex. But his simplistic way of playing is incredible. He gave me a perspective about connecting with my audience
What sticks out to you about his playing?
“John is a very tasteful player. He can make you cry and laugh, and his playing can get complex. But his simplistic way of playing is just incredible. He gave me a perspective about being simple and connecting with my audience.”
You played guitar on D’Angelo’s Black Messiah album in 2014. How do you look back on your performance?
“I’m like, ‘Wow, that seems like forever ago!’ I only had three or four guitars. My main axe was a gift, which was a Lucille B.B. King signature model, and a Strat that was modified. It was from the ’80s, and it had some Seymour Duncan pickups. I also had a Vox HDC77.
“Those were the guitars that I used on that entire album – and not a whole bunch of pedals. We might have done some stuff where I put my guitar through a Leslie, but it was a lot of clean stuff.”
Is there a song from Black Messiah that sticks out to you?
“I used kind of like a Fuzz Face on 1000 Deaths because it’s kind of a dirtier kind of vibe. On Till It’s Done (Tutu) I used a Leslie; and on Another Life I used my Gibson Lucille, but I also used a Danelectro sitar.”
Would you change anything on that record?
“As a guitar player I probably would have been a different kind of player. Maybe my thoughts would have been a little different, my process; and maybe I would have added different tones. But I think for what it is, it’s what it needed to be.”
You contributed to Miles Davis’ 2019 Rubberband album, billed as his final recording.
“I got a call from the producer, Vince Wilburn, who’s Miles’ nephew. We worked on So Emotional with Lalah Hathaway and I used a Fodera Monarch guitar and a Fender Twin.
“I had some Vertex pedals, a Strymon Flint, a Strymon Mobius and a Meris Mercury7. I wanna say I had something like an Xotic Wah, and maybe an Ibanez TS9 from the ’80s. I had a Nightshade for an overdrive. It was an honor to be a part of that session.”
What’s next for you?
“I’ve been out with my band, and there’s John Mayer dates coming up throughout September and early October. Then I’ll be back in New York for some more Robert Glasper dates for his annual residency.
“At the end of October I’ll be doing a very cool gig with a giant – Darryl Jones, who played bass with the Rolling Stones. He’s an alumnus with Miles Davis and Bernard Fowler. We’ll be doing a residency in Copenhagen. It’s going to be really, really great!”
- Sharkey’s latest album Red is available on streaming platforms.
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