by Greg Prato

Few guitarist received as many accolades during the late '80s/early '90s as Joe Satriani did. During that era, it appeared as though you couldn't escape Satriani's mug and shiny silver guitar whenever you opened the latest guitar publication. The monthly press coverage may have cooled in later years, but there's still an enormous following for "Satch" -- heck, he's one of the few '80s era shredders who's managed to remain on a major label throughout the years. Having issued albums regularly since 1986, there has never been a single-disc sampler of Satriani's best tracks -- until 2005's One Big Rush: The Genius of Joe Satriani came along. Unlike the more expansive 2003 double-disc set, The Electric Joe Satriani: An Anthology, One Big Rush manages to stick strictly to the basics over ten tracks. Standouts include such uptempo, rocking instrumentals as "One Big Rush" and "Surfing with the Alien," as well as more subdued fare as "Cryin'." While it's by no means a definitive Satriani best-of (the exclusion of such classics as "Always with Me, Always with You," "Satch Boogie," and "Summer Song" prevents it), for an affordable intro, One Big Rush is recommended.