Great post man, Jason Becker's music actually changed my life too. Up untill I heard 'Perpetual Burn' guitar solos were just about fast collections of notes, then I heard him play and everything changed. When I heard how sick he was I was devestated but then I read his story on myspace and his website and discovered that he is still going and working on a new project.

Although it was played by a friend of his Michael Lee Firkins (the best emulation of Jasons playing style I've ever heard), this track epitomises Beckers beautifull phrasing and amazing style (one of his slower pieces), check out the vid:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MkYD-vjkbiE
(the solo break that starts from 2.55 up to the awewsome shred passsages is one of my all time favourite guitar solos - the mosre you listen to it the more clever you realise it is, incredible piece of music)

Also, here's a documetnary you might like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3MPEYodaVU&NR=1

And Marty Friedman talking about how he was the most gifted player he has known:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=72kvNgdUBi4

PS, he is in the process of doing a new album, he wrote a load of music by moving his eyes to a computer program and the tracks are being performed by Marty Friedman and Steve Vai among others (check out his blog on myspace for the details).

Just looking back at this stuff is making me reach for his cd's... amazing guy