Posted October 24, 2011 at 10:55 am | No comments
Greg Howe is an amazing guitar virtuoso who has become one of the most in-demand performers, clinicians, guitar teacher, studio and touring musicians on the scene today. Howe has performed with musicians such as Michael Jackson, Enrique Iglesias, N’Sync, Victor Wooten, Dennis Chambers, Stu Hamm among many others. In this interview we talk about Howe’s music, jazz influences in his music, his touring with different pop stars as well as Howe’s thoughts on Allan Holdsworth, success and teaching individuality.
Posted in: Instrumental Interviews, Interviews, Jazz Interviews, Rock Interviews
Posted September 20, 2011 at 6:29 pm | No comments
In July 2001, I was deeply honored to interview roots music legend, the late, great Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown before he passed away just a few years later. At some 77 years young, the virtuoso guitarist, fiddle player, and multi-instrumentalist had been blessed with a luminous, storied career and had shared the live performance stage and recording studio with the likes of Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder, Leon Russell, Roy Clark, and a glittering who’s who of music icons who have all tipped their hats to Gate’s musical gifts and immeasurable influence on them.
Posted in: Blues Interviews, Country Interviews, Instrumental Interviews, Interviews
Posted August 10, 2011 at 1:07 pm | One comment
I first heard and saw John Benitez perform with the Richie Flores Sextet during the 2011 Heineken Jazz Festival in Puerto Rico. Benitez’s enthusiasm, charisma and personality were felt subtly through his performance with this ensemble. Benitez contributed a sense of truthfulness to the performance that many young performers are in search for today.
Posted in: Instrumental Interviews, Interviews, Jazz Interviews
Posted May 7, 2011 at 11:05 am | No comments
The world of instrumental guitar is mostly associated with American and British performer such as Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Allan Holdsworth and Guthrie Govan, but there have also been amazing guitarists from other countries who have made meaningful contributions to the genre over the years. One of the countries that have produced some of the best instrumental guitarists over the last 30 years is Sweden. Players such as Yngwie Malmsteen, Adreas Olberg and now Fredrik Pihl have all shone a spotlight on the Swedish guitar scene with their lightning fast technique, soaring melodies and on-stage flair.
Posted in: Instrumental Interviews, Interviews, Metal
Posted May 4, 2011 at 3:00 pm | No comments
Legendary guitar and piano/keyboard virtuoso, Tony MacAlpine’s new selftitled album, to be released June 21 on Favored Nations, marks a highly-anticipated return to solo work after a prolific decade of output with his bands, including prog-metal-fusion trio
Planet X; GRAMMY-nominated jazz fusion outfit CAB; power metallers Ring Of Fire; as well as performing keyboard and guitar duties in Steve Vai’s double platinum DVD-selling live band “The Breed” from 2001-2006. “When I set out to write a new album, I quickly realized that my urge to once again create and define myself as a solo artist had returned with a vengeance,” said MacAlpine. “This is my strongest album to date. I can’t wait to hit the road and play it live.”
Posted in: Instrumental Interviews, Interviews, Metal
Posted April 25, 2011 at 8:56 am | No comments
When one thinks of Saudi Arabia, a strong and open music scene doesn’t normally come to mind, but as is the case with many cultural stereotypes, looks can be deceiving. One of the artists that is looking to shed light on the Saudi musical scene and heritage is guitarist, and current Vancouver resident, Faze, and his Faze Project is an exciting new instrumental record that features world-class playing and writing. Aside from his work as a performer and recording artist, Faze is also an experienced teacher who is spreading his wings into the realm of live workshops and internet guitar lessons. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for Faze, he’s definitely ready to make a splash on the international, instrumental-guitar scene.
Posted in: Instrumental Interviews, Interviews, Rock
Posted April 16, 2011 at 7:22 pm | 2 comments
Multi-talented guitarist, composer, arranger and pedagogue, Santiago Diaz Garćes is helping to shed light on the Argentinian guitar scene with his advanced technique and heightened sense of melodic development. While many players have similar chops, or have Garćes’ sense of melody, very few have both in the same engaging and entertaining combination that the gifted South American possesses. As well as being recognized for his performance ability and writing, you can also catch Garćes’ videos over at GuitarMasterClass.net, where he teaches you how to play in the style of Jeff Loomis, Jason Becker and Paul Gilbert, just to name a few of his video lessons.
Posted in: Instrumental Interviews, Interviews, Metal
Posted April 1, 2011 at 9:42 am | One comment
Producer, recording artist, seasoned touring musician, songwriter, arranger, business owner, endorser, all of these titles apply to guitarist extraordinaire Vernon Neilly. While many artists would be happy to be successful in one of these fields during their careers, the multi-talented guitarist thrives on having his irons in many fires, with consistent positive results. Not only has Neilly developed a reputation as a world-class performer, writer and even actor, but he was one of the earliest businessmen to realize the potential of selling music on the internet. A realization that has sparked his many endeavors into the business side of music, culminating in Boosweet Records, which he founded in 1999 and which is still going strong today.
Posted in: Instrumental Interviews, Interviews
Posted March 9, 2011 at 10:00 am | 2 comments
As the ‘90s dawned and Grunge and later Alternative rock replaced Shred and Metal at the top of the guitar world, many of the premier players of the day saw a decline in their careers as listeners began to move away from instrumental guitar albums and albums with virtuosic guitar in general. While many of his contemporaries watched as their fans drifted away and their gigs vanish, at least for the time being, guitar virtuoso Greg Howe was able to maintain and even grow his audience and reputation during this tough period for guitar, which can be seen in his clinics, concerts and online teaching materials that continue to be popular today, many years after the “peak” of the instrumental guitar genre.
Posted in: Guitar Hero Interviews, Instrumental Interviews, Interviews, Modern Rock
Posted February 28, 2011 at 3:02 pm | No comments
We don’t get a lot of electronic music coming our way at Guitar International, and I have to admit that my own lack of experience with the genre left me with stereotypes and misconceptions of a genre that is often labeled on one side of the spectrum as club music, and on the other, academic based composition. When Ricky Graham’s new album Signals Under Tests came across my desk, I was a bit hesitant at first because of the genre label, but man am I ever glad that I sat down and gave this record a chance. It has turned out to not only be a very enjoyable listening experience, but has also opened my eyes and ears to the electronic genre, especially the guitar’s role in this music.
Posted in: Instrumental Interviews, Interviews
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