Posted April 24, 2011 at 9:56 am | 4 comments
Back in around 1999, I was studying jazz performance at Vanier College in Montreal. As any typical young player in the ‘90s, I was into the classic players such as Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino and Joe Pass, a few obscure guitarists like Lenny Breau and Ed Bickert and of course had spent my obligatory time with Pat Metheny’s catalogue. But then one day my teacher Nick Di Tomasso, who had incredible foresight, gave me a record and said, “If you think those guys can play, you need to check out this album, it’ll change your life.” That would be an understatement to say the least. The album was Dust by the New York based, virtuoso guitarist Ben Monder.
Posted in: Guitar Hero Interviews, Interviews, Jazz, Jazz Interviews
Posted April 21, 2011 at 10:20 am | No comments
It’s not easy growing up with a parent who is a famous name in their chosen field, especially if one decides to pursue a career in the same vein as their well-known mother or father. Often times it is hard, or even impossible, for one to step out from their parent’s shadows and make a name for themselves, no matter what career path they choose to pursue. While this is the case with many musicians, guitarist Marcel Powell is proving that one can carry on their parent’s legacy, while at the same time creating an entirely separate, and highly successful, career in their own right.
Posted in: Interviews, Jazz, Jazz Interviews
Posted April 18, 2011 at 12:47 pm | No comments
Moving between the Metal and Jazz worlds throughout his long and successful career, guitarist Alex Skolnick is one of the few musicians on today’s scene who can claim to have played Thrash Metal shows and appeared at the Rochester International Jazz Festival. After graduating from the New School in New York, where he studied jazz, Skolnick has been blazing a new trail with his music as he and his trio brings Metal, Rock and Jazz together in highly personal and effective combination. All of these influences can be heard on the band’s latest album, Veritas.
Posted in: Interviews, Jazz, Jazz Interviews
Posted April 18, 2011 at 7:41 am | No comments
Jazz is an art form that lives in the moment. Musical ideas are created on the spot, melodies swirl around complex harmonies and everything is kept together with a pulsing rhythm that ranges from bombastic to sultry and seductive. Because of Jazz’s ability to be absolutely spontaneous, many fans believe that live albums are the only way to properly capture the moment when a band comes together to breathe life into their tunes. But, live albums are also some of the hardest to capture because of the risk involved whenever a high level of improvisation is being injected into the music.
Posted in: Interviews, Jazz, Jazz Interviews
Posted April 1, 2011 at 8:41 am | No comments
When one thinks of Brazilian music, the soft sounds of Tom Jobim or Stan Getz usually spring to mind. Music that conjures up images of white-sand beaches, palm trees swaying in the breeze and long summer nights spent relaxing with friends. But, there are many sides to Brazilian music that don’t often receive the same level of attention outside of the musically bountiful country as Bossa Nova does.
Posted in: Interviews, Jazz, Jazz Interviews
Posted March 7, 2011 at 7:50 am | No comments
There is something about Latin Jazz that just feels good, when it’s played well that is. A lot of modern jazz has moved beyond its roots as dance music, pushing the boundaries of harmony and melody in new and exciting directions, but nobody’s going to dance to it. This is why Latin, and Brazilian Jazz for that matter are so much fun to listen to. The top players in these genres know how to keep that deep groove, all while bringing advanced harmonic concepts to the mix. By doing so they not only appeal to folks who like to get up and cut the rug, but also to those who like to be intellectually stimulated when they listen to a jazz record or concert.
Posted in: Interviews, Jazz, Jazz Interviews
Posted February 16, 2011 at 9:00 am | No comments
Jazz guitarist and inventor, Les Paul, brought us more than his electric “Log” guitar fashioned out of two pickups, and the triptych coupling of a slab of 4 x 4 lumber and the two halves from an Epiphone hollow body guitar. He brought us more than a delightful legacy of jazz, but a mountain of amazing guitar techniques to examine and study. His deep curiosity and rich inventiveness roamed the world of electronics and sound, luring him like sirens to seemingly insurmountable production and recording challenges. Good for us that Mr. Paul’s intense curiosity was welded to an equally tenacious spirited drive.
Posted in: Guitar Hero Interviews, Interviews, Jazz, Jazz Interviews
Posted January 21, 2011 at 9:00 am | One comment
For the hoards of guitar players out there who spend their time trawling through YouTube videos in search of the next big thing, Daniele Gottardo needs no introduction. For the uninitiated, Gottardo is a rising star from Italy who really shot to attention by making it to the final of the Guitar Idol competition, twice.
Posted in: Interviews, Jazz, Jazz Interviews
Posted January 9, 2011 at 3:00 pm | One comment
Guitar International recently sat down with Soren to talk about his new record, get his thoughts on Smooth Jazz and hear about his new DVD that’s in the works.
Posted in: Interviews, Jazz, Jazz Interviews
Posted December 30, 2010 at 10:00 am | One comment
Jazz guitarist Ben Tyree epitomizes the new generation of jazz artists with his eclectic mix of styles, featuring hard percussive funk armed with arrested guitar riffs, giving his performances fitful spurts, as well as more traditional seamless melodic reveries that broaden is sonic reach.
Posted in: Interviews, Jazz, Jazz Interviews
