Posted October 18, 2009 at 5:31 pm | No comments
Naquele Tempo is Roland Dyens’ incredible collection of solo classical guitar arrangements of works written by the Brazilian composer, Alfredo da Rocha Viana, Jr.(1897-1973), better known as Pixinguinha (pronounced, Pish-in-GUI-nia). Pixinguinha’s music was originally written for small jazz ensembles and is characteristically expressive, innovative, and rich with melody and complex harmonies. His pieces have an improvisational feeling to them and contain all the elements representative of an expert composer.
Posted in: Classical, Classical Reviews, Reviews
Posted October 7, 2009 at 11:01 am | No comments
Joe Bonamassa dreamed of being a professional guitarist and playing the Royal Albert Hall ever since he was a young boy growing up in Utica, New York. This dream came true on May 4, 2009.
Posted in: Blues, Blues Reviews, DVD Reviews, Reviews
Posted October 1, 2009 at 12:55 pm | No comments
In the music performance world some artists actually get better over time. The energy and the passion for their craft only increase as they mature. For several decades George Benson has distinguished himself as one of the finest jazz guitarists of his time. Add to that his expressive vocals and scat singing and the musical package is totally complete.
Posted in: Jazz, Jazz Reviews, Reviews
Posted October 1, 2009 at 9:06 am | No comments
Aaron Shearer’s Classic Guitar Technique has been one of the most highly used and influential classical guitar method books for more that fifty years. Like many classical guitarists, I grew up learning from Shearer’s book and it’s the main pedagogical resource I now use in my private teaching studio. Alfred Music Publishing has recently introduced the third edition of Classic Guitar Technique, with the new edition being revised, updated, and re-edited by the maestro himself and one or his former students, Thomas Kitka.
Posted in: Classical, Instructional Book Reviews, Reviews
Posted September 30, 2009 at 1:30 pm | No comments
To begin with, for those unaware, a supergroup is a rock band consisting of members from a variety of prior successful endeavors, musicians who are renowned independently as well. Every now and then, a supergroup infiltrates the rock music world, immediately creating intense anticipation and interest.
Posted in: Reviews, Rock, Rock Reviews
Posted September 30, 2009 at 11:14 am | No comments
For the third year in a row the Paul Reed Smith has pulled out the stops for a full force gale of a guitar company trade show near the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Stevensville, Maryland.
Posted in: Concert Reviews, Guitars and Gear, Reviews
Posted September 30, 2009 at 10:21 am | No comments
The Monterey Blues Festival is held each year over the last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in June. One of the things I like about the Monterey festival is that it’s more Afro-centric than many other festivals I’ve attended
Posted in: Blues, Blues Reviews, Concert Reviews, Reviews
Posted September 23, 2009 at 4:50 pm | One comment
Guitar International was invited to the premiere showing of Steve Vai’s new DVD release, Where the Wild Things Are and charity event.
Posted in: Concert Reviews, Instrumental Reviews, Rock, Rock Reviews
Posted September 22, 2009 at 7:17 pm | No comments
As classical guitarists and guitar pedagogues, we have become used to lugging around a mountain of books with us everywhere we go. There is a book for scales, a book for arpeggios, a book for right hand technique and a book for the left.
Posted in: Classical, Instructional Book Reviews, Reviews
Posted September 16, 2009 at 6:44 pm | No comments
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is special. That’s what I found out when I went to my first one in 1985. So special to me that I’ve been back every year since (okay, I missed one). It’s an immersion, an immersion in all things New Orleans and Louisiana; music, food, culture and fun.
Posted in: Blues, Blues Reviews, Concert Reviews, Reviews
