5.jpgwas born in Ukraine in 1975. He was only 4 when he started his career as a musician, playing piano. His first guitar was offered to Vitaly when he was 10 years old. But it is only two years later, that he understood that this instrument will help him to express himself fully. He was around 24 when he tried to play the “Tapping”. Today, he masters perfectly this method, and gifted as he is, makes Vitaly a great virtuose.

PLAYING STYLE: Tapping. This specific method is kind of hard to play for any musician who takes the risk of playing that way, and wishes to play at a professional level. There is nothing in common with the traditional way of playing guitar. It is closer to piano playing than guitar. Per instance, the hand’s position is reversed, the right hand playing the G note and the left one playing F. This applies also for the fingers. The way Vitaly plays is totally unusual, and makes every guitar playing Stars wonder how he does it!...Nobody understands his play and his virtuosity.

Vitaly is currently starting his international career as Concertist. He plays mainly with an IBANEZ Guitar, and the second one, tuned differently, is a VIGIER ‘Excalibur Show Lane Clear Black” guitar, particularly suited for playing “Tapping”, as the strings are closer to the neck.

Official Website 

singaporeboyzz.jpgSingapore, July 23 2008 – Jack & Rai, the two front men of popular local cover band EIC, have taken their smooth vocals and soulful melodies off stage and into the recording studios with the debut of their self-penned album, ‘in stores now!’.

Featuring 11 original tracks including their first radio single The Falala  Song and the cheeky Fiona, inspired by a certain local celebrity, ‘in stores now!’ marks a significant milestone for the two seasoned musicians. 
 
‘We’ve been very encouraged by the fantastic response from our fans at Wala Wala, Timbre and Balaclava over the past six years, and we hope they’ll continue to support us as we embark on this truly exciting journey of making the leap from a cover band to original artistes,’ said Rai.

Jack & Rai have come a long way since they first met as solo musicians in 2000 and later on formed the cover band EIC. Both have since left their day jobs to pursue their passion for music full-time and to invest their fullest attention and energy in producing their debut album.
 
‘in stores now!’ has been a self-supported project from start to finish – from creative direction to marketing to distribution – a decision Jack & Rai made to ensure that the final product would stay true to their vision. 

‘It has been a huge challenge and perhaps an unconventional decision not to go through the traditional channels, but it has only made the end result sweeter. We are very proud of how ‘in stores now!’ turned out and we hope the public’s response will be equally enthusiastic,’ said Jack. 
‘in stores now!’ is now available at all branches of Gramophone, HMV and Wala Wala Restaurant & Bar.

 

FrancoMorone

One of the great names on the international guitar roster, Franco Morone is widely regarded as the "Italian Poet of the Acoustic Guitar".
His melodies exert a powerful charm which makes itself felt on the very first hearing and is enhanced by his thoughtful arrangements.
What is surprising in his work is the emotional impact of both his original and the traditional tunes the latter being completely refreshed and reborn under his fingers.
Through his teaching and musicological research, Franco has become a reference point for many guitarists, both amateur and professional. He has given workshops in Italy and abroad and regularly performs at prestigious festivals in Europe, the United States and Japan. 

The official Website

jren.jpg was born in Marylebone, London in 1944, right at the end of the War. My Mother played light-classical pieces on the piano, which also served as the family bomb-shelter during the air raids.  I recall her playing with great fondness and still play an arrangement of Schumann's "Im Wunderschonen Monat Mai" on the guitar.  Later on, at school, I took music lessons with a patient man named John Webber who introduced me to Early Music which had yet to become part of the curriculum.  At the same time I sat my grade exams on classical guitar at the Guildhall, presided over by Adele Kramer.

An interest in Early Music has remained with me, not least in my approach to arrangement.  The classical guitar studies helped a lot in the transition to steel-string fingerpicking styles, "Faro's Rag" owes more to Fernando Sor than Madame Kramer would probably care to acknowledge.

In Britain in the late fifties the musical craze was for 'Skiffle', an amalgam of American folk, blues, bluegrass and jugband styles.  The big hit was "Freight Train"  which drew attention to Elizabeth Cotten's original, as well as to the work of such musicians as Leadbelly, Jesse Fuller, Josh White, Big Bill Broonzy, Brownie McGhee and Ramblin' Jack Elliot.  These players  all came over to England and their guitar styles left a strong impression on a generation of young skifflers.  As soon as I left school I went hitch-hiking,and met up with others trying to play like them.  Mac McCloud, Gerry Lockran, Mick Softly and Wizz Jones were already well on the way,and we were all in awe of Davey Graham.


Weiterlesen: John Renbourn