Virtuoso

Brazilian Kiko Loureiro recently played a Masterclass at London's The Institute of Contemporary Music, and the Guitar Institute's master of ‘world guitar' Tolis Zavaliaris was on hand on 11^th March 2008 to ask a few pertinent questions to this exciting new guitar star. Kiko is a genuinely fresh new addition to the ranks of virtuoso metal based guitarists, bringing an eclectic mix of influences that reflect his South American heritage - and these combined with a world class command of the modern rock guitar idiom results in a genuinely cutting edge axeman.

One can only imagine the delight I experienced when I received an invitation to attend this special event(many thanks for this to Melissa Dragich of Joe's publicity team!). This was one of only four concerts across the east, center, west of America terminating with a special in studio in San Francisco that Joe was playing to celebrate the anniversary of this groundbreaking release. An album I am sure we can all agree, almost single-handedly saved the art form known as instrumental rock guitar.

Liquid Virtuosity Part One: Early Days Down Under

I first heard Brett Garsed's playing whilst half asleep, stuck in a traffic jam in North London on a foggy Saturday morning in late 1990. Cutting through both the external and internal fog (a result of cracking student party hangover...) were the most eloquent, sinuous and melodic rock guitar lines I had pretty much ever heard! Now properly awake, I asked my AOR loving driver who was playing: none other than the much derided 'Timotei Twins' of rock: Nelson!