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For an introduction to his work, listen to the CD "King of Heart". You will instantly be struck by the sound of this guitarist - a gritty, wailing guitar sound, intense, emotional, beautiful. It is lead guitar playing in the classic Rock tradition, definitely, but that doesn't say it all. Here is a sound and a way of playing that comes straight from the heart, with a deeply lyrical quality.
His is an intensity that is tempered by a strong melodic sensibility.
This man sings on his instrument - his music is emotionally satisfying, pleasant, the work of a true artist.
Who is he? No, not a newcomer. A musicians' musician is a better way to describe it. An instrumentalist, composer, arranger, seasoned studio player, author of a guitar book, music journalist, guitar consultant for various international guitar and electronic equipment manufacturers - a name in the guitar world, especially in the German speaking countries.
Now, with a new project in the works- a romantic Rock guitar album with lush orchestral accompaniment - he is entering uncharted territory in the world of modern music, on his way to win over more and much larger audience segments.
An artist with his own voice, identity, personal vision. It's all there on
"King of Heart" - the broad musical scope, the wide range of influences.
Abi started his professional career in the seventies, and you can tell he's been aware of much that has been happening in music in the last decades, in addition to having the general broad horizon of an educated player. The well-rounded musicianship is evident on the album
.
You will not find any complacent virtuosity, but the ease of execution betrays a Jazz player's chops. You can also hear slide guitar, Blues, R&B grooves, Folk touches on acoustic guitar, ambient soundscapes of New Age. He himself stresses the influence of Soul singers on his musical development, from Aretha to Whitney Houston, and of violin music from the classic and romantic period, and virtuosos like Itzhak Perlman, Anne-Sophie Mutter and Michael Rabin.
It's a rich mixture. Here's a soulful lead guitar player, and we understand he's also a romantic European: "King Of Heart."What makes an artist?
That he started out by teaching himself guitar at age 13 and later studied at GIT
in Los Angeles may explain something about his professionalism.
And his artistic vision, his human concern? That he was put in state-run boarding schools at age 10, that playing guitar became his release in that rigid,
impersonal environment, that he later continued the struggle as a boxer - that may tell us more.
"To express how much power is contained
in honest feelings and love" - here is the
essence of his musical philosophy.
You can hear it in every note. And it's a message we all understand,
here, there, and beyond the Seven Seas..
Craig Parrish
Beverly Hills, CA
