By Ross Boissoneau Growing up, Tracy Silverman was enamored of the sounds of his favorite artists. He wanted to be able to shriek and growl like Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix, bend notes and strum rhythms like Eric Clapton and Duane Allman. One problem: He played violin, not guitar. “Guitar was the most important instrument […]

By Ross Boissoneau Born in 2007 in Taiwan, Feng E began playing ukulele after piano lessons failed to take. He did have a bit of an excuse, as he was only 4 when he started piano. He was only 5 when he turned to the diminutive four-stringed instrument, but with encouragement from his dad he […]

By Ross Boissoneau It’s unlikely that many guitarists have a section on their website devoted to mathematics, but that’s Andrew York for you. The multi-faceted York has distinguished himself through his composing, recording and playing. But his interests are even broader and deeper; a member of the high-IQ organization Triple 9 (think Mensa on steroids), […]

By Ross Boissoneau Chieli Minucci has been a force in modern electric jazz for more than 40 years, since founding the band Special EFX with percussionist George Jinda in 1982. Either under his own name or that of the band he’s released over 30 albums. He’s played with pop artists Celine Dion, Lou Reed, Lionel […]

By Ross Boissoneau William “Bill” Kanengiser is best known as a founding member of the celebrated Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. The group has released 14 CDs since its founding, receiving two Grammy nominations and winning one. The LAGQ’s recording of the title work on Pat Metheny’s Road to the Sun hit #1 on the Apple […]

By Ross Boissoneau What?? A flamenco opera, premiering in February??? Indeed, Strings By Mail artist Adam Del Monte has the creds and the mojo to make it happen, and he did! He teaches flamenco and classical guitar at USC, where he has been a member of the studio guitar department faculty since 2000. He recorded […]

By Ross Boissoneau Mark Egan says his latest release, Cross Currents, encompasses influences from throughout his career. That’s saying a lot, as the bassist was a founding member and mainstay of the Pat Metheny group and spent years laying down the foundation for the Gil Evans Orchestra. Over the course of his career he’s played […]

By Ross Boissoneau Music video at bottom for your listening pleasure. The promotional material for her latest recording suggests Missy Raines has been exploring other sonic territory at the expense of the music she grew up with and has played all her life: “On her newest release Highlander, the bassist/vocalist/songwriter returns to her bluegrass roots.” […]

By Ross Boissoneau John Basile is not as well-known as many other guitarists. Perhaps it’s because his discography is limited, with 14 recordings under his name over the last 38 years. Maybe it’s because of his many other interests and vocations, including radiology and boxing. That’s right, he ran and managed various imaging clinics, and […]

By Ross Boissoneau Michael Manring says his love affair with his chosen instrument has been nearly lifelong. “I fell in love with bass as a kid,” he says. “I was a little young for the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, so for me it was Woodstock. It was like a bomb going off for me and […]