Neal`s Terrifying Young Guns: 7th Edition

Welcome to the April edition of Neal's Young Guns. Time is just flying by. Anyways, this month I was able to find some fresh new talent. Hopefully I can keep going with this column because it is getting tougher to find fresh new talent. May have to resort to different instruments!

The Official Site: shredguitarist.org

Submit your videos here: youtube.com/NealsYoungGuns

1. Zoe Thomson: 8 years old and tearing up the neoclassical thing. I remember seeing some of her older videos when she was 6. Scary!

2. Callum Williams: Doing a Steve Vai cover. Not sure how old he is but he is pretty damn impressive!

3. Juliette Valduriez: I have no idea how old she is, but she can definitely rip it up.

4. Dan Lewis: Any kid that can play an Andy James tune is going to be a scary player in the future. Even Andy himself was impressed!

5. Russ Callison: Performing Leo Brouwer's "Danza Characteristica". Not sure how old he is but this piece is dynamically and rhythmically challenging. Very nicely done.

6. Anton Oparin: Now 16 years old and just getting scarier. This was his latest video I found and an original tune! Very cool stuff.

7. Sungha Jung: From Korea and now 15 years old. This is the most recent video from him. The kid is unbelievable!

8. Andreas Varady: Now 14 and just tearing it up. This was the latest video I could find from him. Playing "Donna Lee". He makes a lot of veteran jazz players look really bad!

9. Jess Lewis: Now at the age of age 17. Doing her thing on the Jam Track Central Website. Playing Larry Carltonπs "Room 335" with monster player Alex Hutchings.

10. Jonny Mizzone: This video features the Sleepy Man Banjo Boys with 9 year old Jonny Mizzone on the banjo. These kids are scary! They have been on David Letterman show and several other programs.

These amazing kids are definitely on their way! It astounds me how fast they learn and how much they can absorb. Anyways, I hope you enjoy these. If anyone out there know some great young talent and have a video of them performing, feel free to send me a link.

The Official Site: shredguitarist.org

Neal Nagaoka, a guitarist and composer from California, has 28 years of studying and performing experience along with 25 years of teaching guitar students. His most recent CD "Transition" features ten hard rock and metal instrumentals.

Neal Nagaoka