The Seven
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Dedicated To Great Progressive Instrumental Music
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The Seven is an eclectic, ever-changing, genre-jumping sonic collage that is the personal musical vision of Kevin A. Smith. Dedicated to the creation of great progressive instrumental music, Smith submitted a three song CD-R of his work containing excerpts from his upcoming CD entitled Meaning Of Is... The three tracks draw on influences such as jazz-fusion, hyper-technical prog rock, classical and new age, with Smith manning all the instruments. His guitar work sounds like the way a young Eric Johnson might play if he had one foot planted in progressive rock and the other planted in the blues. The third track, "Roll Over", features some nice trade offs on the guitar with Smith presumably playing all parts. The music really holds your attention--Smith seems to have everything going for him to advance further in the progressive rock arena.
The Seven manifests itself primarily as recordings of Kevin's compositions through the years. He has recorded three albums ("Sounds"-1990, "Signs"-1993 and "Sphere Of Influence"-1996) and has built up a small but loyal base of fans. The concept arose when Kevin found himself writing primarily instrumental music and he had trouble finding musicians with the depth or ability to play the intricate works. He built a small recording studio and began experimenting. Kevin quickly discovered that being the sole creative force allowed him to develop a heightened sense of the interaction between the instruments and their relationships, both rhythmic and harmonic. He believes he has tapped into an interesting creative well working this way, and he is willing to live with the limitations in order to reach his listeners.
Smith's future plans include the scoring of a documentary for UNC-TV that will be aired nationally on PBS, beginning pre-production on a fresh set of instrumental tunes, and putting together a live set of some of The Seven's greatest hits with local musicians for performance at various festivals.
Contact Information
Kevin A. Smith
The Seven
3016 S. Bruins Ln.
Florence, SC 29505
United States
Web site:
www.flosc.net/sixplus1
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Fabrizio Chiruzzi
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Malmsteen, Angelo, Stump -- Take Cover!
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Italian guitarist Fabrizio Chiruzzi submitted a CD-ROM entitled The Dominance Factor containing three music videos of him playing incredible neoclassical and metal solos over some basic grooves, as well as some examples of him playing cross-handed and over/under-the-neck (ala Michael Angelo), sweep picking, behind the head playing, picking with his teeth and more. It's almost like he secured a copy of Michael Angelo's "Speed Kills" video, mastered every technique, then worked through the dozen Malmsteen CDs for more ideas. It's really amazing to watch Chiruzzi blaze through five or six minutes of Pentium-speed shred without making a mistake or showing any emotion. All this after only four years of study! We've got to hope that Chiruzzi spends the next four years shedding his influences, working on his compositional chops and putting that super technique to use on some truly original recordings--this is a remarkable young man.
Fabrizio is a twenty-two year old guitarist who started playing guitar at the age of eighteen. He currently lays claim to being the 'fastest shredder in his province and beyond'--something the videos will immediately prove to any skeptic. Fabrizio's hobbies include listening to and playing music, reading crime and occult books and drawing with the PC. His web site includes numerous examples of his PC art, most notably, 'virtual guitar art' which are Playboy-calibre models and other scenes superimposed onto guitar bodies--you've got to see them to believe them. Fabrizio has also written a book and invented his own beer.
Chiruzzi is working on his first instrumental album, which will be a concept album composed of 15 tracks straddling the New Age and Fusion genres, but also blending the violent fury of the shred genre. The CD will be similar to a soundtrack dedicated to the winter.
Contact Information
Fabrizio Chiruzzi
via F. Valenti, 11
92013 Menfi (AG)
Italy
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