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Instrumental Metal Mad Man
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Ready for your daily dose of instrumental hard rock and metal? Look no further than guitarist Mark B. Schuster. He submitted a DAM CD for review, entitled The Return Of Buddy Love, which features 10 tracks firmly in the hard rock and heavy metal arenas that offer mega-riffing, impressively fluid melodic soloing, and contemporary guitar pyrotechnics -- just what the doctor ordered to start the day off right. Check out the vengeance being screamed for on the opening example of metallicalism, "Ridin' The Slipstream". Follow that up with a hearty gulp from "Mostly Mabel", a hard rocker featuring bellicose rhythm crunch and ripping lead fretwork. Schuster writes music to satisfy the needs and tastes of the guitar fan, and he's pretty damn good at it. We should be hearing more from this Illinois-based shredder -- keep an ear out.
Like most kids, Mark was forced to take piano lessons when he was seven years old. And, like most kids, he hated it. He eventually turned his interest towards drums and finally discovered guitar at the age of fifteen. Mark started on a $100 guitar, playing every kind of music he could throughout high school and college. Although he enjoys all styles, one style truly spoke to him and moved him like no other: hard rock. After earning a degree in music, Mark returned home to form several rock groups that would not only hone his musical precision, but foster his writing. He left music for a brief period, but quickly returned, realizing that music will always be a part of him.
Schuster's current plans are to continue exploring and sharpening his playing and compositional skills. His future plans include increasing his exposure on the Internet, and soliciting record labels to obtain a recording contract.
Contact Information
Mark B. Schuster
3107 Priscilla Ave.
Highland Park, IL 60035
United States
E-mail:
Mark B. Schuster
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Jazz Group With A Twist
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Guitarist Tung Le fronts Saigon Club, a jazz quartet with something you might not expect. Band member Mark King (aka DJ Rac One) plays turntables, as you might expect in rap or hip hop. The bands three song demo CD-R features an acid jazz number, a Latin and an extended Monk/Messiaen influenced composition which features free improvisation, modern harmony and bebop based improvisation. Saigon Club, therefore, sets itself up it's own unique musical territory with this mix, and Le's guitar work is the glue that holds it all together. Percussionist Brian Citak and bass player Nick Czarnogorski round out the band, and remarkably, all the members of Saigon Club are strong musicians in their own right. The strength of their demo shows the band headed in the right direction as they work towards their first full length CD. Remember the name Tung Le -- it may surprise you where this talented musician chooses to display his worthy guitar abilities.
Saigon Club is the brainchild of guitarist Tung Le, who works simultaneously in various musical worlds including jazz, Latin, urban, rock, 20th century classical and traditional Vietnamese music. Tung has been playing for 16 years, starting in various rock groups, then attending the Mohawk College Applied Music program, with jazz guitar as his principle instrument. He worked as a full time musician from 1990-95, performing, touring and teaching. Tung held a house guitar position at Toronto's prestigious Saigon Club and also worked in two world music bands. He also completed the McMaster University Music program in 1999, with a major in Music Education. Tung still teaches and is working with several jazz groups.
A full length Saigon Club CD is scheduled for release in August, with a series of live showcases in New York City to promote the album.
Contact Information
Tung Le
6-241 Mohawk Rd. East
Hamilton, ON L9A 2H5
Canada
E-mail:
Saigon Club
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Vol. 17, No. 2: Feb.-Mar. 2012
