Dave Johnson
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Instrumentals With Feeling & Soul
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Blazing a soulful wah-wah path through mid-tempo rock rhythms, with little regard to commercial restrictions, is Boston area axe man Dave Johnson on his self-titled demo CD-R. The demo features a collection of instrumental tunes he has written from 1994 through the present day, influenced by such greats as Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Buckley, Chris Cornell and Joe Satriani. Johnson loves slow grooves, bluesy melodies and tons of 'wah-wah' abuse - it's clear he spends a lot of time stepping on that pedal, he's quite good at it. The first two tracks on the demo "The 420 Groove Thing" and "The Blues Inside" are compositions recorded in 2003, and show his prodigious improvisational chops, tasteful phrasing and tonal preferences. Johnson's aptitude lies in his ability to make his instrument speak and blend, even on early demos such as "Lost Without You". Just more time writing and recording (and more writing and recording) will hone his talent, and help him achieve his goals.
Dave was born into a musical family, with both his father and brother playing the guitar, and accordingly, he got his first guitar at age 12. His early influences were bands like Megadeth and Metallica until his brother showed him scales and modes, while introducing him to Shrapnel Records artists such as Vinnie Moore, Marty Friedman and Tony MacAlpine. Dave grew to appreciate Moore's feel, fluidity and chops, as well as Friedman's vibrato, bends and attack. When he felt confident in his playing, he joined a few local rock bands, and played originals in the heavy metal vein in clubs and bars. Later, staying with his brother in Niagara Falls, Dave was inspired to write his first few instrumental tunes.
Currently, Johnson is working to get his name and music out there in order to get feedback from musicians and others in the industry. He has also recently entered the Guitarmagedddon 2005 competition through a local Guitar Center store. Johnson will continue to write instrumentals and work on his style and tone.
Contact Information
Dave Johnson
6 Hovey St.
Quincy, MA 02171
United States
E-mail:
Dave Johnson
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Luke Rake
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Detailed Arrangements, Stellar Playing
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Submitting his ten-song instrumental hard rock CD-R, entitled Time To Breathe, is the U.K. guitarist Luke Rake. A nimble-fingered axemeister in the vein of Joe Satriani and Mike Keneally, Rake pays special attention on several tracks to his intricate arrangements and double- and triple-tracked guitar, ensuring a quality listen - beyond the rhythm 'n improv approach taken by a lot of beginning shredders. Production is basic, but the overall goal of Time To Breathe appears to be split between showcasing Rake's technical chops, which are unquestioned, and his compositional style. You'll hear a wealth of modern playing ideas on Rake's CD-R, including tapping, whammy bar work, minor third harmony (a la Iron Maiden), speed picking, and delay effect popularized by Edward Van Halen. Rake's recording shows a lot of promise, and should be the first in a long line of instrumental projects.
A late starter in most people's eyes, Luke first picked up the guitar at the age of 17. However, he grew up in a house filled with music in every room, having a mother who was of child of the '60s and into a massive range of sounds, from the rock of Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones, and out the other side to the Moody Blues and Donovan. Having been thrilled by seeing a friend at school playing Mr. Scary by George Lynch, Luke decided the guitar was the thing and dived headlong into a passionate affair with the instrument, and completely self-taught himself the dynamics of six-string playing. The following years were taken up with getting a degree at Oxford University, but guitar was also played pretty much solidly from then on. - this is a guitarist who plays as much with his brain as his heart. The melting pot of university was also the time to start live work, and with the development of the Internet, collaborative work with other individuals from the UK and beyond.
Rake now combines a successful career as a senior teacher in the UK and is currently working with two band projects in his free time. His is particularly interested in extreme sports/film projects and will consider session work subject to contract negotiation and time commitments.
Contact Information
Luke Rake
95 Summerleys Road
Princes Risborough
Buckinghamshire HP27 9QA
United Kingdom
E-mail:
Luke Rake
Web site:
www.lukerake.com
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