Troy LaRue
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Ah Via Johnson
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Successfully combining and balancing tone, taste and technique in his impassioned playing, Dallas guitarist Troy LaRue submitted a 10 song instrumental CD-R demo that evokes fellow Texan six-stringer Eric Johnson. Using Stratocaster, Larivee and Taylor guitars to broaden his sonic palette, many of the tunes are acoustic in nature, but all feature a shimmering tone and a chimey, bell-like quality that you so often hear in Johnson's more introspective work. Blending genres like many guitarists would blend major scales and modes, LaRue's music features a noticeable, yet judicious use of effects that further add to the dream-like quality of the compositions. He has been playing guitar for over 30 years, and has channeled that experience into a very enjoyable collection of tracks that stand up to repeated listening.
At age 10, Troy began playing guitar. Four years later, he began studying with Richard Hill, guitarist in the successful regional rock band, Hobbit, from Tyler, Texas. Troyıs dedication and approach to playing was dramatically changed in 1984. While attending Texas A&M University, Troy saw Eric Johnson in concert and Troyıs playing was forever changed. The emphasis became melody and expression via the instrument. ³I am inspired by the finesse and energy in Eric Johnsonıs playing. His pieces are original, yet I can hear his influences clearly.² Over the past five years, Troy has focused on solo acoustic playing and composition. His current demo was recorded in his home studio in Dallas. ³Many of my solo acoustic pieces have a reflective and ethereal quality. I strive to balance musicianship and song writing - the song being paramount.
LaRue's current plans are to gain exposure through live performance and further develop his songwriting. LaRue finishes by stating, "Songwriters often contemplate what they can add to a song - I focus on what I can leave out.²
MP3 Songs
Southern Romance
Circa 1992
Contact Information
Troy LaRue
9312 Ponderosa Tr.
Irving, TX 75063
United States
E-mail:
Troy LaRue
Web site:
www.troylarue.com
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Orlando Blanco
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Instrumentals At The Fringe Of Rock
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Submitting an all-instrumental CD-R demo album filled with guitar-oriented progressive rock tracks, Costa Rican guitarist Orlando Blanco uses the band name Blanco Project on Eyes Beyond Time. A one-man band, he uses a drum machine, bass and synth beds to give his music the progressive sound he is after. Blanco's style is reminiscent of Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, with shades of Steve Hackett thrown in there for good measure. His disc is a concept album, with each track relating somehow to the UFO phenomenon. Production, as you might guess, is raw and basic, but clean enough for a demo in this case. Progressive fans are a bit like fusion fans in that they typically expect at least two to three powerhouse musicians in a band, so that means Blanco may need to devote at least part of his day to searching for a skilled drummer and a keyboardist who can push the music into the next dimension.
Born in Costa Rica but raised in California (currently living in Costa Rica), Orlando graduated from the University of Costa Rica with a Major in Music Composition. He's also been playing guitar since the age of 13, enamored by its inexhaustible expressive capabilities. Influenced by all the major players in the rock scene, Orlando had always wondered about how to place the guitar in a more elaborate setting, while keeping the raw energy common to rock music. This meant rejecting typical uses of the guitar as one might hear it in pop music, while also avoiding the "virtuoso trap" (too many fireworks in detriment to the expressive quality of a piece). Orlando feels the answer lies in progressive rock music, despite its being considered at the fringes of rock, and he believes that the genre hasn't even begun to be fully explored. To this end, he composes every day, and plays in several local classic rock groups to keep his playing and performance in shape.
Blanco's immediate goals are to accumulate enough resources to produce his current project. His long-term goals include being able to dedicate himself full-time to his music, touring and recording.
MP3 Songs
Star-Like, Star-Bright
Tears For The Day
Contact Information
Orlando Blanco
P.O. Box 13038-1000
San Jose
Costa Rica
E-mail:
Orlando Blanco
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