Big Orange

This is not your typical fusion guitar shredfest. Guitarist John Wheeler's Big Orange CD's prime directive is, "Do not bore." The songs and solos are focused and melodic. But, this is not "smooth" jazz. Far from it. It has all the fire and intensity you'd expect from musicians who grew up listening to the great fusion groups of the '70s such as the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report and Return to Forever. In an increasingly homogenized world, Big Orange doesn't fit any mold. Listen to each track and ask yourself, "What does this remind me of?" If the answers don't come easily, you'll know you've found something original. Wheeler himself has been playing guitar since the mid-'60s, and has played in many rock and fusion bands. He was guitar instructor at the University of Nevada - Reno for seven years and is the author of a comprehensive guitar instruction method. All of Wheeler's proceeds from sales of Big Orange benefit Amnesty International.