The Guitar Player's Resource
Dangerous Visions is the title of California guitarist Brodie Cumming's demo CD-R, which features five instrumental tracks in the neo-classical and metal/shred styles favored by his influences and favorite guitarists: Michael Angelo, Vinnie Moore and Tony MacAlpine. Three of the tracks are full length ("Crystal Ball", "Bird Song" and "Solar Flare"), while the final two serve as brief interludes. The opening number, "Crystal Ball", starts out introspective and emotional before morphing into a new-classical barnburner, complete with furious keyboard lines, as Cumming raids the MacAlpine riff archive with taste and discretion. "Bird Song" follows (so named because the high harmonies sounded like birds singing), and it's as beautifully melodic as it is rocking, featuring a blistering guitar solo and graceful accompaniment. Cumming just has to spend more time in his studio developing his compositional chops and his own individual style, but he's off to a good start.
Brodie first started playing guitar around the age of 12, listening to players such as Eddie Van Halen and Yngwie Malmsteen. After a few years of playing he started taking lessons from a local guitar teacher named Bill Decker, who inspired him and had a big impact on his style. Brodie composes and records in his own home studio, and has a tendency to conceive his compositions on keyboard, rather than guitar. The songs "Victory" and "Solar Flare" were both inspired by his favorite movie score composer Vince Dicola, while his final interlude track, "Dangerous Visions" is a non-guitar idea that came to him just after the 9/11 attacks.
Currently, Cumming is studying to major in music at a local college, and his immediate future plans are to continue composing, recording and practicing.
Brodie Cumming
United States