Snakes & Arrows: Long Live Rush!
“Snakes & Arrows”, Rush’s first all new material album since 2002′s “Vapor Trails”, debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard album chart with sales of 93,000 copies. This is their highest charting debut album since 1993, when “Counterparts” debuted at No. 2. The disc, has sold 150,000 copies in the U.S. since its May 1 release. Rush will begin a North American tour on June 13 in Atlanta, ending September 22 in Toronto, Canada. They have selected “The Larger Bowl” as the second single from its CD. Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart have been together since 1974. They recently spoke to the Artisan News Service about their career and recent release. See the YouTube report here.
G3 2007: Petrucci, Satriani & Gilbert
The first G3 tour in 1996, featuring Satriani, Eric Johnson and Steve Vai, played to sold-out crowds throughout North America, Europe, South America, Japan and Australia. The most recent G3 tour in 2007 with Joe Satriani, John Petrucci and Paul Gilbert, marked the 5th North American G3 tour and the 12th one worldwide since its inception in 1996. Throughout these years Satriani’s G3 tours have showcased: Yngwie Malmsteen, Adrian Legg, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robert Fripp, Michael Schenker, and Uli Jon Roth. Special guest guitarists have also been invited to join at some point in the jam, including: Neal Schon, Gary Hoey, George Lynch, Billy Gibbons, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Brian May.
After more than 10 years of G3 tours it’s impossible not to wonder who will come next? Some names come to mind: Steve Morse, Marty Friedman, Jason Becker, Kirk Hammett, Vinnie Moore, Blues Saraceno and Nuno Bettencourt. Who knows, maybe even jazz fusion guitarists Allan Holdsworth and John McLaughlin. Hey, how about Eddie Van Halen?
Who would you like to see?
Freeway Jam: A Tribute to Jeff Beck
A Jeff Beck tribute album called “Freeway Jam – To Beck And Back”, will be released on July 17 by Tone Center Records. The album containing ten tracks, was produced by guitarist Jeff Richman and features quite a few big names in jazz/fusion, blues, and rock guitar. The guest guitarists are John Scofield, Adam Rogers, Mike Stern, Eric Johnson, Steve Morse, Greg Howe, Warren Haynes, Chris Duarte, and Walter Trout. The rhythm section features names like bassist Stu Hamm, keyboardist Mitchel Forman and drummers Vinnie Colaiuta and Simon Phillips.
Track Listing:
- “Freeway Jam” – Steve Morse
- “Over Under Sideways Down” – John Scofield
- “Beck’s Bolero” – Eric Johnson
- “Led Boots” – Adam Rogers
- “El Becko” – Jeff Richman
- “Diamond Dust” – Mike Stern
- “The Pump” – Warren Haynes
- “Behind The Veil” – Chris Duarte
- “Blue Wind” – Greg Howe
- “Brush with the Blues” – Walter Trout
The Jimmy Bruno Guitar Institute
Jazz guitar legend Jimmy Bruno has launched an online jazz guitar video instruction website. “After almost a year of planning and development, and many weeks of testing, the Jimmy Bruno Guitar Institute is now open for enrollments.” The lessons are geared towards guitarists of all levels: jazz guitar students, jazz guitar teachers, professional guitarists, rock guitarists and fusion guitarists, through a series of instructional videos featuring Jimmy Bruno. And, how much does it cost? “Introductory pricing for charter members in the Jimmy Bruno Guitar Institute is $45.00 per three-month period.” And on why you should consider the Jimmy Bruno Guitar Institute, Jimmy Bruno states: “I teach because I want to hear better music, and see better guitarists in the world. In the past, you had two choices if you wanted to study guitar with me: You could come to Philadelphia and take private lessons in my studio (sorry, I have no openings until well into 2010) , or you could find one of my older guitar instructional videos and try to learn on your own. Sadly, I’ve found that students need feedback from their teacher, and other students, to make fast and steady progress. Otherwise bad habits get locked in.”
Preview two sample lessons here:
Sample Lesson #1: How to Practice the Five Shapes
Sample Lesson #2: Jimmy Shows the Possibilites with Only One “Shape”
Dream Theater: Systematic Chaos
Dream Theater’s upcoming release “Systematic Chaos