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Oscar Jordan
Henry Garza
From Tragedy to Revelation
Los Lonely Boys’ new album, Revelation, draws from several influences while retaining the band’s Texas/Mexican identity. Collaborating with a group of top-tier tunesmiths, Revelation weaves pop, reggae, soul, and conjunto influences. It follows guitarist Henry Garza’s recovery from a violent fall from the concert stage. After a stretch in the hospital, he’s excited about getting
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Oscar Jordan
Chris Poland
Metal Fusion Equinox
Chris Poland’s signature legato was born from tragedy. As a teen, his left hand accidentally punched through a plate-glass window and cut tendons in his fingers. He lost the ability to bend his index finger, and lost feeling in his pinkie. As a result, he learned unique fretting techniques that set the bar for inventive
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Oscar Jordan
Oz Noy
Oz Noy masterminds an inspired jazz sequel with spectacular feel and blues embellishments. Amidst Noy’s quirky, energetic, funk-charged compositions is gutbucket slide. “You Dig” features slide player Greg Leisz, who offsets Noy’s intervallic bop with the raw and the nasty. Chick Corea and Allen Toussaint are featured on “Rumba Tumba” and “Slow Grease” with swampy
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Oscar Jordan
Pinnick – Gales – Pridgen
Dug Pinnick, Eric Gales, and Thomas Pridgen have returned with the followup to last year’s Pinnick–Gales–Pridgen. That first album was fueled by superb musicians rising to the occasion to create inspired work in just 13 days. Now, PGP offers detuned heaviosity, incendiary guitar work, and frenetic drumming. Minus the novelty, our attention is focused squarely
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Oscar Jordan
Jim Campilongo
“I’m a Guitar Player”
It’s been two years since Jim Campilongo put out a solo record, but on the new Dream Dictionary, his patented Telecaster tones take on greater dimension as he conjures a world of stark atmospherics, crushing twang, edgy note selection, and sly humor. He’s always on the move, but VG was quick enough to catch up
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Oscar Jordan
Dave Hunter
Les Paul Praises
Here is a coffeetable book and then some! It’s a 224-page hardcover, with 400-plus exquisite photographs chronicling the rise and fall – and rise again – of the Gibson Les Paul. All its permutations are displayed in this detailed history, along with technical information and photos of some of the most celebrated “star guitars” in
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Oscar Jordan
Eric Johnson
When Eric Johnson came to prominence, he sounded like nothing anyone had ever heard before. He made a Strat sound like a violin, and transformed the Fuzz Face into an instrument of highbrow elegance. The press conjured images of a Texas guitarslinger weaned on Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, and Chet Akins, but hearing him was
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Oscar Jordan
Alairex H.A.L.O.
Heavenly Possibilities
Alairex H.A.L.O. Price: $399 Info: www.alairex.com. Guitarist Alex Aguilar is a veteran player, former guitar-mag columnist, and today runs an effects company that recently released its first box, the Alairex H.A.L.O., an overdrive pedal designed to produce rich overdrive and multidimensional sounds. H.A.L.O. is an acronym for Harmonic Amp-Like Overdrive, and the box is two
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Oscar Jordan
Johnny Winter
Returning To His Roots
In December, 1968, Mike Bloomfield asked Johnny Winter to perform at the Fillmore East in New York at a Super Session jam with Al Kooper. That night, Winter played B.B. King’s “It’s My Own Fault” and blew away the audience. Reps from Columbia were in attendance, and Winter was signed to the biggest advance in
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Oscar Jordan
The Soul of John Black
Living In The Sunshine
I want to bring The Soul Of John Black a little bit closer to the root – me singing and playing acoustic guitar, and a couple of girls singing like the Staple Singers,” explains John Bigham. “I want to break it down and get to the joyful noise.” Bigham’s act, The Soul Of John Black,
