WarrZONE.com

Fuzzy Logic Boptet CD Now Available at Abstract Logix

   Playing Favorites, the new CD from the LA-based group Fuzzy Logic Boptet, is now available on the progressive music distribution website Abstract Logix.
   Warr guitarist Jim Wright plays his Phalanx-12 on most of the CD, some of which was recorded live, and all of it with little or no effects, showcasing the incredibly full sound of this instrument, and the all 4ths tap-guitar tuning used.
   Polly Klemmer's progressive piece "Gate Array" (which can be heard at the link below) is the only song on which overdrive was used on the PH-12 guitar side, and demonstrates the anti-crosstalk features of this model very well.
    On the song Midnight (written by saxophonist Robin Rader, and which can be previewed at the link below), Jim uses a Warr Artisan semi-hollow-body 12-string with all nylon strings, perhaps one of the first recordings of it's kind.
   The CD is also available at CD Baby, and Amazon.

www.abstractlogix.com/mymusic/fuzzylogicboptet

Jim Wright "Jimmy Smith Jam"

Click to Play

Jim Wright demonstrates the superb triggering and accuracy of the optional MIDI converter/controller installed into the Warr Guitar. Jim is performing on a Warr 12-String Phalanx with Piezo/MIDI.

Jimbo playing sections of "Limitations"

Jimbo recently took delivery on his Warr 14-string Piezo/MIDI Phalanx. I want to thank Jimbo for sharing his talent with us on this video, which speaks for itself. I am looking forward to Jimbo’s contribution to the touch-style community and the world.

Behold... The Arctopus in Guitar one magazine

"Behold... The Arctopus" playing "Alcoholocaust" in the February 2007 issue of "Guitar One" magazine.

Brian Kenney Fresno "Older Uglier Woman"

Brian Kenney Fresno performing on his Warr Guitar with his brother Ryan Kenney Poughkeepsie.

http://www.bonghitrecords.com/

KTU in the Studio

KTU is Kimmo Pojhonen - accordian
Trey Gunn - touch guitar
Pat Mastelotto - drums & percussion This is footage of them writing and recording for their new record in Dripping Springs, Texas October 11, 2007. Shown is part of the composing process and the final result.
Watch them laugh.
Watch them fight.
Watch them cry.
Watch them make a pop wonder musicial hit.

FUZZY LOGIC BOPTET CD "Playing Favorites" on sale.

Jazz and bop that is melodic, upbeat, and fun and includes covers of modern jazz classics and originals by members of the band; a heartfelt tip of the hat for the long, forgotten art-form know as cool jazz.

Fuzzy Logic Boptet

This L.A. based quartet known as "the band that loves to 'Monk' you", features sax woman Robin Rader and touch-style artist Jim Wright. The group pays homage to the innovators of the bop and post-bop eras with the music of Dave Brubeck, Wes Montgomery, and...Monk. Originals by the band highlight the groups diversity.
Click on the link above to hear some tracks!

Jim Wright >Warr touch-style guitar

Robin Rader > Sax and Flute

Polly Klemmer > Piano/Synth

Dave Sanford > Drums

Craig Aschoff > Drums

TU in Poland

There's a new video of TU (Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelotto) performing recently in Poland. If I've done this right, the video should appear below.

Click To Play

LA AMP SHOW

     Thanks to my good friend Ed Thomas for making sure I was aware of the LA Amp Show, and in attendance one early Saturday morning in October.
     This is definitely like porno for anyone as thrilled as I am by the concept of hand-made tube guitar amplifiers. The secret location in a hotel near the Van Nuys airport was set up with each different manufacturer in their own hotel room, providing some semblance of privacy and sound isolation. Even so, the same people you hear at "Guitar Barn" (y'all know who I'm talkin' about) managed to find the place and perform their time-tested versions of crunch classics at full volume. Deep Purple would have been proud.
    But on to the amps.
    I'm reticent to give reviews of each manufacturer, as there were so many good choices, and it would be unfair to choose one above the rest, but here are the high points for me.
    The folks at Brown Note amps had me plugging in right away, and were only slightly confused when Ed insisted they find an amp to plug in the bass side of Blackie (my Warr Artist 12), so they could get the full effect. Since it was too early on Saturday morning for anything extremely complicated, I started with a 12-bar blues. The amps were just wonderful. I have been experimenting with guitar-side pickups in Blackie, and the amps seemed quite comfortable with the output and frequencies they were getting from my tapped strings.
   The whole thing was  going OK, when guitarist Chuck D'Aloia joined in, and sent it to the next level. Fortunately, Loren from Brown Note got some of it on video, and posted it on You Tube. (See Above).
What an honor it was to play with Chuck, who was brought in by Brown Note to demo the amps. His talent is obvious to anyone who views the video, and I'm planning on stealing all his great licks! Seeing and hearing the video convinced me that I am on the right track with my pickup experimentations...
    Don at Club Amps spent a lot of time with me explaining why the amp you choose was dependent on the sound you ultimately wanted. His amps were made specifically for certain types of music, and each had it's own wonderful flavor. I thought the smallest was perfect for intimate jazz gigs.
   Carr Amps were very nice. I have had some previous experience with their products, and find them quite  enjoyable. Great tone and selection.
   Schreyer amps found a special place in my heart with their Moonlight Twin, a sweet-toned amp with 2-10" speakers. It had the most subdued, but still very present, high end that seemed to compliment my tapped strings quite well.
    At some point, it became all too much, and there was nothing left to do but pack the guitar in the car, and dream of how I could afford to buy a few of these wonderful amps.
    A week later, I had the pleasure of playing Lone Wolf amps at a party in Simi Valley, and the list grew even longer.
   This really could get out of hand!
Jim Wright

www.shreyeraudio.com
www.clubamps.com
www.brownnote.net
www.carramps.com
www.lonewolfamps.com

Veteran Touch-Style Player Paul Edwards Back in the Day!

Thank you to Randy Strom for posting on YouTube.com, this vintage clip of Warr Guitarist Paul Edwards soloing on his extra long scale Chapman Stick® during a 1984 “Kittyhawk” concert at “At My Place” in Santa Monica, Ca.
Thank you again Randy Strom for this piece of touch-style history.

Mark Warr Video Interview With whurley

Click To Play

Today Randy Strom and I took a few minutes to chat with whurley about what's in store for Warr Guitars in 2008. I gave an overview of what a Warr Guitar is and how they’re played and Randy provided a live demonstration of the instrument.

The Baltimore Seminar, loved it!

I must say what a pleasure it was to meet with dedicated, studied musicians who all share a common interest in the touch, tap, hammer-on/pull-off, two handed style of guitar playing. It's so gratifying for a guy like me, getting my first Stick® over 30 yrs. ago (1976), to see the techniques taken to heart by people with talent and ambition–and making it their own. I will always hope that other veterans and originators who did the early work, will find similar satisfaction and gratification in the propagation, evolution and advancement of our art.

Our fearless leader was Jim Wright. I found him very generous in the way he shared his art. Showing his techniques, he was able to readily impart his fingerings, phrases, stylized basslines and independent guitar parts to all. His morning session poly-rhythmic, sub-divide metronome exercise got our our fingers and time keeping brains going every day. As a lifelong player, he was able to speak on many topics from experience. I especially like his take on "fitting in" with the real working musician's world... a tap/touch players role(s) in a band, playing cliche parts and styles of popular music, and basically making our unusual instruments fit into traditional and practical working situations.

Speaking of fearless, we had Brian Kenny Fresno imparting his take on modes and helping me direct my group scale-tone chord and scale-tone sevenths chord scale exercises. Any fan/student of BKF can always be inspired by the fearless (there's that word again), unbridled enthusiasm with which he performs. This kind of infectious energy is what we all need to bring to our gigs. It engages and entertains. It makes me want to connect with my future audiences on a new level.

Teed Rockwell made the day when he played/showed his beautiful take on Indian music. He and Jim got everyone going for hours on poly rhythmic jams with ragas on top. Wow! That's swimmin' in some deep groove water. Fantastic!

I must congratulate our host, Daniel Minoza, who dealt with many obstacles including; logistics, venue change and unfortunate interference from those who would rather not see us be successful.

And of course, our attendees are the ones who made this event really work. Thanks to all, what a pleasure to meet and work with you guys,

Randy Strom

Bill Burke

Accomplished composer and instrumentalist, Bill Burke finds his vehicle of expression in the Warr guitar - an 8-stringed instrument which allows him to play multiple part compositions simultaneously. Insisting that the development of a composition is a discovery, Burke pursues the truly novel rather than attempting variations on an already existent music.

Visit Bill at http://www.billburke.net/

Ron Fairchild

His work with the Oak Ridge Boys has brought him a CMA Award as a member of the 1986 Band of the Year. In addition he has played on four Grammy winning albums and a host of other interesting projects.

Visit Ron at http://www.ronfairchild.com/

Randy Strom

Randy Strom is considered by many to be the most accomplished touch-style player.

Visit Randy Strom

Trey Gunn

Of the Legendary rock band “King Crimson”.

Visit Trey Gunn

Visit Trey's multi-dimensional story project "Quodia"

Jim Wright

Composer, producer, recording artist, teacher & awesome Warr Guitar customer service technician!

Visit Jim at http://www.myspace.com/warrguitarist

Brian Kenney Fresno

Brian Kenney Fresno is a madcap VISIONary armed with a Warr Guitar!
"If Zappa and Christo had a love child...."

"Brian Kenney Fresno makes music that is complex and brilliant, ... but it's all fun!"
Dr. Demento

Visit Brian Kenney Fresno

Markus Reuter

Markus Reuter is a producer, musician, composer & sound designer with astonishing credentials given his relatively young years.

Born in 1972, Markus initially trained as a pianist before switching to guitar in the late 80's, and subsequently touch guitar in 1993. Soon after, he developed a unique skill for improvised composition, often employing loop-based technology in order to push the envelope of solo performance. In his teenage years, Markus studied music theory and composition with Karlheinz Straetmanns, in the tradition of Paul Hindemith & Harald Genzmer. In his twenties, he spent time with Daniel Schell studying his very special compositional techniques as well as some Indian music (with Ashok Pathak).

Visit Markus at http://www.myspace.com/olderthangod

"Warr in Space" by Bonzo Estewjo

June 21, 2006

This is a little improv with Dirk's fabulous 8 string Warrguitar, and Native Instruments Guitar Rig 2. The patch was created in homage to the Mahavishnu Orchestra and John McGlaughlin and a song on the Inner Worlds album Miles Away. It's just his attempt to emulate the 360 systems pitch shifter. In an interesting note Dirk was this close to actually getting an authentic 70's era pitch shifter on Ebay, but he wouldn't go above $750 so someone else did, oh well. I think his emulation holds up fairly well.
Enjoy the space noises!
Bonzo Estewjo