Grinch: Mike Campese....Shred at it's Festive Best.....(interview with Mike coming up soon.)
If you like neo-classical instrumental shred-guitar, the you there's no need to look any further... Now you can hear your classic Christmas tunes in the style of neo-classical heavy metal.
Mike was hired by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and received a Gold record for his work. Mike has been featured in many national guitar magazines such as Guitar Club in Italy, Guitar One and writes writes 2 page lessons for Guitar Player magazine, Guitar World magazine and Guitar Club Magazine. Mike also writes for Axe magazine, which is Italy’s top guitar magazine. Mike’s music has also been used for a Lions Gate movie and he even appeared in a Busta Rhymes MTV music video.
The Meaning Of Christmas is the 6th solo release by lead guitarist Mike Campese.
This CD features some of Mike's, balls to the walls, guitar playing with his own original arrangements of 10 holiday classics and 2 of his own original compositions. While listening to this CD, you will know why Mike got picked over hundreds of guitarists to work with the multi platinum band, The Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Campese reinvents new sections and melodies to these traditional Christmas songs, like in the blistering version of "Joy to the World" that shred guitar fanatics will love. Guitar virtuoso Mike Campese does not hesitate to get a little heavier than on his previous CD's, like in his version of the "Little Drummer Boy" and the rip your face off version of the "Grinch". On this CD and all of his others, Mike does not stray from the melodies, this is something he is known for, Mike does a beautiful version of the vocal classic "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and has written 2 of his own Christmas songs. "Christmas in Maui" which features some of the most beautiful melodies Mike has written and the vocal tune "The Meaning of Christmas" which is based from a poem Mike wrote. There can't be a Mike Campese CD without some acoustic on it, Mike does a nice jazzy acoustic version of "Chestnuts" and "Silent Night". Mike's reinvented version of "Carol of The Bells" will make holiday music fans very happy.
We feel that Mike has put the true meaning of Christmas on this incredible guitar driven Cd.
Click the LINK icon to visit www.mikecampese.com for sound clips and info on how to order...
Related
Player News
News
Exclusive Interview with Andrew Kastner
Andrew Kastner, guitarist, songwriter and founding member of the great LA band, Jack Mack And The Heart Attack opens up about the time as a 15 year old kid back in 1965, he called The Beatles hotel in Boston and somehow managed to get through to John Lennon's room. After Paul McCartney hung up on him, he called back and had a casual conversation with John Lennon for 15 minutes.
Player News
NewsAcoustic
Exclusive Interview with Spanish Guitarist/Composer, Russ Hewitt
It has been quite a year for guitar virtuoso Russ Hewitt with his current CD, ‘Cielo Nocturno’, showing all the signs of becoming a run-away success. Shimmering with the rumba flamenco rhythms and lightning guitar runs that have become trademarks of Hewitt’s distinctive style, the album includes a stellar line up of returning musicians including percussionist Raphael Padilla (Miami Sound Machine, Chris Isaak), drummer Walfredo Reyes Jr. (Santana, Steve Winwood, Chicago), bass player Bob Parr (Cher, Barry White), guitarist Alfredo Caceres (Gipsy Kings All-Stars) and most notably Larry Carlton who features on the delightfully easy grooving ‘North of Home’. The radio single featuring Larry Carlton was a mainstay on stations worldwide.
The recording was mastered by Chris Bellman who, in his time, has worked with the likes of Van Halen, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Elton John while completing the lineup are guitarist Ardeshir Farah (Strunz & Farah) on the fiery ‘Persian Sky’ and accordion player Vladimir Kaliazine.
Bellman mastered Hewitt’s two previous releases, ‘Bajo el Sol’ and ‘Alma Vieja’ which not only garnered outstanding reviews from around the world but also drew fulsome praise from his peers.
Accolades are coming from all over the world in forms of press and reviews including making the ballot for the 59th Grammy Awards (Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, Engineered Album, Instrumental Composition ‘Persian Sky’); Two silver medal’s from the Global Music Awards in the instrumental category for the song ‘Presido’ and album category for ‘Cielo Nocturno‘; Nominated for ‘Best Acoustic Guitar Album 2016’ from One World Music Awards; Nominated in the Best Jazz Single category from RoundGlass Music Awards (‘Samba Sao Paulo’). The latest CD also made several ‘Best of’ lists including #2 by Vincent Furnier at Soundcheckdfw.com, #4 by Travis Tutwiler at at Soundcheckdfw.com (‘Persian Sky’ featuring Ardeshir Farah was at #6 for his song of the year), #5 by Michael Debbage at MainlyPiano.com, Kathy Parsons at MainlyPiano.com (She did not put number orders to her selections) and honorable mention from Scott Itter at Dr.Music.org.
In addition to the ‘Best of lists’ several reviews added their own score rating: 9.5 of 10 by Arthur Gonzales at Rock N Roll Industries; 8.1 of 10 by James McQuiston at NeuFutur; a (perfect) “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 5.00 by Rotcod Zzaj at Contemporary Fusion Reviews; 4.0 out of 5 by Matt Jensen at Divide and Conquer; Five Starz by Scott Thomas at Guitarz Forever.
In fact the favorable opinion gained from Hewitt’s debut CD, ‘Bajo el Sol’, rapidly translated into prolific airplay and a ten-week stay at #1 on Music Choice. It took up residence on the Smooth Jazz indie charts for 16 weeks and the first track to be released to radio (the dazzlingly Latin flavored title cut) climbed rapidly into the Top 20.
The follow-up single, ‘Lydia’, enjoyed similar success, peaking at #15 and storming into the Billboard’s Top 40. Not content with that, Hewitt then made it three for three with ‘El Beso’ which also made it onto that same Top 40 listing and was named as one of the top smooth jazz tunes of 2009 by www.smoothjazznow.com.
In addition, ‘Bajo el Sol’ was generously acknowledged by the music industry. It was included on the ballot for the 52nd Grammy Awards in the categories Best Pop Instrumental Performance, Best Pop Instrumental Album, Best Instrumental Composition, Best Instrumental Arrangement and Best Engineered Album whilst elsewhere Hewitt gained an ‘Honorable Mention’ for the album’s title cut at the 2009 International Songwriting Competition.
When Russ’s sophomore project, ‘Alma Vieja’ came long in 2011 it delivered two more Top 40 smooth Jazz singles, ‘Pacific Sunrise’ and ‘Samba Samba’.
Not surprisingly, Russ has endorsements from a wide spectrum of suppliers and manufacturers. These include Godin guitars, Radial Engineering (Tonebone), Analysis Plus Cables, Morley Pedals, V-Picks, Neunaber Audio Effects, Voodoo Lab, BBF Pedal Boards, Primacoustic, Mission Engineering and DLS Effects.
Always striving to extend his boundaries into sound tracks and commercial work, Russ contributes artist interviews and a monthly guitar lessons column to ‘The Sound’ magazine whereas his prowess as a composer has resulted in five Telly Awards (for ‘Parent Compass’) and the DVD companion to the New York Best Seller ‘The Harbinger Decoded’ by Jonathan Cahn. Russ has written the music for the upcoming feature film ‘Thirst: Mission Liberia’ which has already won a Silver Telly in the Spiritual – Faith category and a Bronze Telly in the Documentary category.
Player News
Exclusive Interview with Chicken Pickin Master, John Lere
John W. Lere Jr. was born with a guitar in his hands. Not really, but it's a romantic thought and seems very fitting if you're familiar with him. Whether banging on different toys with a pencil or plucking around on various beginner guitars as a child, John Lere has been making music his entire life. He began traditional study on the guitar at the age of 9, taking weekly lessons from Art Gomez at Vesley Music in Las Vegas, NV, learning the fundamentals and written language of music. John started giving his own lessons to neighborhood kids or friends at school and loved everything about the guitar. As a freshman in High School he joined the Stage Band and was introduced to jazz music. The piece of music given to him to play for his audition was 'Birdland' by Weather Report. All of the sudden an obsession with this different type of music took over and John went on to play in many different High School Jazz Ensembles around Las Vegas, constantly learning and improving.
He was accepted to the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies and Performing Arts after his sophomore year and the study of jazz music went into overdrive! This new learning environment was a dream come true to any kid that wanted to play, practice and study music all day and that is exactly what John did. LVA Jazz band director Alan Lawson, introduced John to legendary & local guitar instructor Hap Smith(RIP Hap. You will be forever missed) and was taught a deeper lesson in discipline and music theory. John continued regular study With Hap Smith during his junior and senior years, and began teaching part time(mostly to kids and beginners) at local music shop Pat's Desert Music. With College just around the corner, John set his sights on a school on the other side of the country. Being Alumni of Berkeley School of Music in Boston, Hap helped John prepare an audition piece and gave a very gracious letter of recommendation. After much consideration however, the decision was made to stay in Las Vegas For College and he accepted a scholarship from The University Of Nevada Las Vegas. Over the next few years John studied with jazz great Joe Lano, focusing on chord inversions, chord solos, different picking techniques and smoking cigarettes.
John Played in many different bands, many different styles and genres, toured around the country many times, teaching along the way where ever possible. He was lead guitar for the late, great Elvis Presley Tribute Artist, Trent Carlini, headlining showrooms up and down the Las Vegas Strip. He has worked for Carnival Cruise Lines and traveled to Mexico and Canada, but never really feeling satisfied with what he was doing. That would soon change! Even though John had listened to and been a big fan of country music throughout his whole life, when he heard the music of The Hellecasters he became totally intrigued by the many different sounds, that in the right hands, the Telecaster could produce, and so began the journey towards Tele-mastery. All of the sudden that fire and enjoyment of playing the guitar was back! A desire to teach was also resurrected and a feeling of responsibility to give back to anybody aspiring to learn the guitar.
John Lere has dedicated his life to music and of all the many different instruments in the world, the one that chose him was the Guitar. He has acquired an extremely large amount of knowledge and skill and he continues to strive for new things on the guitar as well as in Life. Fortunately, it is all available for purchase for a great low price! LOL
Player News
John Hahn - Thrill of the Chase (Official Music Video)
The incredible John Hahn is back with his latest release- "Thrill of the Chase", a high energy song with many facets; from shredding verses, to 'hooky' melodic choruses, to unexpected twists like the heavy/funky breakdown, "airy" half-time melodic solo section, a quick acoustic interlude...then back to crankin' again!!
"Over these many years through my musical journey - playing, touring (estimated over 1600 shows), writing and recording, I have had the pleasure of meeting and making friends with so many people and have shared a lifetime of incredible memories! Guitar is my passion, and this new release is a snapshot of where I am at this point in time as a player and writer. It is my hope that as my style evolves, current friends and fans will enjoy the material as well as introducing a new audience to my music. I feel as though I have captured my best writing and playing in this release. Please spread the word…for many, my music is still an “Undiscovered World”.
