Guitar Moderne Festival XXVII

Guitar Moderne began as a place to curate videos of live performances by modern guitarists. During Covid, with touring shut down, I posted many imaginary festivals comprised of shows on You Tube. Festivals are back, though not until the spring, and some of us are still wary of crowded clubs, so here is another virtual festival featuring legend Eivind Aarset, as well as legends in the making Julien Desprez, Liberty Ellman, Susan Alcorn, Ava Mendoza, and Mike Baggetta.

Quatuor IXI, Jan Bang, Eivind Aarset, Michele Rabbia—live at Chamber Remix Cologne

Julien Desprez—at Angelica Festival Internazionale di Musica 2021

Vijay Iyer, Liberty Ellman, Reggie Workman, Tyshawn Sorey—The Stone, NYC – Jan 22 2015

Morphic Resonance 8 Livestream (the first 50 minutes is guitarist Nick Robinson.)

Susan Alcorn and Ava Mendoza at the Cunneen—Hackett Arts Center

Ava Mendoza and Mike Baggetta duo—at First Street Green

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Spotlight: Julien Desprez

We have entered an age where guitarists often abandon notes for the musical manipulation of pure sound. Stian Westerhus is one, and Julien Desprez  is another. Like Westerhus, the French guitarist is in such solid command of his effects that they become a musical instrument when combined with his manipulation of strings, slams on the guitar body, and twists of the instrument’s volume knob. Almost more amazing than Desprez solo, is how he integrates these sounds into such a wide variety of musical contexts.

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