Don Alder (Spinal Chord)

Name: Don Alder
Born: 1956 (Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada)

Profile: He is a Canadian acoustic fingerstyle guitarist with a passion that has quickly earned him a reputation as Vancouver's 'best kept little secret'. Alder is a world-class fingerstyle guitarist that has let to multiple endorsement deals with major manufacturers and a collaboration with Greenfield guitars to produce a signature acoustic guitar- the "Don Alder G4" model.

History: At the age of 14, young Alder was ill for few months which kept him out of school. His mother gave him his first guitar to help him stayed at home and rest, he learned the intro of 'Satisfaction' and then put the guitar to rest.

At some point, when Alder saw the movie 'Woodstock' he was totally blown away by Alvin Lee and the very cool instrumental piece played by Jimi Hendrix at the end of the movie. He then began playing electric guitar (a Simpson Sears electric deluxe) for some time until he met a guy that knew how to fingerpick, and taught him the basics. His first gig was at school with a loud band called "Arsus Myth".

In 1985, Alder put his music career on hold to assist his lifelong friend, Rick Hansen, with his quest to create awareness for the potential of people with disabilities and to generate funds for spinal cord research. The World Tour, inspired millions of people throughout the 34 countries visited and raised 26 million dollars. Today, Alder still works with Rick in a vital role at the Rick Hansen Man in Motion Foundation, and says he got involved with the Foundation to 'help make a difference' in improving the quality of life of others and now continues to do so with his music.

In the early 90's, Alder was mostly playing guitar as a hobby and was heavily involved in Wheelchair Sports. The World Tour developed Alder's wheelchair tech skills which he continued to hone post Tour. This evolved to the point where he was chosen to represent Canada as the Equipment Manager/Wheelchair Tech for the Canadian Paralympic Team in Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney Australia, 2000. During that time he met Sam Sullivan and Dave Symington, both quadriplegics from accidents. Sam and Dave both musicians, founded the Vancouver Adapted Music Society. Alder became the guitarist for the society's, performance band "Spinal Chord". They released a CD title 'Why Be Normal' which received national airplay, and released the video 'Mary'.

Alder has won various awards in first place such as; International Fingerstyle Championships Winfield, Kansas (2007), Vancouver Folk Slam (2004), Vancouver Guitar Show "Shred Contest" (2004) and Best 30-second Guitar Solo Contest - Acidplanet.com (2005) and many more.

Today, Alder continues to play to Canadian, American, European, and Asian audiences, sharing stages with Grand Master Acousticians such as Peter Finger, Jacques Stotzem, Bob Evans, Andy Mckee, and Masa Sumide, John Parr, Ellen McElwaine, Cassius Khan. He has also performed at festivals as a headliner which included artists such as Don Ross, Pierre Bensusan, Del Vazeau, Ric Emmet, Dave Martone.

Influences: Jimi Hendrix, Alvin Lee, Brian May (Queen), Wishbone Ash, Bruce Cockburn, Frank Zappa, Uriah Heep and "Black Sabbath"

Axology: Greenfield Don Alder - G4 signature model, Custom Warmoth Strat, Music Man Albert Lee model, Godin guitar, Fender Stratocaster 1979 and Yamaha guitars

Signature song(s): A Little Charm - Don Alder (Don Alder - Cool Compilation)

Link(s):

http://www.donalder.com/ (Official website)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vocEYP0NsI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJi-W2p1iEQ

"Alder can make a single instrument sound like a 4 piece band. The Guy's like the acoustic Hendrix" - Picque News Magazine

Carter Lancaster

Name: Carter Lancaster
Born: mid 1950's (Ontario, Canada)

Profile: A versatile guitarist, performer and composer, he is one of those rare musicians whose expertise and virtuosity transcend issues of style. His unique musical vision has led him to master Jazz, Bluegrass and modern acoustic guitar styles, in a manner that allows each style to complement the others without sacrificing any of their respective nuances. A performer with over 30 years experience, and can be seen working as a solo artist, with jazz and folk duos, trios, or quartets, and occasionally with orchestras.

History: Lancaster was raised in a family who loved music, his father was a jazz pianist - and taught him the importance of understanding scales, chord theory, and harmony. Young Lancaster learned to read music at an early age. He started playing acoustic guitar at the age of 11 on a 'Saturn' acoustic guitar (at the time it cost him $12) which he still owns. He took private lessons for 5 years and gradually switched over to an Aria semi acoustic guitar.

By the time Lancaster was 13, he purchased a Gibson ES 335 which was his main guitar for years. He then formed his first band called "Velvet Fog", which covered mostly Jimi Hendrix songs. In his early 20's, he started playing more acoustic guitar and purchased a Martin M-36 acoustic guitar that he used for Bluegrass. It was at this period of time he started writing his own music.

Though Lancaster started by playing the guitar, he began studying the harp guitar (a rare vintage instrument with 6 treble and 5 or 6 contra-basses), after he heard a Stephan Bennett album. He was intrigued with the sounds from this amazing instrument and bought 2 Dyer Symphony Harp guitars that are about a hundred years old.

Lancaster was noticed in the music community after he performed one of his original compositions 'Widow Walk' at the Harp Guitar Gathering in Williamsburg, Virginia. But, he is probably known best for his fluid jazz electric chord-melody style and his standard and open tuning acoustic compositions, his ability to incorporate a variety of harmonic and 2-handed tapping techniques, while maintaining a strong melody line and percussive rhythm are sure to grab any listener’s attention.

In 2009, Lancaster released his second solo album called 'Case Closed'. The album is a compilation of original pieces performed solo on 6 string acoustic and Harp guitar. Currently, he is writing more music which he hopes to begin recording soon for his next album.

Influences: Joe Pass, Lenny Breau, Bruce Cockburn and Stephen Bennett

Axology: 2 Dyer Symphony Harp Guitars, Holloway Harp Guitar, Marc Beneteau Concert standard, Breedlove Performance Focus, Fender Stratocaster, Gibson ES-335, Martin M-36 guitar and Saturn acoustic guitar

Signature song(s): Blue - Carter Lancaster (Case Closed, 2009) and Widow Walk - Carter Lancaster (Case Closed, 2009)

Link(s):

http://www.carterlancaster.com/ (Official website)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3zdCuSSMwc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nkl5BiUg6rE

"When I listened to Carter’s CD, I became more and more annoyed as I realized that he had written some tunes that I should have. He must be stopped". - Stephen Bennett

Andy Wahlberg

Name: Andy Wahlberg
Born: (Witchita Falls, Texas, USA)

Profile: He is an American musician, a singer who plays harp guitar, bongo, harmonica and trombone. He is a serious musician, classically trained, with a bent on jazz, traditional and blues music.

History: He was raised in Miami, Florida where he was first exposed to classical, pop and international music. He had his first gig at age 5 (where his first instrument was the bongos) with a Calypso Latin band that performed at his mother's restaurant in Miami every weekend.

Wahlberg struck out on his own at age 14, traveling across the country while teaching himself to play guitar. He became a full time professional performer at age 19, after completing two years of study at a college of the performing arts in Miami. During that time he honed his craft playing venues all over the United States. He started playing his trademark harp guitar which he found in a pawn shop in LA in the early 70's, and began a full time career as an entertainer.

He is the longest harp guitar player than anyone alive today and has been entertaining audiences this entire time with an endless supply of repertoire, from musical comedy to his own instrumental compositions, which, like his discovery of the Dyer harp guitar, have been ahead of their time.

Since then, Wahlberg's musical career has spanned over 25 years, more than 3000 concerts and performances nationwide, 4 albums and hundreds of television and radio appearances. He has performed on stage with groups such as "Chicago", "Spyra Gyra", "Firefall", "Hall and Oates", Don McLean and the "Spinners". In his own recording studio he has created soundtracks and scores for numerous television, radio and movie projects.

His most recent works include the soundtrack for the PBS Special Florida's Historic Lighthouses and the motion pictures 'Captiva' and 'Jericho'. He now performs in concerts and clubs where he resides in Southwest Florida in the US and abroad.

Influences: Unknown

Axology: custom double-neck harp guitar

Signature song(s): Johnny Cash tribute songs and 'TV Theme Medley'

Link(s):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21O64fYApXQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRn-fRWjNac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLmy0Iq-B-c

"...a breath of fresh air. Listening to him perform is a guitarist's delight." - The Ithaca Times

Andy McKee

Name: Andy McKee
Born: 4th April, 1979 (Topeka, Kansas, USA)

Profile: He is an American fingerstyle guitarist currently signed to the American record label 'Candyrat Records'. His style of playing and his compositions have earned him a considerable international fanbase in late 2006.

History: McKee played his first guitar, an Aria nylon string bought by his father, at age 13 and began listening to metal, such as "Dream Theater". He described how he was a 'metal freak' during childhood, even performing a "Metallica" song in his high school talent show. It wasn't until he saw Preston Reed perform live at a clinic. McKee later bought an instructional videotape from Reed and began to learn more complex guitar techniques from it, he has stuck with acoustic music in his professional life.

In 2001, McKee independently released his first album 'Nocturne'. That same year, he was placed third at the National Fingerstyle Guitar Competition in Winfield, Kansas. In 2003, McKee toured in Taiwan with Jacques Stotzem, Isato Nakagawa, and Masaaki Kishibe, and earned first place in the 'Miscellaneous Acoustic Instrument' contest of the Kansas State Fiddling and Picking Championships.

In 2004, McKee released his second album 'Dreamcatcher', followed by 'Art of Motion' (2005) and 'Gates of Gnomeria' (2007). In 2008, he spent the majority on tour throughout the world, performing with other 'Candyrat' artists and promoting both 'Gates of Gnomeria' and his collaborative album with Don Ross.

In 2009, McKee announced that he was intending to finish touring and concentrate on recording his upcoming album titled 'Joyland'. In this album, there's also a new harp guitar tune and a couple of covers such as "Layover" by Michael Hedges and one of his favorite 80's tunes.

Influences: Eric Johnson, Dream Theater, Preston Reed, Tommy Emmanuel, Steve Lukather, Metallica, Joe Satriani, Iron Maiden, Pantera, Steve Erquiaga, Vince Di Cola, Toto, Peter Gabriel, Imogen Heap, King Crimson, Primus, Pat Metheny, Don Ross, Michael Hedges, Billy McLaughlin and Pat Kirtley

Axology: Greenfield G4 and GB Guitars, Lance McCollum Baritone Guitar, Ron Spillers Harp Guitars

Signature song(s): Drifting, Rylynn and Africa

Link(s):

http://www.andymckee.com (Official website)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddn4MGaS3N4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmE3QaGetn4&feature=fvst

Iwan Hasan (Discus)

Name: Iwan Hasan
Born: Unknown

Profile: He is an Indonesian contemporary musician who plays harp guitar, a Jazz & Rock guitarist, contemporary classical composer, orchestral arranger, keyboardist and lead vocalist with the progressive rock music group "Discus". He is the one and only contemporary musicians that exist with harp guitar in Indonesia.

History: Started to learn music in an early age, and took it seriously when he studied Music in Wilamette University in Oregon, USA. Though, he was trained as a contemporary classical composer, he learn to experiment music in a 'rock' side of it, which most people now say "RIO".

In the early 90's, he formed a band called "Discus" as a lead guitarist and vocalist. Their album was released in 1998/1999 by Mellow Records.

Iwan Hasan gain fame after joining in a compilation album which consists of great guitarists in Indonesia, called "Gitar Klinik (1)". One of the song in this album entitled "Echoes Transcultural on 33 strings", produced a very beautiful harmonization by his harp guitar.

In 2008, harp guitarist Stephen Bennett, John Doan and Greg Miner produced an album titled "Beyond Six Strings". An album which involve 13 musicians of harp guitar - including Iwan Hasan

Influences: J.S. Bach, Bartok, Dusan Bogdanovic, Milton Babbitt, Leo Brouwer, John Cage, Chick Corea, John Coltrane, Debussy, John Doan, Jim Hall, McCoy Tyner, Steve Morse, Yes, Carlos Santana, Swingout Sister, Linkin Park, Vocal Jazz, Messiaen, Takemitsu, Ginastera, Penderecki, Charles Ives, Lou Harrison and Avro Part

Signature song(s): Contrasts (including the traditional theme "Gambang Suling") and Echoes Transcultural on 33 strings

Axology: 21-strings harp guitar built by luthier John Sullivan, Gibson Les Paul and Fender Stratocaster

Link(s):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RsQaYzBxxg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVS3v9OxEGc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF4REsyxyjk

"Iwan Hasan's 21-string harp guitar sounds truly wonderful" - Brandon Wu (Ground and Sky)

Antoine Dufour

Name: Antoine Dufour
Born: 1979 (L'Épiphanie, Quebec, Canada)

Profile: He is a French-Canadian acoustic guitarist and guitar instructor. His pieces are characterized by a highly percussive playing style, using slap and natural harmonics frequently. He shares many compositional traits with other fingerstyle guitarists such as Andy McKee, Craig D'Andrea and Don Ross, especially in terms of his music's technical complexity.

History: He started playing guitar at the age of 15. He went on to study at the CEGEP in Joliette, where his teacher make him listened to the music of Leo Kottke, Don Ross and Michael Hedges. His musical style is a mix of the powerful rhythms of rock, the sensibility of classical music, a funky groove and a pure folk melody.

In early 2000's, he has gone on to 2nd place at the 2005 Canadian Guitar Festival's Fingerstyle Guitar Championship, 1st place the next year and 3rd placed at the 2006 International Finger Style Guitar Championship in Winfield, Kansas. Antoine has released three solo albums and the forth album with Tommy Gauthier.

Influences: Andrew York, Steve Howe (Yes), Stephen Bennett, Andy Mckee, Steve Vai, John Patrucci (Dream Theater), Augustin Barrios Mangore and Tarrega.

Axology: Stonebridge guitars and Stonebridge 23CR (his own signature series)

Link(s):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKLrO0WIzG4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jysCH5kMews

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aeld-33DQn0

"The acoustic guitar is an instrument which has a very rich sound, and offers infinite possibilities to the player" - Antoine Dufour