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ALLEN
HINDS |
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On
his 2009 solo CD Falling Up, Alabama bred / L.A. based guitarist
Allen Hinds just burns through a set of sizzling, guitar-centric fusion
instrumentals. Amid the Santana meets Clapton influences in his electric
and acoustic guitar techniques, Hinds even includes one vocal herea
funky, uptown and totally smoking cover of Come Together,
featuring the vocals of one Tolak Olestaad, who lives in Amersterdam.
Commenting, Hinds adds, Yeah, hes great. I wish it were
me singing...people pay me extra not to sing. That may be Allen
jesting, but with the guitar as the star on Falling Up, theres
no shortage of breathtaking sonics on hand. Sometimes, it's really
more the fantastic way Hinds records his guitars. Sequestered high
up above the stratosphere, jammed against room filling percussion,
some of these tracks truly scale new heights for fusion jazz-rock.
Keeping track of Hinds on guitars are a number of excellent players
all kept in perfect rhythm by the impressive drumming of Reinhardt
Melz. Hinds is a rising name in the production, touring and TV
music world
and he
is well known for his guitar work in Gino Vanellis current touring
lineup as well as for his 20 years of teaching improvisation techniques
at the Musicians Institute. Even with Allen's hectic schedule, after
giving Falling Up a few spins, one can hear his true calling.
Fans of guitar fusion should give Falling Up a good listen.
www.AllenHinds.com
Growing
up with older brothers and sisters, I was always exposed to music.
I remember Beatles, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave. But I didnt
start playing guitar till high school in Auburn, Alabama. By age 16
I was sneaking into bars to play and listen. I was exposed to a lot
of blues and southern influenced folk and rock. Allman Bros, ZZ Top,
Little Feat, Delbert McClinton, Taj Mahal, and all the British rock
stuff like Led Zep, Steve Winwood...etc. After high school, I kept
playing just for fun. I realized I could support myself doing it.
I played in countless top 40 bands learning stuff of the day. But
then that was cool stuff. Look at the charts in the 70's/80's...Doobie
Bros, Steely Dan. Good time to be a guitarist. I got a little more
serious when bands like Steely Dan and Stevie Wonder, EWF, Chick Corea
appeared on the scene. So I went to Berklee College of Music in 1978
then to GIT (Musician's institute) in 1985. I had a chance to sit
next to Joe Pass, Robben Ford, Joe Diorio, Scott Henderson, Larry
Carlton... I have been teaching there since.
Well
I have a 1932 Dobro that's pretty sweet. Bill Asher reset the neck,
and pretty much restored the guitar to the beautiful instrument it
is. I have a 1961 Les paul Jr. (SG shape) that someone put some Tom
Holmes humbuckers on. That is my main slide guitar. It just sounds
huge. Some of the CD was done with my early 70's Deluxe, with a Fane
speaker, and I borrowed a "Dumbelized" Bandmaster for a
few as well. And I mostly used the Xotic AC boost for my overdrive.
I just run from my overdrive pedals to a volume pedal to delay reverb
pedals (T.C. Electronics) and then into the front of the amps. I like
amps that are powerful enough to not distort and low enough wattage
to still get that natural compression. Lately my main amp has been
a 1967 Bassman. 100% stock, just great with two Bob Burt Cabinets.
Open back...beautiful stuff, his cabinets.
Well,
my influences are so diverse. I think my earliest melodies I was whistling
were Henry Mancini songs my parents had. Beatles of course. I went
through a long spell of Robben Ford, Alan Holdsworth, always Jeff
Beck. I can sing about every Pat Metheny solo, he's so melodic. For
the last several years my favorite CD has been Shawn Colvin's A
Few Small Repairs. John Leventhal is a genius producer and understated/under
appreciated guitarist. Love that CD every time I put it on. No blistering
solos, just perfect parts that compliment the songs. I dig that more
than chops these days. I love about anything Mike Landau touches.
I am a huge Little Feat fan. I think you can hear all this stuff in
my playing. I hope...
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