Interesting
name for a record label, Spleen released Fine Arts Avenue,
the 2011 CD from L.A. based guitarist Andrea Balestra. With his skillful
approach to instrumental jazz and rock guitar, Andrea seems to have
settled nicely within the L.A. jazz-fusion music scene. A number of
players fill out Andrea's band on Fine Arts Avenue and even
hard rock guitar hero George Lynch guests on a track here.
Backed up by a solid band, Balestras electric guitar work sounds
inspired by any and all of the big name instro guitar heroesfrom
Robben Ford to Holdsworth and Scofield and as such should be of interest
to instrumental guitar watchers. Commenting on the CD, Balestra adds,
'The idea was simply to create something that would be very compelling,
and use contrast as a tool to help accomplish it. I try to think of
an album in a cinematic direction, that way it can go places and be
organic at the same time.' One minute moody and introspective, the
next hard rocking blues and funky, Balestra has his guitar sound totally
covered on the ten track Fine Arts Avenue. In May 2012, mwe3.com
spoke with Andrea Balestra about Fine Arts Avenue and much
more. www.AndreaBalestra.com
email: balestrastaff@gmail.com
mwe3.com presents an interview with
ANDREA BALESTRA
mwe3: Can you say something about when and how you started playing
guitar? Who were your early music and guitar influences and can you
remember your first guitar?
AB: I started
playing guitar when I was fifteen years old. My older brother was
the one who had the instrument bought for him as a present. It was
a nylon string instrument, as cheap as they come, about 40 bucks in
U.S. dollars. It was lying around the house so I picked it up here
and there, tried to strum a couple chords, it quickly grew on me to
the point it was all I was doing. Id skip school to practice
or jam with friends, even take it with me whenever Id go out
and play on street corners.
As far as early influences go, I listened to a lot of classic rock,
especially Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison and Carlos Santana, I loved
the vocal quality they got out of the instrument. I didnt even
know you could make a guitar sound like that at the time.
mwe3: How did the Fine Arts Avenue album come together, where
and when was it recorded and who plays with you on the CD?
AB: The idea came as a result of a phase of my life where I was pretty
much forced to think a lot about music. I had carpal tunnel syndrome
in my left hand from over practicing, so I couldnt play much
at all. It was a pretty painful time because it really dawned on me
how much I really needed playing in my life and couldnt do it.
But, since listening, reading, and examining art was all I could do
for my craft, it really helped me understand better the meaning of
the work of an artist.
One day, I was back home visiting family, and I was walking through
Maregrosso, probably the poorest neighborhoods in my hometown, Messina.
There is a particular work of art that I love right there on a street
by the harbor called The House Of The Puppeteer. The author,
Giovanni Cammarata, built it out of his own home, throughout the span
of his lifetime, covering the walls of his house with short poems
and statues and mosaics, made out of anything he could find. Hed
call the street where he had created that wonder Fine Arts Avenue,
right there in between the shacks, the gypsy camp, the concrete and
the abandoned shipwrecks aground on the shore.
That really got me thinking what this man had in mind when he built
that, when he took a look at that desolate place and saw something
different and fantastic that wasnt even there yet. That really
made me realize the power of a true creative process, how wonderfully
pointless it is from a practical standpoint, and how it is a statement
of freedom when moved by a pure intent, and also how producing art
really is just an act of love.
So
I started writing music with no regard on how it would be marketed,
what anybody would say about it, what genre anybody would associate
with it, what rules applied. In other words, having only the listener
in mind and trying to do my very best to be honest and staying true
to each and every emotion that would originate each tune. Titles of
the tracks are parts of House Of The Puppeteer, the scenery
around it or in other cases refer to some of my favorite works of
art.
When it came to recording, I would say ninety five percent of the
work took place at my house. I didnt have a budget of any kind
so I produced and engineered the record myself. Some of the musicians
that play on the record are friends I knew from the blues clubs I
played in South Central L.A. , like Bobby Hurricane Spencer,
Ron Battle and Melvyn Deacon Jones. These musicians have
made the history of that genre and it was a great privilege to have
them as a part of this project. For the jazzier songs, I had my friend
Koji Ono record keyboards, hes just an unbelievable pianist
and most importantly manages to extract the most amount of emotion
out of every single note he picks, which I believe was perfect for
the material. Dario Benzoni plays drums throughout the record, hes
one of those young musicians that can play any style to perfection
and he did a tremendous job. I also had two exceptional vocalists
come in and use their instrument in pretty unusual ways, Mino Mereu
and Brie Widaman. George Lynch just tore it up on Burn,
that track really has a particular intensity to it, so it was great
to have such a master of the guitar add such a unique twist to it.
The album was recorded over the course of three months, between December
of 2010 and February of 2011. Recording sessions were very sparse
due to scheduling reasons, but gave us enough time to put the right
amount of thought into how we wanted things to come out and yet the
time span was short enough for everything to come out spontaneously.
mwe3: Musically, theres a lot of different directions on your
CD, from funk to fusion to melodic guitar instrumentals. How would
you describe your sound and musical vision on the Fine Arts Avenue
CD and can you compare it to your first CD? How has your sound changed
over the past years?
AB: The
idea was simply to create something that would be very compelling,
and use contrast as a tool to help accomplish it. I try to think of
an album in a cinematic direction, that way it can go places and be
organic at the same time.
Most of my favorite records are very diverse and very organic, for
instance Sgt. Peppers, The Wall or Houses Of The Holy.
There are no consecutive tracks that are alike, and yet there
is an underlying tone that gives the work unity. The use of contrast
is also remarkable, especially when brought to its extreme, it is
very intentional and effective. Some people think variety makes a
record inaccessible, but I believe that is a result of underestimating
the listener. Each album I mentioned is a milestone in our history
and a popular music album at the same time, I believe that is not
chance.
To me listeners respond the most to a radical event, loud to soft,
melodic to rhythmic, instrumental to vocal, simple to complex. Emotions
arent containable in an organized spectrum. There is no honesty
in cutting out any of your influences at the spark of the creative
process.
About my first album, I believe overall that was a less mature work.
That is not necessarily a bad thing, the feeling was there and I am
proud of that, at the same time my playing was not up to par with
my writing in many ways and I feel I have shortened that gap with
this latest work. Some people seem to really like my first record
though, I think because of the rawness of the whole thing. There is
something special about less organized work, incidents have a fundamental
role in a recording process and capture the uniqueness of the moment,
especially when tracking live and at a fast pace.
mwe3:
What guitars, electric and acoustic, and amps are you playing on the
Fine Arts Avenue and do you have any endorsements with gear
companies? Do you follow all the latest gear and guitar news?
AB: I have many guitars I love, but the love of my life is my DPergo
Telecaster. Its just the best instrument I have ever played,
period. I can get some pretty unique sounds out of that one. Sometimes
people say things about me using a slide or a whammy bar on my recordings,
and Ive never done either. Its just the Tele...it has
something magical about it, I cant bend like that on any other
type of guitar.
I mount Seymour Duncan pickups on it, the STR-1 and the Vintage Broadcaster.
I do have an endorsement deal with SD for pedals as well as pickups,
with Reference Cables and Clayton Picks and accessories. I have also
worked with Bad Cat Amplifiers as an artist and I do play their BC-50
on most of my album.
I dont look into magazines as much as I wish I did but I do
have a lot of friends that keep me updated on more stuff than I can
keep up with, its really great! Talking about my endorsements,
Id like to thank Alicia Toney at SD for being such a wonderful
person and keeping me updated on gear. Also my amp guy, Steve Dikun
over in Burbank...that man just knows too much!
mwe3: How long have you lived in Los Angeles and what do you like
best about the music scene in L.A. in 2012 and what other guitarists
do you compare notes with?
AB: I have lived in Los Angeles for the past four years; its
really an amazing city for music. There are many hidden treasures
here, many cool venues and musicians. People think about it just as
a good city for rock music, but its actually really amazing
for jazz, blues and fusion as well.
Theres are many players here that have contributed to my development
greatly; John Pisano is an incredible guitarist and a great mentor,
I have learned and am learning a myriad of things from him on nearly
every aspect of playing. Steve Trovato is also a big influence on
my playing, I have the time of my life playing clubs with him and
learning every Tele trick there is from such a master of this instrument.
Barry Zweig is definitely another player I look up to, he has an amazing
sense for chords and he is one of the most soulful guitarists I have
ever heard.
On the blues side of things, Richard Martin Ross and George Dez are
definitely my favorite guitarists to play with, and are both tremendous
players.
Fusion-wise, Dave Hill is a great inspiration and a world-class musician.
I look forward to playing with him on the 10th of this coming month
at Lucys 51, its going to be an awesome night!
I also enjoy
talking music and guitar stuff with Francesco Artusato, whos
been a close and dear friend from day one of my venture in the States
and is a very unique and talented musician. Im happy to see
him getting a lot of recognition in the world of heavy metal, but
I must also say I am thankful to be aware and to witness just how
exceptional he is in virtually any aspect of music.
mwe3: Do you have any hobbies interests or causes outside of music
and whats coming up for you musically and what musical directions
are you planning to take in the future?
AB: Well, I enjoy reading very much; I titled one of the tracks of
FAA quoting a poem by Dylan Thomas. Arthur Rimbaud, Pier Paolo Pasolini,
John Fante, Leonardo Sciascia and Ernest Hemingway are some of my
favorites.
I am also into movies very much, and film scores of course. I love
the works of Sergio Leone, Federico Fellini, Pier Paolo Pasolini,
yes, he was just a genius as a director, and Giuseppe Tornatore.
I enjoy traveling very much too. Even though that is just another
implication of my work, I really enjoy seeing new things, driving
for many hours, listening to everyones stories when Im
among people and listening to the silence of things when Im
by myself.
As
far as causes go, Ill play music for good causes from time to
time, for the homeless or at a special high schools for kids that
had a criminal history a few times a year. If I may be allowed a generalization,
they usually make the best audience. I also believe teaching is a
cause, as I believe it is for anybody that realizes the responsibilities
and the importance of teaching, especially to the youth.
I have many projects for the future, right now I am getting ready,
practicing six to twelve hours every day, even losing nights of sleep
over it. Ill be playing live a lot in the next couple months,
most of all though I want to get back in the studio within the year
and record a new album. I already have more material than I need for
it, so its just a matter of picking and choosing what I don
t want to use. One more thing Id like to say about it is, there
will definitely be some exceptional musicians involved in this one
as well and cant wait to get started...
Thanks to Andrea Balestra @ www.AndreaBalestra.com