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ARI
LEHTELA |
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I have
been studying music with the guitar since mid-70’s. Around 1991
I took a slight detour by getting involved with guitar building. For
next few years playing took a back seat to building. I got back into
playing including some performing around 2002. Guitar building is
my ‘day gig‘ although I continue to do both.
Three
Hybrid Instruments were featured on the recording. They are named
Sadari, Sitari and Orientari. Common to all three is the unique combination
of fretted, fretless and microtonal partials all within one neck.
Amplifiers comprised of a Polytone and two Tubeworks combos which
were miked. Only effect I used was Lexicon digital reverb. The instruments
were all strung with a multitude of plain steel strings and some round
wound nickels in the bass registers. The hybrids have evolved quite
a bit since the time of the recording. If anything they are going
back to the future as find myself using old world materials such as
gourds and bamboo in addition to wood. These materials have been utilized
in many parts of the world for centuries because of their unsurpassed
acoustical properties. Stick a good microphone in front and there
is your best sound.
Listing
my influences would be exhaustive so I’ll name just a few of
the outstanding ones. Hermeto Pascoal for composition and humour,
John McLaughlin as a guitarist and two great albums – Live
Evil by Miles Davis and Epiphany by Vince Mendoza.
I’m
in a compositional phase right now and my plan is to do a follow up
to the first album. It’s slow going as I reject 95% or more of
what comes to mind. My plan is to feature more composition and less
lengthy improvisation. Featured instruments will include the Sadari
and other new hybrids. I may also include some sarod, sitar and oud
in parts and also that thing known as the guitar.
As a
player: |
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Instrument
makers and luthiers who also make music sometimes make the most exciting
and adventurous sounds. Case in point is the 2007 CD from North Carolina
based guitar maker Ari Lehtela. Some of the self made instruments
on Ari’s CD include his Sitari, Orientari and Sadari—the
latter a hybrid of sitar, sursingar and baritone guitar. The sound
Lehtela gets on the 2007 CD release of West Eats Meat combines
a skillful approach to free form fusion with a slightly twisted avant
gard world beat groove. Commenting on the album title, Lehtela claims,
‘West Eats Meat is from a song title of a composition
by master sitarist Ravi Shankar. I always liked that name and then
decided to use it as the name for my project.’ Lehtela has Finnish
blood in him and clearly he’s heard and absorbed modern Finnish
guitar legend and jazz-rock pioneer like Jukka Tolonen. When asked
about his Finnish connection Lehela adds, ‘Yes, I was born in
Valkeakoski, a city just south of Tampere. I took part in the usual
things of Finns, namely sauna and cross country skiing and throw in
a bit of ice hockey in there as well. I have not been back to the
homeland since '79 so I'm way overdue. I do continue to follow some
of the activity from Finland, a good source being You Tube...many
interesting players there from all over the globe.’ In addition
to the Finnish-ness, one can also hear the spirit of innovative avant
gard neoclassical giants like Edgard Varese in Lehtela's music. In
other words, Lehtela makes bold uncompromising music on West Eats
Meat and above all, the CD enables him to utilize his fantastic
and wild looking guitar creations. Lehtela’s all instrumental
formula means there’s lots of experimentation and ample room
for improvising, although for his upcoming 2010 release Ari is promising
a greatest emphasis on composition. On this album, Lehtela receives
top support from his band mates, John Shaughnessy (6 string
bass, bass synth) and John Spurrier (drums). West Eats Meat
is a safe bet for adventurous music lovers. www.lehtelaguitarcraft.com
