The Guitar Player's Resource
Lyrical steel-string melodicism. Acoustic, new age orchestration. Steel-string guitar and violin interplay. Lush harmonic soundscapes. All this and more can be found on Asheville, North Carolina guitarist Joe Ebel's latest CD Primebel. His first solo release, the album contains thirteen instrumental cuts which feature Ebel on acoustic guitar and five-string violin, as well as a stellar roster of supporting musicians including soprano saxophonist Stuart Reinhardt, Grammy-winning bassist Eliot Wadopian (Paul Winter Consort), Grammy-nominated bassist Michael Manring (Michael Hedges/Windham Hill Records) and drummer Tony Creasman (Southern Gospel Music Association Studio Musician of the Year 2002). Adding to the sonic interest are unusual percussion instruments, such as Tibetan singing bowl, congas and frame drum. Ebel's created a wonderful work - sure to appeal to fans of good music everywhere.
Joe began in the third grade with six years of classical violin lessons. He bought an electric guitar at age fourteen and eventually played lead guitar in a cover band called The Rejects, leaving the violin to gather dust for seven years. During this time he learned to improvise on the guitar and learned enough music theory to allow him to learn through experimentation. Joe later picked up the violin again, improvising in the context of a pop rock band with the aid of an electronic pickup. His musical experiences included playing rock and roll, country, blues, jazz, bluegrass, folk and new age. Joe has played the Kerrville Folk Festival with seven different singer/songwriters and has released two CDs with finger-style guitarist Ken Bonfield. His guitar influences include John Fahey, Leo Kottke, Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, Eric Clapton and Dickie Betts.
Ebel is now planning a second and third CD. One will be another instrumental acoustic project, and the other will be an electronica offering with groove tracks with "organic" violin and guitar melodies.
Ebel Alley Music
United States
Web site: www.primebel.com