Bireli Lagren, Martin Taylor and Ulf Wakenius at Nisville

17 Jun Bireli Lagren, Martin Taylor and Ulf Wakenius at Nisville

The Great Guitars are coming to Serbia.

Guitar virtuosos Bireli Lagrene, Martin Taylor and Ulf Wakenius will present their music magic: one night, three (multiple award-winning) guitarists, eighteen strings as part of Nisville 2024 on Saturday August 17.

Bireli Lagrene (France), Martin Taylor (Great Britain) and Ulf Wakenius (Sweden), under the name “The Great Guitars” continue the colorful tradition that began in the seventies of the last century when legendary guitarists Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel and Charlie Byrd recorded and performed around the world. The link between of that and this new (no less legendary) guitar trio is Martin Taylor, who during the eighties became a member of the original group (replacing Herb Ellis), who now participates with Lagren and Wakenius in a brilliant program that shows the mastery of playing the guitar with strong emotions, lucid humor and originality musical fireworks.

Combining Taylor’s vitreous “fingerpicking” (playing with the fingers of the right hand instead of a pick), with Lagren’s stunning technique and Wakenius’ incredible versatility, their performances include solo, duo and trio performances. During their rich careers, the three of them collaborated, among others with artists ranging from Tommy Emmanuel to David Grisman, from Donald Fagen (Steely Dan) to Wynton Marsalis, and Bonnie Raitt to Bob Dylan.

Since the 1980s, Bireli Lagrene has been the undisputed king of jazz guitar throughout the world. During the early 80s, Birelli was a child prodigy, rightly considered at the time to be the only true successor to Django Reinhardt, and in the last forty years he has released 39 albums. Among the many awards he received, it stands out: “Django dOr” for the best French jazz musician (1993 and 2002), Best French Jazz album (“Front Page” from 2001), as well as “Django dOr” for the best guitarist (2007). The crowning glory was prestige the “Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres” (Knight of Arts and Letters) medal – awarded by France as the highest recognition for significant contribution to art, which he received in 2012. On the list of musicians with whom he collaborated: Al Di Meola, Paco de Lucía, John McLaughlin, Benny Carter, Benny Goodman, Stephane Grappelli, Larry Coryell, Vic Juris, Philip Catherine, Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke, Gil Evans, Charlie Haden, Stanley Jordan… The legendary Pat Metheny says of Martin Taylor that he is one of the most incredible solo guitarists in the history of this instrument”, while Jeff Beck once said: “He surpasses all of us – I have never seen and heard something similar. Taylor is world-renowned as the most prominent representative of “fingerpicking” jazz playing guitar, with a record 15 British jazz awards, 10 best albums in the USA and Europe, and the title “Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire”, which was awarded to him by the Queen of Great Britain. His innovative online guitar school is attended by guitarists from over 60 countries. What is special in the jazz world the fact that, among others, he performed and recorded for 12 years with Stephane Grappelli – violinist, the founder and co-leader of the original “Quintet of the Hot Club of France” and precisely in the second position co-founder and leader – legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt. He also played in Count Basie’s big band, as well as with Chet Atkins, Joe Pass, Tal Farlow, Buddy DeFranco, but also with the legend of classical music violinist Yehudi Menuhin and former Rolling Stones bassist – Bill Wyman.

Ulf Wakenius – an outstanding jazz guitarist is praised and literally celebrated all over the world. Between In 1997 and 2007, Ulf held what was perhaps the most prestigious position for guitarists in jazz: the chair in the quartet of one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time – Oscar Peterson, walking in the footsteps of the legendary Joe Passa. Wakenius’ guitar duo Guitars Unlimited (the other member was Peter Almqvist) rocked Scandinavia in the early 80s, and it culminated in 1985 when they performed in the revue “Melody Grand Prix” in Gothenburg, as the Eurosong was then called, which was seen by about 600 million viewers. Not long after that Wakenius began an extremely successful and long-lasting collaboration with the legendary Danish bass player Niels- Henning Örsted Pedersen, and both of Wakenius’ albums with bass icon Ray Brown were on the first place in the American jazz list. The list of musicians with whom he recorded and performed included Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, Jack DeJohnette, Jim Hall, Milt Jackson, Joe Henderson, Phil Woods, Max Roach, Toots Thielemans, Bobby Hutcherson, Bill Evans, Randy Brecker…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K_SKjMe0MY Martin Taylor & Bireli Lagren

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9CQeMtEKZ0 Martin Taylor and Ulf Wakenius

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1qNF1rkhe8 Bireli Lagrene & Ulf Wakenius

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cblkG34j_JY Martin Taylor, Ulf Wakenius (& Eleonora Strino)

Photo: The Great Guitars promo