2010 Carol Ericson Memorial Concert!

First Church is excited to present the first annual Carol Ericson Memorial Concert on September 19, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. here at First Church. This two-guitar acoustic concert will feature Arlen Roth and Matt Rae. Admission is free; donations accepted gratefully and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

About Arlen Roth:

• One of "The Top 100 Influential Guitarists of the Century" - Vintage Guitar Magazine.
• Innovator across musical genres, from Acoustic Styles to Electric Rock, Blues, Slide Guitar and Country.
• Acclaimed Solo Artist, Sideman, Bandleader, Studio Musician, Songwriter and Record Producer.
• 35-year Career Touring and Recording with Top Performers.
• Respected Author, Columnist, and Master Guitar Authority, All Genres, All Playing Styles.
• Inspiration behind creation of "Arlen Roth" brand name guitars, each one a distinct and distinguished model, currently manufactured by three companies.
• Revolutionized Music Instruction and Learning Resources, Through Hot Licks Video and His Many Books.
• Recognized as Having Taught and Influenced More Guitarists Worldwide than Anyone in History.

Known as "The Master of the Telecaster," music lovers consider Arlen Roth "the guitarist's guitarist," a brilliant musician, but that's only one aspect of his remarkable 35-year career. He is a highly regarded authority concerning "all things guitar," from writing about guitar playing, to being the inspiration behind their creation, due to his fluent mastery, and rare ability to seamlessly cross over musical genres and playing styles.

His legendary guitar prowess crosses all genres, all styles, and all types of guitar playing, including one of his specialties, slide guitar. He fluidly moves from folk and blues to country tunes, and has played some of the most resounding rock ever recorded. He is as comfortable playing an acoustic ballad, (his acoustic version of Layla has been critically acclaimed as being better than Eric Clapton's version) as he is launching into the most powerful version of "When a Man Loves a Woman" ever recorded, which Guitar Player magazine called "likely the most intense workout ever recorded on a Telecaster."

His music and endless creativity seem to flow directly from him and through him, and no matter which guitar or style he is playing at any moment, there is an unmistakable combination of clarity, depth, and fluidity, exemplified by the song from which his current release takes its name, Landscape. This (12-track) recording showcases his hallmark genius, his ability to take any note, any nuance, any tool, anything he's ever heard, and somehow make it uniquely his own.

Since his remarkable range of talent defies distinct categorization, the best in the business call upon him when they want the best-- studio musician, sideman, songwriter, author, teacher, bandleader, film consultant, or to go on tour. He also produces his own, and other artists' music.

Every step of the way, since his first solo recording in 1978, Arlen Roth has received accolades and earned the highest acclaim. Vintage Guitar magazine ranked him One of the Top 100 Influential Guitarists of the Century, and he's also on their list for having performed one of The Top 10 Greatest Recorded Guitar Sounds. He recently was a contributing artist on Guitar Harvest , a compilation release featuring world-class guitarists, voted one of the Top Ten All-Time Best Guitar Recordings by Rolling Stone magazine.

Several best-selling guitars bear his name, with three more in production: a new Arlen Roth Archtop model by Curtis Guitars, the innovative Terraplane, a steel-bodied resonator guitar inspired by the classic Hudson Terraplane car, by Simon Guitars, and Warren Guitars' popular Arlen Roth Signature model.

His first of eight solo releases, Arlen Roth: Guitarist, won the Critics Award for "Best Instrumental Album" at Montreaux in 1978. Hot Pickups was No. 2 on the U.K. charts in 1979. His Toolin' Around CD (1993) has become a hard-to-find classic, and is being re-released in 2005 due to ongoing demand. On Toolin' Around , Arlen plays duets with legends such as Danny Gatton, Brian Setzer, Albert Lee, Duane Eddy, Duke Robillard, Jerry Douglas, and Sam Bush, as well as several solo pieces. A big bonus for fans is The Making of Toolin' Around, a film (recorded on DVD) available for the first time. He also contributed to Incarnation, a tribute to legendary blues man Robert Johnson , and performed on two recent Jimi Hendrix tribute CDs.

Arlen Roth has traversed a vast territory, as a musician and as a man.

Drive It Home , a critically acclaimed all-acoustic recording, and the artist's most personal one, was dedicated to his late wife Deborah, and their oldest daughter, Gillian, both tragically lost to a car accident in 1998.
He has toured with Simon and Garfunkel , individually, and together, from 1978 to the present. He appeared on-stage in a film with Bob Dylan , created and taught Ralph Macchio his guitar parts for the film Crossroads , played and directed most of the film's guitar scenes, and played an infamous "dueling guitar virtuosos" finale with Steve Vai and others, still generating substantial internet buzz 20 years later.

A few other artists with whom Arlen Roth has toured or recorded include John Prine, Phoebe Snow, Don McLean, Eric Andersen, Tony Bird, Janis Ian, Pete Seeger (Grammy nominated album), Jack Bruce, Duane Eddy, gospel great Marion Williams, as well as the Taylors: James, Livingston, and Kate.

He's also considered the single-most important influence on learning to play the guitar and other instruments around the world. In 1979, Arlen Roth and his late wife, Deborah, founded Hot Licks , a guitar learning resources company, the first to videotape famous musicians demonstrating their techniques and individual styles, creating an important historical legacy. In many instances, the Hot Licks catalog contains the only video recordings ever performed by these master musicians. The company has shipped over two million videos worldwide, while producing an extensive library of books and guitar-related materials, including many Arlen Roth best sellers, covering guitar history, and lessons for specific guitars, genres, and playing styles.

In 1974, 20-year old Arlen Roth authored his first book, Slide Guitar, still considered the "gold standard." How to Play Blues Guitar followed a year later. Nashville Guitar, 1976, became a landmark reference, highly influencing the country music sound, owing to Arlen's introduction of his wholly original string-bending techniques. His Doubleday book, Complete Electric Guitar, was partially edited by the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Some additional titles include Masters of the Telecaster, Complete Acoustic Guitar, Rock Guitar for Future Stars , and others.

"Hot Guitar," Arlen Roth's column in Guitar Player magazine, was voted #1 by readers for ten consecutive years, and recently was compiled into a best selling book.

Arlen Roth and his daughter, Lexie, a recording and performing artist in her own right, reside in upstate New York. Lexie's first CD, One Long Blink, has recently been released and is receiving great reviews. Look for both father and daughter to be performing many concerts together this year.

 

About Matt Rae

What does it take to become a Master of the Telecaster? To play alongside Forrest Lee, Jr., Arlen Roth, and Redd Volkaert? To be mentioned in the same breath as Brent Mason, Danny Gatton, and Johnny Hiland? If you're Matt Rae, you start "noodling around" on your Mother's 000 Martin acoustic at age 6 and then be able to claim "I have not missed a day of practice in the last 27 years". Just like getting to Carnegie Hall!!

Matt's Mom was a guitar teacher and, although his parents tried to interest him in piano, Matt had already settled on guitar as well. A defining moment came at age 12 when Matt transferred to a new school which held regular talent shows. Impressed by upper classmen, nothing compared to the inspiration delivered by Matt's teacher Mark Bisson and his Les Paul. "I'll never forget how inspired I felt when Mark played. He had a great touch and perfect vibrato. He played the solo for Led Zeppelin's "Heart Breaker" note for note and even did the behind the nut bend! After seeing Mark Bisson play, I new what I wanted to do with my life." By age 15 Matt had received his first electric guitar, a US Fender Bullet, and was playing with Mark in the school blues band. He's never looked back...or elsewhere for that matter.

Like most Matt went through a series of guitars, but it was the Telecaster that always held his interest. "I grew up listening to classic rock and my favorite guitarist was Jimmy Page. I spent hours listening to Led Zeppelin albums and learning his licks note for note. When I was in college I started getting intoTele players such as The Hellecsters, Jimmy Bryant, Danny Gatton, Roy Buchanan, Vince Gill, Albert Lee, James Burton and Arlen Roth. When I heard Albert Lee I fell in love with the Tele. When I went to college in Boston I heard Duke Levine play live for the first time and thats when I went out and bought a Tele."

Perhaps the most significant event in Matt's career so far came in 1997. "I heard Arlen Roth live on a radio show in New York City. I was so inspired by the interview and his playing that I contacted the station and asked if they could put me in touch with Alren to ask about lessons. The station called contacted Arlen and he got in touch with me. It turned out he lived 4 miles from my house. I started lessons a year later Arlen asked me to join his band. Of course I said yes! I still take lessons from Arlen and he always has something to teach me".

Excitement and achievement have continued coming Matt's way over the last several years. All three of his solo CDs have received favorable reviews from both Vintage Guitar and 20th Century Guitar magazines, and each has interviewed him twice. Matt also found a spot among the pages of Guitar Player maganzine after being one of the finalists in their 2005 Guitar Hero competition. He also received an award from Gold Coast who named him one of Connecticut's best guitarists! Recent recording collaborations include Forrest Lee Jr, Tim Wallas, Roxy Perry, Arlen Roth, Levon Helm, and others. Check it out on Matt's Press page. press page

Matt's trademark guitar is his '63 Esquire with added neck pickup. He had always wanted a vintage Tele and Arlen helped him decide on this one. Matt also uses a hollow body guitar built by Rob Engel. "This guitar has inspired me to write more bluesy Jazz songs and is also great for country and surf music." Another guitar Matt has been using is a Blue Paisely Tele clone from Crook Custom Guitars. "It has a one piece maple neck which gives it a different tone than my Esquire. I'm using all three guitars on my new CD".

Matt also taught his first guitar clinic, a positive experience that fueled his passion for teaching and has him yearning to do it again. Beyond that? "I just want to keep doing what I'm doing which is recording, writing, teaching, getting my name out there, and above all PRACTICING EVERY DAY!