A whirlwind of instrumental styles breezes into the Edmonds Center for the Arts Jan 24 as the California Guitar Trio presents their fusion of classical, rock, blues, jazz, world music, progressive, and the quintessential California musical genre surf music.
Paul Richards of Salt Lake City, Utah, Bert Lams of Brussels, Belgium, and Hideyo Moriya of Tokyo first met in England at one of Robert Fripp’s Guitar Craft Courses in 1987. After completing several of these intensive courses, the three toured worldwide with Fripp’s League of Crafty Guitarists. Wanting to continue working together after the League had run its course, Bert, Paul and Hideyo convened in Los Angeles and founded The California Guitar Trio (CGT) in 1991, honing their intricate original compositions, surf covers, and classical re-workings.
While growing up in Utah, Richards was greatly influenced by the musical interests of his older brothers. His early interest in rock and blues quickly broadened to include jazz, classical, progressive, acoustic, world music and more.
Born and raised near Brussels, Belgium, Bert Lams is a graduate of the prestigious Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels. Originally a rock guitarist, he has extensively studied and taught classical guitar — and possesses a particular affinity for J.S. Bach and music influenced by the American Old West.
A native of Tokyo, Japan, Hideyo Moriya began playing guitar at age 12 by emulating the Ventures’ 1960s-vintage surf guitar style, and his favorite English rock bands. He came to America in 1982 to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Since their inception in 1991, the Trio has released 11 CDs: six studio CDs featuring original works from the CGT and a variety of classics such as Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue” and Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. Four live releases that show the trio at their best onstage, and a Christmas CD with familiar and not-so familiar Christmas music, which continues to receive rave reviews.
Over the past 14 years of nearly incessant touring, the California Guitar Trio has shared the stage with musicians and performers including King Crimson, Jon Anderson, John McLaughlin, John Scofield, Tito Puente, Taj Mahal, Peter Rowan and Tony Rice, Dark Star Orchestra, Leftover Salmon, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Steve Lukather, Simon Phillips, David Sylvian, Adrian Legg, Kaki King and many more.
CGT has earned a rabid following and wide notoriety, with significant crossover in the progressive, acoustic and classical music scenes. Notably, CGT music was featured on the television coverage of the 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004 Olympics, and also on CBS, NBC, CNN, and ESPN TV programs. The CGT performed on the 2003 Grammy Awards nominated track Apollo on Tony Levin’s CD Pieces of the Sun; and CGT music was sent into outer space as wake up music for the crew aboard NASA’s Space Shuttle Endeavor.
In August 2004, CGT released “Whitewater,” produced by Tony Levin (King Crimson/ Peter Gabriel). Featuring mainly original works, offset by a puzzle work arrangement of a Bach lute suite and an unusual version of the Cowboy classic “Ghost Riders,” CGT continues a busy tour schedule in support of their current release.
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