Nascent Press Release
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Press release Nascent Bach Preludes on the steel string guitar As the highly acclaimed guitarist that makes up one third of the successful California Guitar Trio, Bert Lams is calling on his twenty years of classical training and his exceptional transcribing abilities, to introduce Nascent, Bach Preludes on the Steel String Guitar. His choice of steel string guitar in lieu of the more traditional nylon stringed instrument, sets this performance apart, allowing listeners to connect with this beautifully performed Bach music from an unexplored perspective. The past 18 years have seen Lams traveling the world as a performing musician, and he sites Bach's preludes as a constant companion. “At age seven, I heard the prelude in C major of the well-tempered clavier by JS Bach on harpsichord played by Gustav Leonhardt,” says Lams. “I was drawn to the world of music at that moment and have been exploring this wondrous art form ever since.” Lams graduated with a concert level degree in classical guitar studies at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels in 1984. Two years later he attended a Guitar Craft seminar taught by legendary guitarist Robert Fripp that would change his outlook on music forever. “Robert introduced me to the New Standard Tuning, Based on fifths (C-G-D-A-E-G) using a steel string guitar with plectrum or pick,” states Lams. “This tuning is, in principle, the same as the cello, violin and viola tuning. It opened a new door for me. The cello and violin repertoire suddenly became much more accessible and I returned to the Bach repertoire with renewed enthusiasm.” In 1990, Lams moved to Los Angeles and formed the California Guitar Trio with Paul Richards and Hideyo Moriya performing an eclectic collection of styles on three acoustic guitars. The trio has enjoyed much success touring the world and performing with such notable artists as bassist Tony Levin and drummer Mastelotto. In the making of Lams first solo recording, Nascent, he remarks, “I felt the desire to break new grounds, and transcribe several pieces that haven't yet been played on guitar, let alone on a steel string guitar with plectrum (Prelude 4 of the cello suite for instance). Preludes from Bach's cello and violin works were an obvious choice, and I always had an affinity for the Chaconne, one of my favorite compositions for solo instrument.” With this first solo recording, Lams presents an overview of the different moods and colors of Bach's violin and cello preludes in a bold new format for steel string guitar. “The recordings on this release are only a snapshot in time,” concludes Lams. “This is how I play it now. Tomorrow it will be different. The notes remain the same, but the music changes like life does. Over the years my approach to the solo repertoire develops and matures. The music is never nascent.” /H3> |
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