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Ben Tyree - Solo Guitar Tour 2012

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Beginning this September, Ben Tyree kicks off several short run tours of the United States to promote his latest solo guitar record Thoughtform Variations (Sonic Architectures SA002, released June 26, 2012). Blending dazzling technical skill and heartfelt emotions, Tyree’s solo debut will resonate with six-string aficionados and lovers of pure musicality alike. On Thoughtform Variations, Tyree offers eight original pieces combining classical, jazz, pop and folk influences into a rich, harmonious individual sound. Above all, Tyree asserts his own unique voice on the instrument through his gorgeous compositions and dexterous playing.

“Armed with only an acoustic guitar and endless possibilities, Tyree may be unplugged this time around but the music is still electric." —Mark F. Turner, All About Jazz

“a solo acoustic guitar record that stands out above most others" —S. Victor Aaron, Something Else! Reviews

“thought-provoking..." —Bill Meredith, Abstract Logix

The genre-hopping found on Thoughtform Variations, which leaps from Baroque elegance to front-porch funk with deceptive agility, comes naturally to Tyree, whose own experiences are equally varied.

Based in Brooklyn, NY, Tyree leads his trio, BT3, who recorded their debut CD in 2010 with special guests John Medeski and DJ Logic. He also performs regularly with Burnt Sugar: The Arkestra Chamber, Soul Understated, Stephanie Rooker & The Search Engine, and Michael Veal’s Aqua Ife to name a few.

Given those experiences in often raucous, highly interactive situations, the switch to solo acoustic guitar playing may seem a drastic one – which is what Tyree finds so attractive about it. “The appeal is the intimacy, really,” he says. “It’s just me and the guitar, for better or for worse. It’s a big challenge and it gets very personal, intimate, and emotional. I really think the audience can really feel that. That’s something you just can’t get in the same way when you’re playing electric or with a band.”

For his solo compositions, Tyree pulls influences from a wide variety of sources, from jazz pioneers like Wes Montgomery, John McLaughlin and George Benson to the alternative tunings of virtuosos like Michael Hedges, Preston Reed and Kaki King. He employs his own tunings for several pieces on the album and coaxes a wide variety of sounds from his guitar, ranging from lush harmonics to urgent percussion.

See tour schedule below.

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