WIRRAL Guitar Festival

[Kev]

WIRRAL International Guitar

Festival comes of age this year as it celebrates its 18th birthday.

With a line-up including Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones, Nils

Lofgren and the respected jazz guitarist Martin Taylor, the month-long festival has much to offer.

Throughout November, venues across Wirral

will be celebrating all types of guitar playing, as the borough brings in famous names and makes the most of local talent.

The early days of the

festival established a serious and committed audience for guitar music in the classical tradition and offered players within all genres the opportunity to be

listened to in intimate surroundings with an informed and enthusiastic audience.

Rob Smith, festival director for International Guitar Festival of Great

Britain, said hundreds of guitarists had been to festivals over the last 17 years putting the event on the map since it began in 1989.

He said:

"Although we were hopeful that the festival would be successful and put Wirral on the map, I don't think that we were quite prepared for the enthusiasm of

the players, audiences and journalists in supporting what we were trying to achieve.

"Although Wirral may not have sprung to mind at that time as a host

of one of our major music festivals it certainly does now.

"Since 1989 we have welcomed hundreds of players from all over the world to perform at our

festival and they have been the greatest ambassadors and supporters of the work that we do recommending this festival as a great gig to play to other

musicians and the industry."

Bill Wyman, who will perform with the Rhythm Kings, is sure to be a big draw this year as well as Nils Lofgren, an

acclaimed solo performer who has also enjoyed spells in Bruce Springsteen's E Street band and Crazy Horse.

This year the festival announced jazz

guitarist Martin Taylor - described as "the acoustic guitarist of his generation" by America's Acoustic Guitar Magazine, as its new patron.

Rob Smith

said: "From day one Martin has become a great friend and advocate for this festival. He has performed for us most years and produced a series of concerts

that has been nothing short of spellbinding.

"He has brought many different configurations of performers for us including duos, trios, quartets and

Spirit of Django showcasing the versatility and virtuosity of Martin's talent.

"The festival has always been a celebration of the guitar reflecting the

breadth of global styles and range of combinations from solo guitarist, through bands to guitar and orchestra."

Thefestivaltakes place from November 7 -

26.

For listings and news see www.bestguitarfest.com/



source.....

[Paul D]

Just another day in the Capital of Culture.