Hello everyone - I'm sorry it's been a while since the last installment; my trio, QB3, and I have been very busy gigging in and outside of the New York City area. We were also in the midst of breaking in a great new bassist, which has been absolutely worth it. In any case, I'm looking forward to presenting you all with some music for your listening pleasure soon.With that being said, welcome to the official 3rd installment of Guitar Picks. For new readers, the purpose of this colu …

On any given Friday night, a tucked away bar in Manhattan's Lower East Side blares with an eclectic mix of singer/songwriter, deep house DJ and funk, all in the course of an evening. Within this particular hour, the packed house moves to danceable grooves and drum 'n bass, nods to sophisticated jazz and sways to funk and soul flavored rhythms; but it's not coming from a DJ or the night's roster of bands..it's coming from one trio: QB3. QB3 is Christopher 'Root' Heinz (drums), Fred Gerantab ( …

For many musicians, evolving is the difference between sinking or swimming in this musical market. Many great players have defined themselves as ‘new legends’ through the kind of longevity that can only come from continuous experimentation and sticking to your guns. One such musician is Al Di Meola, whose name has become synonymous with fusion, jazz and the guitar. From a teen prodigy with Chick Corea’s Return To Forever group, to countless successful collaborations and solo records, Di Meola ha …

In the 70’s and 80’s, Rik Emmet rose to stardom as a member of the arena rock band Triumph, and to some, Emmet will forever be the axe-wielding power rock icon who penned many great hits. However, the post-Triumph years took Emmet on a different journey; one fueled not by the pursuit of rock stardom or extravagance, but of self-discovery and the desire to make music on his own terms (Rik even passed on an offer to join Tom Scholz’s Boston shortly after the Triumph gig). Rik recorded 3 solo album …

The Pat Metheny Group has spanned 25 years as the most celebrated and unparalleled project of its kind. Formed by Pat Metheny in 1977, the group's travels span over a dozen groundbreaking recordings, tours in over 40 countries, too many Grammy awards to list, and most of all, their place as one of the most revolutionary contemporary music ensembles ever. Extending beyond the boundaries of jazz and virtuosity, PMG has continuously sought to create new musical territory through experimentation, ca …