Theres a new shredder in town

I wanted to see India and I got a call to teach at the school last year,” says Ed DeGenero, a virtuoso guitarist from Germany, who is a faculty member at the Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music. “I ended up liking it a lot more than I thought I would. I knew I was going to like it, but I didn’t think I was going to fall in love with the place.”Ed made his way to India after being asked to lecture at the academy, and he continues to play within the country and tour the “untapped market” of India.After seeing the country, Ed began building his band from among the academy’s faculty members and started touring. Because of his unfamiliarity with the scene, it was tough to get gigs initially, but he has established himself as a major musician and is now in high demand in the national circuit.Ed has been playing professionally since he was 18, and was initially known for his metal guitar playing, but has “grown up” and turned to jazz music, which he believes is the ultimate genre for expression. His strongest influences come from Miles Davis and Charlie Parker, because of whom he was attracted to jazz. Ed’s newest sound emerged when he added a drum and bass computer musician to the mix and began to incorporate the Hindustani style with Indian musicians and vocals in his music. Why this interesting combination? He says he   wants to do anything that marries what kids want to listen to with what he likes to play.When it comes down to it, Ed doesn’t really care about guitar as much as the music, but if he gets picky, he just looks for the response and feel of the amps, and is definitely all for a good fret job, low action, and old feel. “Guitar to me has really little meaning, the end result is what has the meaning,  whether it is the guitar or some other instrument playing it,” Ed says. “For me, its not so much as playing as directing the band.” Ed has already recorded three songs for his new album, Cosmic Bario, but hasn’t indicated a release date as of yet.Ed has plans to move to India soon and to continue to teach and play within the country, and doesn’t plan to retire any time soon. Goals for the future? Nothing specific, he says, he’s just going to play until he “keels over.”“I try not to do goals,” he says “I try to let stuff happen as it happens and capture it. My goal is to get through the day happy.”Ed DeGenero will be performing at Geoffrey’s pub at the Radha Regent as part of a Just About Music night organised by Unseen Underground on June 22. For details, visit www.unseenunderground.com or call 72993 07251.