James Williams

James Williams - Eclectic Shred - 2012 - Eclectic Shred

Putting out instrumental rock guitar albums is nowadays certainly associated with certain risks. The first problem lies in the fact that this kind of music has been exceedingly untrendy for almost two decades and the second, the myriad of albums of this genre, recorded by countless guitarists since Satriani's Surfing with the alien hit the shelves. Let's face it, almost every guitarist with chops and a laptop has done it. Today's technology and accessible recording software make this an easy thing. These facts along with the stagnation in technique department certainly diminish the potential of guitar music and make it almost impossible for the artists to get wider recognition. And it's a pity because there is a lot of great music out there. Williams' album Eclectic shred certainly falls in this category. Like the title indicates it gathers all the best aspects of rock and metal guitar inspired by Malmsteen and Satriani fusing it with symphonic and ambiental elements. Nothing astonishig or unheard, but pleasant and powerful nontheless. The album is superbly played and produced and the sounds are spot on. The only thing that is a bit of a letdown is an unimaginative cover and modest CD artwork. But in the digital age that doesn't matter that much. Eclectic shred is a solid album with a wide and colorful musical horizon, made by an artist who definitely put his thinking cap on. Because of it's variety it's suitable both for headbangers and guitar afficionados as, on the other hand, for more demanding progressive lovers. If it had been released three decades earlier it would have made history; today it's just another guitar album with great music. Review by & © Tomo Jurca © http://www.therocktologist.com All rights reserved! http://www.therocktologist.com/williams-james---eclectic-shred.html

You might recall skilled guitarist James Williams from his recent X Opus project, The Epiphany, released last year on Magna Carta Records. It was a rather impressive album of progressive power metal with Williams guitar leading the way. With Eclectic Shred, Williams puts his guitar work at the forefront. Guitar aficionado and producer Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records has compared Williams to the legendary Yngwie Malmsteen. Williams easily follows in that neo-classical tradition. But he's also inspired by a greater range of guitarists including Robin Trower, Larry Carlton, Al Dimeola, Gary Moore, and Jeff Beck, to name only a few. Nevertheless, with this in mind, Eclectic Shred is definitely a guitar album, but one quite diverse. Williams moves deftly between neo-classical shredding to rock fusion, with stops in between. He can sound like power prog metal and than also orchestral and sublime. He burns up on B17 Flying Fortress and then becomes more progressive and inventive as on Journey to Andromeda. Needless to say, this is definitely an album for the guitar enthusiast and those value strong song composition and performance. By way of production notes, Williams does nearly everything on this album from performance to production. He gets some help from Mike LePond (Symphony X) on bass, Matt Guillroy (James LaBrie, Malmsteen), and two additional guitarist add solos, Dave Thomas and Richard Tull. Fundamentally, if you like inventive and entertaining instrumental electric guitar in the neo-classical tradition, you'll like James Williams's. Recommended. © 1999-2014 Craig S. Hartranft All Rights Reserved 12.13.2012 Rating 4/5 http://www.dangerdog.com/2012-music-reviews/james-williams-eclectic-shred.php#.U4oF6HK8A7o

Guitar Virtuoso James Williams: Much to the excitement of guitarists around the world, guitar virtuoso James Williams new solo CD 'Eclectic Shred' Featuring guest appearances by Mike LePond from Symphony X and Matt Guillroy from James Labrie/Yngwie Malmsteen, and to be released on the Eclectic Shred label, the new CD by James Willams is an excercize in guitar wizardry, the likes of which have not been heard before! James has appeared in Guitar Player Magazine with Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records, who said, “James's impressive guitar pyrotechnics are highlighed by arpeggios, speed picking, vibrato and guitar harmonies that work together to create inspiring high level passages that sometimes remind me of Yngwie Malmsteen.” James has recorded with the late bassist Wyman Tisdale and also legendary bassist/composer/arranger Marcus Miller. Performances with guitarist Norman Brown, saxophonist Gerald Albright and many other top artists, along with years of exposure to classical, jazz, metal and R&B, James has created a diverse sound that is on the cutting edge of today's guitarists. Says James,“My inspiration is always to achieve something musical that will last and inspire others.” © http://www.reverbnation.com/jameswilliamsshreds

Speaking about "Eclectic Shred, James William has said that “There is so much diversity in this record it should satisfy the solo hungry guitar fans, the song composition fans, and anyone who likes fusion with odd time signatures, power Symphony X rhythms to Hendrix, Ynwie and classical lovers of guitar and keys. As far as the players on 'Eclectic Shred', I am really happy with how that turned out, as it can be a challenge to communicate to guys that are in other parts of the US and can't come to your studio. However, the players I used were great at doing their thing. I am so happy to be able to have gotten my good friend Mike LePond from Symphony X to play bass on the album – he is a bass god! His timing and interpretation is masterful, and he wrote his own lines and played the way he wanted as he heard it. Mike is the best prog-metal has to offer – Symphony X is my favorite modern metal band and the best out there musically. I got in touch with Matt Guillroy through my good friend Mike Varney, the famed progressive guitar producer who brought us Yngwie and Jason Becker. Matt plays keyboards for James Labrie and has worked with Yngwie – he is better on keys sounding like a guitar than most guitar players. He is a master of the keys and I was so glad to get him on the record shredding solos!” All in all a potent guitar shred album with ten brilliantly played progressive fusion metal jazz instrumentals by an outstanding guitarist. Check out X Opus' "The Epiphany" album [Tracks @ 204-320 Kbps: File size = 91.8 Mb]

TRACKS

1 B17 Flying Fortress 7:12
2 Keltoi 00:48
3 Dropa Stones 8:09
4Unborn Massacre 3:24
5 Auschwitz 7:35
6 Eclectic Shred 6:13
7 Cruise Control 1:35
8 Maxwells Castle 4:30
9 Europa 8:08
10 Journey To Andromeda 10:26

All tracks composed by James Williams

MUSICIANS

James Williams - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Drum Programming, Symphonic Arrangements, Symphonic Composition
Dave Thomas, Richard Tull - Guitar
Mike LePond - Bass
Matt Guillroy - Keyboards

BIO

James Williams has been a professional musician composer since he was 15 years old. James plays electric guitar,acoustic guitar,classical guitar, bass guitar and keyboards.James has recorded and toured on Atlantic records with the late bassist Wayman Tisdale also has been on the same album as legendary bassist/composer/arranger Marcus Miller, Norman Brown,Layla Hathaway, Gerald Albright and has extensive experience sharing the stage on shows with artist such as Maze,Merian Meadows,Jonathan Butler. James also has opened up with his own band Sea of Glass for Spyra Gyra at the Greenwood Jazz Festival in Oklahoma. In 2007 James played on the Lords Prayer album with Vanessa Bell Armstrong, James Ingram, Sheila E, and many more other gospel, jazz r&b artists from 1994 to present. James says “I was raised on classical music from an early age, my mother sang opera and I started playing guitar at 12 years old. My first professional experience playing live was playing with Eric Clapton's drummer Jamie Oldecker at age 15 in a small club in Tulsa Oklahoma .James started playing guitar at age 12 after hearing Jimi Hendrix Electric Lady Land and never wanted to do anything else. James soon was playing Larry Carlton and The Crusaders note for note he studied jazz, R &B, funk fusion, metal ,pop, rock guitar and classical composition. James has been featured in Guitar Player magazine's spotlight column by Mike Varney who discovered Yngwie Malmsteen,Jason Becker and Paul Gilbert to name a few. Mike Varney saying of James Williams “His guitar playing consist of high level passages and innovative guitar work reminds me of Yngwie Malmsteen to Al Dimeola and Bach” James started 2011 signed to Magna Carta records out of NY by Mike Varney with a much herald guitar God album of power prog classical metal virtuoso master piece, with catchy vocals and strong hooks like Kansas, Yes, and Dream Theater. His album “X Opus The Epiphany”, was reviewed by every major guitar mag around the World as a must have for all guitar fans, Truth in Shredding gave it 4 out of 5 stars along with many others. In 2012 James recorded James Williams Eclectic Shred another world release this time on his own lable Eclectic Records.It got reviews as the best instrumental guitar cd in decades compared to the classic recordings of Yes,Al Dimeola,Alan Holdsworth,and Rick Wakeman.Eclectic Shred is a record that embellishes the cd title incorporating jazz fusion, metal, classical compositions that are reminiscent of dramatic film scores.James also incorporated Middle Eastern and Bulgarian modes on Eclectic Shred. James Williams says “One of my many musical goal's is to give back to people threw playing live and music teaching what God has given me threw music to inspire others to do the same”James has also been in music worship ministry for over 10 years, he has played for Day Star television and their prison ministry,apperd on shows for TBN and has done extensive studio work for many Gospel recording projects around Dallas TX. James is a 25 year private music instructor teaching all ages and all styles of music. © http://www.reverbnation.com/artist_3189123/bio