I’m back after an eight-month hiatus. While I haven’t been blogging, I have been
writing—two more thriller novels (Color
Me Deadly and Tenebrae) completed
and the third (SybrKombat) about to
go to my editor for final cuts. Just to refresh your memory, I review mostly
acoustic guitarists as well as a few electrics and a smattering of bass players
and I pair them with a wine that I think fits their music. As far as the wines
go, I limit them to those that I can find for less than $30.00 as it’s more of
a challenge and probably suits the average Joe’s budget best.
Tonight I’m featuring one of my favorites, Mark Kroos. Mark
attended Bowling Green University’s school of music from 2004-2006, majoring in
guitar and jazz. While he learned much from his instructors, Chris Buzzelli and
Matthew Ardizone, he decided jazz wasn’t his thing and left to tour with a punk
band. When the band disbanded in 2009, Mark began teaching and switched to the
acoustic guitar. The musical wizard that is him today was birthed after a whole
lot of writing and practicing on a double necked guitar.
He uses a number of open tunings and relies on incredible
tapping technique to play both necks simultaneously. His influences are drawn
from folk, Celtic, indie and even a few punk artists as well as other virtuoso
guitarists like Michael Hedges, Tommy Emmanuel, and Leo Kottke.
In July
of 2011 Mark was invited, along with four other musicians, to compete in Guitar
Player Magazine's International Guitar Superstar Competition in Nashville. The
judges were Larry Carlton, Muriel Anderson, Reeves Gabrels, and Carl Verheyen,
all of whom are guitar giants. Mark took 1st place out of the 5 invitees who
were chosen from thousands of others who had submitted demos online.
In March, 2013, Mark
posted a video of him simultaneously playing both the banjo and guitar parts of
the Deliverance theme on his double neck. It exploded on YouTube, and I think
after you see it, you’ll understand why he’s so unique in the world of guitar.
Hope you enjoy him.
Deliverance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0eknUtEMWw
Smoke and mirrors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uORPLKTjLE
The demons were gone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikuLzJmx9QM
Hope floats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKOYKmT5mFs
Indigo child: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX8usJ1W1uc
My heart will go on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhS3XQm4N8U
Kroos on the loose: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkMCdORyWVI
Flowers for April: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpsy_Wyedes
Petals change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO2-UoHqJwA
Flight attempt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMudYhABjfI
Pachebel’s Canon in D: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qlFPAb3fpU
Amazing grace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ShZxsbyNNc
An incredible guitarist deserves to be paired with an
equally incredible wine, so I suggest the 2012 Bila Haut Cotes de Roussillon
Village les Vignes de Haut ($14.00). This French vineyard, owned by Michel
Chapoutier, is located on the slopes of the Angly valley, just north of the
Spanish border. Chapoutier is a reknown enologist and anything he makes is
excellent. This particular wine is dark purple with an aromatic mix of red and
black fruits and herbes de Provence. It’s a rich, juicy wine filled with
blackberry, raspberry, red currants, and a touch of white pepper on the palate,
finishing with a vibrancy characteristic of the region. You can find it online
from a number of vendors. Pick up a case then wait for a rainy afternoon and
curl up in front of a fireplace with a good book, a glass of the Bila Haut, and
the music of Mark Kroos.
Cheers!
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