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player ready...Despite the anti-guitar solo ethic of many alternative rock acts today, the guitar hero is still alive and well in rock ‘n’ roll. For evidence, there’s Eric Clapton, whose “From the Cradle” album recently topped the charts, or Megadeth, featuring speed merchant Marty Friedman, whose new “Youthanasia” album debuted at No. 4. Well into their 40s, Aerosmith, featuring guitar wrangler Joe Perry, continues to pack ’em in live and move “product” in the stores.
If Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan represents the new vision of the guitar hero, fellow Chicagoan Dave Uhrich is the embodiment of the classic rock guitar god. Uhrich’s new, all-instrumental “Fretnotized” album-his second for the Des Plaines-based Red Light label-is a dazzling showcase for his six-string virtuosity and composing talents. Combining blazing speed with taste and killer tone, Uhrich romps over tunes that range from testosterone-fueled metal to atmospheric jazz-rock and even some slick, chicken-pickin’ country. If Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Pat Metheny and Albert Lee were cloned into a single guitarist, the result would sound a lot like Uhrich.
Uhrich and his five-piece band will be appearing Friday at Synergy in West Chicago and next Friday at Toto’s in Schaumburg. According to Uhrich, his band’s all-instrumentals approach is what sets the group apart from most of the local rock pack.
“Instrumental music isn’t as affected by what’s currently fashionable musically,” he said. “It’s kind of like the music of Frank Zappa, which lasted through so many trends. Working without a vocalist, things are less locked-in, and you have a lot more freedom to play. There are more holes to fill, and if you get it right it’s a lot more satisfying. It’s like the difference between climbing Mt. Everest versus climbing a little hill.”
Although Chicago-based, Uhrich and his music have been embraced by audiences worldwide. His albums have received raves in the international guitar press, while the close to 100 in-store clinics he did this year for Ibanez guitars took him not only around the country but to Europe and Japan as well. In January, Uhrich will be demonstrating his guitar “chops” for Ibanez at the annual National Association of Music Merchants trade show in Los Angeles.
“In a lot of ways doing a guitar clinic is like doing a commercial for yourself,” said Uhrich, a graduate of the American Conservatory of Music who is on the music faculty of Elmhurst College and teaches guitar workshops at Roosevelt University. “You get up there and do something that you totally love, talk about yourself, get to travel and represent a company whose instruments you play. It’s really helped me in getting my name around.”
As if the band, clinics, teaching and some studio work aren’t enough, Uhrich is also a mainstay in WLUP-FM personality Kevin Matthews’ Ed Zeppelin band. In fact, if you’ve ever heard the signature closing theme to Matthews’ show with its soaring guitars, you’ve heard its composer, Uhrich.
While Uhrich enjoys all the various facets of his musical life, one senses that making it as a recording and touring artist is closest to his heart.
“To be able to go out and play my own original music for people is a dream come true,” he said. “Every day I wake up and thank God for being able to make a living from playing guitar.”
Other concerts of note
The Falling Wallendas, Friday at the Beat Kitchen: While you probably won’t find the band slouched in some fashionably funky Wicker Park eatery, the Falling Wallendas’ recent self-titled (and self-released) album gets our nod as one of the top local releases of the year. For reference points think XTC, Squeeze or dada, as the band fuses expert musicianship and vocals with accessible and hummable original material that cries out for radio airplay. Also appearing is Eden Deluxe.
Blue Meanies, Friday at Metro: Brash, energetic and noisy, Chicago’s Blue Meanies sounds like the group is playing everything at 78 rpms. The band’s most obvious influences are punk and ska, but you’ll also hear tinges of avant garde jazz and ethnic music in its brassy sound. We wonder what kind of vitamins these guys take.
Yardsale, Friday at the Double Door: As a genre, country rock had its heyday in the ’70s, but there’s nothing retro about the Chicago trio Yardsale, fronted by guitarist-vocalist John Pirruccello. The band’s excellent self-titled debut on the local Western Front label features plenty of good singing and playing but, most important, it’s chock-full of choice hard-rocking material with a country undercoating. Also appearing are Redball and the wonderfully named Iggy Yoakam & His Famous Pogo Ponies.
The Otters, Friday at the Coronet Theatre in Evanston: For four years the eclectic Otters have been a Tuesday night tradition at Schubas. The band comprises some of the city’s top musicians, who make their living playing either in other groups or in Chicago’s recording studios as first-call session players. Founded and led by musical jack-of-all-trades Stuart Rosenberg, the group recently released a live CD, “Nature Of the Beast.” The album documents their impossible to categorize-but always danceable-music, which draws on rock, country, folk, jazz, latin and other world music styles. This concert will be your last chance to see the Otters for a while, as the group is about to go on an extended hiatus.
Kraig Kenning’s 8th Annual Christmas Benefit, Sunday at the Cabana Beach Club in Palatine: Kraig Kenning (no relation) is a fine singer and slide guitarist whose rock-blues-country band Kenning & Company is a staple at suburban clubs. The band also just self-released an engaging album, “Some Faith.” Each year on Christmas Day, Kenning hosts a benefit concert for Goodwill’s “Operation Overcoat” program. The cover charge for this 7 p.m. show is either $5 or the donation of a usable winter coat, with all proceeds going to Goodwill. In addition to Kenning’s band, other acts will perform including the Karen Dale Country Band, Dave “The Skip” Anderson, the Blue Balls, and the Gordon James Jazz Band.
Dorothy Donegan, Tuesday through next Saturday at Yvette Wintergarden: A peerless jazz and classical pianist whose blues-tinged phrasing gives more than a hint of her South Side Chicago origins, Dorothy Donegan settles in for a five-night stint backed by local aces Larry Gray on bass and Joel Spencer on drums. She’s a virtual repository of jazz styles dating back to the early ’40s, so it’s no wonder fellow piano ace Billy Taylor has called Donegan “a national treasure.”
James McCandless, Tuesday at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn: With the possible exception of Michael Smith, you’ll not find a more gifted folk singer-songwriter working out of Chicago than James McCandless. McCandless ambitiously released two albums this year, “Out West Somewhere” and “Sea Of Freedom,” which explore his interests in Irish music and the lore of the Old West through sharply etched musical character studies. Best of all, the cover is only $2.
Jeff Tweedy, Thursday at Lounge Ax: Jeff Tweedy, former co-leader of the late, lamented roots country band Uncle Tupelo, currently heads the band Wilco. For something a bit different he’ll be doing this mainly acoustic show with some help from Wilco’s Jay Bennett. Expect some new variations on old themes and, possibly, a few surprises.