Uli Jon Roth
Guitarist extraordinaire ULI JON ROTH makes a welcome return to G-Taranaki to present his Sky Academy seminars, which were a sensational highlight of the 2008 festival.
Born in Düsseldorf, Germany, Roth’s blend of rock and classical music is revered amongst guitarists worldwide, with artists such as Joe Satriani, Yngwie Malmsteen and Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, with whom Roth recently toured as invited guest, all paying homage.
Roth made his mark initially with Germany's biggest band Scorpions, joining them in 1973 from Dawn Road as replacement for Michael Schenker, who had left to join UFO. Throughout Roth’s tenure as lead guitarist and pivotal songwriter for the Scorpions, the band released five albums, including the landmark 1978 concert recording Tokyo Tapes.
Leaving the Scorpions at the peak of their creativity, Uli formed an eclectic trio, Electric Sun, and recorded the more experimental albums Earthquake and Firewind. Roth's guitar abilities were universally acknowledged as being truly masterful and he retained his position as one of the most exalted musicians of his generation. Bringing in additional musicians, Electric Sun released its final album, Beyond The Astral Skies, in 1985. The album featured the recording debut of Roth’s Sky guitar – one of a series commissioned by Roth from British luthier Andreas Demetriou, featuring extended fretboards (up to 42 frets) and even a fretless guitar. Electric Sun supported the album with a world tour before disbanding in 1986.
After years out of the public eye, Roth made a rare public appearance at a Jimi Hendrix tribute concert in Cologne in 1991. That same year he produced the Aquila Suite - 12 Arpeggio Concert Etudes for Solo Piano. In 1992 he worked on ‘Europa ex Favilla,’ a piece which he performed in a German television special Symphonic Rock For Europe.
In 1995 an album titled Prologue To The Symphonic Legends was released under the band name Sky of Avalon. This set included Roth's interpretation of Puccini's 'E Lucevan Le Stelle' and featured classical instruments and singers. The album went straight to Number One in Japan.
Following the tragic suicide of Roth's long-term companion and cover artist Monika Dannemann in 1996, the guitarist relocated to Wales, where he busied himself recording 'Requiem For An Angel' at his custom built Skylight Studios. Returning to live action in 1998, Roth teamed up with Joe Satriani and Michael Schenker for a 'G3' tour of Europe.
Roth toured Europe in 2000 to back the Transcendental Sky Guitar album, which included arrangements of pieces by Mozart, Chopin, Vivaldi, Mussorgsky, Massenet, Mendelssohn, Tarréga and Rodrigo.
Uli played at the 2001 annual 'Rock & Blues' festival in the UK, with Jack Bruce and the UFO trio of Phil Mogg, Pete Way and Michael Schenker as guests, a performance captured on the Live At Castle Donington album released in Japan. The success of these shows prompted the announcement of a further run of gigs dubbed the 'Legends Of Rock', the billing included Jack Bruce, former Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker, Michael Schenker and Glenn Hughes.
An album recorded with his Sky Orchestra and centred upon Vivaldi's Four Seasons emerged in 2003. Meantime, the Finnish Lion Music label convened a long overdue tribute album to the artist Beyond Inspiration - A Tribute To Uli Jon Roth. In 2004 the prototype of Roth’s world famous and unique Sky guitar, the 'Dolphin Sky', went on display at the Rock 'n' Popmuseum in Gronau, Germany.
In 2005 Roth joined his old comrades the Scorpions onstage in Colmar, France, the first official reunion since the recording of the 1978 Tokyo Tapes concerts.
Roth founded the Sky Academy in 2006, holding the first seminar and Sky Music Festival at the Ralph Freud Theater at the University Campus of Los Angeles that May. Roth’s emphasis at these seminars is on awakening and strengthening the students' musical potential and helping them to connect more deeply with music. In 2008, he brought the Sky Academy to Taranaki, with seminars in local schools, a format which he will continue this year.
http://www.myspace.com/ulijonroth
G-TARANAKI:
- Wednesday 11 August - Sky Academy at TSB Showplace (1.30pm - 5.30pm)
- Thursday 12 August - Sky Academy at TSB Showplace (1.30pm - 5.30pm)
- Friday 13 August - Sky Academy at TSB Showplace (1.30pm - 5.30pm), Concert at TSB Stadium (5.30pm - 11.00pm)
- Saturday 14 August - Midnight Session at Puke Ariki (11.00pm - 2.00am)
Uli Jon Roth’s band - Sky of Avalon
Niklas Turmann
Niklas is a guitar player and singer from Hanover, Germany. He has played in various bands and projects, performing different styles such as rock, progressive metal, reggae, hip hop, jazz, fusion, Latin, a cappella, acoustic pop and classical music.
Turmann joined Sky of Avalon in 2008 and has since performed live on stage in Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Spain, Great Britain, Japan, the United States and in New Zealand at G-TARanaki 2008.
That same year he co-founded the progressive rock group Crystal Breed together with Sky of Avalon keyboardist Corvin Bahn. They have known each other since early childhood and have been making music together for over 15 years. In October 2009 Turmann successfully finished studying the guitar at the University of Music in Hanover. This January he played with Fair Warning on their Japanese tour.
http://www.myspace.com/niklasturmann
Michael Ehré
As well as drumming for Uli Jon Roth, plus Metalium, Kee Marcello (ex-Europe) and Vinnie Moore, Michael Ehré is also a guitarist, songwriter and producer. Worldwide tours and CD releases have made him a world-respected and busy musician who has shared the stage with numerous renowned artists, including Robbie Krieger (The Doors), Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big), Jeff Scott Soto (Malmsteen), Don Dokken, Francis Buchholz (ex-Scorpions), Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray), Tobias Sammet (Edguy, Avantasia), Marty Friedman (ex-Megadeth), Alex Skolnick (Testament), Warren DeMartini (Ratt, ex-Whitesnake), Graham Bonnet (ex-Rainbow), Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake), Chris Impellitteri, Roy Z (Halford, Bruce Dickinson), George Bellas, Steve Smyth (ex-Nevermore), Tony Franklin, Rob Pagliari, Joe Stump, Johnny Hiland and Andrew Shulman.
Ehré formed Murder One in 1997, together with the singer Frank Schütte, staying until he joined Hamburg-based metal band Metalium in late 2001. With them he has produced eight albums and a DVD. He joined Uli Jon Roth and Sky of Avalon in 2005, with whom he first toured beyond the borders of Europe and travelled to countries like Japan, USA and to New Zealand for G-TARanaki 2008.
In 2009 he also toured with Kee Marcello (ex-Europe guitarist) and Vinnie Moore (UFO).
Ehré's musical activities are not limited to active music-making in various bands, or for various artists. As a drum teacher for students of all ages, he conveys his knowledge through lessons and workshops.
Elliott Dean
Elliott Dean is the owner of Dean Guitar and ddrum drum company located in Tampa Florida. He has been involved in performing and playing for 40 years and owned a chain of music stores in the United States called Thoroughbred Music for 25 years.
Throughout the meteoric growth of Dean and ddrum Elliott has met many of the world's greatest musicians and currently performs with Uli Jon Roth, Michael Schenker, Leslie West and Carmine Appice among others. He has also worked hand in hand with these greats to custom design signature instruments for these musicians and many more including Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, the late Dimebag Darrell, Vinnie Moore and Vinnie Paul of Pantera.
Born in New York, Dean moved to Florida in 1975 to play with White Witch, a Capricorn Recording band who in their peak toured with the Rolling Stones and Alice Cooper. He later took some time off to start Thoroughbred Music which grew to a $50,000,000 musical instrument retailer, the 8th largest chain in America.
In July 2010 Elliott joins the Michael Schenker Group on their 30th anniversary tour, supported by the Lynch Mob with select opening dates for the Scorpions.
http://twitter.com/deanguitarceo
Line Up
News feed