Brian has been actively playing guitar and performing for over 30 years. He has spent time in the studio to record original works and has been reviewed and featured in music publications “The Aquarian” and “East Coast Rocker” magazines (N.J.) and “The Splatter Effect” (N.Y.C.,). He’s been reviewed and interviewed in major newspapers (Asbury Park Press, N.J. and The Longmont Times, Co.). Brian has been a guest and his original music has been played on Radio Stations WOCC “Viking Radio Broadcasting” (N.J.) and WMCX “New Jersey’s Home for Modern Rock with an Edge” (N.J.).
Brian played his first gig when he was 16 years old. He’s been performing in bands and music projects ever since. He has performed as the opening act for notable artists “David Peel and The Lower East Side” (David Peel collaborated and played shows alongside John Lennon in New York City) and early alternative folk punk rockers “The Reptiles” (Iceland) while they were on their east coast tour of the USA in the early ’90’s. Brian has a unique playing style he calls “Blues Rock Fusion”. It incorporates various elements of Electric Blues, Classic Rock, Funk, Bebop, Blues Rock, Old School R&B/Motown, Stax Soul, Jazz Rock, Hard Rock and some Country Rock Guitar influences.
Brian has a unique playing style he calls “Blues Rock Fusion”. It incorporates various elements of Electric Blues, Classic Rock, Funk, Bebop, Blues Rock, Old School R&B/Motown, Stax Soul, Jazz Rock, Hard Rock and some Country Rock Guitar influences.
His musical journey started when he was 7 years old. He started playing trumpet in his school band and continued to do so for the next 3 years until he was 10. This is when the “Guitar Bug” took hold of him. At this time, his older brother John (who had an undeniable natural talent for the instrument) began playing guitar. He was learning Beatles, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin songs off the records. Getting everything note for note by ear. Brian quickly began to copy what he saw (and heard) his brother playing and strove to become just as good as him. Soon afterwards his parents decided it was time to get Brian his own guitar and the two brothers would often jam together. The whole time Brian would absorb everything he could about playing the guitar.
When Brian was about 13 years old he discovered Bebop Jazz. There was a local Jazz station out of Newark, N.J. that would broadcast shows that highlighted many of the Jazz legends like John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow, Charlie Parker, Jimmy McGriff, Joe Pass, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Burrel and many others. It made a huge musical impact on Brian. He was able to hear how that music had an influence on the playing styles of the Classic Rock and Blues Rock Guitarists he liked such as Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher and Jerry Garcia and so on, who adopted heavy use of improvisation into their music.
Brian has been influenced in some way, shape and form by all the music he has heard over the years. In his own words… “There is always something to be gained by listening to another musician, regardless of their style. You can take what works for you from it and move forward by bringing it into your playing and expanding your musical vocabulary. There is no reason why a Rock guitarist can’t pull a country lick, or even a jazz line into their playing. It makes you a better Musician and gives you more avenues to express yourself”. Brian enjoys performing, creating music and teaching guitar. How Brian feels about it, ” When you know what your calling is, you roll with it”.
Take a listen to Brian’s most recent works here: Brian K’s BandCamp