WHEN TOTAL Guitar described Preston Reed as “the world’s most gifted guitarist” and Guitarist described his playing as “spellbinding” they were not exaggerating.
Neither was the Manchester Evening News when it said: “The phrase ‘has to be seen to believed’ has never been more true...a major musical talent”.
The American is not just dextrous and able to play music both captivating and complex, but he has invented a unique style of playing the guitar with his right hand over the fretboard, rather than the orthodox manner of underneath it.
From here he snaps, pulls, and plucks on the strings, not over the soundhole but on the neck. Meanwhile his left hand manages to do two things at once - strum the strings while using the body of the guitar as a percussive device. So he has one hand strumming and drumming at almost the same time!
This technique, along with his fusion of country, blues, and jazz, has made him an hugely respected and influential figure among guitarists with Andy McKee, Newton Faulkner, and Kaki King among those who acknowledge his influence.
Preston Reed returns to the Róisín Dubh on Friday September 27 at 8pm. Tickets are available at www.roisindubh.net, the Ticket Desk at OMG, Shop Street (formerly Zhivago ), and The Róisín Dubh.
