Chances are, if you’ve ever been stood anywhere remotely near a discussion about the greatest guitar players on earth, you’ll have heard the name Guthrie Govan. Though he would never describe himself in that way, the English fusion wizard is widely regarded as not only one of the most technically sophisticated players to emerge since the likes of Shawn Lane and Allan Holdsworth, but also one of the most tasteful, with a sense of melodic phrasing that’s just as dynamically exquisite as Larry Carlton or even Jeff Beck himself. His 2006 solo debut Erotic Cakes raised the bar for instrumental guitar music, arguably becoming the most important solo album for shredders since Steve Vai’s game-changing Passion And Warfare masterpiece of 1990. Pushing six-string boundaries is something he continues to do in The Aristocrats, who have released a handful of highly acclaimed studio and live albums since forming just over a decade ago – including their latest collaboration with the Primuz Chamber Orchestra.
“The balance between predictable and surprising notes is what makes a melody compelling”
That alone would be
