Angel Vivaldi's Guitar Collective Tour Packs a Six-String Punch

Angel Vivaldi Photo Credit Andrew Minarik

Guitar fans have a prime opportunity next week to see and hear some of the best-established and up-and-coming instrumental rock virtuosos on the scene when Angel Vivaldi brings his Guitar Collective Tour to Clifton.

The show, at Dingbatz - www.dingbatznj.com - on Wednesday, Nov. 21, features Perth Amboy native Vivaldi, Alice Cooper guitarist Nita Strauss and rising star Jacky Vincent (ex-Falling In Reverse). Strauss is supporting her debut solo album, "Controlled Chaos," which will be released this Friday, Nov. 16.

Vivaldi's latest masterpiece, "Synapse," was released last year. The disc is a dynamic, passionate journey through the senses as Vivaldi uses the guitar to evoke the neurons, body chemicals and hormones that make us tick. For instance, album opener "Adrenaline," featuring guest axeman Julian Cifuentes, is a rush of riffs, licks and fretboard gymnastics that continue throughout the disc.

Vivaldi trades licks with other high-profile guests on "Synapse." He and Strauss fire off dueling solos on the energetic "Serotonin," and Vivaldi shines on the mid-paced "Oxytocin" with Gus G (Firewind, ex-Ozzy Osbourne). The passionate "Dopamine" takes on even more emotion given the recent death of guest guitarist Oli Herbert (All That Remains), who died in October.

What sets Vivaldi apart is his passionate, every note matters approach to guitar playing. Sure, he can shred with the best of them, but for Vivaldi it's all about the songs, which are always stimulating, never sterile.

We recently spoke to Vivaldi about The Guitar Collective, his approach to songwriting and what the maestro has in store for 2019.

What inspired you to create The Guitar Collective tour?

It was pretty much to kind of make a more modern take on a G3. We are in a very special golden era of guitar and instrumentalists and I wanted to have a platform to showcase new players in a live setting. All of us are known to some degree but I want to give fans a new option to experience something. That's where the magic is.

What can you tell us about the show?

I've always really appreciated the traditional rock-and-roll show, with audience interaction and production. You get that experience on The Guitar Collective. It's very high energy. Some instrumentalists get up there and are like cardboard cutouts onstage. I don't judge that at all. I just prefer to go see someone like Steve Vai or Yngwie Malmsteen who is captivating live. That's what we set out to do.

How did you choose Nita Strauss and Jacky Vincent for the tour?

Jacky is incredible, he has so much to offer. I knew him from Falling In Reverse. Nita and I have been friends for quite a number of years. She always had the intention of doing a solo album and the timing was just right to have her do The Guitar Collective.

Have you played in bands with singers before?

I've played in a number of bands and enjoy the band aspect as well. Instrumental music is my main outlet though. I'm very strong in my vision of the music I write and the overall presentation.

How do you walk the line between keeping guitar rock instrumental music, especially the solos and speed demon licks, passionate and not sterile?

In songwriting I care about every note. You can go off and play as fast and as much as you can. But for me the song is really the number one priority. I would argue that I'm actually a much better rhythm player. If you care about every single note and its intention it's a lot easier to see what the song needs.

On your latest album, "Synapse," every song relates to an element of body chemicals, brain regulators or nerves like Endorphins, Serotonin and Synapses themselves.

I'm very conceptual when I write. So you have a song about adrenaline that's very fast and a song about sleep molecules, which is very serene and calm. I studied a lot of the neurotransmitters and color psychology. I painted my studio nine different colors. It really did influence how I wrote. I wrote "Adrenaline" after a strong workout. I wrote the song about sleep molecules at night while getting sleepy. It may seem like an extreme approach but it worked for me.

What got you into guitar?

At first it was Kurt Cobain. His songwriting and ability to convey emotion was dynamic, incredibly moving. Then I got more into the metallic stuff like Megadeth and Testament. I had already been doing instrumental guitar music for myself when I discovered Yngwie. I thought, 'that's crazy.' Classical and rock music is a match made in heaven.

Sadly, one of the guests on "Synapse," All That Remains guitarist Oli Herbert, passed away last month.

He was very influential to me as a musician and a person. He was an amazing person that had so much to offer. It breaks my heart and I cherish the memories I have with him very deeply and fondly.

What does 2019 hold in store for you?

I'll be working on an acoustic record, which will be very different. In my music I genre hop a lot and this will be no different. I'm very much looking forward to it.