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| Featured Artist Link REALLYMUSICRADIO presentsPeppino D'Agostino & Stef Burns
D'Agostino and Burns fast became friends in 2000 when a mutual friend introduced them. Burns came to see D'Agostino perform solo and immediately invited the acoustic guitarist to see one of his gigs with Huey Lewis & The News, with whom Burns has now toured with for five years. The two quickly realized their children attended the same school, and first joined musical forces for a benefit concert for that school. Burns asked D'Agostino to be a partner in his studio, and before long, the two were performing sold out shows. Burns' popularity in Italy, where he is the longtime guitarist for Italian pop/rock superstar Vasco Rossi, helped secure a sold-out Italian tour for the duo in early 2003—and soon, they were contemplating a recording project together.
"Even though we're well known in very different worlds with different guitars," D'Agostino notes, "we know and like so much of the same music, from Bach to The Beatles. We both love melodies and improvisation, and more importantly, like and respect each other as people. Bayshore Road is driven by a sense of mutual respect and a good balance between the polyphonic approach I take to the acoustic guitar, and the heartfelt approach Stef takes to melodies on the electric. We were most interested in connecting with people on an emotional level. Working on this album has also deepened our friendship significantly." Burns agrees with his partner about the complementary role their instruments play in creating a sound that emerges as natural, organic and seamless: "All of the tracks feature a perfect mix of our styles and everything from the melodies to the chord changes reflect our similar musical tastes. Burns also echoes D'Agostino's thoughts about the central importance of melodies on Bayshore Road. "On the songs Peppino writes, I interpret the melody in my style, and he creates musical tapestries with mine." Italian born D'Agostino was first drawn to the guitar after watching his cousin perform during church services in his hometown of Torino; the self-taught musician began picking out tunes by ear, and inspired by legends like Paco de Lucia, Leo Kottke and Carlos Santana, was composing and recording solo throughout Italy by the age of 18. Immigrating to San Francisco in 1984 to pursue his dream as a composer and performer, he paid his dues as a street musician before developing into a world renowned recording artist and performer critics have long hailed as "a poet…among the best talents around" (San Francisco Chronicle) and "one of the most capable composers among fingerstyle guitarists" (Acoustic Guitar magazine). When Stef Burns gets a chance to perform live with his own Stef Burns Group, the crowds still go wild for the dynamic music from his lone independent release Swamp Tea. Finding time to record his own material has always been a challenge for Stef, who launched his sideman career in 1982 with Jesse Colin Young and has jumped from one superstar album and tour to the next ever since. From Young's band, the versatile guitarist moved on to Pablo Cruise (1983); Sheila E. (at the height of the Prince/Purple Rain phenomenon, 1984-85); Berlin (1986-87); Michael Bolton (1988); Y&T (four albums) and Alice Cooper (1991-95), including an appearance in "Wayne's World". D'Agostino and Burns eagerly anticipate performing tracks from Bayshore Road live. "It's easy to tour with it," D'Agostino says, "we think people everywhere will respond well to this very unique combination of sounds. Stef's one of the best players on the planet, not to mention a good, no ego kind of guy. We really care so much about each other." And, Burns adds, "strong melodies and improvisations. I love the spontaneous things that happen with us onstage, the way we'll suddenly go off into a whole new direction. We want to share that rapport and sense of fun with the audience." |
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