Check back often to visit the new links, and be sure to visit our sitster sites at zencomputer.com and zensex.org.

David M. McLean - Skinny Devil Music Lab

Skinny Devil Music Lab is the vocational shell of guitarist/composer/engineer David M. McLean. Here, you will find information regarding David's personal projects (solo CDs, musical collaborations, etc.),  corporate "music for hire" projects (commercials, game music, soundtracks), musical gifts (including customized musical pieces), guitar & music lessons, music related articles & essays, and the like.

Ben Blackmore

Ben Blackmore is an talented young jazz guitarist currently based in Bristol, England. His website features audio clips, press reviews, performance schedule, and his personal journal, BenWorld. Ben also teaches guitar through The Creative Tutors Music Group.

Mountain Mirrors <Mountainmirrors@yahoo.com>

"Acoustic guitar-driven, recovery solace--inspired stew of punk, new age, Indian, blues, world and classic rock by Jeffrey J. Sanders (http://www.mountainmirrors.com). Includes recommended reading. Aspires to inspire. In Peace and Light, Gratefully, Jeffrey J. Sanders"

William Nowik

"An Invitation to a Different Shade of Blues: We are all asleep in the same dream. In that dream called life the inner workings of the religion of art pull us toward the direction of waking. It is not always easy or comfortable to wake up. William Nowik is an artist whose multi-faceted work deals with the struggle within that attempts to prevent any piercing of the veil. William brings to us remarkable stories of his journey of living his craft as an apprentice to the gods of the arts and his forays into the other side of the veil. Whether you are a witness to these stories via William's songs, CDs, performances, writing, books, images, or etceteras, I believe you will discover something that will touch you. I invite you to take a look into a life cast from a novel hue of blues. (Forward written by Bridger Wells)."

Ray Calabro: The Zen of Learning Jazz Guitar

"Please visit my humble site dedicated to my personal relationship to six strings and a piece of wood. Peace."

www.encrypted.org

a discussion on life and reality

Bruce T. Campbell, "Just a Guy & a Guitar" <BRUCETCAMPBELLDD@aol.com>

I'm a singer/songwriter/guitarist/philosopher (contemporary folk) with a new CD, "Time for a Change." MP3 clips from the album are available for listening through my website. Remember, "We are what we believe we are."

neil trett <neiltrett@hotmail.com>

"just a quick note to tell you about a website here in canada,www.liveandonline.com. i found out about it when i was busking across canada last summer,and i am on it under the busking section. if you have realplayer g2 or better, you can down load some local indie talent,audio and video. they also welcome submissions, so check it out. it's small, but hopefully growing in the spirit of indie artists everywhere!"

Sebastian Moon (Mel Nussbaum) <mnusbaum@mnpc.com>

"Why is this band called Sebastian Moon? Nobody by that name is in the group. He isn't playing with the group, because honestly, Sebastian Moon is a fictitious person, an imaginary dude. He is made up, because none of us could ever be as hip, wise, on time, righteous, and in tune as he is. Sebastian Moon only shows up when things are really happening, and he brings everything into the proper lunar phase. People have made footprints on the Moon, they have mapped the Moon with telescopes, satellites and lunar probes, they can predict the phases of the Moon, but they haven't yet explained why moonlight is romantic, or why there are tides of good and bad fortune, or why so many love songs are about the Moon. Other sides of the Moon remain hidden. Which brings us to the tunes, all of them original music written for this occasion. The band was recorded live, so you can experience the spontaneous freshness that is so important in our music. I thank you for taking the time to share a few of your precious moments with Sebastian Moon."

Jason Barker

"Jason Barker is a guitarist based out of the Raleigh-Durham and Chapel Hill area of North Carolina, also known  as the Triangle.  Specializing in original instrumentals and occasional vocal songs, Barker's music draws from a variety of styles including rock, progressive blues, and country-rock while embracing the improvisational spirit of jazz. Barker, who attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has enjoyed steady activity as a session and live guitarist for more than a decade and has been fortunate to work with many well-known and talented musicians."

Richard Shepherd <analogdog@earthlink.net>

Richard Shepherd, songwriter, is a purveyor of soulful acoustic pop. He is formerly the drummer of synth-pop phenomenon Cause & Effect and alt-rockers CAKE.

The Bold Strummer, Ltd. <BSTRUMMER@aol.com>

"The Bold Strummer, Ltd. was founded in 1973 by Nicholas and Mary Clarke. We have been serving the music community with interesting books about the guitar and music for more than 25 years. We hope that you find our Web pages useful and informative. We welcome your comments, complaints, checks, credit cards, money or praise. P.S. We have a similer book to Zen Guitar entitled "The Natural Classical Guitar" and they complement each other."

Mojo Stu (Stuart Bryant) <stu@mojostu.com>

"Masterful slide guitar and deft fingerpicking combined with passioned vocals have made Mojo Stu one of the premier gut-grabbing and foot-stomping 'retro-revivalists' of the new generation of bluesmen. People often wonder how such true, down-home blues can come from a yankee surbubanite, they often think they are experiencing one of the old masters. Mojo Stu certainly plays and sings with all of the passion and conviction of any of the Blues greats, is undeniably contemporary, blending striking original material with traditional presentation and classic emotional content. 'The first time I heard the Blues, I was gone! It was at big rock concert back in the seventies, I was 12 or 13 at the time, James Cotton was the opener, the music grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I left, went home and practiced.' The music still hasn't let go, instead now flows from a source deep within the artist. Meeting and studying with legendary 'Philadelphia' Jerry Ricks, who since has become friend and mentor, gave him connection to a direct line of masters. 'Jerry didn't give me lessons in the sense we normally think about lessons, more like letting me watch how he communicated through the instrument. He always tried to get me to play not just guitar, but music.' "

Preston Ashworth

"I live in Atlanta, GA. I am twenty years of age, and I book, manage, and promote for my band, Dying Myth. I have played bass guitar for some odd six years, and guitar for roughly four. My approach to music in general has always been a very kinesthetic/tactual applied method... or to be simple... I like to jam. My basic rule for bassists is to learn guitar, so that they can watch the fingerboard for root notes in a jam. The next step is learning major and minor scale patterns, in open and closed positions. I love jazz and classical music, although the main of my experience has been with blues/classic rock."

Kim Milai <news@dinobone.com>

Elementary music teacher by day, rock drummer by night, Kim was long a fixture of the New York City music scene, sharing the stage with the B52s, Cyndi Lauper, Marianne Faithful, Live, Matthew Sweet, and Living Colour. Her new release is a CD for young children, entitled "Dinobone, Dinobone, Have You Heard?" Kim's arrangements of children's folk songs are hip, clever and kid-tested, maybe best described as Bjork meets Raffi or Kate Bush meets Burl Ives. Kim produced it as if it were an adult pop recording. She says, "I wanted the music to have a fun, modern and alternative edge." She proves that folk music can be modernized for kids without taking away from its traditional value. Click here to hear a sample.

Blue Star

Blues meets zen in orbit.  Head in the sky and feet on the ground.   Listen to some tracks by clicking the links below. 

http://www.bluestar.de
http://www.cdbaby.com/bluestarmusic

Thanks.
Peter Blue <blue@bluestar.de>

Pete Marinovich

"I would be honored if you would review my 1997 CD release 'Nude with Guitar.' This CD is somewhat unique in that the songs were composed spontaneously beginning with the moment I decided to do a recording project. I entrusted my 34 years of playing experience and recorded nearly every song only days after it was composed without the benefit of anyone else's ears. I focused on the intrinsic beauty of the instrument rather than any particular genre of music and I was careful to reveal the subleties of my playing by not using too much production. These songs have been extremely popular on all the new mp3 sites where they can be found. Thus far, 7 of the 9 tunes have been featured on mp3.com. Please visit my home page at http://www.minstrel.net to get a feel for my music and my personality. Thank you." Pete <minstrel@netkonnect.net>

Stefan Dill: Flamenco, Free Jazz, Improvised Guitars

ANCIENT FLAMENCO MEETS FREE JAZZ IMPROVISATION: "An artist's work is planted and grows in the earth of continual experiences, from birth onward. Planted in my personal soil are three main roots from which the work springs: 1) traditional flamenco, 2) that spectrum of jazz that journalists call "free jazz" or "free improvisation", and 3) certain techniques of  contemporary classical compositon. My pieces each have a composed foundation and/or a traditional flamenco palo (form) but specific form, development, departure, interpretation are all spontaneously derived--i.e. improvised--during each performance. It is in finding the intersections of these traditions, exploring the possibilities of where and how they meet and interact--while remaining honest and respectful to them both--that forms the basis of my work. Another interest of mine is in reaching young people, and I've developed an ancillary site called Challenge and Hope directed towards young artists. So many things, one thing. Carry Joy - Build Hope - Offer Love."

Elaine Farris, on-sitemedia.com

Elaine is a website designer in North Hollywood, Calif., who works largely with musicians and musical groups, including the Wisconsin-based Zen 17.  "just wanted to say that i loved your book, and now that i've found your website i'd like to add links to it from several of my sites, if you don't mind.  here are the URLs:"

http://www.on-sitemedia.com

http://www.on-sitemedia.com/web

http://home.earthlink.net/~elainfarris

http://members.tripod.com/elainefarris

http://members.xoom.com/elainefarris

http://www.shadowboxstudio.com

http://www.zen17.com

Howard Hart / HHGI Online Magazine

"Howard has appeared in Guitar Magazine, Guitar World, and Guitar Player; as well as Southern California's BAM and Mean Street publications. Along with creating instrumental guitar madness, Howard has also founded the guitar instructional company HHGI, which has quickly become recognized as one the most innovative and forward thinking in its field -- with satisfied students from all over the world! Along with 'Dancing Madly Backwards,' Howard's latest guitar release is 'Mind Grind.' As always -- it features an eclectic blend of guitar other-worldly-ness... from Rock to Fusion to acoustic and beyond!"

Bomb (Michael Dean)

"Bomb played their last shows this week. It was good. we laughed, we cried, we had closure. We unanimously decided to give away the LOVESUCKER e.p. for free in MP3 format. You may download the whole thing, make copies for friends, burn CDs and give them away, whatever. Any non-commercial use and broadcasting is OK. It is here: http://www.mp3.com/bomb except for the song "Personal Jesus" (MP3.com won't let you post covers) which is here: http://www.kittyfeet.com/mp3.htm SPREAD THIS AROUND, SPREAD THE LOVE. MUSIC WANTS TO BE FREE! Also, my first girlfriend from when I was 15, and still my good friend, Denise DeLaCerda, is doing tattoos in NYC and now has a site. Her work has been on the cover of Tattoo mag, Body ARt and Outlaw Biker Tattoo. Check it out at http://www.chicksdigtattoos.com/"

mark

"i have been playing music of some sort or another for about 13 years. currently i have 3 projects going: my solo work under the name model 563, which combines acoustic (sometimes prepared), guitar with obsolete electronics like old tube oscillators and shortwaves all looped through a series of effects and delays; a duo (with zen guitarist john schuller) called ham and treachery, in which i play drums, upright bass, and try to tame the synth, which is a bit of a free improv (dare i say jazz...) disaster waitting to happen; and a trio known as burzy ming (with john again on bass, and melissa on drums) where i play guitar, bass, some things in between, an assortment of ethnic instruments and drums (such as zithers, berimbau, ektara, dumbek, etc) and do a little programming of instruments i dont have or cant play while im playing guitar."

Matt Butler <mmfb@mediaone.net>

Hello! I wanted to send you this link to my music so you can check it out. Thanks! www.mp3.com/mbq

John Schuller

"John Schuller is an improvising and experimental guitarist from Seattle, WA. His music has followed the Way since he first encountered the teaching's of the Zen Guitar Dojo. Music that stretches the Mind. Music that stretches the Soul. Music that pushes John further and further everytime he performs."

The ROZE Band

"Hello, my name is Randy VanHosen. Roze has been together playing for over 20 years. We play hard rock and have 7 releases under our belts."

Ben Sherman

"A musician's guitar player. Ben's new album, 'First Light,' represents the culmination of 27 years of guitar playing. It is a long awaited document of Ben's love of the guitar in all its diversity, and it communicates the sheer joy and enthusiasm that Ben feels about playing guitar. It showcases the whole range of styles that Ben has mastered, offering a joyful mixture of all instrumental rock, jazz, classical and acoustic styles."

Tobias Hurwitz

Maryland guitarist Tobias Hurwitz offers a combination of funk, heavy rock, jazz and blues on his CD "Painted Sky," including the lead-off track, "Zen Guitar," penned in tribute to the book. Songs are a combination of "faux jazz encrusted with genuine grooves" and "genuine rock-n-roll soaked in funky sauces."

James E. Fletcher

James E. Fletcher is a modern guitarist and songwriter from Central Illinois. James' debut CD is an inspired work entitled "Guitar d'jour." James has studied Zen philosophy since his discovery of the book The Unfettered Mind (by Zen master Takuan Soho, 1573-1645) in 1994. James saw his music as the sword upon reading this book, and began to initiate Zen philosopy in his practice and performances. Music available at: http://www.mp3.com/jfletcher

T.G. NOYES

T.G. NOYES (aka Todd Glacy) is a Boston-based sound artist working with the combined elements of electronically synthesized sound and photographic/video mediums. "I have always been attracted to electronic sound-making because of the potentially infinite ability to create new and unique textures. I find this very exciting as it is largely uncharted territory, and as such, there are fewer rules and restrictions dictating people's perception as to what is good or bad based on what they are used to hearing in more commercial forms of music." Todd's current project is "Zen Clouds" and makes use of his Zen Guitar system, which includes a midi-based guitar/synthesizer controller and a number of sound engines and effects combined with a visual slide show of cloud formations. "The music is used to create a mood through my soundscaping improvisations, and the visuals are there to provide the audience with a jumping off point for their own creative imagination."

the butterfly effect

"a butterfly flapping its wings over tokyo causes hurricanes in miami (a discovery  that demonstrates how a slight alteration in the initial conditions of a system affects major alterations in the behaviour of the system). listen."

23 Futurists

"On the stage, 23 noise instruments, that is, 23 very strange boxes of different and lively colors, bristling with horns, with handles and levers. 'Let's go!' I said. 'The past has been defeated at last. We're about to see the first flight of the Angels! We must shake the gates of life, test the bolts and hinges. Look on the earth! Red swords slashing for the first time through the edge of music.'"--Timothy Andrew Edwards, network of noises

Alexei Panshin's The Abyss of Wonder

"Welcome to the Abyss. It's out of the wind here. Time goes by slowly, and strange things take place. This is a realm of story, and story about story. Here you will find marvelous happenings and intimations of what we are going to become."

Vernon Kitabu Turner

Zen master/writer/lecturer/martial artist is author of The Secret of Freedom, Soul Sword, and The Power of Still Waters. "I have come to see that is impossible for man to know God without knowing himself, since man is meant to be a reflection of what God is. If we are not awakened to that truth, we reflect him through the muddy mirror of our distorted minds and call it religion. I am concerned with the human faimly returning to their spiritual and pyschological roots in God, regardless of the lanquage, religion or methodlogy we use to divide ourself from our common heritage."

The No Biggie Music Company

"Songs wrote. Guitars picked. Make yourself t'home." --Jerry Biggie, Boise, Idaho.

Empty Slate

"A new band headed up by Chris Williams with influences from rock, funk, blues, reggae, latin, jazz, soul. Chris began playing the piano at four years old, and was performing at the age of five. He played the trombone throughout his early teen years, and bought his first guitar at fifteen. Music had its most profound effect on Chris, however, while watching his coaches play at African soccer games. Feeling the drums, hearing the chant, and watching the dance, this is where he truly learned the joy of music's effect on people. Come experience the positivity felt by a 12-year-old at a soccer game. Feel good about yourself and let the music move your soul."

Eri Takase Artworks

Fine Japanese calligraphy, including pieces made to order. "For artists (and philosophers) there is such a wealth of material when one looks at a culture through the filter of another. Such are the wonderful results when I make Japanese art using Western materials. I often try to explain that much of the Eastern philosophy that is used in the Martial Arts is the same philosophy that is used in Japanese calligraphy: We calligraphers are well versed in 'ki' and 'ki' is an integral part of our art."

Drowning Noah

ZG reader Paul Knowles sends this link to his Arizona-based band, featuring Nic Storto, who quotes the wisdom of The Tao of Pooh (by Benjamin Hoff): "Rabbit's clever and he has brain, I suppose that's why he never UNDERSTANDS anything." Paul says, "Be sure to visit my friend Adrian Belew's site as well... a true ZEN guitarist."

Crossroads

ZG reader Dave Tarnowski: "We're based in LaSalle, Illinois, about halfway between Chicago and the Mississippi River, in the area affectionately known as the Illinois Valley (Illinois River, that is). We cover tunes by classic blues artists such as Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, as well as newer blues by Stevie Ray Vaughan, Kenny Wayne Sheppard (what's with these guys with three names, anyway?), and on and on. We're a four-piece band, and we kick ass, if I do say so myself."

d

"d describes a space where new age meets new edge, where Michael Hedges meets Paula Cole and where father Roy and daughter Alexis Donkin meet in harmony, not discord. d describes a space where like hearts and minds join in music of passion and intellect."

Joe Breskin

Among the recommended tunes: The Clint Eastwood Theme Song--"Written to sell back when Clint was shooting a cowboy movie in Baker, Oregon. A lot of our friends went down there to be 'extras.' This take was recorded by Jimmy Borsdorf (of Hawks and Eagles fame) in summer of 1986 on a mission funded by the State of Nevada. Jimmy got a grant to drive around the west and record music that was part of the folk process, but was 'falling through the cracks' in the distribution system."

http://www.megaguitar.com