INTRO

INSTRUMENTAL INQUISITION!

Guitar instrumentals have supplied some of music’s most evocative moments. Jason Sidwell asks top guitarists for their take on this iconic movement. This month: Alan Parsons’ guitarist and solo artist, Jeff Kollman.

Jason Sidwell

GT : What is it about guitar instrumentals that appeals to you?

JK: The song has to evoke a mood, whether it be melancholy, eerie, soulful or sexy. It has to give me something more than just 'play ahead and blow over the changes'. Of course, having said that, it’s brilliant when great jazz musicians do it right.

GT: What can an instrumental provide a listener that a vocal song can't?

JK: Since there are no lyrics and vocals to tell the story, there's more room for the listener to interpret what the writer is going for. The song could unfold like a story or a journey. I like to take the listener on a trip. I put all the tools to work, utilising the dynamic range of the band and hopefully some unique harmony with an intriguing melody of sorts.

GT: Any tendencies with instrumentals that you either embrace or avoid?

JK: I don’t dig when the basis of the song is just to blow and show off technique. There's a place for it once in a while. With my writing style I really try to get somewhere a bit away from the home base or the meat of the tune. It's like walking out your front door; it's easy to go and get lost, but to find your way back home smoothly (harmonically or melodically speaking) can be tricky. I love it when the song takes a left turn that surprises yet intrigues the listener.