The finest of guitar wizardry has landed in Johannesburg and will soon be making its way to Pretoria.
In the hands of the skilful Pretoria-based guitar duo, CH2, the show called Guitar Wizards will combine the skills of three of some of the world’s finest players.
18-year-old Marcin Patrzalek, a guitar virtuoso from Poland, will join homegrown Corneille Hutten and Dirkie van Staden at four venues from February 28 to March 6.
Hutten said that the idea behind the show was after a conversation with muso Chris Chameleon at a gig backstage. He said that the band wanted to grow the show into a concert series.
“We performed at a festival many years ago as CH2, and afterwards one of the bigger artists of our country, Chris Chameleon, said, ‘you guys are like wizards on the guitar’.
“That phrase, what he said stuck with me. And then when an opportunity came along, with a promoter who came along and said let’s have this grand guitar show, I shared the name,” said Hutten.
Once they knew what to call their concert series, it was their promoter who discovered Patrzalek online after he’d gone viral because of his impressive skill.
The ball was set in motion, the differences in CH2’s guitar style and that of Patrzalek meant audiences would be spoilt for choice.
“He is literally one of the best at his young age in what he does in the world.
“He plays finger-style, which is very impressive because they do the bass, the percussion on guitar in one take. It’s a fairly new style of playing with it being a decade or two old,” said Hutten.
CH2 as a duo are 11 albums in, having been together for 19 years. In all this time, Hutten said it was their 12th studio album, Starstruck, that she
felt could best describe the style of music they made to a CH2 novice.
“It showcases the versatility of what CH2 is all about. From metal rock, right through to classical and flamenco.”
The album, Hutten said, had been a year in the making, and featured collaborations with artists from across the word.
It will be in stores in the next few months. With this statement tour taking place this year, he said that after 19 years, patience and knowing to never give up is what had made the duo grow from strength to strength and what would see them celebrating this year as their biggest yet.
Hutten said the province he was looking forward to performing in is the Western Cape. “We are literally performing in Cape Town in an outdoor theatre, under the stars,” he said.
Of the show itself, he said: “Basically it is some of the most virtuoso, stunning guitar playing, that you can ever imagine. Different styles, mesmerising technique and a lot of songs you may recognise, a little something for everyone.”
* Guitar Wizards kicks off at the Joburg Theatre Fringe and will end at the Paul Cluver Amphitheatre in Cape Town. For more information: visit: www.ch2.co.za.