Dave Beegle : Biography |
Sure, Dave Beegle plays guitar. In fact he plays guitar so well that peers such as Phil Keaggy calls him "one of the
most creative and accomplished guitarists I've met." Progression Magazine labeled Beegle "a guitarist's guitar
player" and HM Magazine simply called him "just phenomenal." But Beegle is not "just" a guitarist.
He is also a composer, a producer, a teacher and a musical activist remaining on the cutting edge of contemporary music.
Hailing from the robust state of Colorado, Beegle makes an inspired sound that delights music fans willing to look beyond
the fickle trends of pop. Dave Beegle has a brand-new album featuring the Dave Beegle Acoustic Band, a unit including bassist Mike Olson, drummer Matt Henderson, percussionist Erik Meyer and guitarist Aaron Lee. Guest percussionist Christian Teele adds significantly to the overall rhythmic expression of this recording. The group has been performing together for several years and has created a distinctive world-music sound as a result. The CD is a blend of world and ethno-alternative fusion with a hearty kick of rock-n-roll inspired energy, leaving this progressive acoustic contribution in a unique musical atmosphere sure to interest those with exotic and sophisticated tastes. From Spanish and Flamenco melodies to Middle Eastern and Balkan flavored arrangements, the Dave Beegle Acoustic Band will take you on a journey 'Beyond the Desert' to a place of tuneful bliss. Where it all began, however, was with Beegle's electric guitar outlet, Fourth Estate. This groundbreaking power trio led the charge of progressive rock in Colorado in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. To this day, Beegle still books Fourth Estate gigs, playing with Kenny James and Matt Henderson on drums and Mike Olson on bass, and Fourth Estate's instrumental music remains dramatic, inspiring and exotic. New and old Fourth Estate fans are currently enjoying the re-release of the band's debut CD, "Finesse and Fury," re-mastered by rock veteran Stevin McNamara. A new release, "Dustbuster Demos," digs back into the group's earliest recordings to uncover some forgotten gems. Also, Fourth Estate's electric masterpiece, "See What I See," featuring their most challenging work on record, has been reissued to offer fans the opportunity to hear it all. But electric rock has not been Beegle's only means of expression. All along, as a parallel career, he has been playing acoustic guitar as a solo act, in duo formats and as a pivotal part of the innovative acoustic-based group, the Beegle-Olson-Quist Trio. In the year 2000, Beegle released "A Year Closer," an album that explores Flamenco and other world music styles with solo acoustic recordings and the first tracks by the Dave Beegle Acoustic Band. It makes sense that so much musical knowledge has been put to work on a wide diversity of other projects. In fact, "Clear the Tracks" is a CD release that pulls together recordings Beegle has done solo and with several band groupings, including Artifact Symphony and Blinddog Smokin'. On stage, Beegle continues to gig with his classic rock band, the Jurassicasters. But also add Beegle's tremendous output as a producer. He has recently produced a new album for Christian acoustic artist Danny Oertli, an alternative rock worship album titled "Live For Heaven," as well as music by contemporary Christian group Simple Truth, the new band helmed by Colorado guitarist Mike Lopez called GasHead, and Montana singer-songwriter Bob Hollister. Of course, Beegle not only sits on the producer's side of the glass, but also appears as a guest artist on many of the recordings, playing both guitar and keyboards. Dave Beegle also teaches- when he has time. He also continues to demonstrate the Transperformance Automatic Tuning Guitar, featuring the innovative Digital Tuning System. The device allows guitarists to access thousands of tunings at the touch of a finger. This groundbreaking technology has attracted some of the great guitarists of our era, including Joe Perry, Jimmy Page and Graham Nash. But Beegle was the first to record with it, on "Finesse and Fury," and to this day, he still introduces the innovative instrument at conventions and special events. Transperformance is currently developing a low cost version of the DTS that can be installed into other guitars, hinting at a whole new era for the electric guitarists of the world. So go ahead, call Dave Beegle a guitarist. But in this case, the guitarist is only part of the more complete musician- one who lives and breathes music. That's why Guitar Magazine declared that Dave Beegle is "a one-man guitar army." That's why this artist, though he has done plenty, may only be starting to scratch the surface. Beegle continues to play in the Colorado region as well as touring throughout several regions of the US. Hear him live, or hear him on record, the results are the same- awe and respect for a special musician that Great Guitar Sites on the Web called "one of the most renowned underground guitarists of our time." |