By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck is coming to Seoul for the first time in March.
Beck, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year, is considered one of the best guitarists of all time. ``Jeff Beck: The 1st Live Concert in Seoul'' will be held at the Olympic Indoor Hall, Olympic Park, March 20.
Beck is one of a few musicians who have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, as a member of the Yardbirds, and as a solo artist. He was also ranked 14th in Rolling Stone's Top 100 Guitarists of all time.
Many of Korea's rock musicians, such as Lee Seung-hwan, YB's Yoon Do-hyun, Boohwal guitarist Kim Tae-won, and Jang Ki-ha of Jang Ki-ha and the Faces, have looked up to Beck.
The British guitarist is renowned for his experimental and spontaneous playing and technique.
``Writer Gene Santoro hailed `his strong vibrato, his fierce attack and fat tone, his acute microtonal sense of pitch when he bends or slides into a note, his sophisticated sense of melodic and rhythmic playing, his ability to wring painfully true notes from up by the guitar's pickups (and) his continuing use of the electric guitar to generate textures as well as notes.' Beck cultivated a singularly expressive voice on the guitar that obviated the need for a singer _ or at least gave Beck the option of choosing to work with or without one throughout his career,'' the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame described Beck on its Web site.
Beck was born in Wallington, Surrey, England in 1944. He first made a splash when he joined the Yardbirds in 1965, after Eric Clapton left the blues-rock group. While with the band, the Yardbirds released the memorable singles ``Heart Full of Soul,'' ``I'm a Man'' and ``Shapes of Things.''
After leaving the group in 1967, Beck started a career as a bandleader. He had a few hits, including ``Hi Ho Silver Lining.'' The same year, he formed The Jeff Beck Group, which included future stars Rod Stewart and Ron Wood. They released two albums, ``Truth'' and ``Beck-Ola,'' and broke up before the Woodstock Festival, where they were supposed to play. Stewart went on to become a solo singer, while Wood later joined The Rolling Stones.
Beck also formed a rock trio with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmen Appice. As Beck, Boggart & Appice, they only released one album, in 1973, which included the Stevie Wonder-penned ``Superstition.''
After the trio went their separate ways, Beck focused on instrumental music, allowing his guitar to take center stage. In 1975, he released the all-instrumental rock-jazz masterpiece ``Blow by Blow,'' which was produced by George Martin. It was Beck's best-selling album, hitting number 4 on the Billboard album charts.
He followed it up with another impressive album, ``Wired,'' also produced by Martin. These two albums are considered Beck's best works.
In the 1980s, he released the solo albums ``There and Beck,'' ``Flash'' and ``Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop,'' which won Best Rock Instrumental Album at the 1990 Grammy Awards.
In 1992, Beck was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the first time, as part of the Yardbirds.
Beck released ``Who Else!'' in 1999, his first album of original music in a decade. This was followed by ``You Had It Coming'' (2001) and ``Jeff'' (2003). In 2009, Beck was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the second time, as a solo artist.
Tickets for Beck's concert will be sold starting Wednesday (Jan. 20) at ticket.interpark.com. The concert is presented by Private Curve and Dream Factory Club. For more information, call (02) 563-0595.