photo by Oscar Afsahi (click to enlarge)

Guitarist Bert Lams and Chapman Stick player Tom Griesgraber have been touring together since 2004. Their new album Unnamed Lands is an all original work blending their eclectic styles and elements of progressive rock, folk and americana.

Bert Lams is known for his affinity with the music of J.S.Bach, and his arrangements of classical music for the California Guitar Trio. "Nascent," his first solo album features new arrangements of Bach's cello suites and violin partitas for guitar and brings a unique twist to the classical guitar world. Not only are the pieces performed on steel string guitar with a pick, but they are also set in what's known as "New Standard Tuning"; a tuning more closely resembling a cello than a traditional guitar.

Bert Lams initially gained notice in 1980 as first laureate for National Music Contest for Youth in Brussels, and went on to earn an honors degree in the study of classical guitar, eventually teaching at the Brussels Academy of Music. After attending Guitar Craft seminars with Robert Fripp, Bert Lams co-founded the California Guitar Trio with Paul Richards (U.S.) and Hideyo Moriya (Japan). A graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels, Bert Lams conducted workshops for guitar students in Berlin, Buenos Aires, Tokyo and Seattle.

Tom's newest solo release "Sketchbook" features his original compositions along with music by Bach, Bob Dylan and Oliver Nelson and musical contributions from Bert Lams, Pat Mastelotto, Peter Sprague, Ryan Moran and others.

Bert Lams (click to enlarge)	Bert Lams photo by Paolo Aizza (click to enlarge)
Tom Griesgraber photo by Pierre-Emile Bertona (click for larger version)	Tom Griesgraber photo by John Raifsnider (click for larger version)