Bass Hero Tal Wilkenfeld
“… Tal Wilkenfeld (born 2 December 1986 in Sydney, Australia) is a bass guitarist who has gained worldwide attention performing alongside some of rock and jazz music’s most notable artists. In 2008, Wilkenfeld was voted “The Year’s Most Exciting New Player” in a Bass Player Magazine reader’s choice poll. She has impressed critics and fans alike with musical achievements usually reserved for players with relatively long established careers. Wilkenfeld became a professional bassist after only one year on the instrument. In addition to her work as a sidewoman for musicians, she has assumed the role of bandleader to her own eponymous bands, whose musicians have included Wayne Krantz, Keith Carlock, Oz Noy, John Beasley and Jeff “Tain” Watts…. “
I saw Tal Wilkenfeld for the first time some days ago in a ggi with Jeff Becks at Ronnie Scott’s in London.
I love music, I love rock, but I am don’t know all these guitar and bass heroes, and certainly not by name. And to the few ones I know now I have been ontroduced by my patner, the English Rock musician Kev Moore.
Well, I saw Tal and was at once aware of her genius.
But what I l;loved more than anything at that gig, was the communication between Jeff and Tal, this continuously perceptible explosion of joy of playing together. this was unique, never saw a band which showed so much joy, as well jeff, as her, as the drummer (sorry, forgot his name…)
I had to paint that girl! My intention was to show taht she is simply MAGIC.
And perhaps I will have to paint her again, laughing… I just love it when she laughs!
This painting is available as poster and Giclee print, in different sizes and different formats, in my FAA Gallery:
Guitar Hero Jimi Hendrix
- Jimi Hendrix 01 – by Miki
“James Marshall “Jimi” Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix, November 27, 1942[1][2] – September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter. He is widely considered the greatest electric guitarist in the history of rock music,[3][4][5] and one of the most influential musicians of his era across a range of genres.[6][7][8]
After initial success in Europe, he achieved fame in the United States following his 1967 performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. Later, Hendrix headlined the iconic 1969 Woodstock Festival and the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. He often favored raw overdriven amplifiers with high gain and treble and helped develop the previously undesirable technique of guitar amplifier feedback.[9] Hendrix popularized use of the wah-wah pedal in mainstream rock which he often used to deliver an exaggerated pitch in his solos, particularly with high bends and use of legato. He was influenced by blues artists such as B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Albert King and Elmore James,[10][11][12][13] rhythm and blues and soul guitarists Curtis Mayfield, Steve Cropper, as well as by funk and some modern jazz.[14] As a record producer, Hendrix also broke new ground in using the recording studio as an extension of his musical ideas. He was one of the first to experiment with stereophonic and phasing effects for rock recording.[citation needed]
Hendrix won many of the most prestigious rock music awards in his lifetime, and has been posthumously awarded many more, including being inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. An English Heritage blue plaque was erected in his name on his former residence at Brook Street, London, in September 1997. A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (at 6627 Hollywood Blvd.) was dedicated in 1994. In 2006, his debut US album, Are You Experienced, was inducted into the United States National Recording Registry, and Rolling Stone named Hendrix the top guitarist on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all-time in 2003.[15] He was the first person inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame.”
This painting is available as poster and Giclee print, in different sizes and different formats, in my FAA Gallery:
Street Life – People from Memphis 03
People from Memphis - by Miki
It was in Memphis, a sunny day in January 2010. More precisely the Martin Luther King Day. On that day The Museum for Civil Rights offered a special one dollar admission to mark the occasion. Needless to say that it was very crowdy there, and we had to wait a long long time before our turn to go in arrived. But it was a wonderful occasion to observe people, and if it hadn’t been so cold -it was freezing under the sun!- I would have done some sketches. Quite frustrating not to be able to… I took some photos instead, better than nothing but nothing to compare with the deep joy of sketching live… anyway. I saw this woman with a group of children, they must have been her grand children.
This painting is available as poster and Giclee print, in different sizes and different formats, in my FAA Gallery:
Street Life – People from Memphis 02
My guitar hero Big Jerry was a people from Memphis (well, at least I saw him there, no idea if he actually is from Memphis)… now comes somebody I saw in Beale Street, not far away from Big Jerry, but another day. I wished it would have been warmer and I could have sketched directly from life, but the temperatures were under 0… anyway this painting is based on a furtive photo I took of that person. I was fascinated by the colours, of her clothes, on the wall and the window. Just gorgeous!
Street Life in Memphis - by Miki
This painting is directly available as Giclee print from my FAA gallery, in many different sizes and in different supports such as paper or canvas.
Guitar Hero Big Jerry – People from Memphis 01
Big Jerry in Memphis - by MIki
He might not be featured in that wonderful book “Guitar Heroes” I bought in the USA early this year, but for me he is a Guitar Hero!
We saw Big Jerry in Memphis in January 2010, gigging outside with his band in Beale Street, it was my very first day in Memphis, and is was just great.
We bought a CD from him, one of the many we bought on our Music Highway Trip .
If you are interested in ordering the new CD “Blue Odyssey” which Kev Moore did, inspired by the whole trip, please go to Miki’s Mart.
And if you want to purchase a print of Big Jerry, it is available in many different sizes and on different supports in my Fine Art America gallery:
Guitar Hero Angus Young
Guitar Hero Angus Young - by Miki
Read in Wikipedia:
“Angus McKinnon Young (born 31 March 1955) is a Scottish-born Australian musician, and the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-founder of the rock and roll band AC/DC. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with other members of AC/DC in 2003 and is known for his energetic performances, schoolboy-uniform stage outfits and the duck walk….”
And for those who wish to purchase a print (available in many different sizes and on different supports such as Fine Art Paper or canvas), here you go:
ATTENTION PLEASE:
This painting was inspired by a photo of Steve Stevens which I found in a wonderful book called “Guitar Heroes” which I bought in the USA early this year. I have no idea if by putting this painting for sale as a print, I am infringing on any property rights. If it is so, I am really sorry and would ask the owner of the rights to contact me. I would then of course remove this painting from sale.
Guitar Hero Jennifer Batten
I saw her in a show with Michael Jackson, and although I am generally not very impressed by women on electric guitar or bass, I found her very fascinating . Sorry for the other ladies, but I must be a little bit old-fashioned, as to me, a man on electric guitar looks simply better! Although I don’t like it when they start acting too much “girly”, to me it does not match the instrument and its wildness and passion. But I want to add that I am not speaking here about the quality of their play, haven’t heard enough of them to judge it.. I am speaking only about the look.
Anyway, here is Jennifer, with another guitarist from whom i do not remember who he was… if he sees this painting and recognises himself (won’t be easy I guess!), he is very welcome to contact me ! 
Read in Wikipedia
“…Armed with a wry sense of humor, an irrepressible spirit, and impeccable chops, Jennifer Batten is an estrogen-powered supernova in the cluttered firmament of modern rock guitarists…”
Jennifer Batten - by Miki
And for those who wish to purchase a print (available in many different sizes and on different supports such as Fine Art Paper or canvas), here you go:
The Dog Maya
Watercolour painting - by Miki
Maya is my parents’ dog. A wonderful shepherd from my country, the French Pyrenees. She has got eyes like a human, and her behaviour is often quite human, Especially when she feels offended. This happens mainly when one laughs at her. somehow she does not like that at all! She has then this typically female habit to look in front of her, holding her head very straight and her cute nose high in the air, but regularly risking a glance from the corner of her eyes to check if everybody around really notices that she is offended. It tales loads of effect to get her back from that diva attitude, believe me. You can call he name 1000 times, with the sweetest voice possible, you can apologise 10o0 times, she does not move a bit. The only way to calm her down is to offer her some Pyrenean cheese: she cannot resist! Me neither by the way…
Guitar Hero Steve Stevens
Steve Stevens - by Miki
“Steve Stevens (born as Steven Schneider on May 5, 1959, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American guitarist and songwriter.
He is best known for playing for other artists (most notably Billy Idol, Michael Jackson, and Vince Neil)[1] and less known for his critically acclaimed solo efforts (Atomic Playboys and Flamenco A Go-Go), collaborations (Bozzio Levin Stevens, a.k.a. Black Light Syndrome), and as an in-demand session guitarist….”
ATTENTION PLEASE:
This painting was inspired by a photo of Steve Stevens which I found in a wonderful book called “Guitar Heroes” which I bought in the USA early this year. I have no idea if by putting this painting for sale as a print, I am infringing on any property rights. If it is so, I am really sorry and would ask the owner of the rights to contact me. I would then of course remove this painting from sale.
The Men and The Women from Tárbena
Somewhere in Spain, on the Costa Blanca, in the middle of mountain chain at about 600 meters above sea level, there is a little village called Tarbena. I have been there many times, as it is a picturesque place in a spectacular setting – heaven for land and townscape artists – and I have presented some artworks featuring it in my different art sites and blogs. The place was originally an agricultural community, with many olive groves, almond trees and cherry orchards gracing the countryside., but in the meanwhile, with all the tourists passing by, above all attracted by a famous restaurant run by an one-armed communist,I guess it is as much tourist-driven as agricultural!
Anyway, one day as I was there, I came upon some extremely striking scenes. I saw three men sitting on a bench by a monument in the village square – the church or the town hall, I don’t remember- whose facade was made of a structure which looked like bubbles. The men were sitting lazily around, dozing, chatting, sunbathing, in colourful, comfy clothes. Not far from them, in the main street leading to the square, I saw three women together -their wives perhaps?- standing in front of a house entrance with big black bars. The women were totally clothed in black, standing ramrod-straight like soldiers, and looking more dangerous than them, even without the guns!. I was amazed by the difference between these two scenes, wondering if this was in fact a little glimpse inside Spanish society, at least in little retired villages. The men sitting around, doing nothing apart from enjoying a colourful life, and the women living a busy black-and-white life between kitchen, shop and church… The fact is that along my many journeys through Spain, I often saw similar scenes, this one being by far the most striking one!
That day I was in Tarbena just passing by, and no time to paint from a motif, so I just took some photos with the intention of later making some artwork based on them. And indeed I started two paintings, in ink and watercolour, but somehow, I got interrupted in the process of doing them, before they were really finished, and I never touched them again.
I rediscovered these two paintings a short time ago, as I was revisiting art works from the past. I don’t fancy finishing them now (I hate to go back to past paintings), but well, I think they are far enough along to get an impression of what I described in this post!
So here they are, The Men and Women from Tarbena!
The Men from Tarbena
- The Women from Tarbena
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Contact me at miki@goodaboom.com
