Virtuosity as it's meant to be Fareed Haque takes the string bending to new heights Stuart Derdeyn, Music reporter Published: Thursday, May 25, 2006 The word virtuoso is too often applied to note-cramming guitar hacks. But it is an entirely appropriate description of the prodigious talents of Fareed Haque. The Pakistan-Chilean string-bender's fusing of ethnic traditions, jazz, classical and jam is awesome. His resume ranges from stints with Sting, Dave Holland and Medeski, Martin and Wood to violinist Nigel Kennedy, the Vermeer Quartet and duets with acoustic phenomenon Goran Ivanovic. "I try not to be a guitar player for its own sake, tending more toward the orchestral/textural side," he says. "But the new group album is guitar-heavy and I'll get to it once I finish up a few concertos." Teaching, touring, recording and composing are all facets of his career, yet local audiences are most familiar with his funky runs in Garaj Mahal. That unit lets him work out his inner Eddie Hazel, but it's the Fareed Haque Group where you really experience his technique. Featuring acclaimed tabla player Kalyan Pathak, drummer Dan Leali, bassist Jon Paul and a keyboardist with frequent guests -- special guests Kala Ramnath on Indian violin and Salar Nader on tabla are expected in Vancouver -- the outfit is unique and complex in its approach to "world music" without losing the upbeat dance element. "My career has taken a turn. Before it would be: 'We'd love a concerto, or a recording session' and it didn't happen. Now it's:'Let's do it. Yeah!'" The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is playing one of his classical-guitar concertos. A New York string quartet commissioned a piece. The group is busy. "When you are all over the place, it really takes time to reach that level of public acceptance where the people are with you. The more rarified the atmosphere, the more difficult it becomes." His goal is to get the guitar used as a mini-orchestra, on its own or in various group contexts: "As long as your playing has texture, you have what matters." He adores and compliments the jam scene for its devoted and sophisticated fans, but extreme hippies have rubbed him the wrong way personally at times. "I was invited to an event called Synastheasia where people were such control freaks it was more like Stalin's meditation camp: 'You will meditate now.' Then, they said 'now we'll be spiritual' and started handing out saris. My spiritual element is jeans and a T-shirt, so it was totally insulting." Not that any of those folks would care about his opinion. Thankfully, there are those out there who listen.

 

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