Wolters, JoopCD's and DVD's

 

Out of Order

CD
 Lion Music

  

€12.90

$16.50
Dutch guitar sensation JOOP WOLTERS is fast gaining a reputation as one of Europe’s finest new breeds of virtuoso guitarists.  Having been involved in the music scene on a recording level since 1995 with numerous solo albums and band projects under his belt, Joop’s trademark style is fast gaining a solid fan base around the world and with his soon to be released third solo album ‘OUT OF ORDER’, Joop has raised his performances to even greater levels. 
Home to 16 tracks of Joop’s trademark elegant guitar work that travels through a variety of moods and styles, ‘Out Of Order’ represents Joop’s best and most distinct work to date coupled with superb production and classy artwork (by Carl-Andre' Beckston)  make OUT OF ORDER a superb addition to any instrumental guitar fans collection. 
‘Out Of Order’ ranges from heavy [Broke, Divide & Conquer] to the melodic [Kindering Sprits], delving into fusion waters [Cardiac, Dropout], to smoky Spanish nights [Harmonic Spheres] and the progressive [Tied Knots, which features Steve Vai/Planet X drummer Virgil Donati] via many others moods and textures.  Joop Wolters shows is he a master of many genres and with ‘Out Of Order’ has an instrumental album that keep its own vibe giving a sense of continuity yet helping to keep the music interesting due to its diversity.
Workshop

CD
 Lion Music

 		  

€9.90

$12.90
Solo debut album from the guitarist of aRABESQUE

Speed, Traffic and Guitar accidents

CD
 Lion Music

  

€9.90

$12.90

 
The lead guitarist of Arabesque, Shadrane, and Lalu returns with his second solo release.Speed, Traffic & Guitar Accidents is home to 17 tracks that see Joop delve deep into his emotions to produce a stylistically varied release.  Music fans that appreciate strong focused guitar work will find Speed, Traffic & Guitar Accidents a true gem

More Joop Wolters music: 
 

Downloads and audio samples of Joop Wolters here

 

 Downloads and audio samples of Arabesque (feat.Joop Wolters) here
 
REVIEWS:
 
Wolters, Joop - Out Of Order
JOOP WOLTERS - OUT OF ORDER (B+) Lion Music, 2007
16 tracks, RT: 61:09

Fantastic Dutch guitarist Joop Wolters returns with his third solo
album OUT OF ORDER and delivers another dynamic collection of
instrumentals sure to bend the ear of those into high-octane guitar.
Joop is a real natural on cuts like the driving "American Dance,"
fusion-drenched "Cardiac," majestic "Divide & Conquer," and the funky
"Fried Call." There is plenty of variety here, Joop proving himself
equally fluent on acoustic and electric and handling pretty much all
the composition, instrumentation and production. Honestly I'm not a
huge fan of drum programming, and the only real complaint I have is
that the drums are sometimes distracting, just a bit too regimented to
allow for the music to be fully expressed. Joop uses live drummers
(including the incredible Virgil Donati) on "Heartline" and "Tied
Knots" and the difference is immediately evident. Not to belabor that
one quibble, Joop is a master guitarist and composer and should be
heard by a far larger audience. OUT OF ORDER may not be the release
that brings Joop massive name recognition but should further solidify
his place around the top of the current crop of talented shredders
making the rounds.
- Neal Woodall (MysticX9@gmail.com)
Detritus Rock/Metal e-zine
"Rock Hard With A Purpose"
Wolters, Joop - Out Of Order (9/10) - Netherlands - 2007

 
Genre: Instrumental Metal / Instrumental Rock
Label: Lion Music
Playing time: 61:10
Band homepage: Wolters, Joop
 

Tracklist:

  1. Broke   
  2. American Dance           
  3. Anthem
  4. Cardiac
  5. Dropout
  6. Harmonic Spheres
  7. Divide And Conquer       
  8. Kindering Spirits
  9. Heartline
  10. Tied Knots
  11. Bleed   
  12. Tjabala 
  13. Fried Call         
  14. When Little Angels
  15. Sceptic Desire  
  16. Aragon
 Wolters, Joop - Out Of Order 

Another day, another stellar instrumental guitar album by some guitar player that I’ve never heard of released by Lion Music. I think it’s one of those universal constants: Death, taxes, great instrumental releases by Lion Music.

 

Joop Wolters is from The Netherlands, and started playing guitar at the age of 15. Typical guitar player story, he wanted to write and compose music, played in numerous projects, etc. Look at his myspace profile if you want to his (extensive) discography.

 

With 16 tracks, there is one simple word to describe “Out Of Order”: Diverse. The songs vary in length and in style, which is a staple of a good instrumental guitar record. Starting off with two numbers that show Wolters’ Heavy Metal influence, the third track is still a Rock song, but infinitely more upbeat and more like a ballad. Then the Jazz/Fusion influences kick in, showing off another realm of Wolters’ musical tastes. The songs are generally within those two realms of music, and explore the full range of melodic and structural sensibilities within those two genres, as well as showing some of the songwriting standards.

 

What is most noticeable is the rhythm work on the album. Like any great instrumental record, the focal point shouldn’t be the lead work; it should be the song as a whole. The bass work is incredible, and shows the proper usage of the bass guitar: a melodic extension of the drums AND a harmonic extension of the guitars, and drum work is subtle yet creative. The rhythm guitar work is also well written and shows some melodic forethought, so the entire foundation of each song is very solidly laid out so the lead guitar work will take it to the next level.

 

Recommended for fans of instrumental guitar music. Worth it for fans of Progressive Metal to check out.

(Online August 2, 2007) www.metal-observer.com 

Lion Music Releasing his first solo instrumental release in 2003 on the Lion Music label and then following it up with another in 2004 might have provoked some into taking a serious look at Dutch guitarist Joop Wolters. Three years later, and loads of contributing projects since then, sees Joop releasing his newest and third solo instrumental in Out Of Order, also on Lion Music. This newest composition is varied in that it can be categorized as a “multi-genre instrumental release”. This unsettling “tag” is one which Joop and Lion Music have no qualms about admitting. If anything, Out Of Order should solidify any doubts that Joop is one to watch as part of the up and coming new breed of virtuoso guitarists in Europe.

The opening track, “Broke”, starts off as a mediocre Rock song but in a matter of seconds bursts into fanfare as Joop really gets the listener’s attention fast with his fancy fretwork. The thing that’ll initially grab the listener’s attention by their cojones or bollocks with this track is the energy and “bite” in Joop’s lead guitar tone. It’s difficult to explain to a casual listener but it’s the type of tone that makes one sit up in their chair and take heed. This particular tone carries over into the lead for the second track, “American Dance”, which is another great Rocker.

By track three things slow up just a bit as “Anthem” exudes a slower, melodic and moodier tempo. Joop’s lead guitar lines here should raise some suspicion that he might have listened to a few Allan Holdsworth tracks. Suspicion turns into reality as the next track “Cardiac” is pure fusion Holdsworth style, right down to the point of producing guitar synthesizer type sounds. It’s all well done and remarkably technical from a musical standpoint… it’s just that some fans might not appreciate the musical change in direction from the rowdy openers “Broke” and “American Dance”. “Dropout” is more artistic Jazz/Fusion for those who can or want to appreciate it. There is a spectacular riff, which pays homage to Al DiMeola, in “Dropout” that acts as an introduction and backing track to the great solo that accompanies it. It's moments like these that make this release shine! Another fine example is the beginning of the track “Fried Call” in which Joop’s fuzz/compressed tone seems to pay tribute to There And Back era Jeff Beck.

The songs on Out Of Order aren’t as memorable or entertaining as say a Simone Fiorletta, but Joop’s playing more than makes up for any other deficiencies on this release. Joop’s solos are fluid and melodic with plenty of “feel” which all adds up to a very compelling listen especially when he breaks into a solo. Joop’s ability to induce timely breaks, pauses and stops in his playing will leave guitar fanatics on the edge of their seats. Joop is definitely a guitarist to watch in 2007 and beyond!

Bottom line, the varied, and at times drastic, change in genres and moods mid-album might end up segregating some listeners. There are those that’ll say, “If he had only continued with the tempo set by “Broke” and “American Dance””. Perhaps at a later date Joop might find some solace in dedicating individual releases to each genre displayed here on Out Of Order. Until then this one is definitely a recommended buy for the avid and die-hard guitar enthusiasts. Especially, those who have broader tastes and appreciate splashes of the intrinsic workings of such guitar greats as Allan Holdsworth, Al DiMeola and Jeff Beck.


Line-Up :

Joop Wolters – Composition, Arrangements, Production, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Drum Programming
 

Guest Musicians :
Patrick Eijdems – Drums on “Heartline”
Virgil Donati – Drums on “Tied Knots”
Alex Argento, Mike Roeloefs – Keyboard Leads

To find out more about Joop Wolters visit his label’s site at www.LionMusic.com or his MySpace site at www.MySpace.com/JoopWolters.

 
Tracklist
1. Broke
2. American Dance
3. Anthem
4. Cardiac
5. Dropout
6. Harmonic Spheres
7. Divide & Conquer
8. Kindering Spirits
9. Heartline
10. Tied Knots
11. Bleed
12. Tjabala
13. Fried Call
14. When Little Angels
15. Sceptic Desire
16. Aragon
 
Line-up
Joop Wolters (g, b, k, dpr)
+
Patrick Eijdems (d)
Virgil Donati (d)
Alex Argento (k)
Mike Roelofs (k)
 
Review added
July 3, 2007
 
Back
WOLTERS, JOOP
Out Of Order
© 2007 Lion Music  (LMC207)
instrumental
studio album
16 tracks - TT 61:19
release date: June 15, 2007
http://www.myspace.com/joopwolters 		AOR & melodic (hard) rock

 
You might know Dutch guitar virtuoso Joop Wolters from the bands Elysian (1990-1996) or Arabesque (1998-2004) or from his contributions to albums from Vivien Lalu (“Oniric Metal”), Hubi Meisel (“EmOcean”) and a lot of tributes, but with “Workshop” and “Speed, Traffic & Guitar Accidents” he has also produced a couple of solo albums so far. “Out Of Order” is the third in the row and once again it shows how versatile Wolters is as a guitar player. The album holds 16 instrumental tracks in total, but the moods and the styles are so varied that you don’t feel the need to switch the CD for another (vocal) one. Some tracks are quite heavy (like the opener “Broke”), while others are much more melodic (“Kindering Spirits” for instance) or delving into fusion (“Cardiac”, “Dropout”). If it’s progressive rock/metal you’re after, you’re being served with a track like “Tied Knots” (with Virgil Donati guesting on drums). Spanish guitar can be heard on “Harmonic Spheres” etc. etc. In short: on “Out Of Order” there’s something for everybody who loves guitar-orientated rock/metal. (CL) www.rockreport.be
 

 

Joop Wolters

JOOP WALTERS - Out Of Order
Lion Music

Metal Express Rating: 8.5/10

Release Date: 2007-06-15

by: SCOTT JESLIS www.metalexpressradio.com 

 
 

 

 


 Title: Out Of Order
Label: Lion Music

As a guitarist, there are certain guitarists out there that I honestly anticipate hearing every release from, Joop is always one of them, perhaps not a household name around the globe, but he is fast gaining some noteriety around the instrumental circles as one to definitely keep an open ear for. His last cd - Speed Traffics and Guitar Accidents, was a breakthrough recording of mind boggling progressive metal minded fusion, the cd features some excellent guests and performances, but really showed the unsuspecting public that Joop Wolters is not only a gifted guitarist, but a complex writer that wants to take the guitar to new places musically.

Here on his most recent release - Out of Order, Joop steps into a slightly different direction, where Speed Traffics and Guitar Accidents, showed a continuity toward more progressive writing, this material shows a more diverse strategy in his approach to composing, this time around Joop displays the fusion he established on Speed, but he also takes on some ballads, straight ahead rockers, progressive, and other avenues of musical diversity. In a way, this cd reminds me a little of what Steve Morse was doing during his solo days. Creating music that feeds his inspiration as a musician, allowing a means to express his love for the style and instrument in it's many various forms.

Joop's playing is superb, always taking a heavy approach to even the more subtle songs, his fluid style, and sense for memorable melodies make him a unique player in the large field of instrumental, guitar fronted artists. I also found that on this cd, Joops guitar is the main event, whereas, Speed Traffics and Guitar Accidents, had a band feel to it, never the less, it's yet another solid cd full of outstanding musicianship, great songs, and a fast moving cd that never great boring, stagnant or repetitive. While my selfish side prefers the writing technicality featured on Speed, it is every bit as interesting to hear some of Joop Wolters' other musical influences displayed here, as he is such a gifted player.

It is clear that Joop Wolters can really take his instrument to new places, and find a niche in a variety of markets genre wise. Whether it be the guitar virtuoso worlds of Satriani, Vai, or the multi-dimensional virtuoso players like Morse, Johnson, or the fusion maestro playing of Henderson, Beck, Holdsworth, or the progressive styles of Petrucci, Coenen, Romeo, Joop seems to be onto and into most all of the above, and as stated, all of the above are to be heard on this cd.
-  MJ Brady Proggnosis

 
Joop Wolters - Out Of Order (Lion Music) By: Joe Florez

Joop is a guitarist from The Netherlands who’s a hired gun and has worked with the likes of Hubi Meisel, Vivien Lalu and worked on tribute albums from Jimi to Uli Jon Roth, Gary Moore, Blackmore, and Shawn Lane. He has also released two previous solo instrumentals as well to his resume. Now, he’s back to show the world that he can rock. Yes folks, it’s another instrumental from the Lion Music company. I am slightly familiar with his talents, but now it’s going to be different because I will hear him only and be able to tell if he is able to carry his weight or if he’s nothing more than a fluff piece.
“Broke” is a quick opener that’s just under the three minute mark and is more rock oriented

than anything else. The rhythm section is performed at a mellow pace with some major thumpin’ bass lines while Joop goes from slow to fast and noisy with his six string. The odd thing is that there is some sort of catchiness to the thing despite it sounding a little unconventional and disoriented. It’s definitely different and exciting. “American Dance” is what most fans would come to expect from a metal/rock instrumental. There is a consistent riff that is lively and even sounds a tad like Satriani, but better. There are full-on sections where he shreds and gets down and dirty. It’s got rhythm and a better pacing than the opener. He really goes off on this one. The one thing on here that I like is the fact that Mr. Wolters can’t stay in one place for too long because when we get to “Cardiac” it’s jazz/rock that is highly complicated, but intriguing and has plenty of off timing moments. I wasn’t exactly prepared for what was about to come out of my speakers. I am more than happy to report that my initial reaction to this disc was way low because if it was high then I would be disappointed, but this isn’t the case here. There is a lot of surprises on here. Normally, I think a one man project is very overwhelming and doesn’t sound good in the end, but Joop manages to compose, program and produce with ease. He also manages to hire drum extraordinaire Virgil Donati to lend a hand. There are a lot of direction that this man dives into from flamenco to ambient to jazz, prog, rock and even some flat out quirkiness that is unexplainable. This is journey worth taking if you like your rides to be filled with twists and turns at every corner. www.lionmusic.com | www.myspace.com/joopwolters
 

 

 


Rating:
 8.0		 Joop Wolters - Out Of Order
15 June 2007


01. Broke
02. American Dance
03. Anthem
04. Cardiac
05. Dropout
06. Harmonic Spheres
07. Divide & Conquer
08. Kindering Spirits
09. Heartline
10. Tied Knots
11. Bleed
12. Tjabala
13. Fried Call
14. When Little Angels
15. Sceptic Desire
16. Aragon


Joop Wolters: Composition, arrangements, production, guitar, bass, some keys, drum programming
Patrick Eijdems: drums on the song "Heartline"
Virgil Donati: drums on the song "Tied Knots"
Alex Argento: first keyboard lead on the song "Drop Out"
Mike Roeloefs: Keys on the song "Drop Out", keyboard lead in the song "Cardiac"


Joop Wolters from the land of windmills and clogs seems to have a lot going for him at the moment; his popularity is rising and is gaining a reputation as a talented individual and someone to watch out for. This will be his third full length studio release with this, his solo band, and this really is a solo band as Joop does all of the composition, arrangements and production as well as playing the guitar, bass, some keyboards and programs the drums. This album is in its entirety an instrumental album as well, we have no vocals at all but he is more then capable of letting his guitar do all the talking instead.

This album comprises of sixteen songs, all varying in lengths and style. There are two very easy ways to describe this album, it is vastly diverse and is also some of the most tasteful music I have heard. This is falling under the category of "progressive metal" when there is really a mix of plenty of things normally outside of metal in here as well. We do have progressive metal elements here of course but we also have bucket loads of jazzy, groovy, funky elements that entwine themselves with the music. No two tracks on the album are the same "Heartline" for example is heavier whereas "Cardiac" is more experimental and more of a fusion of different styles, this sound is very similar to the music of the Norwegian band Ark. The album is so varied we even have a very Spanish sounding track "Harmonic Spheres". The intricate guitar and bass are the main focus of this album and the production makes sure you can hear them both very clearly, guitar especially.

Although this music constantly changes and is inspiring and relatively entertaining throughout, the lack of vocals does perhaps leave a little bit of a gap in the music and with the album lasting over an hour, as by the time you get into the last few tracks, the sound of the guitar and bass gets a little too familiar and so maybe if the album was a little shorter and more compact, this might keep the sound of everything a bit more fresh towards the end. This is not so much of a problem though, the album is all a very high quality of technical excellence and I am sure that the decision to record an instrumental album is mostly to do with the focus of the listener being on the talents of our host for the entire album, Mr Joop Wolters.

Of course I recommend this album to anyone interested in progressive music and people that like to hear all these different elements of the musical spectrum in their metal.


www.metalstorm.ee
 

Joop Wolters
 Title: Out Of Order
Label: Lion Music

After a three-year absence guitar virtuoso Joop Wolters returns with his latest solo release ‘Out of Order’ which follow his 2004 opus ‘Speed, Traffic and Guitar Accidents’.  With this new release Wolters has taken the instrumental guitar album to new heights with his varying style and moods changes that can be found throughout the album.  Things vary between the down right all out heavy vibes to some jazz fusion, to the melodic and all spectrums in between.

Things get underway with ‘Broke’, a track where we get a feel for the heavier side of Wolters guitar sound, this track definitely has that Grunge feel about it at the start of the track but soon the flying fingers of Wolters take over for a more traditional shredders style of guitar playing, but without being over the top.  This heavier style is carried on into the next piece ‘American Dance’, again Wolters relies on playing the guitar as an extension of himself with some quite sublime spells of brilliance.

Wolters brings it down just a touch with the melodic tones of ‘Anthem’ before really mixing things up with the jazz fusion of ‘Cardiac’ and jazz blues fusion of ‘Dropout’, then bringing in a little Spanish guitar for the ‘Harmonic Spheres’.  All three tracks being the bread and butter for diehard fans of instrumental guitar albums.

But it’s the heavier stuff that really floats my boat and this is what the next track ‘Divide and Conquer’ is all about streaming guitars, a heavy rhythm section. all that is missing is a Power Metal vocal and this track would be complete.

Once again Wolters shows the variety of this album as he brings in a little old school AOR into the mix with the storming ‘Kindering Spirits’.  But what instrumental guitar album wouldn’t be complete without some sort of Steve Vai or Carlos Santana style track and with ‘Heartline’ we definitely enter Vai country, and with the mention of Vai then low and behold the next piece ‘Tied Knots’ features non other than Virgil Donati on drums.  This track has a more heavier and progressive style of guitar playing which I personally really enjoy.

After the prog assault of the last track is time to bring it down once more with the soul-searching tones of ‘Bleed’ and ‘Tjabala’, before Wolters funks things up a little with ‘Fried Call’.

It's time to really get laid back and horizontal as Wolters brings the more relaxed melodic vibe into the mix with ‘When Little Angels’, a track that melts away all the woes of the day and takes you away to your special place where all is right with the world.

The sombre feel is soon shattered as things pick up once more with the funk jazz rock fusion of ‘Sceptic Desire’ before the album closes with ‘Aragon’, which ends a very diverse and eclectic mix of styles and genres that has something for everyone whatever your poison.

Tracklisting:
1. Broke
2. American Dance
3. Anthem
4. Cardiac
5. Dropout 
6. Harmonic Spheres
7. Divide & Conquer 
8. Kindering Spirits
9. Heartline 
10. Tied Knots
11. Bleed
12. Tjabala
13. Fried Call
14. When Little Angels
15. Sceptic Desire

www.themayfairmallzine.com

 

 

 
joop.jpg (17283 bytes)
Joop Wolters - Workshop
Lion Music

Horst: Gitarist Joop Wolters is een bezig mannetje. Naast zijn werkzaamheden als muziekleraar in zijn woonplaats Weert is hij ook nog eens actief lid van de Progrock formatie Arabesque, en meneer is ook te horen op menig project en een aantal Tributes (onder ander Ritchie Kotzen en Uli John Roth). Toch heeft de beste man schijnbaar tijd over, en die tijd heeft hij ingevuld met het opnemen van zijn eerste solo plaat: ‘Workshop’.

En het woordje ‘solo’ is hier bijzonder op zijn plaats. Alle nummers op de CD vloeiden voor uit zijn pen, meneer nam zelf de productie voor zijn rekening en was verantwoordelijk voor het inspelen van bijna alle muziek op het album, met incidenteel hier en daar wat hulp van buitenaf met wat keyboards, het programmeren van wat drums en het artwork. In essentie is ‘Workshop’ natuurlijk één grote egotrip. Waar je als gitarist in een band uiteraard min of meer in dienst van een nummer moet spelen, daar kan je je op een soloplaat natuurlijk waanzinnig uitleven, en dat is dus precies wat Joop gedaan heeft.

Hij is duidelijk geen gitarist die zich wenst te beperken tot één bepaalde stijl, met als gevolg dat ieder nummer anders klinkt. Opener ‘Tibet’ bijvoorbeeld doet me sterk denken aan Jason Becker, op ‘Funk It Up’ - de naam zegt het al - wordt er driftig gesoleerd op een funky beat, terwijl ‘Cross My Heart’ weer een Joe Satriani-achtige ballad is. Hendrix komt in de hoek kijken bij ‘I Don’t Know’, en ik zou zeer verbaasd zijn als Steve Vai niet van invloed geweest zou zijn bij het schrijven van een nummer als ‘Headstart’. Dezelfde geest waart rond op de tweede ballad van de plaat: ‘Prelude For Comfort’. ‘Syntology’ echter neemt me mee terug naar de jaren 80 solo albums van mannen als MacAlpine en Vinnie Moore, evenals de derde ballad ‘Endless Love’ (neen, geen Lionel Ritchie & Diana Ross cover!). Afgesloten wordt er met het swingende ‘Flamoose’, welke door het gebruik van een dwarsfluit (die wel uit een synth zal komen) automatisch een link legt naar Focus.

Al met al een leuke instrumentale plaat, waarop Joop zich op alle mogelijke manieren kan uitleven. Jammer alleen dat je met een totale speelduur van ruim 35 minuten niet echt veel waar voor je geld krijgt, en lang niet alle composities zijn even sterk. Toch denk ik dat de doelgroep – andere gitaristen – hier wel content mee is. Hou je echter niet van egotrippende gitaristen dan kan je deze plaat rustig laten liggen.

 Score: 79/100

http://www.lionmusic.com review from www.lordsofmetal.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 


JOOP WOLTERS - SPEED, TRAFFIC & GUITAR ACCIDENTS (A-) Lion Music, 2004
17 tracks, RT: 63:16
[ http://www.joopwolters.com/ ]
[ http://www.lionmusic.com/ ]
Ever since I heard Joop Wolters on Vitalij Kuprij's FORWARD AND BEYOND disc I've been interested in hearing more of his stuff, so I was happy to recently receive his second solo album SPEED, TRAFFIC & GUITAR ACCIDENTS. Joop is probably best known as the guitarist in the Dutch band Arabesque, and man is this guy an incredibly skilled player! Fans of classy shred guitar are gonna love this one -- just wrap your ears around "Hi-Jacked," "A Day And This," "Beggin' For A Trip To The Stars," or "Funkonexsion" for some mind-blowing fretburning. It's not all technique though; Joop has a really nice touch that translates emotionally and melodically as well. There is a lot of variety to maintain interest and Joop's creativity is through the roof. The only weak area on the album is the occasional use of drum programming, which is well done but gives a few of the segments a somewhat stiff feel. Most of the disc is phenomenal, however, Joop proving himself more than capable of following in the footsteps of Allan Holdsworth, Joe Satriani, John Petrucci and Eric Johnson. Surely one of the best instrumental shred type albums I've heard this year, Joop makes me wish I was a better player. Investigate this without hesitation... -
Neal Woodall (MysticX10@msn.com)
Detritus Rock/Metal e-zine
"Rock Hard With A Purpose"
 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/detritus/

Joop Wolters - ”Speed Traffic and Guitar Accidents

Joop Wolters comes roaring back with an all instrumental tour de force titled Speed, Traffic and Guitar Accidents. Aptly titled as this storm bringer of a CD is chock full of ripping guitar.

 Heavily influenced by the likes of master guitarists Alex Lifeson, Al Dimeola and Gary Moore, Joop Wolters delivers an over the top steamroller of a performance throughout all 17 tracks. Speed, Traffic and Guitar Accidents reaffirms the world that Joop Wolters is a first rate shredder with progressive roots and a predilection for melody and tension within the frame work of emotionally drenched instrumental compositions. A true technical fiend who can rip and tear with the best, Wolters soars where few dare to go.

This is  an eclectic mix of diversity that showcases a variety of musical styles that range from progressive, funk, fusion, shred, classical and pretty much everything in between. Many of the songs put forth on Speed, Traffic and Guitar Accidents are in the vain of a Dream Theater or Steve Vai type composition with nods here and there to the classical masters.

Wolters delves deep into his amazing bag of guitar styling and comes up with some very convincing performances. This time around Joop is performing with a seasoned cast of musicians all of whom help him realize his musical vision. The guitar tracks are sonically pleasing with just the right mix between all instrumentation – overall a nice palette of musical textures that transport the listener to the inner sanctum of Joop’s mind.

Speed, Traffic and Guitar Accidents is an adventurous release from one of the world’s truly underrated and creative musical innovators.  No stranger to instrumental guitar, Wolters has been showcasing and refining his mind blowing chops and compositional styling since he picked up the guitar in 1986. Since that time he has developed into a master technician who interweaves intricate musical passages with melodic backgrounds that are rife with feel and passion. Many of today’s new guitarists are incorporating strong technical knowledge with emotional integrity and feel - a great combination that is elusive to most. Wolters shines in this department.

All tracks found on this mother of a release are worthy of ones attention – my favorites include:

“Resolute” – a great epic jazzified number with a nice prog-jazz melody that lays the foundation for some amazing over the top solo forays that utilize single note runs, some great cosmic whammy bar bending and a nice smattering of keyboard, guitar interplay.

“Acoustimas” – a heady melodic atmospheric track done on acoustic. Great flamenco vibe with a beautiful flowing main theme. The song builds in intensity until it is full shred ahead with some ripping single note runs and tremolo picking.

“Meka Dance” – a Satriani like funk romp that burns from start to finish and contains a jazzy rhythm background. Joop incorporates almost every guitar technique available to make this tour-de-force a strong showcase for his over all ability.

Wolters is part of the “New World Order” of guitarists who bring a complete package to the table. He incorporates the request palette of shred chops combined with AOR song craft and melodic sensibilities. Wolters is one of those rare musicians who seem to be blessed with god given talents that allow him to deliver a very diverse, emotionally charged offering that combines a wide and eclectic mix of guitar styles. Anyone who enjoys Progressive instrumental guitar combined with over the top melodic guitar textures will really like Speed, Traffic and Guitar Accidents.

Guitar Mania – http://www.guitarmania.ca

 

 

 
 

JOOP WOLTERS ‘WORKSHOP’ (LION MUSIC/BERTUS)

joop.jpg (17283 bytes)

The Dutch band ARABESQUE released a great record last year, and now guitarist Joop Wolters has released his first solo-CD. The album contains good instrumental Rock, which is very guitar orientated. The album has various styles of rock, ranging from heavy groovy stuff (“Tibet” and “I don’t know”), funky poppy tunes (“Funk it up” and “Flamoose”), relaxing poppy songs (“Cross my heart”, “Prelude for comfort” and “Endless love”) and Progressive Metal songs (“Headstart” and “Synthology” – both best songs of the CD, not unlike the last DREAM THEATER). The only pity about this CD is the short
playing length, which barely borders 34 minutes! Anyway, fans of instrumental rock know how to deal with this CD after they gave it a few spins.

(Points: 7.5 out of 10) Strutter Zine

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Joop Wolters – “Workshop”

Accessible, catchy, groove oriented with great guitar chops throughout. Joop Wolters is a master craftsmen running the gamut of all out shred to refined fusion. Workshop is a diverse slab of intense guitar playing showcasing a major new talent on the instrumental scene. The songs contained within Workshop are so diverse that the CD should appeal to just about anyone who can appreciate top quality musicianship.

Highlights of the CD include the melodic rocker “Cross My Heart” – an intense ballad like number that builds in intensity throughout, ending with a smoldering solo. Another great rocker with cool Satriani meets Hendrix vibe is the hot “I Don’t Know” where Wolters makes great use of the wah, wah delivering a fast driving tour-de-force rocker.

Things slow down for the beautiful “Prelude for Comfort” with its Holdsworthian type jazz fills and melodic structure. My personal favorite of Workshop is “Syntology” where Joop lets his spirit soar, burning up the fret board with super fast and articulate arpegiated runs and sequences that draw from neo-classical and all out shred.

Wolters draws inspiration from the likes of Vai and Moorse, developing a unique very identifiable style that is worthy of recognition. A great technician with an unbelievable sense of timing and melody. Workshop showcases Joops diverse range of ability and introduces a unique new guitar talent.

Guitar Mania

http://www.guitarmania.ca

JOOP WOLTERS - WORKSHOP (C+, B) Lion Music, 2003
9 tracks, RT: 33:39
[ wolters41@zonnet.nl ]
[ http://www.lionmusic.com/ ]
The reason for two grades is this: if you are a casual listener and
are not really into guitar instrumental CDs, you will probably rate
this a little above average, but if you are into this style, you will
no doubt recognize Joop's talent and diversity and thus the higher
grade. Joop is a 32-year-old guitarist that hails from Weert, Germany,
where he also teachers music. He picked up his first guitar at age 15
listening to the likes of Thin Lizzy and Rush. Alex Lifeson and Gary
Moore contributed to his early influences. In the early '90s he found
himself covering songs by Steve Morris and Steve Vai. He has a more
"commercial" band called Arabesque complete with vocals. WORKSHOP is a
very diverse collection of songs which I like in an all-instrumental
CD. "Tibet" which opens the CD starts out very heavy with a slow
plodding rhythm and an Eastern Indian sounding guitar harmony. Joop
shows off his speed on this song but never loses the wicked harmony
throughout the song. His guitar is a little scratchy and thin for my
taste but it's not irritating. "Funk It Up" has...you guessed it, a
funky rhythm and Joop just jamming over the top. Very Steve Vai-like.
Track #3 has really grown on me; it's entitled "Cross My Heart." It is
a well-crafted song with pleasant melody and consistent drum rhythm
laying the foundation as the guitar and keyboard-simulated horn dance
back and forth. This is the best song on the CD in my opinion. The
only thing that would have made this song better is a real horn. "I
Don't Know" reminds me of a cross between Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray
Vaughn, and Yngwie...it's a groovy ripping, Rock 'N' Roll ditty!
"Headstart" begins with some double bass jamming then transitions to a
mid-tempo beat with a moody heavy background. This song is all over
the place and doesn't do much for me. "Prelude For Comfort" is a
slower number with a rhythm that reminds me of Eric Johnson but a lead
that sounds similar to Larry Carlton. Track #7, "Syntology," steps
things up again with a straightahead drum beat and Joop just wailing
away. While Joop does burn up the fret board, he also bends the hell
out of his notes and really incorporates a great deal of different
styles into his playing. "Endless Love" and "Flamoose" round this CD
out. "Endless Love" is a very atmospheric song, very little drums and
very emotional solo...probably the best on this CD. The fretless bass
is a real nice touch as well. "Flamoose" (I love that name) comes back
to the funky jazz style with some keyboard/guitar trading on and off.
As for comparisons to other guitarists, Joop really is all over the
place sounding like Carlton, Vai, Satriani or any other number of
players at any given time. And hey...he can play one hell of a bass
guitar as well, and he lets you know on "Flamoose." The production is
average I would say, very clear mix with tight bass and drums yet they
have a big room feel. I would love to hear Joop with a world class
keyboardist, drummer, and bass player in a top-notch studio. His
diversity makes him stand out from the rest. Summary: This CD is for
those of you who really like diverse instrumental guitar playing and
don't mind when someone keeps a nice melody or just goes off and
wails. Lots of different styles on this one. - Sean P. Gahgan www.seaoftranquility.com

 

JOOP WOLTERS / Speed, Traffic and Guitar - Accidents / Lion Music
by: JEREMY JULIANO www.metalexpressradio.com

Joop may not yet be a common name amongst the masses but neither once was Yngwie. And much like his Swedish predecessor, Joop is a guitar hero in the making. With his second solo effort Speed, Traffic and Guitar-Accidents, Joop is reaching for an audience far and wide with this multi-faceted instrumental.

The last time Joop released a solo effort, the results were much more sterile, largely due to the fact that the drums were drum machines and there was little input besides Joop himself. This time Joop has invited a cast of many to help flush out his compositions and to create a sound-scape that both embraces the listener and takes them to the sounds within Joop’s mind.

The players participating this time are Patrick Eijdems (drums on 6 songs), Daniel Flores (drums on 5 songs), Nathan v/d Wouw (drums on 3 songs),Vivien Lalu (keys and additional keys on 2 songs), Alex Argento (keys and soloing on 2 songs) and Mike Roelofs (keys on 1 song). (Unfortunately, this is the only listing on the prerelease of the musicians, there wasn’t a break down of individual songs, hopefully that will accompany the final release).

The songs themselves are the heart of the matter here ... with so many guitar shred releases coming out over the years, it is easy to get lost between the Paul Gilberts, Yngwie Malmsteens, Tony McAlpines & Francesco Fereris of the world. Fast is fast, and it seems everyday someone is getting faster, so what separates the leaders of the pack from the rest of the shred monsters? Why, the songs of course; compositions that sing and dance and hold substance over speed. Not to say Joop isn’t fast and technically accurate, but he is obviously a lover of the fine arts and in tune with the craftsmanship behind song composition.

Joop states in the press release that he was able to spend more time with these songs than during his first release. That is clear from the first track, “Interludallowedintersection.” It would seem he has something to say, and unable to express himself with the limitations of mere human vocals. Instead, he speaks volumes with his passion for the guitar. On the 3rd track, “A Day and This,” Joop ventures on a Blues road, but doesn’t bother to conform to the standard “Delta” sounds. Rather, he embraces its origin and creates a new rhythm that is all his own. On “Loverslane,” half of you expects to hear Prince start belting out something akin to Purple Rain ... Joop's consideration and respect for the genres he embraces is obviously very deliberate and thought out. This definitely isn’t a jam album; these songs have a start and an ending ... each one telling its own story.

Besides the aforementioned Blues and Soul influenced tracks, Joop integrates many different styles and sounds throughout the disk, but relies on his Metal heritage to give the album a cohesive oneness. You don’t have to listen long to know Joop comes from the schools of Dream Theater and Steve Vai, and has assumed some of their trademark tones and polyrhythmic nuances in his style. He's no slouch on keyboards, and Joop also proves to be an excellent bassist. From his guitar following speedy trills to laying back and holding a solid groove in the pocket, Joop voices each instrument with solid ability and supreme musicianship.

If you’re a lover of guitar shredding, out of bounds time changes, and just getting lost in the moment of a great song, then make sure you add Joop Wolters’ Speed, Traffic and Guitar-Accidents to your collection.