Ace guitarist and composer Greg Howe was expected to jam with the winners of the recently-concluded Chennai Live Band Hunt. But what transpired that forenoon at Sapthaswara Musicals, Mylapore, was way beyond anyone's imagination. He played the sitar instead of the guitar — and he did it all alone. After sitarist Ganesh played a few short tunes on the instrument, Greg gave it a try. After a few tentative plucks, he played a tune that was pleasant to the ears.
Greg's fans would not have been surprised by this. The musician hates getting stuck in a rut, and is always looking to expand his repertoire. In a career spanning three decades, he has embraced many styles of playing the guitar.
Idolising Eddie Van Halen, Greg started as a shred-style guitarist. ‘Greg Howe', an album that came out in the late 1980s, is considered a commendable lesson in shred play. In the 1990s, his style embraced a mix of jazz fusion and the blues, along with the legato technique. Early this decade, he trimmed his style, stripping it of rock, but for most part of this decade, he has played in a manner reminiscent of his 1990s' style.
Touring with Michael Jackson
Despite a steady output of solo and collaborative albums, Greg has managed to find the time to tour with pop superstars such as Michael Jackson and Enrique Iglesias. Thanks to a fortuitous turn of events, Howe got a chance to accompany Jackson on his 1997 History tour that covered Europe and Asia, because Jennifer Batten (Jackson's guitarist) could not make it. He considers it the chance of a lifetime. Even though they enjoyed the best of everything, none of the good things on the tour could compare with the opportunity to work with the ‘King of Pop'. “He was larger than life. He would be very quiet; but when he stepped onto the stage, he would undergo a transformation. While rehearsing, nothing escaped his notice.”
Is his association with Michael Jackson the focal point when he travels? “Not really. In most parts of the world, people are aware of my work.” Howe and his band are currently on a short tour of India — Chennai, Mumbai and Bangalore.
Howe stopped playing the sideman seven years ago, and is now focussing on giving life to his pet projects. One of them, the Greg Howe Vocal Project, is on its way; he says it's only awaiting the finishing touches. Considering Howe's ability to surprise people, it must be something bigger than what he has delivered so far.
