Arek Religa

I've never heard of this guy before, but he's a great guitarist. He's also an excellent songwriter. Fans of Al Di Meola, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Carlos Santana and others would be well advised to pick this up.

His playing is along the lines of guys of that ilk - yes, he's that good! Of course, he also plays a lot more than just guitar - he provides all the instrumentation on some of the tracks here and most on some of the others. Guitar, though, is his specialty and he deserves a place among the greats in that field.

If I had one complaint here, it's the same as with a lot of instrumental music. Instrumental music by its very nature can have a tendency towards sameness and this disc, while fairly insulated, isn't completely immune to that. We could have used some vocals in one or two spots on the CD to shake things up a little. Still, that's the only real complaint here. All in all, this is a fine album from a man whose name should be spoken alongside all the guitar greats you already know... read more »

Arek Religa was honored with the MuzikReviews.com Sonic Bids talent contest winner a few months ago. With his amazing guitar playing talents and his two-hand tapping technique video that leaves your mouth hanging open, made the choice obvious as we narrowed it down to the final three contestants.

"In Memory Of The Greatests" is Religa's tribute the great guitar maestros of our time. Arek hails from Poland. Quite amazingly, he did not start playing the guitar until he was sixteen years old. Getting a late start in life did not seem to matter.

This recording is comprised of 13 tracks of instrumental rock, jazz-fusion, blues, and all of that mixed together with atmospheric orchestrated backgrounds created by keyboards to give it a symphonic prog rock feel at times. On scorchers like "¡Viva Carlos!", the guitarist cuts loose and gives his best impression of the legendary rock-blues-world six-string hero Santana. That is the only track that is obviously dedicated to one particular artist, while the rest of the tracks are an intelligent mixture of influences and superb talent inspired by many years of studying the masters and perfecting a unique style.

In the end when the CD stops spinning, you are convinced that you have found a new guitar hero to bow to and acknowledge, yet another previously unrecognized force to be reckoned with in the vast world of indie music.

This guy can rock, he plays with taste and style, and a little bit of both for the perfect audio elixir that will have you mesmerized in no time flat. As you make your way through this instrumental treasure trove you discover how brilliant the artist is and how using influences from many genres and great guitar players through the ages allows for a most enjoyable and diversified listening experience. Do not let the tranquil cover of the CD put any expectations in your mind of what you are in for; this is an artist with a passionate flame burning inside. It comes flowing through the strings of his instrument one track after another.

I refer to one track on the CD however; I would prefer to look at it as a whole entity, a project that has a beginning and end with a storyline implicated by the title of each track. Songs without words can paint a canvas that leaves you to your own devices and imagination. Arek Religa perpetuates this very situation consistently throughout his work in all 13 tracks. The future is now for innovative independents like this; check out this amazing guitar work on "In Memory Of The Greatests".

From Polish-born composer/guitarist/keyboardist Arek Religa comes this thirteen track disc of original instrumentals, most of which are in a jazz/rock fusion vein, with classical, electronica, Latin, progressive rock and World music elements incorporated into the mix, without losing focus. Religa is joined by Tomasz Wywrot on sax and keyboards, Jerzy Kusiak on drums, bassist Pawel Pospieszalski, percussionist Jacek Berlin, and Konrad Stankiewicz on boards and rhythm guitar.

The symphonic "Hope" provides the dramatic opening moments, slowly building to a cinematic climax. "Beyond Horizon" gets into funk territory, with some imaginative guitar orchestrations. "¡Viva Carlos!" is a nod to Santana - check out Arek's fiery wah-wah pedal work! "Island of My Dreams" and "Next Step to the End" both start in a pastoral mood, then kick it up a notch or two. "On the Road" and "And the Road Goes on" further show Religa's versatility as a guitarist, dialing up just the right sound for the occasion. "For All My Angels" toggles between distorted power chords and clean, echo-drenched lead lines under an almost robotic dance beat. "By the Paradise" features a slide guitar reminiscent of George Harrison, as well as some fine sax playing. "In Memory of the Greatests" closes with the haunting title track.

This is one CD to check out when you are in the mood for music that is at once adventurous and highly listenable.

Chicago, Illinois, January 6, 2008 Arek Religa came to America from Poland in the year 2000. He started playing guitar at the age of 16. His musical talent soon transformed him into recognized talent and he was playing on major Polish stages in short order. Religa played with many well-known musicians and bands over the years before arriving on US soil. One of the most memorable performances for Arek was in 1999 when he played the International Film Music Festival in Poznan, Poland with The Robert Janson Band, right next to world famous musicians such as Chuck Mangione, Blues Brothers, Maurice Jarre, Michael Kamen, and others. After the year 2000, he found his talent of composing and arranging.

His first major release of original compositions was released in late 2007 titled "In Memory of The Greatests". The recording features 13 varied tracks of instrumental rock-jazz-fusion. Each track creates a different atmosphere as the six-string wizard gives the nod to the great players of our time. On "¡Viva Carlos!", one of the most popular modern day artists, Carlos Santana, gets a fitting tribute. The familiarity of that song allows the listener to find their own comfort zone then settle in and enjoy the explorations Religa takes off on for the rest of the recording.

Religa is a multitalented instrumentalist providing the guitar, keyboards, bass, and programming throughout the entire recording. The atmospheric layers of music that the artist uses are symphonic at times, leading the music into a more progressive path. The jazz-rock-fusion is also very progressive with the instrumentation and compositions on "In Memory of The Greatests".

Arek Religa is a talent on the rise and he will soon find his music in demand by not only listeners but also movie soundtracks and video games would be a certain consideration for his work. Arek was recognized most recently for his outstanding talents by MuzikReviews.com. He was selected out of 64 other artists that entered the talent contest the site ran through Sonic Bids.

For updates, pictures, and sound samples visit the Arek Religa website.