Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Adrian Vandenberg, Uli Jon Roth, Jimi Hendrix, Michael Schenker, Christopher Parkening, Andreas Segovia, Liona Boyd, John Williams, Julian Bream, Tony MacAlpine, Vinnie Moore, Paul Gilbert (circa Racer X), Jason Becker, George Lynch, Eric Johnson, Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai, Ernie Isley, Al Mckay (from Earth Wind and Fire), George Benson, Stevie Ray Vaughn, B. B. King, Johnny Winter, Robert Johnson, Steve Morse, Al DiMeola, Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin and Bill Conners.
"Toshi is not only an incredible and versatile guitarist, he is one of the best clinicians we have ever had!" (8-23-'06) - Bob Chini (Artist and Media Relations for Carvin)
"Toshi is definitely among the finest playing guitarist I've ever shared the stage with. He is definitely a master of the seven string guitar!" - Mark Tremonti ( guitarist for Alter Bridge / Creed)
"I've played with some of the biggest and the best guitar players. Toshi stands head to head with any of 'em. A sterling musician!" - James LoMenzo (Bassist for David Lee Roth, Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society and White Lion, Megadeth)
"One of the most enjoyable sessions that I have been a part of in quite sometime, has been my contributions on the new Toshi Iseda CD. It has always been a pleasure of mine to jam with great guitarist of our time, and certainly Mr. Iseda is included on that list. Enjoy this CD as much as I enjoyed playing on it." - Tony MacAlpine (Shrapnel / Favored Nations Recording Artist - currently on tour in the Steve Vai band, guest guitarist on Full On!)
"Toshi's new stuff sounds great! His use of the 7-string guitar and some real cool effects are refreshing. The tone is real warm and precise and his playing is totally wailing!" - John Petrucci (Guitarist for Dream Theater / Liquid Tension Experiment)
"I am lucky enough to have worked with some of the greatest guitar players in world - Toshi Iseda is one of them! Nobody shreds a 7 string like Toshi!" - Adam Reiver (Artist Relations / Marketing for Floyd Rose - Guitars and Tremolos)
"I dig the passion that flies out of Toshi's fingers...it's so much more than just a zillion notes played at light-speed. Super-great guitarist." - Billy Amendola (Modern Drummer magazine)
"Toshi's music stems from a place few find: A spiritual one-ness with himself. His sincerity in humanity pours out in his music. He shreds his guitar like it's his last day on earth. With Toshi it's about the moment and the inspiration, not about anthing else. With that comes honest, sincere and God-given brilliance. Toshi is what any guitarist should want to become." (9-3-'06) - Brian 'Wookie' Wolk- (Artist Relations Director for TonePros)
"Moments of Brilliance! Toshi keep up the great work!" - Greg Howe (Shrapnel Recording artist who also plays in the bands of Justin Timberlake and Michael Jackson)
"Toshi emerges as a blistering instrumentalist who's well adept at fast picking, wild arpeggios, and a George Lynch-style vibrato." - Mike Varney (Guitar Player Magazine)
"Combining melodic sense and raw energy with enough chops to fill a butcher's shop, Toshi seems destined for greatness." - Guitar World Magazine
"I've known Toshi well over 10 years and we had a band together for a time in Chicago. I probably never would have gotten it together to do the album "Rama 1" at all if Toshi hadn't pushed me to eventually get some of those songs recorded. It was really fun to get new tracks from him for the album as all the ideas he had were really winners. Some of his guitar parts on the album are on my all time favorite list, for sure. Toshi's personality really comes through on the album and I really love what he did...hard, edgy, intricate, sweet, and strong all at the same time. Here is a giant 'THANKS' for making the album what is and providing a truly unique guitar voice for it!" - Andy West (Four time Grammy nominated bass Virtuoso formerly with the Dixie Dregs and Vinnie Moore)
"Toshi ROCKS that heavy 7 string !! I also love the modern beats and production style he is incorporating into instrumental guitar music." - Joy Basu (Solo artist - former guitarist for Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Nick Lachey, CoCo Lee etc.)
"It is a pleasure to work and play with such a fine musician and friend; whose undying love and passion for instrumental music reflects in all aspects of his craft!" - Mike Terrana (drummer with Rage formerly with Yngwie Malmsteen and Tony MacAlpine, Guest artist on Full On!)
"There's no question Toshi has incredible skill, technique and taste. What sets him apart, is his dedication, professionalism, enthusiasm and charisma which shine through every performance. He is very personable and fun to be around. An audience instinctively senses that, which makes the experience even more enjoyable." - Dale Krevens (Vice President - Tech 21 / SansAmp)
"I have played with most of the top modern guitar virtuosos and Toshi is definately in that camp, a real musician and a wonderful guy!" - Atma Anur (Legendary drummer who has recorded and performed with Tony MacAlpine, Jason Becker, Greg Howe, Marty Friedman, Richie Kotzen, Neal Schon and many others)
"The precise technical command of Tony MacAlpine meets the attitude of Jeff Beck. Toshi Iseda - a guitar player to watch for!" - Richie Kotzen (Shrapnel Records recording artist and former guitarist for Mr. Big)
"Toshi plays awesome guitar on these tunes. He will surely be the envy of any guitarist who hears his work!" - Marty Friedman (Shrapnel / Favored Nations Recording Artist and former guitarist for Megadeth)
"Toshi Iseda . . . Well on his way to wherever he wants to go." -John Stix (Guitar One, Guitar FPM Magazine)
"The most impressive part of his work is that apart from paying attention to the composition part more than the virtuoso one, Toshi recorded, mixed, produced, arranged and took care of all the art direction . . . leaving his personal imprint." -Carlos Martin(Musico Pro Magazine from South America)
"There are so many guitarists that can shred and so few who can make quality music doing it. Toshi Iseda is one of the few. What I appreciate most about Iseda, is that his music is centered on thematic development with relentless persistence. This focus gives Iseda's music life and a direction to travel while it is living. And, that direction aspires to reach the stars before life fades into the evening sky. All that I can say when I hear what Iseda has done with the vast array of advanced technique that he has mastered, is "WOW". It is not that it is impressive that he mastered so much advanced, progressive guitar technique as many guitarists aspire, try, and some achieve, but it is remarkable that Iseda is able to apply this technique with superb effect in his carefully crafted arrangements." - EER-MUSIC.COM
"Toshi Iseda is a brilliant guitarist, one of the nation's finest instrumental musicians and the Midwest's most in-demand guitar instructor." - Guitar Nine Records
"Not only can Toshi shred with the best of them, his personal demeanor and his professionalism place him far above the maddening hordes. Nowadays, it seems like everyone can play well; to play great and remain a gentleman is the mark of a true guitar hero." - Phil Garfinkel (Artist Relations Director / Audix microphones)
"Toshi is one of those guitarists that make other guitarists want to practice more. His playing always blows people away. He has a very refined musical taste and style and has a serious dedication to making quality music."
- Bill Wenzloff (Artist Relations Director / Morley pedals)
"While Satch and Vai troddle in their own continuing experimental worlds, multi-talented Toshi Iseda emerges out of the blue with a strangling axe show." - Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles
"Toshi's level of playing is tops! Very few can move around the neck of a guitar with total command like him." - Tyme Rogers (Artist Relations Director - Tech 21 / SansAmp)
"Toshi, all the best to you with your music. Great playing!" - Eric Johnson (Capitol Records and Favored Nations Recording Artist)
"Toshi is not only a great guitarist, but a brilliant songwriter and producer. The new CD ROCKS!" - Michael Angelo (Solo Artist, guest artist on Full On!)
DISCLAIMER: This is The OFFICIAL TOSHI ISEDA MYSPACE. However, due to Toshi's busy schedule the space is not maintained by Toshi. Toshi checks the page from time to time but very rarely replies to any emails. For more info, please check out TOSHIISEDA.com Thank you!
Born in Chicago Illinois, and after being mesmerized by his uncle Jeff Brown playing guitar, Toshi Iseda was inspired to pick up the guitar. A guitarist since the 7th grade, Toshi has become known as THE prominent up-and-coming guitarist in the Midwest. In the "beginning", he was inspired by listening to a lot of different kinds of music, but especially that of KISS, Aerosmith and Peter Frampton (The song "Do You Feel Like We Do?" had a profound affect on Toshi). He then was motivated to practice up to 2 hours a day when first learning how to play.
Toshi's first "serious" influences were guitarist such as Rock greats Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Adrian Vandenberg (when he was in the band Vandenberg), Uli Jon Roth, Jimi Hendrix, and Michael Schenker among others.
After reading an interview with then UFO guitarist Michael Schenker in an issue of Guitar Player Magazine where Schenker spoke of how he practiced as many as 4 hours a day when starting, Toshi decided it was time to up the stakes on his practice regime. Toshi then started practicing up to 5 hours a day in order to play like Mike! Toshi eventually worked his practice schedule up to 15 hours a day!!! This practice schedule also included Toshi's classical guitar studies which he had later taken up after hearing about Randy Rhoads' classical influence. Toshi's classical guitar influences include Christopher Parkening, Andreas Segovia, Liona Boyd, John Williams and Julian Bream. Later his Rock influences would include Tony MacAlpine, Vinnie Moore, Paul Gilbert (circa Racer X), Jason Becker - basically the whole Shrapnel records collection -, George Lynch, Eric Johnson, Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai.
Unlike many of Toshi's guitar playing friends, he was also influenced by a great deal of non hard rock guitarist such as Ernie Isley, Al Mckay (from Earth Wind and Fire), George Benson and blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughn, B. B. King, Johnny Winter and Robert Johnson. As Toshi improved his influences grew to include such "fusion" guitarist as Steve Morse, Al DiMeola, Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin and Bill Conners.
In 1985 and 1986, Toshi entered and won the 'Hot Licks' contest for two years in a row. The only guitarist to ever do so! He then received a scholarship to the world renown Berklee College Of Music where he majored in Music Synthesis and Performance. At Berklee he was consistently asked by fellow class mates for instruction on the modern techniques of the time and started teaching. Soon Toshi would have enough students to where his was able to financially support himself doing this. Eventually Toshi was teaching over 50+ hourly students a week which is what he averaged up until he stopped teaching, due to career commitments, in 2001. (During his time teaching in Chicago Toshi, according to a readers poll results, was considered the ..1 guitar instructor in Chicago - some say the Midwest!)
It was during 1988/89, that he hooked up with then Aerosmith keyboardist C. Bruce Ost who had recently gotten off tour with the group and formed the band 'Shoot Shoot', which went on to become one of Boston's most popular bands.
Toshi left Shoot Shoot to form his own groups 'Clyde' then 'Autumn Lords' which also featured recently departed Tony MacAlpine bassist Mike Jacques. He then submitted tapes to Mike Varney and John Stix and featured in both Guitar Player Magazine's "Spotlight" column (July/1990) and Guitar F.P.M.'s "Resume" column (November/1990). It was then, in the winter/spring of 1991, that Toshi received a call from Columbia recording artist Heaven's Edge and was asked to join the group. Iseda had met the guys in the band while hangin' out one night in Philadelphia in 1990 with Shrapnel recording artist Richie Kotzen. Toshi then relocated to New Jersey where the band is from, and went on to play with them for approximately 6 month's where he then moved to N.Y.C. after leaving the group to be closer to a major music metropolis. While in New York he also taught privately and at the American Institute of Guitar in Manhattan. Toshi has also served as a visiting instructor at the Musicians Institute in Tokyo, Japan and is a former faculty member of The National Guitar Workshop.
It was right about then that Toshi started playing 7-string guitars. A major turning point in his musical life. Toshi now plays 7-string guitars exclusively and is considered to be the foremost rock player and authority on 7-string guitars, currently owning over 85 of them.
In 1996 Toshi co-organized and performed at the 'First Midwest Jason Becker Benefit For ALS' in Chicago, Illinois. The Benefit that Toshi spearheaded featured such stellar musicians as Eddie Van Halen, Marty Friedman, Zakk Wylde, Tony MacAlpine, Vinnie Moore, Greg Howe, Billy Sheehan, Steve Lukather, Richie Kotzen, Michael Lee Firkins and many, many more!
Toshi has been featured in guitar/music magazines around the world including; Guitar Player, Guitar World , Guitar/Guitar One, The Guitarist Network. Internationally in magazines such as Young Guitar, Guitar F.P.M. and Guitar Magazine (JAPAN), Musica Pro (South America), Guitar Chef (Italy) and others. He also writes instructional columns for several guitar oriented magazine's such as Musicians Hotline magazine.
Having been featured on over 10 CD's (including all four of Guitar World magazine's 'Indie Bin' CD's - the only guitarist asked to be on all four CD's!), in 1998 Toshi released his first solo CD, the critically acclaimed 'Full On!' (Over The Top! Records), and most recently collaborated with former Dixie Dregs bassist Andy West to record and co-produce 'RAMA 1' on Magna Carta records. This project also features such renown musicians as drummers Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater/Liquid Tension Experiment), Rod Morgenstein (Dixie Dregs/Winger/Jazz Is Dead), Jonathan Mover (Joe Satriani/Einstein) and keyboardist Jens Johansson (Yngwie Malmsteen/Stratovarious), T. Lavitz (Dixie Dregs/Jazz Is Dead) and Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa/Steve Vai).
To date, Toshi Iseda has toured/performed in the following countries: Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States
And has sold CD's in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia (Hrvatska), Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, England, Estonia, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Scotland, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia,South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and The United States
Toshi is currently recording his follow-up to 'Full On!' and the follow-up to 'RAMA 1' with bassist Andy West, 'RAMA 2'. Plays in his own instrumental solo band and the hard rock vocal oriented group, 'Ego Machine' as well as producing other artists.
Hello Toshi It is always a pleasure to meet you and listen to your music. I thank you so much for staying true to your music and staying true to the fans who love your music.
I wish you a wonderful day and I do hope that I shall have the opportunity of hearing from you before long as I'm very interested in everything you are doing.
