Born in
Germany in 1970, Teja Gerken began his journey on the guitar at the age
of six and became a serious student of the instrument after his family
moved to California in the mid '80s.
Today, Teja is no stranger
to those familiar with contemporary steel-string fingerstyle guitar.
Weaving together influences of folk, jazz, classical, and world music
into a style that is uniquely his own, Teja's playing reflects his
diverse musical interests. While many of his composition employ
alternate tunings, two-handed tapping, percussive effects, and other
extended guitar techniques, others simply rely on his keen sense of
melody and movement. Within this framework, Teja has created a
repertoire that appeals to fellow guitarists as well as to listening
audiences, and while original material is his main focus, he can also
be found playing Irish traditionals, the occasional jazz standard, or
improvising on themes by classical composers.
An active
participant in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area acoustic music scene,
Teja is a regular performer at many of the region's venues. A firm
believer in creating community, he hosts a monthly acoustic guitar
showcase at San Francisco's Bazaar Café, which features both
established and emerging players. Teja also frequently introduces
international talent to Bay Area audiences.
Teja has shared the
stage with guitar visionaries such as John Renbourn, Alex de Grassi,
Peter Finger, and Henry Kaiser, as well as with his mentors, Duck Baker
and Peppino D'Agostino. He has been a featured guest at the
International Guitar Night, as well as on radio stations such as San
Francisco's KALW and KUSF, and Berkeley's KPFA. In 2000, he began
adding annual concerts in Germany to his performance calendar, and in
2004, he participated in a ten-city tour of Hungary.
Teja's
debut album On My Way (LifeRhythm Music) has received critical acclaim
since its release in 1999. "This sounds as if Michael Hedges, Paco De
Lucia, and Bill Monroe are all fighting over a guitar," says the music
review website Listen.com, which goes on to say that "this exceptional
musician combines elements of folk, jazz, bluegrass and just about any
style you can think of, into his seamless, lightning speed guitar
workouts. Gerken plays World Fusion without losing his own identity or
watering down styles." The UK's Folk Roots adds, "very impressive
technique, and tuneful," and Dirty Linen calls Teja "a fine technical
player." The composition Her Red Hair was featured on a Best of
Contemporary Instrumental Music sampler CD by Germany's Laika Records
in fall 2002. Teja released his second album Postcaards in 2005.
Virtuoso guitarist, singer and composer Vicki Genfan hears music that ordinary people do not. Drawing from folk, jazz, pop, soul and world music, she creates a new kind of ‘singer/songwriter culture.’ With a mastery of the acoustic guitar that borders on pure alchemy, audiences can hardly believe she’s only got two hands. An almost constant companion to her ‘slapping’, ‘tapping’ and use of 25 alternate tunings, are her pure, expressive vocals that dig deep and stir the soul. Vicki writes and beautifully sings her own brand of music and lyrics while putting her unmistakable imprint on songs more well known, such as the Beatles’ Norweigian Wood. As a bonus, Vicki’s audiences feel they are part of something special, through her stories, her warmth and her humor.
In the past four years Vicki has been recognized among the world’s greatest guitarists and musicians at festivals such as The International Montreal Jazz Festival, Germany’s Open Strings Guitar Festival, Italy’s Soave Guitar Festival, as well as at venues and Performing Arts Centers across the US. With 3 CDs behind her and multiple awards, Vicki continues to reach beyond musical borders and into new territory, as with her recent acquisitions of the 6 string banjo and 12 string guitar.
