IDA NIELSEN
& THE FUNKBOTS (DK)
Friday April 26 - 20:30
(Concert after Matteo Mancuso)
Ida Nielsen turned her life upside down when music legend Prince discovered her in August 2010. She joined his band and began touring with him and "The New Power Generation" as well as the rock band "3rd Eye Girl". She describes playing with Prince as "a huge gift and the most magical musical journey ever, and a continuous learning experience beyond imagination".
After the unfortunate and premature death of the funk-rock legend, she decided to concentrate on her solo career. Accompanied by her band "The Funkbots", Ida now offers a high-energy funk show full of good vibes, tight grooves and subtle references to her former employer and teacher Prince.
Ida Nielsen was voted one of the 10 best bassists in the world!
MATTEO MANCUSO (I)
Friday April 26 - 20:30
(Concert before Ida Nielsen & The Funkbots)
Matteo Mancuso is the buzz of the moment after his stint with Rick Beato and his appearance on the Namm Show. Steve Vai was stunned when he heard him, Joe Bonamassa says he's reinvented the guitar and Al Di Meola says it would "take a lifetime to catch up".
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At 27, Matteo is a guitar prodigy! With over 1.5 million views, his YouTube channel is followed by a large international audience, acclaimed and recognized by Dweezil Zappa, Stef Burns, Joe Bonamassa, Steve Vai, Al Di Meola and many others.
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In 2009, at the age of 12, he performed at the Castelbuono Jazz Festival in Sicily. A seasoned guitarist, from classical to electric guitar, he has developed a very personal and unique approach, without a pick, which enables him to use a highly original musical language.
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He has also performed at the 2019 NAMM Show in Los Angeles and collaborated with Yamaha Guitars and Line6.
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He has formed a trio called "SNIPS" with Riccardo Oliva and Salvatore Lima. They took part in Musika-Expo in Rome, Umbria Jazz in 2018 and many other festivals in Italy. Numerous journalists have written about Matteo and his trio in national and international trade magazines such as Accordo.it, Vintage Guitar, Tokyo-based Fusion Guitar Magazine.
HISTOIRES DE GUITARES [Re]Generation
GAËDIC CHAMBRIER (F)
Saturday April 27 - 14:30
Gaëdic Chambrier's first show, "Histoires de Guitares", received rave reviews from audiences and press alike. In the light of this success, a second chapter is offered as a world premiere to MIGS audiences: [Re]Generation.
The guitar, described by the Escudier dictionary in 1854 as the most unglamorous and monotonous of instruments, has gone from the antechambers to the world's greatest stages in the space of a century. This small, gut-stringed acoustic instrument has gradually evolved into electric guitars with iconic or extravagant shapes that produce an infinite range of sounds, thanks to amplification and effects. Musical styles such as Blues and Rock (and so many others) are inconceivable without the guitar.
The journey begins with a rare 1870 Martin 028 and leads to futuristic carbon instruments, via 25 instruments emblematic of its evolution.
Each guitar is played in its preferred context or style. From the campfires of the pioneers of the American West to extreme metal, we see how the guitar has accompanied and written history.
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The show is performed in French.
HENRIK FREISCHLADER (DE)
Saturday April 27 - 20:00
(Opening act Félix Rabin)
Many speak of Henrik Freischlader as one of the best of his generation!
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Endowed with exceptional dexterity and mesmerizing musicality, Henrik is indeed a guitar virtuoso, acclaimed the world over for his incomparable talent, his bluesy phrasing and his ability "never to overdo it".
Composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist and producer, he plays all the instruments on his albums. Sometimes groovy, sometimes soulful, but resolutely blues, his compositions take us into a world he has mastered to perfection!
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To judge the level of this artist, it's best to see him play live. Henrik impresses with his ability to captivate an audience, for example on slow-blues by one of his masters, Gary Moore. His fluid, passionate playing, boundless creativity and innate talent for moving the soul through music promise an intense moment.
Blues fans, come and discover the very essence of the art of the guitar at this exclusive Henrik Freischalder concert. This is THE concert not to be missed!
FÉLIX RABIN (CH)
Saturday April 27 - 20:00
(Opening act for Henrik Freischlader)
Félix Rabin's musical universe is born of a tension between the flamboyant stage presence of the guitar hero and the melancholy solitude of the songwriter.
This polarity is particularly well illustrated by the fragility of a voice that tries to make its way through the density of the instrumental textures that surround it, then suddenly gives way under the force of the storm, leaving the soloist's creative instincts free rein.
Marked by the influence of Gary Clark Jr. or John Mayer, Félix Rabin is deeply rooted in blues-tinged, sometimes funky pop-rock, in a long tradition that draws its musical origins from the excesses of the musical icons of the Sixties and Seventies, but with the air of a "good boy", an introverted loner, with an incandescent frenzy in his soul.
In 2015, Félix monopolized the jam sessions at the Montreux Jazz Festival. When it was his turn to bring his guitar to Montreux, it was the legendary Quincy Jones who invited him to his table, to compliment and encourage him.
THIBAULT CAUVIN (F)
Sunday April 28 - 15:00
For his second visit to MIGS, the world's most titled virtuoso graced the audience with a unique concert specially created for the occasion: "Carte Blanche à Thibault Cauvin".
Thibault is much more than just a guitarist: his concerts are timeless moments of grace and rare poetry, where he magically captivates anyone who listens.
At the age of twenty, he was the prodigy with 36 major international prizes, the Federer of the guitar, the indomitable virtuoso. Then, for fifteen years, he toured as a nomad, with no home or ties, guided by the stages of the world - over a thousand performances in nearly 130 countries - and his classical guitar became colored with freedom and elsewhere.
The insatiable adventurer that he is, he then multiplies atypical duos and improbable encounters, his unclassifiable personality becoming ever more sculpted, his inspirations constantly enriched. Thibault also has a love of words and a passion for storytelling. On stage, he narrates, intoxicates and invites everyone into the depths of their dreams.
JON GOMM (UK)
Sunday April 28 - 19:00
(Opening act Alexandr Misko)
Jon Gomm is a singer-songwriter and solo acoustic artist known for his virtuosic guitar style of banging, tapping and retuning as he plays, producing a huge, multi-layered sound filled with bass, drums and near-orchestral depth and complexity from a single guitar.
At the first MIGS, Jon swept the audience into his world, bringing out emotions of rare intensity, between joy, love and tears... earning him a standing ovation!
His songs are indeed very moving, with or without his soft, touching voice. Her concerts are intimate and powerful, but always punctuated by the wit and self-deprecation that are characteristic of the north of England.
In 2020, Jon was voted "World's Best Acoustic Guitarist" in the largest online poll of its kind, conducted by MusicRadar / Guitar World.
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He is the third guitarist to design a signature acoustic guitar with Ibanez, the previous two being Joe Satriani and Steve Vai.
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In 2023, Jon's song Passionflower was ranked 6th in Total Guitar's "50 Greatest Acoustic Guitar Songs of All Time", just behind The Beatles' Blackbird and Eric Clapton's Tears In Heaven.
ALEXANDR MISKO
Sunday April 28 - 19:00
(Opening act for Jon Gomm)
Alexandr Misko, modern fingerstyle guitar prodigy, fascinates audiences worldwide and represents a remarkable new generation in his art. His music bridges the old and the new, captivating millions online.
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With five albums, world tours and awards, he is a true guitar maestro. From viral videos to Carnegie Hall, his universal language of melody enchants everyone. His video cover of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" has been viewed over 30,000,000 times on Facebook, marking a milestone in his career.
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At just 25 years of age, this virtuoso performs on stages the world over, and his performances have been widely acclaimed, both in his home country and abroad.
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In the words of Jon Gomm: "Alexandr Misko is the future of the acoustic guitar. People looked at my generation and said: 'That's it, that's the limit, nobody can go further with the guitar'. But for me, that would be a tragedy. As soon as I saw Alexandr for the first time, my heart filled with relief and joy, because I saw that they'd been wrong".
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And if Jon says so... and they share the stage for the closing concert, it's sure to be a magical evening!
