Michael Gulezian

media release: MICHAEL GULEZIAN is one of the most highly acclaimed solo acoustic instrumental guitarists of our time. He is a phenomenal technical guitarist with the rare ability to transcend his own virtuosity, creating music that touches and moves people at the deepest level. In terms of his significance in the evolution of the genre, Michael is — among other things — the musical link between John Fahey and Michael Hedges.

“uncommonly thoughtful and provocative … sweeping story-like melodies, multi-dimensional epics, and heartland hymns.”

– Jazz Times

“compositional genius. … a magisterial ode to a quiet, breathing awe … a religious experience … the sense of a person playing a guitar disappears into the music … there is something happening in this collection that transcends music and reaches into the ethereal world. … astounding … cosmic.” Minor 7th.com

Although there are many guitarists who are exceptionally gifted at playing guitar, Michael Gulezian (gu-LAY-ze-in), by contrast, has distinguished himself with his music – boundary-free, horizon-expanding, genre-bending, transcendent, soulful, kickass, mind-opening, emotionally imbued, exquisitely gorgeous instrumental solo acoustic guitar music. Music that quite literally defies description.

For more than three decades, Michael has unpretentiously walked onstage and delivered one riveting performance after another. Each one of Michael’s albums has raised the aesthetic of contemporary solo acoustic guitar to a new level. He’s been called the musical link between John Fahey and Michael Hedges. Artists as diverse as Michael Hedges, Willy Porter, and Henry Kaiser have claimed him as a primary musical influence. Young lions such as Erik Mongrain, Andy McKee, and Trevor Gordon Hall are quick to acknowledge him as an inspiration. For those who follow solo acoustic instrumental guitar, Michael Gulezian is firmly established in the genre as one of the most significant artists of our time.

Michael now celebrates his first release in more than a decade: thunder heaven light. He describes it as the best album he has ever recorded: “It’s the most emotionally charged, joyful, and spiritually inspired music to ever fly through my heart and soul – some of the music is heart-wrenching, and some of it is pure joy. But more than anything else, every note of every song, is love, love, love.” Ten original tracks of instrumental acoustic guitar, recorded over a multi-year period, at studios in Colorado and Los Angeles. thunder heaven light was recognized in the “Best of Echoes – Top 25 Albums of 2019,” and prompted Fred Kraus of Minor 7th to write “Michael Gulezian might be the most accomplished pure guitarist on the planet.”