Tony MacAlpine

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Tony Jeff MacAlpine (born August 29, 1960) is an American guitarist and keyboardist. Having released ten studio albums over a career spanning more than two decades, he is best known as an instrumental solo guitarist; although he has worked with many different bands and musicians in the form of guest appearances and collaborations.

Biography

Prior to picking up the guitar, MacAlpine was a classically trained pianist and violinist; as such, he is credited with playing all keyboards on his own albums as well as for other artists. One of his principal musical influences is that of Chopin, and tribute is given by his own interpretations of Chopin's études featured on the majority of his solo albums. With the exception of Eyes of the World (1990), there is at least one display of these piano/keyboard instrumentals on each of his solo albums up to and including Chromaticity (2001).

MacAlpine influenced and contributed much to the neo-classical metal genre of the late-1980s, becoming known for his instrumental rock-based style of playing that blended elements of shred, blues and jazz fusion. Together with his first two solo albums, Edge of Insanity (1986) and Maximum Security (1987), MacAlpine played a prominent role on other albums of the 1980s shred era, including keyboard work throughout Vinnie Moore's Mind's Eye (1986) and Joey Tafolla's Out of the Sun (1987).

As a further indication of MacAlpine's dual dexterity on both the guitar and keyboard, he has made contributions as a guitarist accompanying renowned keyboardists Vitalij Kuprij and Derek Sherinian (latterly with the band Planet X), as well as providing vocals for his 1999 release, Master of Paradise. In recent years, he has played guitar and keyboards in Steve Vai's touring band, The Breed (until 2006), and is featured on the band's Live at the Astoria London DVD, along with the G3 DVDs, G3: Live in Denver (2003) and G3: Live in Tokyo (2005).

In April 2009, it was announced that MacAlpine will be rejoining Planet X, who will be releasing a new album and touring later in the year.^[1]

Discography

Solo albums

• 1986: Edge of Insanity
• 1987: Maximum Security
• 1990: Eyes of the World
• 1992: Freedom to Fly
• 1993: Madness
• 1994: Premonition
• 1995: Evolution
• 1996: Violent Machine
• 1997: Live Insanity (live album)
• 1999: Master of Paradise
• 2001: Chromaticity
• 2006: Tony MacAlpine Collection: The Shrapnel Years (compilation album)

With M.A.R.S. (MacAlpine/Aldridge/Rock/Sarzo)

• 1986: Project: Driver

With Planet X

• 2000: Universe
• 2002: Live from Oz (live album)
• 2002: MoonBabies

With CAB

• 2000: CAB
• 2001: CAB 2
• 2003: CAB 4
• 2008: Theatre de Marionnettes

With Ring of Fire

• 2003: Dreamtower
• 2004: Burning Live in Tokyo (live album)
• 2004: Lapse of Reality

With Devil's Slingshot

• 2007: Clinophobia

Other album appearances

• 1986: Mind's Eye – Vinnie Moore
• 1987: Out of the Sun – Joey Tafolla
• 1999: The Maze – Vinnie Moore
• 1999: VK3 – Vitalij Kuprij
• 2000: Ring of Fire – Mark Boals
• 2002: Edge of the World – Mark Boals
• 2006: Vinnie Moore Collection: The Shrapnel Years – Vinnie Moore

Trivia

• He is the grandson of Mary Matilda Winslow, who was the first Black Canadian woman to graduate from the University of New Brunswick.

References

External links

• Official website
• Official MySpace