The California Guitar Trio Performs Tonight at the Aronoff Center

The California Guitar Trio (CGT) - three of the world's finest acoustic guitarists - bring their impeccable and eclectic musicianship to the Aronoff Center's intimate Jarson-Kaplan Theater for one night only tonight, October 3, 2013 at 8:00 PM. The concert is presented by the Cincinnati Arts Association as the first presentation in its 2013-14 Season.

Tickets are on sale now at www.CincinnatiArts.org, (513) 621-ARTS [2787], and the Aronoff Center Ticket Office. Group discount tickets for 10 or more are available by calling (513) 977-4157.

With astounding performances and unparalleled diversity, these three revered musicians are not actually natives of the "Golden State." The California Guitar Trio (CGT) is Bert Lams from Belgium, Hideyo Moriya from Japan, and Paul Richards from Utah. Together, their technical wizardry is breathtaking, as is the wide range of instrumental music the group renders - everything from unique originals to dazzling, cleverly-arranged interpretations of rock, jazz, classical music, world music, and even surf rock. CGT's relentless passion for following the muse has served it well. The acoustic group's fearless multi-genre explorations have driven fourteen albums and nearly 1,500 gigs across its 22-year career.

The trio met while participating in Robert Fripp's Guitar Craft courses in 1987. They first toured together as part of Fripp's League of Crafty Guitarists, an orchestra of acoustic players that served as exponents of the King Crimson founder's teachings, compositions, and performance approach. In 1991, they founded the California Guitar Trio, which initially gained notoriety opening for the likes of King Crimson, John McLaughlin, and David Sylvian. They have fans in high places too: the crew of the Space Shuttle Endeavour used their pieces as wake-up music.

Since their inception in 1991, the Trio has released 14 CDs: nine studio albums (including a Christmas record), three live releases (including An Opening Act from their 1995 worldwide tour with King Crimson), and two compilations. On screen, CGT can be seen in the documentary Following the Music: On The Road with California Guitar Trio (©2004 Stone Chapel Films) and the new hi-def multi-camera shoot of an intimate house concert in 2009.

In October 2010, the California Guitar Trio released Andromeda, an entirely new all-original album nearly three years in the making. It was named Best Instrumental Album that year by the Indie Acoustic Project. CGT's most recent album, Masterworks, focuses exclusively on classical music, featuring works by composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Arvo Pärt, Shubert, and Vivaldi. Accompanying the trio on the project are Tony Levin on upright bass and cello, and Fareed Haque on classical guitar.