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GARDINER — Guitarist Jim Wysocki will be a featured performer as part of the city”s April 21 Music Walk.
Wysocki will showcase the guitar college of music pioneer Les Paul, who is known for influencing one of the world’s most famous and beloved instruments — an electric guitar named after Paul, produced by Gibson, a leading American guitar maker.
The collection includes a 1968 Custom Gibson Les Paul with the Paulverizer, a black box remote control that allowed Paul Les to access recorded tapes of himself and wife Mary Ford, layering parts of a song to his live performance. The Paulverizer was an early version of today’s looping machines. Wysocki will also display Les’s Rail, which is a discarded railroad track section that Paul used with a microphone from his mother’s phone and a guitar string stretched the length of the track; the string’s vibration created a unique sound that would become the first iteration of an electric guitar pickup.
The show, “From Start to Finish,” will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at Johnson Hall, 280 Water St., with a screening of the documentary film “Chasing Sound,” about the life of Paul. Following the film, the musician’s priceless collection will be on display – music fans can mingle and chat with Wysocki throughout the day.
Wysocki encourages visitors to try playing the vintage and storied guitars as part of the experience. At 7 p.m., Wysocki will give a formal slide presentation and talk of about 45 minutes, sharing stories about the early origins of the electric guitar, the challenges and opportunities Paul encountered in the music industry, and some of Paul and Ford’s adventures.
Admission to the experience will be on a first come, first served basis – there is no ticketing or fee, donations will be accepted for Johnson Hall’s renovation of its third-floor opera house.
Gardiner’s Music Walk, in its third year, brings over 20 musicians to local businesses in a celebration of local performance and Downtown Gardiner’s revitalization. The event is a collaboration of Niche, Inc, an independent record store, and Gardiner Main Street. The walk is part of a national event, Record Store Day, which features special vinyl releases and other celebrations across the country. In addition to music and shopping, the music walk, which goes from 4-7 p.m., features a free beer tasting at Craft Beer Cellar, a drop-in public drum circle, face-painting, and other activities. For more information, visit gardinermainstreet.org/events/music-walk/or call Niche Inc. 207-588-7725.
