Tony_MacAlpine

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2009)

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

Born and raised in the Pine Point section of Springfield Massachusetts, prior to picking up the guitar, MacAlpine was a classically trained pianist and violinist. 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 highly advanced shred techniques, as well as taking on a somewhat jazz fusion-oriented approach in some of his later albums. Together with his first two solo releases, Edge of Insanity (1985) and Maximum Security (1987), he played a prominent role on other works of the 1980s shred era, including keyboard duties on Vinnie Moore's Mind's Eye (1986) and Joey Tafolla's Out of the Sun (1987). In 1990, the commercially-oriented album Eyes of the World (1990) was released as part of a band effort under the group name of 'MacAlpine'. However, this was to be only a short-lived project, as Freedom to Fly (1992) signified a return to his prior instrumental-based work, which continued throughout the 1990s.

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 had rejoined Planet X, who would be touring later in the year and working on a new album.^[1] As of August 2010, however, a new album has not yet been released.

Discography

Solo albums

• 1985: 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)
• 1999: Master of Paradise
• 2001: Chromaticity
• 2006: Collection: The Shrapnel Years (compilation)

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

• 1986: Project: Driver

With Planet X

• 2000: Universe
• 2002: Live from Oz (live)
• 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)
• 2004: Lapse of Reality

With Devil's Slingshot

• 2007: Clinophobia

With Seven the Hardway

• 2010: Seven the Hardway

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: Collection: The Shrapnel Years – Vinnie Moore (compilation)

2003: Steve Vai Live at the Astoria

References

External links

• Official website
• Official MySpace