Scott Mishoe - 1995 "Omnidirectional"

Scott Mishoe started guitar at the age of 5. His first live appearance was at the the age of 8. He got a gig at the age of 13 for a benefit show with Pat Travers. At 18 he got an endorsement with Fender. He was feature in Mike Varneys "Spotlight" column in the August 1990 issue and a number of other magazine features soon followed.

In 1992 his two-handed arpeggio techniques landed him a place on the Shrapnel "Ominous Guitarist from the Unknown" release. He was later featured on on Mark Varney's "Guitar On The Edge" series. This culminated in the release of a the CD "Omnidirectional" on Legato Records.

Scott's one of the most incredible guitarists to ever walk the face of this planet. Listen, if you like over-the-top technique that will make you laugh because it's so ridiculously amazing, this is your man. Take some of the best slap bassists you know, mix them with some blistering phrasing ala Greg Howe and Richie Kotzen, add in the ultra-clean technique of someone like Vinnie Moore. Shake it all with some Stanley Jordan clean tapping and BAM; That's Scott. He sounds nothing like a clone of any of those guys, either.

The guy is just phenominal and as someone who has combed the internet for all of Varney's greats from back in the day in addition to the hundreds of thousands of guitarists out there today, Scott is absolutely in a league of his own. Yes, the album cover is cheesy and yes, I know you're thinking, "Scott Mishoe... if he's THAT good, I should've heard of him by now." You're exactly right; you should have before now and it's an absolute atrocity that you haven't... but now that you have, you know what to do. If you're still unsure, go to YouTube and type in his name. That should pretty much do it for you. Basically.

Scott is the best crazy-amazing guitarist you've probably never heard of. I'm a fan of complex, melodic, techically incredible guitar playing--think Greg Howe, John Petrucci (Dream Theater), Vinnie Moore, Blues Saraceno, etc., and without a doubt Scott hangs with these guys. He's incredibly talented, both technically and compositionally.

I learned about Scott by taking guitar lessons from him in Scottsdale, AZ. Although I was a fairly advanced player, after hearing him play, I wanted to give him my guitar. Hearing his own material made me really respect his abilities as a composer and musician. If you like amazing guitar work and jazz/rock fusion, you'll love this disc.

Victor Wooten, inspired Scott to apply the infamous slap-technique to the guitar. Scott began creating a variety of licks around the slap-technique, developing an even more refreshing style. With the addition of this new technique, Scott developed what we think to be one of the most creative playing styles we’ve heard. Using a technique that can now be seen from players of late like Tosin Abasi, Scott can make a 5 second lick the most interesting 5 seconds of your life. But amidst all of the powerful slaps, Scott still manages to slip in some legato runs, chords, sweeps, with some fries on the side. But don’t get us wrong, Scott Mishoe ain’t no one-trick-pony. Scott’s impeccable tapping runs, alternate picking, and arpeggios give any modern day shredder a run for their money. Scott attests this seemingly flawless playing style to hours and hours of practicing during his free-time, claiming he also became “hooked” to the slap-technique, inspiring him to push even more boundaries with his expert-level guitar chops.

Unfortunately, the guitar community didn’t hear much from Scott Mishoe after his first album, leaving us guitar-nerds with very little to tide us over after 1995. Nonetheless, Scott hasn’t put down the guitar. As far as we can see and hear, the man has somehow managed to improve on his already amazing skills. Video surfacing on YouTube featuring Scott in recent years proved the super-tight and funky slap technique that Mr. Mishoe was known for is still alive and well. Recent interviews reveal that Scott is in the process of writing another album, and hopes to work with players like Ray Riendeau, Keith Horne, and Victor Wooten in the near future. We don’t know about you, but this is reason enough for us to keep an eye out.

Track Listing:

01. Mal-Funk-Shen [3:27]
02. Making My Way Home [3:13]
03. Sonic Chaos [4:19]
04. Incredible Grasp [4:28]
05. theresa Ann [3:42]
06. Sky High [3:36]
07. Out Of Control [4:11]
08. Dream Come True [3:42]
09. Miafoe [4:25]
10. Whiteland Leaf [3:42]
11. Without You [2:30]
12. Nacho Mama [4:28]

Personnel:

Scott Mishoe - Guitar
Ray Riendeau - Bass
Brett Frederickson - Drums

Keith Horne - Bass (2)
Paul Gilaspy - Drums (1)
Shawn D. - Keyboards (8)