<h2>FAREED HAQUE</h2>Guitar Players Magazine 2009 Readers’ Choice AwardFareed Haque is a modern guitar virtuoso. Steeped in classical and jazz traditions, his unique command of the guitar and different musical styles inspire his musical ventures with tradition and fearless innovation. Haque has toured and recorded with Joe Zawinul, Billy Cobham, Dave Holland, Paquito D’Rivera, Sting, Zakir Hussain, Bob James, Joe Henderson and many others, in addition to co-leading groups with Tony Monaco, Paul Wertico, Goran Ivanovic, Garaj Mahal, and The Chicago Immigrant Orchestra. Haque has released numerous albums as a leader, in jazz, classical, world music and fusion styles, and is the recipient of numerous accolades and awards including Best World Guitarist, Guitar Player Magazine 2009, 2004 Acoustic Album of the Year, 2007 Independent Music Award, and Best New World Music Group in Chicago Reader Poll 2020.<h2>ELDEN KELLY</h2>Guitar virtuoso, improviser, composer and sound innovator Elden Kelly is one of the world’s best kept musical secrets. Audiences of all kinds are engaged by his expressiveness, technique and original thinking. As a solo and collaborative artist, his solutions to the questions offered in the format are engaging and unforgettable, and his contributions deep and far ranging. He also has a strong and haunting vocal style which he incorporates from time to time with great effect. Whether performing his original music or transforming a known theme, it always has the mark of the exceptional. Recently Elden recorded with Howard Levy (harmonica player from Bela Fleck and the Flecktones). The world renowned luthier Ken Parker recently called him a “once in a generation player” and being so impressed he awarded him on permanent loan a 1980 nylon string archtop called “Frankie” which he will demonstrate at the show. Audiences in Michigan are familiar with his work with the Ann Arbor-based group Dave Sharp Worlds Quartet, having called the state home for over a decade before moving away. With the band, he has performed across the country and at Jazz Ascona in Switzerland ‘23 and ‘24. There isn’t really anybody else with the breadth, diversity and richness of his musical blend. Classical and flamenco guitar influences combine with jazz, and true mastery of fretless guitars evokes Blues, Indian, Eastern sounds and beyond. He is also a composer for solo guitar and ensemble, as well as a singer/songwriter. As a performer he has toured and performed across the country and has performed or recorded with Regina Carter, Bakithi Kumalo, Jamey Haddad, Ralphe Armstrong, Marion Hayden, Dwight Adams, Gayeynn Mckinney and many of Detroit’s most notable musicians. Elden grew up in northwestern Vermont and holds a Master’s in Musicology from Michigan State University and a Bachelor’s from New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.(Bio for Elden Kelly provided by Togo Touring Artists)