Nicolas Meier Infinity Group - 2025 - Last Sunset

(37:52; MGP Records)






















Some years back Swiss guitarist Nicolas Meier was playing a show with violinist Lizzie Ball when he realised Jeff Beck was in the audience. Beck enjoyed it so much that he invited the pair for a jam, which turned into sessions, which led to Meier touring the world with Beck for the next two years. Last year he decided to revisit all the compositions he had written for Beck, some of which they had performed live, and record a new album with the assistance of Lizzie Ball on violin, Gary Husband on drums, Jimmy Haslip on bass, Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, Richard Jones on violin, Arran McSporran on bass and Nicolas on electric guitars, acoustic nylon and steel guitars, 12 string guitar and synth guitar. There are also a couple of guest guitarists in the wonderful Dewa Budjana (on two tracks) and Krissy Matthews (one). Vinnie and Jimmy both played on his last album, ‘Infinity’, which was distributed by Favored Nations (Steve Vai's Label) and saw the band open for Vai in both Europe and the States.

This album is a delight from beginning to end, with Meier travelling many different roads, showing there is so much which can be gleaned from an electric guitar and while he has been influenced by Beck, one can also hear Steve Vai in what he performs, along with Allan Holdsworth and John McLaughlin. It is a very melodic release, and the duet with Lizzie Ball on “Yemen” is nothing short of beautiful. What makes this album such a delight is the way Meier blends in so many different styles, from fusion to rock, from Eastern music to progressive, and while he can shred when the need arises this album is all about musicality and using skills to get the right sonic results as opposed to just showing off technique. Alice Cooper, when asked who the greatest guitarist was ever, immediately answers with Jeff Beck and explains why, and it is obvious that Meier learned a lot from working with him for so long.

Guitar-led instrumental albums can sometimes fall into the “Look at me, aren’t I clever” bucket, which is probably why I have never been a huge fan of Malmsteen, but this is never does that and instead is a wonderful musical delight from beginning to end. Highly recommended. 

Kev Rowland, September 2025

Links:
https://www.meiergroup.com/
https://www.facebook.com/MGPRecords/

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