Fusion ace Jack Gardiner signs with Ibanez, releases re-recorded version of 1993

UK/Switzerland-based fusion master Jack Gardiner has officially signed on to become an Ibanez artist, and has marked the occasion with the release of a new music video for his track 1993, which the electric guitar virtuoso re-recorded using the AZ2204B.

In a fierce display of technical prowess, Gardiner puts his new HSS-configured Ibanez through its paces, exploring its entire dynamic range with a series of silky arpeggios, melodic flurries, and a number of introductory lead lines controlled with elite precision.

Opting for a bite-y tone that breaks up when played with power, Gardiner continues with a number of box-breaking chromatic lines and fusion-infused licks, transitioning up and down the length of the fingerboard to show the Ibanez, and his playing, in all its glory.

For the finale, Gardiner locks into the Seymour Duncan Hyperion single-coil neck pickup and races through a handful of string-skipping lines and whole-note bends to maximum effect, before bringing things home with a stylish scale run.

Said Gardiner, “I am delighted to announce that I am now officially an Ibanez Artist. I want to thank all the good people at Ibanez for being so welcoming and for the incredible instruments.”

“I got my first Ibanez JEM555 at the age of 11, after years of religiously watching Steve Vai’s Live at Astoria DVD every day after school,” he recalled, before adding, “I couldn’t imagine that 15 years later I would become part of the Ibanez family that all of my heroes belong to.

“It weirdly feels like coming home – the first videos I ever posted on the internet were with the Ibanez JEM555 and a 7-string RG. When Ibanez sent me an AZ to try, I fell in love with its more traditional tone, as well as its modern playability and flexibility.”

Of the new recording of 1993, which appeared on his debut release Escapades, Gardiner commented, “Named after the year I was born in, this track tries to pay homage to the ‘90s video games and films I grew up with. 

"Owane (who produced the whole album) and I share the same birth year and the love for all things synthwave, so the idea for this track was to blend the elements of fusion with an ‘80s retro sound.

"1993 is probably my favorite track from Escapades, so I thought, ‘Why not make a music video to show off this beautiful instrument.’”

For more information, head over to Ibanez and Bandcamp.