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Raleigh, North Carolina native Yontz Sucre is a multi-faceted artist who truly defines the term "renaissance man." Not only did the guitarist produce and compose all the music on his new album, ELECTRIC JAM, he also played all the instruments himself.
Released independently on Buzzjam Music, ELECTRIC JAM showcases a true master in the making. In a vein not unlike Joe Satriani or Eric Johnson, Sucre features a tasteful variety of primarily instrumental material ranging from pensive ballads and fusionesque excursions to all out sonic assault!
However, guitar was not the first instrument that the innovative artist picked up. "I had been screaming for a guitar from my parents since I was quite young," recalls Sucre, "but I started on saxophone in grade school and later in high school jazz band. I got into guitar really after high school."
After years of cutting his teeth playing in original and Top 40 bands throughout North Carolina and Florida, Sucre wanted to pursue a more personal musical direction. He wanted to explore his own compositional ideas and felt releasing his own solo recording would allow him to do that.
Originally, he planned on utilizing the CD as a kind of calling card or resume to prospective bands of his abilities and writing style. While he initially was not seeking "solo status," the axeman found an ever increasing rank of musicians and non-musicians alike were responding to and buying his product. Subsequently, he hired a national promotions firm to help market it for him.
Yontz has received favorable praise in the music press as well as gained considerable college and commercial airplay in parts of Virginia, Ontario, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Mississippi, and, of course, North Carolina.
Sucre is in control of every aspect of his career, right down to building and modifying the guitars and amps he uses. "I never had a guitar I really liked," says Yontz. "Utilizing my background in electrical engineering, I got into designing my own. I developed my own switching arrangement for my pickups using a Squire Strat and a set of Seymour Duncans."
While he is a man of many talents, Sucre ultimately wants to focus on becoming a better writer and composer. "I'm still learning as to where I want to go as a songwriter," says the guitarist. "I really admire people like Satriani with how they are able to blend simple ideas with a lot of jamming. While I appreciate my current audience, I'd like to appeal to more people than just guitar players."
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