Arek Religa

In Memory Of the Greatest was the first Arek Religa release I covered back in 2007. He impressed me so much he was chosen as our Weekly Featured Artist. Now 6 years have flown by and once again we have the opportunity to listen to this guitar virtuoso hailing from Poland. His instrumental tribute to some of the masters of the six-string was compelling and promising so now how would he follow that release up?
Now we have another set of instrumental guitar wizardry before us titled Warrior. I think after working his butt off honing his craft for another 6 years entitles him to own the descriptive term “Guitar Warrior.” All the tracks with the exception of one were composed by Religa and on two he had some guests come in to assist which include Leszek Fil (bass- tracks 6, 7), Wojtek Kozlowski (piano, keyboard-Track 6) and Gabriel Chorabik (drums-track 7).
“Changes” warms things up with some amazing string bending by Religa. It is a fusion filled track with elements of rock and jazz intersecting and showing the guitar players talents in the most complex way possible. When “Highway Traffic” kicks in it immediately reminds you of something Joe Satriani would do in one of his legendary sessions (think “Surfing with the Alien”). It is not a leisurely walk in the park and it really does sound like frenetic highway traffic - high speed madness with four lanes of everyone jockeying for position. It is one the fastest moving high energy tracks on the album. Then to show you even more diversity he takes you on a “Journey” by building soundscapes with stinging leads on top of each other. It is a classic rock ballad cooked to perfection instrumental style. The song builds to a tremendous crescendo then as soon as you think it has hit its apex he switches gears and slows things down and a light keyboard enters the picture making it sound like an entirely different track. Then once that segment is complete it segues right back into a rising mix of sounds then it slows down once again and fades off into the distance. The track covers a lot of ground and the time changes are simply amazing.
So what could one expect after all of this instrumental ecstasy? Next up is a bluesy foray called “PX AR” that once again has your ears climbing a mountain of sounds featuring amazing fret work. This one is supported by a heartbeat like bass and drums and it all comes together and explodes into a volcano of sounds only the true rock fan could appreciate. Religa uses some really good guitar effects as he brings the track to a close. Then this talented six-string aficionado combines the old and the new with “Revolutionary Etude op 10 no 12 (Chopin)” which is perhaps the most interesting and probably was the most difficult number to get down and recorded but again the man tops himself with an amazing display of technical expertise and agility with his axe. Chopin would have been proud. He plays so fast on this track it is mind boggling. If John Petrucci heard this one he would be smiling and nodding in recognition. The title track “Warrior” is fitting for the title as the guitar hero takes your over the landscape of rock with pinpoint accuracy using the full power of his instrument while cutting a path to instrumental guitar heaven. The backing instruments on this track are superb as well, helping to drive the music home.
This is the kind of album you could go on about forever. There is so much to appreciate here. It would have been easy to just wail away and shred but this very tasteful and talented artist gives the listener a view into every genre of music you can imagine and plays it all in his own particular style that can be recognized as his own. Arek Religa is a fine guitar player that is a joy to listen to any time. You never become bored or unappreciative of his efforts to entertain.
If you appreciate instrumental rock like Satriani or Vai you will love this guy!

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder MuzikReviews.com

May 15, 2013 - Muzik Reviews

In Memory Of the Greatest was the first Arek Religa release I covered back in 2007. He impressed me so much he was chosen as our Weekly Featured Artist. Now 6 years have flown by and once again we have the opportunity to listen to this guitar virtuoso hailing from Poland. His instrumental tribute to some of the masters of the six-string was compelling and promising so now how would he follow that release up?
Now we have another set of instrumental guitar wizardry before us titled Warrior. I think after working his butt off honing his craft for another 6 years entitles him to own the descriptive term “Guitar Warrior.” All the tracks with the exception of one were composed by Religa and on two he had some guests come in to assist which include Leszek Fil (bass- tracks 6, 7), Wojtek Kozlowski (piano, keyboard-Track 6) and Gabriel Chorabik (drums-track 7).
“Changes” warms things up with some amazing string bending by Religa. It is a fusion filled track with elements of rock and jazz intersecting and showing the guitar players talents in the most complex way possible. When “Highway Traffic” kicks in it immediately reminds you of something Joe Satriani would do in one of his legendary sessions (think “Surfing with the Alien”). It is not a leisurely walk in the park and it really does sound like frenetic highway traffic - high speed madness with four lanes of everyone jockeying for position. It is one the fastest moving high energy tracks on the album. Then to show you even more diversity he takes you on a “Journey” by building soundscapes with stinging leads on top of each other. It is a classic rock ballad cooked to perfection instrumental style. The song builds to a tremendous crescendo then as soon as you think it has hit its apex he switches gears and slows things down and a light keyboard enters the picture making it sound like an entirely different track. Then once that segment is complete it segues right back into a rising mix of sounds then it slows down once again and fades off into the distance. The track covers a lot of ground and the time changes are simply amazing.
So what could one expect after all of this instrumental ecstasy? Next up is a bluesy foray called “PX AR” that once again has your ears climbing a mountain of sounds featuring amazing fret work. This one is supported by a heartbeat like bass and drums and it all comes together and explodes into a volcano of sounds only the true rock fan could appreciate. Religa uses some really good guitar effects as he brings the track to a close. Then this talented six-string aficionado combines the old and the new with “Revolutionary Etude op 10 no 12 (Chopin)” which is perhaps the most interesting and probably was the most difficult number to get down and recorded but again the man tops himself with an amazing display of technical expertise and agility with his axe. Chopin would have been proud. He plays so fast on this track it is mind boggling. If John Petrucci heard this one he would be smiling and nodding in recognition. The title track “Warrior” is fitting for the title as the guitar hero takes your over the landscape of rock with pinpoint accuracy using the full power of his instrument while cutting a path to instrumental guitar heaven. The backing instruments on this track are superb as well, helping to drive the music home.
This is the kind of album you could go on about forever. There is so much to appreciate here. It would have been easy to just wail away and shred but this very tasteful and talented artist gives the listener a view into every genre of music you can imagine and plays it all in his own particular style that can be recognized as his own. Arek Religa is a fine guitar player that is a joy to listen to any time. You never become bored or unappreciative of his efforts to entertain.
If you appreciate instrumental rock like Satriani or Vai you will love this guy!

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder MuzikReviews.com

May 15, 2013 - Muzik Reviews

Arek Religa is a Los Angeles-based Polish-born guitar virtuoso who just released his sophomore solo album of instrumentals, Warrior, in May. The self-released album was composed, arranged, recorded and produced by Religa himself in his home studio and is the perfect vessel to showcase his unique guitar shredding skills. After picking up the guitar at a young age, he got his start in the 80’s playing lead guitar for the acclaimed Polish band, Guliver and with well-regarded Polish musicians including, Robert Janson and Janusz Poplawski. Later, to further his music career he moved to the United States for the first time in 2000 where he landed in Chicago, and quickly became immersed in the local music scene and he released his debut album, In Memory of the Greatest in 2008. Drawing from all of his unique experiences over the years, he has developed a fluid and groove-centric melodic hard rock and improvisational Jazz-informed style that incorporates such diverse influences as Santana, Journey, Black Sabbath and Pat Matheny.

“Into The Arena” opens the album with soaring, anthemic guitar melodies that act as the perfect primer for what is to come and an introduction to Arek’s sound for new listeners. “Changes” follows and unfortunately is not a cover of the David Bowie classic, although it would be interesting to hear that song in Religa’s hands. Instead, a rumbling bass line and insistent drum beat open the song before the guitar launches in with a choppy melody that is instantly memorable, and that builds into a scorching guitar solo that flows overtop a bouncy, Reggae-inspired keyboard-led rhythm. Standout track “Highway Traffic” is appropriately titled, with its frantic moments of side-swiping guitar lines and driving rhythm along with its thick, 70’s-leaning vintage organ riff; sounding like a modern-day take on the Jimi Hendrix classic, “Crosstown Traffic”. “Journey” highlights his diverse influences with cloud-scraping keyboard melodies, blues-soaked guitar runs and some hypnotizing New Age-like passages, as the album’s most dynamic moment. Slowing down the pace a bit is “PX AR”, a cosmic blues rock jam complete with piercing guitar harmonics and a scorching, metallic guitar solo for another standout moment. Yet another standout is Religa’s unique and propulsive guitar-led assault on the sophisticated Chopin piano concert piece, “Revolutionary Etude op 10 no 12 (Chopin)” which features keyboards and piano from guest musician, Wojtek Kozlowski and bass guitar from Leszek Fil. On “Not Quite Latino” he offers up a danceable Salsa rhythm and blazing guitars for an inspired tribute to Carlos Santana with drums provided by guest, Gabriel Chorabik, who’s real, as opposed to electronic drums sounds that make up most of the album, really make a difference. The one critique I would make is that the album would sound much better and more complete with organic drums.

The title track, “Warrior” is highlighted by a propulsive chugging rhythm and combines ascending 80’s hair metal guitar licks and 70’s organ freakouts with a fury and ferocity that matches the song’s title. The nine song album closes out with the fast-paced rhythm and fancy, Van Halen-inspired fretwork of “Chicago Guitar Knight”, which blazes through its two-and-a-half minute running time, though the squealing guitar melodies linger long after the song has ended.

Even though a full album of guitar-led instrumentals might not be everyone’s cup of tea, Arek Religa’s stellar new album, Warrior, proves that the award-winning guitarist is an extraordinary talent and he has crafted an album that should find its home in the record collections of guitar enthusiasts around the world. Warrior should make fans of Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen and Santana very happy.

Reviewed by: Justin Kreitzer - Review You

Arek Religa is a Los Angeles-based Polish-born guitar virtuoso who just released his sophomore solo album of instrumentals, Warrior, in May. The self-released album was composed, arranged, recorded and produced by Religa himself in his home studio and is the perfect vessel to showcase his unique guitar shredding skills. After picking up the guitar at a young age, he got his start in the 80’s playing lead guitar for the acclaimed Polish band, Guliver and with well-regarded Polish musicians including, Robert Janson and Janusz Poplawski. Later, to further his music career he moved to the United States for the first time in 2000 where he landed in Chicago, and quickly became immersed in the local music scene and he released his debut album, In Memory of the Greatest in 2008. Drawing from all of his unique experiences over the years, he has developed a fluid and groove-centric melodic hard rock and improvisational Jazz-informed style that incorporates such diverse influences as Santana, Journey, Black Sabbath and Pat Matheny.

“Into The Arena” opens the album with soaring, anthemic guitar melodies that act as the perfect primer for what is to come and an introduction to Arek’s sound for new listeners. “Changes” follows and unfortunately is not a cover of the David Bowie classic, although it would be interesting to hear that song in Religa’s hands. Instead, a rumbling bass line and insistent drum beat open the song before the guitar launches in with a choppy melody that is instantly memorable, and that builds into a scorching guitar solo that flows overtop a bouncy, Reggae-inspired keyboard-led rhythm. Standout track “Highway Traffic” is appropriately titled, with its frantic moments of side-swiping guitar lines and driving rhythm along with its thick, 70’s-leaning vintage organ riff; sounding like a modern-day take on the Jimi Hendrix classic, “Crosstown Traffic”. “Journey” highlights his diverse influences with cloud-scraping keyboard melodies, blues-soaked guitar runs and some hypnotizing New Age-like passages, as the album’s most dynamic moment. Slowing down the pace a bit is “PX AR”, a cosmic blues rock jam complete with piercing guitar harmonics and a scorching, metallic guitar solo for another standout moment. Yet another standout is Religa’s unique and propulsive guitar-led assault on the sophisticated Chopin piano concert piece, “Revolutionary Etude op 10 no 12 (Chopin)” which features keyboards and piano from guest musician, Wojtek Kozlowski and bass guitar from Leszek Fil. On “Not Quite Latino” he offers up a danceable Salsa rhythm and blazing guitars for an inspired tribute to Carlos Santana with drums provided by guest, Gabriel Chorabik, who’s real, as opposed to electronic drums sounds that make up most of the album, really make a difference. The one critique I would make is that the album would sound much better and more complete with organic drums.

The title track, “Warrior” is highlighted by a propulsive chugging rhythm and combines ascending 80’s hair metal guitar licks and 70’s organ freakouts with a fury and ferocity that matches the song’s title. The nine song album closes out with the fast-paced rhythm and fancy, Van Halen-inspired fretwork of “Chicago Guitar Knight”, which blazes through its two-and-a-half minute running time, though the squealing guitar melodies linger long after the song has ended.

Even though a full album of guitar-led instrumentals might not be everyone’s cup of tea, Arek Religa’s stellar new album, Warrior, proves that the award-winning guitarist is an extraordinary talent and he has crafted an album that should find its home in the record collections of guitar enthusiasts around the world. Warrior should make fans of Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen and Santana very happy.

Reviewed by: Justin Kreitzer - Review You

Review

"In memory of the Greatests" by Arek Religa

"From Polish-born composer/guitarist/keyboardist Arek Religa comes this thirteen track disc of original instrumentals, most of which are in a jazz/rock fusion vein, with classical, electronica, Latin, progressive rock and World music elements incorporated into the mix, without losing focus. Religa is joined by Tomasz Wywrot on sax and keyboards, Jerzy Kusiak on drums, bassist Pawel Pospieszalski, percussionist Jacek Berlin, and Konrad Stankiewicz on keyboards and rhythm guitar.

The symphonic “Hope” provides the dramatic opening moments, slowly building to a cinematic climax. “Beyond Horizon” gets into funk territory, with some imaginative guitar orchestrations. “Viva Carlos” is a nod to Santana - check out Arek’s fiery wah-wah pedal work! “Island of My Dreams“ and “Next Step to the End” both start in a pastoral mood, then kick it up a notch or two. “On the Road” and “And the Road Goes on” further show Religa’s versatility as a guitarist, dialing up just the right sound for the occasion. “For All My Angels” toggles between distorted power chords and clean, echo-drenched lead lines under an almost robotic dance beat. “By the Paradise” features a slide guitar reminiscent of George Harrison, as well as some fine sax playing. “In Memory of the Greatests” closes with the haunting title track.

This is one CD to check out when you are in the mood for music that is at once adventurous and highly listenable."

Written By: Bill Coonley evolutionofmedia.com - Bill Coonley

Review by Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck-December 12, 2007

"In memory of the Greatests" by Arek Religa

Arek Religa was honored with the MuzikReviews.com Sonic Bids talent contest winner a few months ago. With his amazing guitar playing talents and his two-hand tapping technique video that leaves your mouth hanging open, made the choice obvious as we narrowed it down to the final three contestants.

In Memory Of The Greatests is Religa’s tribute the great guitar maestros of our time. Arek hails from Poland. Quite amazingly, he did not start playing the guitar until he was sixteen years old. Getting a late start in life did not seem to matter.

This recording is comprised of 13 tracks of instrumental rock, jazz-fusion, blues, and all of that mixed together with atmospheric orchestrated backgrounds created by keyboards to give it a symphonic prog rock feel at times. On scorchers like “Viva Carlos”, the guitarist cuts loose and gives his best impression of the legendary rock-blues-world six-string hero Santana. That is the only track that is obviously dedicated to one particular artist, while the rest of the tracks are an intelligent mixture of influences and superb talent inspired by many years of studying the masters and perfecting a unique style.

In the end when the CD stops spinning, you are convinced that you have found a new guitar hero to bow to and acknowledge, yet another previously unrecognized force to be reckoned with in the vast world of indie music.

This guy can rock, he plays with taste and style, and a little bit of both for the perfect audio elixir that will have you mesmerized in no time flat. As you make your way through this instrumental treasure trove you discover how brilliant the artist is and how using influences from many genres and great guitar players through the ages allows for a most enjoyable and diversified listening experience. Do not let the tranquil cover of the CD put any expectations in your mind of what you are in for; this is an artist with a passionate flame burning inside. It comes flowing through the strings of his instrument one track after another.

I refer to one track on the CD however; I would prefer to look at it as a whole entity, a project that has a beginning and end with a storyline implicated by the title of each track. Songs without words can paint a canvas that leaves you to your own devices and imagination. Arek Religa perpetuates this very situation consistently throughout his work in all 13 tracks. The future is now for innovative independents like this; check out this amazing guitar work on In Memory Of The Greatests.

© MuzikReviews.com

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-December 16, 2007
- Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

In Memory Of The Greatests – a 13 track instrumental opus from composer Arek Religa – is both a tribute to the gods of flashy arena shredding and singular guitar exposition that is impressive in its range and depth. Religa performs lengthy lead guitar gymnastics that either directly emulate legendary guitarists (as on the Santana-inspired “Viva Carlos!”) or attempt somewhat successfully to match up with the technical wizardry of the likes of Joe Satriani, especially on “Into The Future.”...

Jason Scales - Jason Scales-Illinois Entertainer

Arek Religa Releases Multifaceted Instrumental Indie Album In Memory of The Greatests. Chicago, Illinois- January 6, 2008

Artist's first major release of original compositions was released in late 2007 titled In Memory of The Greatests.The recording features 13 varied tracks of instrumental rock-jazz-fusion. Each track creates a different atmosphere as the six-string wizard gives the nod to the great players of our time. On �Viva Carlos,� one of the most popular modern day artists, Carlos Santana, gets a fitting tribute. The familiarity of that song allows the listener to find their own comfort zone then settle in and enjoy the explorations Religa takes off on for the rest of the recording.

Religa is a multitalented instrumentalist providing the guitar, keyboards, bass, and programming throughout the entire recording. The atmospheric layers of music that the artist uses are symphonic at times, leading the music into a more progressive path. The jazz-rock-fusion is also very progressive with the instrumentation and compositions on In Memory of The Greatests.

Arek Religa is a talent on the rise and he will soon find his music in demand by not only listeners but also movie soundtracks and video games would be a certain consideration for his work. Arek was recognized most recently for his outstanding talents by MuzikReviews.com . He was selected out of 64 other artists that entered the talent contest the site ran through Sonic Bids.

PR Created and Distributed By MuzikReviews.com
- PR Created and Distributed By MuzikReviews.com

Arek Religa

In memory of the Greatests

Review by Gary Hill www.musicstreetjournal.com

I’ve never heard of this guy before, but he’s a great guitarist. He’s also an excellent songwriter. Fans of Al Di Meola, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Carlos Santana and others would be well advised to pick this up. His playing is along the lines of guys of that ilk – yes, he’s that good! Of course, he also plays a lot more than just guitar – he provides all the instrumentation on some of the tracks here and most on some of the others. Guitar, though, is his specialty and he deserves a place among the greats in that field. If I had one complaint here, it’s the same as with a lot of instrumental music. Instrumental music by its very nature can have a tendency towards sameness and this disc, while fairly insulated, isn’t completely immune to that. We could have used some vocals in one or two spots on the CD to shake things up a little. Still, that’s the only real complaint here. All in all, this is a fine album from a man whose name should be spoken alongside all the guitar greats you already know.

Track by Track Review

"Hope"

Piano begins this in a slow moving, intricate and very pretty melody. Other keyboard sounds join to fill in the arrangement. At around the one minute mark other instrumentation enters and this suddenly feels like a dramatic, symphonic piece of music with a bit (and rather small at that) rock edge. At around the minute and a half mark it drops way down to ambience and an evocative guitar line plays slowly and gently. The keys rise up here and there in accompaniment as the fretboard sings out its heart. The keys regain control at about three minutes in. Then we move back into the symphonic sounds. This takes it to a drop back down to ambient keys that ends the track.

"Beyond Horizon"

This is far more “rock” oriented. Percussion leads it in and other instrumentation joins after a time. When the guitar enters it’s in a very Al Di Meola-ish motif. Fusion is written all over this cool track that has a great sort of groove to it. Just before the two minute mark they move things out into something more akin to Genesis meets Joe Satriani. This is worked through for a while until it gives way to the motif that preceded it to carry on. It makes it through several varying themes before closing out.

"Viva Carlos!"

This song feels like a cross between Di Meola and Carlos Santana. Of course, it is a definite tribute to the latter. This is a cool track, but perhaps a bit less prog like than some of the other material here. It really has a definite Santana vibe to it and CS’ fans should really dig this one.

"Island of my dreams"

Here Religa brings it in with a lot more sedate motif. This feels like mellow fusion blended with balladic prog. It drops back to a more pure jazz motif, mostly due to the saxophone. Piano leads the way for a time and then the sax returns to carry more melody. At around the two minute mark this shifts out to a killer jazz groove that’s quite intriguing. Then it takes another turn, into more mellow wanderings again. When the guitar rises up later it brings a major fusion sound as the bass churns away with some definite funk edge. It moves through a couple other moods before ending.

"Next step to the end"

Ambient textures lead this off an hold it for a time. When the music rises up it’s quite mellow, almost to the level of new age music. This is a pretty piece of music. Around the two and a half minute mark it powers up to a more rock oriented sound. Some cool flanged guitar comes over the top. This takes on some territory close to the Satriani type of music. At around the seven minute mark this powers out into a killer, more pure prog, jam. It still has some of the funk and other elements of the earlier sections, but this would probably qualify as progressive rock in just about anyone’s definition. It moves out to a more hard rocking motif later, with the focus shifting back to the guitar. Keys are laced over the top here and there before the track fades out to end. It’s another tasty tune on an album that’s full of them.

"Into the future"

Here we get a lighter sort of sound. This has an airy funk meets prog and pop music motif. The keyboards turn it more towards pure prog as they solo over the top of the backdrop for a time. Then Relega brings his brand of guitar to the forefront and the fusion elements are more in play. This turns into a cool groove after a time. It runs through in that motif for a while and then drops back for a more sedate section. Saxophone comes across after a while.

"It's going to be better"

This one alternates between a rocking sort of fusion meets jam band prog sound and a mellower, more fusion oriented sound. You might even hear a little Allman Brothers on this one. It’s a cool tune. By now I’m to the point where I could use some vocals, though. Still a keyboard dominated section provides some much nee - Gary Hill

arekreliga CoverNon-stop instrumental music at its finest is what you get here from the 13-track CD, In memory of the Greatests. The Polish guitar sensation, Arek Religa, is the man of the hour as he wrote, arranged, produced and performed all the songs on the disc. Religa even engineered, mixed and mastered the entire album. However, the real meat and potatoes of this project lies within the masterful guitar playing of Arek Religa. This record not only serves as a true testament to Arek, himself, but also gives us a direct reminder of the great players before us. Remembering sensational virtuosos of our time is the purpose here as Religa honors these musicians & their talents. What you have here is a wonderfully put together composition that serves as a terrific tribute album. Family also hits a high note with Arek as he dedicates this entire recording to each and every one of them.

The CD offers an array of stylistic genres from instrumental rock & jazz-fusion to blues & even some Latin flavor thrown in. Religa certainly wasn’t alone during the making of this album as he had an excellent band to back him up. You have Tomasz “WW” Wywrot on keyboards, sax, piano and flute, Jacek Berlin taking care of percussion/drums as well as Jurek Kusiak, Pawel Pospieszalski & Konrad Stankiewicz. One member that really stood out to me, besides Arek, was Wywrot due to his exceptional saxophone & keyboard-playing skills. Tomasz truly added a nice dynamic to the overall effect of the record. Without question though, Arek Religa & his trusty guitars will captivate you like never before.

In memory of the Greatests starts up with a beautifully composed number titled “Hope” that delivers a cinematic & orchestral sensation. Next up, “Beyond horizon”, gives you a nothing-but-respect feeling for the pure & rich guitar sound being heard. You get phenomenal guitar playing right out of the gates from Arek Religa and I have to say that I was highly impressed. Track three, “Viva Carlos!”, honors the great Carlos Santana by blowing your mind away with the almighty guitar. This song offers a very cool style while also supplying that WOW Factor to the fans. “Island of my dreams” actually gives you that peaceful, island-esque feel where all musicians really seem to be bringing this song to life. Track five, “Next step to the end”, comes heavy with jazz-fusion mixed with a cloud of atmospheric conditions in the background. These elements really seemed to brighten up the song and add something special to the mix. This number eventually turns into a cool rock joint with symphonic elements in the back. “Into the future” gives you a positive outlook along with a breath of fresh air coming from Arek and his team. “It’s going to be better” comes with a quick, up-tempo installment that offers a lot of zip while “On the road” serves up hypnotic keyboard sections. On the ninth track, “And the road goes on”, you experience rock & blues colliding as one. Track 12, “By the paradise”, relaxes your body, mind & soul with an easy-going melody to enjoy. The record concludes with “In memory of the Greatest” that is special in its own right because it is dedicated to the memory of Arek’s parents, Halina Skalska & Jan Religa. Here, you will go on a musical journey through the vision and through the chords of Arek Religa—Enough Said!

After it is all said and done, I have to say that Religa is one hell of a guitar player with incredible insight. Everything I heard seemed to be so perfectly balanced and well-arranged, which is why I feel this musician/composer/arranger deserves much props for In memory of the Greatests. This proves why no singing is necessary as Arek lets his fingers do the talking and the chords & strings do the singing. For more info on this exciting artist, SKOPE out www.arekreliga.com.

By Jimmy Rae (jrae@skopemag.com) - January 22, 2010 | by Skope Staff

Happy Monday to all and welcome back from SXSW in Austin, TX. The Skope/MeowPoww party was incredible! We are back at it this week with one of the most exciting guitarists out playing right now. Coming out of Illinois is Arek Religa. Arek came to the USA via Poland and has not looked back. He is a serious musician that does it because he has no choice but to flame the fire inside him. One listen to his song “Beyond Horizon” and you will wonder why you have not heard him before. Lets get into it!

Stoli: You moved to the US from Poland in 2000. Are you pleased that you made that move & what made you want to come to the US?

A. R: Yes, I’m very happy I came to the US. When I was a teenager, it was one of my dreams. All the biggest movies were made in USA, all the best music was made mostly by American musicians, etc. It was tough growing up in Poland, we lived in very hard (communistic) times. We were not allowed to listen to the music we wanted to. The Radio stations and TV all were controlled by the government, so we didn’t have options to choose from. We were forced to listen/watch to what was on.

And secondly, we didn’t have many options as far as selection goes. I couldn’t buy a good quality or brand name instrument I wanted, because there were none. That and more, are major reasons why most people wanted to leave this country. Of course now, life in Poland is much different. It is part of UE and they have to abide by the UE rules, so life in general has improved from the old days. Many say, it’s just as living here (in the US).

Stoli: What was the music scene like where you grew up in Poland?

A. R: Like everywhere else in the world, we had our music which expressed our social problems, politics, love, war, religion, freedom, regime, etc. It’s hard to understand or even imagine, but here, anyone could go to a store and buy whatever he/she wants. 20 to 30 years ago, most people could not afford to buy good musical instrument, secondly, there really weren’t any good ones, thirdly, even if the small percentage of people did have the money and could afford it, there wasn’t anything to choose from. And lets say, someone wanted to buy a Gibson or Fender, they had to travel to the far west. Because of that, I thank God for all those circumstances and hardship, this gave me strength and stubborness to learn music, and to go to any length to get what I wanted.

Stoli: When was the first time you tried the guitar and how long did it take to really master your instrument?

A. R: I was sixteen when my mom bought me my first guitar. I just went crazy! I started playing/practicing by listening to the greatest, such as Pat Metheny, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Schenker, Carlos Santana and many others – the list just goes on. I can’t recall, but it probably took me a year or two years to replay the solo’s of the above mentioned artists. As far as mastering the guitar…. I avoid labeling myself as a master, because I believe I would stop improving.

Stoli: Your first album is called ‘In memory of the Greatests.’ Who are the “greatests” that you are refering to?

A. R : Actually, it doesn’t refer to anybody. I was thinking of the
Greatests of that world, and not necessarily musicians, but they are also included:-).

The album is most of all in memory of my parents, but also in memory of John Paul II (our Polish Pope), I’m not a religious person, although I’m a very spiritual one. I admire what John Paul II did for Poland and for the entire humanity. So “In memory of the Greatests” is really for all the greatests people, it’s my own way to appreciate them.

Stoli: How long were you recording & writing for that album?

A. R: It took me a very long time. When I came to the US, I didn’t speak any English. I also have no idea about computers and how to use them. I didn’t hear before about music software, virtual instruments, effects and so on. I knew one thing, I wanted to play and record my music. So I made the decision to pay for my recording studio and learn to do everything by myself.

Stoli: Do you ever feel that because your songs have no vocals that effects how much radio or TV outlets will play your records?

A. R: It’s more difficult to have an instrumental song played on radio, tv or other media. There are less chances that you get record deal with instrumental music, less chance to play some big gigs or concerts, but, on the other hand, there are a lot of people in the world that like this kind of music, and if some (even a small percentage) like it, that’s good enough for me and I feel that I do what I love and not what is popular.

Stoli: You have accomplished alot since moving to the US in 2000. How did you learn to network and promote yourself in a foreign land as well as you have?

A.R: It took a lot of work, a lot of self-discipline, faith in what I want to do, patience and sacrifice. I believe in my dreams and I have no doubt that one day all my dreams will come - March 22, 2010 | by Skope Staff

Santana fans rejoice! Arek Religa is here with guitar work very similar to Carlos, yet with his own twist on things. You can usually tell where more solo artists are heading in each song, and Arek is NOT one of those guys. Arek's guitar skills are on another planet, and it is something all fans of guitar will jam out to. His guitar playing is very versatile and anyone can hear that he puts his soul into each song. His mixture of rock, latin, and jazz guitar playing is a hard task to pull off and he does it with an amazing ease. I could sit out in the sun and listen to his music for hours and not have a care in the world. I love talented musicians that let you into their soul through their music, and Arek is the pure example of that. I will be checking in on Arek's site in the future, because I am interested to hear what his future music will bring.
-Metal Mark of AtlMetal.com - Metal Mark of AtlMetal.com

Santana fans rejoice! Arek Religa is here with guitar work very similar to Carlos, yet with his own twist on things. You can usually tell where more solo artists are heading in each song, and Arek is NOT one of those guys. Arek's guitar skills are on another planet, and it is something all fans of guitar will jam out to. His guitar playing is very versatile and anyone can hear that he puts his soul into each song. His mixture of rock, latin, and jazz guitar playing is a hard task to pull off and he does it with an amazing ease. I could sit out in the sun and listen to his music for hours and not have a care in the world. I love talented musicians that let you into their soul through their music, and Arek is the pure example of that. I will be checking in on Arek's site in the future, because I am interested to hear what his future music will bring.
-Metal Mark of AtlMetal.com - Metal Mark of AtlMetal.com