Les Fradkin
Jefferson, Colorado, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2003 | INDIE | AFM
Music
Press
Renowned MIDI guitarist Les Fradkin continues to WOW the critics and audience by bringing innovative music-making techniques to the forefront. Les has created the first ever “classical” composition on a hi-tech instrument known as a Ztar and this can be heard on his new album ‘Suite for Ztar and Orchestra in G Minor Op. 1 No. 1'. This modern day musician is always evolving as Today he can be referred to as the “Futuristic Symphonic One Man Orchestra”. Les combines classical & progressive rock music to make up one uniquely original, digitally-advanced sound. - Skope Magazine
Whether he plays more in the classical or the electronic genres, Fradkin makes a strong case for himself as the Yngwie Malmsteen of MIDI. Might this supreme practitioner be due for a renewed notoriety? - Ray Cavanaugh-Skope Entertainment
Nobody covers The Beatles like Les Fradkin! One of the great guitarists of our time. - Rock of Ages
Two words come to mind after a listen to Les Fradkin's music, original genius.
I was absolutely blown away by his skill and intelligence. Amazing. - Target Audience Magazine
Discography
Les Fradkin Albums:
The Cross In The Sky (2021)
Under The Covers (Single) (2021)
Mirror Image (EP) (2021)
Living In A Black And White World - Single (2021)
The Les Fradkin News (2020)
System Crash (Single) (2020)
World In Harmony (2019)
Summer (Single) (2019)
Escape From Earth (2018) 3 Grammy Nominations
Canon In D (Live) (Video) (2018)
Ode To Joy (Live) (Video) (2018)
Black Gypsy (Single) (2017)
Rehearsals For Retirement (Anthology) (2015)
Mr. Midi Guitar (2016)
Crashing Waves (Single) (2015)
Finale (EP with Michael Brown) (2015)
As Eagles Fly In The Night (Single with Michael Brown) (2014)
Suite For Ztar (2013)
God Bless California (Single) (2014) God Bless California - Single
Ticket To A Remix Universe (2010) Ticket to a Remix Universe
Canon Rocks! (2010) Canon Rocks! - Single
Baroque Rocks (2009) Baroque Rocks!
One Link Between Them (2008) One Link Between Them
Pepper Front To Back (2007) Pepper Front to Back
12 (2007) 12
The Spirit Of Christmas (2006) Spirit of Christmas
Under The Covers (2006) Under the Covers
If Your Memory Serves You Well (2006) If Your Memory Serves You Well
Jangleholic (2006) Jangleholic
Love You 2 (2006) Love You 2
Goin' Back (2006) Goin' Back
Something For George (2005) Something for George
While My Guitar Only Plays (2005) While My Guitar Only Plays
Perfect World (2004) Perfect World
Reality-The Rock Opera (2003) Reality-The Rock Opera
Photos
Bio
Les Fradkin captured headlines as George Harrison in the mega-hit Broadway show "Beatlemania" in the 1970s, and today is a prolific Midi Guitar Virtuoso of Classic rock and Progressive Rock.
* Midi Guitar Virtuoso
* Producer & Composer
* 750,000 Internet Downloads
* 22 Solo CD's
* 16 #1 hits at mp3.com
* 2017 #1 Radio Hit "Black Gypsy"
* Featured in 20th Century Guitar, Pipeline and NGD Mags
* Featured in Time, Newsweek, Us, People and Rolling Stone
* Original Cast Member of "Beatlemania"
Les is a successful songwriter/composer from the 1970's, lead guitarist, and one of the original members of the hit Broadway show "Beatlemania". He was a Guitar Synthesizer and Tapeless Recording pioneer of the 1980's, a neoclassical guitar trendsetter in the 1990's and is now a 21st Century Virtuoso 12 String and Midi Guitarist. A classically trained musician as well as being a rock guitarist, he has found success as a recording artist, composer and producer with MGM Sunflower, ESP-Disk, Bell, Arista, RCA, and Laurie Records. Les has written the well known hit "La Chansons Des Souvenirs" ("Song Of A Thousand Voices") for the famous French songstress Mireille Mathieu on the Philips label and this tune has also been recorded in a hit version on RCA Victor (now Sony/BMG) by the Latin Pop icon Roberto Jordan ("Donde"). He was originally discovered and signed by John Hammond Sr. at Columbia back in 1969.
He has played Mellotron, 12 and 6-string Guitar, Bass and Piano on dozens of Top 40 hit records throughout the early 1970's , and 1980's, scoring many US and UK chart placings throughout his career.
In 1976, Les was selected over thousands of other auditioning guitarists to appear in the original cast of the smash hit Broadway musical "Beatlemania" playing lead guitar and the part of "George Harrison" in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago along side Paul McCartney lookalike and sound alike Mitch Weissman. Running for two and a half years from May 1977 thru October 1979, every show (including over 1000 in New York alone) was sold out and the Beatlemania musicians quickly became celebrities with magazine cover stories ("Newsweek","Time", "People", "Rolling Stone") and many major television show appearances. With his guitar-playing in the international spotlight from the show, Fradkin developed a cult following that has avidly followed his career and made him a celebrity among guitar fans.
In the 1980's, he pioneered the introduction of tapeless MIDI recording and MIDI Guitar, scoring many national jingles and TV film music with Score Productions, ABC-TV and NBC-TV, including a 4 year stint composing and programming for the Soap Opera "One Life To Live". He continues to be one of the foremost virtuosos of MIDI Guitar in the world today.
His current music, is a mixture of various influences and signposts from Classic Rock, Instrumental Rock, and Original sounds and approaches.
Band Members
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