If you’re not yet a fan of Saab Guitar Project, the outfit led by Venezuelan guitar sensation Douglas Saab, you will be soon.
And rest assured – you’ll be in great company. Among the guitarist’s many admirers include Dream Theater six-string virtuoso John Petrucci, DT keyboardist Jordan Rudess and Frank Zappa/Sting drummer extraordinaire Vinnie Colaiuta, who teamed up with Saab for his new single, the instrumental prog-shred escapade Space Traveller.
Saab, who uses Ibanez guitars and Fractal amps and plays left-handed, with the guitar flipped upside down à la Albert King and Eric Gales, contributes stunning licks and finger-twisting solos to the tune, and you can check it out, along with a special intro from Petrucci, above.
The new single follows on the heels of Saab’s 2019 album, Saab Guitar Project, recorded with Rudess and Colaiuta. The all-instrumental effort combines fusion, jazz, rock and Latin styles -- highly technical, reminiscent of Holdsworth, Vai and others but with his own voice. Among its tracks features the slinky, mind-bending instrumental workout Police and a dynamic cover of Miles Davis’ classic So What.
When it came to the new Space Traveller, Saab wrote and produced the track himself, completing it in February 2020, just before the global pandemic hit. He’s finally releasing it to the world now.
Regarding Petrucci’s guest spot, Saab says, "I'm very proud to have had John playing on one of my songs. I was aware that John hardly ever appears on collaborations and I believe that he graciously agreed because he is very passionate about the guitar and music just like I am. The result has been great, a total shred fest for the guitar players around the world."
He continues, “According to the streaming platforms, my album and the single with Petrucci was wonderfully received in Japan and the US, where I hope to play some gigs when all this crazy pandemic times ends."
"From my standpoint , the music world has changed with the access to social networks and home studios and that allows us to create music anytime with my buddies. And if people like it, I feel very fortunate.”
For more information on Saab and the Saab Guitar Project, head to his official Facebook page, or check him out on Instagram, Spotify and YouTube.
