Guitarist Joan Vinyals Dies At The Age Of 63 Due To Covid

He had accompanied artists such as Juan Perro, Pau Riba, Gato Pérez, and Pi de la Serra and led his own project.

The guitarist, composer, and producer Joan Vinyals (Barcelona, ​​1958) died this Tuesday at the age of 63 due to covid, according to his family on social media.

He is one of those names perhaps unknown to the general public but essential and highly valued in the world of music, considered one of the best guitarists on the state scene and a “key piece to understanding music in our country.” according to Pere Camps del Barnasants.

A key member of the band of vocalists such as Juan Perro, Marcos Ricetti, Laura Simó, Pau Riba, Gato Pérez, Víctor Bocanegra, and Gerard Quintana, his guitar could travel through rock, blues, reggae, jazz, and funky, of which he had drunk through records and his initiatory travels in the United States. He had been a student of Sean Levitt, Richie Beirach, Dave Liebman, and John Abercrombie. He had played with The Driffters or Yoko Ono, and had been the opening act for Joe Cocker.

He had started playing the guitar self-taught at the age of seven. From a very young age, he formed his first band at school while studying solfeggio and piano at the Barcelona Municipal Conservatory of Music. He later studied at the Taller de Músics – where he taught for more than twenty years – and graduated in jazz at Esmuc. He was also the founder and member of the Catalan Academy of Music .

Vinyals is currently touring with Juan Perro, with whom he has worked for many years, often as a duo, but there are countless musicians he has collaborated with (we continue the list: Louisiana Red, Johnny Mars, Los Rebeldes, Compañía Eléctrica Dharma, Carme Canela, Big Mama, Dani Nel·lo, Ramoncín, Luz Casal …). But his agenda also included bowling with the Joan Vinyals Trio. In parallel with his work with other musical groups, he has had his own projects throughout his career in which to pursue his own interests. Without going any further, this past 2021 he presented an embryo of a new album, Estol de blaus, where he wanted to pay homage to blues musicians. In 2019 he had presented at the Barnasants Nothing is the same (2017). It was twelve years since the previous record, Vil·la Blauet (2004) and he had participated in a dozen recordings.

His musical career also includes production. From the 80’s he dedicated himself to the production, direction, and composition for the audiovisual; he directed the 7-night television formations of Toni Soler (TV3) and Ja hi som by Alfons Arús (1994); he composed music for television and theater (he played in a hundred performances of the musical Hair ). The last initiative he joined was against the expansion of El Prat airport with the production and arrangements of the theme We are nature! This closes a fruitful and chameleon-like career of one of the country’s great musicians.

Several musicians and artists have reacted to his loss.

Amelia Warner writes all the Latest Articles. She mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.

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