Not since the Mason Williams sixties radio gem, "Classical Gas", has a popular guitarist endeavoured to tackle such an adventurous piece of solo acoustic guitar music as the instrumental release, "Fuoco" (Libra Sonatine) - the newest single & music video by Jeff Young.

Young was the lead guitarist for Grammy winning hard rock outfit Megadeth in the eighties. A decade later, he co-wrote, produced & played on a number one world music crossover hit, "Chameleon" (Verve/PolyGram) for Brazilian phenom, Badi Assad - younger sister of renowned guitar duo, Sergio & Odair Assad.

Over the past few years, a series of singles, bonus tracks & rehearsal renditions from his first ever, all instrumental album Revolutions have found indie release via the artist's YouTube channel, Bandcamp, iTunes & all the usual digital music outlets.

In 2020, during this precarious time for the planet and anyone pursuing the creative arts, Jeff has relentlessly managed to record and release two original singles, "In the Flesh" and "Slow Burn" - both tracks featuring some wonderful players including: Andrea Whitt (Shania Twain), Ric Fierrabracci (Chick Corea, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Shakira),James LoMenzo (John Fogerty, Zakk Wylde, Slash), Jeff Bowders (Paul Gilbert, Joe Satriani) & Jeff Tortora (Blue Man Group Las Vegas).

Young's latest offering is perhaps his most daring yet. "Fuoco" (Libra Sonatine) is the third movement of a solo work by French guitarist/composer, Roland Dyens. "I first heard this piece back in the late nineties and was blown away, much like the first time I heard Eddie Van Halen's "Eruption," Jeff remembers.

"The main difference and added difficulty being, "Fuoco" is performed on a nylon string, unamplified guitar - you're naked there with no effects, nothing to boost you or hide behind. When I heard the maestro's original recording, it had everything! There are elements of classical, flamenco, jazz, rock, blues, even a couple country licks thrown in there - just a dazzling piece of music that took a long time to decipher and bring to fruition."

A surprising undercurrent to this song's story is that just two months ago, Young was uncertain if he would ever play guitar again? Upon leaving for his daily cycling regimen and while navigating to pedal through a crosswalk, Young was struck by a car & a driver distracted by his cell phone. "The first thing I did after filing the police report was to rush home and pick up my guitar... both my arms and hands were hurting badly and at that point, I couldn't make a simple E chord in open position. I was in shock from the accident and pretty freaked out that I might never be able to play guitar again."

"I deliberately chose 'Fuoco' (Libra Sonatine) as the piece I would use as my rehab because this song is so death defying - every phrase is like performing a magic trick. I knew, if I worked through the score measure by measure... all the various hand contortions would put my hands to the test. If I could perform this song well then, I would have conquered my injuries. I've been playing music since first grade and I couldn't imagine doing anything else."

Curious parties can see and hear the results of Jeff's determination as the single premiers today on his Bandcamp page. Watch the video below: