Oz Noy begin his proffesional career at the age of 13 and within years was playing with some of the top acts in Israel. By the age of 24 he had become a highly sought after studio musician. In 1996 he set westward to New York City and has since released five studio albums and has received multiple awards from Guitar Player Magazine for his powerful style and groove. We sat down with him to discuss his tone, style and gear.
How did you get started playing guitar?
“I actually wanted to be a drummer, originally, and was ready to take drum lessons. But, a friend of mine took me on his guitar lesson one day and that was it. To this day, I don’t know why I went! I started studying guitar right after that and never stopped. I started by playing Beatles songs and then getting into solos. The rest is history.”
Your style has been described as jazz, blues, funk & fusion mixed into one. How do you incorporate each style into your playing?
“I really don’t think of my music in terms of incorporating styles. I just use the vocabulary I have developed and it tends to hover around bebop and blues, mainly. I think the key is to get as deeply as you can into the roots of the music you want play and study the language. Once you get that together, then you can develop your own voice on the instrument. Also, its very important to be open to all kinds of music. You never know what can inspire you and open new doors.”

What gear do you currently use? Do you switch gear based on the songs or projects or do you tend to use versatile gear?
“I have a pedal board for my Trio, a different pedal board for my Twisted Blues Band, and a different pedal board for jazz gigs. Amps are usually the same. When I do pop or rock gigs or recording sessions, I choose gear based on the situation. Some gear I currently use: Amps- Fender Band Master ’67, Marshall 50W ’73, Victoria Bassman, started to use Two Rock lately, Fender guitars (’68, ’57 Stratocaster) & Tele(’58), and lots of pedals. I also use the Antiquity bridge humbucker, the SSL-1, Seymour Duncan Phat Cat and a Lipstick Tube for Danelectro SLD-1.
What bands have personally inspired you?
“Some of my main influences include: The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix Experience, SRV Double Trouble, Steely Dan, Van Halen, and Aerosmith – plus some Israeli rock/pop bands.
I would play along with the records, and transcribe solos. I tend to pay attention to songs, however, more than the solos. I also pay a lot of attention to the guitar tone. That’s what really does it for me.”
You released a new album last year, what have you been upto this year?
“I recently released Twisted Blues, Vol. 1. It was an amazing project, featuring guests like Eric Johnson, Allen Toussain, Double Trouble, and so on. I am now working on the next one -Twisted Blues, Vol. 2., just writing new music for that and touring to support the first CD. I have some big plans for Vol.2, including some surprise guests! Stay tuned!”
For more information on Oz Noy, please visit:
http://oznoy.com/

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