If you have never heard of an electric guitar chamber octet and can only imagine what a sight and sound it would deliver, especially in a classical setting, you are hardly alone. The Los Angeles Electric 8 makes its East Coast premiere in the Mansion at Strathmore with a program that showcases the variety of rich sounds that can emanate from electric guitars, which have historically been thought of as solo or band instruments — loud, wired to amplifiers and most immediately associated with folk and rock music.
The Electric 8 has thrown all these preconceived notions in the wastebasket and now call for the same classical performance status as is given to chamber string and wind ensembles. They possess a repertoire covering music from the late Renaissance to new 21st century, minimalist works.
