California Guitar Trio

of instrumental styles fusing classical, rock, blues, jazz, world music bluegrass, as well as the quintessential California musical genre surf music, the California Guitar Trio's stunning virtuosity and sly sense of humor have earned them a rabid following and wide notoriety, with significant crossover in the progressive, acoustic and classical music scenes.

Notably, CGT music was featured on the television coverage of the 1998 and 2000 Olympics, and on CBS, NBC, CNN World Beat, and ESPN TV programs. The CGT performed on the 2003 Grammy Awards nominated track Apollo on Tony Levin's CD Pieces of the Sun; and CGT music was sent into outer space as wake up music for the crew aboard NASA's Space Shuttle Endeavor.

Paul Richards of Salt Lake City, Utah, Bert Lams of Brussels, Belgium, and Hideyo Moriya of Tokyo first met in England at one of Robert Fripp's Guitar Craft Courses in 1987. After completing several of these intensive courses, the three toured worldwide with Fripp's League of Crafty Guitarists. Wanting to continue together after the League had run its course, Bert, Paul and Hideyo convened in Los Angeles and founded The California Guitar Trio in 1991, honing their intricate original compositions, surf covers, and classical re-workings.

Since their inception in 1991, the Trio has released 11 Cds: 6 studio Cds featuring original works from the CGT and a variety of classics such as Bach’s Toccata and Fugue and Beethoven's 5th Symphony. 4 Live releases that show the trio at their best onstage, and a Christmas CD with familiar and not-so familiar Christmas music, which continues to receive rave reviews.

In August of 2004, the CGT released "Whitewater" produced by Tony Levin (King Crimson/ Peter Gabriel). With shimmering clean acoustic sounds blended with ambient and pungent electronics, Whitewater is a benchmark CD in the CGT's catalog. Featuring mainly original works of the CGT, offset by a puzzle work arrangement of a Bach lute suite and a unusual version of the Cowboy classic Ghost Riders, the CGT have clearly arrived at a new level.

Members of the CGT met on a Guitar Craft course led by Robert Fripp in the late 80s. Soon after the course, the trio launched their career touring as an opening act for King Crimson. Over the past 12 years of nearly incessant touring, the California Guitar Trio has shared the stage with superb musicians and performers such as: King Crimson, John McLaughlin, David Sylvian, Tito Puente, Leftover Salmon, Taj Mahal, Steve Lukather, Simon Phillips, Adrian Legg, and many more.

CGT Tours internationally appearing mostly in the U.S. They tour about 150 days a year.

Each of the members of the CGT bring their own musical influences to the group.