Ryan Forrester may not be a household name in the West Windsor Plainsboro area compared to that of his dad, Doug Forrester, former West Windsor mayor and recent candidate for New Jersey governor. But if the 21-year-old has his way, it very well could be, though his chosen arena is music, not politics.##M:[more]##
The younger Forrester, who grew up in West Windsor and graduated in 2002 from High School South, is playing a concert on the Friday, December 2, in Trenton at the 449 Room on South Broad Street, across from Sovereign Bank arena, and next to the Conduit Night Club.
Forrester uses a rare technique to make his music. It’s called “Finger Style/Two-hand new age solo guitar” and it attempts to imitate multiple instruments by playing the bass line and melody simultaneously. Forrester says he picked it up after he heard acoustic fingerstyle guitarist Michael Hedges for the very first time.
“I couldn’t believe my ears. It was after seeing a video performance of his when I realized that he was producing all of those sounds by tapping the strings with both the left and right hand. It became clear to me that strumming or picking the strings with the right hand for standard, right-handed guitarists wasn’t the only possible way to make them vibrate.” He says he immediately became consumed by this particular style because it was the next step to what he had been looking for, allowing for seemingly infinite possibilities for the solo guitarist.
“For example, with my right hand available for the melody and my left hand used for chords I can play music that would typically be limited to the piano and other chordal instruments. Sure, there are some limitations when it comes to the guitar. However, when it comes to this ‘Two Hand’ style of playing, there are few.”
Forrester says that when he’s looking for influences that have impacted his musicianship and playing he counts such artists as Keith Jarrett, Dave Brubeck, Jimi Hendrix, Pat Metheney, and Bobby McFerrin. The three guitarists who have affected him most deeply with their solo techniques are Stanley Jordan, a Princeton alumnus, Tuck Andress, and Michael Hedges and he says that his style is a blend of each. While he enjoys playing solo, he’s also looking for opportunities to play with larger groups, both for the exposure and money. “What I’ve learned is that no matter how good you are, no matter how mind-blowing your style or technique, a solo instrumentalist will always have difficulty finding success as a solo act. I will always have the opportunity to perform solo but I am interested in the full sound of a band.”
Forrester is a student at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, working on his B.A. in Music at the Conservatory of Music. He’s also wrapping up a minor in sociology and taking a lot of general education courses in the few semesters he has left before graduation. “California is a very different place — weather, scenery, and culturally,” he observes. “I’ve been through 48 of the 50 states and California is certainly one of the most breathtaking.”
He says UOP has offered him the opportunity to grow tremendously as a musician. “I was always so stubborn when it came to learning music theory and how to read and write music. I have always kept up with my own guitar playing and writing, but my overall progress and success regarding my musicianship has been exciting to experience over the past three years. Now, the challenge is to apply all of the knowledge I’ve obtained to my writing and performance with the guitar.” Forrester did take the fall semester off to work full-time for his father’s run for New Jersey governor. Even though his father lost, he says it was the opportunity of a lifetime. “I am fortunate to have two wonderful parents who have supported my musical pursuits from day one. I’ve never once felt any unnecessary pressure to do or be anything that my heart was not in. It was nice that I finally got the chance to offer my dad support for his pursuits.”
Forrester has a younger sister and older brother. His mother is involved with Regional Planning Partnership.
He says he has very fond memories of growing up in West Windsor and going to High School South.
“The high school was always very good about encouraging and supporting the performing arts, which includes the orchestra, band and choir as well as the drama department. Every year the school would host a talent show called, ‘Illuminations.’ I was not playing publicly very much at the time so, for me, it served as my opportunity to do so.” He ended up winning best solo artist for three consecutive years, his sophomore, junior and senior years.
Forrester says it took leaving West Windsor for college to realize just how much he had taken it for granted. “West Windsor is near dead center of New Jersey, sandwiched between New York City and Philadelphia. I am always shocked at how many kids I hear saying they are bored with West Windsor and New Jersey. I just can’t believe that with its location, anybody could have difficulty finding something to do.”
Forrester says he’s excited about his upcoming concert in Trenton as well as other opportunities that come his way. “Playing alone is exciting because it allows me to experiment with things that I wouldn’t normally play in concert,” he says. “However, there is no better feeling than the very special connection that is made between the performer and the audience during a performance.”
He says that after finishing up his studies in California, he will most likely return to the east coast to pursue his music career. For one thing, he believes that the distance between some of the major cities in California would make it difficult to create a strong fan base. Then there’s the matter of his heart, the heart of a genuine Jersey boy, born and raised. “I couldn’t be away from New Jersey too long,” he declares. “I love it too much.”
— Euna Kwon Brossman
Ryan Forrester performs at the 449 Room on South Broad Street in Trenton, on Friday, December 2, at 8 p.m. He will play two one-hour sets.
