"Terry Kath: Recalling Chicago's Guitar Legend"

New TV documentary remembers Chicago's master rock guitarist, Terry Kath.

(PRWEB) June 1, 2003 -- 30 year old guitarist, Jeff Zak, along with three other Chicago area performers, will be presenting "A Tribute To Terry Kath" as part of a new TV documentary honoring the legendary rock band, "Chicago."

The special performance is scheduled to be videotaped before a live audience on August 11, 2003, at "The Roundhouse," a popular venue in Aurora, Illinois. The segment will be included in a new two-hour documentary entitled "America's Band," being produced by filmmakers Amy Steelman-Angeli and Lou Angeli.

"The chance to pay tribute to a true guitar legend excites me more than you can imagine." Jeff says. "Terry Kath is perhaps the most underrated guitar player of the last 40 years."

Kath, a founding member of Chicago, was master of his instrument. His style was often compared to that of his peer, Jimi Hendrix, who often claimed that he was one of Terry's biggest fans. Kath was Van Halen fast, and his playing kept the jazz fusion band connected to its rock and roll audience. Some believe it was this unlikely combination, that was one of Chicago's strongest appeals.

Jeff Zak grew up in a home filled with Chicago fans, and the sounds of the band's music echoing through the house are one of his earliest memories.

"My dad was, and still is, a huge Chicago fan." Jeff recalls. "I'd sneak his records out of the living room to play on my Fisher Price turntable in my room."

Jeff was just 5 years old when the music industry lost Terry Kath to a gun mishap in 1978. But the master had already left his impression. "Following Terry's death, I taught myself to play bass and eventually guitar, then started performing in bands in 1987," says the Chicago native.

His current repertoire is also heavily influenced by former Chicago front man, Peter Cetera, who Zak learned is a member of his own extended family. Has that family connection rubbed off on him?

"I can sing like Robert and Terry." Zak reports. "Sadly...I can only dream of singing like Peter Cetera. Some guys have all the luck!"

Cetera's vocal range has long been his signature, and audiences will once again hear that voice in a series of live concerts during this summer's long awaited "Symphony Tour." http://www.petercetera.com

During the August 11th taping in Aurora, "Jeff Zak & The Other Guys" will be performing a special rendition of Kath's "Taking It Uptown," along with a few other more obscure Chicago tunes. Locals consider Zak and the Guys to be one of the tri-state area's best rhythm sections, a band strongly influenced by blues and R&B. The band's current roster includes:

Jeff Zak:  Guitar, bass, sequencing, & vocals
Brian "The Colonel" Bridenthal:  Bass, guitar, & vocals
Jim Tabor:  Drums, Percussion, & vocals
Jessica Pierce:  Percussion, sequencing, & vocals

How's Jeff feel about Chicago's current axeman, Keith Howland? "I am a big fan of Keith's' says Zak, 'his playing is very reminiscent of Terry Kath's."

Howland's work on stage is versatile, because during Chicago's current two hour set, he must blend Kath's sound with the stylings of three other Chicago guitarists, Daicus, Pinnick and Bailey. Even so, the sound is Howland all the way. Like Howland, Jeff performs using Fender Stratocasters through a mix of "Fender" & "Line 6" amplifiers.

The August 11th taping coincides with Chicago's performance at the Rosemont Theater near O'Hare Airport on August 10th. Will the producers be able to coax anyone from the band to attend this special tribute?

"The band begins a short hiatus on the 11th." says producer Amy Steelman-Angeli. "Knowing Keith, Tris (Imboden) and Lee (Loughnane), they'll want to be first in line."