1) Hi Jennifer, what are you currently doin' as a musician?

2) Is 'Momentum', with JB's Tribal Rage your latest effort as a solo guitarist?
YES

3) You've been Michael Jackson's guitarist in live situations for several years, and then you also toured with Jeff Beck. Is it difficoult to play for so long other people's stuff?
NO, I ENJOYED BOTH GIGS IMMENSELY

4) In those live situations, were you supposed to play written parts or were you free to improvise and come up with parts of your own?
FOR MJ, HE WANTED THINGS TO SOUND LIKE THE RECORDS PEOPLE WERE FAMILIAR WITH, SO WE SPENT A LOT OF ENERGY RECREATING THOSE SOUNDS. I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD IMPROVISE SOLOS THOUGH I CHOSE TO PLAY VAN HALENS 'BEAT IT' SOLO NOTE FOR NOTE. WITH BECK'S GIG, IT WAS ALL ABOUT IMPROVISATION AND WAS VERY DIFFERENT NIGHT TO NIGHT

5) In 'Momentum' you display a great control over the whammy bar and percussive sounds over the fretboard. Can you tell us some exercises to develop a good control on the bar?
I ALSO USED THE WHAMMY PEDAL A LOT ON THAT RECORD SET FOR A WHOLE STEP DOWN BEND. AS FOR THE BAR, IT'S A MATTER OF LISTENING TO FOLKS LIKE JEFF BECK AND TRYING TO GO FOR A VOCAL KIND OF BENDING EFFECT TO MAKE THE GUITAR SOUND MORE HUMAN

6) You're very famous for your tappin' technique. Some hints to create somethin' original with it? You also use tappin' in rhythmic parts...
LISTEN TO ANYTHING BUT GUITAR PLAYERS FOR NEW IDEAS. I LISTEN TO A LOT OF AFRICAN MUSIC. THERE'S LOADS OF GOOD CD'S ON PETER GABRIELS REAL WORLD LABEL. USING 2 HANDS ON THE BOARD IS MORE LIKE WHAT A PIANO PLAYER IS CAPABLE OF DOING.
LISTENING TO CLAVINET IS A GOOD START. ALSO LISTENING TO FUNK SLAP BASSISTS IS A GOOD PLAYGROUND FOR IDEAS

7) You've reached a high originality in your phrasing... Which is the key to develop a personal style on guitar?
I THINK FIRST YOU NEED TO LEARN SOLOS FROM YOUR HEROS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
LEARNING FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLAYERS IS VALUABLE FOR VARIETY. BUT ALL THE WHILE YOU KEEP A CONCERTED EFFORT ON YOUR OWN ORIGINALITY. ULTIMATELY YOU'LL ONLY ABSORB YOUR FAVORITE PARTS OF EVERYTHING YOU LEARN AND HOPEFULLY CONVERT IT TO SOMETHING ORIGINAL

8) You're probably the only female guitarist with such a control on the instrument, both technically and sonically. Do you think there's some reason why are mostly male guitarists who explore so deep this world?
NO GOOD REASON. THERE ARE NOT MANY ROLE MODELS FOR YOUNG GIRLS TO GET INSPIRED BY THOUGH. FOR SOME REASON I WAS JUST DRAWN TO THE SOLOING SIDE OF MUSIC FROM A YOUNG AGE PLUS I WAS ENCOURAGED BY MY FAMILY TO PURSUE IT. MUSIC IS IN A BAD STATE AT THE MOMENT AND IS IN HEAVY COMPETITION WITH TV AND VIDEO GAMES FOR KIDS.
IN AMERICA ALMOST ALL THE FUNDING FOR MUSIC PROGRAMS HAS BEEN
REMOVED FROM SCHOOLS BY OUR GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR OTHER ASPECTS OF EDUCATION. IT'S A FINANCIAL STRAIN FOR A LOT OF PARENTS TO PROVIDE LESSONS FOR KIDS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.

9) Is the elephant voice in 'Elephant Stomp' from 'Momentum' created with your guitar? If so, how were you able to do it?
I THINK I USED THE WHAMMY PEDAL SET TO AN OCTAVE DOWN AND BROUGHT IT UP WHILE TAPPING ON THE B AND G STRINGS AROUND THE 12TH FRET WITH THE FIRST AND 2ND FINGERS. I THEN SLID MY RIGHT HAND UP THE FRET BOARD WHILE BENDING THE G STRING IN THE LEFT HAND AT THE SAME TIME

10) Do you improvise a lot or do you compose your solos and themes?
IMPROVISE BUT I DO PUNCH IN AND REPLACE WHAT I DON'T LIKE

11) Would you encourage in some way girls who started to play the guitar to explore it deeper and deeper?
ABSOLUTELY

12) Who are the players who influenced you more? Do you still have some favourite musician or someone to look up to?
JEFF BECK IS STILL #1 SINCE I WAS A KID. I ALSO LOVE VAN HALEN, GEORGE LYNCH, ADRIAN LEGG, JOE DIORIO

13) Are you plannin' about releasin' some new instructional material (maybe a video)?
NO PLANS AT THE MOMENT

14) Do you have some exercises on tappin' or percussive stuff for our readers (would be great if you could send an attachment with some jpgs of written parts)?
SORRY BUT I HAVE NO TIME
--JB