Tortex Artist: Craig Ventresco

Jim Dunlop presents a performance and miniature portrait of CRAIG VENTRESCO, a legendary San Franciscan street busker and concert hall guitar picker of obscure Ragtime, Turn-of-The-Century, and Pre-War Blues songs, as well as a devoted user of Tortex 1.0mm and 1.14mm picks.

Mr. Ventresco exhibits his unique hybrid picking style as he seeks to reinterpret the vast archive of tunes he has heard on piano rolls and 78 records. A reviewer has said of Mr. Ventresco
"...he may be one of the best ragtime pickers alive today. Ventresco's ability to perform rags by Big Bill Broonzy, Eubie Blake, and Scott Joplin is awe-inspiring. His dense arrangements sound impossibly difficult to play, but they are a sheer pleasure to hear. It may be sacrilegious to admit, but Ventresco's technical ability is right up there with Blind Lemon Jefferson and Blind Blake. The only things missing are the pops and hisses of the 78s."

Up at our Benicia headquarters Craig came up and played for us, and out of the blue one of us requested the old tin pan alley song "That Ol' Gang Of Mine", not usually a part of Craig's set. Craig thought for a few seconds and then strummed this amazing on-the-spot arrangement out.

Dunlop is grateful and proud to be able to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Tortex Picks and all the artists past, present, and future that have made the Tortex pick a part of their life, and in doing so have played an essential role in its storied legacy.

For more information on Tortex picks please visit:
www.jimdunlop.com

For more information on Craig Ventresco please visit:
www.craigventresco.com