Get to Know: Charlie Robbins

Bacon and maple syrup is an unlikely combination. But it works.

New JTC artist, Charlie Robbins, has taken this culinary experimentation into a musical setting. He’s mixed the classic flavours of flamenco with the spice and in your face power of a metal. And like bacon and maple syrups, it works.

We caught up with the man behind Flamenco Inspired Riffs and Licks, to see what he’s all about.

Q: When did you first start playing?

I started playing my freshman year of high school.

Q: When did you discover a love for flamenco?

I’ve always been drawn to the sound of flamenco, but it really hit me when I was in college and Grisha Goryachev visited our class to do a guest appearance in our ensemble and put on a Masterclass. He was literally the nicest guy and the best player I had ever seen in person. During that Masterclass he showed me rasgueado and helped me practice viewing the fretboard in a different way.

Q: And when did you first start playing that in a metal setting?

It was only recently when I started fully trying to blend the two things I really like together. I’ve always put it in my songs before, but I’ve always had the goal to eventually try and make it the whole theme and inspiration for an album. So I finally said I’m going to try it, and Coloratura was the result. There’s a ton more that could have been added or even done better, but I’m still really proud of it.

Q: How would you describe yourself as a player?

As a player I’m not sure how to describe myself. I would say a metal guitarist influenced by many other genres.

Q: Who are your biggest influences?

Guthrie Govan, Synyster and Danny Elfman

Q: Favourite JTC artist?

Guthrie Govan was my first JTC artist I was able to watch and is still my favourite.

Q: Any plans for future JTC releases?

I would love to release more packages in the future. Maybe a Masterclass at some point!

Before you go…

A huge JTC welcome to Charlie Robbins! He’s an amazing addition to our roster and we hope to work with him for a long time coming. If you’re new to his work, we’ve made a mini highlights reel below. All tracks are from his Coloratura EP. Enjoy!