Reprinted from NetChord Online 'Zine
June 2000

Princess of Prog...
Queen of the Rock!

Jaye Foucher and her guitar tell all

By Kenneth Deville

Boston (you know...where everybody knows your name?) is known for many things--the Celtics and the TV show The Practice, to name a couple. But you know what really makes Boston sizzle? It is the music; namely the music of guitarist Jaye Foucher.

Born into a musical family, Jaye has taken her knowledge of music and applied it the music she loves to play. " I think it's in my blood!" Jaye exclaims of her musical influence. " There've been quite a few musically-inclined relatives on my mother's side -- some of whom were pro-musicians, including my mother who went to music school and made a living teaching music for many years. She's told me that I would pick out songs I'd heard on the radio on the piano from the time I was tall enough to reach the keyboard. My mother taught piano out of our home for most of the years I was growing up, plus she played folk guitar and accordion. So I've been exposed to music since birth.... probably even before, if you believe in the notion that babies can hear within the womb."

As mentioned before, Jaye was trained in classical piano, then discovered guitar, and the rest is still writing her own story in history! In 1986, Gary Hoey, guitarist extraordinaire, became Jaye's teachers, until she enrolled into the renowned Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT). There she studied and graduated one of the top players in her class.

After graduation, Jaye returned to Boston, and performed in a couple of prog metal bands, Lord Bane and Plaid Dragon, respectively. Heads were definitely turning to check out the magic Jaye was weaving. I asked Jaye about her involvement in prog metal.

She states: " I've listened to Queensryche off and on from way back when their first album came out, but I'd have to say that it was really Dream Theater's influence that got me playing it myself. When Pull Me Under hit the top 10 I was living out in Los Angeles, and the first time I heard that song I just loved it. In fact, I never managed to catch the whole thing on the radio -- I always seemed to turn it on right in the middle of the song -- which is what made me go out and buy the album. Then I was so impressed with all of their music that I just had to learn to play it. "

In the year 1997, Jaye released her first recording entitled Infectious Licks on Fuism Records. With the release of this recording, Jaye turned heads from many publications all over the world, and found her music in rotation in the radio stations. Her silky sounds combined with the experimental prog metal added a new layer to the formation of the genre of music.

I thoroughly enjoyed the mystic experimental prog journey on Infectious Licks, but when Contagious Grooves was released at the beginning of this year, I went crazy! It was the best follow up to a debut one can do! From the writing style and melody, groove, and feeling, I was hooked! So what did Jaye do in between albums? Let's find out!

"I've been listening to a lot of newer music the past year or so -- the kind of stuff you hear a lot on the radio -- and I think that's influenced my songwriting a little," Jaye explains. "You can hear it particularly in songs like Zombieland and Up Up & Insane. I also wrote a lot of the main song ideas on the keyboard this time, rather than on the guitar, and I can hear a difference in style because of that. Overall I think the songs themselves are just better songs."

She goes on to say: " Soloing-wise, I know that this time around I was more concerned with writing just the right melody for the song than in showing off what I could technically accomplish on the guitar. Sure, there are still some parts that challenge my technique -- just not as much as there used to be. In fact in the process of writing this CD I went back and listened to some really old tapes and was just amazed at the amount of speed playing I was doing in my soloing compared to now! It's just not as important to me anymore as it is to play something that I can feel inside."

Straight from the heart...that's what matters and many do not seem to grasp it nowadays. Thatıs what creativity is all about: feelings and emotion. The experience of creativity is a pure and delicate one.

Creative wise, Jaye has many influences that have been there for her. "There have been quite a few. The earliest was Eddie Van Halen, then Yngwie Malmsteen introduced me to the whole neo-classical shred thing, then George Lynch, Nuno Bettencourt -- who not only was one of my favorite players but also gave me some advice in a club one night that really inspired me, Gary Hoey -- I studied for a few years with him before he became a name-player in the industry so a lot of my playing style and technique is directly influenced by his teachings, and lastly John Petrucci of Dream Theater. I've also listened to some of the other "greats" out there like Satch & Vai, but the aforementioned were my favorites and my inspirations."

Playing from the heart is the origin of all creativity, and her inspirations all are top names that have been in her shoes before. As for touring, Jaye played at NAMM a few months ago and is looking forward to hitting the road and bringing her music out to the crowds. Until then, we look forward to more music from a Queen of Heart-rock!