Welcome to AlynSyms.com
Making the world a better place, one song at a time.
NEWS
THE CONCERT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS - THANK YOU ONE AND ALL FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT
CONCERT REVIEW BY JAMES E. ROBBINS JR.
We had to endure the heavy traffic of the Beyonce and Jay Z concert but it was truly well worth it. Alyn was a one man wrecking crew playing amazing acoustic guitars from 12 string, 6 string, classical, some funky rock guitar on his Ibanez and some Wes Montgomery vibes on his hollow body, he also played some beautiful classical compositions on keyboards. Alyn is truly a world class guitarist,composer and musician...at 66 like a fine wine that has aged to perfection...this evening was a journey of his life through his original music and career. Words can't express, it was very enjoyable and a pleasure to the ears but most of all food for the soul. God bless you Alyn and thank you for a wonderful and memorable night of entertainment until next time my brother.
CURRENT RELEASE - Cyrano
Part II of the Black Forest Anthology. This recording is solo acoustic guitar played on my favorite acoustic instrument aptly named CYRANO, after Cyrano De Bergerac. A fitting addition to the Black Forest Anthology and another visit into the realm of the musically beautiful. RELEASED ON AUGUST 18TH, 2018.
THE DEFINITVE REVIEW OF Cyrano
" Cyrano is totally captivating -
music of great imagination
and color, brilliantly performed
by Alyn Syms "
JoAnn Falletta -
Conductor and Music Director for
the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
ARTVOICE ARTICLE
Working on Perfection, the ALMOST perfect Alyn Syms performs one night in East Aurora
March 1, 2019Artvoice
By Teresa Reile
Inspired by the Beatles and the thought of girls fawning over him, a young Alyn Syms set out on a musical journey which has lead him through all sorts of twists and turns including opening for major acts, selling out to packed venues, and of course, having girls fawn over him.
He quickly realized that his goals were higher than that. Much Higher. He wanted to lift the world with his music.
He wanted every person who heard his music to be transformed.
He wanted to heal people. He wanted to change them.
He does that.
His music transforms the listener to another place. An indefinable place, but a place they want to be.
This.
This is what Alyn wants when he plays.
This.
This is what he strives for.
This is the quest that he has been on his whole life.
Perfection.
As many of you may know, Alyn was a staple in Rick James ‘Stone City Band’, made good money and had a lot of fun, but driven by an impetus to reach ever higher, he left the funk scene and started his own band called the Alyn Syms Group, better known as ASG. With the help of music promoter, Bruce Moser of Could Be Wild Productions, Alyn set out on a quest of the unattainable absolute of perfection.
In the words of the late Hunter S. Thompson, ” The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There’s also a negative side. ”
Syms lived that.
He had to wend his way through the dungeons of mediocrity, the labyrinth of ordinariness and the graveyards of indifference to emerge on the steps of the Castle of the Ideal.
He has since climbed those steps, yet has one more to go…that unattainable step of perfection.
Ever the critic of himself, he keeps striving to be better.
It is this quality that makes him humble.
It is this quality that makes him great.
It is this quality that makes him keep going.
It is this quality that keeps people coming back for more.
He speaks of a time when three time Grammy Award Winner Joanne Falletta, sent him a letter after hearing his music in which she stated, “…absolutely beautiful and totally captivating. Music of great imagination and color, brilliantly performed by Alyn Syms.” .
That was the highlight of his life. He keeps that letter as a testament, not to his having reached his goal, but to the fact that he still has a long way to go.
He says, “The first sign of a novice is that they think they know everything. The first sign of a master is that they will readily admit they know nothing.”
He admits he knows nothing.
We KNOW he is a master.
HE knows he is still on a journey.
He feels he hasn’t reached perfection yet. Perhaps in his mind, he never will. But, those that hear him perform, will tell you a different tale.
To them, Alyn is a master. To them, he IS perfection.
Perhaps this one night, in East Aurora he will reach Perfection.
Come and see.
The Aurora Theatre 673 Main St. East Aurora, NY 14052
March 12, 2019
Doors open at 6:30 pm
Concert starts at 7:30 pm
BUFFALO RISING ARTICLE
Buffalo Music Hall of Fame Rock Guitarist Evolves His Musical Style
Syms to debut new work at Aurora Theatre Concert
by 
BRo Guest Authors March 5, 2019, 4:05 pm 0 Comments
Author: Christina Abt
Alyn Syms is a Buffalo Music Hall of Fame guitarist who earned his chops as part of Rick James’ Stone City Band, performing on national television shows like Dick Clark Live, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, and Soul Train.
He later advanced his music career as the leader of his own Alyn Syms Group (ASG), recording an album that received national airplay and acclaim, but never quite elevated the band to iconic rock and roll status.
Finally, after ten years of trying, ASG disbanded and Alyn Syms walked away from the music that had defined him and his career.
“After ASG died, I became totally disillusioned with the music industry,” Syms said. “It felt as if everything I had given to making it in the that world had been a sham. So, in 1990, I quit. I set my guitars on a shelf and got a job that paid the bills. Yet the music in my soul kept playing, but in a different sound than the rock and roll I’d performed for over twenty years. Eventually, I decided to go back to school and see what I could learn about creating my own kind of music.”
Syms’ quest led him to a degree in Liberal Studies, with a concentration in music, and continued toward a Master’s Degree in Music Composition. It was a reflective period for the accomplished musician in which he became inspired to create.
“In 2004 I recorded, “The Lost Art,” Syms said. “It was an 80-minute collection of instrumental music divided into three parts, shifting from hard rock, to atmospheric and dreamy soundscapes. That achievement encouraged me to continue and in 2005 I began work on an anthology titled, “Black Forest.” I define it as acoustic guitar work with a medieval flair. To date, I have released Part I (Black Forest/2013) and Part II (Cyrano/2018) and am working on Part III (Variations on a Theme) along with some music that is actually returning me to my ASG roots.”
Validation of Syms’ musical evolution has been positive and impressive. In 2016, he was inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. Additionally with the launch of “Black Forest,” internationally renown philharmonic conductor, JoAnn Falletta became aware of Syms’ music and praised it as, “….lush orchestrations and inspirational melodies. Totally captivating – music of great imagination and color, brilliantly performed by Alyn.” While Syms values the public praise, he notes the ways in which his music is helping people is most satisfying.
“Several years ago I began playing my music at Roswell Hospital in the lobby and at veteran’s outreach centers,” Syms said. “It’s been an amazing experience watching people who are struggling with their physical and mental health, often unable to communicate, actually light up as they listen to my music. I have to say, it’s better than any standing ovation I’ve ever received.”
Alyn Syms will perform in concert on Tuesday, March 12th 7:30pm at The Aurora Theatre, 673 Main St. East Aurora. where he will debut a new musical work titled, Camerata. Tickets are $20 General Admission and $30 VIP which includes seating in the front rows and a copy of Alyn Sym’s Greatest Hits.