August 26, 2020

Meet Gina Machovina

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina Machovina.

Gina, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up in Southern California, I found beauty and a sense of freedom in music! Rock and roll was my first love and I would find meaning in every melody and lyric… every song was written for my life alone. Attending festival concerts was my favorite occupation… and without a doubt, I wanted to dive into the live music scene heart and soul. The guitar is such an expressive and versatile instrument. I sought to learn as much as I could and express whatever feelings that my words weren’t sufficient for. There was a Yamaha music school near my home and I began the study of classical guitar.

At the same time, I bought a Fender Strat and started writing riffs and lyrics; really seeking to piece my life together through composing and learning the instrument. Rising, my first band in the 80’s, was my baby for 15 years, and we toured quite a bit throughout So Cal. Coinciding with writing and performing with this all original metal band, I became quite proficient on the classical guitar, eventually earning a BA in guitar and lute performance from the Univ of California- Irvine.

Life went on, children came and I found myself musically alone. It became logical in my mind that I should add vocals to my repertoire. I was fortunate enough to have many years prior, been privy to vocal lessons from a renowned opera maestro. With good notes, and a new protocol, I trained my voice to be decent enough to perform as a soloist.

Today, I live in Sedona AZ, and perform 200 + gigs per year (pre-covid). I play classic rock, standards, folk, and always intersperse classical/flamenco style guitar in and out of the rock covers I do. I feel extremely fortunate as I am finally able to play music as my sole source of income. Things are rough now, with so many businesses closed down, but I do still perform at an Italian restaurant, a few wine tasting establishments, and a farmer’s market that has opened up for live music. I am currently working on my 3rd and 4th cd’s… an instrumental with classical guitar, flute and some fiddle tunes, and a cd with originals and some covers that I love.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Life is wrought with difficulties, and these difficulties or shocks are exactly what add flavor and color to every manifestation. I view challenges and unexpected road blocks in a different way now… not as a nuisance, but as a chance to receive something outside of my ordinary mind. It is so easy to get into a momentum, and fall asleep to life around us. The school of hard knocks is irreplaceable.

Most notable and recent change in my musical presentation, is my husband Al on bass guitar and vocals. He has a wonderful sense of harmony and began playing bass three years ago to accompany me whenever needed. Alberto is indebted to perform with me when possible, as his instruction has been intense. Al’s progress has been nothing less than amazing. Being performance ready has necessitated great effort on both our parts, to say the least.

Gina Machovina – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I set an enchanting musical atmosphere for various public events. For wine tasting establishments and restaurants, I perform solo classical guitar masterpieces and favorite rock and roll, jazz, and folk tunes. For farmer’s markets and art fairs, Alberto joins me on bass guitar and harmonies.

In the event of a wedding or other special event, my friend and amazing flutist Claudia Tulip often joins me. I must say the quality is stunning when the two of us play as a duo ~ we share a classical sensibility, garnered from decades of study and performance on our instruments. I also formed a group called Saffire four years ago with TJ Brennan on drums. Alberto joined us on bass, and we often have soloists join as well. When the gathering calls out for upbeat Rock and Roll and dance tunes Saffire is very tight with a great selection of classic tunes. I particularly enjoy performing my progressive Rock originals. These rhythmic and harmonic gems draw particular attention from the audience.

Whatever form of music I present, a big heart and passion are evident, and refreshingly interesting for the listener. I take great care to be relate-able to the audience and see what works for their spirit. It is sort of funny to say, but I get a strong sensing of what particular song an individual would relate to. In 99% of the cases, it is a song that draws the response, “that was my favorite song!’

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment is right now, being so content in my life to be performing and writing music daily. I should mention the amazing progress of my husband on the bass guitar. Playing as a duo has increased the quality of my music exponentially… and when we add TJ on drums, we have a hot rock and jazzy trio called Saffire.

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