Gideon Guitar Is Creating a Deeper Connection to The Human Experience

By Michael Kolawole

Listening to Gideon Guitar play is a thrill. Whether live or through recording, his performances are enthralling.
 
Seeing sound as a human act, there is a sensitivity in the way he bends notes. There is patience in his performances and generosity in the spaces he allows between phrases.
 
Born in Oshogbo, Osun State in 1991, Gideon’s path to musical expression has been anything but linear. He began making music at church and community events in 2013, long before his fingers ever danced across the neck of a guitar or plucked the strings. Those early years fostered his passion for music, setting the stage for the sensitive, melodic voice he would later develop on the stringed instrument.
 
His transition was almost accidental. It was a case of curiosity and immediacy during a rehearsal that turned into a lifelong commitment. Something about the neck, the frets, the potential of those six strings spoke to him. Since then, he has committed himself to listening to their heartfelt messages to hone his skills.
 
Instead of following the prescribed curriculum in music schools, Gideon absorbed the influences of great guitarists like George Benson and Earl Klugh, blending their jazz sophistication with the lively, infectious rhythm of Highlife and Afrobeat.
 
Through different shows, Gideon has proven his proficiency as a guitarist and his contributions are always remarkable.
 
As lead guitarist in the “Lovers Praise Medley” with Obanla Feranmi, Gideon’s quiet generosity in his phrasing helps set the praise and worship session in motion. A few seconds into the medley, the camera focuses on Gideon’s fingers gently plucking the guitar strings, as Obanla Feranmi chants the praises of Jesus Christ and commands the people to worship Him.
 
Oftentimes when other instrumentalists are silent during the performance, Gideon solemnly plays the guitar to accompany the songs Obanla Ferami is singing. When Feranmi briefly stops singing to admonish the viewer to join in the worship, Gideon quietly reiterates the praise song. At the 5-minute mark, the camera focuses on Gideon’s fingers gently plucking the guitar strings, showing his importance to the medley.
 
At the 6:42-minute mark, when the performance is jazzed up, Gideon is one of the instrumentalists who leads the medley, preparing the ground for the all-female backup singers to take charge. Gideon’s performance is electrified as the medley switches from a soulful, solemn praise to a joyful, jubilant tune. His fingers move dexterously on the strings, displaying his mastery of the instrument.
 
The camera hardly engages Gideon during the worship session. But during the guitar interludes at the 13:34 and 21:13 minute marks, it centres on him as he bridges the gap between the choruses while the lead and backup singers sway to the music. As the session edges towards the end and becomes more elevated, Gideon’s performance becomes more pronounced, leaning towards the frenetic Highlife chops.
 
As lead guitarist for “Tales and Tunes” with Kayefi, Gideon’s performance is totally different from the solemn and Highlife-leaning one in “Lovers Praise Medley” with Obanla Feranmi. The event is cultural and more theatrical, Gideon’s performance is funky, keeping up with Kayefi’s electrified display.
 
Despite being appealing, there are a few flaws in both of his performances.
 
As an integral member of the band in Obanla Feranmi’s “Lovers Praise Medley”, Gideon is hardly seen but heard. His contribution to the performance is second to none, he keeps the medley on whenever Obanla Feranmi pauses. Likewise, in Kayefi’s “Tales and Tunes”, Gideon is tucked behind in the background, almost invisible.
 
Visibility aside, there are times when his playing of the guitar doesn’t sync with the performances. Take, for instance, the beginning of “Lovers’ Praise Medley”, other instruments pause as Obanla Feranmi begins solemnly but Gideon and the keyboardist keep playing. This ruins the quiet moment intended for such a slow but reverent opening.
 
In Kayefi’s “Tales and Tunes”, Gideon chases the performance as it becomes electrified, his string skipping and snapping as he tries to catch up to Kayefi’s energetic singing and dancing.
 
Besides these minor setbacks across these events, Gideon’s renditions resist easy categorisation, showing how versatile he is. Whether at a religious worship session or a cultural show, he carries a humble and profound sense of purpose.
 
Standing at the crossroads between religious and cultural, Gideon actively engages the audience across both sides, using his guitar to create a deeper connection with the human experience.