On 9 July, Johannesburg’s guitar community gathered at Sognage for a night to remember with one of prog fusion’s most compelling voices. While billed as a guitar clinic, Gardiner’s appearance proved to be far more than a technical workshop—it felt like an interactive, intimate gig of sorts and was an insightful exploration of musicianship, creativity, and the philosophy behind modern guitar playing.
Originally from Liverpool and now based in Switzerland, Jack Gardiner has become one of the defining guitarists of contemporary progressive fusion. Through releases such as Escapades, Urushi, and his 2026 full-length album Kintsugi, he has carved out a voice that effortlessly blends jazz harmony, rock energy, funk-infused groove, and progressive precision. His collaborations with artists including Henrik Linder, Owane, Andy Timmons, Cory Wong, and Mariko Muranaka have further cemented his reputation as a guitarist whose virtuosity always adds to the music in interesting and beautiful ways.
The AZ series from Ibanez is the range of guitars that they utilised for the workshop. It’s a very versatile series, enabling the artist to achieve an immensely diverse range of tones and effects with the same instrument. One lucky member of the audience even won a standard AZ model, after they found a signed card under their seat!
Johannesburg formed one stop on Gardiner’s 2026 Ibanez Clinic Tour before he continued across Asia, bringing his distinctive approach to audiences eager to unpack the mechanics (and mindset) behind his playing. As one of Ibanez’ flagship artists, Gardiner showcased the remarkable versatility of his instruments, demonstrating everything from crystalline cleans and fluid legato passages to articulate, high-gain lead tones.
What separated the evening from countless clinics was Gardiner’s down to earth and approachable personality. He’s a really funny guy and an excellent communicator, which lead to some really awesome interactions. Questions on songwriting, economy of motion, time-feel, and re-harmonisation (which was completely new to me) and more were answered with integrity, humour, and generosity. Rather than presenting technique as an end goal, he continually returned to the importance of articulation, rhythmic feel, melodic development, and making every phrase mean something—a philosophy that lies at the heart of today’s progressive fusion movement.
The response from attendees echoed that sentiment, with many praising not only Gardiner’s extraordinary command of the instrument but also his humility, warmth, and willingness to engage with fans.
For South African guitarists, evenings like this are all too rare. Thanks to Ibanez South Africa and Sognage, Johannesburg was treated to a clinic that celebrated far more than technical excellence. It was a reminder that the process of creating music should be a journey of exploration and passion, and that the most inspiring players aren’t necessarily those with the best gear, but those who can translate complexity into emotion and leave an audience not simply wanting to practise harder, but to play more musically.
-Dwell in Darkness. Live in Light.
Lunis Voidbright