The California Guitar Trio is a music group based in Los Angeles. It consists of, as the name suggests, three guitarists, Paul Richards, Hideyo Moriya and Bert Lams. All three artists come from various backgrounds and from all over the world. While Richard is originally American (Salt Lake City, Utah), Moriya is from Tokyo, Japan and Lams is from Affligem, Belgium. They have been performing together since 1991 and continue to do so till this date. The genre in which they play is largely instrumental, but is skewed towards rock and new age music. They are talented musicians who know how to put on a good live show and manage to sell out  California Guitar Trio tickets  everywhere they go.

The three met back in 1987 when they were all attending a "Guitar Craft" course. All members then simultaneously had the chance to learn under the guidance of Robert Fripp of King Crimson fame who taught them the use of the "New Tuning Standard. It was here that they caught the bug of performing on stage. Fripp taught them several more courses before inviting them to be part of his new touring group, "The League of Crafty Guitarists". This became the first time that the trio played together on stage, with one of the most celebrated guitar players as their mentor.

The three enjoyed playing together so much that they decided to continue on their arrangement well in 1991, even when they no longer had courses together. Their collaboration as we know it today thus began in Los Angeles. As a new band, they continued to play in the style that they had learnt in the classes that they took together. Soon, they began to record together as well. Their earliest works consisted largely of a number of covers with a few original compositions as well. The consistent theme in all their music compositions however, remained rock music, be it in the progressive form, or in the acoustic and experimental form. Additionally, they would experiment with classical music, giving it their own twist and making them sound like modern tunes. Other genres of music that have been prominent in their work over the years have been surf music, jazz, and the blues. They are also greatly influenced by European musicians and their compositions. Throughout their career as a band, they have been noticed for their technical prowess and the precision in their playing. In their shows, they promote the importance of the structural integrity of any song. But while their vigorous views on their art form make them seem too robust, they managed to portray themselves as artists who do not take themselves too seriously. Their shows always have a clever sense of humor, keeping the audience engaged with their witty banter and performance style.

The California Guitar Trio was prominently featured in the Olympic Games of 1998 and 2000. They have also appeared on many television shows on various networks including NBC, ESPN and CBS. In 2003, they were nominated for a Grammy Award for their song "Apollo". This track was written for Tony Levin and was included in his album, "Pieces of the Sun". They even had the honor of performing at the Grammys with the artist. Another interesting achievement for the band is that their music was played at Endeavor; a space shuttle launched by NASA, and would serve as the wake up alarm for the astronauts.
Their touring history is nothing short of extraordinary. They have shared the stage with a number of accomplished names such as "King Crimson". They were part of the band’s worldwide tour as their opening act. During these concert series, Pat Masrelotto and Tony Levin would often join the band on their set to play the drums and bass. Other than King Crimson, they have performed with John McLaughlin, Taj Mahal, Jon Anderson and Leftover Salmon amongst others.

The California Guitar Trio has an impressive 14 albums in their discography. These consist of both original tunes and their instrumental renditions of other people’s works. They have also released 4 live albums and a holiday record. They have continued to collaborate with Tony Levin, most prominently on the record, Whitewater. This was one of the first projects the trio did together that consisted of their own compositions. Levin served as their producer. The band will be performing these tracks on their upcoming tour. Their fans can find  California Guitar Trio tickets  online.