Florian Opahle (born 1983) is a German guitarist, best known for his work with progressive rock musician Ian Anderson and later his band, Jethro Tull. He played with Anderson from 2003 to 2019 and with a reformed Jethro Tull from 2017 to 2019 as lead guitarist with both.
Opahle grew up in Rosenheim, Bavaria. He started learning classical guitar at the age of five, and was later trained on the electric guitar. In 2001 and 2002, he attended master classes with Masayuki Kato, in 2002 he passed his high school diploma.
In 2003 he started working with Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull. He appeared in Europe, North and South America and Asia on and played with musicians such as Al di Meola, Greg Lake and Leslie Mandoki. He accompanied the singer Masha on her Germany tour. From 2007 to 2008 he studied music arrangement and composition at the German Pop Academy.
Opahle took part in several tours with Anderson instead of longtime Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre, including on projects in which pieces by Jethro Tull were played with orchestral accompaniment. With Anderson and other musicians, he recorded the albums Thick as a Brick 2 (2012) and Homo Erraticus (2014). From 2017, Anderson toured under the name of Jethro Tull with his regular backing musicians.
Opahle is also active as a studio musician and producer, among others for Alexandra Stan. At times he devotes himself to flamenco music.
Opahle also performed live with former King Crimson and ELP member Greg Lake, which resulted in him appearing on his 2006 album, Live.
Since 2017, he has been running a professional recording studio with his wife called RedBoxx Studios in the south of Germany. (wikipedia)
Born in 1983, Guitarist Florian Opahle from Rosenheim, Bavaria in Germany, is the youngest regular musician to work with us but by no means any less talented.
His musical interests cover contemporary Rock styles as well as Classic Rock, Blues and Classical music. After a rigid music education background (including master class instruction from guitarists such as Al Di Meola), young Florian has worked in a number of live acts and studios in his native Germany.
He has toured throughout Europe with female vocalist Masha, and in 2003, he began working with Jethro Tull front man, Ian Anderson, in his solo band and orchestral projects. As guitarist on the “Ian Anderson Plays Orchestral Jethro Tull” tour, he performed in Italy, Greece, France and Germany with Anderson’s band and a full orchestra. The tour has since been captured as a home DVD release.
In the Autumnal months of 2004, Florian returned to his work as a recording session player, contributing to a number albums and projects in Germany and other parts of Europe. Shortly thereafter, he was invited to join The Greg Lake Band for a tour in 2005.
Since 2003 – Florian has been touring with Ian Anderson in various parts of the world including Switzerland, Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic, India, Hungary, Scandinavia, Iceland, South America, Russia, Germany, the UK, USA, Japan and Hong-Kong. (jethrotull.com)
Here is his first and so far last solo album, released as a simple private pressing (“Limited Edition”); at that time he was only 23 years old and to call this album a “journeyman’s piece” would almost be an insult.
Discreetly accompanied by 2 colleagues, he unfolds here – mainly on the acoustic guitar – sounds that must be assigned to a master class.
Intimate intimacy (strongly influenced by his training on the classical concert guitar) spreads when he celebrates even the most adventurous guitar runs with playful ease. This is very impressive and so it is not surprising that I must once again give this album an urgent listening recommendation.
Of course, there are no hard rock sounds to be heard here … the lightness of musical being is the focus of his music at that time.
It’s a pity, a great pity, that there are no more solo albums by him.
Personnel:
Florian Opahle (guitar, programming)
+
Timucin Dincel (percussion)
Stephan Zeh (keyboards)
Tracklist:
01. A Nice Day 5.20
02. Spanish Nights 5.38
03. Pick A Lick 5.58
04. Pavana 7.13
05. Synth 8.13
06. Lucca 4.15
07. Dropped D 7.41
+
08. Introduction (Ian Anderson) + Toccata And Fugue (live 2013) 4.10
Musik Florian Ophale
except on 04.: Francisco Tárrega
and 08.: Johann Sebastian Bach
The former official website:
The current website, which serves more his recording studio and his wife’s photo studio:
ManyFantasticColors 