allan holdsworth passes away

British jazz fusion virtuoso Allan Holdsworth passed away suddenly last month, aged 70. One of the true innovators of the instrument, Holdsworth’s advanced use of technique, including altered scales, is cited as an influence on a wide range of players, including Eddie Van Halen, John Petrucci, Alex Lifeson and Meshuggah’s Fredrik Thordendal. During his career he released 12 studio albums, as well as releases with Soft Machine and I.O.U. Following his death, fans have raised over $114,000 for a memorial fund.