brian tarquin

BHP Music-Guitar Trax Records Signs With APM, Sonoton Music

BHP Music-Guitar Trax Records, owned by multi-Emmy award-winning guitarist/composer Brian Tarquin, signed an exclusive representation deal with Associated Production Music in Los Angeles for Tarquin’s catalog of Classic Rock songs along with Sonoton Music for all original compositions. APM is one of the premier representatives of production music owned by Sony/ATV Music Publishing Universal Music Publishing Group. Sonoton Music, headquartered in Munich, Germany, is the largest privately owned music production library in the world established in 1965.

BHP Music-Guitar Trax Records features iconic guitarists: Steve Morse (Deep Purple), Larry Coryell, Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big), Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal (Guns N’ Roses), Jeff Scott Soto (Journey), Jeff Watson (Night Ranger), Trey Gunn (King Crimson), Frank Gambale, Andy Timmons, Max Middleton (Jeff Beck), Mike Stern (Miles Davis), Gary Hoey, Reb Beach (Whitesnake), Tony Franklin (Jimmy Page), Randy Coven (Steve Vai), Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake), Hal Lindes (Dire Straits), Chris Poland (Megadeth), Chuck Loeb (FourPlay), Alex De Rosso (Dokken), Will Ray (The Hellecasters), Vinnie Moore (UFO), Travis Stever (Coheed & Cambria), Chris Haskett (Henry Rollins Band), Dean Brown (Billy Cobham) and Son of a Bach.

In 2000, the dawn of the new millennium, Tarquin started a boutique record label called BHP Music-Guitar Trax Records, specializing in instrumental guitar music. In 2006 SESAC honored him with the Network Television Performance Award. Tarquin also graced the Top Billboard Charts with such commercial releases as: This is Acid Jazz, Vol. 2, Sweet Emotions, and Bossa Brava: Caliente on Instinct Records, followed by several solo jazz albums, producing such hits as “Arrow of Truth”, “One Arabian Knight”, “Freeway Jam”, “Tangled Web,” and “Darlin Darlin Baby” which all charted Top 10 at Smooth Jazz radio. Brian has appeared on 40 commercial releases: selling over 140,000 records in his career. After his experience as an artist, Tarquin decided to start a label concentrating on producing records for the artistic value.

Brian tapped into his contacts and began to release the Guitar Master Series licensing various tracks by artists such as: Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Santana, BB King, John Paul Jones, Zakk Wylde, and Joe Satriani. He also composed specialty albums, inviting famous guitarists like Steve Morse, Billy Sheehan, Leslie West, Gary Hoey, and Larry Coryell to guest on each track. In 2010 he produced and released virtuoso bassist Randy Coven’s last album, Nu School featuring Leslie West. The label became a favorite among guitar heads and received rave reviews from Guitar Player, Premier Guitar, Guitar World and Vintage Guitar magazines.

Simultaneously, Tarquin built a recording studio called Jungle Room Studios where many of the releases were recorded and produced. The studio features an extensive analog/digital facility featuring a collection of classic outboard gear as: a vintage Trident recording console, Otari MTR 90 24 track analog tape machine, Ampex 440c ¼” analog tape machine, Neve Compressor 33609, Rupert Neve Designs Portico II Master Buss Processor, Neve 1074, Chandler ltd Germanium Compressor and a host of other gear including an array of microphones, guitars & amplifiers. Jungle Room Studios has been featured in such magazines as Music Connection, Mix, EQ, Vintage Guitar, Progression, and Professional Sound.

In 2019 Tarquin received a Global Music Gold Award for his release “Orlando In Heaven” for “Best Album.” Three years in a row (2016-2019) Tarquin received “Best Album of the Year” nominations from the Independent Music Awards on releases Guitars for Wounded Warriors, Orlando in Heaven and Guitars for Veterans where Tarquin was able to show his guitar prowess alongside such world-class shredders as: Steve Morse, Larry Coryell, Mike Stern, Billy Sheehan, Gary Hoey, Bumblefoot (Guns N’ Roses), Reb Beach (Whitesnake), Hal Lindes (Dire Straits), Chris Poland (Megadeth) and Chuck Loeb (FourPlay).

More information at BHP Music-Guitar Trax Records: gtrtrax.com