The guitar shredding duo of George Fletcher and Pete Pashoukos make up the synthesis of the electrifying Tequila Mockingbirds. 

The group has been performing together since 2004 and was named “Best Acoustic Duo” for the last two years in the Metroland reader’s poll, not to mention, winning last year’s “Best Jazz Musician or Group” category in Albany’s Times Union.

They have released two albums to date, and continue to perform and promote live music and guitar playing around Saratoga Springs through Fletcher’s guitar lessons and Pashoukos open mic nights. I sat down with the duo to talk about how they started playing together, where they got their name and the guitar players that have had the most influence over their playing.

How did you come together as a group?

PP: We met at an open mic night and we weren’t sure if we liked each other because we had a disagreement over Muddy Waters. But anyway, there was a gig around town and Arthur Gonick, who does booking in Saratoga, just threw us in the gig because he knew us both and he figured between the two of us we would have enough material to experiment with and we have been winging it ever since.

How would you describe your sound?

GF: It’s just two acoustic guitarists gone mad…

PP: We just try to be two guitar players, but we do sing. I would say about half our songs we sing and half are instrumental, but the biggest focus is on musicianship and improvising. Improve is a huge part of any show we play because we love it and we can’t usually remember how we played it the time before, so it adds a nice aspect to the sound.

Where does the name Tequila Mockingbird originate from?

PP: George came up with several names and we conducted an online poll with our friends, family and fans and that’s what they came up with - it has stuck ever since.

In 2007 and 2008 you were named by Metroland as the Capital Region’s “Best Acoustic Duo” and in 2007 as the Capital Region’s “Best Jazz Musician or Group” in Albany’s Times Union.

What do you feel that says about your act?

GF: A lot of its marketing to our fan base. There are a lot of people on our mailing list who are on there voluntarily and when there is a poll going on we make sure that our fans know about it - every band does this. We just got real lucky, especially with the Times Union because although there is a strong jazz element to what we do it is a lot more than just jazz and we were up against a bunch of other great jazz musicians, so to come out on top of that, I wont say it was a fluke, but it was certainly a pleasant surprise.

What is your favorite song to perform together?

GF/PP: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”

PP: Because when we first started playing together we combined all our music and most of it was blues, but what we have had a lot of fun doing over the past couple years is playing beautiful music, not just songs that rip.

Do you have a favorite venue to play in the area?

GF: Well each venue has its own charm and personality and its benefits to playing. Every place has its good points, but we really enjoy playing at Gaffney’s and Bailey’s (Café) here in Saratoga Springs.

While you two are performing do you ever feel like it turns into a competition?

GF: Every now and then when we are both totally on I can see that happening. I know there have been times when we are both on and we will start playing “Pride and Joy” or “Hideaway,” which have similar grooves, and we will just start with riffs and not do it in the standard way. Then I’ll do a bunch of stuff and Peter will do a bunch of stuff and we will eventually bring it to a

crescendo and start playing the song.

What guitar player has had the most influence over your music?

GF: Well there’s a million of them, but it’s a tie between Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page because they have done more for me as guitar player than any one else and there is always Paul McCartney who is extremely underrated.

PP: Django Reinhardt. He was a 1920s and 1930s gypsy jazz guitar player who is absolutely amazing. I have never stopped listening to him and now I am listening to people who were influenced by him.

You have recorded two albums to date; do you have any others planned for the future?

GF: Right now we have a third album we are working on. It will be a compilation of our first two albums including a bunch of unreleased stuff. We have a bunch of bookings coming up on the west coast and we want to have something that’s different than what we have been selling.

You both help to give back to the music scene here in Saratoga Springs either through guitar lessons or open mic nights. Why do you feel it’s important to help preserve the future of music in Saratoga?

GF: Well look at it this way, if we became rock stars then we would be idolized, but what would we really be doing. This is a lot more real, anything that happens on the ground level is a lot more real, so once my students have developed to a point that I can let them go out on their own then that makes me feel like I have done something good. When I was younger, I said I was going to leave the world a better place. I guess I still want that, it’s just not so idealistic because now it’s real. Am I making the world better, I don’t know, but I feel like I am and it feels good.

You can learn more about The Tequila Mockingbirds by visiting: www.thetequilamockingbirds.com or www.myspace.com/

peteandgeorge