Eugene’s Trick Bag - Matteo Mancuso (Plus Big Announcement!) 

I remember myself years ago watching that scene in the movie and how the actor used his fingers they way you do to play that solo. Of course I laughed at it because "it is impossible to play THAT solo like that, you NEED a pick". And now... I'm speechless.

Steve’s masterpiece done beautifully without a pick… Amazing!!! 👍

It's not just that Matteo can play faster, more fluidly, and with greater ease and tonal range than virtually anyone else, but that unlike the vast majority of superfast players, he can actually improvise on complex changes at that speed. His ability is not merely mechanical; there is a great musical mind behind his chops.

This is without doubt the most authentic sounding rendition of this piece ever played (outside of the actual movie recording) ... and Matteo uses no studio trickery either, it's all recorded live in one take. Absolutely amazing!

Unbelievable. The best performance of this since the movie.

The fastest, most fluid, most articulate version I have ever heard! Dare I say, even more so than Vai's playing of it! OMG! Mere child's play in this magicians 10 fingers!

Matteo, how can you teach anybody anything? You are completely another level from the rest of us mortal guitar players.

I’ve been waiting for years to see Matteo play this piece, always wondering how he would go about it. This surely did not disappoint. Instantly my favorite performance of this. I’ve been trying to nail this piece for probably 15 years and still can’t do it, but somehow watching Matteo play it flawlessly just inspires me to try harder. Well done, and thanks so much for the demonstration! Truly a one-in-a-million player. 👍🏼👍🏼

Playing and performing guitar for 61 years I can say that now there are hundreds and eventually tens of thousands of guitarists that will be emulating your style, Just like we emulated the Ventures, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix etc.. You are truly inspiring, myself included.

Saucy stuff. Congrats on the Vai camp spot! Have a blast. Loving the new record by the way, that's one serious guitar album.

I can see Steve Vai smiling and clapping... excellent.

A parte il livello strumentale e culturale della chitarra, ho il forte sospetto che Matteo possieda una grande e raffinata qualità umana . Quello che risalta dalle sue interviste e una sincera modestia. Aprofitto per fare i miei complimenti ai suoi genitori

Magnificent!!👏👏👏🌹❤️🙏

Just when you thought everything has already be done on the guitar along comes this young guy with a creative unique approach and sound. Looking forward to his continued contribution to the guitar in the years to come.

Flawless. You cannot get better than this.

Never EVER gets old, and you sir played it perfectly. Loved it!

I’ve tried to play this for years & though I was doing a pretty good job, until I saw this! Matteo you are a phenomenal musician, and from what I have seen a phenomenal person as well. Bravo!

Caro Matteo non ci sono più aggettivi per definire il tuo talento. Spettacolare, come la tua Palermo che ho avuto modo di visitare nel mese di agosto, sperando di incrociarti per le vie del centro ed avere il piacere di stringerti la mano. Grande. Grazie per il filmato🙏🎸

Simply wonderful

Simply amazing.

Crossroads! Nostalgia. Super master, bravo!🎸😊

I wish nothing but the best for you young man. You are an inspiration to so many guitar players including myself.

Always a pleasure to watch and listen!

GENIUS!!! BRAVO!!!👏👏👏👏BRAVÍSSIMO!!!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Damn dude that was absolutely flawless. You’re definitely something special, always amazed by your playing

That was flawless!!❤

That was just amazing! Beautiful!

Thank you for your contribution allot of us older players can only dream of what you do with your fingers you have opened the door stay blessed

Sei un vero fenomeno .. orgoglio Siciliano.. entri di merito tra i migliori chitarristi del panorama musicale mondiale.. grande Matteo 🎸💪

Man I am presently practicing in my studio and now i have to practice much much longer. Just amazing

Fantastic performance like every time; I always know I'm in for a treat when you do anything new!

Beautiful!!! Bravo!

Beautiful resolution at the end!... and your use of the arpeggios at the end instead of an octave back is such a clever move for a thicker tone on the lower strings and makes for better economy of movement. That's the part that gets me. Thanks I will try the ending your way!

Matteo, le tue esecuzioni sono ipnotiche!!

Absolutely excellent 🎉

Just fantastic, Matteo! Thanks!

ti seguo da 4 anni e vederti finalmente crescere è la cosa più soddisfacente del mondo

I honestly believe that you’re the future of guitar Matteo, and I think that you’re going to inspire a generation of players to reach new levels, and create new techniques/ideas never seen before with your unique, masterful style of playing!!

Impresionante

You never cease to amaze me!

Yep, here he comes again making me wonder how his abilities are even possible... What a legend.

Leggenda ❤

It sounds always so easy with your magic playing, awesome

Bravo ! You are great ! Really !

Man is an absolute unit, mind blown as always. Not an easy piece as anyone guitarist who loved the movie knew already

Matteo sei un orgoglio italiano, ti meriti tutto il successo del mondo, sei fenomenale hai tutta la mia stima.👏👏👏👏👏🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼⚡⚡⚡👑

Fantastic

Bravo! Maestro!!!👋👋👋

No, vabbè, uno dei miei film preferiti. Pensavo solo Steve Vai fosse in grado di rifare quel pezzo e poi arrivi tu. E senza plettro!😱

This has haunted me since 1986. It will haunt me for the rest of my life, never being able to pull it off. Something tells me Matteo learned this over the weekend.

Brilliant !!😮

Amazing, just the best performance I've ever heard or seen of Eugenes Trick bag. Wow!

ANIMAL!!👏🏻

grandissimo matte, buona fortuna per tutto e continua a migliorare!! esecuzione magnifica

Wow!!!! Absolutely outstanding

WOW sempre più SUPER !!!👍👍Un vero maestro !!👏👏

With his novel approach, and masterful technique; I'm beginning to wonder if Matteo could perform Nuno's "Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee" without a delay pedal.

I mean… Damn. I grew up watching Crossroads and I can’t even try to estimate how many times I’ve watch that scene. But what I do know is this… I’ve watched many talented guitar players do a pretty good job with this piece, but none have come close to duplicating it the way you have… I am still stunned at your precision and I know it didn’t come easy, you worked your ass off for that and I’m sorry that my few kind words are all that I have to offer, but damn…

Beautiful ❤

Perfecto.

Impressive unique technique...but only the tool to make really music. So clean,so vigorous. You make it look so easy. This Steve Vai masterpiece has a new life on your hands. I hope you'll go higher with your enormous talent. Congrats...

Man it seems like just yesterday that I taught Matteo this piece,he's really coming along nicely.!🤣🤣

It is amazing everytime I hear you play.

Amazing!

incredibile suonare la chitarra 🎸🎶

Like having four picks in perfect physical harmony allowing unmatched style and virtuosity !! but he has screaming vibrato up in the high fret board, attitude for days, timing phrasing, just a stunning guitar player ! I hope some huge pop act on a world tour hires him to elevate his status to the main stream !

Wow,,,incredible

I have played both classical guitar, and electric guitar for 40? years. I can play Paganini's caprice #5 on classical guitar, with proper classical technique. And I have impressed an audience, or two, playing Eugene's trick bag, (a variation of Caprice #5 by Steve Vai,) very well with a pick. Aside from that piece. I have always tried to apply the classical (rest-stroke, free-stroke) technique to the electric guitar. The problem has always been the unpredictable flexibility of the electric guitar strings, and the snagging of my, well sculpted nails, across the thin flimsy strings. It was like running through two feet of mud. I never imagined the day I would ever see a guitarist close that gap between Classical, and electric guitar technique. But that day has come. I would love to know how he practiced that transition, other than saying he practiced 29 hours a day. Or he just picked up the guitar one day and did it? Matteo finally broke through that wall. And I will keep on practicing.

Hearing this, I almost set my guitars on fire. But then ... I counted to ten and reflected. Neither EC, nor Joe B, nor David G, not even Mark K could keep up with your incredible skills and accuracy. Yngwie, yes and Steve V probably too, but not as neat and clean. Once again I humbly salute you, Matteo.

You have an amazing gift. Thanks for sharing it with us!

Finally some one played the original crossroad version 🎉

His technique reminds me of a violinist rather than most guitarists. I think it’s the effortless legato. Always outstanding

Perfect ❤

Beautiful!

This was cleaner than demineralized water, holy truck 😳😳💯💯

Buy this dude’s music, you won’t regret it. Not just a top tier guitar player, but a magnificent songwriter. I have yet to hear a Joe Satriani song that moved me more than some of Matteo’s songs on his album “The Journey”. Take the title track, called “The Journey”. He doesn’t even show off his guitar chops in that song, just lets the music talk. And it’s the album’s TITLE TRACK! Matteo Mancuso’s title track. He’s not just Instagram flashy shreds. He’s also, music. He named his album after the least flashy song you could picture him playing. But it’s MUSIC. And that’s the point, and I think he proves that in his music. That song takes me to a world I don’t want to leave. Don’t let social media and other distractions distract you from getting his music. This guy is the real deal

Wow, amazing!

Absolutely amazing. With the fingers and so clean too

Greatest guitar Legend, ❤

Well.. that was about as good a cover as you'll ever see. How many guys have tried this song and played it that dang good? There's been a few. Now how many did it without a pick? Nobody. Extremely impressive young fella, keep blowing our minds my friend🤘

Bravo!!

Superb fluency and vibrance, bravo!

Tricky bag! Well performed Matteo👏🎸🔥

Holy crap. The most talented guitar player on the music scene today.

That was incredible. 👏👏👏👏

Imagine if Ralph Macchio actually played like that in the movie Crossroads back in the day! Steve Vai would have been like... WTF?

Sweet. As Vai said a few years ago...and I'm paraphrasing...,"There are players today that make me and Edward look slow, old and sloppy..." :)

Классика! ❤ Браво! Как легко сыграно. Изумительная пальцевая техника!

Wow,Amazing!!!!!

"That was very good Matteo, very good up to a point. Most people approach Macchio with respect, evidently that's an attitude you're not familiar with."

Caro Matteo, riesco solo a definirti "disumano" e lo dico nel senso più positivo e strabiliante del termine! Sei l'orgoglio strumentale di un paese dove la cultura musicale sta andando, alla deriva, purtroppo! Beh, meno male che ci sei tu. Grazie a te, possiamo, ancora, camminare a testa alta, consapevoli che, nonostante lo squallido presente, il nostro paese ha dato vita a giganti quali Vivaldi, Puccini, Battiato (tuo "compaesano") ed altri. Grazie di esserci, you ROCK! Jiji (Roma)

Fantastic 🎉

Wow maravilloso👋👋👋👋👋👋

Amazing news. You’re awesome. Everything you do is a masterpiece ❤

Perfeito

Bit of an understatement that YOU will be in good company! They will be in very good company just you being there! That being said, there is always more to learn and everyone has something from which we can learn. Looking forward to the videos and that was superb by the way, put a big smile on my face and I'm sure for many others too.

mind=blown, beautiful.

Loved this! Great job

He's phenomenal, well done

Incredible!!!!❤👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼