Jeffrey Uhrich

Starting with the Beatles when I was 9, my musical journey has taken many roads and my tastes are varied and unpredictable.

About Me

It all started with The Beatles when I was 9. I saw the moview A Hard Days Night and decided I wanted to be a Beatle, so I talked my parents into buying me a cheap guitar and guitar lessons. I still play guitar, although I'm usually quite humbled when I listen to talented jazz guitarists, flamenco guitarists or classical guitarists.

My musical roots lie in blues, blues-based rock and roll and progressive rock. My interests in musical genres are very diverse - my interest in jazz began when I was a teen, although I really didn't start to explore jazz seriously until I was in my late 20s. I have grown to really love and appreciate many forms of jazz music, but there are times when I just want to crank up AC/DC and revel in the Marshall fueled power chords.

My Jazz Story

I love jazz because the music is so wide-ranging and diverse. it pushes boundaries while respecting old traditions. It can be subtle or in your face... simple and complex... there are no rules. I was first exposed to jazz as a teenager when I stumbled upon the local public radio station in my locale. There was a late night program devoted to jazz, and there was a live DJ that had a broad definition of the term "jazz." He would play lots of fusion as well as traditional tracks, and the occasional funk tune. It was all a little beyond me at the time, but the fusion and funk caught my interest. My journey into the jazz world had just started... The best jazz show I ever attended was Pat Metheny on the Secret Story tour. I've witnessed many other great shows, but this was my first real exposure to a live jazz setting and it made a real impact on me. The first jazz record I bought was Horizon by McCoy Tyner. My advice to new listeners is to keep an open mind. The jazz world is a "big tent" and there are many different types and styles. Many types of jazz are also an acquired taste... my appreciation of many styles of jazz, and artists/musicians as well, has grown over time, although my initial reaction to the music may have been negative or indifferent.