Doug Munro is a critically acclaimed New York-based jazz guitarist. Since 1986 he has released 20 albums as a leader and has appeared on over 100 recordings as a sideman, producer, and arranger, working with artists like Dr. John, Michael Brecker, and Dr. Lonnie Smith. He has over 75 published compositions and over 300 recorded arrangements to his credit.
In the recording field, Doug has received two Grammy nominations and two NAIRD awards. His 2011 release, A Very Gypsy Christmas was a top 5 pick by the Wall Street Journal. Amazon.com picked Boogaloo to Beck, which he arranged, co- produced, and on which he played, as a Top Ten Jazz CD of 2003. Doug also did orchestration on the Oscar-winning documentary film When We Were Kings. His last CD released in 2017, The Harry Warren Songbook, received rave reviews and still enjoys strong airplay.
Doug has written four books on jazz improvisation for Warner Brothers Publications and Alfred Music Publications, including one entitled, From Swing to Bebop, which won the Music and Sound Retailers instructional book of the year award in 2000. His last print only book, The Total Latin Guitarist (Alfred Publishing) was released in 2010.
Doug now writes exclusively for online publications and instructional websites. He contributes guitar instruction articles for Premier Guitar magazine and is a teaching/artist contributor for TrueFire.com where he has three online instructional courses and his own dedicated subscriber channel called Doug Munro’s Guitar Garage.
Munro created and directed the Jazz Studies Program at The Conservatory of Music at Purchase College in 1993 and is now Professor Emeritus (retired). He has been a teaching artist at the Litchfield Jazz Camp since 2009.
Awards
2011 Wall street Journal top 5 Christmas CD for "A Very Gypsy Christmas".
two Grammy nominations and two NAIRD awards for work
with the Skatilites
Amazon.com picked Boogaloo to Beck , on which Doug
performed, arranged, and co-produced, as one of its Top
Ten Jazz CD’s of 2003.
Doug also did orchestration work on the Oscar winning
documentary When We Were Kings.
Gear
I endorse LaBella strings
Having worked with a veritable Who’s Who of Jazz and Soul
artists Doug has garnered high praise from both his fellow
artists and the press.
“Doug Munro... well he can flat out play!” —Dr. Lonnie Smith
"Doug Munro is a tremendously talented guitarist and
composer who deserves the ears of a larger audience"
—Steve Khan
“Doug Munro is one of the finest Guitarist I've heard
perform. His music is great to listen to, very entertaining,
funky, danceable, not to mention his straight ahead groove.
Doug is just GREAT!!!”
—Melvin Sparks
"Doug Munro plays in the tradition, but he has his own voice,
combining elements of mainstream jazz guitar, Brazilian
bossa nova and classical music. He has a great sound and
swings with authority. I always enjoy playing with him."
—John Stowell
Read more
Having worked with a veritable Who’s Who of Jazz and Soul
artists Doug has garnered high praise from both his fellow
artists and the press.
“Doug Munro... well he can flat out play!” —Dr. Lonnie Smith
"Doug Munro is a tremendously talented guitarist and
composer who deserves the ears of a larger audience"
—Steve Khan
“Doug Munro is one of the finest Guitarist I've heard
perform. His music is great to listen to, very entertaining,
funky, danceable, not to mention his straight ahead groove.
Doug is just GREAT!!!”
—Melvin Sparks
"Doug Munro plays in the tradition, but he has his own voice,
combining elements of mainstream jazz guitar, Brazilian
bossa nova and classical music. He has a great sound and
swings with authority. I always enjoy playing with him."
—John Stowell
"In sum, Munro displays a hip musicality where discipline,
audacity and an ebullient sense of joie de vivre co-mingle
with devilish glee. Great Stuff!" —Chuck Berg,
Jazz Times
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Primary Instrument
Guitar
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
As an educator Doug created and was Director of the Jazz
Studies Program at The Conservatory of Music at Purchase
College from 1993-2002. He retired from the college in 2019 and is now Professor Emeritus.
Doug continues to teach through his own subscription service at www.dougmunro.com and through www.TrueFire.com.
Clinic/Workshop Information
Here are two clinics/seminars I have done in the US and
Europe.
Title: Pentatonics : the Bridge between Jazz and Blues
This Seminar would show the history, power and immediate
connection pentatonic scales have with all of popular music
whether it is jazz, blues, funk, Latin or rock
Read more
Primary Instrument
Guitar
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
As an educator Doug created and was Director of the Jazz
Studies Program at The Conservatory of Music at Purchase
College from 1993-2002. He retired from the college in 2019 and is now Professor Emeritus.
Doug continues to teach through his own subscription service at www.dougmunro.com and through www.TrueFire.com.
Clinic/Workshop Information
Here are two clinics/seminars I have done in the US and
Europe.
Title: Pentatonics : the Bridge between Jazz and Blues
This Seminar would show the history, power and immediate
connection pentatonic scales have with all of popular music
whether it is jazz, blues, funk, Latin or rock. It would be
taught directly from the book Organ Trio Blues that I
originally wrote for Warner Brothers Publishing, which is
now part of the Alfred Music Catalogue.
Topics Covered:
1. Minor Pentatonic and Blues Scales
A. Minor Pentatonic scale in all 5 positions
B. Minor Pentatonic Scale Tone Chords
C. Arpeggios in the Minor Pentatonic scale
D. Blues Scale
2. Major Pentatonic Scale
A. Major Pentatonic scale in all 5 positions
B. Major Pentatonic Scale Tone Chords
C. Arpeggios in the Major Pentatonic scale
3. Combining Major and Minor Pentatonic Scales
A. Major and Minor Pentatonic scales over a major blues
progression
B. Major and Minor Pentatonic scales over a minor blues
progression
C. Major and Minor Pentatonic scales and the Blues
scale over individual Chords
D. Major and Minor Pentatonic scales and the Blues
scale over a major blues
progression
E. Major and Minor Pentatonic scales and the Blues
scale over a minor blues
progression
F. Major and Minor Pentatonic arpeggios and the Blues
scale over a major blues
progression
G. Major and Minor Pentatonic arpeggios and the Blues
scale over a minor blues
Progression
4. Dominant 7 Pentatonic Scale
A. Dominant 7 Pentatonic scale in all 5 positions
B. Dominant 7 Pentatonic Scale Tone Chords
C. Arpeggios in the Dominant 7 Pentatonic scale
5. Minor Pentatonic Scale Superimposition
A. Minor Pentatonic scales that work over major chords
B. Minor Pentatonic scales that work over minor chords
C. Minor Pentatonic scales that work over dominant 7
chords
D. Playing superimposed Pentatonic scales over chord
changes
6. Sequential Groups taken from Pentatonic scales
A. 1-2-3-5 sequential group
B. 1-2-4-5 sequential group
C. 1-b3-4-5 sequential group
D. 1-b3-4-b6 sequential group
7. Library of Major and Minor 12 bar Blues Progressions
: THE TOTAL LATIN GUITARIST
This seminar is built around anew book I have just
completed for Workshop Arts/Alfred Music called “The Total
Latin Guitarist”.
The book looks at 23 different Latin styles for guitar from 6
different countries. The book, to say the least, was a
daunting task. I am anxious to share what I learned, during
the research and writing of the book, with other guitarists.
The book should be out in the first quarter of 2010 so it will
be available for the students who might take the seminar.
The seminar itself would be a hands-on walk through of the
book’s content with the added advantage of having the
author of the book (me) as the facilitator of the seminar.
Here is what would be covered in the seminar.
CLAVE
Son Clave
Rumba Clave
Bossa Clave
Brazilian Clave
MONTUNO/GUAJEO
AFRO-CUBAN
Salsa
Rumba
Guaguanco
Cha-cha
Mambo
Songo
Mozambique
BRAZIL
Choro
Samba
Batucada
Partido Alto
Bossa Nova
Baiao
Frevo
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Merengue
TRINIDAD
Calypso
Soca
Bachata
ARGENTINA
Tango
MEXICO
Ranchera
Mariachi
Norteno/Conjunto
Tejano
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