Elizabeth Dodd

Biography
Teacher

Award winning Guitarist Elizabeth Dodd grew up in South Plainfield NJ. She was first exposed to Jazz while studying with Legondary guitar guru, Harry Leahy. Harry was the featured guitarist on Phil Woods recordings and toured extensively with Phil Woods and played many engagements at Carnage Hall.

Under Harry Leahy's legendary tutelage, Miss Elizabeth began listening to the great Jazz guitarists and was active in New Brunswick Youth Jazz Orchestra. Upon receiving a music scholarship to Rutger's Mason Gross School of the Arts in New Brunswick where she studied with the great guitarist Ted Dunbar. She also studied with Jazz legends, Kenny Barron, Larry Ridley, and Terrance Blanchard.

To be closer to the New York Jazz scene, she headed to the Manhattan School of Music to take Jazz Performance classes. Elizabeth next went to the Outer Banks of North Carolina as a featured guitarist for Roy Murray Studios playing elite parties at the Ocean's Breakers.

Roy Murray is an original member of the Santana family bands and was very involved with members of Janis Joplin's bands. His bands have played everywhere from the Filmore West of San Francisco to Carnegie Hall of New York City, and all the states that are in between and beyond! He also has a part four different songs that hit the top 10 on the Billboard Charts. Working with Don Costa (producer of Frank Sinatra) for two years and having had band mates like Tom Harrell and Alfonso Johnson, who have been voted 1 in various Jazz Polls.

Her upcoming CD, Carolina Blue is dedicated this time in her life. Elizabeth recorded her current cd, Mozambique live with Chris Brown on drums, Jason Teborek on piano, Sam Kennedy on bass and Shellie Mitchell on saxophone.

She is currently performing in New York City and the New Orleans Jazz festival. Her quartet played one of the last shows of Tavern on the Green and she has worked with Abby Hoffer and Stanley Kay. She is also working on a new cd Carolina Blue that features all guitars on a blend of Latin and Bossa Nova songs.