Results for "guitar"

Clarence Gatemouth Brown

Born: April 18, 1924

A true musician's musician, Clarence Gatemouth Brown mastered the guitar, fiddle, drums, viola, harmonica, piano, mandolin and bass. Gatemouth's smooth blend of Texas style swing with Jazz, Country and Cajun music has altered the definition of the Blues. His versatility singles him out as an architect of modern Blues sounds. Although primarily known as a rhythm & blues artist, Brown's music truly defied any simple description. Influenced by big bands and horn players, his work on the guitar and fiddle exhibited the music he grew up hearing along the Gulf Coast. Brown was born in Vinton, Louisiana, and raised not far from the Gulf Coast in Orange, Texas

David Bromberg

Born: September 19, 1945

After several years of inactivity on the touring front, David Bromberg is beginning to reappear on the live concert scene. Bromberg has reunited the “big band” several times over the last few years and 2003 will see the band come together at least twice for two short runs early in the year. David is also beginning to play more with Jay Ungar and Molly Mason in their show titled “An Evening of American Acoustic Music”. This show creates an eclectic musical journey through several uniquely American music forms. The show features the early works of Stephen Foster, the Texas swing of Bob Wills, Cajun fiddle tunes, Delta and Chicago Blues, Bluegrass, Folk and much more. Bromberg’s live show remains as unique as ever

Sean Bray

Born: February 3, 1966

Bray is a well respected jazz guitarist, composer and educator who has played with various artists on many diverse projects. While in New York, Bray studied at the prestigious ManhattanSchool of Music. Bray has played with and/or recorded with George Garzone, Pat LaBarbera, Bob Mintzer, Jon Faddis, Liberty Silver, Matt "Guitar" Murphy from the Blues Brothers, Mike Murley and Vincent Wolfe. Bray has taught at The University of Guelph and the Toronto Film School. According to jazz guitar legend John Abercrombie, "Sean Bray is a real treat to listen to". CBC Radio named Bray one of Canada’s top 50 greatest guitarists of all time

Lenny Breau

Born: August 5, 1941

Lenny Breau is considered to be one of the elite in the world of jazz guitar. His peers recognize him as one in a short line of guitarists who not only changed jazz guitar but the way guitar was played in general. One of his heros, Chet Atkins even called Lenny his hero. Breau's admiration for all kinds of great music, found him incorporating ideas of flamenco, classical, and other styles in his playing. His legacy is heard in jazz players even today, especially his right hand harmonics technique. For more information please visit the official Lenny Breau web site at www.LennyBreau.com.

Joao Bosco

Born: July 13, 1946

João Bosco Biography by John Dougan

Since no others leap to mind, you'd have to say that João Bosco is the greatest civil engineer-turned-singer/songwriter in the history of Brazilian popular music. He graduated with his degree in 1972 but since then has been concentrating on becoming one of Brazil's most formidable songwriters. For most of his early career, he supplied Elis Regina with some of her best material; it could be said that each one made the other's career, but since her death, Bosco has stepped into the performance limelight with a great degree of authority and has been one of the more compelling figures in Brazilian music for decades.

Paul Bollenback

Born: June 6, 1959

"Not one jazz virtuoso could put the definition of jazz into words, but all agreed that you know it when you hear it. That's the way it is with Paul Bollenback. It's bona-fide playing, unambiguous, up-front and powerful," summarizes George Benson, a long-time friend. His debut recording, Original Visions, as a leader with Challenge Records, is one of the most creative efforts by a guitarist in recent memory. Double Gemini, his second CD, features four of his own compositions and won the title of CD of The Month in Jim Fisch's distinguished jazz column in 20th Century Jazz Magazine. It won the same award from the renowned jazz radio station WBGO in Newark, New Jersey. Challenge Records has recently released his third recording, Soul Grooves.

Paul Bollenback's emotionally expressive style and eclectic approach is the result of years of listening, studying and playing music by Carlos Santana, Yes, Wes Montgomery, George Benson, John Scofield, Pat Metheny, Kenny Burrell, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter and Lenny Breau. At the age of seven, Paul received a nylon-string guitar from his father, a classically trained trumpeter and lover of music. When Paul was eleven, his family relocated to new Delhi, India, on a three-year consulting engagement with United States Aid. It was there that he cultivated his life-long interest in exotic musical sounds and timbres, which is evident in Original Visions. When his family returned to the United States, Paul's father bought him an electric guitar and he began listening to rock-and-roll. Then he heard Miles Davis and his world changed forever.

Bollenback attended the University of Miami as a Music major, he later studied privately for eight years with Baltimore-based professor of Theory/Composition Asher Zlotnik. In 1993 while touring in Europe Paul was awarded a grant from the Virginia Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts to compose and perform "New Music for Three Jazz Guitars". In 1997, Bollenback was named Musician of the Year at the Washington Area Music Awards, and became an Adjunct Professor of Music at the American University in Washington, DC. His two compositions, "Wookies's Revenge" and "Romancin' the Moon" (featured on Joey DeFrancesco's Rebboppin') earned him the SESAC award for original songs and he was later invited to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Paul was featured at the 1998 World Internet Trade Show in Los Angeles, and his band opened the New York Guitar Show in May 1998 where he also performed with John Pisano.

Paul has appeared on the Tonight Show, Good Morning America, Joan Rivers, The Today Show, and Entertainment Tonight. He has contributed some acoustic guitar work to America's Most Wanted and has played with an impressive spectrum of musicians, including Stanley Turrentine, Gary Bartz, Joey DeFrancesco, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Joe Locke, Gary Thomas, Steve Wilson, Shunzo Ohno, James Moody, David “Fathead” Newman, Jack McDuff, Charlie Byrd, Paul Bley, Carol Sloane, Chris McNulty, Melissa Walker, Carter Jefferson, Dave Valentin, Herb Ellis, Jimmy Bruno, and East Meets Jazz(with Sandip Burman).

Ed Bickert

Born: November 29, 1932

Ed Bickert was born in Hochfeld, Manitoba on November 29th, 1932, and raised in Vernon, British Columbia. His early interest in guitar was in part influenced by his musical household (his mother and father played piano and guitar in country bands). He was self-taught, developing an interest in jazz harmony by studying and analyzing Stan Kenton records. Via radio broadcasts from the American West Coast, he heard and was influenced by Nat "King" Cole Trio guitarist Oscar Moore, Barney Kessel and Les Paul. In his early teens he gained experience by playing onstage with his parents. In 1952 Ed moved to Toronto, working as a radio station engineer and playing after-hours jazz clubs on the side

Gene Bertoncini

Born: April 6, 1937

Over decades, Gene Bertoncini has firmly established himself as one of the most eloquent and versatile masters of the guitar. With elegance and ease, he bridges jazz, classical, pop, and bossa nova styles, integrating his own spontaneous and tasteful improvisations along the way. He has earned highest critical acclaim for his artistry on both the classical and electric guitar.

Bertoncini’s musical roots go back to his early years in the Bronx where he grew up in a house filled with music. His love affair with the guitar began when he was seven, and by the time he was sixteen, he was appearing on New York television. His career took an unusual turn when he decided to fulfill another long-standing interest, and took a degree in architecture at Notre Dame.

Randy Bernsen

Born: July 15, 1954

South Florida guitarist Randy Bernsen started his recording career in an unorthodox way, calling a collection of jazz/fusion luminaries who, even to his surprise, agreed to be a part of his 1986 debut album Music for People, Planets & Washing Machines. After recruiting fretless bass giant and fellow South Florida resident Jaco Pastorius and getting a return call of interest from keyboard virtuoso Herbie Hancock, it was easier to interest keyboardist Bob James and drummer Peter Erskine. Released on MCA's Zebra label, the album earned Bernsen write-ups in Down Beat and Guitar Player magazines and appeared to start a flourishing career

Peter Bernstein

Born: September 3, 1967

Born September 3rd, 1967 in New York City, guitarist Peter Bernstein has been a part of the jazz scene in New York and abroad since 1989. During that time he has participated in over 60 recordings and numerous festival, concert and club performances with musicians from all generations. As a leader, Peter has made five recordings for the Criss Cross Jazz label. The latest, Heart’s Content, features the all-star rhythm section of Brad Mehldau, Larry Grenadier, and Bill Stewart.

While a student at The New School, Peter met the legendary guitarist Jim Hall, who asked him to participate in his Invitational Concert as part of the 1990 JVC Jazz Festival. The event featured such guitarists as John Scofield and Pat Metheny and was released as a CD by Music Masters. Hall once noted that Peter "...has paid attention to the past as well as the future. He is the most impressive young guitarists I’ve heard. He plays the best of them all for swing, logic, feel and taste."