| |
UK / Ireland Jazz Guitar Scene
Martin
Taylor MBE
"Martin Taylor is one of the most awesome solo guitar players
in the history of the instrument. He's unbelievable" - Pat Metheny
Taylor was born
in
Harlow,
Essex
in 1956 into a family with a musical heritage and a
gypsy/traveller tradition, although he did not strictly lead the
traditional gypsy lifestyle. It was no surprise then that, after
being given a guitar at age 4 by his father, bassist William
‘Buck’ Taylor, he would develop a passion for jazz in general
and
Django Reinhardt in particular. Over the next few years the
young Taylor would hone his skills and, by age 11, was playing
regularly in his father’s band. This experience made him
determined to pursue a career in music and, after much
persuasion, his parents allowed him to leave school aged 15 to
try and achieve this ambition.
Over the next few
years Taylor played in numerous bands, in holiday camps, various
radio dates and on cruise ships (one cruise lead to the personal
highlight of jamming with the
Count Basie orchestra). Performing dates in and around
London soon brought him into contact with fellow jazz guitarist
Ike Isaacs who took the younger man under his wing. In
addition to performing with Taylor as a duet, Isaacs helped
develop his sense of jazz harmony and started him on the road to
developing his unique fingerstyle technique. It was through
Isaacs that Taylor was introduced to
Stephane Grappelli, erstwhile violinist in Hot Club of
France with
Django Reinhardt. When one of Grappelli’s regular band
members sustained an injury, Taylor was invited to deputise for
a few European dates. Suitably impressed, Grappelli invited him
to join his band full-time. He accepted and performed and
recorded with the Frenchman for the next eleven years.
Esmond
Selwyn has long been
recognized as one of the UK's greatest performing jazz guitarists and jazz
educators. With a list of reviews and credits almost too numerous to mention,
the quality of his playing has been formally acknowledged by some of the world's
greatest jazz musicians. After Esmond had played a set at Ronnie Scott's
Club with Bill le Sage he was to receive a most memorable accolade from
legendary Miles Davis tenor sax sidesman, George Coleman "You sound great,
boy!" From Tony Mottola, Frank Sinatra's guitarist, a personal letter
reads "You have great chops! (technique) My pleasure these days comes from
listening to great jazz guitarists such as yourself.."
In his monumental work, "The Great Jazz Guitarists", Ivor Mairants writes "...Esmond
has, in my opinion, a fingerboard technique second to none..."
Trained with Chuck Wayne. This very much influenced
his legato flowing technique along with close study of Parker and Coltrane.
Check out the YouTube links below for proof
Esmond has shared the bill at international jazz festivals with Chick Corea,
Elvin Jones, Charlie Byrd and has accompanied visiting American stars, Art
Farmer, Redd Rodney, Bobby Shew, Al Cohn and Jimmy Whitherspoon
Moonlight
in Vermont
Somewhere
Over the Rainbow
Esmond plays
the Blues - 7 mins of sustained inventiveness.
Jim
Mullen
Born in Glasgow, 1945, Jim began his musical life aged 8 playing "Tea-chest
bass" in the neighbourhood skiffle group. He got his first guitar the same year,
and when an older friend introduced him to jazz, he was hooked. After leaving
school he trained as a journalist while playing on the local music scene. He
formed a group with Malcolm Duncan and Roger Ball (later of the Average White
Band) and they worked throughout Scotland playing Coltrane tunes and originals.
It was in this group that he started attracting attention and in 1969 he moved
to London, going on to work in the groups of Pete Brown (2 albums) Brian Auger
(3 albums) Vinegar Joe (1 album) and Kokomo (1 album). In 1975 he met sax player
Dick Morrissey and began a 15 - year association which produced 7 albums and
became one of Britain's top club bands. After the demise of Morrissey Mullen he
worked with jazz vocalist Claire Martin (3 albums) and formed a series of
quartets (3 albums)
As a sideman he is in demand by visiting US stars like Gene Harris, Mose
Allison, Jimmy Smith, Weldon Irvine, Percy Sledge, Teddy Edwards, Plas Johnson,
Jimmy Witherspoon, and Terry Callier. He is winner of "Best Guitar" in the
British Telecom jazz awards (1994 and 1996). More recently, Jim was voted "Best
Guitar" in the BT Jazz Awards 2000.
Lee
Jones
was born in 1984 and started playing guitar age eight. Influences include:
George Benson, Larry Carlton, John Scofield as well as Miles Davis and Wayne
Shorter. Joined Shropshire Youth Jazz Ensemble in 2000 playing a mix of
standards and original material by band leaders John Williams and Chris Bolton.
Lee recorded five jazz/fusion tracks with WEA producer Simon Tittley in late
2001 which featured Tom Warrington, Steve Houghton and other top US session
musicians. Lee played at Cheltenham Jazz Festival Fringe 2003/04/06 and
appeared in Jazzwise magazine in May 2004. Lee also featured in the 2005
Starbucks Birmingham International Jazz Festival and the 2007 Musicate project
"The World as One". Winner of Jazz FM’s “Best New Instrumentalist" award, Lee is
currently studying on the BMus Jazz (Hons) course at Birmingham Conservatoire
(with guitarist Phil Robson from BBC big band) and recently completed his debut
album "Swish".
http://www.leejones-guitarist.com/movs/clip1.mov
http://www.leejones-guitarist.com/movs/clip2.mov
Cameron
Pierre Born in London, Cameron
was raised on the Caribbean island of Dominica. Like most of his peers,
Cameron's early musical influences were Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Jimmy Cliff,
and a host of artists from that era of popular Jamaican music, oh, and Stevie
Wonder. At sixteen he taught himself to play the guitar, and it was within the
reggae genre that he first established himself, working with Jamaican artists
including Clint Eastwood & General Saint, Barrington, Levy, Dennis Brown and
numerous others. Then came the slow discovery of George Benson and Charlie
Christian, and through them, Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. His
own musical taste direction veered towards jazz, and his taste and talent
brought him to London where he became a regular on the jazz circuit. Touring the
world playing with Courtney Pine’s award winning band Cameron’s guitar style has
dazzled many a jazz fan, come summer 2006 and Cameron feels that the time is
right to release his first straight ahead jazz record. The project needed the
right players and to obtain that special sound he enlisted the efforts of
Swedish Organist Anders Olinder (known for his work with Pee Wee Ellis) a big
fish on the Bristol jazz scene and another newcomer to the British scene
American Drummer Rod Youngs. Many of the compositions took root in Dominica so
there are places on the album where his Caribbean roots shine through. The well
chosen covers display Cameron’s sense of the past and the now. Pad Up ( get
ready ) is Pierre’s debut release on Courtney Pine’s Destin-E Record label and
when asked why he released a Guitarist first and not a Vocalist he replied “
Cameron Pierre is one of the finest musicians that I have meet , he has that
elusive quality of being able to play the past, present and future styles of
jazz – without a doubt he is one of the finest jazz Guitarist to be produced by
Great Britain”. High praise indeed from a musician who has worked with just
about everybody on the world jazz scene. This is Cameron’s 5th record release
and he hopes that it will reach not only the die hard jazz fans but people who
like to be moved by music . The internet revolution has already seen him receive
glowing reviews from people all over the world that are moved by his warm,
dexterous sound the British jazz scene has found a new champion.
PETE
CALLARD - guitar
Pete graduated " outstanding musician of his Year " from the Musicians
Institute in Los Angeles in 1991 . After returning to England he became an
important member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra for a number of years
, worked with Portugese artist Fernando Tordo as musical director and formed
his own quartet . A widely respected educator , Pete now
teaches at the Academy of Contemporary Music and contributes
monthly to Total Guitar magazine . He has become a very busy
freelance player from jazz to theatre to studio work . He
taught this year at the Bath International Guitar Festival
where his group
The Pete Callard Quartet, also performed
Nigel
Price is a well established member of the London jazz
community and is an in demand sideman as well as leading his
own groups, preferring the organ, drums guitar combo but
versatile enough to feel comfortable in a variety of musical
scenarios. Nigel performed with the legendary David Axelrod
at the Royal Festival Hall in 2004 and also spent more than
two years as the regular guitarist with the Sheena Davis
group. He is a member of The Filthy Six and has
recently returned to his jazzfunk roots in joining the uk's
leading jazzfunk band the James Taylor Quartet.- Visit for more
info.
Pete
Downes is one of those incredible
talents that only surfaces once in a blue moon. Completely self taught, he is
rapidly becoming one of Europe’s leading guitarists in the modern jazz fusion
genre. Already established on the jazz scene in the UK and Italy with a string
of regular appearances culminating with a packed audience at Glastonbury
Festival where they played the Jazz Lounge.
With influences that cover such a
wide spectrum as Pat Metheny to Jimi Hendrix their first album “Street
Scene” caught the attention of Jazzwise,
Jazz FM and critic praise from The Guardian,
The Observer and many other Radio Stations and newspapers. The eagerly
awaited follow up album “Into
The Blue.” is a further step on the road to a wider audience. On
this album PD3 blend their infectious original compositions with totally fresh
and inspired versions of popular songs from the 70s to present day in a way that
simply underlines the incredible versatility of the trio and the ease in which
they can provide assessable jazz routed music to a much wider audience.
Jo Caleb
-
Outstanding
young seven-string guitarist leads his own trio -
intellectual, inspired and refreshingly creative. "This
studious-looking and reticent young guitarist is clearly
about to snap at the heels of the UK jazz-guitar generation
before him, which includes Mike Walker, Phil Robson and Mike Outram." John Fordham, The Guardian Jo Caleb
is one of the few professional 7-string guitarists in the
UK. He is an experienced solo guitarist with a huge solo
repertoire. Because of this, he has become a fine
accompanist for vocalists, saxophonists and other solo
instruments - due in part to the extra bass string which
allows him to add a warm depth to his music, but undoubtedly
the result of his attentive ear, creative chordal playing
and considerate accompanying. As a band leader, Jo
performs typically with a trio or quartet, preferring the
expressive environment frequently associated with smaller
jazz bands. Jo is married to Lisa a fine jazz Singer
with a great future - catch em at the 'Good Yarn' in
Uxbridge on Tuesdays evenings for a feast of Jazz, food and
beer. Or the excellent George IV Jam he organises in
Chiswick Last Monday in the Month
Jazz Eddie - watching Jo is fascinating, he continually searches and
strains for the perfect chord to blend in with the lead soloist's direction as
they explore the harmonics of a Number. He moves effortlessly between
finger and pick styles and can soar during his solos. Don't be
fooled by his youthful appearance - he has a wealth of experience to impart to
his audience.
Phil
Robson is a
guitarist/composer based in London , UK . He is internationally regarded as
a highly versatile and creative musician who appears in many diverse
settings. Born in Derby in 1970 Phil had already enjoyed from the age of 14
onwards rapidly became part of the house rhythm section in the local club
with such visiting musicians as John Etheridge and Bheki Mseleku as well as
with his clarinettist father, Trevor Robson. Moving to London at the age of
18, he attended the Guildhall School of Music being one of the youngest
students ever to do the jazz course. Awards include the prestigious BT 'Best
soloist of the Year' award presented by John Dankworth, the Perrier Young
Jazz award for the best instrumentalist in 1998 Much of the
focus of Phil's work until now has been either as co-leader of the
contemporary jazz-rock group Partisans with whom he has recorded two albums
Sourpuss and 2005's
Max
and other bands in which he is as much composer as guitarist such as with
his octet or with vocalist Christine Tobin. He started working with his trio
in 2001 to present his writing and playing skills in a more intimate
context.
Phil co-leads
Partisans with Julian Siegel (sax, bass clarinet) featuring Gene Calderazzo
- drums and Thad Kelly - bass. .Partisans was formed around gigs in London's
Vortex jazz club in 1996 and are considered one of the most important bands
in the new jazz scene in Europe. They have recorded 3 CDs including the
second
Sourpuss on
Babel with the bands latest ,
Max
nominated for the album of the year in the 2006 BBC Jazz awards.
Phil is also a
member of the Liam Noble quartet with pianist Liam, drummer Tom Rainey,
bassist Drew Gress. Alec Dankworth Trio with Alec - bass, Julian Arguelles -
sax. Gerard Presencer Quartet and the BBC Big Band. Has also
worked with international names such as Big Jon Patton, Charles Earland,
Wayne Krantz, Steve Lacy, Mark Turner, Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, Marc
Copland, Vince Mendoza, Mike Gibbs, Peter Herbert, Tommy Smith, Django
Bates, Michael McDonald, Cleo Laine, John Dankworth, Bobby Wellins, Iain
Ballamy, Jean Toussaint, Stan Sulzmann, Tim Garland, Gary Husband, Jiggs
Whigam, Patti Austin, Julian & Steve Arguelles, Mike Figgis (film director),
Giavanni Hidalgo, Rufus Reid, Vince Mendoza, Denys Baptiste among many
others.
Press
quotes: 'One of the crop of young UK guitarists who combine the
technical expertise of classic beboppers such as Wes Montgomery and Kenny
Burrell with the bite and muscle of a post-funk generation raised on
Hendrix, Scofield and Metheny. He has a varied repertoire of multicultural
materials far more deeply rooted in Britain than Philadelphia or New York.
Robson's prospects as a composer are fast catching up with his
improvisational skills.' (John Fordham, Guardian, 29 April 2002)
“Robson, one
of the country's fast-track younger guitarists, constantly expands the
soundscape with his equal eagerness for acoustic tonalities and abrasive
electric ones, and the poised economy of his improvisations throughout the
set amount to a big part of its energetic impact.” (The Guardian).
Chris
Standring U.K. born Standring had
plenty of time to study jazz when he became a professional musician, but he
actually grew up playing classical guitar on a farm in Aylesbury, just northwest
of London. He later studied at the London College of Music and wrote music for
the BBC and for several theatrical orchestrations before moving to Los Angeles
in February of 1991. That's where Standring first hooked up with Rodney Lee, as
they both were playing with signer Lauren Christy, a U.K. singer who had also
moved to Southern California. In 1996, Standring and Lee released an acid-jazz
CD by their group Solar System on Sonic Groove Records. The CD, featuring vocal
covers of "Walk on the Wild Side" and "Me & Mrs. Jones,"
introduced Standring's vibey instrumental tunes to the world Chris plays a
Benedetto custom archtop jazz guitar made especially for him by luthier Robert
Benedetto. Robert Benedetto made Chris his archtop jazz guitar in 1995. It
is custom made to certain specifications. Chris needed a great sounding guitar
that could stand a little extra volume (most archtops are hollow bodies that
can only take low levels without feeding back). To achieve this Bob placed a
block down the centre of the guitar and modelled the style on a Gibson Birdland,
whilst retaining all the classic elements of a Benedetto.
Here are the final specifications:
"Custom" Archtop, carved top and back, 16" body, width of neck at nut - 1 11/16"
Body depth - 2 1/4" with bass wood center block. 25 1/2" fingerboard scale (22
frets), no fingerboard inlays. Color-Cremona sunburst. Fret Wire size - #6110.
Black Grover M6 mini tuning machines with ebony buttons. Black strap button on
heel. 1 - Benedetto B-6 (built in) pickup.
Chris_Standring Interview
Femi
Temowo
(born 15 September
1976)
in Lagos, Nigeria and moved to UK when 10 is now respected
British jazz musician. Although known primarily for his guitar
playing, Femi is also a well known producer and songwriter.
He discovered and became passionate
about the guitar at age 17 when he joined his local church
choir, a couple of years later he was introduced to the music of
Wes Montgomery which ignited his love of jazz guitar in
particular.
He obtained a degree in Jazz
Studies from
Middlesex University in 2001 and became a well-known session
player on the European music scene for several years. In 2003
British alto saxophonist
Soweto Kinch, who asked him to form part of his
award-winning quartet, approached him. He has recorded two
albums with Kinch, the debut
Conversations With The Unseen released in 2003 and was
nominated for a Mercury Music Prize. The second album entitled
A Life In The Day Of B19 – Tales Of The Tower block, was
released in September 2006.Also in September 2006 Femi
released his own debut album entitled
Quiet Storm. The album, unlike most things he had
recorded before show the different facets of his musicality;
featuring musicians such as spoken word artist Zena Edwards,
drummer Troy Miller and bassist Michael Olatuja. Femi is really a great musician.
Influences include, wes montgomery, george benson, pat metheny, john
scofield, john coltrane, kenny kirkland, mccoy tyner, adam rogers,
kurt rosenwinkle.......
Gibson
ES335
Guitar/Vocals: Femi temowo Piano/Keys: Sam Best Upright Bass:
Michael Olatuja Drums: Troy Miller Vocals: Anna Omak
Femi Temowo Video
Femi at Cheltenham Jazz Festival
James
Chadwick
Guitarist James Chadwick approaches his
music in a distinctive and thoughtful way, blending ever evolving melodic lines
with inventive and measured harmonic treatment. He is an excellent guitarist who
eschews flashy technical runs for angular Monk-ish lines and an ethereal sound
reminiscent of Bill Frisell. He makes standard tunes sound very fresh by leaving
lots of space and creating unexpected textures. His superbly presented debut
album "Undercurrent" displays his own inimitable style. As well as his own
group "James Chadwick's Undercurrent", he has also been involved in work with
trumpet player, Ben Thomas with whom he forms the duo "Sema" and has also
contributed to several tracks on Ben's "Moon Monkey" project recorded in 2004.
James is a regular performer on the British jazz scene and has more recently
played with Lee Goodall, Dave Hassell, Chris Batchelor and Thad Kelly , James
also teaches on the CL Jazz Course and has been a tutor on the Jamie Abersold
and Wavendon jazz courses.
E-mail James
Carl
Orr From 1996-2000 Carl was drum
legend Billy Cobham's guitarist of choice.
Since then he has been concentrating on Dangerfunk.
He is also currently working with Juliet Kelly and Caroline Loftus. Carl has 6
cds to his credit and has a vast range of experience including stints with Dale
Barlow and Nathan Haines.
He has played at every type of venue from the Montreux Jazz festival to Five
Dock RSL club.
Carl is currently working on an instructional DVD and a new Dangerfunk album
will be released in 2007, including some innovative new material co-written with
Dave de Rose.
Carl teaches guitar at Middlesex University.
1996-98 Brunel University
1995-96 Guitar Institute, London
1992-95 Australian Institute of Music, Sydney
http://www.rolyveitch.20m.com/home.html
Ade Holland with his 1963 Gibson - see Gypsy Jazz
Page
Pete Oxley Website
with Luis D'Agostino - Head to Head in Headington
John
Etheridge John
Etheridge has been at the top of the jazz and contemporary guitar world for 25
years. He was first touted by the music press in the early 70s while
playing with a number of progressive rock and early fusion units (most notably
Darryl Way’s Wolf – producing three albums for Decca). In 1975 he was offered
the chance to replace Allan Holdsworth in the legendary jazz-fusion group Soft
Machine. International touring and recording followed until the band’s demise at
the end of the 70s. More or less simultaneously (starting in 1976) Etheridge
joined the touring group of the celebrated jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli.
For a number of years these two commitments ran parallel – revealing the broad
range of his abilities. Etheridge left Grappelli’s quartet in 1981. For the last
twenty years he has pursued a career involving associations with many of the
great players of the jazz world. Either in single concerts, touring or recording
he has appeared with – Barney Kessel, Didier Lockwood, Nils Pedersen, Gordon
Beck, Herb Ellis, Mundell Lowe, Vic Juris, Miroslav Vitous, Birelli Lagrene,
Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Williams, Yehudi Menuhin, Pat Metheny, Andy Summers, Nigel
Kennedy (an association now in its seventh year), and is currently rehearsing a
new group formed by the great classical guitarist, John Williams.
In the late 80s,
Etheridge started to lead his own bands and is currently fronting a quartet
dedicated to Stephane Grappelli, as well as an 8 piece group Zappatistas
(performing the music of Frank Zappa) and also leads a trio with the legendary
drummer John Marshall.
John
Etheridge
Mike Outram
- guitarist - Mike was
born in Manchester (now based in London) and first became involved with music at age 5 playing the
violin. At 14 he started playing the guitar and initially took lessons from
classical guitarist Martin Roberts and guitarist Pete Bocking. After school he
studied at Leigh College Music Centre with Steve Willingham, Steve Berry, Gary
Boyle and Mike Walker. He also gained experience playing with many groups on the
Manchester music scene. In 1998 Mike moved to London. Since then he has
worked with Herbie Mann, Carleen Anderson, Dave O'Higgins, Cinematic Orchestra,
Rebecca Hollweg, Martin Speake, M.J. Cole, Nikki Iles, Jacqui Dankworth, Stan
Sulzmann, Photek and has played with guitarists Martin Taylor, Jim Mullen and
John Etheridge. Mike is also Guitar Professor at Trinity College of Music,
The Royal Academy of Music, Middlesex University, Thames Valley University, The
Royal Welsh college of Music and Drama and has also taught for the Glamorgan and
Wavendon summer schools, 'Live Music Now', The Purcell School, The Guildhall
School of Music and Drama and has given numerous workshops, clinics and summer
schools internationally.
Also
performed with John Ellis Big Bang, Rare Birds, Pocket
Central, Rebecca Hollweg, Tony Woods, Dr.Seus, Ana, S.A.O.L.E., Rob Statham
Group, The Inner Noise, Hig/Mayne Quartet and Nick Holmes. 'Mike Outram's electric
guitar work was always fluid and interesting.' James Griffiths, Guardian. 'An
impeccable guitarist' Jazz UK.
Dave
Cliff David John “Dave” Cliff was born
in Hexham, Northumberland in 25th June 1944. Dave began his
career playing rhythm and blues in the Newcastle area. In
1967, he moved to Leeds and gained a diploma in jazz studies
from Leeds College of Music while studying with bassist
Peter Ind and
Bernie Cash. In 1971, after
moving to London Dave became established on the local scene.
During 1976-1977 he toured Holland , Denmark, Italy and the
UK with the
Lee Konitz -
Warne Marsh Quintet. The following year Dave toured the
UK with Soprano Summit (Kenny
Davern and
Bob Wilber). He worked increasingly as a freelance from
the 1980s. Dave is involved in Jazz education, teaching jazz
guitar at London
Trinity College of Music & Birmingham Conservatoire.
Dave also teaches at the Glamorgan Summer jazz school, the
Jamie Aebersold Summer School in London and at the
Christiansand jazz course in Norway
Music from
’91-’94 acquiring a 1st in the Jazz, Popular and
Contemporary Music Course, plus the College’s Jazz Guitar
Prize. As well as being
Senior Guitar Lecturer at Leeds College of Music and
visiting Guitar Examiner at Trinity College of Music in
London and the Welsh College of Music and Drama, he leads a
Jazz quartet and trio. He also plays with a number of
jazz ensembles and has worked with a variety of names in
jazz and pop including Julian Arguelles, Henry Lowther,
Laurence Cottle, Herbie Flowers and Rick Astley
Stuart
McCallum
is simply the most talented and original guitarist that I have
ever heard' (Brian Bicat JATP)
Stuart's original use of loops and effects combined
with his extensive harmonic knowledge make him one of the most in demand
guitarists on the scene today.
He has recorded with The Cinematic Orchestra, Ari
Hoenig, Tim Garland and Don Weller and has performed, to critical
acclaim, with the likes of Kenny Wheeler, John Surman and Mike Gibbs.
His music covers both ends of the emotional spectrum
- from mesmerising beauty to explosively turbulent energy.
Max Brittain
Studied guitar at Leeds College of Music. He
has appeared all the major UK concert venues and has toured
extensively throughout Europe, Scandinavia and the Middlde
East, Australia and New Zealand. He has worked with Georgie
Fame, Marian Montgomery, Cleo Laine, Ronnie Scott, Humphrey
Lyttelton, Terry Lightfoot and visiting American stars
Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis and Charlie Byrd
John
Coverdale
Great
Chord finder and all round jazz guitarist and
can be found playing in the Oxon/Bucks area often with Ian
Cruickshank's Gypsy Jazz.
John is a tutor at Eton Collage,
and played the guitar in the Tango sequence in the film "Evita"
Dave Warren
Hugh
Buckley
Dublin based
guitarist Hugh Buckley began playing guitar at the relatively late age of
seventeen. His initial interests lay in rock, soul and rhythm and blues but a
family interest in jazz led him in this direction. (his cousins Richie and
Michael are both world class saxophonists in their own right). Hugh leads his
own group, works as a sideman with many artists, teaches and conducts guitar and
improvisation workshops. He has performed in Argentina, France, Germany,
Switzerland, Spain, Britain and the United States.
He has released two cds under his own name ,"Yes Indeed" and "Spirit Level",
both recorded in New York and featuring such artists as James Williams, Peter
Washington, Darren Beckett, Richie Buckley, John Wadham, Dave Fleming and Fintan
O'Neill. His own group is a vehicle for his passionate playing and his numerous
and diverse original compositions. A sensitive and versatile approach to harmony
and melody has enabled him the opportunity to play as a sideman and accompanist
to many internationally renowned artists. Including James Williams, Jon
Faddis , Peter Washington, Peter Bernstein, Bobby Watson , Scott Hamilton, Javon
Jackson, Brad Mehldau, Guy Barker, Bruce Adams, Alan Barnes, Roy Williams ,Georgie
Fame, Bobby Wellins, Mike Carr, Spike Robinson, Louis Stewart, Joe Temperley,
Brian Kelloch, Peter Appleyard, George Masso, Harry Allen, Van Morrison, Stacey
Kent and Lisa Stansfield.
Louis
Stewart began his musical
career in the sixties as a member of the Dublin jazz scene. In 1968 he received
an invitation to the Montreux Jazz Festival together with the Jim Doherty
Quartet. He came away with the press award for "Outstanding European Soloist of
the Festival". The following year - again in Montreux - he won the "Grand Prix
de la Radio Suisse Romande". He turned down a scholarship from the Berklee
School of Music, Boston, because at the time he was with Tubby Hayes' Quartet
and Big Band and had been engaged by Benny Goodman for three European tours.
In the 70s Louis Stewart was a member of the
"Ronnie Scott Quartet" in London. During this period he also cut albums with Sam
Jones and Billy Higgins as well as other musicians from the London scene. His
excellent guitar playing with Scott’s quartet, on his solo and duo albums in the
1970 and 1980s, and on recordings with George Shearing, Clark Terry, Martin
Taylor, Heiner Franz and others in recent years has earned him a well-deserved
reputation as one of the world’s foremost jazz guitarists. In July 1998 Louis Stewart was conferred with
a doctorate in music from Trinity College Dublin.
Graeme Stephens - Edinburgh
based guitarist
Guitar Festivals
Bath
International Guitar Festival
City
of Derry Guitar Festival 24-26th Aug 07
Gower
Guitar Festival
Lewes
Guitar Festival
July 30th - 5th August 2007
Walton's Guitar festival - Classic &
Jazz - Dublin
Wirral International Guitar Festival
International Guitar Festival & Bath
Classical Guitar Festival
North Wales Guitar Festival
Kirkmichael International Guitar Festival
-
Ayreshire - not during 2007
Ullapool Guitar
Festival
Dundee Guitar Festival
11-13 July 08
Limerick Guitar Festival - August 07
http://www.jazzguitarresources.com/index.shtml
|