| Player Profiles | |
Paul Asbell
From his early years, playing blues on Chicago's South Side, Paul has earned an underground reputation as a true 'musician's musician'. He has played and recorded with Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, Paul Butterfield, David Bromberg, Donny Hathaway, Sonny Stitt, Jon Hendricks, Bobby McFerrin, Betty Carter, James Carter, Michael Ray, the Sun Ra Arkestra, Joshua Redman, John Stowell and numerous others. Appearances include the Kool Jazz Festival, Atlanta Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, the Roskilde Festival in Copenhagen, and numerous national tours and concert dates.
Paul has also taught guitar for over 40 years, including positions at Dartmouth College, Skidmore College, and presently at Middlebury College, St. Michaels College, and the University of Vermont.
His 2 solo acoustic CDs, “Steel-String Americana” and “Roots and Branches”, received numerous national rave reviews for their highly individualized twists on blues and jazz standards, old-timey country-based themes and original pieces from the “American roots” tradition. The Flynn Theatre called his performance there “A genre-blurring, virtuosic waltz through the deep heritage of American folklore, where styles of Robert Johnson, Doc Watson and Dr. John rub elbows with those of Joe Pass and Bill Frisell.” Check out his website www.paulasbell.com!
Bruce Forman
When Bruce asked us to build him a custom Halfling™ Jazz Guitar we were thrilled! It was built with hand picked wood, custom pickguard setup and a stunning red finish by Tom Ribbecke. Click here to see more pictures!
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Bruce Forman's guitar style has been an important part of the international jazz scene for more than two decades. He has been featured as leader, as well as sideman, at many of the most prestigious festivals and concert venues throughout the world. His numerous recording and performing credits include; Bobby Hutcherson, Ray Brown, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Barney Kessel, Richie Cole, and countless others. Known for swinging bop-style phrasing and inventive harmonizations, his ability to work in a variety of settings keeps him in constant demand. His guitar work is featured throughout Clint Eastwood's Academy Award winning film, Milion Dollar Baby.
Bruce's band Cow Bop, a jazz and western swing band, released a new CD; “Swingin' Out West”. Bruce's other recordings include; “Dedication, Bootleg Vol. I”, and Ray Brown's “Some of my best fiends are Guitarists”.
He has served as Artist-in-residence at numerous music workshops worldwide, has conducted seminars in conservatories and universities across four continents, is a Resource Team member for the IAJE and a longstanding member of the Monterey Jazz Festival Education Program.
Bruce founded the JazzMasters Workshop, a music-mentoring program that is free to student-age musicians. JazzMasters has operated more than 1,500 workshops throughout the nation. For more information on Bruce, take a look at his website; www.bruceforman.com
Adam Gabriel
Adam Gabriel has been playing guitar since the age of 12. His illustrious career has included 17 years as the band leader for Hank Ballard and the Midnighters. Currently, Adam is in the Christmas Jug Band: stalwart purveyors of the jugabilly mystique! A tongue-in-cheek seasonal convergence of Dan Hicks, Commander Cody alumnus and other San Francisco Bay Area luminaries: Gregory Leroy Dewey, Austin Delone, Tim Eschliman, Turtle Vandemarr, Paul Rogers, Jim Rothermel, Nik Phelps, Paul Wenninger, Nick "Not Joe" Dewey, and Blake Richardson.
Adam also plays with Rhythmtown-Jive is an exciting American roots combo featuring accomplished San Francisco Bay Area musicians recognized nationally for their versatility and outstanding skill. With rich vocal harmonies and tasty saxophone-based instrumentals, they offer infectious dance music, delivering inventive, original '40s and '50s influenced rhythm & blues, zydeco, jump-swing, rock & roll and New Orleans gems. They have a deep sense of the feel and mechanics of the essential grooves of these American roots styles. As a back-up group they are in demand and recognized as journeymen in their field, having worked with, among others: Bo Diddley, Big Joe Turner, Johnnie Johnson, Earl King, Robert Ward, Long John Hunter and New Orleans rock & roll sax innovator Lee Allen. They were the featured house band at the 15th annual Sacramento Blues Festival.
Mark Guest
Canadian-born Mark Guest was raised on Toronto Island at a time when the Toronto jazz scene was very hot. The Island has been a hothouse for artists of all sorts for several decades, and it was in this environment that Mark began his guitaristic explorations. While largely self-taught, Mark has studied with noted musical luminaries such as Toronto guitarists Lenny Breau, Lorne Lofsky, and New Orleans guitarists Phil DeGruy, and Hank Mackie.
In 2001, Mark moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast with his wife DeNeice, whose career in remote sensing led her to Stennis Space Center. "I was initially dubious about the move," Mark said, "but we learned Bay St. Louis was listed as one of the hot arts communities in the country. Plus, New Orleans was less than an hour away which made the move easier."
Mark helped develop jazz venues and played regularly along the Coast and in the New Orleans area. "Jazz was enjoying a renaissance on the Gulf Coast. Many New Orleans people kept second homes on the coast and they enjoyed hearing quality music," remembers Guest. The hurricane that decimated the Mississippi Gulf Coast also destroyed the Guest's home. "Hurricane Katrina hit my community very hard...Homes and businesses were destroyed all along the beach and several blocks inland. We felt we had no choice but to move," said the guitarist.
Relocated in Asheville, North Carolina, Mark is gigging regularly. A studio CD is expected out shortly; to learn more about Mark check out www.myspace.com/markguest.
Jerome Harris
Jerome Harris has won international recognition as one of the more versatile and penetrating stylists of his generation on both guitar and bass guitar.
Born and raised in New York, Jerome began his instrument studies on accordion, then played violin in a middle-school orchestra. Self-taught on guitar as well as bass guitar, as a teenager he immersed himself in a broad range of musics?rock, pop, blues, country, gospel, folk and R&B as both fan and player. In addition to his work on guitar and bass guitar, Jerome performs as a singer, has done voice-over work for audio production houses, and studies several percussion instruments.
Jerome's first major professional performances were as bass guitarist with Sonny Rollins in 1978; from 1988 to 1994 he was Rollins' guitarist, and appears on five of his recordings. Over the past two decades, Jerome has also recorded and/or performed live on six continents with such jazz notables as Jack DeJohnette, Bill Frisell, Ray Anderson, Don Byron, Bobby Previte, Oliver Lake, Amina Claudine Myers, Bob Stewart, George Russell, Julius Hemphill, and Bob Moses.
His extensive international work has included several stints in Japan with Sonny Rollins, as well as tours sponsored by the U.S. State Department: to six southeastern African countries with saxophonist Sam Newsome and guitarist Marvin Sewell, to India and southeast Asia with flutist Jamie Baum and guitarist Kenny Wessel, to India and several Middle Eastern countries with vibraphonist Jay Hoggard's group, and to five African nations with saxophonist Oliver Lake?s reggae/jazz/funk band; Jump Up.
In 1999, Harris served as arranger, rhythm guitarist and assistant to musical director Vernon Reid in the "Joni's Jazz" tribute concert staged in New York's Central Park--with Joni Mitchell herself in attendance--accompanying singers as diverse in style as Chaka Khan, Jane Siberry, Duncan Sheik and P.M. Dawn. Other Harris credits include a Broadway stint as guitarist in the South African R&B/rock musical Kat and the Kings, as well as work on industrial, commercial and film score dates for Galen Communications Group, Rick Lyon Music, and Richard Eisenstein.
Over the years, Jerome Harris has appeared on more than fifty recordings, making for a lengthy and wide-ranging discography. They include: Don Byron's A Fine Line: Arias and Lieder, Malinke's Dance, by Marty Ehrlich's Travelers Tales, Jack DeJohnette's Oneness, the Ray Anderson Lapis Lazuli Band's Funkorific and Ned Rothenberg & Sync's Inner Diaspora, Harbinger, and Port of Entry. Each showcases Jerome's expressive range, stylistic insight, and creativity. For more information visit Jerome's website www.jeromeharris.com.
Mark Kleinhaut
Mark Kleinhaut has been playing jazz guitar for over thirty years, during which time he has achieved one of the most prized and elusive goals in jazz - a highly personal sound and recognizable voice on his instrument. Mark Kleinhaut is a prolific jazz composer and has five CDs of his original jazz compositions, including "Chasing Tales" with trumpeter Tiger Okoshi and "A Balance of Light", with Bobby Watson on alto sax. Kleinhaut's newest release, "Holding the Center" (January 2006), represents further artistic evolution of his style with use of sampled sounds, electronic guitar effects and rhythms borrowed from latin, funk, rock and reggae music.
Mark completed his formal music studies at Rutgers University (B.A.1979) under the direction of the late Ted Dunbar. Mark makes frequent trips to New York City to play with friends at clubs such as Detour Jazz Club, 55 Bar and Trumpets (NJ), or as a member of the jazzcorner.com community in jam sessions at the Iridium and Birdland. Kleinhaut has taken his trio on tour in Germany and the Netherlands, and has toured as a duo in Cuba with clarinetist/whistler Brad Terry. In Maine, the Mark Kleinhaut Trio plays frequent host to visiting headliners such as Jerry Bergonzi, Alex Foster, Greg Abate and Scott Reeves.
During his 3-year term as president of the Maine Jazz Alliance (a non-profit jazz support and advocacy group), Mark was instrumental in bringing a long list of jazz luminaries to Southern Maine and worked tirelessly for jazz education. Under his leadership, MJA brought Jazz music to thousands of Maine School children through the "Jazz Goes to School" program. Kleinhaut teaches privately, was adjunct faculty at University of Southern Maine, and has conducted clinics and workshops at Universities and High Schools, including Bowdoin College and the University of Maine. Mark uses his business acumen for the betterment of jazz in his community as a founding director of Access Jazz, Inc. a non-profit organized to promote public awareness and understanding of jazz. Kleinhaut has served as a member of the board of the Maine Jazz Alliance, University of Southern Maine's School of Music advisory board, and on the boards of the Maine Jazz Festival and the Maine Jazz Camp. Check out his website at www.markkleinhaut.com.
Joel Landsberg
Beginning from his early days growing up in New York City, Joel Landsberg was surrounded by varied musical influences. With a cultural mixture of musical styles ranging from Broadway to Classical, to Jazz and Rhythm and Blues, Joel began his bass playing career at the ripe old age of 12. After several years of classical training on piano, Joel devoted his full attention to the bass and has been playing nothing else since. Soon after moving to Switzerland in 1989, Joel began a successful career as a sideman with various Country/Rock and Jazz acts throughout Europe. It was during this time that he met up with the Kruger Brothers and developed what would turn into a deeply rewarding musical alliance and friendship. In early 1995 Joel was initiated into the 'Brotherhood' and has been performing full time with the band ever since.
The Krugers have been appearing regularly in the U.S. since 1997 at such prestigious events as, Merlefest, Doc Watson Music Fest, Wayne Henderson Festival, Walnut Valley Festival, Greyfox, Festival of the Bluegrass, Wings and Strings, IBMA, Festival for the Eno, Oklahoma Int'l Bluegrass Festival, WEFest, as well as numerous other festivals. Hundreds of Arts Council and Theater concerts, plus appearances on national and international radio and television, have earned the Brothers the love of audiences and the respect of the music industry worldwide. Since moving to North Carolina permanently in the fall of 2003, the Kruger Brothers now look forward to concentrating their efforts on performing year-round throughout the United States. Check out his website www.krugerbrothers.com!
Kevin O'Neal
Check back for Kevin's Bio!
Chuck Rainey
At one time tagged as the hardest working bass player in America, Chuck Rainey's bass playing on successful television shows, motion pictures and recordings illustrate his well-known and legendary style, feel and concept for the instrument and it's role in organized music. His unique bass lines accent numerous commercials and are an integral part of today's music across many music viewing and listening fronts.
Chuck toured and/or recorded with some of the most prominent artists of our time. They include King Curtis, Sam Cooke, Etta James, The original Coasters, Jackie Wilson, Harry Bellefonte, Al Kooper, The Supremes, Labelle, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack and Quincy Jones. Of special note; as a member of 'The King Curtis All Stars', the second Beatle Tour of the US took him to Los Angeles where he made a commitment to return as soon as the Universe saw fit.
A recipient of a grant from The Ohio Arts Council in 1981, Chuck joins the group of a selected few 'music sidemen' who have been a recipient of prestigious awards. They include; 17 platinum or gold records, The Dean Markley 'Life Time Of Achievement' award, Bass Player Magazine/New York Bass Collective 'Life Time Achievement' award, a record 35 year consecutive placement in the top 10 music poll (category - bass) in Downbeat and Playboy magazines and the list goes on.
Having written and taught the first bass course curriculums for The Musicians Institute/B.I.T. and Dick Grove Music Works Shops, adds to his experience in the field of music education. He was among the first celebrated musicians to write teaching columns in Guitar Player and Bass Player Magazines in the 70's. His early monthly columns alongside the crew of that time, set the format of success inherited by columnist writing the same columns today.
Pete Snell
Pete Snell grew up on the east coast playing in clubs in the tri-state area. He studied with Linc Chamberland, Pat Martino, Joe Pass, and at The Manhattan School of Music before heading to Los Angeles in the '80's. There he signed with Capitol Records and Bruce Lundvall to do two albums with his band In Vitro. Next, he toured with Lyle Lovett and his Large Band, Sam Phillips, and many others while doing session work in Los Angeles for many T.V. shows, films, and solo artists.
Currently, Pete is producing artists, composing for film and television, doing session work and playing in the jazz clubs in the L.A. area along with promoting this new CD "Straight Ahead 360".
Victor Wooten
Regaled as the most influential bassist since Jaco Pastorius, Victor is known for his solo recordings and tours, and as a member of the Grammy-winning supergroup, Béla Fleck & The Flecktones. He is an innovator on the bass guitar, as well as a talented composer, arranger, producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist.
In 1988 Victor met New Grass Revival banjo ace Béla Fleck. A year later, Fleck enlisted Vic, his brother Roy (a.k.a. Future Man) and harmonica-playing keyboardist Howard Levy to perform with him, and the Flecktones were born.
Wooten won two Nashville Music Awards for Bassist Of The Year and is the only three-time winner of Bass Player magazine's Bass Player Of The Year. With the honors came sideman calls, leading to recordings and performances with artists like Branford Marsalis, Mike Stern, Bruce Hornsby, Chick Corea, Dave Matthews, Prince, Gov't Mule, Susan Tedeschi, Vital Tech Tones (with Scott Henderson and Steve Smith), the Jaco Pastorius Word Of Mouth Big Band, and the soundtrack of the Disney film Country Bears.
Fresh off sold-out tours with the Flecktones and Bass Extremes (with Bailey, Watson and Oteil Burbridge) in 2004, Victor is re-focusing on his solo side in 2005 thanks to a remarkable new CD, Soul Circus. The disc boasts such guests as the Wooten brothers, Bootsy Collins, Arrested Development rapper/vocalist Speech, Howard Levy, Dennis Chambers, Saundra Williams, J.D. Blair, Derico Watson, Flecktone Jeff Coffin, and a who's-who of bassists, including Bailey, Burbridge, Will Lee, Rhonda Smith, Christian McBride, T.M. Stevens, Bill Dickens and Gary Grainger. For further information go to: www.victorwooten.com.