Guitarists: (no order)
Hilmar Jensson, Steve Howe, Jimmy Page, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Manuel Barrueco, Jim Hall, Mark Ribot, Andres Segovia, Wes Montgomery, Tal Farlow, Ben Monder, Jimi Hendrix, Arto Lindsay, David Gilmore, Julian Bream, Eivind Aarset
Composers & Bands
(no order) Bob Dylan, The Band, Duke Ellington, Wayne Shorter, Morton Feldman, Johannes Brahms, Arto Lindsay, Yes, Gentle Giant, the Stones, Miles Davis, Leo Brouwer, the Jam, MC5, Paul Desmond, John Coltrane, Andrew Manze, Square Pusher
Sounds Like
Here is the band I had with Mike Waters back in San Francisco. We had a weekley gig for several years. This night we were lucky to have bassist Devon Hoff helping out.
When I lived in San Francisco I got to play with a wonderfull musician named Smith Dobson Jr. He is certainly one of the most "natural" musicians I've ever worked with. Here is a video of Smith and I at a Jazz club in Santa Cruz, CA. I think it's from 2001.
I like to teach Guitar Improvisation. Here is a video lesson I did on soloing harmonically (more than 1 note at a time).
This is a video I did about improvising with the roots of the chord progression. Its an alternative to using the "chord solo" approach.
Here are a couple of videos of the Trio I had in San Francisco called Dam East. Originally it was me on guitar, Kevin Stevens on drums and Jon Christiensen on bass. Both are from a live concert in Oakland CA at TUVA Space. This song is an original called "Derailer".
This song is an original calle Cloud's Rest
Some of the stuff I've done is straight ahead. My San Francisco trio DAM EAST, was a trio that was influenced at bit by Ben Monder and Kurt Rosenwinkle. The "new" music I'm working on is a bit more groove based. I'm recording originals using Logic on the Mac with loops, samples, synths etc... I've been really interested in seeing how I can fit a improvisational guitarist's approach into a more "Electronica" landscape. I'll try and post some of the works in progress soon.
In the meantime....here is a live Video from Quartet Doloroso; a group I playing based in New York. We do the music of the Paul Desmond Quartet that featured Jim Hall on guitar. Enjoy....
I play guitar. I like to make up stuff to play. I like to play things that some people think sound like Jazz. Mostly I've been in other people's bands as a Rock / Pop session / studio player.
I live in Sebastopol, CA about an hour north of San Francisco in th Sonoma Co wine country..
I have a "super cool" wife (Janine). In 2002 we had a "super cool" child (Olivia).
I have performed with an unusual variety of Jazz and Pop artists. In the Boston area, I played with Joshua Redman, Jim Black, Ken Vandermark, the Either Orchestra, the Charlie Kolhase Quintet, organ Trio Be-3 and the Matt Wilson group. In the San Francisco Bay Area performances include Richie Cole's Alto Madness Orchestra, Dam East and various groups lead by me. I also spent several years in one of the early incarnations of Charlie Hunter drummer, Scott Amendola's group. Pop music performances include motown / top-40group the Marsels and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas in the Boston area. The strangest gigs I ever had was an acoustic "un-plugged" performance with pop legend Boy George as part of a dance music conference in San Francisco. Last but not least, I have been a proud member of eclectic pop-groups lead by Emily Bezar, Jessie Turner and Noe Venable. I've also been a member of Jazz vocalist Ann Dyer's quartet.
I am now the music teacher at Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, CA. Thats a guitar based music program and I'm really proud of my students there.
Just received word that I'm Cakewalk's Artist of the Week - and they are featuring "Star Out Tonight" on their web site...Your playing is great on that tune and on the rest of the CD ... and it's now available on iTunes!
morris!!!! you've made my year.....I'm so glad you are liking this...hopefully this will only mean that your brilliance on 4 Walls will finally be heard. tell me soon when you are here so i can make arrangements for le grand CA BBQ. see you very soon I hope, xo em
thanks morris. yeah, i've been playing more guitar in the last few months--i used to take lessons but i sort of put it down for a couple of years. anyway, thanks for the encouragement. how are you??
Hey! Great to hear from you. I'm in Boston, super busy all the time. But would love to catch up and play sometime soon. Hope it's all good with you. Cat
Morris!!! I don't know if I told you but the tracks we recorded are all on my myspace now if you want to check them out. You sound great! Hope all is well.
Morris, I'm so sorry I did not get to say goodbye to you! I had such a great time playing/recording with you at Banff. You'll have to come visit me in England, and maybe I can pop over and see you as well! Let's keep in touch in the mean time.
Morris, I'm so sorry I did not get to say goodbye to you! I had such a great time playing/recording with you at Banff. You'll have to come visit me in England, and maybe I can pop over and see you as well! Let's keep in touch in the mean time.
hi morris.......thanks for the comment...yes i favor the 335 although i have a blond 175 that i play occasionally....i guess i left the bay area about a year after you got there......i'm enjoying your playing and the videos are cool........
