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Scott Detweiler plays Los Angeles.

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SCOTT DETWEILER is an American composer and lyricist born and raised in New Orleans. He began his musical journey at age 17 by studying folk guitar with Ellen Simon. He then went on to study jazz guitar at Loyola University (New Orleans) with Bill Huntington and then music composition at the University of New Orleans. It was at the universities that he would also first learn to read music and begin to sing, as a member of opera choruses and master chorales.

AFTER LEAVING THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS he studied orchestration as a private pupil of Ellis Marsalis in Ellis' home. He also studied writing and arranging for strings with Henry Mancini and Dr. Albert Harris (Pulitzer Prize nominee), and writing for film and television with Earle Hagen. He studied songwriting with Harriet Schock and studied lyric writing with K. Parker at the BMI Institute in West Hollywood.

He is currently studying under jazz guitar legend, Mr. Robert Conti.

HIS COMPOSITIONAL STYLE, whether it be his extensive catalog of songs, or his diverse body of classical compositions, is a unique blend of jazz and blues. Even his classical compositions are full of soul and are considered to be truly "American Music", in the grand tradition of Bernstein and Gershwin.

THE ENERGY AND SOULFULNESS OF HIS GUITAR playing has been compared to B.B. King and Grant Green, while his vocal soulfulness is often compared to the range of emotion known in the vocal styles of Elton John and Aaron Neville.

SCOTT IS A COMPELLING PERFORMER whether he is playing solo or with his full band.

HAS BAND HAS SHARED THE BILL with many bands including The Neville Brothers, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band and The Allman Brothers Band and in addition to performing and living in the U.S. he has performed in Europe and Asia. His symphonic premiere was with the New Orleans Symphony.

DETWEILER'S COMPOSITIONS HAVE BEEN HONORED BY the Utah Composer's Guild, The Nashville Music City Song Festival and the Billboard Music Awards. Scott was awarded a certificate of congressional recognition by 27th District California Congressman Brad Sherman in “recognition for the his great work in entertaining the public”, after watching him perform with his band at Warner Park, in Woodland Hills, California.

HE WORKED WITH several dance companies as a collaborating composer and as composer in residence. Most notably would be his compositions for the Gabriel Masson Dance Company of New York for the 2000 - 2001 Season. He composed his first two string quartets and other important chamber dance works for their choreography. In 2008 Ballet Memphis premiered, "She Didn't Stay Long", an original ballet by Detweiler and Masson that is an expression of the effect that the Katrina Disaster has had (and continues to have) on their own emotions and the lives of their families and friends. Scott is a prolific composer and lyricist and an active performer, both solo (on hollow body jazz guitar and vocals) and with his band.

FROM HIS , "Slumber Tongue" CD, a collection of instrumental pieces featuring a variety of work, from solo concert pieces to full band compositions that brings Scott's all around guitar work to light for the first time (establishing him as a brilliant soloist, both on electric and acoustic guitars), to his "Between Lake and River", the haunting concept CD tribute to New Orleans, the diversity and range of style displayed by his CD catalog exhibits artistic depth, versatility and vision that is an uncommon rarity.

DETWEILER MADE LOS ANGELES MUSIC HISTORY ON OCTOBER 6, 2007, being the first blues artist/composer known ever to premiere a chamber piece and perform with his blues ensemble in the same concert setting.

Following a performance of two pieces by Mozart, Detweiler's "The Sun Will Rise" (for string quartet and alto saxophone, composed in July 2007 about the Katrina disaster in New Orleans), premiered at the 430 seat Madrid Theater in Los Angeles. The 4 movement, 20 minute piece, was rewarded with an enthusiastic standing ovation.

After a brief intermission Detweiler, backed by Ed Cogan on piano, Sam Nee on bass, Paul Van De Riet on drums and Larry McRae on saxophones and flute (McRae also played the alto saxophone in "The Sun Will Rise"), took the stage for over an hour, performing selections from his 2008 VAVV Records Release, MADE IN NEW ORLEANS.

AS A CONSULTANT TO MUSIC PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS, Scott provides real working feedback and analysis to fine manufacturers of music products, worldwide, helping in their development of new products and improving existing ones. His performance in an average of fifty to seventy shows a year and working in dozens of recording sessions (mostly in Los Angeles), create a testing ground that cannot be simulated in a factory.

SCOTT RELEASED TWO NEW SOLO CDS IN SEP 2009 that were recorded live at the Infusion Gallery in Downtown Los Angeles in August 2009. INFUSION WENT AWAY is a collection of original material, both new and previously released selections and RENDITIONATION INTEGRATION, a collection of jazz and blues classics. Both CDs are raw and unedited recordings of Detweiler performing live.

THROUGH 2009 DETWEILER will continue to produce the series of live recordings of his quartet, solo work and organ trio instrumental jazz, as part of his chronicle of jazz and blues in early 21st century Los Angeles.

DETWEILER WILL PREMIERE NEW PIECE FOR JAZZ QUINTET on April 25, 2010 as special guest performer of the San Fernando Valley Youth Chorus. He has begun sketching the piece. Details to follow.

IN ADDITION TO SPENDING TIME WITH HIS WIFE, ELSA, AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN, SCOTT, JR. AND MARIE, he produces other artists, performs, works with local community charities and presents Los Angeles area school children his own ELEMENTARY EXPOSURE TO JAZZ AND BLUES. It is an original presentation of the history of jazz and blues laced with his own rendition of classics, designed to expose elementary school children to the art forms. He also privately teaches music and lyric writing. As for his other writing, an archive of his free lance reviews of CDs, live concerts, short films and original poetry can be found at www.helium.com.

DISCOGRAPHY

Scott Detweiler: Scott Detweiler (1990) (produced by Gregory Simon) (Scott Detweiler - guitar and vocals, Marty Keany - percussion, Miles Yamada - cello). Man From Scott Records

Wardance: Native In A Nightmare (1991) (produced by Gregory Simon). All songs composed and arranged by Gregory Simon. (Scott Detweiler - background vocals) Innervision Records

Scott Detweiler: South Of A Dozen (2000) (produced by Scott Detweiler) (Scott Detweiler - guitar and vocals, Paul Clement - bass and vocals, Billy Schell - drums) Detweiler Music Records

Scott Detweiler: String Quartet/Violin Duet Nos. 1 & 2 (2000) (produced by Scott Detweiler) (Scott Detweiler - all Encore programming) Detweiler Music Records

Scott Detweiler: Bridge of Eyes (2001) (produced by Scott Detweiler) (Scott Detweiler - guitar and vocals, Barbara Weetman - background vocals, Joseph Parsons - guitar and background vocals, Marty Keany - percussion, Miles Yamada - cello) Detweiler Music Records

Scott Detweiler: Majesty (2001) (produced by Scott Detweiler) (Scott Detweiler - guitar and vocals, Don Cruz - lead guitar, Alejandro - lead guitar, Rick Calderilla - bass, David Drum - drums) Detweiler Music Records

Scott Detweiler: Between Lake & River (2003) (produced by Scott Detweiler) (Scott Detweiler - guitars, vocals, piano, string and vocal arrangements, percussion, bass) Detweiler Music Records

Scott Detweiler: Slumber Tongue (2004) (produced by Scott Detweiler) (Scott Detweiler - percussion, guitars and all Encore programming) Detweiler Music Records

Big Joe Hurt: No Pain No Gain (2007) (produced by Scott Detweiler) (Scott Detweiler - bass, string and vocal arrangements, background vocals, piano, keyboards and lead guitar) Delgado Records

Scott Detweiler: Scott Detweiler Live (2007) (DVD) (produced by Scott Detweiler) (Scott Detweiler - vocals and acoustic guitar; Scott Detweiler - vocals and electric guitar, Fou-Fou - drums, Eric Ward - bass, Larry McRae - saxophones) Detweiler Music Records

Scott Detweiler: Made In New Orleans (2008) (produced by Sebastian Sheehan and Scott Detweiler) (Scott Detweiler - lead and rhythm guitar and vocals, Robin Wiley - background vocals, Sebastian Sheehan - percussion and background vocals, Rob Zucca - lead guitar, Mark Drews - bass, Paul Van De Riet - drums, Nikki Campbell - percussion, Bal - trumpet, Clem Jeffries - trumpet, Larry McRae - saxophones and flute, Scott Detweiler Jr. - alto saxophone, Ed Cogan - piano) VAVV Records

The Middle Class: Deep In Debt (2008) (produced by Sebastian Sheehan) (Scott Detweiler - piano) VAVV Records

Big Joe Hurt: While You Were Away (2009) (produced by Big Joe Hurt) (Scott Detweiler - lead guitar) Delgado Records

Scott Detweiler: Infusion Went Away (2009) (produced by Scott Detweiler) (Scott Detweiler - guitar and vocals) Detweiler Music Records

Scott Detweiler: Rendition Integration (2009) (produced by Scott Detweiler) (Scott Detweiler - guitar and vocals) Detweiler Music Records