New Jersey Guitar & Mandolin Society
Professional
Members and Musicians Who Performed at Past NJGMS Meetings
Stanley Alexandrowicz
Lawrenceville, NJ
Classical
Guitarist Stanley Alexandrowicz is
quickly becoming one of the most highly praised and sought-after musical
artists of his generation. A native of New Jersey, he entered the Manhattan
School of Music at the age of sixteen, wherein the influence of his major
teacher and mentor Manuel Barrueco profoundly influenced his musical outlook.
Concerts, radio broadcasts, and recordings followed, and in addition an
extensive schedule of recitals and chamber-music performances, an in-depth
overview of the complete lute-song ouveres of John Dowland marked a
special highlight. Not content to merely perform in the solo milieu, he has
also explored the concerto repertoire in appearances of the rarely-performed
'tour-de-force' Tres Grafficos for Guitar and Orchestra by Maurice
Ohana, and, To the Edge of Dream -- a tone-poem for guitar and orchestra
by Japan's most famous 20th century composer Toru Takemitsu. Dr. Alexandrowicz had been Director of the
Bronx House Music School and on the faculty of
Mercy College. Additionally he maintains an active 'master-class' and
private teaching schedules. Having received his DMA degree from the Manhattan
School of Music, he continued to function there as a graduate tutor and
doctoral thesis adviser.
Concerned
as an educator for a broadening of the musical learning process and, the
audience appreciation of both old and 'new' music, Dr. Alexandrowicz had
contributed to scholarly journals, written numerous program notes (for Carnegie
Recital Hall among others), and functioned as 'Editor-in-Chief' of the
Manhattan School of Music newspaper "MSM Notes."
Patrick Appello
Lakewood, NJ
Patrick
Appello was chosen as the solo classical guitarist at the World Trade
Center in New York, NY. He played for the premiere of the “Cellar in the Sky”
restaurant, in the Windows on the World complex, and for many years thereafter.
Mr. Appello was the co-winner of the Oscar Ghilia Guitar Competition Master
Class at the Aspen Music Festival. Mr. Appello has since distinguished himself
with a 20 plus year career including classical, flamenco and early music
performances at the Finkelstein Memorial Library, Ingalls Recital Hall, Borden
Recital Hall,
Joyce Balint
Bronxville, NY
Joyce Rasmussen Balint, violin and mandolin, is the
founder and Director of Chamber Music Westchester and is the mandolin soloist
with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. An active free-lance musician, she has
performed with many musical organizations, including the Chappaqua Chamber
Orchestra, the Westchester Symphony, and the New Rochelle Opera and in
Rupert Boyd
New York, NY
Australian
guitarist Rupert Boyd is acclaimed as one
of the most talented guitarists of his generation. He has been described by The
Washington Post as “truly evocative”, and by Classical Guitar Magazine as “a
player who deserves to be heard.” He has performed throughout North America,
Europe and Australia, including at New York’s Carnegie Hall, the 92nd Street Y,
Merkin Concert Hall and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (the world’s
largest gothic cathedral). His solo CD Valses Poéticos received the
following review in Soundboard, the quarterly publication of Guitar
Foundation of America: “Boyd’s playing is beautifully refined, with gorgeous
tone . . . musically and technically flawless . . . [the Granados is] one of
the best recorded performances of this work on guitar.”
Roni Ben-Hur
Teaneck, NJ
Israeli born,
New York City based guitar guru Roni
Ben-Hur is widely respected by his peers, jazz educational institutions and
the press as one of the 'elite players in jazz today '.”(Nick Bewsey,
Prime Time A&E.) The youngest of seven siblings and therefore a musician
who knows how to thrive as a valued member of a group, Ben-Hur was one of the
first Israeli jazz musicians to have a significant impact on American jazz. His
seven recordings as a leader have earned him high praise from jazz critics
around the world and have made it to the top of the radio charts, with his most
recent, Fortuna (2009), peaking at #2 and hanging in the top ten for eight
weeks. Building on a foundation of his many years performing with jazz legends,
and teaching in top institutions, Ben-Hur, who authored the popular "Talk
Jazz Guitar' and an instructional DVD, works primarily as a band leader and
jazz educator, heading up a variety of jazz camps and performing at festivals
and concert venues internationally. Ben-Hur was also on the faculty of the jazz
camps in Stanford, Litchfield, and the National Guitar Workshops. His book, Talk
Jazz, is much sought after by fellow musicians and students worldwide.
Gene Bertoncini
New York, NY
Gene Beroncini
is one of the pre-eminent jazz guitarists active today. His fluid technique
have won him international praise and such accolades as the "
Joseph Brent
New York, NY
Joseph Brent has brought a consummate
artistry and dedication to the mandolin, and has helped to bring his instrument
into the 21st century. Graduating from the Berklee College of Music in 1999
with a focus on contemporary music, he immediately began working closely with
many of the great modern composers, having premiered or performed works by
Elliot Carter, Pierre Boulez, among many others, and has lectured on
contemporary music at New York's Museum of Modern Art. Concurrently, he is
thoroughly versed in the traditional orchestral repertoire, performing
regularly with Boston Symphony, American Symphony Orchestra, New York City
Ballet and City Opera. Simultaneously, he has maintained an active career in
popular and improvising music. He has performed with Woody Allen, Stephane
Grappelli, His two books of mandolin pedagogy, Scales and Arpeggios for the
Mandolin and Orchestral and Chamber Excerpts for Mandolin were
published by Lulu to great acclaim. He released a debut album, Point of
Departure, featuring and also recorded the complete mandolin works of David
Loeb for the Vienna Modern Masters label. Joseph Brent is on the faculty of the
Mannes School of Music Extension Division, the first mandolin instructor to
hold a faculty position with a major American conservatory.
Keith
Calmes
Wall, NJ
Guitarist Keith Calmes
grew up in California, and earned degrees in Guitar Performance at
California State University at Northridge, University of Southern
California and The Juilliard School. Keith then became a guitarist
for the U.S. Army band program, before becoming more in tune with
his pacifist leanings. Since that time Keith has become a full-time music
educator in addition to his performance schedule. Keith teaches
guitar full-time at Wall High School in New Jersey and part-time at Ocean
County College, and was presented with an award for his teaching last year
by The College of New Jersey. Mel Bay Publications has released several of
his books and recordings. As winner of the Artists
International Competition in 1992, Keith gave his debut recital
at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Keith's recent activity
includes appearing as a soloist with the Monmouth Symphony Orchestra
in the Villa-Lobos and Rodrigo concertos, presenting lecture-recitals at the
national conventions of the Guitar Foundation of America and American String
Teachers Association, and commissioning works by composers Frank Campo, James
Scully and Chiel Meijering. He plays a guitar made by Kris Barnett of
Atlanta. .
Todd
Collins
Whippany, NJ
Todd Collins
performs in a variety of settings ranging from traditional and progressive
bluegrass to swing, contemporary jazz, blues, rock, and classical. He has
performed with legendary fiddlers Vassar Clements and Kenny Kosek, banjo guru
Bill Keith, Peter Rowan, and Butch Baldassari's Nashville Mandolin Trio. Todd
collaborated with former David Grisman arranger/guitarist John Carlini to form
an eclectic acoustic band, Over the Edge. Collins' recording credits also
include film and television. Todd is the coordinator of the Music Technology
program at County College of Morris (CCM) located in Randolph, New Jersey. He
also gives workshops for guitar and mandolin. He has two books published by Mel
Bay. Collins has been commissioned to compose works for modern dance companies
in the New York/New Jersey area, including Beyond Dance, Inc., the Montclair
State University Dance Department, and the County College of Morris Dance
Department.He earned a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from Rutgers University
and a Bachelor of Music from Montclair State University.
Tom Doyle
Wantage, NJ
Born into a musical family, Tom's first guitar was a
gift from his parents at the age of eight. Requests to play for dignitaries at
the New Jersey Governor's mansion, and private parties given by socialites,
many of which were attended by the Kennedy clan were typical. By the time Tom
was 19 years old, he and his sister, Susan, developed a Les Paul and Mary Ford
act. It was so good it was brought to the attention of the original duo. When
Les Paul paid them a surprise visit one night during a show, it was the start
of a life-long friendship. As a result, Tom has been with Les Paul as his sound
engineer for the past 35 years and has played gigs with him from time to time.
During this time, Tom Doyle
received rave reviews of his performance at the Chet Atkins Appreciation
Society in Nashville. He then became a charter member of the Chet Atkins
Society which hosts an annual one-week blast in Nashville in which noted
guitarists and luthiers are invited to perform and exhibit their talents and
products. For the past five years, Tom started a new duo with his multi
talented wife Sandy. She has been compared to the likes of Norah Jones, Diana Krall,
and Billie Holiday. Tom combines his Big Band guitar finger style and Sandy's
beautiful voice to create music that spans generations. Tom has been
active in both capacities for close to 35 years. Donning his luthier hat, Tom
Doyle has crafted, customized, repaired or modified guitars for top guitarists
including John "Bucky" Pizzarelli, George Benson, Sting, Al Caiola,
Tony Mottola, Jimmy Page and Les Paul.
Keith Fanella
Fair Lawn, NJ
A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, Keith
Fanella has studied with such noted guitarists as Nicholas Goluses, Kaare
Norge, Mark Delpriora and Ben Verdery. A proponent of new music, he was
recently featured in a televised performance of Dave Brubeck's La Fiesta
de la Posada and has performed with the MSM Contemporary Ensemble which
premiered works by composers Steve Reich and Ed Green among others. He
has recorded and premiered solo works for guitar by composer Matthew
Halper. In addition to his performance activities, Mr. Fanella is an active
arranger and composer. Current projects include a CD recording of his
arrangements of international carols and a compilation of transcriptions for
two guitars by composers Schumann and Mendelssohn. He has taught at
various regional music schools and currently maintains an active private
studio. Keith Fanella teaches Classical Guitar to students of all ages, levels
and styles.
Andy Fuchs
Clifton, NJ
“I grew up in a
musical family. From an early age I came to appreciate the sounds of cool
instruments like Danelectro lipstick pickups and blue diamond Ampeg amps. I
eventually started working in my parent’s music store and of my
responsibilities was bringing amps that had come in for repair to the local TV
store. I eventually started watching him work and became quite interested in
electronics. My parents bought me test gear and we went to NYC’s “Radio Row” to
buy parts. Soon, the TV guy offered me a job working in the store after school-
I was in the 6th or 7th grade at the time. I was truly
blessed that the amps and much of what I learned was based on tube technology,
which was basically something you couldn’t go to school for or learn anywhere
except by older people! I started my own business part time with a shop in my
basement, adding employees and renting storage space near my house for all the
growing inventory I needed to make, modify, and service guitar amps. Initially,
I modified Fenders, Music Man, and Traynor amps. I was influenced by the
masters of tone: Les Paul, Randall Smith, Ken Fischer, and Howard Dumble, but
with my own audiophile spin on the designs: Regulated tube filaments, high
current power supply capacitance, audio grade transformers and wiring, ceramic
tube sockets, and single point grounding. I had put up a website and the
business started to grow. Due to personal reasons, I decided it was time for a
life choice and I went full time. We’re now in business since 1999, with
distribution globally, and a full line of guitar amps, effects pedals, and now
a new bass amp line”. Artists such as: Rick
Nielsen (Cheap Trick), Al Di Meola, Troy McLawhorn ( Evanescence) Jimmy Herring
(Wide Spread Panic), Derek Trucks, Luther Dickinson (Black Crowes & North
Mississippi Allstars), Clay Cook and Coy Bowles (Zac Brown Band) and former
Yankee, now jazz guitarist Bernie Williams all use Fuchs’ amps and guitar
pedals as tools for their craft. Fuchs Products can now be seen and heard on
concert stages and TV shows worldwide. www.fuchsaudio.com
Vicki Genfan
Fairview, NJ
Drawing from
folk, jazz, pop, soul and world music, Vicki
Genfan is redefining ‘singer/songwriter culture.’ With a mastery of the
acoustic guitar that borders on pure alchemy, audiences are mesmerized by the
waves of sound Vicki creates with just two hands and her voice. Using her
guitar as a percussive instrument and beautiful, expressive vocals Vicki
creates a musical world that digs deep and stirs the heart. Not content with
singing and playing, Genfan is also an amazing composer. She writes (and
beautifully sings) her own brand of music and lyrics while putting her
unmistakable imprint on familiar tunes. One listen to the Beatles’ Norweigian
Wood provides evidence of this artist’s ability to take a song and make it
uniquely her own. An evening with Vicki is far more than a concert; it is
stories, laughter and love all wrapped up in beautiful music. Awards &
performances include: · Guitar Player Magazine's 2008 'Guitar Superstar'
Award Winner · The International Montreal Jazz Festival · Germany’s Open
Strings Guitar Festival, · Italy’s Soave Guitar Festival.
Joe Giacoio
Somerset, NJ
As a young child
in the Bronx, Joe Giacoio was
abandoned in a music store and raised by a pack of acoustic guitars. This
explains a lot. Joe has won
awards for his strange guitar playing and even stranger songwriting. Crossroads
magazine writes: “Some people seem to have the ability to create music that is
at the same time funny, serious, and incredibly clever. Joe Giacoio is one of those people. “Songs about
post-apocalyptic nostalgia and the existential crisis’s of super-heroes are
accompanied by "guitar ninja" heroics reminiscent of Preston Reed and
Michael Hedges. Joe has often been featured on the "Guitar Gods and
Goddesses" stage at the
Falcon Ridge Folk festival.Songwriting awards include: Great American
Song Contest - First
Prize: Lyrics Category: Plowshares
Songwriting
Finalist, Pennsylvania: South
Florida Songwriting
Contest Finalist: Avalon
Emerging Songwriter
Contest Finalist, Virginia: Songwriters
Showcase at the New
Jersey Folk Festival: Washington
DC MACFUMP (Mid-Atlantic Coalition of Folk Music Presenters) New Talent Showcase,
and more! Joe
performs concerts at venues up and down the East Coast. He also gives lectures
on guitar technique and guitar history, bringing with him vintage Martin
flattops and Gibson arch-tops, Harp guitars, National steel-bodied guitars, and
Dobro and Weissenborn lap
steels. Joe’s
national TV debut was on the long running “Up All Night with Rhonda Shear” on
the USA Network. The show was cancelled the next week. Joe has also been
featured on the nationally syndicated Dr Demento radio show, which so far is
still on the air. A former Ph.D.
student in Hearing Science, Joe’s CD, “I Sing the Body Acoustic”, was recorded
live as a trio in front of the Jecklin Disk stereo microphone array. The result
is audiophile sound quality and the energy of a live performance. The trio
consists of Joe, Greg Anderson (of "Whirligig") on
guitar/bass/bouzouki, and Sarah Milanovich and Lisa Gutkin alternating on fiddle. Joe’s debut CD
is entitled “Superman’s Midlife Crisis”. The album features backing vocals by
Richard Shindell and Susan McKeown, and instrumentation from Jeff Berman and
Lindsey Homer, of "The Chanting House".
Enrico Granafei
Montclair, NJ
Classical guitarist, singer, harmonica virtuouso,
arranger, composer Enrico Granafei has a long history of musical experience
which encompasses both Classical Music and Jazz. Enrico received a degree in
classical guitar from the Conservatory of l'Aquila in Italy in 1976. In 1978
Enrico moved to Germany where he began to perform and to teach in two different
"Musikschulen". In the early 80's, after returning to Italy, Enrico
started to broaden his horizons by discovering Jazz through the harmonica.
Following in the tradition of the legendary Toots Thielemans, he began to
explore new possibilities for the harmonica, an instrument too often associated
solely with Rock and Blues. Besides playing in the best jazz clubs in Italy
during that period, Enrico performed regularly on national television where he
was a member of the Pippo Caruso orchestra. His love for Jazz led him to New
York City, where he soon started to perform in local jazz clubs, including The
Blue Note, Birdland, Visiones, Angry Squire, and the Bottom Line. In 1992
Enrico earned a masters' degree in Jazz Performance from the Manhattan School
of Music where he was the only student of Toots Thielemans. Enrico's latest
accomplishment is his work on Hands-Free-Chromatic Harmonica. The revolutionary
instrument allows him to play Chromatic Harmonica and Guitar at the same time,
something that nobody has ever done before in Jazz. Enrico is one of the most respected
players of the Chromatic Harmonica in the world today and continues to
cultivate an audience for the instrument through his international
performances. He is also the owner of Trumpets Jazz Club and Restaurant in
Carol
Hammersma
Woodbridge, NJ
Carol Hamersma
has performed extensively in the metropolitan area leading her own combos. She
has been heard at major venues in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and Philadelphia,
appearing for such dignitaries as Governors Florio and Whitman, Mayor David
Dinkins and Donald Trump. She has appeared at the Barron Art Center Series
Women in Jazz and Four Guitars and is a regular performer at Trumpets Jazz
Club. Classical performances have included the Montclair Art Museum and the
Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center. As a member of the Metropolitan
guitar trio, she appeared on the Saturday Evening Concert Series sponsored by
the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship as well as New Jersey Cable television
spots. She played with the female rock band She at CBGB's and at Cami Hall with
Electix. Her CD the Carol Hamersma Trio Out Of My Head features standards as
well as original material and received airplay on WAER, WFMU and was featured
during an hour-long interview with WNTI's John Hammel on his Mozart to
Motorhead show. Carol is currently on the faculty of the County College of
Morris and Seton Hall University and accepts students at The Classical Guitar
Studio in Montclair.
Seth Himmelhoch
Teaneck, NJ
Besides performing guitar with Duo Cavatina (flute and guitar duo), Seth Himmelhoch
has made solo appearances at such venues as the 92nd St. Y, Alice Tully Hall,
Wagner College in Staten Island, St. Paul's Chapel in NYC, JCC on the Palisades
CPC Concert Series, and numerous workshops and television appearances. As
director of guitar studies at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ, Mr.
Himmelhoch has taught guitar to many talented young musicians and has overseen
a yearly guitar festival which has presented such artists as Benjamin Verdery,
Nicholas Goluses and many more. Mr. Himmelhoch is the founder and director of
the Suzuki guitar program at the JCC/Thurnauer School of Music in Tenafly, NJ
and he also serves on the Guitar Development Committee of the Suzuki
Association of the Americas. Mr. Himmelhoch is also active as a guitarist and
composer in jazz, pop and experimental music groups. As a member of the
Doansburgh Chamber Ensemble led by flutist Christine Smith, his compositions
have been presented in their yearly jazz concerts in upstate New York. He has been
a member of the rock group Ripe since December 2000. Mr. Himmelhoch holds a
Bachelor's and Master's Degree from the Manhattan School of Music.
Vic
Juris
West Orange, NJ
Born
Victor E. Jurusz Jr. in 1953 in Jersey City, New Jersey, Vic Juris began his professional ascent in
the early 1970s through appearances and recordings with Phil Woods, Dizzy
Gillespie, and Miroslav Vitous. He participated in the jazz fusion movement
with the Barry Miles group and in duets with Larry Coryell. His virtuosity and
creativity in both acoustic and electric ensembles allowed him to quickly build
a broad fan base. Vic has recorded and performed with an extensive roster of
jazz greats, including David Liebman, Freddie Hubbard, Gary Peacock, John
Ambercrombie, Bireli Lagrene and Lee Konitz. A master of fluid lyricism, subtle
phrasing and engaging harmonies, Vic is especially well known for his seductive
ballads. He’s a prolific composer and recorded many of his previous works with
the Steeplechase label. Vic is the author of Modern Chords: Advance Harmony for Guitar, published by Mel Bay in
2004. A dedicated music educator, he’s on faculty at the Mason Gross School of
the Arts at Rutgers University and the Jazz & Contemporary Music Program at
New School University in New York City.
Christopher
Kenniff
Summit, NJ
Christopher Kenniff, classical
guitarist, is a critically acclaimed recitalist and chamber musician who performs
throughout the New York metropolitan area and abroad. The Newark Star Ledger
has described him as “a young player with a lush, liquid tone, remarkably clean
fingering and a nicely varied touch.” Mr. Kenniff performs frequently with
violist Brett Deubner in Duo Fresco with soprano Katherine Harris in Cantiga
Duo. Mr. Kenniff is featured in the NJN cable network’s documentary “Morris at
the Millennium,” and was appointed to the New Jersey State Council on the Arts’
Artist in Residence Roster as well as the roster of Music for All Seasons, a
non-profit organization that presents live, professional musical programs in
all types of facilities where people would not otherwise have access to live
music. Mr. Kenniff holds BM and MM degrees Magna cum Laude from Southern
Methodist University and an Artist Diploma from Indiana University. He was
awarded first prize at the Councour de Guitarre (Quebec, Canada), the Music
Teachers National Association Competition. He was also a prizewinner in the
American String Teacher’s Competition. Mr. Kenniff is member of Kean
University’s Concert Artist Faculty. He also directs the American String
Teacher’s Association (New Jersey Chapter) Solo Strings Competition, and the
annual ASTA NJ Chamber Music Institute at Kean University which he founded in
2005. Mr. Kenniff has released a solo CD featuring works by Turina, Tedesco,
Ponce, Dowland, Scarlatti and Mertz as well as a CD with Duo Fresco titled
Transfiguration.
Victor
Kioulaphides
New York, NY
Victor Kioulaphides was
born in Athens, Greece, in 1961 and moved to New York in 1979. He studied
double bass and composition at The Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of
Music; his composition teachers were Giampaolo Bracali and Ludmila Ulehla; he
is a recipient of the Pablo Casals Award and the Harold Bauer Award. Member of
ASCAP, American Music Center, American Federation of Musicians; published by
Hal Leonard Corp., Joachim Trekel Verlag, Liben Music Publishers, Wolfhead
Music, the New York Classical Guitar Society, and Fiori Musicali. Performances
in the U.S. at Carnegie Recital Hall, Merkin Hall, the 92nd Street Y, The Salon
Theatre, CAMI Hall, Berklee College of Music, et al; recorded works on Chandos,
Stemra, et al. Commissions from neXus Arts, Het Consort (Netherlands), the
Kammerorchester Riegelsberg (Germany), the New York Classical Guitar Society,
Trinity Lutheran / St. Michael's Episcopal Church, The Diller-Quaile School,
Davka Dances, and numerous individual performers. International performances in
Europe, Asia, and South America. Faculty member at the Lucy Moses School for
Music and Dance; former faculty member at the Brooklyn Conservatory. Recipient
of AscaPlus Awards, as well as Composer Assistance Program grants from The
American Music Center. Staff at Mannes College The New School for Music.
John LaBarbera
Teacneck, NJ
Composer, guitarist, and multi instrumentalist John LaBarbera has won several awards
and commissions. He is a graduate of Hartt School of Music and participated in
graduate studies at Hunter College in ethnomusicology. He also studied at Villa
Schifanoia (Rosary College) in Florence, Italy. John participated in masterclasses with
guitarists Oscar Ghiglia and Jose Rey Della Torre. His private teachers include
Albert Diaz Blain, Richard Provost, Gene Bertoncini, and Carlos Barbosa-Lima.
John has numerous film compositions including the documentary Sacco and
Vanzetti (2006) as well as other films for PBS. He appears together with the
legendary singer Jimmy Roselli in the Italian and American production of
Neapolitan heart (2000), a film about the Neapolitan Song. . His theater
credits include several off-Broadway productions. John has been invited to
perform at concert halls and music festivals around the world. He currently
teaches at Bergen Community College, and conducts workshops in Tuscany, Italy
each summer and lectures on acoustic guitar styles, ethnomusicology, world
music, and writes for Acoustic Guitar Magazine. His solo CDs: In the Labyrinth,
String Ecstasies, Mixed Emotions was produced on his own label: Itri Music.
Renee Lando
Ringwood, NJ
The family photo album features a shot of a knee-high Renee Lando perched atop the coffee table
playing along to her dad’s collection of country and rockabilly records, with a
toy guitar bigger than her slung over her shoulder. Without question, it was the legendary Johnny
Cash who first inspired Renee’s love of guitar. But it was the music of Will
Ackerman, Leo Kottke, and Alex DeGrassi that resonated most in her heart and
led Renee into a world of alternate tunings and instrumental composing. Ever since, Renee has continually journeyed
in search of fresh melodies and intriguing textures in her playing that have
given rise to a style fusing flavors that span from classical to jazz to blues
to folk. While Renee adores whiling away the hours sculpting tunes on her back
porch, she has been performing for more than 24 years. Early in her career, Renee participated as
part of the acoustic and percussive backdrop to the Folk Choir based out of her
hometown church in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. The choir, whose unorthodox style
and sometimes breakneck and often Bluegrass-oriented temperament, achieved a
notable following and in short time was performing throughout the
northeast. Renee also composed, arranged
and performed compositions throughout the last half of the ‘80’s with an
acoustic folk/jazz trio she helped form.
The trio’s popularity on the college scene took the group to audiences
as far away as Moscow and Moldavia.
Dan LaVoie
Somerset, NJ
As one of the few musicians in the world actively
composing and performing on the rare instrument known as the harpguitar, Dan LaVoie is bringing a unique sound and
texture to fans of acoustic music. The music Dan produces has deep basses and
well-executed melody lines." Reminiscent of Michael Hedges and Richie
Havens, Dan's music is sophisticated and compelling. To watch Dan perform live
is a special experience visually and aurally. In the time that he has been
working with the harpguitar, he's developed a keen relationship with the
instrument, coaxing out harmonies and grooves impossible on lesser stringed
instruments. Combined with his passionate singing and creative use of a loop
station, Dan inspires and impresses audiences everywhere he performs. Dan has
toured extensively all over the U.S. and has performed internationally with
stops in the United Kingdom. He is also an annual performer at the
"Harpguitar Gathering", a concert series featuring the world's finest
harpguitarists. He is endorsed by Dean Markely strings, Sunrise pickups and
K&K pickups. Dan has 2 CDs- Dan Lavoie and the more recent Cause and
Effect. He is also featured on the compilation album Nostalgic Memories-
Acoustic Breath VI released in Japan to much critical acclaim.
Gary Lee
Wayne, NJ
Gary Lee has enjoyed playing guitar
since the age of nine. In 1999, his fascination and curiosity with guitar
design, coupled with his love for woodcraft, drew him to building classical
guitars. He quickly developed an aptitude and love for lutherie. Trained
as a research scientist with a Ph.D. in biochemistry, he attained his first
dream with a successful career in academic research and later, in corporate
biotechnology. Gary’s second dream was realized in 2007 with the
beginning of Lee Guitar Works in
Wayne, New Jersey, and the transition to building guitars full-time. His
research background inspires creativity, thoughtful design and exacting
execution. His handcrafted classical guitars incorporate the best of
traditional design with contemporary approaches. His experience in
building classical guitars has been invaluable for constructing steel string
acoustics with great responsiveness and tonal character.
Phillip Lester
Bloomfield, NJ
Phillip Lester
is an acoustic and classical guitarist, composer, arranger, and recording
artist. Growing up in Southern California, he began to play the guitar at the
age of 12. After several years as a lead guitarist in rock bands, Phillip began
to study solo classical guitar. In 1980, he developed a program, The Artistry
of the Guitar, to introduce college students to the beautiful sound of the
classical guitar. The program was initially presented in residence halls throughout
the University of Florida and was received with tremendous enthusiasm. In the
Spring and summer of 1981 Mr. Lester attended Master classes taught by
Christopher Parkening and Andres Segovia. In the summer of 1990 he studied with
Windham Hill guitarist, Alex De Grassi. His other musical influences include
Earl Klugh, Chet Atkins, and Andrew York, Christopher Parkening describes
Lester as: " a very fine solo guitarist, His approach to the guitar is
both sensitive and intelligent. He is a talented arranger with a gift for
musicianship." Phillip has been a featured guitar instructor and performer
at the annual Chet Atkins Appreciation Society convention in Nashville. He
conducts workshops on arranging for solo guitar. His solo guitar arrangements
are published by Mel Bay and his instrumental solo guitar recordings include:
Dreamsong and Carols of the Nativity and American Treasures. His recordings
have been featured on radios stations from Portland, Oregon; to Boston,
Massachusetts. His American Treasure program has been presented throughout the
Northeast.
Jan Loe
Bloomfield, NJ
Guitarist,
Singer, Songwriter Jazzy Jan Loe performs jazz guitar and solo guitar
instrumentals in the style of Micheal Hedges and Leo Kotke. Her exposure to
music started at an early age. Her parents were at a concert by jazz guitarist
great Charlie Byrd and her father kept timing her mother's contractions while
asking to wait until the intermission. She studied jazz and classical: voice,
guitar and piano at William Patterson College in NJ, Mills College in CA,
University of Houston, University of St. Thomas in Houston TX and privately
from Bucky and John Pizzarelli, Bob Devos, Vic Juris, Joshua Breakstone, Eddie
Decker and Paul Meyers. She composed a jazz instrumental which appeared on
Melrose place in 1992 and an avant-garde oratorio performed at Outpost in
the Burbs. Ms. Loe has performed at the Smithsonian and many Jazz and folk
venues across the country. She appeared as Henny Penny in the NY premiere of
the children's opera Chicken Little (where the sky really fell much to Sigmund
Frog's dismay). Jan has shared the stage with such amazing players as Gene
Bertoncini, Mundell Lowe, Mike Richmond, Vitali Imereli, Diane Perry and Steve
Johns.
Janet Marlow
Connecticut
Janet Marlow
takes center stage with her mastery on the 10-string guitar. She is one of the
few artists in the world whose performances and recordings are acclaimed as one
of the leading players, composers and arrangers on this innovative instrument.
At home in classical and jazz, her performances have taken her around the
world, which include venues such as the Lincoln Center, Festival Estival De
Paris, Carnegie Hall and the Blue Note. She has composed for television
documentaries, stage premieres, and performs on screen in Woody Allen's
Celebrity and the award winning film Swimmers. As an educator, Janet has been
artist-in-residence at Colorado College, New York University and the Manhattan
School of Music. Ms. Marlow has lectured at Yale University and teaches
workshops on composition and practicing techniques. Born in London, Janet
Marlow is the fifth generation of noted Russian musicians. Classically trained
as a violinist and pianist, she studied classical guitar in classes with
Maestro Andres Segovia, Julian Bream, Abel Carlevaro and Leo Brouwer. Marlow
then became the protege of Maestro Narciso Yepes, the innovator of the modern
ten-string guitar. Her nine recordings bring her classical and jazz worlds
together in solo and ensemble composition. Janet Marlow is the Founder and
director of The International Ten-String
Guitar Society.
Paul Meyers
Jersey City, NJ
Guitarist/Composer Paul
Meyers has performed and/or recorded with Geri Allen, Kenny Barron, Andy
Bey, Ron Carter, Ray Drummond, Eliane Elias, Clare Fischer, Sonny Fortune,
Eddie Gomez, Stefon Harris, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross, Marc Johnson, Wynton
Marsalis, Rufus Reid, David Sanchez, Kenny Werner, Frank Wess and the Woody
Herman Orchestra in appearances at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kool Jazz
Festival, jazz clubs and on national tours. He's also been touring for years
with two great jazz singers - Jon Hendricks since 1993, and Andy Bey since
1997.
Barry Mitterhoff
Scotch Plains, NJ
Mandolinist Barry Mitterhoff
has developed an international reputation for his versatility, having adapted
the mandolin to, and mastered musical styles as diverse as bluegrass, opera,
Jewish klezmer, Dixieland, old-time, classical, Brazilian, Italian and
19th-century American duo-style. Barry has performed with guitarist Jorma
Kaukonen, banjoist Tony Trischka, appeared at the Metropolitan Opera with
renowned singer Jerry Hadley, played and recorded with folk-singer Tom Chapin;
appeared at the Smithsonian Institute and elsewhere with hard-hitting singer,
songwriter and labor activist Hazel Dickens and performed with innovative free
music composer Eugene Chadborn at The Knitting Factory. In addition, Barry has
performed at Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress, the White House, the
Metropolitan Museum of Art and New York's famous Rainbow Room, and has
performed in concert and at music festivals throughout the U.S., Canada, Japan,
and Europe. He's contributed music to the score of films such as You've Got
Mail, Mickey Blue Eyes, Two Family House, O Brother Where Art Thou and The
Rookie. Barry is also the most current member of Hot Tuna!
Joel Perry
Kearny, NJ
Joel Perry
is an accomplished musician whose interest in the classic, jazz, and blues
guitar has resulted in an original performing and compositional style. Joel has
performed in every sort of venue, from Carnegie Hall to The Rainbow Room to a
US Department of State tour of West Africa with blues artist Johnny Copeland to
any number of small clubs on the East coast including Trumpets, The Blue Note,
The 55 Bar, and Tramps. Some of the artists that Joel Perry has performed with
include Papa John Creach, Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, Lavern Baker, Joni
Mitchel, Margaret Whiting, Eddie Fischer, James Cotton, Percy France, Leon
Thomas, Jimmy Dawkins, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Ken
Peplowski and Al Hibbler. Joel Perry teaches Classical Guitar, Jazz Guitar, and
Blues Guitar. Joel teaches all ages, levels and styles. Joel's most recent CDs
include RAINBOW SKYLIGHT and PERRY AIRS. He also sings with the Pro-Arte
Chorale.
David Rimelis
South Orange, NJ
David Rimelis’ music has been performed by
orchestras internationally, including the Boston Pops, National Symphony, Royal
Liverpool Philharmonic, Saint Louis Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Western
Australia Symphony, Minnesota Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, New Jersey Symphony,
and the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. He has been featured artist with the Colorado
Symphony, Eugene Oregon Symphony, Waco Texas Symphony, Concordia Orchestra,
Plainfield New Jersey Symphony, The Cascade Festival of Music Orchestra, the
New Sussex Symphony, the New Jersey Pops, the Oregon Festival of American Music
Orchestra, and the Cabrillo Music Festival Orchestra. Rimelis is
artist-in-residence for the New Jersey State Council on The Arts and teaching
artist for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center He is also Director of Music
Education for the AIDS Resource Foundation for Children in Newark New Jersey.
He has served as composer-in-residence for the Concordia Orchestra in New York
City from 1990 - 2002. His music is featured in the film about violinist
Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg “Speaking in Strings”, PBS and New Jersey
Network documentaries “Summer Camp”, “It’s Red It’s Edible It Bounces”, the Mo
Willems cartoon “The Man Who Yelled,” and the feature film “She Devil.”
National Television appearances as featured musician include “Emeril
Live” (improvising original music as “Dr Strings), CBS’s “The Guiding
Light” (fiddler and country band leader), and NBC’s “Four Stories” (volunteer
music teacher to HIV affected children). As a guitarist and violinist, David Rimelis has toured the United
States, South America, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and the Middle East. His unique
charanga violin style has been featured with many prominent Latin ensembles.
Rimelis is the founder and leader of the band “Life,” which performs original
world jazz. The son of country western singer “Idaho Ed,” Rimelis
was raised on American folk and popular music; he has won prizes in a number of
regional fiddle contests.
Tomas Rodriguez
Brooklyn, NY
Since
1990, Tomas Rodriguez has performed
as a soloist and ensemble leader throughout the NYC metropolitan area, as well
as in France, Spain and Egypt. In 1997, Mr. Rodriguez' and his group was
selected to play for a gala tribute to New York Philharmonic Director Kurt
Masur at Lincoln Center, sharing the bill with Wynton Marsalis and the Boys
Choir of Harlem. In 1998, Tomas released his debut CD Guitarra de mi Alma
(1998). In March 2004, Rodriguez received a touring grant from Arts
International to perform in the International Festival of the Guitar in Lima,
Peru. Recent U.S. performances include the Brooklyn Museum, New York's Merkin
Hall and Trinity Church, the New Jersey Center for the Performing Arts (NJPAC),
Boise State University and the University of Virginia. His guitar is featured
prominently on Rasa Records release A Gift of Love , Deepak Chopra's musical
tribute to the Indian poet Tagore, which features performances by Sinead
O'Connor, and Lisa Bonet among others. As an educator, Mr. Rodriguez created
the trio, AFARA, a boundary-breaking collaboration of Spanish guitar, African
percussion and the African mbira about which one critic wrote: “AFARA
mines the deep spirit encoded musically throughout the African Diaspora, a rare
achievement in itself. Marking their sound is an engaging groove, touching
harmonies, and a mesmerizing exploration to discover how to bring the tonal
continent Africa into a global symphonic world map.” Mr. Rodriguez is also a
dedicated music educator. He founded and directed an innovative after-school
guitar program at one of New York’s largest social service organizations,
utilizing music from Latin America and Spain to teach basic guitar skills to
Latino young people. He has also taught guitar at the Essence School, a junior
high school located in East New York, Brooklyn. Mr. Rodriguez is also a
registered Suzuki guitar teacher and directed the Suzuki guitar program at the
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, where he currently continues to teach in the
Suzuki division.
Ana Maria Rosado
New York, NY
Guitarist Ana
Maria Rosado has concertized extensively in the United States, Europe,
Latin America and the Far East. Her solo compact disc on the Albany Records
label, We've got (poly)rhythm, has been critically acclaimed and her
interpretations praised for each cunningly placed note, chord and expression
mark. [Classical Guitar, U.K.]. Ana Maria Rosado's playing has been described
as having great style and zeal [The San Juan Star, Puerto Rico] with total
command both technically and musically of the guitar. [La Nacion, Costa Rica]
The legendary Spanish guitarist Andres Segovia personally selected Rosado, who
had participated in his final Masterclass in New York, to perform in a concert
given in his honor. Her chamber music work has garnered acclaim nationally:
Arrangements for guitar rather than piano gave a more vernacular grounding to
the accompaniment, sensitively played by Ana Maria Rosado. [The Washington
Post]. Dr. Rosado is an Assistant Professor of Music at the New Jersey City
University, and also teaches at the Manhattan School of Music Preparatory
Division, and at the 92nd Street Y School of Music.
Sal Savaggio
Cooperstown, NY
Sal
Salvaggio began his studies on pick guitar with Frank Mancuso in the early
60's before starting his formal classical training with Stanley Solow in 1973.
He later went on to advanced studies with Dennis Koster and Jerry Willard and
worked with violinist Clarence Shaw on the music of J.S. Bach. Mr. Salvaggio
has performed recitals for concert associations as a soloist, accompanist and
continuo player for over 25 years. He is also the recipient of numerous
performance grants for projects in the field of early music. He has played with
early music consorts, chamber ensembles and as a member of the Flagstaff
Symphony and Glimmerglass Opera Orchestras. Recent endeavors have included
performances and recordings for the New York State Historical
Association/Farmer's Museum, public and local radio broadcasts and recitals at
the 1999 and 2001 Boston Early Music Festivals. In April of 2002 Mr.Salvaggio
recorded an hour long program of Renaissance lute music for NPR station WSKG.
His 2003 fall tour included performances for the Long Island Classical Guitar
Society, the Philadelphia Guitar Society, The Classical Guitar Society of
Upstate New York, The Listening Room at Dreamcatcher Guitars, Roswell, Georgia,
Cafe Lena in Saratoga, New York and the Stamford Performing Arts Center.
John Sheehan
Ringwood, NJ
John Sheehan is
a multi styled Composer/Finger
Style Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter from Ringwood, NJ. He
is a steadfast proponent of the solo finger style guitar performance. Three
of John's compositions have been used as backdrops for videos: 'Old Mill Rag',
a TV/Cinema ad for 'Sky Digital in the UK ,'Buggy Ride', in a short film on
safety called 'The Eddie Adams Tragedy', released by the Weyerhauser
Corporation and Rocket- Pictures of Seattle Washington and 'Cliffs of Moher'
for a promotional film for the Emily Williston Memorial Library of Easthampton,
Massachusetts. 'Land rush', a banjo instrumental is used to open and close Dave
Bryce's ’Rural Delivery' show on 88 Country in Christchurch New Zealand
every Sunday evening. He has shared the stage with, guitar greats Tal
Farlow, John Hammond, Peter Kaukonen, Jorma, ,John Renbourne, Adrian Legge and
Tom Doyle as well as, singer/songwriters Steve Forbert, Chris Smithers,
Jonathan Edwards ,Greg Brown and Slaid Cleaves.
Matt Smith
New York, NY
Matt Smith
is one very busy NYC based musician. Any given day he can be found wandering
the globe spreading the love, performing, producing, writing, teaching,
recording or at giving up the secrets of playing guitar at one of his
"Chop Shop" concert/clinics for Ovation and Hamer guitars. Matt is a
self-taught singer-songwriter and guitarist who plays a bunch of crazy stringed
instruments in just about any style and a simple, friendly way of sharing his
knowledge with others. Recently, Matt has performed at the NYC Blue Note as
well as Carnegie Hall, Central Park Summerstage and Eisenhower Park with the NY
Pops Orchestra, under the direction of Skitch Henderson.. Matt has performed at numerous international
guitar festivals including the Bath International Guitar Festival and the
Montreal Guitar Festival, and does annual tours in the UK, Germany, Italy,
France and Switzerland. Matt has performed with opened for or recorded with the
following artists: B.B. King, Sheryl Crow, Trey Anastasio, Al DiMeola, Greg
Allman, Los Lobos, Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy, Adrian Legg, Ed Gerhard,
Portishead and many others. Instruments played: Acoustic, Electric and
Resonator Guitars, Mandolin, Mandocello, Dobro, Lapsteel, Banjo, Ukulele, banjo
uke, Saz, Cumbus, Charango.
Threefifty Duo
New York, NY
Deemed
"bad to the bone" by The New Haven Independent, Yale School of Music
grads Brett Parnell and Geremy Schulick are a classical guitar duo with a rock
edge. Upon meeting they discovered a shared passion for Bach, and it seemed
natural to form a duo, initially following their muse along the classical genre
track. But neither was ready to abandon their rock upbringing which they so
embraced. Believing that classical music and rock/pop music can be similar at
their core, the duo combines the driving rhythms characteristic of rock music
with the intricate textures of classical guitar. This evolution is most clearly
apparent in their own compositions, such as Schulick's vigorous "Victory
Drill," and is also evident in their fervent approach to more classical
repertoire, such as their arrangements of keyboard works by J.S. Bach and
Domenico Scarlatti. Since its inception Threefifty
Duo has become recognized for charged performances and eclectic programming,
continually expanding the classical guitar's audience and repertoire. Both
members live in New York City and have performed at a variety of venues across
the country including The 92nd Street Y, The New York Guitar Festival,
Southpaw, “Guitar Under the Stars” at The Connecticut Guitar Society, Pianos,
The NY Classical Guitar Society, Genghis Cohen, The Monkey, The University of
Colorado at Boulder, Zebulon, William Paterson University, California State
University at Long Beach, Bennington College, and a Yale tribute concert for
their mentor, Benjamin Verdery. In December 2008, Threefifty Duo set off for
Bosnia and Herzegovina where they played a nationally televised concert
organized by The America-Bosnia Cultural Foundation in Sarajevo’s celebrated Dom
Armije, with a member of the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina in
attendance.
Jim Tosone
Washington Twp, NJ
Jim Tosone is the author of Classical
Guitarists: Conversations, published by McFarland & Co., now in its
second printing. He is also a Contributing Editor and Staff Reviewer for Guitar
Review magazine, where his articles and reviews have appeared since 1991. He
has also written for Soundboard magazine and authored the classical guitar
entries for the three-volume Music in the Twentieth Century. His
transcription for guitar of J. S. Bach’s Suite No.1 for Solo ’Cello was
premiered at the 1991 Toronto Guitarfest. He studied privately with Dr.
Nicholas Goluses, who at the time was Chairman of the Guitar Department at the
Manhattan School of Music. He has also performed in master classes for
internationally renowned guitarists David Tanenbaum, Hubert Käppel, and
Raphaëlla Smits.
Vinny Valentino
Teaneck, NJ
Guitarist Vinny
Valentino continues to redefine jazz music, to the acclaim of audiences
worldwide. His international debut recording, The Distance Between Two Lines ,
shot straight up the charts to #2 and stayed on the national charts for more
than 14 weeks--an unprecedented achievement for a first international release.
Playing guitar since age six, this native Virginian began touring in a
progressive rock band while still in high school. At age 16, influenced by the
music of George Benson, Vinny began pursuing Jazz as a career. He recalls,
"The turning point for me was hearing George Benson in concert; I had
never heard anybody play like that. It was an eye-opening experience."
Vinny and his mentor have since developed a close friendship. Vinny earned his
Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies at Howard University. Vinny has shared the
stage or recording studio with such jazz greats as Charlie Byrd and George
Benson. Vinny and his band have opened for Spyro Gyra, Steve Morse, Paco
deLucia, and David Crosby. Based in New York City, Vinny tours extensively,
playing concerts, festivals, and club engagements around the world. Vinny and
his trio were selected by the Kennedy Center and the Department of State to
represent the United States in the U.S. Jazz Ambassadors Program. Vinny is
constantly working intensively on his own new sounds, new compositions and new
recordings.
Frank
Vignola
Warwick, NY
Monster player,
composer and improviser, Frank Vignola
plays proficiently in every genre, from jazz to bluegrass, and works with
everyone and their brother. Born on suburban Long Island, Vignola was raised in
the New York area. The guitarists that he admires range from Django and
George Barnes to rock icons like Frank Zappa and Eddie Van
Halen. As a young adult, Vignola studied at the Cultural Arts Center of Long
Island and went on to enjoy an enormous amount of sideman gigs in the 1980s
including recording and touring with the likes of Madonna, Leon Redbone, Ringo
Starr as well as coming into his own as a leader in 1988 with his famed Hot
Club of France tribute which was hailed in the NY Times as one of the top ten
acts in 1988. The New Yorker was 27 when, in 1993, he signed with Concord Jazz
and recorded his first Concord session as a leader. The early 2000's found
Vignola recording for Acoustic Disc, Hyena Records as well as making featured
appearances on Atlantic, Sony and Warner Brothers Records with the likes of
Donald Fagen, Queen Latifah, Mark O Connor and Wynton Marsalis. Frank has
written 18 guitar instruction books for Mel Bay Publications. He has performed
hundreds of clinics and masterclasses at major universities and colleges
throughout the country including Julliard and Boston University.
Aaron Weinstein
New York, NY
Jazz mandolinist and violinist Aaron Weinstein was named a
"rising star violinist" by Downbeat Magazine, Aaron Weinstein is
quickly earning a reputation as one of the finest jazz violinists of his
generation. As a featured soloist, Aaron has performed at Carnegie Hall,
Jazz at Lincoln Center, Wolftrap Center for the Performing Arts, Birdland, Blue
Note the Iridium, and abroad at jazz festivals in England, France, Switzerland,
Iceland, and Israel. Aaron has performed and recorded with an array of
jazz icons including Les Paul, Bucky Pizzarelli and New York Pops
founder/conductor, Skitch Henderson. He has written arrangements for many
artists, is a New York Nightlife Award winner and recent graduate of the
Berklee College of Music where he was awarded a full four-year talent-based
scholarship. With the release of his Arbors Records debut, A Handful of
Stars, Aaron has become the youngest jazz musician to have recorded as leader
for this prestigious traditional jazz record label. His newest release,
Blue Too, is a duo with John Pizzarelli, also available on Arbors Records.
Bret Williams
New York, NY
Bret
Williams has been hailed as a guitarist of "spectacular energy and
technical resource" (Nylon Review) and billed as a "rising star in
the New York classical guitar scene" (New York Classical Guitar Society).
Raised in Central California, Mr. Williams studied with Terry Mills from
University of the Pacific and went on to receive his Bachelors of Music from
the University of Texas at Austin while under the instruction of Adam Holzman.
After receiving numerous accolades, he continued his studies in New York City
at the Mannes School. There he worked with Fred Hand, Michael Newman, and Terry
Chaplain. Soon after receiving his Masters Degree, he formed La Vita Williams
Guitar Duo with Giacomo La Vita. The duo garnered success and praise with the
release of their CD and subsequent performances. Mr. Williams has recently
appeared alongside Metropolitan Opera tenor Ronald Naldi at the Summer Stars
Chamber Music Festival. Other notable concerts include the Brooklyn Academy of
Music, Kimmel Center for Performing Arts and Mannes Guitar Symposium. He has
taught at Concordia College, Lucy Moses School, The School at Columbia
University, among others. Bret was recently awarded a sponsorship by D'Addario,
whose strings he proudly uses.