Results for "jazz guitar"

James Wengrow

Born: October 26, 1989

James Wengrow is a Brooklyn-based guitarist and composer from Meanjin/Brisbane, Australia. Fusing idioms while maintaining a distinguishable sonic personality, James’ output has been described as “A sprightly collage of experimental jazz, heavy prog, math rock, and neoclassical music...The perfect stop-over for curious rock fans looking to branch to jazz and visa versa" (Bandcamp Daily), and “delving deep into territory that is as much Fugazi as it is [Miles] Davis... a blazing intensity to the heavier passages neatly offset by occasional moments of shimmering beauty” (Sonic Abuse).  Drawing similarities to Ornette Coleman and the Avant-garde, All About Jazz states “...[James’] music summons the same tumult, or at least the same clamor felt in the early 1960s... the spirit and energy of those times is unmistakable.”

Marko Čepak Maki

Marko Čepak, born in Slovenia, earned a master’s degree in jazz guitar (110/110 cum laude) from the G. Tartini Conservatory in Trieste (Italy), where his research focused on harmonic substitution techniques in original works. He previously graduated in jazz studies with a thesis centered on his original compositions, inspired by the natural landscapes of his native Karst region. These compositions were brought to life on his debut album Makia Planet (2016), recorded with his quartet.

His music draws deeply from the culturally rich and diverse landscape of Southern Europe, shaped by his life between Slovenia and Italy. This vibrant environment informs his work across a range of genres and styles, blending regional influences with a contemporary jazz sensibility.

Mike Murray

Born: March 10, 1992

Mike Murray is a guitarist, composer, bandleader and music educator based in Toronto, ON, Canada. Proficient in a wide variety of styles including popular styles, rock, classical, jazz, blues, musical theater, as well as international styles including latin folk, Indian music and more, he performs and records with a diverse array of artists and organizations in many different settings. He also composes and performs his own music with the Mike Murray Group, and performs solo classical guitar for events and functions. Born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Mike did not come from a musical family and was a relative latecomer to the guitar, picking it up at age 16

Mitch Livstone

Born: May, 1967

Praised by Boston critic Jon Garelick as an artist who “really shines” on the bandstand, Mitch Livstone plays with thoughtful lyricism and brilliant tone colors. A true orchestrator, he courts interactivity among his fellow artists, creating stirring melodies from subtle phrases, and transforming trio gigs into headlining events. For his technical mastery and his inventive improvising, Livstone continues earning recognition among critics, peers and audiences of all ages. 

A highly sought collaborator, the Boston-based guitarist and composer has worked with a roster of diverse artists, including Tim Ray, John Lockwood, Bruce Gertz, Ehud Ettun, Oscar Stagnaro, Mark Walker, Steve Langone, Bertram Lehman, Austin McMahon, Ivanna Cuesta Gonzalez, Ángela Varo and Gary Fieldman, and shared the bandstand with Yoron Israel, Phil Grenadier and Marco Pignataro, among other leaders. Leading his own trio, ML Jazz Collaborative, and supporting others, Livstone has performed across the city at The Beehive, The Lilypad, Mad Monkfish, Zuzu, Latina Kitchen & other popular live music outlets. 

Kevin Metzger

Born: April 24, 1993

“A spring-fed dive pool for the deep listener athirst.”

Kevin Metzger is an accomplished guitarist and multi-instrumentalist flying down the road through broad plains of fusion. On this journey, he expertly erects power lines strung to pillars of combusting jazz, meticulous progressive and psychedelic rock, honest Baroque era classical, and popular American folk songs. Flip the fuse and listen to it power up.

A playful mind, a musician’s artist; his music is built upon high level composition, deep reliance on improvisation, and paramount performance moments. His debut album Many Worlds, a collaboration with longtime friend R. Aaron Walters, blends jazz, classical, and rock influences into a deeply personal and emotionally resonant statement. Tracked live in Austin and completed in Nashville, the record moves fluidly between original compositions and reimagined works by Keith Jarrett, Jerry Garcia, Bach, and Jan Hammer. Across seven tracks, Metzger’s guitar voice shifts from lyrical restraint to angular intensity; grounded and supported by the duo’s deep sense of trust and shared musical language.

Gilad Barakan

Gilad Barakan’s Unsettled reimagines the acoustic guitar in an expanded and unconventional role—a lyrical lead voice carried by the organic character of the instrument. Joining him is a new generation of internationally sought-after musicians: pianist Ahmed Alom (Pedrito Martinez), bassist Tal Mashiach (Anat Cohen), and drummer Ofri Nehemya (Shai Maestro, Kurt Rosenwinkel).

Spending more than a decade performing and writing alongside Grammy-winning artists from around the world, Gilad Barakan has built an international career rooted in collaboration and live performance. At 20, he received the Outstanding Player Award from Musicians Institute, presented by Scott Henderson, and soon began touring internationally with a range of artists. After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2015, he worked closely with Venezuelan singer Nella as a co-writer, producer, and touring guitarist. He later produced Tamara Jokić’s 2025 album Kuća, collaborated extensively with Turkish singer Elif Sanchez, and is currently touring with Grammy-winning vocalist Chandrika Tandon.

Paul Musso

Born: October 17, 1962

Paul Musso is an Associate Professor and Director of Music Performance in the Music and Entertainment Industry Studies (MEIS) Department at the University of Colorado Denver, where he has taught for 36 years. He also serves as Performance Program Director for the MEIS Jazz and Commercial Guitar programs.

Paul has composed music for several Hollywood films, including the short film Shiny, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2016 and won Tropfest, the world’s largest short film festival, in Australia. He is the author of six instructional texts in jazz guitar and music theory published by Mel Bay Publications, the world’s largest publisher of guitar method books. His best-selling title, Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar: Teaching Your Guitar to Walk, has been translated into Japanese.

Miles Mindlin

Born: September 10, 2000

Miles Mindlin is an award winning virtuoso Jazz Guitarist, composer and bandleader from London. He is based in New York City after completing his masters at the Manhattan School of Music on a scholarship.
He is highly in demand across the UK, the USA and Europe and has performed his own music at venues such as: Royal Albert Hall, Ornithology Jazz club, NYC Closeup, The Vortex Jazz Club (London), Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club (London), Dizzy’s Club (Lincoln centre NYC), the Owl (Brooklyn), Copenhagen Jazz Festival and Aarhus Jazz Festival.

His debut album, released on the Fresh Sound label in November 2023 features all original compositions which draw on literature, film and music in equal measure.

Mike Bruzzese

Born: October 31, 1996

An active figure in Montreal’s vibrant music scene, Mike performs regularly both as a bandleader and a sideman. He has also appeared at prominent jazz venues across Canada. His performance and recording credits include collaborations with acclaimed artists such as Louis Hayes, Lenny White, Ben Solomon, Davis Whitfield, Miki Yamanaka, Emilio Modeste, Adam Arruda, Terry Clarke, André White, Kevin Dean, Ira Coleman, Caity Gyorgy, and Laura Anglade, among many others.

Mike assembled a talented quartet for his debut album, Even When I’m Dreaming. It features Gentiane MG, Ira Coleman on bass, Michel Lambert on drums, and special guest vocalist Caity Gyorgy. Through this project, Mike continues to find new ways to bring his music to life.

Danny Gatton

Born: September 4, 1945

Danny Gatton (full name Daniel Wood Gatton Jr.) was an American virtuoso guitarist renowned for his extraordinary technical skill and his ability to seamlessly blend multiple genres, including blues, rockabilly, jazz, country, and more. He often described his style as "redneck jazz," a term reflecting his fusion of country roots with jazz improvisation and other influences.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Washington, D.C., Gatton began playing guitar at age nine, influenced by his father (a rhythm guitarist) and early exposure to legends like Les Paul. Largely self-taught after brief lessons, he developed an incredible ear and technique. By his teens, he was performing in bands like the Offbeats (1960–1964), playing jazz and other styles. He later worked as a session musician in Nashville, returned to the D.C. area, and built a reputation through local clubs and bands.