Sean McGowan

We’re pleased to announce a clinic with Sean McGowan 12-2pm on Sunday 11 April 2010 @ the MICC [Mercer Island Community Center at Mercerview]. Fee is $20 SJGS members and $25 non-members payable at the door.

Sean McGowan is an award-winning fingerstyle guitarist in Denver CO. He is a full time professor at the University of Colorado Denver where he teaches jazz guitar and advanced improvisation. Sean also contributes lessons to Acoustic Guitar magazine.

Sean’s clinic will address a variety of harmonic concepts and extended techniques to create and arrange jazz standards for solo fingerstyle guitar. Techniques will include melodic phrasing, bass lines, voicings, playing multiple parts, harmonics and right-hand fretting.

For those who use a pick [plectrum] most of the time, here’s an opportunity to expand your musical vocabulary by exploring a different approach. For those who have “pumped nylon” and survived Sean will explore alternatives on his archtop. For everyone, this clinic is an opportunity to learn something new from an upcoming voice on our instrument.

Sean graduated with a DMA in Guitar Performance from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.   He currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Music Performance at the University of Colorado Denver.  Sean is a frequent lesson and article contributor for Acoustic Guitar, Guitar Teacher and Jazz Improv magazines.  Be sure to check out his incredible playing on myspace and youtube.

Photos from the event …

Sean McGowan's Extended Technique

Sean McGowan's Extended Technique

Rhythms of Brazil

 Join guitarist Marco de Carvalho and percussionist Jeff Bush for an exploration of Brazilian rhythms.

$20 for members / $25 for non-members

This is a great opportunity to unlock yourself from the “let’s play Latin” generic syndrome and bring your ears to hear|learn|participate with some of the “real stuff” of that amazing country called Brazil.

Come learn how Marco covers melody and harmony while locking up with Jeff on percussion. And listen to Jeff use nearly every extension in his body to engage time while challenging Marco.

You’ll leave with a far better understanding of several important Brazilian rhythms. Next time that someone calls a “Latin tune” you’ll be able to play it with confidence…and in a multitude of ways.

Marco de Carvalho and Jeff Bush clinic for SJGS on Brazilian rhythms

Here are some pictures from the Jack Wilkins Seattle Jazz Guitar Society clinic back in November 2008.  He played at Kirkland Performance Center that weekend.

Jack Wilkins SJGS Clinic 2008

Jack Wilkins SJGS Clinic 2008

Jack Wilkins and Tim Lerch

Jack Wilkins SJGS Clinic 2008