Second annual Pacific Luthern University Guitar Festival, featuring PLU guitar faculty members Elizabeth CD Brown and Dr. Stephen Howland, alongside guest faculty Don Mock (jazz guitar) and Gary Burgess (classical guitar), and guest jazz performers Courtney Fortune (vocals), Nate Omdal (bass), Brian Dennis (guitar), and Brandt Parke (guitar).

Designed for guitar enthusiasts of all levels, this festival will feature Jazz, Classical and Flamenco Guitar workshops and concerts, as well as an exhibition highlighting regional guitar builders.  Festival participants will have the opportunity to perform with the PLU Guitar Orchestra, with music available in advance.

The festival takes place at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA.  Festival Registration, which includes admission to all events, is $60 (General) and $30 (Seniors & Students, Middle School and older).  Information: 253-535-7787 or:  http://www.plu.edu/music/guitar%20festival/home.php

Preferred Registration Deadline is Thursday, February 1 (Postmark date) and the first 50 registrants will receive a complimentary set of D’Addario strings.  To register either mail in a form with payment: http://www.plu.edu/music/guitar%20festival/documents/registration-form.pdf or call the PLU Music Office to register with a credit card:  253-535-7602  (open business hours, closed noon-1:00)

Nancy King and Paul Meyers come to SJGS

Nancy King and Paul Meyers come to SJGS

What a better way to start off the new year than participating in an educational clinic that’s bound to provide deeper understanding of accompaniment … hosted by NYC based guitarist Paul Meyers and iconic vocalist Nancy King from Portland, OR.

It’s a duo clinic, or actually a group lesson.  After a brief introduction guitarists and vocalists will split off into separate rooms for instrument specific instruction and coaching.  Both groups will then re-band and practice together in a hands-on way.

Paul will discuss workable intros and endings.  Examples of both will be written in the hand out so that you can review these afterward and develop ideas of your own.  Paul will also include examples of comping to give you an idea of the many ways of backing up a singer … or another instrumentalist.  To meld theory with practice, attendees will study a well known composition and develop the first 8 measures in several ways illustrating a range from traditional to more modern comping/thinkingPaul will also present written examples of solo styles using 1. only single notes; 2.single notes with chords interspersed; 3. chords with single notes interspersed; and 4. only chords.

This clinic represents a wealth of education in a single sitting over 2-1/2 hours for less than a single 1:1 lesson.  Because it is a hands-on group class and not a lecture, seating will be purposefully limited to 10 attendees for each instrument group.  SJGS members $25 [non-members $30] prepaid in advance and due to the SJGS latest by Saturday 07 January.

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For photos, check our Facebook photo album, here.

Mimi Fox will conduct a special clinic focusing on the art of creative comping. For guitarists wishing to improve their playing behind/with other guitarists, vocalists, bassists, horn players, pianists etc this is a “must attend” event.

Why study comping with Mimi Fox? Well, she also happens to be an excellent drummer. So guitar+drums=rhythm … a terrific combination for extending one’s knowledge of comping.

During the course of the two hours, Mimi will cover key aspects of comping including rhythm, walking bass lines, modal comping, 4 to the bar “Freddy Green” style, Latin/Brazil ideas and several modern styles with their interjection of color notes/substitutions.

Mimi Fox teaches "Creative Comping" for SJGS

Mimi Fox teaches "Creative Comping" for SJGS

Mordy will present ideas for exploring chromaticism in your playing, inside-outside concepts that you can use from chords and single lines, comping and soloing, reharmonizing a standard, writing a piece of your own.  Mordy is a great teacher and his clinics are full of useful and well throught through material…you will learn something!

Only $20 with RSVP and SJGS membership. $25 with one or the other. $30 “drop-in” with neither.   As always, if you’re planning to attend please RSVP no later than 24-hours before the event so that we can plan accordingly.  RSVP to michaelbiller <at> comcast <dot> net

Mordy Ferber comes to SJGS

Johm Stowell and Ulf Bandgren @ SJGS

The absolutely ready-for-prime-time Jazz guitar duo of Gothenburg-Sweden-based Ulf Bandgren and Portland-Oregon-based John Stowell is making a rare appearances in Seattle on Sunday 26 June.

Where: Mercer Island Community Center
When: 12:00-2:00pm
Donation: $20 SJGS members; $30 non-members.

Photos from the event…

John Stowell and Ulf Bandgren @ SJGS

John Stowell and Ulf Bandgren @ SJGS

John Stowell and SJGS member

John Stowell and SJGS member

John Stowell, Ulf Bandgren, & SJGS members

March 5 Saturday, 12pm – 2pm @ Mercer Island Community Center

SJGS clinic with Paul Meyers and John Stowell
$20 SJGS members; $30 non-members

Paul Meyers and John Stowell

Photo highlights from the event …

John Stowell and Paul Meyers @ SJGS

John Stowell and Paul Meyers @ SJGS

John Stowell and Paul Meyers @ SJGS

 $20 SJGS members / $30 non-members.

Mordy Ferber Compositions

Mordy Ferber will discuss compositional elements and techniques that you can use to develop coherent solos.  It’s not about “cutting the changes” but rather creating a parallel and equally intriguing counter melody to the original … in the moment!   If you’d like to become familiar with Mordy’s own compositions, his books are available locally at www.soundislandmusic.com

“Mordy is a wonderful musician who digs deep in his writing and playing with a clear sense of communicating to the listener.”
 - Dave Liebman

“I love his sound and his feeling.  He writes beautiful compositions.  Mordy is committed to the highest level of quality and creativity.  He is not afraid to take risks.”
 - Jack DeJohnette

John Stowell will discuss substituions and their application in several familiar tunes.  Substitutions covered will include harmonic and melodic minors and triads, used in the context of a blues, some simple standards, and a modal tune.  Guitarists in attendance will be invited to join John.   $20 for members; $30 for non-members.

John Stowell and George Stone

John Stowell and Rob Dickerson

John Stowell SJGS Clinic

Sheryl Bailey

Wed., Nov. 10, 2010, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Roberts Music Institute
$35

SJGS co-sponsors this clinic, which is designed to help you with your overall fingerboard knowledge, and geography.  This will ultimately aid in developing flowing lines throughout your phrasing.  Sheryl Bailey is an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music and is recognized as one of the top jazz guitarists in the country!

Call RMI: 425-614-4764 or or visit www.robertsmusicinstitute.com

Photos from the event …

Sheryl Bailey RMI-SJGS Clinic

Sheryl Bailey, Jay Roberts, Jill Roberts, Tim Lerch Jam

Sheryl Bailey RMI-SJGS Clinic

Tim Fischer comes to SJGS

Sunday, 24 October 2010, 4-6 PM, Mercer Island Community Center

Los Angeles-based guitarist Tim Fischer will present a two-hour clinic on adapting the harmonic and rhythmic language of the Miles Davis “first quintet” for a guitar/bass/drums rhythm section. 

The clinic will explore the following topics:

• Composing introductions and endings
• Comping behind horns, bass, and self-comping by imitating a pianist’s left hand
• Exploring coordinated guitar/drum hookups behind soloists and as shout choruses
• Arranging for a trio in the style of Red Garland.

Written materials containing notated examples will be provided.   Please RSVP below; there will only be enough printed material for confirmed participants.

Tim will present the clinic alongside bassist Emilio Terranova and drummer Tina Raymond, collectively known as 3TET.  Audience members interested in experiencing the concepts firsthand will be encouraged to play with the trio.

The trio will be performing at Lucid in University District the evening of the clinic from 8:30 – 11:30 PM, with a reduced cover of $5 for SJGS members.

More information about Tim Fischer can be found on his website at http://www.timfischermusic.com

Be sure to check out his many transcriptions here.

 Here are some photos from the event…