Great news everyone…the Martin Taylor Guitar Academy has been launched today and promises to be an exciting way to learn from a Master of the solo, finger-style Guitar form. Of course, Dr. Martin Taylor is also an extremely accomplished Jazz improviser and has an extensive resume to prove it…:) As I am on a deadline to finish off some other unrelated work I will allow the good people at Artist Works to fill you all in on what can be expected of the Martin Taylor Guitar Academy. Please read the official press release below and if I get a chance to review the inner workings of the Academy I will let you all know. But I can go on record right now to say that Martin Taylor is an extraordinary Guitarist and I have no doubt that the Martin Taylor Guitar Academy will live up to a very high standard of excellence. If any of you are already an enrolled member I would love to hear from you. Take care all…and until next time, keep picking…:)

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ArtistWorks, Inc. (AWI) is pleased to announce the much anticipated opening of the Martin Taylor Guitar Academy online on April 15, enabling students from around the world to receive a unique interactive education with the jazz guitar virtuoso.  Martin Taylor has established an extraordinary career as an internationally acclaimed fingerstyle solo guitarist who now presides over a worldwide student body of solo and fingerstyle players.

Taylor’s inimitable talent and expertise is shared in over 150 HD video lessons that range from simple tunes to highly advanced playing. The extensive video curriculum is presented on the innovative ArtistWorks online platform, allowing Taylor to use the latest internet video exchange technology to break the barrier of one-sided learning. Taylor personally instructs students through the video exchange system. By using a simple webcam, students can submit a video of themselves practicing their online lessons, which Taylor will review and issue a Video Response. Both videos are then posted together on the site so that the entire online community can learn, 24/7. Video submission is not required, study is self-paced. Students will be able to access multiple versions of most lessons, including an overhead perspective as well as slowed down and pitch-corrected videos. Perhaps the most anticipated feature of the MTGA lessons is the transcription - Martin Taylor’s work is notoriously difficult to transcribe and will be a valuable reference tool for students for mastering each lesson. The MTGA incorporates fully featured social media, including Student Profile Pages that members can personalize, Messaging, Forums and Chat - uniting the world of solo and fingerstyle guitarists in one central place. The Martin Taylor Guitar Academy resides at http://www.martintaylorguitar.com.

Lessons begin with an “Introduction” featuring to Martin’s musical approach to the guitar. The “Underlying Concepts” block starts very basic and progressively lays the foundation for Martin’s fingerstyle guitar method, and closes with the application of these lessons learned by playing along with classic tunes. “Developing Technique & Musicianship” switches the student over almost entirely to music, musicianship, and advanced techniques for making music on the guitar. “Learn by Playing Tunes” allows students to hone their new skills with over 20 well-known tunes, some with downloadable PDF notation files. Additional “Auxiliary Lessons” and performance videos, along with student-submitted lessons for critique, round out the MTGA lessons content. Complete curriculumis available on the site.

I have seen a few unconfirmed reports* that one of the second wave pioneers of Jazz Guitar, Herb Ellis, had passed away at the age of 88 on March 27, 2010. If this is indeed the case, then the Jazz world has lost another great player as well as the last remaining member of the groundbreaking Oscar Peterson Trio/Quartet. Coincidentally, a few days ago I was dusting off my CD collection and came across a CD I hadn’t listened to in a long time featuring Herb Ellis and another Jazz Guitar great Remo Palmieri titled Windflower. I’m going to slip that one into the CD player later on today in honor of Herb. I hope to get confirmation either way on Herb Ellis later to day and will let you all know when I do. Take care all and be well.

* Sadly, Herb’s death has been confirmed.

Hey all. If you have read my review of the Frank Vignola Trio at the 2009 Montreal International Jazz Festival, you know that it was one of the best shows I have ever seen.Which is why I am very excited to announce that Frank Vignola will be returning to Montreal this Wednesday, the 24th of February as part of the 100 Years Of Django celebrations. Vignola also has a recent CD titled 100 Years Of Django as well, which I hope to hear in the near future.

According to information on Vignola’s website, the Wednesday show will also feature “monster bassist, Gary Mazzaroppi and young guitarist extraordinaire, Vinny Raniolo”. If you have not seen these three perform together then do yourself a favor and make time to check out the show. It could well be the show of the year!

Below is the press release by Fingerstyle.ca, who deserve wild applause for bringing Vignola back to Montreal.

If you do make it out to the show, let us know by dropping a comment and if you see me in the audience, drop by and say “hello”…:) Take care everyone.

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100 YEARS OF DJANGO

fingerstyleguitar.ca will celebrate the 100th anniversary of legendary Gypsy Jazz Guitarist Django Reinhardt with a concert featuring the world’s preeminent Gypsy Jazz / Django stylist, Frank Vignola, at La Sala Rosa - 4848 St. Laurent, Montreal on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 8:30 p.m.

Django was first invited to tour North America by Duke Ellington in the early 1940’s and actually performed his second date on this tour in Canada - at the Mutual Street Arena in Toronto.

There simply is not a better choice for this celebration than Frank Vignola.  Vignola’s Hot Club of France Tribute, among the first tributes of its kind, was named by the New York Times as one of the top ten acts of 1988.

What is also exciting about Vignola is that he is much more than “just” a Django stylist.  He is also a renowned American Jazz player and has been one of thee most sought after sidemen since he was a teenager.

Indeed, Les Paul – Vignola was part of Les’ band for several years - named Frank Vignola to his ‘Five Most Admired Guitarists’ list for The Wall Street Journal saying, “It’s not jazz as we know jazz here in America”.

A few highlights from Vignola’s long and impressive career as a touring and recording sideman are: Madonna, Leon Redbone, Ringo Starr, Donald Fagen, Queen Latifah, Mark O Connor and Wynton Marsalis.

Vignola is also a dedicated educator, having written many educational texts and DVDs – including collaborations with Jimmy Rosenberg and Bucky Pizzarelli – and conducting 100’s of clinics at Universities throughout the United States, including Julliard and Boston University.

In the end, it is Frank Vignola’s fearless virtuosity as both a player and an entertainer that makes this extremely rare Montreal appearance a not to missed event.

Tickets available at through fingerstyleguitar.ca at (416) 722-6524 or from La Sala Rosa at (514) 284-0122.
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I had been offline for the past few days due to a brutal virus attack on my computer which left me clueless about what was happening in the rest of the world. Having finally restored my system I was saddened to learn from Jazz Guitarist Brandon Bernstein that Jazz Guitar Legend Jimmy Wyble had passed away on Saturday the 16th of January. I of course had heard of Jimmy over the years as being an outstanding player in both Jazz and Western Swing, I was aware that he had played in the Red Norvo Trio and that he was a member of the Texas Playboys. And even knew about his two line improvisation method but sadly, I had never actually heard him play until recently.

Thanks to a few choice Youtube videos, I understood why he was loved by many both as a marvelous player and more importantly, as a person. I don’t know much more about Jimmy than what can be found on the Web but I’m grateful that there are some lasting memories to be shared on a couple of websites and Youtube.

For more information on Jimmy check out the Classic Jazz Guitar site as well as Jimmy’s own website (wait for the audio file to load) where you can read a really fine interview on Jimmy.

Jazz Guitar Life extends its sympathies and condolences to Jimmy’s family and friends. He will be missed.

So if you have been thinking about how to spend your Christmas or Chanukah money, here’s a great way to enrich your Jazz Guitar studies and viewing pleasure while saving some money. A win win all around…:)

Take care all and happy picking!

Hello all. I hope you are all settled into 2010 and that this New Year will be your best yet. I’ve been rather busy but will be spending more time adding posts the Jazz Guitar Life Blog as well as updating Jazz Guitar Life itself regularly.

The reason for this post is as the subject line sates: Jazz Guitar on the radio! I know I have revisited this topic before but I’m always going to mention the importance of Jazz on the radio. Especially when it comes to the great,. commercial free Jazz radio of KCSM.

I first heard of them when I was visiting San Francisco back in 2003. I was immediately impressed and excited that there was a commercial free Jazz station that featured the kind of Jazz I loved: straight ahead, with additional flavors thrown in for good measure. Suffice it to say I have been a fan ever since and was very happy to find that I could listen to them live on the Web. Needless to say my browser is constantly locked into their web-site. This way I’m hooked into what’s coming out now with a healthy dose of classic Jazz Guitar as well, such as I heard today: Joshua Breakstone, Mimi Fox, Robben Ford, Allan Holdsworth, Barney Kessel, John McLean, and a wonderful performance by Jimmy Wyble with the Red Norvo band. Pure gold and the day is still young!!

I also have some fun with the music as I will grab my guitar and just “jam” along with whatever tune is playing at the time. I find this is a great to practice your ear-training for those times when you need to work through a tune without knowing the changes. Definitely a good workout…:)

So do yourself a favor and head on over to KCSM.org to hear some great Jazz Guitar music as well as great music in general. Oh…and why not become a fan of theirs on Facebook. They are a great group of people…:)

Later all and happy listening.

Now, I realize that it’s almost been two years since Jazz Guitar Life was updated. I can’t believe it has gone on for that long but my life has been crazy busy. I do promise though that updates will be no longer than two months from this day forth.

If you have anything you would like to share with the Jazz Guitar Life Community, like an interview, CD review or lesson material, please do not hesitate to contact me. And if the updates don’t appear after at least two months then someone please cyber-slap me…:)

Take care and all the best and may you all have a healthy, wealthy and happy 2010.

Lyle Robinson

Hi all. Just a quick post to say that I did a review of the Frank Vignola Trio at this years (2009) Montreal International Jazz Festival and it is now here to check out. As you will get from my review, it was an awesome show and truly one of the best concerts I have ever seen. It was exciting, entertaining and full of prodigious playing from all concerned. If you ever get a chance to check out Frank Vignola and his Trio, do so. You won’t be disappointed! And if you have seen a Frank Vignola show, I’d love to hear your comments. Later all…

Lyle

Hi all. Just a quick post to mention that even though Les Paul is sadly no longer with us, his memory contniues to thrive at the NY City Jazz Club, The Iridium Jazz Club. Lou Palloon on Guitar, Nicki Parrott on Bass and John Colianni on Piano, the current line up of the Les Paul Trio, will continue to play in the spirit of their revered leader with special guests filling the lead chair.

Last night, Frank Vignola filled in, and next week (August 31, 2009) will be Jazz Guitar Legend Larry Coryell handling the lead Guitar spot. Followed by two Mondays of Jose Feliciano, then special guests to be announced after that. I’m not sure how long this will continue, but I would check it out in support of the Trio and in tribute to Les. If you do decide to go, feel free to let us know what you thought. Later all…

Lyle

I recently had the pleasure of attending a workshop by Jazz Guitar great Russell Malone during the Montreal Guitar Show 2009. I love these style of events because you can really get great insight into what makes a player tick. Plus, they usually always have great stories you’ve never heard before and the lessons you can learn if you listen hard enough is worth the price of admission alone. Here is a review I did of the Russell Malone workshop. Feel free to come back here to post a comment. Take care and have a great day.

Lyle