High Action

At one time in his life, Stephen Marchione spent six hours a day playing the guitar eventually earning a BA in music from Naropa University. He now focuses on crafting them. In fact, since beginning his career as a guitar maker in 1990, Stephen has created more than four-hundred guitars for some of the best guitar players in the world.

The journey from high-school jazz devotee to the finest young guitar maker working today, according to Chamber Music America, was a rich and complicated one. After establishing his own brand and working for over a decade in New York City, Stephen Marchione moved to the Montrose arts district in Houston, Texas, where he builds his entire family of guitars.

Additionally, Marchione has also studied privately since 1994 with Manhattan-based violin maker Guy Rabut. “I try to build one violin a year to keep my chops up”, says Marchione. He feels that building classical guitars and violins broadens his understanding of top thicknessing, tap tuning, and surface preparation.

Similarly, building electric guitars has taught him the importance of the fretboard in a player’s appreciation of a guitar. Marchione is considered one of a very few leading-edge pioneers in the design of guitars that combine elements of both jazz and classical construction. This well-rounded approach contributes to the magic one finds in a Marchione instrument, a magic that is at once very broad yet truly individual.

There's no description more apt for Sheryl Bailey than "A sizzling guitar goddess", coined by Elliot Simon of All About Jazz. He's not alone with his superlatives-Adam Levy of Guitar Player Magazine calls Sheryl "One of the most compelling tones of her generation", and Frank Forte of Just Jazz Guitar ranks her "among the best bop guitar players with a fresh approach and something new."

Sheryl's playing is unquestionably "sizzling". She has groomed incredible chops and impeccable taste with which she applies them. It's said (by Lee Metcalf, The Villager) that she can "go from zero to blazing in two beats", but she is continually praised for never sacrificing melody and lyricism for technique. "She balances superior technical skills with a strong lyrical sense and swinging touch..." continues Metcalf, and Joe Taylor of Soundstage says "Bailey combines an astonishing command of the fingerboard with a seemingly endless flow of melodic invention."

As for the guitar, she's hardly had it out of her hands since the age of 13. That was when her mother finally relented to Sheryl's begging for a Harmony Strat from the J.C. Penney catalogue. Though Sheryl was a rock-star wannabe, the influence of her pianist mother got her obsessed with learning harmony, and her first teacher in Pittsburgh, John Maione, introduced her to the guitar tradition-Wes, Jimmy Raney, George Van Eps, Joe Pass and others. She eventually attended Berklee College of Music. Her years of dedication and focus won her 3rd place in the Thelonius Monk International Jazz Guitar competition in 1995, and she was chosen as a Jazz Ambassador for the U.S. State Department in 2000 for a South American tour. She is now said to be "One of the top players in an emerging generation of jazz guitarists" (John Heidt, Vintage Guitar).

Her own trio, The Sheryl Bailey 3, is a modernized version of the organ trio-"the ultimate organ trio" according to JazzInside Magazine. In addition to their 15-year plus residency at NYC's 55 Bar, they have toured China, Canada, Europe and the US. She also tours the world as a member of David Krakauer's "Ancestral Groove". A partial list of others with whom she has performed and recorded with includes Richard Bona, George Garzone, Lincoln Goines, Kim Plainfield, Bill O'Connell, Mike LeDonne, Irene Cara, Lea Delaria, Jack Wilkins, Howard Alden, Shingo Okudaira, Ingrid Jensen, Dwayne Burno, Tommy Campbell, Simon Woolf, Alex Garnett and Ken Peplowski.

To date, Sheryl has 9 CDs out under her name, and a live DVD, The Sheryl Bailey 3 Live in NYC (Mel Bay). Each successive release has drawn more accolades. Of Live at the Fat Cat, Joe Taylor says, "...this disc proves again that Sheryl Bailey is one of the most gifted and exciting jazz guitarists on the scene", and that she is a "jazz composer of the first order". In 2010 MCG Jazz released A New Promise, her tribute to Emily Remler, produced by Grammy-award winner, Marty Ashby, featuring Sheryl as the solo artist with Three Rivers Jazz Orchestra. In Downbeat Magazine Phillip Booth commented, "She is one of the new greats of her chosen instrument". Her 2014 release on the Cellar Live label, A Meeting Of Minds features The Sheryl Bailey 3. A feature on the disc in Guitar Player Magazine states: "They are so in sync they seem to finish each other's ideas". In 2015, she and bassist Harvie S debuted their acoustic duo, Plucky Strum on Whaling City Sound. JazzTimes Magazine remarked of Bailey’s approach: "her fluidity of style is impressive, her agility uncommon".

Sheryl is a Professor at Berklee College of Music, and at the Collective in New York. In keeping with Sheryl's philosophy of "giving back", her 2011 quartet release, "For All Those Living" donates 20% of sales to the Ronald McDonald House of NYC. She has been an Artist in Residence at countless other programs, including NYU, Bates College, the Stanford Jazz Workshop, Towson University, the LA Music Academy and GIT. In 2009, Mel Bay published her book Moveable Shapes: Concepts for Re-Harmonizing II-V-I's. She has also developed a complete curriculum in jazz improvisation for interactive cyber study via Truefire's Guitar Sherpa program, The Bebop Dojo. In addition she has top selling courses available from Mike's Masterclasses, Jazz Guitar Society, JamPlay, and Truefire.

So, Sheryl lives up to Elliot Simon's description, in all facets of her work. Earning "Rising Star" status on Downbeat's Critic's Poll 2013, 2014, and 2015. At a recent duo performance in New York-Sheryl and Jack Wilkins-I sat next to Jimmy Wyble. After a couple of tunes, Jimmy leaned over and whispered, "She's one of the top five" ...as in, one of the top five guitarists in the country. And Vintage Guitar terms her "one of jazz guitars current front runners."

    — Evelyn Palmer

Turkish Fretless guitarist and composer Cenk Erdoğan is a well-known guitar player who travels all around the world solo and with his trio. Besides his career as a guitarist, he is working as an arranger and producer. Next to 35 albums and compilations, he has also composed music for TV series and films. His soundtrack for the movie  “Issız Adam” was nominated as “Best Soundtrack of 2009 “ 

Sean McGowan is a fingerstyle jazz guitarist who combines many diverse musical influences with unconventional techniques to create a broad palette of textures within his compositions and arrangements for solo guitar. His first recording River Coffee won the Best Independent Release of the Year Award (2002) from Acoustic Guitar magazine and music from the recording has been published in Japan’s Acoustic Guitar magazine and Mel Bay’s Master Anthology of Fingerstyle Guitar, Vol. 3 (2005). His subsequent recordings Indigo (2008) and Sphere: the Music ofThelonious Monk (2011) offer compelling portraits of classic jazz standards performed on solo electric archtop guitar. Sphere was named one of Acoustic Guitar magazine’s “Essential Albums of 2011”, and Sean was recently featured on the cover of Fingerstyle 360 magazine (Summer 2012). His most recent solo guitar recordings include Thanksgiving & Christmas Tidings (2014) a collection of seasonal hymns and carols arranged for acoustic guitar, and My Fair Lady (2015) a collection of songs from Lerner & Loewe’s masterpiece.

As a soloist, Sean has performed at several festivals including the Novi Sad International Jazz Festival in Serbia, the Healdsburg Guitar Festival in Napa Valley, Copper Mountain Guitar Town, the La Conner Guitar Festival, the Chet Atkins CAAS Convention, and the Artisan Guitar Show with Jimmy Bruno and Brent Mason. He has also collaborated with several dance and improv companies, as well as with jazz and acoustic musicians throughout the Rocky Mountain region.

Sean is an avid arts educator and currently serves as an Associate Professor of Music at the University of Colorado Denver. He earned a DMA in Guitar Performance from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and has conducted workshops at colleges and guitar organizations throughout the country. He has also presented and performed at the Jazz Education Network conference in New Orleans, the International Symposium for the Performing Arts Medicine Association in Aspen, CO, and numerous College Music Society national and regional conferences. Sean is a strong advocate for injury prevention and health education for musicians, and his workshops incorporate a holistic approach to playing. He is also a contributing editor and educational advisor for Acoustic Guitar magazine. He is the author of Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar Solos (Hal Leonard) and the String Letter book/video instructional methods The Acoustic Jazz Guitarist, Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar Essentials, and Holiday Songs for Fingerstyle Guitar. Sean has also produced eight courses for True Fire, covering the topics of fingerstyle jazz, improvisation, and comping (available at TrueFire.com)

John is a unique jazz guitarist influenced as much by pianists and horn players as he is by guitarists. His original take on harmony, chords and improvisation sets him apart.

He has taught internationally for over 40 years in every educational setting.
His clinics are informal, hands-on and informative. In addition to music theory and guidelines for improvisation, John shares his professional experience with the business of music.

Guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg has been steadily building his name as one of the most compelling composer/performers in Jazz.  Combining timeless melodicism with forward thinking lines and textures, His style and approach has created a strong following of fans around the world.  He frequently tours worldwide and records with his own groups as well artists such as Dr. Lonnie Smith, who says of Kreisberg "He is a passionate musician with great vision, and he is constantly in fiery pursuit of innovation."

Born in New York City, guitarist and composer Jonathan Kreisberg has fond memories of a childhood steeped in music. “I was lucky to grow up in a household that had a great and wide-ranging record collection,” he recalls, “including Coltrane's My Favorite Things, John Williams playing the ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ and Cream's Disraeli Gears.”

Jonathan started playing guitar at the age of ten after moving to Miami with his family.  At 16 he was admitted to the New World School of the Arts, where his jazz studies took center stage.  Intensely dedicated to the instrument, he was featured in Guitar Player and DownBeat while still in his teens.  He won a scholarship to the University of Miami, where he held the guitar chair in the acclaimed Concert Jazz Band, touring Brazil and performing with Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker, and Red Rodney. 

Upon graduation, Jonathan began playing straight ahead jazz gigs as well as a myriad of other projects.  He performed 20th century works with the New World Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas.  He also recorded a C.D. and performed extensively with the progressive rock group Third Wish (including opening slots for rock legends Steve Vai and Yngwie Malmsteen).  He also formed the first incarnation of the Jonathan Kreisberg Trio. Based in Miami, this electric based Trio released a C.D. and completed several U.S. East Coast tours, which included opening slots for George Benson and Steve Morse.  He also began giving clinics at music schools and universities.

While still in his early 20's, he returned to his birthplace in NYC with his focus on cutting edge acoustic jazz.  "My Miami Trio was about coming up with new textures and being communicative while still playing intense musically.  When I moved to New York I entered a more introspective phase, really getting deeper into melodies and harmonies." This also coincided with a renewed interest in the jazz tradition. "I found that the deeper I got into the tradition the more possibilities I became aware of for the future."

Since returning to New York City, Jonathan has worked in the bands of many jazz greats including Dr. Lonnie Smith, Lee Konitz, Joe Locke, Stefano Dibatista, Ari Hoenig, Joel Frahm,  Don Friedman, Greg Tardy, Donald Edwards, Jane Monheit, and Yosvany Terry.  He has also led groups of various instrumentations featuring artists such as Bill Stewart, Larry Grenadier, Gary Versace, Mark Ferber, Kevin Hays and Scott Wendholt among others.

Jonathan has now recorded Ten CDs as a leader, including his latest two albums, “CAPTURING SPIRITS - JKQ LIVE!” and “KREISBERG MEETS VERAS”, the first being Jonathan’s first live album with his dynamic new quartet and the second a document of his great musical friendship with nylon string genius Nelson Veras .   

Although currently based in New York City, Jonathan can be seen on tour worldwide. Entering the major Jazz Festival circuit with their electrifying show at Jazz Baltica (the combined video footage is now at 500,000 YouTube hits and counting), JKQ has subsequently performed many of the major European and American festivals.  

Jonathan is also a respected educator with over 25 years of experience.  In 2017 he released his first book of compositions and transcriptions, OFFERINGS OF NOTE, as well as a series of instructional videos called POLYRTHYTHMIC GUITAR.  While on tour, he is always making time for masterclasses and residencies as well as his own “NEW FOR NOW music intensive” held every summer for the past 4 years in his hometown of Brooklyn, NY.

When not on tour Jonathan can be found at his steady Wednesday trio hits at Bar Next Door in NYC, as well as at the Jazz Standard and Smalls Jazz Club.   

• Recognized for his signature touch, harmonic dexterity, bluesy melodies and sense of rhythm, guitarist Pat Kelley has enjoyed a steady and successful career in Los Angeles as a studio and touring musician, recording artist, composer, producer, arranger, vocalist, recording engineer, and educator. 
• An integral part of the Thornton School of Music Guitar Faculty at the University of Southern California for twenty-four years, two of Pat's books, Arpeggios for the Evolving Guitarist and Melodic Minor Guitar are part of the USC Thornton School of Music instructional series (Mel Bay Publications). Pat has also been on the faculty of the Monterey Jazz Festival Summer Jazz Camp, Guitar College Summer Guitar & Bass Camp, the University of Tulsa Summer Jazz Camp, and Interlochen Center for the Arts

Paul Norris Bollenback (born June 6, 1959) is a jazz guitarist who has appeared on Entertainment Tonight, The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Joan Rivers, and Good Morning America. He has performed with  Scott Ambush, Charlie Byrd, Joey DeFrancesco, Herb Ellis, Della Reese, Arturo Sandoval, and Stanley Turrentine.[1] He is cited as a guitarist who uses modern quartal harmony.[2]

Bollenback lived in India with his family when he was 11. After three years, the family returned to the U.S. and Bollenback began listening to rock music. He put down his nylon-string guitar and picked up an electric. He cites his discovery of Miles Davis as a pivotal moment in his life. He attended the University of Miami. In 1997, he began teaching at American University.[1]

Gilad Hekselman has established himself as one of the leading voices in jazz guitar. Only a few years after his arrival to NY in 2004, this native Israeli was already sharing stages with some of the greatest artists in the New York City jazz scene including Chris Potter, Eric Harland, Mark Turner, Anat Cohen, Ari Hoenig, Esperanza Spalding, Jeff Ballard, Ben Wendel, Gretchen Parlato, Avishai Cohen, Jeff 'Tain' Watts, Tigran Hamasyan, Aaron Parks, Becca Stevens, John Scofield, Terri Lyne Carrington, Danilo Perez and Peter Bernstein among many others.

In May 2019, Hekselman featured his quartet at the legendary NYC venue The Village Vanguard. He has also been playing all other major jazz clubs in New York City, including the Blue Note, The Jazz Standard, Dizzy's Club and Smalls. He is constantly touring world-wide and has played most noteworthy jazz festivals and venues including Montreux, North Sea, Montreal & SFJazz to name a few.

Ask For Chaos, Gilad's most recent full length album, was released on Sep 7th, 2018 on his new label, Hexophonic Music in collaboration with Motema Music label. It features both of his new working bands: ZuperOctave (feat. Aaron Parks on piano and keys and Kush Abadey on drums) which is a bass-less band that explores electronics with the goal of keeping the music organic and flexible, and the gHex Trio (feat. Rick Rosato on bass and Jonathan Pinson on drums) which continues the classic guitar trio sound that Gilad has become known for while also bringing something fresh to the music. This record was followed by an EP named Further Chaos, released in May 2019 and featuring the same personnel.

Gilad is the recipient of several prestigious awards and recognitions. In 2017, Gilad placed first in the Rising Star category of Downbeat Magazine. That same year, he won the 7 Virtual Jazz Club international competition 2017. In 2018 Gilad was asked by guitar legend Pat Metheny to perform as part of his NEA Award ceremony at The Kennedy Center, alongside some of Metheny's other favorite young guitar players. Gilad is also the winner of the 2005 Gibson Montreux International Guitar Competition, which led to a string of performances including opening for guitar legend Paco de Lucia with his trio at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2006. 

Gilad began his prolific recording career in 2006 with the release of his debut album, SplitLife (Smalls Records), recorded with bassist Joe Martin and drummer Ari Hoenig. It received rave reviews from the press as did his second album, Words Unspoken (LateSet Records), recorded and released in 2008 with Joe Martin, drummer Marcus Gilmore and tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm.

In 2009, Gilad recorded three tracks for Walt Disney Records, one of which was included in the record Everybody Wants To Be a Cat (2011). The album features versions of Disney songs played by a top-shelf lineup of musicians including Dave Brubeck, Joshua Redman, Esperanza Spalding, Diane Reeves, Roy Hargrove, Kurt Rosenwinkel, The Bad Plus and many other jazz legends.

In the spring of 2010 Gilad recorded his third album, Hearts Wide Open, with Joe Martin on bass, Marcus Gilmore on drums and world-renowned saxophonist Mark Turner. The record received rave reviews globally and was featured in many Best-of-2011 lists such as The New York Times, Amazon and iTunes. Then in April of 2013, Gilad released his fourth album, This Just In, under the JazzVillage label of Harmonia Mundi with the same quartet. Gilad's fifth record, Homes, was released in 2015 on the same label. It features his longstanding trio with Martin and Gilmore, plus 2 tracks with the great Jeff Ballard on drums.

Born in Israel in 1983, Gilad studied classical piano from age 6 and began studying guitar at the age of 9. From age 12 to 14 he performed regularly with the band of a weekly children's television show. He attended the prestigious Thelma Yellin School of Arts, graduating with excellence from the jazz department at age 18. Gilad received the America - Israel Cultural Foundation Scholarship for studies abroad to attend The New School in New York, where he completed his BFA in performing arts in 2008.

"An exceptional guitarist with a wonderful sound and great fluidity,  a unique composer of originality and maturity."
Born and raised in São Paulo,  Brazil, Chico Pinheiro started playing the guitar when he was 6.  At 14 he started working as studio session guitarist and soon began to be called to collaborate with a wide range of artists in his hometown, then in Brazil, then abroad. In 2002 Chico puts together a band of his own and starts recording as leader.  His  first album, 'Meia Noite Meio Dia' (Sony Music/ 2003) was released in 2003 with great reviews at all the most important newspapers and music magazines in Brazil and abroad, and was included in the 'Top 10 Brazilian albums of the year' in the major newspapers of Brazil: 'O Estado de São Paulo' , 'A Folha de São Paulo' and 'O Globo' . This well-received debut included performances from special guest vocalists Lenine , Ed Motta , Chico César , and Maria Rita .

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His second release, 'Chico Pinheiro' (Biscoito Fino/ 2005) enjoyed great critical and audience acclaim, once more being included in the 'Top 10 Brazilian albums of the year' by newspapers 'O Estado', 'O Globo' and 'Folha de São Paulo'.

The third album, NOVA , was released in dec/ 2007 in collaboration with the american guitarist and composer Anthony Wilson . It was, again, celebrated by critic and audience.

His fourth album, There's a Storm Inside (CT Music Japan/ Sunnyside Records, NY, 2010) was released in 35 countries. It includes guests such as Dianne Reeves and Bob Mintzer, and was featured on theDownbeat, Revista Veja, O Estado de São Paulo, Folha de São Paulo, Jornal O GLOBO and Revista Rolling Stone among the 'best albuns of the year'. This record also won prizes as Best Brazilian Jazz Álbum of the year and Best Latin Jazz Composition of 2010 with 'Mamulengo', in the Latin Jazz Corner Association, USA. Chico also won as Best Latin Jazz Guitarist, in the same association.

In 2012 he released the CD 'TRIZ', in partnership with the pianist and composer André Mehmari and singer and composer Sergio Santos. The album received highly favorable reviews and was also listed among the best albums of the year. 

Meanwhile, Chico was chosen three times as a Rising Star in the Guitar category in the Downbeat Magazine Annual Critics Poll -  along with Julian Lage, Peter Bernstein and Adam Rogers. 
In 2017 Chico releases "Varanda", a special collaboration project that again was included as 'best of the year' in all major papers and magazines in Brazil and abroad. His composition "Varanda" is performed by Vince Mendoza and the WDR Big Band on the Project  "Focus on Brazil", along with Milton Nascimento, Edu Lobo, Gilberto Gil, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Villa Lobos.

Today Chico is considered a leading figure in  - and outside the Brazilian music scene, who has distinguished himself as a guitarist, composer and arranger. Alongside with his main projects as leader, he also has collaborated with artists such as Placido Domingo, Brad Mehldau, Dave Grusin, Dianne Reeves, Kurt Elling, Danilo Pérez, Nnenna Freelon, Bob Mintzer, Herbie Hancock, Brian Blade (IJD), Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, The Israel Chamber Orchestra, The Bob Mintzer Big Band, The Paris Jazz Big Band, The Swiss Jazz Orchestra, The Danish Radio Big Band, The Seasons Guitar Quartet with Anthony Wilson, Julian Lage & Steve Cardenas, Esperanza Spalding, Joyce, Ivan Lins, Rosa Passos, Dori Caymmi, Danilo Caymmi, João Donato, Johnny Alf, Chico César, Ed Motta, César Camargo Mariano, Elza Soares, Luciana Souza, Monarco, Mark Turner, Chris Potter, Tom Scott, John Patitucci,  Eddie Gomez, Gary Novak, Lee Ritenour, Abraham Laboriel, Paulinho da Costa, Sammy Figueroa, Cachaíto Lopez (Buena Vista Social Club), Roberto Fonseca, Ari Hoenig, Claudio Roditi, Duduka da Fonseca, Peter Erskine, Giovani Hidalgo, amongst others.

About Chico Pinheiro: 

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“‎If you enjoy adventurous, creative and contemporary Brazilian music, Chico Pinheiro is the man taking it to the next level.”

 - WDNA, Miami , USA

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“‎An astonishing guitarist whose technical skill and emotive feel for the instrument is above par for anything guitar-related I've experience of late.”

- Global Village, Savannah, GA, USA 2018

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“‎One of the brightest lights on today's Brazilian jazz scene"

- The BOSTON GLOBE,  Boston, MA, 2018

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“‎Chico Pinheiro is a prodigy of guitar”

- Downbeat Magazine, USA, 2017